Forbidden To Be Tempted

"But I have already agreed..." Cheng Suran paused, the image of the confrontation in the hall just now flashed through her mind, and that strong sense of strangeness surged up again.

She stared at Wen Ruoxian, and suddenly changed her words: "Ah, it's okay, how about I tell her to take you with me?" 

Wen Ruoxian nodded lightly: "That's fine."

Cheng Suran looked away hesitantly, lowered her head and continued typing: [But Ruoxian will be at home alone, can I take her with me? ]

Jiang Yu, who originally responded quickly, suddenly fell silent.

Three minutes, five minutes...

Half an hour passed.

Almost at the doorstep, Jiang Yu finally sent a message: [Sure, the more the merrier.]

Cheng Suran felt relieved.

In the cold winter, a few snowflakes drifted in Jiangcheng. People who grew up here and had never seen snow were extremely happy, posting photos one after another.

Mina is still hiding abroad, and Jiang Yu sued Bai Lu in court.

All the assets in Bai Lu's hands add up to more than 30 million. Although she is supported by a brand that she endorses, it is still a drop in the bucket compared to the sky-high liquidated damages. She almost reached the end of the road, becoming increasingly depressed, and hardly came out for activities.

Amidst the year-end busyness, time flew by quickly.

The group set off for Hexin Island two days before New Year's Eve.

Pei Chutong chartered a private jet, and at ten o'clock in the morning, five people arrived at the airport on time, a couple, two best friends, and Jiang Yu by herself.

The weather was sunny, with a temperature of just five degrees. She stood by the passenger lift, wrapped in a thick black coat, watching Cheng Suran and Wen Ruoxian step out hand in hand from the car. Her heart couldn't help but ache a little as she squinted her eyes.

She took the initiative to introduce Pei Chutong and Wen Ruoxian to each other.

After a few chats, they boarded the plane one by one. Inside the cabin was a large U-shaped sofa. Pei Chutong and Ruan Mu sat on one side, while Cheng Suran held Wen Ruoxian's hand on the other side. Jiang Yu didn't compete for a seat, sitting quite self-consciously in the middle, composed and at ease. Cheng Suran was a bit anxious.

Ruoxian was someone she brought along, after all. She wasn't familiar with Pei Chutong and Ruan Mu. If she left Ruoxian alone, it would be awkward. But Jiang Yu and Pei Chutong were old friends; they could talk about anything and wouldn't let the atmosphere turn cold.

This trip is not entirely for relaxation.

She's trying to figure something out.

As predicted, Cheng Suran's judgment was correct. Jiang Yu and Pei Chutong chatted energetically, while Ruan Mu remained quiet as usual, gazing at her partner with a gentle and affectionate look. They didn't leave out Cheng Suran and Wen Ruoxian either. Everyone was used to storms in their respective industries and no one let the conversation go cold.

Pei Chutong seemed to be particularly interested in Wen Ruoxian.

Wen Ruoxian didn't feel embarrassed, she was always gentle and calm, and she could answer whatever she asked.

Jiang Yu's gaze frequently fell on Cheng Suran.

Halfway through the three-hour trip, Pei Chutong suddenly dragged Jiang Yu to the back bedroom, saying that she wanted to show her something.

"What is it?"

After closing the door, Jiang Yu asked curiously.

Pei Chutong raised her eyebrows and smiled, "There's nothing, I lied to you." She reached out and poked her forehead, "What's the situation with you and Cheng Suran? Did you two reconcile? Why do I feel like she's close with Wen Ruoxian, and you seem like a lone wolf? There isn't anything else going on, is there?"

Jiang Yu was asked a series of questions she didn't know where to start.

Pei Chutong said again: "If my lesbian eyes are right, Jiang Coco, I really worry about you..."

Jiang Yu pressed her lips together, seeming a bit hesitant. "I also want to know what's going on between them, so I agreed to have them come along. Without clarifying things, I won't have peace of mind. I'll just observe for now."

