The Subtle Seduction of My Ex-Girlfriend’s Aunt - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Didn’t Song Zhixu Leave Last Night?

Song Zhixu let go of Tang Ran’s arm, but the hand supporting her waist didn’t loosen.

“No need,” Tang Ran waved her hand, explaining weakly. “My period is here. I’ve already ordered painkillers.” She forced a corner of her mouth up. “Sister, can you send me back? Room 1109.”

This was a chronic problem spanning two lifetimes; as long as she took medicine and got through one night, she’d be fine. She didn’t want the hassle of a hospital.

“Alright.”

Song Zhixu led her toward the elevator. Assistant Jiang was stunned by the sudden scene. Only when she saw her boss enter the elevator did she react, stepping forward to help.

Song Zhixu turned and told her, “Go buy a cup of brown sugar ginger tea.”

Assistant Jiang froze, then nodded immediately, stepping out of the elevator with agility. She had an intuition: she probably wouldn’t need to check out tonight.

Once inside the room, Song Zhixu helped Tang Ran to the bedside. Tang Ran forced a smile and whispered a “Thank you, Sister.” Forgetting all ladylike poise, she kicked off her high heels and climbed into bed.

Song Zhixu pulled the quilt over her. “Rest. I’ll get the medicine for you in a bit.” Seeing her like this, Song Zhixu didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone.

“I’ve troubled you, Sister,” Tang Ran nodded listlessly. She felt like she was dying from the pain and had no strength to get back up. The delivery would be here soon; it wouldn’t take up much of Song Zhixu’s time. With that thought, she closed her eyes.

Her stomach churned in waves; she felt her consciousness fading from the pain. Cold sweat soaked her fringe, which stuck messily to her forehead and cheeks. Song Zhixu instinctively reached out to brush the hair away but stopped mid-motion. She pulled her hand back, gazed at Tang Ran for a moment, then neatly arranged the kicked-off heels at the foot of the bed. She took out her phone, typing as she walked into the bathroom.

Assistant Jiang, waiting in line for the ginger tea, was not surprised to receive a message from her boss changing her travel plans.

In the bathroom, a stream of hot water splashed into the white porcelain basin. Song Zhixu looked at herself in the mirror, organized her stirred emotions, and reached for a towel.

When she came out, Tang Ran had slid down from the pillow. She was curled into a ball, clutching her stomach, half her head buried in the blanket. The visible half of her face was contorted in pain, pale, with a single teardrop clinging to the corner of her eye.

Song Zhixu sat by the bed, gently wiped the tear away, and then slowly used the warm towel to brush back the hair and wipe the sweat from Tang Ran’s forehead.

Tang Ran’s mind was currently a blur; she was operating purely on instinct. The warm towel felt comfortable. She moved her head, nuzzling against the towel, and let out a soft, blurred whimper: “It hurts so much.”

Song Zhixu leaned down, her movements becoming even more tender. “The medicine is almost here.”

Her voice was so gentle that Tang Ran murmured again, “My stomach hurts.” It felt like she was carrying a block of ice. She pulled the quilt tighter against her abdomen, trying to get warm.

Song Zhixu watched her. After a few seconds of hesitation, she let out a soft sigh, set down the towel, rubbed her palms together to warm them, and reached under a corner of the quilt.

Tang Ran was holding the quilt too tight. Song Zhixu’s hand was blocked. She tugged gently. Tang Ran frowned and refused to let go, whispering piteously, “Cold.”

Song Zhixu patted her hand gently. “Is your stomach cold? I’ll help you warm it.”

Hearing this, Tang Ran instinctively let go. Song Zhixu moved Tang Ran’s hand aside and placed her palm over her lower abdomen. Through the thin silk shirt, Tang Ran immediately felt the heat from Song Zhixu’s palm. The warmth diffused through her skin, easing the spasms. Tang Ran leaned in closer, seeking more of that heat.

Seeing Tang Ran’s brow relax, Song Zhixu adjusted her position, sitting further onto the bed, and gently massaged the area.

Knock, knock.

The door was ajar. Assistant Jiang guessed her boss had left it open for her. She entered the suite. Passing through the small living room, she saw the scene in the bedroom. Even though she had prepared herself, seeing her boss so tenderly massaging Tang Ran’s stomach caused her pupils to shake. As a special assistant, Jiang Lin had spent the most time with Song Zhixu. She knew all the boss’s friends, yet she had never seen her this intimate with anyone.

