Lin Zhi lowered her head, her hair covering most of her face, and the tips of her ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.
Other artists might not even get to meet their boss when they sign a contract, but Jiang Lai angered her boss on the third day after signing. Oh no... time to prepare for her next agency.
Jiang Lai explained, "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I didn't want to sleep with you, I wanted to sleep with you... Oh! No, I meant I wanted to sleep with you... No, that's not it either!"
Jiang Lai was almost completely confused by her own explanation, but it seemed like the more she explained, the worse it got. She gave up, lowered her head, and sighed, "I think I'll go back and find your friend."
Even if you don't know them, shouting loudly will eventually get someone to notice you. It's better to get into trouble than to be retaliated against by your boss.
Just as she was about to leave, Lin Zhi grabbed her wrist. Jiang Lai turned around and met her eyes, which were alluring and seductive. She felt as if she was about to be drawn in.
Jiang Lai kept trying to mentally prepare herself: Are you a pervert? This is your boss! How could you have such thoughts? Besides, you just broke up! Lin Xi is a jerk, you can't be a jerk!
Jiang Lai took several deep breaths to suppress the lewd thought. It must be the alcohol numbing her brain; she would never think about such things when she was sober.
Lin Zhi: "Okay."
Jiang Lai: "Huh? What's so good about it?"
Lin Zhi: "Let's go to sleep."
Jiang Lai felt a buzzing in her head, perhaps due to the alcohol, and she felt a little lightheaded: "I'll take you home instead."
Jiang Lai called You Yi, but he didn't answer, probably because he was having too much fun. After waiting a few seconds and still no one answered, she simply sent a WeChat message. Whether he could see it or when he would see it was none of her business.
Jiang Lai helped Lin Zhi up and half-embraced her waist as they walked to the roadside: "Teacher Lin, could you please tell me your home address?"
Upon hearing the word "home," Lin Zhi reacted as if she had exploded, throwing a tantrum in Jiang Lai's arms, shouting, "I don't want to go home! That home is disgusting! I don't want to go home!"
How could this seemingly delicate woman have such strength after drinking so much? Seeing that she couldn't control her, Jiang Lai comforted her, "Let's not go home, can we go to my place? My place isn't disgusting."
Lin Zhi really did become obedient after hearing this, and didn't move at all.
Jiang Lai breathed a sigh of relief and hailed a taxi: "Driver, to Jianing New Garden."
"Okay."
With a beep, the taxi's roof light changed from green to red.
Jianing New Garden wasn't too far away, but Jiang Lai was worried that Lin Zhi would get carsick, so she rolled down the car window. The summer night breeze wasn't hot; it felt like a feather brushing against your face, which was pleasant. Outside the window, neon lights flickered, and tall buildings rose up everywhere. This city was very prosperous and memorable.
Countless nights, one girl walked hand in hand with another on this bustling street. But as time passed, one girl changed while the other remained lingering in the same place.
The girl was very open-minded, but she was very conservative when it came to her lover's first time. She thought it was love, but in her partner's eyes, it was defined as sexual frigidity.
Why should we remain stagnant and complacent?
Jiang Lai felt a weight suddenly fall on her shoulder. She turned her head and saw Lin Zhi leaning on her shoulder, unsure whether she was asleep or not.
After getting off the car, Jiang Lai carried Lin Zhi home. The house was pitch black, so Jiang Lai turned on the light and carefully placed Lin Zhi on the bed.
Lin Zhi will have to sleep in her bed tonight in her studio apartment.
Lin Zhi, who had been lying on the bed with her eyes closed, woke up as soon as she lay down. She seemed a little hot, and her pure white off-the-shoulder chiffon blouse was all wrinkled from being pulled.
"Teacher Lin, would you like to take a shower?"
Lin Zhi raised her hand to cover her eyes and responded softly.
Jiang Lai filled the tub with water, escorted Lin Zhi into the bathroom, and then came out. Perhaps because she liked women, she didn't dare to look at Lin Zhi's body, especially after saying those things to her.
Five minutes later, a dull thud and splashing water came from the bathroom. Jiang Lai instinctively thought that Lin Zhi had fallen and rushed into the bathroom without thinking.
The steam rising from the bathroom blurred her vision. Through the haze, she saw a person lying in the bathtub, their cheeks flushed red. She mustered her courage and walked over.
"Teacher Lin, are you alright?"
Lin Zhi lost her balance and fell into the bathtub. Fortunately, she managed to protect her head in time, preventing a concussion, but she still felt some pain all over her body.
She answered truthfully, "It hurts a little."
Jiang Lai's heart softened. She walked over and squatted down, looking at Lin Zhi's face: "Do you need my help?"
Lin Zhi was much cuter when she was drunk than when she was sober, but what she said was incomprehensible.
"Can you cure me?"
"What?"
"I have frigidity, can you cure me? I... I don't hate it when you look at me, and I don't hate it when you touch me."
She huddled in the water, hugging her knees like a child who had made a mistake, filled with both fear and anticipation.
Jiang Lai was itching to try it, wondering why the alcohol was only taking effect now: "I've never done this before, it might hurt you."
"fine."
Jiang Lai swallowed, touched the other person's cheek, and leaned in: "We should kiss first."
Lin Zhi was a complete novice in this regard; she did whatever Jiang Lai told her to do.
