Forbidden To Be Tempted

Jiang Yu felt like being struck by lightning.

She remembered the WeChat account that was deleted a few years ago.

"Good baby"...

The light in the corridor was dim, shining on Cheng Suran's expressionless face, showing a bit of sternness, and her eyes also seemed to be cold.

"Well, then I'll take my leave, Miss Jiang. We can discuss further cooperation later." She pushed the suitcase and continued walking.

Jiang Yu grabbed her wrist. "It's another account."

Cheng Suran stopped, turned her face sideways, and raised her eyebrows pretending not to know.

"It was the alternate account that was deleted before, now I can add you with my main account," Jiang Yu said earnestly, but then realized her tone was too forceful and added, "Is that okay?"

Her voice lowered, and she sounded a bit cautious.

Cheng Suran recalled that nervous and anxious night. Jiang Yu was taking a bath, and she secretly saved her phone number, discovered her main WeChat account, and saw the intimate conversations between Bai Lu and her...

That bittersweet feeling, she still remembered it vividly.

"Flower in the mirror and Moon in the water" was stored in the contacts of her old phone, sealing away a piece of the past. She hadn't opened it for two years now.

"Miss Jiang, I mean the deleted person, not the deleted account."

"..."

"Goodbye."

Cheng Suran calmly withdrew her hand, and without giving her a chance to speak, pushed the suitcase towards her step by step.

Jiang Yu looked at her back and couldn't speak anymore. Her heart seemed to have been hollowed out into a dry shell, and she felt sore and numb, and a gust of cold wind poured in, making her feel cold and bleak, and she couldn't help shivering.

After a while, she looked down at the business card.

—Jiangcheng Yisheng Technology Co., Ltd., Cheng Suran, general manager. Silver and white, simple and elegant design.

Jiang Yu read it twice silently, opened the phone's address book, saved the number in it, and noted "Ranran".

Upon returning home, it was not yet dark outside.

The nanny was preparing dinner, Jiang Yu entered the master bedroom with heavy steps, and took off her makeup and washed her face in front of the mirror.

The person with a plain face in the mirror is herself. Although she lives a regular life, she is diligent in maintaining and exercising, and spends a lot of money on maintaining this face every year, it is still not as full of collagen as when she was in her twenties.

But she was too weak when she was twenty, and she still prefers herself now.

"Sister Yu-"

Outside, Tian Lin's voice could be heard.

Jiang Yu gently patted her face dry, turned around, and went out. She met Tian Lin and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The model you were interested in last time has completed two photo books. If everything goes smoothly, the person will be here next week." Tian Lin held a delicately thick leather bag in both hands and handed it over with a solemn expression, as if performing some sacred ritual.

Jiang Yu looked at it and said, "Just leave it at the company, there's no need to make a special trip."

"It's okay," Tian Lin waved her hand, "I happen to be here to pick up the rest of the clothes. I'm moving everything over tonight."

"The happy cohabitation life is about to begin!"

She was beaming.

At the beginning of the year, Tian Lin started dating a little wolf dog*, a charming guy ten years her junior. It was love at first sight. Her younger boyfriend was warm and considerate, making Tian Lin feel over the moon. After dating for half a year, they decided to move in together.

*Chinese internet buzzword to describe a handsome, cool and domineering young man/ younger boyfriend, whom despite being the younger one in the relationship gives his partner a sense of security 

Over the past few years, Tian Lin had risen from being an executive assistant to the position of Executive Vice President at SIENA. Jiang Yu had given her some company shares. Although she no longer assisted Jiang Yu in handling day-to-day affairs, old habits die hard, and she would occasionally help out unconsciously.

Some time ago, due to work, Tian Lin stayed here temporarily at Jiang Yu's place, and yesterday she packed up her things one after another.

She has never seen her so happy.

"Congratulations, congratulations," Jiang Yu smiled with narrowed eyes. "Just don't shower me with dog food*."

*PDA

"Not sure."

