The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Ah Jin, I Like You So Much…

Four years ago.

It was early autumn. The heat of the Haicheng summer had not yet dissipated. When the sky was ablaze with sunset, a restless wind began to stir.

At the Clearwater Bay guard post, a black Rolls-Royce sedan drove past the entrance. The gate automatically lifted, and the car proceeded into the underground garage.

The seat was reclined halfway, covered with a thin blanket. Elegant piano music played in the car, along with the faint, refined scent of jasmine and lavender.

The person who was asleep looked serene. Her long hair cascaded freely, and her long, curled eyelashes cast a small shadow, highlighting the beauty of the crimson beauty mark beneath.

Song Xiangwan groggily opened her eyes and stretched: “Are we here?”

An assistant busied herself folding the blanket, another quickly offered sunglasses with both hands, and a third was tidying up belongings, preparing to exit the car.

Without Song Xiangwan having to say a single word, the people around her catered to her every need perfectly.

And she, clearly, was used to it.

She casually took the sunglasses and put them on, carrying nothing in her hands, and stepped out of the car with a long stride.

Reaching the elevator lobby, she seemed to remember something and turned back: “You don’t need to follow me. Give me my bag.”

“We should still take them up. There’s quite a lot of stuff…” Three or four assistants were carrying bags full of items.

Song Xiangwan glanced over them. They were all gifts from the sponsors of today’s commercial shoot: cosmetics, jewelry, and handbags…

She nonchalantly reached out, took her own bag, turned and walked away, waving her hand: “I don’t need those. You can split them up.”

They were luxury brands, astonishingly generous.

But the assistants seemed used to it. They looked at each other and put the items away.

The elevator climbed floor by floor. Song Xiangwan had been wearing stilettos all day and felt pain in her feet. She leaned lazily against the elevator wall, crossing her arms, her hair falling around her face.

Beneath the large sunglasses, only a section of her pale jawline was visible. She wore a cherry-red dress and had long, slender legs, exuding an outstanding presence.

Upon reaching the doorstep, Song Xiangwan frowned: “Still hasn’t been delivered…”

She murmured softly. The first thing she did upon opening the door was kick off her heels, walking barefoot on the floor. The silver-gray floor made her toes look even fairer.

In contrast to her pale skin, the red marks squeezed onto her feet by the heels were particularly noticeable.

“Wear shoes,” a faint voice rang out.

Song Xiangwan’s heart skipped a beat. She turned around and flashed a brilliant smile: “Why are you back early?”

The study door opened, and Ming Jin walked out.

Her charcoal gray cigarette pants swayed slightly with her steps, highlighting her tall and slender figure.

The collar of her off-white knit shirt was slightly open, two buttons undone, revealing her delicate collarbone. The diamond watch on her wrist added a subtle touch of nobility.

Her skin was cool and pale, and her shallow brown eyes swept over her, giving her an air of detached superiority.

She walked towards Song Xiangwan step by step, leaning forward. The diamond necklace on her neck hung down, catching the light dazzlingly.

Her long, beautiful fingers picked up a pair of pink Hello Kitty slippers and placed them by Song Xiangwan’s feet.

Song Xiangwan slipped her feet into them, then wrapped her arms around Ming Jin’s neck, leaned in to kiss her on the lips, and smiled playfully: “Okay, okay, I’ll wear them. I’ll listen to everything you say.”

Her smile was bright, like sun-drenched flower petals dusted with dew, blazing with dazzling light.

Away from the spotlights and cameras, her beauty was more vibrant, unconstrained by frames, with a vigorous explosion of life.

Ming Jin’s hand naturally rested on her waist. With a slight pull, Song Xiangwan was drawn completely into her embrace.

The hand pressing against her waist transmitted a slightly hot temperature through the fabric.

They exchanged a long, lingering kiss.

Ming Jin’s voice brushed past her ear: “You talk a good game, but when I’m away, I never see you behave.”

“I don’t…” Song Xiangwan said, clearly feeling a little guilty.

Ming Jin’s gaze fell on the stiletto heels by the door: “Are these what you wore for the commercial shoot today?”

The champagne-colored heels were encrusted with diamonds, and the heel was adorned with tiny crystals, like Cinderella’s glass slipper—the height of ornamentation and luxury.

No one would wear such shoes daily. Today, the brand required her to wear them for the ‘going to and leaving work’ street shots.

She had even worn a beautiful dress specifically for these shoes.

“Yes…” Song Xiangwan nodded.