Except Tang Ran.

She didn’t want to overthink, but her boss’s treatment of the eldest Miss Tang was just too different. Assistant Jiang dared not ponder further, but she couldn’t help but think: The Boss is so brave! After all, Miss Tang is her niece’s girlfriend!

Hearing the sound, Song Zhixu turned her head and withdrew her hand naturally. As the heat source left, Tang Ran frowned and opened her eyes with a tiny, complaining whimper, her red-rimmed eyes looking pitiful.

A wave of warmth in her lower abdomen woke Tang Ran with a start. She instinctively reached down and felt the “koala” period pants beneath her nightgown. She sighed in relief, remembering that after the medicine kicked in last night, she had gotten up to change.

Tang Ran rolled over. Her stomach pressed against the bunched-up quilt, and she felt a localized heat. She reached in and found a “warm baby” heating pad stuck to her nightgown.

Her brain fully woke up. Memories returned. She remembered Song Zhixu bringing her back. She had been in too much pain to remember the details—just a vague memory of Song Zhixu feeding her medicine and ginger tea. Later, she’d felt better and did a basic wash-up.

As Tang Ran was feeling lucky she met Song Zhixu, a blurred memory surfaced. She had been whimpering in pain, and then…

Did Song Zhixu hold her stomach for her?!

The sensation of the cold being driven away was so deep that she clearly remembered the warm touch of Song Zhixu’s palm. Tang Ran’s face instantly flushed hot. Even knowing it was to relieve pain, the gesture was so intimate. She fanned her face with her hand.

The room was dim, with only a sliver of light through the white curtains. Tang Ran focused and saw a figure lying on the sofa. Song Zhixu was lying on her side, using her arm as a pillow, covered by a thin blanket.

Tang Ran froze. An inexplicable feeling surged. Didn’t Song Zhixu leave last night? She remembered her saying she was going back to Jiangcheng. Why did she stay?

An unbelievable thought flashed through her mind. She looked at Song Zhixu’s face with a complex expression. Did she stay just to take care of me? But why? Could it be that Song Zhixu has…

Buzz, buzz~

The phone on the coffee table vibrated. Song Zhixu sat up, woken by the noise. As she answered, she looked toward the bed. Tang Ran, panicked, immediately closed her eyes.

“Mhm.” “Wait for me downstairs in fifteen minutes.”

Song Zhixu whispered. Tang Ran strained her ears to hear. After a moment of silence, there was the sound of rustling from the sofa, followed by footsteps approaching the bed.

Tang Ran held her breath, not daring to move. If she’d known Song Zhixu was coming over, she wouldn’t have pretended to be asleep. It would be so awkward if she were caught. Just as she was debating whether to “wake up,” a strand of hair smelling of white tea brushed against her jaw.

Her heart tightened. What is she doing?! Does she really have “special” thoughts about me?

Just as her heart was about to leap out of her throat, the quilt she had kicked down to her waist was gently pulled up and tucked around her. Then, the footsteps moved away.

Tang Ran waited until Song Zhixu went to the bathroom before burying her face in the blanket, feeling humiliated by her own wild thoughts! What was I thinking! Song Zhixu stayed because she looked pathetic and it would be heartless to leave. Besides, their mothers were friends; she did it out of courtesy to the elders. If roles were reversed, she’d do the same for Song Zhixu.

I was just being narcissistic, Tang Ran told herself. Feeling even more embarrassed to “wake up,” she continued to play dead until Song Zhixu left with her luggage.

At 8:00 AM, Xiao Chen arrived. Tang Ran pretended she had just woken up and sent a thank-you message to Song Zhixu.

Little Ran: Thank you for taking care of me yesterday, Sister.

The reply came two hours later. Tang Ran guessed she had just landed.

Song Zhixu: Feeling better?

Little Ran: Much better. I’ll treat you to dinner when I’m back in Jiangcheng.

Song Zhixu: Alright.

Looking at the simple reply, Tang Ran confirmed she had definitely overthought things.

Monday at work.

Manager Yu rushed in to tell Tang Ran that Lin Jixin had recommended a big client: Tywo Foods from the US.