She raised her head to meet Jiang Lai's gaze, her eyelashes fluttering, and their lips drew ever closer.
Jiang Lai kissed the mole on the corner of her lips tenderly, lingered for a long time, and then slowly kissed her lips. When their lips touched, Jiang Lai could feel Lin Zhi trembling.
"Shall we continue?"
"Um."
The movie's plot was still vivid in her mind. Jiang Lai looked vaguely at the naked people beneath her, as if a fire was burning them.
Jiang Lai, who used to care a lot about her first time, actually took a woman—a woman she had only known for two days—in her own home, in her own bed, the day after their breakup.
The person whispered sweet nothings in her ear, and under the moonlight, Jiang Lai saw tears in the corners of her eyes.
Does it hurt?
"No."
Jiang Lai leaned down and kissed the mole on the corner of her lips, gently licking it with the tip of her tongue; she seemed to particularly like that spot.
"I love you."
Jiang Lai was stunned, closed her eyes, and was overwhelmed with emotions: "I love you too."
Jiang Lai knew that Lin Zhi did not love her, nor could she possibly love her, and that she herself could not possibly love Lin Zhi. Saying such things was merely a way to numb her feelings with the pleasure brought by sex.
It's all just an illusion.
A night of passion.
The bedroom curtains didn't block out the light, and Jiang Lai was awakened by the glaring sunlight.
She got up and rubbed her sore arms. The scenes from last night flashed through her mind like slides, and she suddenly woke up, belatedly realizing what she had done.
The person beside me was still fast asleep; her skin was very fair, and the red spots on her neck were quite noticeable.
Jiang Lai was extremely annoyed: "Ah! This is the boss!"
It's too late for regrets now. She wasn't drunk to the point of promiscuity yesterday; the alcohol just emboldened her.
She quietly got out of bed, picked up her underwear from the floor and put it on. Even though she was being very quiet, she still woke Lin Zhi up.
Lin Zhi opened her eyes, feeling like her body was falling apart, especially her lower body which was swollen and sore. She stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, her mind blank, until she saw Jiang Lai putting on her underwear and then saw that she was naked. Only then did she vaguely remember what happened last night.
Her face flushed red instantly.
"Teacher Lin...I..."
"Jiang Lai, let's talk."
Jiang Lai was taken aback, then quickly replied, "Okay."
Half an hour later, the two sat in the living room, dressed neatly. Their expressions were serious, as if they were negotiating. There was a glass of honey water on the table. Jiang Lai was worried that Lin Zhi would have a headache from the hangover, so she specially made it for her.
Lin Zhi took a sip, holding the cup with both hands: "Jiang Lai, we are both adults."
Jiang Lai hummed in agreement, pondering the meaning behind her words.
Lin Zhi: "Let's pretend nothing happened last night, but I will make it up to you."
Jiang Lai nodded repeatedly, then belatedly realized something was wrong: "I don't need compensation."
Anyway, she's not the one who's going to suffer.
Lin Zhi finished her honey water, got up to get her bag, and walked to the entrance: "That being said, you can ask me if you need anything, whether it's money or resources within my capabilities."
Jiang Lai smiled wryly: "Teacher Lin, I really don't need compensation. If you really want to give it, please go back to the company and urge them. I want to get back to work as soon as possible."
Lin Zhi nodded: "No problem, I will give you a very good agent."
After Lin Zhi left, Jiang Lai stared blankly at the door for a long time.
You said last night that you would be my manager.
Don't take drunken ramblings too seriously.
Lin Zhi took a shower when she got home. Looking at herself in the mirror, she blushed with embarrassment. She raised her hand to touch the hickeys on her neck, as if recalling the pleasure of last night.
Has it been cured?
Lin Zhi wasn't sure, so she took out her phone and searched on Baidu, which said that self-healing was possible.
Lin Zhi was caught in a dilemma, thinking that she had healed herself, but the thought of Cheng Anan made her feel nauseous again.
It seems I should go to the hospital when I have time.
Lin Zhi took a nap. If it weren't for a phone call in the afternoon, she probably would have slept until evening. She's not a lazy person, she was just too tired last night.
The call was from Zhang Zhen. Like Kevin, this woman was a friend of Lin Zhi's from university, and also the third founder of the company. She had just returned to China yesterday after taking the artists abroad to discuss cooperation. Hearing that Lin Zhi had broken up with her boyfriend, she took Lin Zhi to a ramen bar. Lin Zhi thought that Zhang Zhen didn't like men and that drinking was the same no matter where they went, so she went with her. She never expected to meet Jiang Lai.
The three of them—one gay, one lesbian, and one straight—it's not easy for them to get together.
"Hello?"
"Lin Zhi, where did you go last night? You didn't come to the company today either?"
Mentioning the previous night, Lin Zhi immediately sobered up. She tidied her messy long hair and made up a lie: "I felt a little unwell after drinking yesterday, so I went home and forgot to tell you."
Zhang Zhen met a cute little girl last night, and the two went straight to a hotel and spent the whole night together. It was only then that she remembered Lin Zhi.
"Oh...so, is there anything you like?"
Lin Zhi immediately thought of Jiang Lai, which felt very comforting...
Lin Zhi was startled by her own thoughts and quickly banished them from her mind: "I don't like anyone! I don't like women. If you want to go again, go with Kevin."
Zhang Zhen was taken aback. Why was this person in such a hurry?