After a One-Night Stand with a Seductive Bad Woman - Chapter 19

The next day at noon, Lu Jia finally saw Sheng Shubai’s collection of swimsuits.

Compared to the ones her female friend had bought for her, the sheer quantity was like a drop in the ocean.

…And the styles were equally overwhelming.

Yet without exception, every single swimsuit was designed to accentuate the figure.

When Lu Jia knocked on the door, Sheng Shubai was in her bedroom, surrounded by a dazzling array of swimsuits piled on the plush sofa.

Noticing Lu Jia’s astonished expression, Sheng Shubai casually asked, “Help me choose one. Which do you think would suit me best?”

Lu Jia’s gaze swept across the collection before she pointed to a bright blue two-piece set in the upper left corner. It offered slightly more coverage than the others.

Sheng Shubai, uncertain of her own preference, deferred entirely to Lu Jia’s judgment. She nodded. “This one’s a recent impulse buy. I’ll try it on.”

Before Lu Jia could fully process the words “try it on,” her eyes remained fixed on the swimsuit Sheng Shubai had picked up.

In the next instant, Sheng Shubai lifted the hem of her nightgown, revealing a slender stretch of bare waist.

Beneath the nightgown, there was nothing to conceal the full, curving contours of her br3asts, now fully exposed to Lu Jia’s gaze.

Lu Jia: !

She frantically closed her eyes and turned to face the window, standing rigidly upright.

Though the bedroom curtains were drawn tight, faint light still seeped through the corners, mingling with the warm white glow of the ceiling lamp.

Lu Jia’s voice was strained. “Miss Sheng… could you please warn me next time before you undress?”

Sheng Shubai glanced at her with amusement. “Didn’t we just see each other last night? Why are you still shy?”

As if she weren’t the one who had been kissing, sucking, and moaning so passionately last night.

Perhaps it was because her period was approaching, but Lu Jia woke up with a dull, swollen ache. She hadn’t even had a chance to settle the score with this little brat.

You promised to be gentle. Where was the gentleness?

Unlike Lu Jia, who enjoyed a bit of pain during such moments and always begged for more intensity, she preferred a lighter touch.

Lu Jia paused, her voice hesitant. “…Th-this is different.”

Sheng Shubai chuckled softly, not bothering to respond.

This little brat always acts like a stranger the moment she gets out of bed.

At night, she’d coax her to say anything, her voice soft and obedient like the pink-pawed calico kitten Sheng Shubai had kept as a child, her whimpers delicate and tender.

But during the day, it was always “Miss Sheng” or “Professor Sheng,” as if they were two ships passing in the night, their paths never meant to cross.

Sheng Shubai had long since changed Lu Jia’s contact name to “Little Woody,” finding it particularly fitting.

So methodical and precise, yet so clear about boundaries.

She had to admit, she admired such a clear-headed collaborator, but she couldn’t resist teasing her a little.

The rustling of fabric filled the air as Sheng Shubai approached.

Lu Jia heard the woman’s footsteps drawing near. “…Miss Sheng?”

The next moment, a fingertip lightly tapped her shoulder blade, the touch as light as a feather’s brush.

“If you want to contemplate your sins, move to the side. You’re blocking the mirror.”

South of the city, in a suburban villa district, lay a residence steeped in the legacy of an artistic family.

After Sheng Shujun took over most of the family’s business, knowing her sister Sheng Shubai had no intention of returning to Z City, she gifted her this villa in C City as a thirtieth birthday present.

The surrounding area remained largely undeveloped, but the scenery was pleasant enough. Sheng Shubai occasionally visited, treating it as a place to unwind.

A silver-white SUV roared up the driveway.

Stepping out of the car, the woman casually removed her sunglasses with one hand, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes curving into a smile. “What do you think? Better than the school’s swimming pool, right?”

Lu Jia nodded, clutching her bag, and followed her into the villa.

She glanced through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the backyard pool and replied, “It’s very beautiful.”

The villa’s style diverged sharply from Sheng Shubai’s usual flamboyant and elaborate tastes. Instead, both the exterior and interior design emphasized minimalist aesthetics.

The black, white, and gray decor created a cool, empty atmosphere.

Lu Jia’s gaze drifted to Sheng Shubai’s vibrant, color-blocked maxi dress, and she casually asked about it.

