The overall design of the villa leaned toward a Nordic minimalist luxury style.
The lampshades in the guest rooms were made of thick amber glass, which filtered the light into a honey-like viscous texture, lazily spilling over the limited space.
The light took on a warm gold hue, softly outlining the silhouettes of the intertwined figures on the sofa.
Amid the confusion, there was a restless urge threatening to spiral out of control.
Time seemed to stand still. Jian Ran’s lashes lowered, her gaze fixed on Chu Lulin’s mouth.
His lips were pink and soft-looking.
And that lip bead—it made you want to kiss it, plump and adorable. When kissing, you could hold it in your mouth, or press your lips together, wrapping around his and then sucking on that lip bead, teasing it…
“Big Sister, are you okay?”
Just as her thoughts were running wild, Chu Lulin’s concerned voice suddenly sounded in her ear. His warm breath brushed her earlobe, sending a slight shiver through her.
A fine current of electricity spread through her limbs.
Jian Ran’s back stiffened for a moment, as if waking from a dream. She quickly scrambled off Chu Lulin.
This time, at least, there were no further mishaps.
Chu Lulin sat up, looking a bit flustered too.
Both of them were clearly embarrassed. Their eyes met in midair, then the next second, they both looked away.
Jian Ran cleared her throat lightly. “You, how’s your wound?”
She hadn’t pressed on it, had she?
“No, the wound’s fine.”
That was good.
“When Big Sister pounced over, I leaned to the other side.”
Jian Ran: “…”
The word “pounced” was very evocative.
“Thank you for putting medicine on me, Big Sister. It’s late, so I won’t disturb your rest.”
“…Okay.”
“Good night, Big Sister.”
“Good night.”
With a click, the door closed.
Jian Ran let out a heavy breath and collapsed onto the sofa beside her.
Staring at the living room ceiling, she couldn’t help but touch her forehead. What a mess.
But then, thinking of Chu Lulin’s forced composure as he left—his face red, practically fleeing—Jian Ran couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Such an innocent boy. Would he be traumatized?
What a sin.
Having accidentally played the role of a “female hooligan,” Jian Ran thought she might have trouble sleeping that night, since it was her first time doing something like that.
But unexpectedly, she slept exceptionally well, dreamlessly.
Until the next morning, when she was woken from a deep sleep by a phone call.
Jian Ran picked up her phone. Through sleepy eyes, she saw the caller ID—it was her master.
“Hello, Master? Why are you calling so early? Something wrong?”
“Ran Jie, it’s me. Teacher Su fell…”
Jian Ran’s hand holding the phone froze. Her still-foggy mind instantly cleared.
“Xiao Ning, don’t panic. Take it slow. How is Master now? Has she been taken to the hospital? …Good. You stay at the hospital and take care of her. I’ll book a ticket right now and catch the earliest flight back to Jing City…”
*
Coming out of Jing City Airport, Jian Ran didn’t even bother to drop off her luggage at home. She took a taxi straight to the hospital.
Pushing open the ward door, she saw Su Jin sitting up in bed, her foot in a cast, looking to be in fairly good spirits.
“How’s your foot? What did the doctor say?”
Jian Ran pushed her suitcase aside and hurried to the bedside.
Su Jin was startled to see her. “Weren’t you in Yuncheng? Why are you back suddenly?”
The young girl beside her, who was peeling an apple, timidly raised her hand. “Teacher Su, I called Ran Jie this morning.”
Su Jin gave her a disapproving look. “You really are something. Never mind the others, but she’s so far away. Why did you drag her all the way here?”
Xiao Ning shrank her neck, not daring to speak.
She was Teacher Su’s assistant. When she arrived in the morning and saw her fallen on the ground, she panicked. After calling 120, she contacted Jian Ran immediately.
“Master, don’t blame Xiao Ning. I specifically told her to do that earlier,” Jian Ran explained for the girl.