Let Her Lose Control - Chapter 12

The room’s temperature plummeted, shattering the carefully constructed illusion of the past few hours. Su Ningshang’s gentle eyes narrowed, now radiating a sharp, scrutinizing gaze.

 

“You heard everything.”

 

“What was I supposed to hear?”

 

Su Ningyue scooted backward, inching away from Su Ningshang. “I mean… you must have someone you like, right? What if they saw those photos?”

 

Su Ningshang didn’t let Su Ningyue evade the truth.

 

She watched calmly as Su Ningyue retreated, inch by inch. Just as Su Ningyue was about to slip beyond her reach, Su Ningshang suddenly gripped her ankle and yanked her back.

 

Su Ningyue crashed back into Su Ningshang’s arms. Her clothes rode up her back, exposing a large expanse of her waist to the cold air, causing her to shiver uncontrollably.

 

Su Ningshang bit Su Ningyue’s right ear, her voice sinking deep into her eardrum. “You heard everything. You were standing at the top of the stairs when I opened the door. You’ve been distracted all day since then. Do you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

 

Su Ningyue pressed her lips tightly together, refusing to answer.

 

A humid voice burrowed into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

 

Su Ningshang’s soft, long hair cascaded down, its gentle touch against her skin creating a deceptive illusion. For a moment, Su Ningyue felt as if her sister were still the same—the one who had never crossed boundaries, who showered her with affection and patiently listened to her opinions.

 

The instant Su Ningshang released her ear, Su Ningyue spoke in a conciliatory tone: “Since you already have someone you like, let’s end this here. If we continue, things will inevitably spiral out of control, and we won’t be able to stop it.”

 

Su Ningshang neither agreed nor refused, silently studying Su Ningyue for half a minute. Then, without a word, she moved off her and stepped out of bed.

 

Her milky-white silk loungewear draped naturally, its wide collar and warm yellow lighting giving her the air of someone who had stepped out of a vintage oil painting—a faint aura of detachment clinging to her.

 

Su Ningyue lowered her gaze and resumed their earlier conversation, attempting to sever ties: “The person you like doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, probably because you haven’t devoted enough time to her. If you truly care for her, you need to cut ties with everyone around you, including me.”

 

Su Ningyue looked at Su Ningshang and said, “This kind of relationship we have… it’s just so boring.”

 

The air hung heavy for a moment.

 

Su Ningshang asked, “Boring? Then what would make it interesting?”

 

Su Ningyue replied, “The normal relationship we used to have was perfectly fine.”

 

Su Ningshang asked thoughtfully, “So, you think our current relationship is abnormal?”

 

Her tone was so calm, so utterly composed, that Su Ningyue almost felt like she was being unreasonable.

 

Su Ningshang tapped a few times on her phone, then placed it on the display cabinet facing the bed before walking toward Su Ningyue.

 

“You don’t like me,” she said.

 

The sudden, out-of-nowhere statement left Su Ningyue momentarily stunned.

 

It wasn’t until Su Ningshang turned back and pressed her hand firmly on Su Ningyue’s shoulder that she realized what was happening. When she looked up, she saw the phone’s rear camera staring directly at her, like three eyes watching her intently.

 

In those few seconds of distraction, the pressure on her shoulder increased. Su Ningshang was holding her down, preventing her from escaping.

 

Cold sweat broke out on Su Ningyue’s skin. “You… Sister, don’t do anything rash…”

 

When Su Ningshang heard the title, her movements paused for a moment. Su Ningyue, thinking there was still hope, tugged at Su Ningshang’s sleeve.

 

Even though Su Ningshang was the source of her fear—a fear ingrained in her bones—Su Ningyue’s ingrained habit still made her seek help from Su Ningshang.

 

Su Ningshang glanced at her crumpled sleeve, her gaze unusually deep. She made her words even clearer: “When Mom urged me to settle down with someone, the only person who came to mind was you.”

 

“Seeing you so unsettled today, I didn’t want to bring this up. But since you mentioned it… the person with so many problems between us is you. The one who doesn’t like me is also you.”

 

Su Ningyue: “That’s impossible—”

 

Despite the humidifier maintaining perfect humidity in the room, Su Ningyue’s mouth felt parched, as if she couldn’t speak.

 

After several seconds, she managed to stammer, “I know you’re just trying to appease Mom. Anyway…”

 

“Ningning, I like you.” Su Ningshang cupped Su Ningyue’s face, gazing directly into the depths of her trembling pupils. “I like you.”