Before she could finish speaking, Ming Jin opened the door, lifted the high heels, and tossed them out, closing the door with a bang.

“Come here.” Ming Jin held Song Xiangwan’s hand, pulling her to sit on the sofa. She took hold of Song Xiangwan’s calf and placed her leg on her own lap.

The pink slippers fell off, revealing her fair foot and the red marks on it.

Ming Jin frowned. Song Xiangwan quickly said, “It doesn’t hurt. High heels… they’re all like this…”

“What is the point of selling shoes like this? You are not allowed to accept commercials from this brand anymore,” Ming Jin’s tone showed no sign of softening.

A full day of shooting, wearing such beautiful torture devices, and having to wear them even on the commute—Ming Jin never liked Song Xiangwan accepting such ridiculous brand endorsements.

“But…” Song Xiangwan pursed her lips, her face full of unhappiness. “Everyone said they look beautiful.”

Ming Jin’s indifferent gaze swept over her. Song Xiangwan immediately wilted: “Fine, no more. I’ll cancel the contract tomorrow. But I’m not paying the penalty.”

Ming Jin said nothing, but this was already a standing rule. Song Xiangwan’s breach of contract fees were always paid by Ming Jin.

Song Xiangwan pulled her leg back, kneeling on the sofa. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Ming Jin, holding out her hand, “A present.”

She smiled brilliantly, her eyes bright, like a cat waiting for a freeze-dried treat.

“Stay seated.” Ming Jin got up to retrieve it.

No milk tea, you can have it, don’t knock, five-star review.

The person on the other side instantly replied: It has been delivered.

Song Xiangwan’s heart skipped a beat. Seeing Ming Jin walking back with a box, she quickly flipped her phone screen-down.

Ming Jin always remembered to bring Song Xiangwan a gift when she traveled. This time it was a ruby necklace. Song Xiangwan put it on her neck, looking like a little cat showing off its spoils, checking herself out from all angles for a long time before carefully putting it away.

Song Xiangwan was on tenterhooks, but Ming Jin didn’t mention the milk tea at all.

She removed her makeup and took a shower. Dinner was already laid out on the table.

The kitchen at Clearwater Bay was almost never used. All meals were prepared by Ming Jin’s private chef and delivered from outside.

“Are you full?” Ming Jin asked.

“Mhm.” Song Xiangwan nodded.

“You only had two bites of rice. Eat a little more. You starved yourself until your stomach hurt a couple of days ago…” Ming Jin frowned slightly, her eyes holding a trace of worry.

To lose weight, she skipped dinner, starving herself until she had stomach pain, but she didn’t say anything, afraid Ming Jin would find out.

Finally, Ming Jin discovered it on the living room surveillance camera—she was curled up on the sofa in agony late at night, not returning to the bedroom.

After three unanswered phone calls, Ming Jin almost canceled her business meeting the next day to rush back overnight.

Afterward, she was furious, immediately replacing three of the assistants around Song Xiangwan.

“I really can’t eat anymore…” Song Xiangwan poked the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, turning it almost into a slurry.

She was utterly willful, not eating what she didn’t like and not eating when she didn’t want to. It was a spoiled princess attitude cultivated by Ming Jin herself.

In the end, Ming Jin gently scooped her a bowl of bamboo pith and chicken soup: “Drink one more bowl of soup. You’ve eaten too little.”

Seeing Song Xiangwan’s lack of interest, she said, “If you finish this bowl of soup, I’ll play games with you tonight, okay?”

“Really?” Song Xiangwan’s eyes immediately lit up. “Don’t you have work tonight?”

“No,” Ming Jin said indifferently. Even if she did, the answer would still be no.

“Have you decided which one you want to play?” Ming Jin relaxed slightly, seeing her start to drink the soup.

“Overcooked.” Song Xiangwan didn’t hesitate. “The one we played last time.”

Ming Jin: “…” She paused, then slowly nodded: “Alright.”

It was only after meeting Song Xiangwan that Ming Jin started playing all those weird games.

President Ming was a powerhouse in the business world but was completely inept in the gaming world.

Song Xiangwan wasn’t much better; terrible at it but loved to play. They only cleared four levels in three hours.

“How long will it take to finish this…” Looking at the game screen, with countless levels still ahead on the map, Song Xiangwan felt a little discouraged.

“Slowly. We have plenty of time,” Ming Jin rubbed her head and got up to put away the console.

Just as Song Xiangwan finished applying a face mask, a cup of warm milk appeared next to her.