The woman’s brow furrowed slightly. “My sister bought it. I just let her pick a decent design firm and told them to do whatever. I hardly ever stay here anyway.”

It seemed Miss Sheng’s relationship with her family wasn’t particularly close.

Lu Jia had a good memory. She recalled the woman mentioning her sister twice, though the other titles she used were blurted out and then abruptly cut off.

Not wanting to pry into her privacy, Lu Jia simply nodded.

“There are guest rooms on this floor and the second floor. Which one would you prefer?”

Sheng Shubai gestured toward the door on the left. When Lu Jia didn’t answer, she realized something. “Or… would you like to…?”

Although they had been intimate more frequently this week, sharing a room tonight would be natural if they were going to continue.

Assuming she understood Lu Jia’s intentions, Sheng Shubai took her hand and began leading her toward the master bedroom on the third floor. But Lu Jia remained rooted to the spot, clutching her bag. “Wait, am I staying over?”

Sheng Shubai glanced at her, her tone matter-of-fact. “What else?”

The drive from the suburbs to C University was nearly an hour. After swimming, Lu Jia wouldn’t have the energy to make the trip back.

Lu Jia pointed to her bag. “I only brought my swimsuit. I didn’t pack any overnight essentials.”

She had thought this was just a swim, never imagining Sheng Shubai would expect her to stay the night.

“Didn’t I mention it?”

Sheng Shubai rested one hand on the white jade railing, frowning in thought for a few seconds. “I must have forgotten. My apologies.”

Lu Jia tacitly agreed to share a room with Sheng Shubai.

Fortunately, everything was well-stocked.

After giving Lu Jia a quick tour, Sheng Shubai carried their swimsuits into the dressing room. “Want to change together?” she called out, her voice laced with teasing amusement.

Lu Jia, bag in hand, didn’t even turn around. “I’ll change in the guest room upstairs.”

The swimsuit Lu Jia had brought was the first one she’d tried on at the boutique.

Since they’d be the only ones using the pool, Sheng Shubai had casually persuaded Lu Jia to bring it along. After all, she reasoned, it was originally meant to be seen by women anyway.

Having avoided sleeping with Sheng Shubai the previous night, Lu Jia had practiced tying the back straps in front of the mirror several times.

With the decorative pink gauze removed for swimming, the swimsuit still had two soft layers covering her chest, but the back was secured only by a few intertwined straps, offering no real coverage.

Late summer met early autumn, and the weather was perfect.

Changing took some time. By the time Lu Jia descended the stairs, she could already see Sheng Shubai leaning against the pool’s edge through the floor-to-ceiling windows, propping her chin up with a bored expression.

Sheng Shubai’s gaze drifted to the right, where several osmanthus trees swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves rustling softly.

Sunlight glinted off the shimmering pool surface, reflecting in dazzling waves that, combined with the expanse of pale skin, nearly blinded the eye.

Lu Jia’s fingers tightened on the railing, and she nearly missed a step.

She discreetly averted her gaze, her foot landing on the next step. She paused, ensuring her footing was secure before continuing down.

As she emerged through the back door, Sheng Shubai winked at her. “Not bad. Very beautiful.”

Even more beautiful submerged in the water. Like a cluster of cherry blossoms fallen into the pool, their delicate pink hue softened further by the refracted light.

The pool was significantly larger than typical private pools, making the two women seem almost lost in its vastness.

The water was crystal clear, and the surrounding area was immaculate, without a single fallen leaf—a testament to the owner’s meticulous care.

Lu Jia Pei leaned against the pool’s edge with the woman, taking her time to acclimate to the water temperature before swimming. “Miss Sheng, do you enjoy swimming?”

They had rarely discussed personal preferences like this.

Even opportunities for casual outings like this had only recently become possible.

As soon as the words left her lips, Lu Jia realized she had been presumptuous.

Were they truly friends, or merely collaborators, or even just landlord and tenant?

Lu Jia couldn’t decipher the woman’s attitude, nor was she sure what kind of relationship she wanted them to have.

Friends… could that even be possible?

Just as Lu Jia was about to elaborate, the woman spoke in a casual tone, “Yes, I quite like it.”

“When I was very young, my aunt would take my sister and me swimming in our hometown during the holidays.”

Sheng Shubai released her grip on the pool’s edge, turned around, and leaned her back against the cool brick wall. “She taught us everything we know about swimming.”

A faint trace of melancholy lingered in her voice, which Lu Jia immediately noticed.