Pei Chutong clicked her tongue twice: "As expected of you, Jiang Coco, you have so many tricks." She gave her a thumbs up, and if Mumu dared to use tricks against me, I'll—

"What will you do, Pillow Princess*?"

*bottom/receiver

"You are the Pillow Princess!"

"Sorry, I haven't been a pillow yet."

"Don't speak too soon."

Jiang Yu didn't pay much attention.

"Speaking of which, Coco, do you have any ideas? Mumu refuses to let me touch her no matter what I try. I've attempted various methods; the only thing left is to give her medicine, but that's definitely not an option..." Pei Chutong sighed.

"What should I do?"

Jiang Yu was taken aback, her thoughts returning to over a decade ago, recalling the time of her first love.

That's how she was.

She never let her ex-girlfriend touch her, and always took control of intimate matters, until one day, her ex-girlfriend got her drunk and things happened half-willingly, half-reluctantly... As a result, she and her ex-girlfriend had a cold war for a long time.

"Could it be because of... psychological barrier?" Jiang Yu asked tentatively.

"For example, having psychological trauma, being unable to accept oneself... These things could be the root causes. Since she loves you, not letting you touch her must have nothing to do with feelings. There's likely something difficult for her to express. If you can find the source of it, even better. Just be patient and give her some time, especially if it's related to psychological matters."

"Absolutely do not drug her or use force."

This statement seemed more like an attempt to console someone else, but it was also meant to reassure herself.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yu smiled wryly. 

She always had reasons when she advised others, but every time it was for herself, she didn't know what to do.

Pei Chutong frowned in thought.

A knock on the door sounded.

Cheng Suran's voice came from outside: "Come out and eat some fruit-"

"Coming."

Jiang Yu responded and patted Pei Chutong on the shoulder, "Don't worry, take your time."

....

Hexin Island is located at the southernmost tip of the mainland. On the map, it looks like two hearts next to each other. The northeast and southwest of the island extend separately, like an arrow piercing through the two hearts. This is how the island got its name.

Surrounded by the sea, planes can only land on the mainland, and you need to take a boat to get to the island.

Ruan Mu's homestay is located in the center of the island.

The decoration is rich in Southeast Asian tropical rainforest style, surrounded by large green plants, overlooking the beach coastline, as if it is a natural oxygen bar isolated from the world. Because of the good location and beautiful scenery, it is always popular during holidays, and tourists come in and out at this moment.

Ruan Mu reserved three rooms with the best view on the top floor, two double beds and one twin bed. Their group went upstairs talking and laughing.

"Ranran, do you want to stay in the middle room with the big bed? The view is great from here, you can see the entire beach," Jiang Yu suddenly turned around and smiled at Cheng Suran

The rest stopped.

Cheng Suran hadn't expected this: "But there's only one bed, I..." She was about to say that she and Ruoxian were staying in the adjacent twin room, a fact she had confirmed with Jiang Yu before coming.

So she can't understand which song this person is singing now.

Before she could finish her sentence, Jiang Yu interjected, "You can stay in this room, and Miss Wen and I will stay in the room next door." Then she looked at Pei Chutong and Ruan Mu, "We're all women and friends. It doesn't matter who stays with whom."

Pei Chutong, who was watching a play, immediately hugged Ruan Mu tightly.

She definitely wasn't letting go.

When Jiang Coco gets into her performance mode, she's even more outrageous than she is.

"Miss Jiang," Wen Ruoxian stepped forward calmly, smiling slightly, "Me and Ranran have already agreed to share a room. Also, due to the rushed departure, our luggage is a bit disorganized, and some things are unclear whether they're with her or with me. Making last-minute changes would be quite troublesome."

She was gentle and courteous, with a firm demeanor.

Jiang Yu stared at her indifferently, with a hint of probing in her eyes.

"Oh well."