"Let me help you clean up, then let's have dinner here tonight."

The two turned and entered the diagonally opposite guest room.

Tian Lin waved her hand: "No, I'll go back and cook with him."

"Forgetting about sisters once you have a man." Jiang Yu raised the cloth bag in her hand and patted her.

Tian Lin snickered.

"Will I have a chance to drink your wedding wine?"

"No. Love is love, not marriage."

Jiang Yu froze for a moment, seeing that Tian Lin's expression suddenly became serious, she didn't look like she was joking, and asked, "Really?"

"I thought about it when I was seventeen." Tian Lin shrugged, grabbed a few clothes and quickly folded them.

"Sister Yu, you don't know how wonderful the taste of a little wolf dog is, young and full of vigor, always full of energy, hahaha, I can't say enough about how good it is to be young..."

As Jiang Yu listened, Cheng Suran's face flashed through her mind.

Cheng Suran is twenty-six this year, and she is already thirty-eight. They had a whole generation between them, but for so long, it seemed that neither of them cared too much about each other's age. Jiang Yu didn't think age was a problem because there were more important things worth caring about than that.

"Tian Lin..."

"Mm?"

"If a person is single, but there is always another person next to them asking about their health and looking very close, do you think they are just friends?" Jiang Yu asked while putting her folded clothes into a cloth bag.

Tian Lin stopped and asked, "The person who is still single... are they curved or straight? Is the other person of the same gender or opposite gender?"

"Curved. Same gender."

"Cheng Suran?"

"..."

Being seen through, Jiang Yu wasn't annoyed, she just cleared her throat lightly and said, "Yes, it's Ranran. She has a close relationship with a woman who also lives with her, but when I asked if they were girlfriends, she said no."

"You ask directly?" Tian Lin looked at her in shock.

Jiang Yu looked puzzled, "Is it not allowed?"

Tian Lin sighed and patted her shoulder, "Sister Yu, who asks someone like that directly, it's so awkward, and besides, your current relationship with Cheng Suran..." She paused, unable to find the right words to describe it, "In any case, it's not appropriate to ask like that."

Jiang Yu lowered her head and stopped folding the clothes, as if talking to herself, "Indeed, it's not quite appropriate, but I didn't have time to think. After all, we knew each other before, not complete strangers."

"Whether you are considered strangers or not depends on her attitude," Tian Lin reminded her.

"You mentioned the other person earlier, very close, always caring and concerned. Since the person herself said they are not girlfriends, then they should be good friends. This kind of situation is common among straight women."

Jiang Yu pursed her lips and remained silent.

"Sister Yu, you have to figure it out for yourself in the end. No one else can help you." Tian Lin gave her a hug.

Jiang Yu was about to say something when her phone rang outside.

She put down the bag to answer the phone.

Tian Lin continued to tidy up, and the clothes were almost folded. Jiang Yu came back, looking a bit troubled, as she rubbed her forehead with her index finger. "Bai Lu is at the airport, she'll be here soon."

"Why did she come back again? Wasn't she just gone for a few days?"

"She said she missed me and couldn't eat or sleep well outside. The event just ended, so she can take a few days off... She's such a character."

Jiang Yu chuckled while shaking her head and sighing at the same time.

Tian Lin held back the urge to roll her eyes. "You shouldn't always indulge her. There's no other model as willful as she is. Last time, she skipped a major fashion show for the same reason. And the time before that, when she was about to secure a jewelry and makeup endorsement deal, she insisted on wearing a competitor's product to an event, and it ended up backfiring. If the brand hadn't been lenient, she would have ruined her reputation outside and dragged our company's reputation along with it."

"It's because you pamper her. If it were any other company, any other boss, they would have made her give up those resources and leave."

She grew more and more angry as she spoke.

Jiang Yu fell silent for a moment and said, "I know. I'll have a good talk with her."

"It's best if she listens to you."

"Mm."