Ming Jin was persistent about feeding the cat.

She felt a little anxious, always worrying that she hadn’t raised the cat well enough.

But Song Xiangwan didn’t want it: “No more… I ate a lot tonight…”

“Dieting again?” Ming Jin intensely disliked her dieting.

“No, I just have a poor appetite,” Song Xiangwan mumbled softly. “I don’t want to drink it…”

“Poor appetite, but you can drink iced milk tea?” Ming Jin’s tone was faint.

Song Xiangwan had almost forgotten about it. Her heart sank. The delivered bubble tea had indeed ended up in Ming Jin’s hands.

Now, it was probably in some trash can.

“Did your stomach pain last time also happen because of milk tea?” Ming Jin’s shallow brown eyes seemed to see right through Song Xiangwan.

Her diet plan was specially customized by a nutritionist. It wasn’t meant to cause hunger or weight gain. Eating on time should have been fine.

Last time, it was all because of a cup of iced milk tea. To save up the calories for the milk tea, she skipped her meal and starved herself.

“I didn’t drink it…” Song Xiangwan whispered. She had planned to drink it the next day but ended up in the hospital that very night.

“But I really don’t want to drink milk.” Song Xiangwan tugged at Ming Jin’s hand, looking pitifully at her.

Milk wasn’t tasty. It only tasted good after adding sugar and tea to turn it into milk tea.

Ming Jin didn’t say anything, meaning she had to drink it.

Song Xiangwan felt guilty about the milk tea incident and didn’t dare to protest, taking the cup and quickly gulping down two big mouthfuls.

Perhaps because she drank too fast, a strong wave of nausea suddenly hit her.

She barely had time to speak, setting down the cup and rushing toward the bathroom.

All the milk she drank was thrown up. She could clearly feel the faint, spasmodic cramping in her stomach.

Her fingers pressed against the edge of the sink tightened involuntarily. Physiological tears welled up, making her beautiful phoenix eyes appear watery.

Ming Jin had rushed up behind her, embracing her from the back, gently rubbing her stomach area: “Are you alright?”

“No…” Her voice was slightly nasal, full of grievance.

Tears streamed down her face. “You bully me, you forced me to drink it…”

Her small, palm-sized face was instantly covered in tear streaks. Her crying was heart-wrenching. Ming Jin regretted it too and said softly, “Okay, okay, no more drinking.”

The little cat, having finished throwing up, lay listlessly on the bed. Ming Jin was still worried. Only after confirming multiple times that she didn’t need to go to the hospital did she take clothes and go into the shower.

However, as soon as the sound of running water started in the bathroom, the person outside immediately perked up.

She happily turned on the projector, started her favorite movie, arranged the blankets into a nest shape, and comfortably curled up in bed to watch the film.

She looked full of life, with no trace of listlessness.

It was all an act. After being together for several years, Song Xiangwan knew exactly how to coax Ming Jin and get past the immediate hurdle.

After a busy day and an evening of commotion, she was finally tired. She fell asleep less than ten minutes into the movie.

When Ming Jin finished her shower and walked out, she saw Song Xiangwan asleep, clutching a pillow.

The blanket was coiled into a nest shape. She was sleeping with her own pillow and Ming Jin’s pillow, her eyelashes lowered, looking utterly comfortable.

She had unilaterally taken up one-point-eight meters of the two-meter-wide bed.

Ming Jin couldn’t help but smile faintly, turning to dry her hair.

Amidst the whooshing sound of the hairdryer, she felt a slight tightening around her waist. A pair of arms had wrapped tightly around her from behind.

“Did I wake you up?” Ming Jin stopped the hairdryer in her hand. “Go back to sleep. I won’t disturb you.”

Her hair wasn’t completely dry yet. It looked like she would have to slowly towel-dry it.

“I’ll help you…” Song Xiangwan was still drowsy. She reached out to take the hairdryer from Ming Jin’s hand.

She tested the temperature on the back of her hand before aiming it at Ming Jin’s hair. Her medium-length hair wasn’t very thick, but it still took some time to dry.

Moreover, Ming Jin was slightly taller than her. After holding up her arm for a while, she felt it getting sore.

Perhaps sensing the closeness of the wind, Ming Jin squatted down a bit, lowering herself to the right height.

But this was a test of Ming Jin’s physical stamina.

Or maybe, it wasn’t just physical stamina…

In a face-to-face position, Song Xiangwan raised her arms, almost completely embracing Ming Jin. In the blast of hot air, Song Xiangwan’s scent also surged forward.