There seemed to be a sour smell in the air.

Cheng Suran's expression became subtle in an instant, without saying anything, she silently took the room card from Ruan Mu, walked to the double room next door, and opened the door.

Jiang Yu also opened the door in front of her.

"Cough, let's go." After watching the show, Pei Chutong suppressed a smile, and took Ruan Mu's hand.

The three doors closed gently at the same time.

Wen Ruoxian followed Cheng Suran into the room, and when the surroundings became quiet, she realized that her heart was beating fast. She glanced at Cheng Suran, who was assessing the room's environment, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Her uneasiness and regret grew stronger...

What's the point of her coming?

She had firmly decided never to reveal her feelings, only to watch from afar, to protect from the sidelines. Why did she have to engage in such pointless struggles again? It was an impulsive and reckless move, a chaotic mess. She had thought she could handle the risk of being discovered.

She can't, she can't afford it.

"Ruoxian, which bed do you want to sleep on?" A voice beside her ear interrupted her thoughts.

Wen Ruoxian raised her head, looked into those smiling eyes, and her still chaotic heart began to get out of control again. She collected herself and forced herself to look away from that face, "The one by the bathroom."

It had a view of the balcony, and she wanted to leave the one by the window for Cheng Suran.

"Okay." Cheng Suran nodded, her eyes stayed on her for a while, then she squatted down to organize her luggage.

Having worked late into the night, there was no time to pack their bags properly. They had hurriedly grabbed things before leaving today, stuffing items into their suitcases without distinguishing whose was whose. Living together meant that daily necessities often got mixed up.

She took out the toiletries, carefully separated them, Wen Ruoxian also sat down to tidy up, and pulled out a pair of her beach skirts from her suitcase.

—tok tok

There is a knock on the door.

Wen Ruoxian acted quickly, getting up to open the door.

"I need to talk to Ranran about something," Jiang Yu stood outside, smiling at her. After speaking, her gaze went beyond Wen Ruoxian and looked inside.

Wen Ruoxian's throat tightened, she smiled nonchalantly, and turned sideways: "Ranran, Miss Jiang is looking for you." Cheng Suran raised her head from her suitcase.

"Oh."

She hurried over.

Jiang Yu observed Wen Ruoxian unobtrusively, and the moment she turned her head, she quickly retracted it, watching Cheng Suran who was coming towards her, she stretched out her hand, and naturally held her.

"Come with me."

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Yu wink mysteriously: "You'll know when you come."

She led Cheng Suran to the next door.

Wen Ruoxian remained silent on the spot, slowly pushed and closed the door with her hands, paused for a moment, and then opened it again, She did this until she heard the sound of the door closing next door.

....

"Why are you being so mysterious?"

The room was filled with the rich scent of iris, refreshing and not overwhelming, somewhat intoxicating. This fragrance had deeply ingrained itself in Cheng Suran's bones, like an intoxicating potion that made her lose her senses.

For a moment, she missed the time when she lived with Jiang Yu.

She missed embracing and sleeping together at night, seeing each other when she opened her eyes in the morning. She missed the soft whispers in her ears, and the occasional rare sweetness, although it is such a twisted relationship...

"I prepared a gift for you." Jiang Yu led her to the table, and let go of her reluctantly.

A well-packed cardboard box stood in the middle of the table.

"Open it and have a look."

Cheng Suran slowly recovered from her shock. Under Jiang Yu's urging, she felt both curious and slightly expectant. She reached out and methodically unwrapped the packaging, as if participating in some sacred ritual.

Feeling her heart beating faster, she couldn't help but hold her breath.

The neatly folded fur balls came into view.

Cheng Suran was stunned, picked it up, spread it out, and it turned out to be a woolen scarf.

In a warm ginger-yellow color, the stitches were somewhat rough, and the pattern was very simple. It looked like it was handmade. Upon closer inspection, there was even a light cream-colored, long-eared bunny embroidered at the end, and underneath were the familiar initials "Y.R."