Over the years, Jiang Yu's most successful achievement as a talent manager was promoting Bai Lu.

From domestic small runway shows to international catwalks, Bai Lu, this rising star, soared rapidly in the modeling industry. In the past five years, Jiang Yu took her to Paris, using her own connections to provide resources and opportunities, enabling Bai Lu to start with a high point that many new models could only dream of.

Bai Lu did not disappoint her expectations and became the most dazzling presence among the new generation of models.

Just like when she first signed Bai Lu, Jiang Yu's keen eye for talent was evident. This girl was indeed a gifted player.

Now Bai Lu has gained considerable fame in China and is also well-received on the international stage. She has evolved from initially imitating and learning from Jiang Yu to gradually developing her own style.

Watching the person she brought up with her own hands flourish and spread her wings, Jiang Yu felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

At first, for the sake of convenience, Jiang Yu allowed Bai Lu to occasionally stay at her house.

Bai Lu was very attentive to her, claiming it was to show gratitude. She would do this and that for Jiang Yu whenever she had the chance, and would be upset if her offers were refused.

Her attentiveness became somewhat exaggerated.

In the morning, Bai Lu prepared her toiletries and squeezed toothpaste for her.

During meals, no matter how clean the table and chairs were, Bai Lu would always wipe them again for her, serve her food, and even want to feed her.

Before going to bed, Bai Lu was reluctant to return to her own room and would linger by Jiang Yu's door for a while, saying "good night" multiple times before leaving.

She was considerate in every way, showing utmost care.

Initially, Jiang Yu could still tease her a bit, thinking that it was just heartfelt gratitude and didn't pay much attention to it. However, as time went on, the situation escalated. Since last autumn, Bai Lu's dependence on her reached an extremely unhealthy level.

If Jiang Yu didn't reply to her messages promptly, Bai Lu would bombard her with voice messages or phone calls, and if she still couldn't reach her, she would either cry on the phone or immediately fly back to find her, no matter where she was.

As a model working overseas for a long time, the standard practice would be to be assigned to the local branch. However, Bai Lu refused to do so and would rather fly back and forth between China and Europe, refusing to permanently settle abroad.

During her vacations, she insisted on being with Jiang Yu.

She couldn't stand even a hint of attention that Jiang Yu showed to other models.

This situation gave Jiang Yu a lot of headaches.

About half an hour after sending off Tian Lin, Bai Lu returned.

"Sister Yu!" she called out.

"I missed you so much! Did you miss me?"

Bai Lu threw her suitcase aside and rushed over to hug Jiang Yu, acting all cute as she rubbed her hair. Both of them had similar heights and weights, and Jiang Yu almost got knocked down to the ground.

"I missed you too, but please stand properly," Jiang Yu said, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry, pushing Bai Lu's shoulder to make her stand properly.

The smile on the corner of Bai Lu's mouth collapsed, and he reluctantly let go of her, his eyes resentful: "Sister Yu, you are so perfunctory, do you think I'm annoying...but I'm just happy to see you."

Her words spoke Jiang Yu's heart.

It's really annoying.

But seeing her aggrieved and exhausted, Jiang Yu couldn't bear it, so she had to swallow the words back, and patted her on the back to comfort her: "I don't think you are annoying, it's because I can't support your weight, if I don't get up, I will fall down."

"Hehehe..." Bai Lu narrowed her eyes and smiled again, "That make sense."

Her smile was bright and generous, but her eyes were filled with a gloomy look, like a ghost hiding in the dark.

Jiang Yu felt that something was wrong with her today.

For a moment, Jiang Yu couldn't figure out the reason, so she didn't dwell on it further. Today, she mainly wanted to talk to Bai Lu about work-related matters. She casually asked, "How was the awards ceremony?"

"It was pretty good. Didn't you see the videos and photos?" Bai Lu turned around with a cheerful smile, using her foot to kick the suitcase, walking back and forth until she finally sat down at the edge of the sofa.

