49

An hour later, the delivery guy arrived with their dinner, and the two ate in quiet contentment, filling their stomachs.

After washing up in the bedroom, Shi Yue came out to see only Pi Qiu, the chubby cat, lying alone on the bed.

As she dried her damp hair, she walked over to the cat and crouched down to meet its eyes. "She went to the study again, didn't she?"

The chubby cat, as if it understood her words, lazily tilted its head up and gave a soft "meow."

Shi Yue simply scooped it up into her arms and let it rest on her lap.

During her stay at Leng Yanmi's apartment, it was unclear whether the two of them—the human and the cat—had grown closer or whether the little creature had finally accepted that it couldn't outmatch her. Either way, Pi Qiu had slowly started to accept Shi Yue.

Scenes like this, of peaceful coexistence between the two, were no longer a rarity for them.

Shi Yue absentmindedly stroked the cat's back fur. "What do you think she's doing in there?"

Pi Qiu replied with a series of soft meows: "Meow meow meow—"

Shi Yue sighed. "So secretive, even deliberately keeping it from me."

The cat tilted its head back and hissed at her in protest.

"Alright, alright, my bad," Shi Yue quickly amended, a smile tugging at her lips. "She's keeping it from the both of us."

Pi Qiu let out a reluctant "meow" of agreement.

Shi Yue scratched the cat under its chin. "Then, what do you think is in that envelope?"

The round-eyed cat stared at her with its unblinking gaze, letting out a few vague "awoo" sounds, unable to provide any clarity.

"Could it be some top-secret files from the Leng Corporation?" Shi Yue speculated as she lifted the cat up to face her. "Do you think your Auntie has been under too much work pressure lately?"

Pi Qiu kicked its back legs in protest, struggling: "Meow—meow meow—"

"Forget it," Shi Yue said, finally letting the cat drop onto the carpet. "You're not even a competent advisor!"

The chubby cat shot her a disdainful glance, flicked its tail, and strutted out of the bedroom with its feline dignity intact.

After the cat's departure, Shi Yue tugged at her semi-dry hair and decided to take the initiative and investigate herself.

Heading to the kitchen, she cut up two luxurious fruits and arranged them simply on a plate before knocking on the door to the study.

From behind the closed door, Leng Yanmi's voice called out, "Just a moment." It sounded as if she'd been caught in the middle of a commotion. Eventually, she opened the door.

"You've finished your shower?" Leng Yanmi pursed her lips. "Sorry, I lost track of time."

"It's fine," Shi Yue said with a soft smile, holding up the porcelain plate. "I brought you some fruit."

As she spoke, she speared a piece of mango with a silver fork and offered it directly to Leng Yanmi.

Though she'd just eaten dinner not long ago and wasn't particularly hungry, Leng Yanmi still gave face and popped the fruit into her mouth in one bite.

Taking advantage of the moment, Shi Yue slipped into the study, placing the plate on Leng Yanmi's desk. She turned back and asked, "Is it sweet?"

"It's sweet," Leng Yanmi replied reflexively.

Shi Yue doubted whether she even tasted the fruit.

Leaning casually against the desk, Shi Yue let her gaze wander, scanning for the envelope. Spotting it, she pointed at it with feigned innocence. "Auntie, what's this?"

Leng Yanmi's expression froze. "...Nothing."

"You've been staring at it all day," Shi Yue teased, leaning closer to whisper by her ear. "Is it an important work document?"

The soft breath of her beloved brushed against her ear, causing Leng Yanmi's rigid posture to slowly relax.

Instinctively, Leng Yanmi wanted to bury her face in Shi Yue's neck to seek out the familiar scent of her pheromones, but Shi Yue deftly dodged her approach without making it obvious. Leng Yanmi, oblivious to the evasion, murmured, "It's not a work document."

Shi Yue let out a long "Ohhh."

"Then it's a personal document?" she asked, her tone curious.

Leng Yanmi's face showed a trace of discomfort.

Instead of answering, she reached out to touch Shi Yue's skin and muttered, "...You smell so good."