 

Su Ningyue’s hand clenched into a fist, her tongue tingling as she continued to defend Su Ningshang. “I know you care about me. You’ve always cared about me since I was little. Even after you found out I wasn’t your biological sister, you never rejected me. You kept me by your side and took care of me. Of course I know.”

 

Su Ningshang let out a short laugh, her voice deep and meaningful. “Don’t deceive yourself. You know I’m not talking about familial affection.”

 

Su Ningyue repeated, “It’s just familial affection. You’re mistaken.”

 

Su Ningyue’s stubbornness became the final key to unlocking the chains. From the immigration visa two months ago to her solo trip to Rong City and now her plan to spend New Year’s in Sweden, the smile gradually faded from Su Ningshang’s face.

 

“Fine, if you insist it’s just familial affection,” Su Ningshang pressed relentlessly. “Do you really think everything that’s happened lately is just familial affection? Would I ever do such things to Xiao Jin?”

 

Su Ningyue gripped her sleeve tightly, wanting to speak but unable to find the words.

 

The camera recorded every second of their exchange. Su Ningyue’s chest tightened, her vision blurring with tears. She shoved Su Ningshang away forcefully, each word deliberate: “This isn’t love at all.”

 

The fragile facade of propriety she had desperately maintained, the paper-thin windowpane, was abruptly shattered by Su Ningshang.

 

She had underestimated Su Ningshang.

 

She had believed Su Ningshang simply didn’t want her to leave, unwilling to end their decade-long familial bond. In a moment of desperation, Su Ningshang had forcibly kept her by her side. Once Su Ningshang came to her senses, she would allow them both to forget this with dignity.

 

But Su Ningyue never imagined that Su Ningshang desired more than just physical transgression. She craved a deeper, more forbidden kind of affection.

 

Su Ningshang had always been humble, polite, and considerate in every way. For eighteen years, Su Ningyue had blindly worshipped her. Yet in that instant, Su Ningshang personally cast aside all moral boundaries, ethics, and filial piety.

 

Like a mountain collapsing into the sea, everything crumbled and scattered with a deafening roar.

 

Su Ningyue trembled uncontrollably. “No, this isn’t right! How could you say such things? How dare you say such things?”

 

Even without bl00d ties, the familial bond forged over eighteen years was deeply ingrained, stronger than any bl00d relation.

 

To outsiders, she seemed more like the Su Family’s second daughter than Jiang Jinsui.

 

How could Su Ningshang…?

 

“This was just an excuse to fool Mom from the start, wasn’t it?”

 

In a frenzy, Su Ningyue grabbed Su Ningshang’s hand again, like a traveler desperate for water in the desert. She begged through tears, “I won’t ask anymore, I promise! Just… just don’t say things like that again. Please, don’t.”

 

“I’m almost twenty-nine. I know better than you what love is,” Su Ningshang said calmly, wiping away Su Ningyue’s tears without a trace of regret.

 

Their eyes locked, and Su Ningyue struggled fiercely, desperate to argue. But Su Ningshang had already seen through her intentions, refusing to give her any chance to sugarcoat the truth.

 

As Su Ningshang kissed Su Ningyue, she murmured “Ningning” over and over. The kiss grew hotter, wetter, more desperate. She was like a hopeless addict, finding fleeting solace only in possessing Su Ningyue.

 

Yet after each encounter, the torment of her addiction only intensified.

 

Su Ningyue was on the verge of collapse.

 

This was the first time Su Ningshang had done something like this in the Su Family home. The second floor had always been their territory, but since Jiang Jinsui moved in, she had converted the original guest room and storage room into her own living space, now sharing the same floor.

 

In this forbidden atmosphere, her senses were heightened a hundredfold. She could hear Su Ningshang’s ragged breathing beside her ear and the howling wind battering the window.

 

If anyone approached her room, their secret would be exposed instantly. She struggled violently, almost in a panic. “The door… it’s unlocked!”

 

Su Ningshang’s heavy breathing paused for a moment as she forcibly pulled away from Su Ningyue, her breath hot and damp. “Wait here.”

 

When Su Ningshang returned, the bed was empty.

 

Su Ningyue’s clothes lay scattered on the sheets, but she had vanished without a trace.

 

“Ningning, come out.”

 

Silence.

 

Instead of searching the room, Su Ningshang calmly sat on the bed and asked, “Xiao Jin’s room is less than ten meters away. Should I call her over to help find you?”

 

By “call,” she didn’t mean simply summon Jiang Jinsui. She meant use her voice to lure Jiang Jinsui here.

 

“No—”

 

Su Ningyue’s timid voice came from behind the curtains.