Jiang Yu followed her over. "If I remember correctly, you have another event the day after tomorrow, right? Won't flying back and forth affect your condition?"

Bai Lu looked up, and her smile froze on her face.

"I thought you would ask if I'm tired."

"..."

"Yes, my condition matters because if I'm not in good shape, I won't be valuable, and I won't be able to make money. It's only natural that you're concerned about this." She chuckled self-deprecatingly, then lowered her head and secretly dug her nails into her palms.

Jiang Yu was taken aback.

This remark was something Bai Lu had said before, and initially, Jiang Yu would feel sympathetic, concerned, and even blame herself, wondering if she was pushing the person too hard or placing too much emphasis on the commercial aspects. However, after hearing it repeatedly, she began to sense a feeling of being manipulated or subjected to persuasion tactics.

Isn't it only natural to maintain a good condition for work?

Is training models not about making money but charity work?

She detested feeling "manipulated."

"Condition can include fatigue, and I think you know that. Bai Lu, you're an adult, so don't always act like a child, letting your own temper dictate everything."

"Sister Yu..."

She thought she would come to coax her, but upon hearing this, Bai Lu was also startled, and looked at her in disbelief.

"Oh, I know, you really despise me."

Jiang Yu turned her face away, walked to the single sofa and sat down, crossed her legs: "Whatever you think."

Bai Lu bit her lip, and her nails sank deeply into the flesh of her palm. She exhausted all her strength and suddenly let go, her whole body collapsed like a deflated rubber ball.

"Did you visit Song Jiayao's apartment last week?"

"Yes, she was sick."

"Do you consider her as my backup? You've given her so many opportunities this year, without considering whether she can handle them."

Song Jiayao is a dark horse among the new models in the past two years, with good abilities and great potential. She is the second highest-earning model in the company after Bai Lu and is currently a key talent being nurtured. Bai Lu is quite bothered by this.

Jiang Yu casually played with the ring on her little finger and nonchalantly replied, "Are the opportunities I've given you not enough?"

Probably feeling a little guilty, Bai Lu didn't respond to her words, but she still felt dissatisfied. She muttered softly, "I'm working hard alone overseas, while she's having it easy in the country. You visit her as soon as she falls sick."

"You have agents and assistants by your side, don't you?"

"..."

"But not you."

"..."

Jiang Yu was starting to feel a little impatient, about to say something when her phone rang. She suppressed her emotions, got up, and went to the balcony to answer the call. When she hung up, she turned around and saw Bai Lu staring straight at her.

Her gaze was cold and unfathomable.

Jiang Yu felt a little uneasy under that intense stare and avoided the eye contact. "Rest well tonight, and you can go back tomorrow."

"I want to sleep with you."

"You can't."

"But I..."

"If you make trouble, I'll send you back right now."

Bai Lu immediately fell silent.

During dinner, Jiang Yu had little appetite and only ate some vegetables. She quickly retreated to her bedroom area.

The room was dimly lit, and stuffed toy rabbits filled the space, creating a lively and crowded atmosphere. However, they were lifeless objects, and even the warm, soft light couldn't dissolve the cold loneliness.

Jiang Yu sat on the windowsill, knees bent, holding her phone, flipping through WeChat messages over and over again.

[Once I delete someone, I won't add them again]

These words echoed in her ears.

Unconsciously, the night grew late.

Jiang Yu set aside her phone and prepared to go to bed when suddenly the doorbell rang in the outer area of her bedroom - a special bell she had set up for her assistant or housekeeper to call her.

She walked through the bedroom, study, and wardrobe, then opened the outermost door.

The housekeeper's face was filled with anxiety as she stood outside. "Miss Jiang... Please go to the guest room quickly to check on Miss Bai..."

"What's wrong?"

"I just brought her a pillow, and I saw her using an art knife to cut her wrist, blood flowing from her arm. Ah, it scared me to death."

Jiang Yu rushed towards the guest room.