The lack of denial was as good as confirmation.

Shi Yue thought for a moment and boldly pushed further. "A personal document? Does it have something to do with me?"

She couldn't think of any private matter that would make Leng Yanmi react with such an evasive attitude, so she thickened her skin and directed the guess toward herself.

Unexpectedly, Leng Yanmi's dodging gaze seemed to confirm her assumption once again.

A personal document related to the two of them?

Leng Yanmi suddenly pulled her into her arms, spinning her around until they were on the outer side of the desk. Her kisses landed one after another along Shi Yue's cheeks, the heat of her breath growing more intense.

Shi Yue resisted the pull of desire with great effort.

Stretching her neck upward, she boldly declared, "I want to see it!"

Leng Yanmi lifted her head, cutting her off with a kiss.

This interaction, by now, was second nature to them—so familiar were they with each other's touch, their lips and tongues entwining as they greedily sought out every bit of the other's essence.

But this time, Leng Yanmi failed in the very first step.

Shi Yue refused to cooperate. She kept her lips tightly sealed, no matter how much Leng Yanmi tried to coax her with gentle licks and kisses.

Leng Yanmi couldn't bear to forcefully pry her mouth open, so she was left lingering at the edges of Shi Yue's lips, unable to gain entry.

After a brief stalemate, Leng Yanmi reluctantly retreated slightly.

She looked at Shi Yue, her eyes tinged red like the shimmering glow of a river at sunset, a sight so tender it made one's heart ache. "My little troublemaker, what's wrong?"

Shi Yue reached out and covered Leng Yanmi's eyes with her hand, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Leng Yanmi, no cheating."

Leng Yanmi clasped her wrist, her thumb gently stroking the soft skin of Shi Yue's inner arm, her breathing heavy and completely unsteady.

Yet, she didn't resist. She allowed Shi Yue to block her vision without struggle.

"You don't want to?"

Shi Yue leaned in close, giving her lower lip a teasing bite—not too hard, not too soft—then withdrew before Leng Yanmi could respond.

"First, tell me. What's in that document?"

"..." Leng Yanmi pulled one of Shi Yue's hands to her lips, planting a lingering kiss on her fingertip.

She took a deep breath. "I'll tell you."

Shi Yue didn't fall for her promise. "You'll tell me now."

Leng Yanmi fell silent.

Shi Yue released her grip on Leng Yanmi and directly reached out for the envelope beneath the laptop. But just as her fingertips grazed it, Leng Yanmi wrapped her arms around Shi Yue's waist and pulled her away.

"Ah—" Shi Yue let out a startled cry, fear flashing through her for a brief moment. Then frustration took over, and she started slapping Leng Yanmi's arms. "Let go!"

True to her word, Leng Yanmi set her down, but not without trapping her between herself and the desk.

She looked straight at Shi Yue. "Be good. Don't make a fuss."

Shi Yue pouted, her expression both defiant and adorable.

At that moment, the chubby cat Pi Qiu suddenly appeared from who-knows-where, waddling over to the desk. It stared blankly at the two of them, its round face filled with the kind of pure, dumbfounded innocence only a cat could manage.

"Meow?"

Leng Yanmi leaned in once more, attempting to kiss her again, but Shi Yue stubbornly turned her head away.

Perhaps out of sheer desperation, Shi Yue's mind suddenly pieced together some fragments of memory. She turned back to Leng Yanmi, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Is it... the test results from that research institute in the neighboring province?"

Two days ago, Leng Yanmi had casually mentioned something about that, but Shi Yue hadn't paid much attention at the time. Now, combining all the clues, it was the only thing she could think of.

Leng Yanmi sighed softly and, after a moment's hesitation, gave a stiff nod. "Yes."

"Huh? It's just that?" Shi Yue looked completely bewildered. "Wait, did you already open it?"

She tried to rationalize Leng Yanmi's strange behavior tonight. "…Was the result not ideal, and that's why you're upset?"

Leng Yanmi stared at her, silent.

Shi Yue assumed she'd guessed right.