"Did you knit this yourself?" Cheng Suran looked at Jiang Yu in surprise, squinting her eyes and smiling, with the dimples on her cheeks appearing.

The delicate and soft texture made her unable to resist rubbing it. 

"Mm" Jiang Yu looked at her tenderly, "I started knitting in winter, I thought that mass-produced ones could be bought with money, but something made with one's own hands is truly unique." Her voice paused, and her gaze fell on the scarf as she reached out to touch it. The smile at the corner of her lips deepened. "Originally, I planned to knit a sweater, but my knitting skills are really bad, so I ended up knitting a scarf instead."

"But it's not a holiday or my birthday. Why did you suddenly give..."

Cheng Suran's words trailed off.

Isn't tomorrow the Lunar New Year?

And her 27th birthday is in half a month.

Time flies so fast, in the blink of an eye, she has grown up from immature to capable, and her elder sister...oh no, Jiang Yu has become more and more charming.

"I was worried that I would be busy after the New Year and wouldn't have time to celebrate your birthday. I also wanted to personally give you this gift, so I decided to do it a little earlier." Jiang Yu's gaze was intense as she looked at Cheng Suran, and there was molten fervor in her eyes. 

She held Cheng Suran's hand through the scarf.

"Do you like it?"

Cheng Suran was burned by her hot gaze, lowered her eyes to avoid it, nodded, and said: "I like it." She took the scarf and rubbed it against her cheeks, and the corners of her lips slightly raised, "I think scarves are more precious than sweaters."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because...the neck is the warmest, but also the most vulnerable."

She pursed her lips and smiled, and repeatedly rubbed the little rabbit on the scarf with her fingertips as if she was still unsatisfied. After a long while, she raised her eyes and looked at Jiang Yu, "Thank you."

This person really gave her too many surprises.

It was as if she had unearthed a long-buried treasure, and with every inch revealed, it showed a completely different side. The Jiang Yu from a few years ago was like a simple sketch drawn on her skin, shallow and thin. Now, the Jiang Yu she knew was a living, breathing person engraved in her bones, real, rich, and filled with warmth.

Jiang Yu smiled, wanting to hug her very much at this moment, and stretched her hand forward, as if touching a flood switch unable to control herself.

She hugged Cheng Suran gently.

"I regret it."

"Regret what?"

The scent of iris filled the air, penetrating Cheng Suran's lungs. She felt a tingling sensation throughout her body, and the scarf in her hand almost slipped away.

The heart palpitations once guided by hormones felt so familiar.

Seeing that she didn't feel disgusted, Jiang Yu's hanging heart relaxed a little, her stiff arms relaxed, and she softly wrapped around her shoulders, turning her face to touch the hair around her ears.

"I shouldn't have agreed to let you bring her."

Cheng Suran knew who "she" referred to. She blinked her eyes nervously and still asked, "Why?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Of course, I don't know how to read minds, how can I know your thoughts?"

Cheng Suran felt a bit dreamy, as the thrill of being in control brought such delight. So much so that she didn't want to passively endure the ups and downs of emotions anymore. She didn't want to experience uncertainty, being lifted up and then gently let down. She wanted to be the one who enticed, resisted, and welcomed at the same time.

Jiang Yu was choked speechless, straightened up, and looked at her silently. Like a big aggrieved dog.

Cheng Suran raised her eyebrows, unmoved at all, but she was happy inside. She knew that Jiang Yu wanted to save face, so today she was going to tease her a bit.

The woman had to say it herself.

"If there's nothing else, I'll go back and organize my things." Adding fuel to the fire. With that, she lowered her head and began neatly folding the scarf, placing it back into the box. She lifted the box as if she was about to leave.

"Because I'm jealous, she's closer to you." Jiang Yu pulled her back.

She surrendered.

 What pride? It didn't matter.