The woman rarely mentioned her family, and the few times she did, it was usually about this early-deceased aunt.

“You…”

Lu Jia, never good at comforting people, hesitated, struggling to find the right words. But before she could speak, the woman had already regained her composure and asked, “What about you? Do you like it?”

Lu Jia paused for a moment, then nodded.

Having grown up at the Forest Farm, Lu Jia had learned to swim naturally. A shallow river ran along the edge of their property, and since she was three years old, her aunt and cousins had taken her to catch shrimp and fish, teaching her to swim along the way.

Her swimming skills were adequate, but her technique was far from proper.

M University, where she had studied as an undergraduate, was located near the city center, and due to geographical constraints, it still lacked a swimming pool.

After transferring to C University, perhaps because the pool had just opened after the start of the semester, reservation slots were scarce, and Lu Jia had been unable to book a session several times in a row.

Sheng Shubai smiled. “This pool is regularly cleaned. You can come swim whenever you like.”

She turned to Lu Jia, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “But what exactly do you mean by ‘improper swimming technique’?”

Lu Jia pursed her lips and swam a lap to demonstrate.

“That looks perfectly fine,” Sheng Shubai remarked, tapping Lu Jia’s wrist. “Just remember not to bend your wrist while swimming.”

Her fingertip, wet with pool water, left a small, rounded water mark on Lu Jia’s already damp skin.

Sheng Shubai’s toe also brushed against Lu Jia’s anklebone, the ripples in the water softening the touch. “And remember to relax here too.”

With that, she pushed off the pool wall and glided forward, her supple body moving through the water with graceful fluidity, her curves stretching into mesmerizing lines.

Like a fish in water.

The woman swam a lap, turning back from the far end of the pool. Watching her effortless strokes, Lu Jia couldn’t help but think of the idiom “like a fish in water.”

She brushed her wet, long hair back, droplets of water clinging to the strands.

Lu Jia wanted to reach out and tuck a stray strand behind her ear.

Before she could touch her, a drop of water slid down the woman’s hair and landed on the back of Lu Jia’s hand, then dripped into the pool, creating a barely perceptible splash.

Lu Jia paused, shifting her gesture to point at the spot. “Miss Sheng, there’s a strand of hair here too.”

After swimming for over half an hour, during which Sheng Shubai had offered Lu Jia numerous pointers but rarely swam herself, the woman climbed out of the pool, dripping wet. She handed Lu Jia a thick, pure white bath towel.

The large, plush towel wrapped loosely around Lu Jia’s body only accentuated her fair skin.

Beneath the shade of a poolside umbrella, Sheng Shubai reclined on a lounge chair and gestured for Lu Jia to join her. “Don’t you want to rest for a bit?”

Lu Jia glanced up at the sky. Though the umbrella blocked the sun, the temperature remained pleasant. With the towel wrapped around her, she shouldn’t get cold.

“A’Jin was supposed to come too, but since the weather’s so nice, she and her little girlfriend went out sketching again.”

Sheng Shubai recalled how quickly Lu Jia had grasped the concepts he’d taught her earlier, and couldn’t help but remark, “Last time I came here with them, watching her tutor Xiao Tang… Ugh, it was so sickeningly sweet I couldn’t bear to watch.”

Lu Jia had met the couple before: Professor Ji from the Oil Painting Department next door and Junior Sister Xiao Tang from the Faculty of Arts, a pair deeply in love.

Ever since Rong Yi had caught her interacting with Sheng Shubai, they had stopped deliberately avoiding each other.

Sheng Shubai would occasionally invite Lu Jia for coffee, and they had run into the couple several times in the office. Their casual conversations were comfortable, and they had grown somewhat familiar.

“Do they know… about our relationship?”

Lu Jia knew that Sheng Shubai and Professor Ji were longtime friends.

During their encounters, Ji Jinnian showed no reaction, but Tang Yue had glanced at her several times with curious, probing eyes that weren’t offensive.

“What kind of relationship are you referring to?”

Sheng Shubai raised an eyebrow and tossed her a bottle of mineral water from the coffee table.

Lu Jia twisted it open. Seeing Sheng Shubai beckoning her again, she instinctively handed the opened bottle back to him.

“Thank you.”

Sheng Shubai took a leisurely sip of water before continuing the conversation. “A tenant, or… a fvck buddy?”