Her initial confusion quickly melted into a surge of tenderness. "Oh no, I told you it's not a big deal." She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Leng Yanmi and pulling her close, letting her rest her head on her shoulder. "Don't be upset. No matter the result, we're already like this. It doesn't change anything."

"Why let something like this trouble you unnecessarily?"

Leng Yanmi's voice turned heavy, her tone tinged with melancholy. "…Pheromones influence a lot of things. Studies show that couples with low pheromone compatibility are significantly more likely to divorce."

Hearing her worry about such things, Shi Yue felt a pang of sadness.

"Do you really think we'd separate over something so trivial?"

Leng Yanmi lifted her eyes to meet hers, hesitating. "…I don't know."

Her hand slowly rose, tentatively moving toward Shi Yue's cheek, but it lingered just shy of touching, trembling slightly as though she didn't dare to follow through. "Would you… grow tired of me? You refused my kiss earlier…"

Shi Yue's heart filled with guilt.

She hurriedly clasped Leng Yanmi's hand and pressed it to her face. "I was joking with you. You know I was just being petty—it wasn't on purpose."

Leng Yanmi's eyes remained dim, like a cloudy night sky. "But…"

"MUA!" Shi Yue leaned in and planted a playful kiss at the corner of her lips. "But what?"

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Leng Yanmi's mouth. "But we…"

Before she could finish, Shi Yue interrupted her by a kiss again. 

Pulling back with exaggerated flair, she wiped her mouth dramatically and smirked at the dazed Leng Yanmi. "Don't mind me. Go on, keep talking."

Leng Yanmi's eyes began to sparkle, as if the stars themselves had descended into them.

She no longer tried to suppress her amusement, cupping Shi Yue's face as she leaned down slightly.

Shi Yue proactively kissed her this time, their breaths mingling as warmth spread between them. Despite the passion, Shi Yue held on to a sliver of rationality. Panting slightly, she managed to mutter, "Mmm… not here, Let's go to the bedroom."

The study, as Leng Yanmi's workspace, felt far too serious a place for this kind of activity, pushing Shi Yue's boundaries of comfort.

Leng Yanmi shifted back just enough to let her catch her breath, her voice hoarse as she murmured, "If the compatibility between a couple's pheromones was high enough, they wouldn't refuse…"

Shi Yue froze, momentarily caught off guard by the comment.

Wrapping her arms around Leng Yanmi's neck, she pulled her closer, surrendering herself as if offering a precious sacrifice.

But Leng Yanmi slowed her movements deliberately, as if savoring the moment.

She toyed with a lock of Shi Yue's long hair between her fingers, her gaze fixed on the loose bath towel draped over Shi Yue's body.

"If the compatibility was high enough, wouldn't they naturally…"

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Shi Yue was on the verge of losing her mind, unable to hold back a frustrated expletive.

Her face was already burning so hot it felt like it could fry an egg. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to extend a hand and tugged at the loose knot holding the towel together.

And so, for the next two hours, what should have been a space for serious work transformed into a setting that echoed with Leng Yanmi's whispered provocations.

"If the compatibility was high enough, they wouldn't avoid it, would they?"

"If the compatibility was high enough, they'd come closer on their own, wouldn't they?"

"If the compatibility was high enough, just once or twice wouldn't be enough, would it?"

"If…"

By the end of it all, Shi Yue was genuinely crying as she begged for mercy.

Leng Yanmi's office chair, while luxurious and spacious, was still a single-seater—not even remotely comparable to the large, plush double bed in the bedroom. Sitting astride the chair, Shi Yue's body had gone completely limp, her muscles so sore that she didn't even want to move.

"If the compatibility…"

"Stop saying it!" Shi Yue sobbed, her voice hoarse as she finally snapped back with rare clarity. "If the compatibility was really that high, you'd be carrying me to bed to rest right now!"

Leng Yanmi straightened up slightly, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips, but her next words were nothing short of cruel.

"Maybe we're not."

Shi Yue let out a hiccuping sob, caught between anger and despair, and seriously considered fainting on the spot.