 

A single-person sofa shaped like a green leaf had originally stood there. Su Ningshang’s room also featured a matching five-colored floral sofa, both custom-made and air-freighted from Italy. The floral sofa was one of the few vibrant pieces of furniture in Su Ningshang’s otherwise minimalist room.

 

The green leaf sofa had been moved slightly, just enough to conceal Su Ningyue.

 

The curtains trembled gently as Su Ningyue crawled out from behind the sofa, her flushed skin gradually revealed inch by inch.

 

Su Ningshang glanced over, her gaze freezing in place.

 

Su Ningyue was still stalling for time, unaware that her disheveled appearance only intensified others’ malicious desires.

 

Su Ningshang strode over, scooped Su Ningyue up horizontally, forcing her to stiffen even more.

 

They settled onto the green leaf sofa together, Su Ningyue perched on Su Ningshang’s lap. The single-seater sofa was already narrow, and its leaf-like shape offered no armrests. To avoid falling, Su Ningyue had no choice but to cling tightly to Su Ningshang’s shoulders.

 

This made Su Ningyue feel deeply insecure and utterly uncomfortable.

 

Su Ningshang wanted to carry Su Ningyue to the bed, but Su Ningyue remembered the camera there and immediately refused, turning away. “No.”

 

But Su Ningshang clearly wouldn’t yield.

 

In a moment when Su Ningyue’s mind went blank, Su Ningshang lifted her into her arms. When Su Ningyue’s gaze landed on the phone camera, her face paled, and she began pushing frantically. “No, you can’t film this… You don’t even like me. You just want to keep me here to bully me…”

 

Su Ningshang pulled Su Ningyue back into her arms, meeting her glare with a sigh.

 

She gently kissed the corner of Su Ningyue’s tear-streaked eye. “Don’t cry.”

 

Su Ningyue stubbornly returned Su Ningshang’s gaze, silently conveying her complete rejection of both her words and actions.

 

Su Ningshang kissed Su Ningyue’s cheek, her long hair softly brushing against her face as she murmured soothingly, “I really didn’t want to film you at first, Ningning. But you’ve been so disobedient. How could you say you wanted to end things with me? How could you doubt that I love you?”

 

Her voice softened further. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe. No one else will ever see it.”

 

Su Ningyue retorted, “That’s what all those celebrities who got exposed thought too. You know better than anyone how easily things can leak, don’t you?”

 

“I’m not like them,” Su Ningshang said with unwavering conviction. “I’ll take responsibility for your past and your future.” As soon as the words left her lips, she lifted Su Ningyue’s hips.

 

By the end, Su Ningyue was completely drained, limp on the bed, her body twitching involuntarily.

 

Through half-closed eyes, she saw Su Ningshang reach for the phone. Then, she drifted into unconsciousness.

 

Su Ningshang returned, her warm breath ghosting across Ningyue’s forehead as she murmured softly, “Ningning, don’t try to leave me.”

 

Ningyue’s eyelashes fluttered violently for a moment, spasming involuntarily. But she lacked the strength to resist, unable even to tell Su Ningshang to return to her own room.

 

Since their confrontation that night, Su Ningshang had unilaterally established a new dynamic between them. She no longer stayed in hotels, moving back home permanently. Instead of sending a driver to pick up Ningyue from school, she now insisted on picking her up herself, regardless of whether Ningyue wanted to come home.

 

“When I picked you up from school the other day, the dark circles under your eyes were so pronounced, I nearly thought you’d been mining in Africa,” Su Ningshang murmured, stroking Ningyue’s cheek.

 

Ningyue flinched away from Su Ningshang’s touch, refusing to respond.

 

Su Ningshang’s hand hovered in the air, but she didn’t seem offended. “Could it be you were missing me so much that you couldn’t sleep at night?” she asked. “And now you can sleep as soon as you’re back?”

 

“That’s not it at all!” Ningyue protested urgently. “It’s because one of my roommates snores every night. I couldn’t sleep, that’s all.”

 

Su Ningshang let out a long, drawn-out “Oh.” “So that’s why,” she said. “I should have arranged things more carefully.”

 

Su Ningyue glanced at the teasing smile on Su Ningshang’s face before lowering her head to continue eating. She couldn’t understand how Su Ningshang could act so naturally around her after saying she “liked” her.

 

But then she realized that this possessive, nominal “like” wouldn’t weigh on Su Ningshang’s conscience at all.

 

Unable to bear it any longer, Su Ningyue put down her chopsticks and stood up. “I’m going to memorize classical Chinese texts.”

 

Su Ningshang grabbed her hand. “It’s already eleven. You should get some sleep. Otherwise, you’ll be too exhausted to go to Sweden after your final exams.”

