Chapter 36 Regret
Jiang Yining fell into a deep sleep in Xie Shiyan's arms, her breathing as long and even as a kitten's. Xie Shiyan gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, and as he got up, he noticed the clothes scattered on the floor; her red dress was crumpled up and curled up in the corner.
He picked it up, turned around and put the suit and her dress into the dryer. Half an hour later, the clothes looked brand new and hung neatly in the dryer.
At two in the morning, he finally managed to hold her as she fell asleep. This was the first time in eight years that he could sleep peacefully without needing alcohol to numb his senses. He gazed at her sleeping profile, her eyelashes casting delicate shadows in the moonlight, the mole behind her ear like a grain of cinnabar, etched into his heart. He murmured silently, "My Ningning, goodnight."
When her phone alarm rang at four o'clock, Jiang Yining was startled awake by the ringing. Opening her eyes groggily, Xie Shiyan's eight-pack abs came into view. Without thinking, she reached out and lightly touched them, but the warmth and elasticity beneath her fingertips startled her, causing her to recoil as if electrocuted. Xie Shiyan, awakened by this teasing, said in a voice still slightly hoarse, "Ningning, still want more? Let's continue." His voice trailed off, tinged with a lazy, seductive allure.
Jiang Yining blushed and patted his chest, feigning annoyance: "Stop fooling around, we'll be late for the wedding. You can continue sleeping, I'll wake you when I get back."
After saying that, she fled to the bathroom, where the mirror reflected the dampness in her hair and the faint blush on her cheeks. She took out the yellow dress—the satin shimmered as if soaked in honey, the off-shoulder design resembled morning mist gently brushing against the mountains, and the hem was adorned with delicate gold threads, making it seem as if stars were falling from the hem as she walked.
With a touch of light makeup, her clear eyes and bright lips appeared even more striking, like the first bloom of a rose in April. She smiled softly at herself in the mirror, looking like an elf who had wandered into the mortal world.
Xie Shiyan had changed into a dried suit, his shirt buttons were neatly fastened, but his tie hung loosely at his collarbone. He was both cold and languid. When he gazed at her, a dark fire ignited deep in his pupils: "This color makes you look like the melting sunlight. Even fairies dare not approach you, for fear of being burned by your brilliance."
Before Jiang Yining could react, he had already grabbed her wrist and pulled her half a step closer. She smelled the crisp scent of laundry detergent on his clothes and the lingering warmth of his body, and her heart pounded like a drum. But he released her hand, chuckling softly as if in a sigh: "Go on, after the wedding, you're mine."
She fled as if escaping, the door closing as softly as a feather. Xie Shiyan leaned against the bedside, watching the lingering lemon scent she left behind drift in the air, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the indentations she had made on the sheets.
Jiang Yining opened the door and was met with her younger brother, Jiang Yunting, waiting for her. The boy's clear eyes subconsciously swept behind her, and Jiang Yining's heart skipped a beat. Almost reflexively, she quickly closed the door behind her.
The heavy door made a slight "click" sound, blocking any possible view from inside.
"Sis, aren't they going? It's you?" Jiang Yunting withdrew his gaze and asked in a somewhat matter-of-fact tone.
Jiang Yining composed herself, her fingertips unconsciously fiddling with the belt of her robe. "Hmm, they're not going."
Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, but clear, "Shi Yan and the others' identities in S City... are too conspicuous. If they appear in this kind of setting, everyone might feel restrained and they might steal my cousin's thunder. It's not appropriate."
Jiang Yunting nodded in realization; that made sense. Someone like Shi Yan, with his overwhelming presence, could easily overshadow the others. His gaze fell on his sister's slightly tired face, her eyes shadowed with dark circles, and he softened his voice:
"Sis, you look exhausted. Why don't you skip it? I'll talk to my cousin. The wedding procession has to go back to your wife's hometown, have breakfast, take photos, and it won't be back to the hotel until noon."
Jiang Yining was slightly taken aback, the information gap leaving her somewhat bewildered: "We're going to my sister-in-law's hometown? To take photos? I thought we'd go straight back to the hotel after the wedding..."
Thinking about the long and arduous process, the fatigue instantly intensified. She decisively waved her hand, her voice carrying a hint of relief: "Then I won't go with you, little brother. You'll have to make the trip yourself."
"Okay, sis, you should go back and get some more sleep." Jiang Yunting readily agreed, turned around and walked towards the elevator with light steps.
Jiang Yining retreated into her room, gently closing the door to shut out the noise from the corridor. Inside, Xie Shiyan was standing by the French windows, adjusting his shirt cuffs, the morning light outlining his tall, handsome features. Hearing the noise, he turned around, a hint of doubt in his deep eyes:
"Didn't you say you were going to pick up the bride? Why are you back?" His voice was deep and pleasant, like the wind brushing against the strings of a zither.
Jiang Yining kicked off her high heels and sank into the soft sofa like a lazy cat. "I'm not going,"
She dragged out her words, with a hint of coquetry, "The process was so tedious. We had to go to my sister-in-law's hometown first, then take photos, and the banquet didn't start until noon... I was exhausted."
Xie Shiyan watched her sprawled undignifiedly on the sofa, a barely perceptible smile flickering in his eyes, a gentle curve forming at the corners of his lips. He approached and gently ruffled her slightly disheveled hair.
“If you don’t want to go, then don’t go. Don’t tire yourself out.” His voice was warm and indulgent. “If you’re sleepy, just sleep a little longer. It’s still early before noon.”
"Hmm..." Jiang Yining responded vaguely, obediently got up, went into the bathroom to remove the remaining light makeup from her face, and changed into a comfortable silk nightgown.
When she came out again, she almost groped her way back to the big, soft bed with her eyes closed, and soon fell back asleep.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