She liked using bath products with a rich floral fragrance. The warm air wafted the intoxicating scent towards Ming Jin.

The buttons of the loungewear were loosely fastened. A glance revealed her delicate, fair neck, and further down, her collarbone disappearing into the neckline, faintly pink.

Ming Jin reached out, her thumb pressing against Song Xiangwan’s wrist. With slight force, she pressed her against the bathroom door.

The hairdryer whooshed with hot air. A scalding kiss landed on her lips.

Amidst the swirling moisture, the hairdryer slipped from Song Xiangwan’s hand, falling and causing the plug to click loose from the socket, and the sound of the wind stopped.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together, feeling each other’s warmth.

The thumb pressing on her wrist slid down, threading between her fingers, gripping tightly, hands completely intertwined.

Their breathing became ragged. The kiss moved from her lips and teeth to her cheek, touching the tip of her nose like a quick brush, landing softly on her earlobe, and then tracing the curve of her neck downward.

It felt slightly ticklish. Song Xiangwan instinctively tried to pull back, but her entire occiput bumped against a soft object.

Ming Jin’s other hand was braced between the bathroom door and Song Xiangwan’s head, gently protecting her, then pressing against the back of her head, forcibly deepening the distance between them.

“Ah Jin…” Song Xiangwan’s breathing was erratic. Her fingers rested on Ming Jin’s waist, rubbing up and down against the loungewear fabric.

The space in the bathroom seemed to add a slight reverb to their voices, mixed with their scorching breaths and intertwined scents, sending them into a state of delightful confusion.

“Did you miss me?” Ming Jin’s kiss landed on her ear, the warm breath flowing into her ear canal.

“I did… I missed you so much…” Song Xiangwan suppressed her breathing, burying her brow in Ming Jin’s neck, taking a deep breath of her scent.

According to routine, the night of Ming Jin’s return from a business trip would not be peaceful.

Song Xiangwan often thought that Ming Jin was a master of romance. Even though… she was forcibly kept like a caged bird, she couldn’t help but love her scent.

She didn’t dislike these nights—the kissing, the embracing, the complete intertwining of their auras.

Her waist tightened as she was lifted up.

She didn’t resist, instead actively wrapping her arms around Ming Jin’s neck and wrapping her legs around her waist, like a koala.

The pink slippers fell off in the bathroom. The two collapsed onto the messy blankets on the bed.

The buttons were undone with a quick flick of nimble fingers.

Ming Jin’s hands were beautiful. The first time Song Xiangwan saw Ming Jin, she noticed those long, fair, beautiful hands.

They weren’t delicately fragile; they were long and graceful like fine bamboo, the knuckles not too prominent, like a single piece of warm, smooth jade.

The first time she complimented those hands, she didn’t realize how sensual that was for a female partner.

After complimenting them, she suffered the consequences.

Her gasp of surprise was swallowed by Ming Jin’s mouth, which captured every sound between her lips and teeth.

Song Xiangwan’s hands were lightly wrapped around Ming Jin’s upper arms. Initially, they were just lightly holding on, but then she couldn’t help but tighten her grip inch by inch, using all her strength.

“Say my name,” she whispered.

Her voice was soft, but Song Xiangwan clearly felt the surging tide. She wanted to cry out, but her words were incoherent.

“Be a good girl, say my name,” Ming Jin repeated.

“Ah Jin… Ah Jin…” Her voice was slightly fragmented.

She couldn’t help but want to pull away, but there was nowhere left to hide.

In such a thick atmosphere, such soft calls were like adding fierce kindling beneath a raging furnace.

The glamorous star, beautiful like a goddess in a spring painting, looked up with tear-filled eyes. Her flushed skin made the crimson beauty mark stand out like a solitary winter plum blossom falling in a layer of snow, its petals scattered, exuding a cold fragrance.

The heat was so intense it left them drenched in sweat. Song Xiangwan buried her head in Ming Jin’s chest, gently panting, gradually calming her breath.

The arms embracing each other were held tightly, like an arrow pulled taut on a bowstring, unwilling to let go, or perhaps, on the verge of losing control.

“Do you like me?” Ming Jin’s jaw pressed against Song Xiangwan’s neck. Her thumb gently pressed down, as if trying to melt the person in her arms into her embrace.

“I do…” Song Xiangwan leaned closer to smell Ming Jin’s scent.

“Like a kitten…” Ming Jin couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “What are you smelling?”