Hearing that name, alarm bells rang in Tang Ran’s head. Tang Group’s business was split between own-brand production and OEM (original equipment manufacturing). Tywo was a famous US meat company that didn’t have its own factories in China and relied on OEM partners.

In Manager Yu’s eyes, Tywo was a prize. In Tang Ran’s eyes, it was a dangerous time bomb. In her previous life, the primary reason Tang Group went bankrupt was the bank refusing loans, but the trigger was Tywo. Next year, Tywo would be exposed in a major consumer rights broadcast (3.15 Gala) for illegal additives in their meat. As their OEM partner, Tang Group was dragged down with them. Consumer trust plummeted, partners cancelled contracts, and massive lawsuits followed. Within six months, Tang Group was gone.

Tang Ran would not let this happen again. After successfully sabotaging Song Wuqi’s acquisition, her confidence was high. She knew the past could be changed. She looked at her phone, at the “Loquat Tree” avatar (Song Zhixu). She typed a line, paused, then deleted it.

I shouldn’t ask her for such small things. Using a butcher’s knife to kill a chick is a waste. She also couldn’t become dependent on others.

Wednesday.

Tang Ran had wanted to treat Song Zhixu to dinner, but Song Zhixu had social engagements every night. The only upside was that if Song Zhixu came back early, Tang Ran could still go next door to study.

That evening, Song Zhixu returned after 8:00 PM. Half an hour later, Tang Ran got a text.

Song Zhixu was in loungewear, her hair damp. Her fair cheeks were flushed from alcohol. “I didn’t like the smell of the banquet, so I showered. Sorry for the delay,” she explained.

“I’m the one troubling you, Sister,” Tang Ran said, feeling guilty. She should have rescheduled, but she wanted to finish the course quickly. “Wait a moment!”

Tang Ran ran back to her own place. Song Zhixu, slightly tipsy, leaned against her doorframe and watched the open door across the hall. Since Pengcheng, their relationship had softened. Tang Ran was more natural around her.

Soon, Tang Ran ran back with a glass cup featuring a yellow Pokemon. Inside was a light yellow liquid with two green limes. “Lime honey water. It helps with the alcohol,” Tang Ran smiled.

Her mother always drank this after banquets. Tang Ran had picked up the habit as a kid. Since Song Zhixu took care of her in Pengcheng, this was “returning the favor.”

“Thank you.” Song Zhixu took the cup. The cartoon lid popped open with a click. “It’s cute.”

“The cup is new, I haven’t used it,” Tang Ran added, fearing a misunderstanding.

Song Zhixu laughed. “I just thought it was cute.” She took a sip.

The cloyingly sweet taste hit her taste buds. Song Zhixu’s throat hitched, but she slowly swallowed the sugar water. Tang Ran realized she’d made it according to her own sweet-loving taste. In her past life, she’d made it for Song Wuqi, who took one sip and never touched it again.

She was about to tell Song Zhixu not to drink it if it was too sweet, but Song Zhixu took another long drink, finishing half of it. “It tastes good,” she praised.

Tang Ran was delighted. Look at that—a real boss is different. Even if it’s not her taste, she’s encouraging, unlike that ungrateful scumbag Song Wuqi.

“I’m glad you like it.”

In the study, Song Zhixu took a work call. “The notebook is by the desktop. You can start looking.”

Tang Ran nodded. As Song Zhixu went to the living room, Tang Ran opened the notebook but couldn’t move the cursor. She flipped the mouse over—the light was green. She then noticed an identical mouse next to the desktop computer. She’d grabbed the wrong one.

She went to swap them. The desktop screen had woken up from her clicking, showing several open windows. Tang Ran went to close them.

Ping, ping.

A WeChat window flashed on the screen. Name: Murong

Not Murong Yi: “Jan said you’re back? Did you go back to find Tang Ran again? smirk.jpg”

Tang Ran’s hand froze over the “X” button. Her eyes landed on the messages from last Saturday, scrolling from the bottom up:

[What a clever ghost.jpg]

“But with Tang Ran’s 5%, it’ll be even harder for your niece to usurp the throne. You’re killing two birds with one stone.”

“It has to be you, Old Song. Doing big things in silence! [Impressive.jpg]”

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