The Obsessive Beauty’s White Moonlight - Chapter 19

“Good morning, Niannian.”

Su Niannian was untying her apron when the greeting came from behind. Her movements faltered for a heartbeat before she responded with forced nonchalance, “Mm, morning.”

“What’s for breakfast?” Qi Ning asked, her expression languid and heavy with sleep. “Let me help.”

She stretched slowly. As her arms came down, the strap of her silk nightgown slid down her shoulder, dangling precariously in a way that was effortlessly alluring. Su Niannian caught the sight out of the corner of her eye, and her entire body stiffened even further.

“N-no need,” she stammered, her nerves getting the better of her. “I’ve already finished everything.”

She plated Qi Ning’s portion of shrimp scrambled eggs and buttered toast, handed it over, then grabbed her own plate. Keeping her head low, she muttered, “I’m going to eat upstairs.”

With that, she beat a hasty retreat, making zero eye contact throughout the entire encounter, as if there were a wolf snapping at her heels.

Watching Su Niannian’s retreating back as she vanished around the corner of the stairs, Qi Ning narrowed her eyes. Is Niannian avoiding me?

Once she had calmed down in the safety of her bedroom, Su Niannian ate her breakfast absentmindedly while reviewing a document sent by her manager: 【Exhibition Layout and Schedule.pdf】.

She skimmed through it and typed a reply: 【I’ll be attending the exhibition and the charity gala in person this time.】

A second after the message was sent, her manager called.

“Are you being serious right now?”

Jarred by the manager’s booming voice, Su Niannian moved the phone away from her ear. “Yes,” she added. “And I’ll be bringing a friend along.”

A friend? The manager immediately thought of the woman from the previous call. For Miss Su who usually loathed public appearances to attend in person for this individual, their relationship must be extraordinary.

The manager’s inner gossip-monger stirred, but she remained professional. “Do you need us to prepare a gown for you?”

“No.” Su Niannian started to refuse, but then realized she didn’t have any formal wear suitable for Qi Ning at home. She changed her tune. “Actually, have the stylists bring a selection of outfits to my house. I’ll send you the address.”

The manager guessed her intent immediately. “I’ll coordinate it right away. Also, I’ll need you to provide your friend’s measurements.”

Qi Ning’s measurements? Su Niannian froze. Unbidden, images of Qi Ning’s curvaceous, well-proportioned figure flashed through her mind.

Her face flushed so hot she nearly threw the phone across the room.

“Miss Su?” The manager was startled by the sudden clatter on the other end.

“It’s nothing!” Su Niannian gripped the phone tight.

Qi Ning’s measurements. Any day before yesterday, she could have simply asked. But now, she truly didn’t dare face her. It wasn’t that she was still sulking; she just had no idea how to respond to Qi Ning’s confession. For now, avoidance was her only refuge.

“About those measurements.”

Su Niannian bit her lip. She had seen her, held her, and even. No, stop.

Anyway, she could at least determine the approximate sizes! With that thought, she rattled off her best estimates.

“Got it, got it,” the manager replied quickly, adding before Su Niannian could change her mind, “Are you free this afternoon? I’ll have the stylists head over early.”

Su Niannian agreed. Only after hanging up did it occur to her: she hadn’t actually invited Qi Ning to the exhibition yet.

A delayed realization hit her: What if Qi Ning says no?

“I say yes.”

Su Niannian: “!!”

Su Niannian jumped, spinning around.

Qi Ning was leaning against the doorframe in her pajamas, having clearly overheard every word.

“But breakfast is much better when eaten together, don’t you think?” Qi Ning said with a beaming smile, stepping forward to take Su Niannian’s hand.

Su Niannian flinched slightly but didn’t pull away.

“Niannian, how do I look?”

Qi Ning stepped in front of Su Niannian and called her name. Su Niannian looked up and was immediately dazed. She couldn’t take her eyes off her.

Qi Ning’s long hair was bound by a red silk ribbon, coiled elegantly at the crown of her head. A few stray, curled tendrils framed her face, perfectly accentuating the graceful line of her pale neck. Though she had tried on several gowns at the stylist’s suggestion, she had changed back into her casual clothes to show Su Niannian the final hair and makeup look.

“You look beautiful.” Su Niannian murmured to herself.

At the compliment, Qi Ning’s eyes crinkled into a smile. Su Niannian felt as if the smile itself was hot enough to burn, and she hurriedly averted her gaze, only to accidentally catch sight of the doctor’s earlobe.

“You have ear piercings?” Su Niannian asked tentatively.

“Hmm?” Qi Ning brushed her hair back to display the delicate jewelry. “I’ve had them for a while now.”

Really? As Su Niannian tried to recall, the woman before her lowered her eyes, pouting slightly. “You don’t pay enough attention to me.”

“That’s not true!” Su Niannian panicked, her words tumbling out in a jumble. “It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that you never wore earrings before, so I.”

“I know that you have a beauty mark under your left eye, a small red birthmark on the back of your neck, and a scar on your ankle from when you were a child.”

Su Niannian: “…”

Now I feel even guiltier.

Suddenly, Qi Ning leaned down and pinched Su Niannian’s earlobe. “Speaking of which, Niannian, your earlobes are quite lovely.”

She watched as a rosy flush bloomed from the exact spot she touched, spreading rapidly across Su Niannian’s ear until it looked perfectly “edible.”

“What’s so special about an earlobe?” Su Niannian tried to shrink back, but with the sofa cushions behind her, there was nowhere to go. She tried to dodge, but with a seemingly effortless reach, Qi Ning pinned her down and neutralized her resistance.

Su Niannian felt a moment of profound confusion: Which one of us is the one who actually grew up practicing martial arts?

Qi Ning kneaded the earlobe gently, watching it turn a deeper shade of red under her touch. Only when Su Niannian’s entire ear was burning did she finally let go.

“Do you want to get your ears pierced, Niannian?” she asked.

Su Niannian had never given it much thought, but with Qi Ning mentioning it, she couldn’t help but look at the other woman’s ears. The earrings were mid-length and exquisite, set with silver diamonds that shimmered like starlight with every movement.

They suited Qi Ning perfectly.

Seeing the beautiful jewelry, Su Niannian’s feminine instincts stirred. She nodded. “A little.”

But where did one go for piercings? A hospital?

Before she could ask, Qi Ning smiled and pinched her other earlobe. “I’ll do it for you, alright?”

Over the past few days, Qi Ning had been the one changing the bandages on Su Niannian’s wrist. No one knew the girl’s constitution better than she did—Su Niannian didn’t feel pain easily, but her wounds healed remarkably slowly. If she pierced her ears, the holes would likely never close up.

In Qi Ning’s mind, piercing Su Niannian’s ears was equivalent to leaving a permanent mark on her body.

Qi Ning smiled warmly, looking every bit the helpful companion, yet Su Niannian felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of dread.

Did I do something to make her angry? she wondered. Aside from avoiding her, did I do something else wrong? Something feels off.