 

The weather in Sweden was at its harshest during the Lunar New Year period. While a short trip to see the sights would be fine, Su Ningyue and Jiang Jinsui were planning to stay for an extended period. If their immune systems were weakened before the flight, they’d likely suffer even more once they arrived.

 

Su Ningyue’s attention, however, was caught by the words “go to Sweden.” Her steps away from the table slowed to a halt, then slowly reversed.

 

“Um… you mean, after my final exams, I can really go to… Sweden?”

 

Su Ningshang calmly sipped her soup. “Mm-hmm. Mom and Dad have already agreed. Xiao Jin has been helping you two pack these past few days. Why would I stop you?”

 

Su Ningyue stared at Su Ningshang with a strange expression, almost in disbelief.

 

Su Ningshang tapped the phone screen twice with her free hand, the one not holding the spoon.

 

The memory of being filmed flooded Su Ningyue’s mind. She had almost forgotten about it, since Su Ningshang hadn’t mentioned it for days.

 

Her face flushed crimson with anger, Su Ningyue kicked the dining table hard and stormed back to her room.

 

A week later, during the final exams, Su Ningyue performed steadily. Since the start of her senior year, seating arrangements for each Monthly Exam had been based on the previous exam’s class rankings, placing her among students with similar scores.

 

As soon as an exam ended, familiar faces would pull her aside to compare answers.

 

The first exam hall consistently had the highest accuracy rate in the entire grade. After comparing answers for each exam, she had a rough estimate of her scores, eliminating the need to anxiously await the final results.

 

On January 17th, Su Ningyue and Jiang Jinsui headed to Cloud City Airport.

 

Jiang Jinsui, who had recently obtained her driver’s license, drove them to the airport, giving her a chance to practice.

 

Su Ningshang mentioned buying Jiang Jinsui a car and asked if she had any preferred brands.

 

Jiang Jinsui, still a novice driver, couldn’t multitask. Only after stopping at a red light did she reply, “Anything will do. Nothing too expensive—it’s not very practical for getting around campus.”

 

Su Ningshang nodded. “Then we’ll go shopping for one after you get back from Sweden.”

 

Su Yun turned to Su Ningyue. “What about you, Xiao Yue? After the college entrance exams, you should learn to drive too. Would you like your sister to buy you a car as well?”

 

Su Ningyue sat rigidly between Su Yun and Su Ningshang, afraid Su Ningshang might make an inappropriate gesture. She simply nodded. “Okay.”

 

Su Yun studied Su Ningyue. “Why are you so quiet today, Xiao Yue? Didn’t you sleep well?”

 

Su Ningyue coughed softly. “I’m just a little nervous about meeting Aunt.”

 

Su Yun took her hand and patted it gently. “We really should have had your sister come with you, but the Lunar New Year is her busiest time. If she were to leave the country for over two weeks, the company would fall into chaos.”

 

Su Ningyue smiled and held up two fingers, indicating a tiny amount. “I’m only a little nervous—just this much.”

 

Jiang Jinsui and Su Ningyue traveled light, each bringing only a small suitcase. They planned to buy anything else they needed in Sweden.

 

As they got out of the car, Su Ningshang helped Su Ningyue with her suitcase. Su Ningyue stayed close by her side, while Jiang Jinsui was surrounded by Su Yun and Bian Xiu, who were reminding her of travel precautions.

 

Su Ningyue hesitated, then turned to Su Ningshang beside her. “Don’t you have any advice for me?”

 

Su Ningshang glanced indifferently at Jiang Jinsui before replying, “I do.”

 

Su Ningyue immediately straightened up, her curiosity piqued by the prospect of receiving travel tips. “Tell me.”

 

“If there weren’t so many people here,” Su Ningshang said, “I’d really want to kiss you.”

 

Her gaze swept boldly across Su Ningyue’s lips, then slowly, deliberately, dipped into the depths of her neckline.

 

Startled, Su Ningyue glanced back at Jiang Jinsui and the others, then lowered her voice, still shaken. “Are you crazy?”

 

Su Ningshang reached out casually and tugged Su Ningyue’s collar higher, her hand still gripping the ever-present phone.

 

“Ningning, I know you’ll come back.”

 

Su Ningyue couldn’t bear to stay another moment.

 

Pressing her lips together, she snatched the suitcase from Su Ningshang’s hand and hurried over to Jiang Jinsui, who was saying goodbye to her parents.

 

Su Ningshang watched them disappear through the boarding gate before unlocking her phone.

 

The photo album contained no videos from New Year’s Eve, but several radiant selfies of Su Ningyue.