“If there’s any other woman’s scent,” Song Xiangwan murmured softly, pressing her nose deeper. “Is President Ming keeping other birds outside?”

“Did you smell anything?” Ming Jin asked.

“Even if there was, you definitely washed it all off cleanly. How would I smell it…” Song Xiangwan mumbled softly.

She couldn’t control herself, wanting to rub against Ming Jin.

This person truly was a master of romance. Inexplicably, she couldn’t leave her.

“Want more?” Ming Jin caught her hand, which was beginning to wander.

“Rest a little…” Song Xiangwan whispered softly, her voice muffled, with a slight nasal tone.

Rest a little meant it wasn’t over yet.

Ming Jin felt that Song Xiangwan was truly a gift from the heavens, someone who perfectly matched her aesthetic, and the person most compatible with her in matters of intimacy.

Song Xiangwan slept very deeply that night. When she woke up in the morning, the curtains had plunged the room into darkness, making it impossible to tell the time.

But the other side of the bed was already cold.

Ming Jin was the most disciplined person. No matter how late the night’s activities lasted, she would always attend her morning meetings on time.

Her stomach rumbled. Song Xiangwan picked up her phone to check the time. It was already one in the afternoon. Her head felt foggy from sleep.

All her alarms had been turned off, and all her work had been accounted for, so she didn’t need to worry about those things.

While lying in bed to wake up, she heard the beep-beep-beep of the keypad lock outside, followed by the sound of fingerprint unlocking.

The Clearwater Bay passcode lock only had her and Ming Jin’s fingerprints.

Song Xiangwan yawned and opened the door, meeting eyes with the person who had just entered.

“Aren’t you busy this afternoon?” Song Xiangwan leaned against the door, looking at Ming Jin.

She must have returned from the company. She was wearing a formal suit—a black suit with silver pinstripes. The sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, revealing a section of her fair arm.

Her skin was cool and pale, like a soft, cold piece of moonlight, which made the diamond watch on her wrist look exceedingly noble.

She looked very beautiful. Song Xiangwan loved seeing Ming Jin dressed in formal wear, in a shirt, with the collar buttons slightly undone.

“I’m free this afternoon. I can spend time with you. What do you want to do?” Ming Jin walked over, gently pinched her nose, and said softly, “Go wash up, then have lunch.”

Setting out the dishes and cleaning up was always something President Ming did personally.

She was supposedly kept as a “canary,” but she had never really had to please Ming Jin. Ming Jin had spoiled her into having a pampered attitude.

After washing up and casually changing clothes, Song Xiangwan sat down at the dining table, waiting for President Ming to serve her food.

Her gaze swept over the table, and she saw… bubble tea?

A cup of milk tea that looked completely out of place next to the table full of exquisite dishes.

“Thank you, President Ming. President Ming is generous.” Song Xiangwan reached out and excitedly took the cup.

“You weren’t this happy when I gave you the ruby necklace,” Ming Jin said somewhat helplessly, reaching out to press down on her wrist, stopping her from inserting the straw.

That necklace was six figures. She could buy a swimming pool’s worth of milk tea for that price.

“Only drink half. It’s a little cold,” Ming Jin instructed.

“Okay,” Song Xiangwan nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick.

Song Xiangwan took a satisfying sip. Bubble tea, her favorite, with less ice and light sugar.

She pounced on Ming Jin and gave her a kiss: “Ah Jin, I like you so much.”

“Do you like me, or the milk tea?” Ming Jin asked with a trace of helplessness.

“I like both…” Song Xiangwan chuckled awkwardly. Logically, as the “canary,” she should be flattering her patron right now, but Song Xiangwan had long been spoiled.

Ming Jin didn’t say anything, just chuckled softly.

She knew that in the cat’s heart, food was more important. What was the owner? Just a servant who provided food.

Milk tea was her one true love.

“And…” Ming Jin lifted her eyelashes, her shallow brown eyes looking at her.

“What is it? Your command.” With milk tea to drink, she was very obedient.

“To create a calorie deficit, you don’t necessarily have to starve yourself.”

“But I already get plenty of exercise,” Song Xiangwan said, chewing on a tapioca pearl, her face full of frustration.

She was considered a very diligent artist. When she wasn’t working, her schedule was full of classes, and when she wasn’t in class, she often practiced dancing, but she just couldn’t lose much weight.

“Last night… actually burned a lot of calories… it helps with weight loss…” President Ming said indifferently.

She was saying something inappropriate, yet she sounded as serious as if she were discussing a company project.