Pei Lingchu turned her head, her gaze settling on the woman across from her, draped in a crimson deep-V gown. Red lips arched high in a bold display, the diamond necklace at her throat catching the light in dazzling bursts.
“Jiang Lai.” The voice was smooth and cool, like moonlight with an undeniable undercurrent of distance, flowing slowly from her throat, a faint smile playing on her lips, delicate and reserved.
She used a tissue from her clutch to blot her lips, the vibrant red instantly softening, as if veiled by a mist. Yet, against her striking features, the color still held a vivid allure.
“Hey, don’t wipe it off! It looked great. It’s rare to see you in such a rich shade. Now you look so… muted. Why don’t you put it back on?” Jiang Lai raised a playful eyebrow, speaking languidly. “You still have the closing remarks later. You weren’t planning on leaving already, were you? That won’t do. You’re my showcase, the kind you can’t find anywhere in the capital… no, not within a million kilometers. The other models can’t even compare.”
Jiang Lai’s words were an exaggeration, but held a kernel of truth.
“Not leaving.” Pei Lingchu gently pressed the corner of her eye, her voice soft. She tilted her pale chin slightly, but ignored the suggestion to reapply the lipstick.
“Of course you can’t leave. We go way back. Come on, let’s have a drink.”
The Jiang and Pei families had a long-standing relationship; they had grown up together.
As she spoke, Jiang Lai took a glass of wine from a passing server’s tray, her eyes bright with a smile as she raised it. “To our next successful collaboration, Lingchu.”
The red wine in the glass glowed with a deep, enticing color under the lights.
Pei Lingchu inclined her head slightly, her expression gentle. She picked up her champagne, brought it to her nose for a brief, delicate inhale, but still didn’t drink. Her gaze drifted to the rising bubbles, her eyes shadowed, her throat moved almost imperceptibly, the tip of her tongue lightly tracing a sharp tooth.
“Tsk, still not drinking this time?” Jiang Lai glanced at her, swirling her wrist. Without waiting for a response, she tilted her chin, revealing a graceful curve of her neck, her throat bobbed as she finished her drink in one smooth motion.
“Only when necessary.” Pei Lingchu’s words were concise as she gently swirled her glass, her focus on the delicate bubbles rising and bursting. A subtle relaxation eased her features, a faint smile touching her lips.
“You’re too… disciplined.” Jiang Lai playfully tapped her finger. “Who says you can only drink during social obligations? I want to drink when I’m happy, when I’m sad, whenever the mood strikes. Who cares if it’s ‘necessary’? Or don’t you want to drink? If not, why keep staring at it? Could it be reflecting your face? Getting narcissistic on me?”
Pei Lingchu’s gaze shifted from her glass to Jiang Lai, who was lounging on the opposite sofa. Her eyes flickered momentarily to Jiang Lai’s high heels dangling loosely from her toes before quickly looking away. “I’m driving tonight. Drinking isn’t safe.” Her voice was soft.
“You drove yourself here?”
A hint of confusion laced Jiang Lai’s tone, her brow furrowing as she glanced around. “Your little assistant didn’t come with you?”
Pei Lingchu: “No, I let her go back first. It would be too late and unsafe for her to wait until the end.”
Jiang Lai cast her a sidelong glance. “That assistant of yours is practically invisible. What did you even hire her for? You do everything yourself anyway.”
It’s not like I can’t, Pei Lingchu thought silently, placing her glass down. She turned her gaze back to the window. Rain had begun to fall unnoticed, fine droplets clinging to the bright glass, blurring the neon lights into hazy streaks.
It was raining.
Pei Lingchu blinked, a sudden chill making her skin prickle with goosebumps.
Jiang Lai’s voice drifted over the soft patter of rain. “Weren’t you happy staying abroad? Why the sudden return? Or did President Pei make you come back?”
Pei Lingchu was silent for a moment, studying her before replying, “No, I came back on my own.”
Jiang Lai swirled her wine. “Hmph, that’s your story, but I don’t believe it. I’ve known you for so many years, and I still have no idea what you’re really thinking. You always wear that smile, and I can never tell if it’s genuine or not. Forget it.”
“But you’re taking a break after this shoot, right?” Jiang Lai took another glass of wine, her gaze lingering on Pei Lingchu for a beat.
“Mm.” Pei Lingchu responded.
“That’s a surprise. The workaholic is taking time off. I thought it was just a rumor. How long will you be resting?”
“About a week.”
“You really should rest properly. I’m worried you’ll collapse during a shoot. Oh, why don’t you bring your two younger sisters out to play? University should be on summer break. President Pei can’t possibly forbid them, can she?”
Jiang Lai took a sip of her wine, tilting her chin slightly as she glanced down at Pei Lingchu. Remembering something, she abruptly put down her glass, leaned forward conspiratorially, a smile playing on her lips. “And what’s this I hear about little Fu Chi wanting to be a housekeeper, following Aunt Xu around and learning the ropes every day?”
Pei Lingchu looked up, about to speak, when a notification tone chimed from her clutch. Jiang Lai naturally heard it too, nodding towards her bag to indicate the message.
After a couple of seconds, Pei Lingchu retrieved her phone, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and opened WeChat. A red dot glowed on a small ragdoll cat profile picture.
She tapped the chat.
Xiao Chi: It’s raining. Is the banquet still not over?
“Who’s that?”
Pei Lingchu lifted her eyelids slightly, glanced at her, then returned her gaze to the screen, her eyes flicking to the time. Her pale fingertip hovered over the keyboard as she replied, “Xiao Chi.”
“How coincidental! We were just talking about her, and now a message. What did she say?”
Pei Lingchu ignored her, continuing to type.
Pei Lingchu: Another half hour. Rest. I’ll go back myself.
Just as she sent the message, another one arrived.
Xiao Chi: Elder Sister Xiao Chu, I’ll come pick you up.
Pei Lingchu’s brow arched slightly, a soft smile touching her eyes, the diamond earrings catching the light.
Pei Lingchu: No need. I can go back on my own.
Xiao Chi: Then I’ll wait for you to return. I’ll go run a bath so you can soak as soon as you get back. Do you want a late-night snack? I can make something.
A subtle tingling sensation ran through Pei Lingchu’s fingertip. She stared at the message, lost in thought for a long moment, before typing a few more words.
Pei Lingchu: No need for that. Go and rest.
Just as she put her phone away, a teasing laugh sounded in her ear. Jiang Lai, her beautiful eyes narrowed playfully, looked at her with an unreadable, knowing expression.
“Lingchu, what did little Fu Chi send you? You look so happy. I believe that’s a genuine smile; the corners of your eyes are crinkling.”
“You two haven’t seen much of each other in the past few years, and you’ve only been back in the country for a month.”
“Still so obsessed with your little sister?”
Jiang Lai pondered for a moment, clicking her tongue before offering a different take.
“Actually, no. It’s little Fu Chi who has you wrapped around her finger.”
