On The Night I Confirmed My Girlfriend's Infidelity, I Kissed Her Sister (GL) - Chapter 27.2: “Mmm... Jiejie.”

In an instant, countless memories flooded Fu Chaoying’s mind—her fingers brushing against Ye Jiayuan’s cool sleeve as she called her jiejie, her drowsy self nestling into familiar warmth, her whispered plea during a thunderstorm in Singapore: “Jiejie, can you hold me?”

Ye Jiayuan had perhaps long since keenly noticed that since being gently rejected in Singapore, Fu Chaoying had rarely called her “sister” anymore. Even after they established their relationship, she always addressed her with just the right amount of politeness as “Jiayuan-jie.”

A hint of inscrutable emotion flickered in Fu Chaoying’s eyes as she cleared her throat, her tone softening with a touch of coquetry at the end: “Sister… Why didn’t you message me after landing? I was a little worried about you.”

The corners of Ye Jiayuan’s lips lifted almost imperceptibly as her gentle gaze settled on Fu Chaoying’s face. “I started working overtime as soon as I got off the plane,” she explained softly.

Fu Chaoying studied her through the screen, noticing the faint weariness between her brows, and her voice grew even more tender. “You’ve worked so hard, sister. Let me hug you.”

Ye Jiayuan couldn’t help but smile, her eyes locking onto Fu Chaoying’s with quiet intensity. “Through a screen, I can’t reach you.”

Fu Chaoying’s fingers absently traced the edge of her phone, her tone tinged with anticipation. “After seeing you off, I attended the forum dinner. The deputy director mentioned the global exhibition project for the Nanyan Art Museum.”

“If we win the bid, I might have to make a business trip to Hong Kong soon.”

On the screen, Ye Jiayuan’s gaze remained steady as she gave a slight nod, urging her to continue.

“Then I’ll get to hug you every day—” Fu Chaoying’s voice was light and cheerful.

Ye Jiayuan’s fingers tapped idly against the screen, her eyes lingering on Fu Chaoying’s radiant smile. Unconsciously, a trace of warmth flickered in her gaze. “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”

Fu Chaoying couldn’t help but smile, burying her face into the soft pillow, her voice muffled. “But the tender template looks so complicated. It seems like it’ll be a hassle.”

Her tone carried a hint of coquetry.

“You can find help,” Ye Jiayuan said in a steady voice. “There are agencies specialized in tender preparation. They’d be more efficient.”

Having interned at the grassroots level before, Ye Jiayuan was naturally adept at handling such minor tasks.

“Oh, right!” Fu Chaoying’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. She immediately minimized the video call window and opened her usual shopping app, quickly typing in “tender preparation.” A string of related service links instantly popped up on the screen.

Delighted, Fu Chaoying beamed. “I’ll contact them tomorrow!”

“Wishing you smooth progress,” Ye Jiayuan said, her tone laced with encouragement.

Warmth blossomed in Fu Chaoying’s chest as she shifted her focus back to the video call. Her gaze softened, and she murmured softly, “Jiejie…”

“Hmm?”

Fu Chaoying studied the faint weariness in Ye Jiayuan’s eyes, her heart aching even more. Yet the corners of her lips curled into a gentle smile. “Goodnight, jiejie. Rest early!”

Ye Jiayuan’s gaze inadvertently swept over the glimpse of skin revealed by the neckline of Fu Chaoying’s nightgown, faintly visible under the warm lighting. She averted her eyes slightly, a touch of unnaturalness in her movement. “Goodnight.”

Her voice carried a barely perceptible huskiness.

The video call ended.

Yet the image of Ye Jiayuan leaning wearily against the headboard remained vivid in Fu Chaoying’s mind.

Ye Jiayuan, who always carried herself with impeccable posture and precision, likely only allowed herself such a relaxed demeanor when utterly exhausted.

A pang of tenderness, intertwined with a creeping, clinging longing, rose in Fu Chaoying’s heart.

Early Monday morning, Fu Chaoying swiftly contacted a professional tender preparation agency and invited them for a meeting at the company. After thorough discussions, they reconfirmed the intricate process and required materials for the global exhibition project tender.

Thursday was the submission deadline. With time tight and the task demanding, the entire company threw themselves into the work, practically camping at the office to finalize the tender documents.

Surprisingly, the processing of various qualification documents went smoothly. Several employees with literature backgrounds excelled in drafting the technical proposal, exceeding Fu Chaoying’s expectations.

After their Sunday night call, Fu Chaoying and Ye Jiayuan only occasionally exchanged brief WeChat messages.

Ye Jiayuan was occupied with work in Hong Kong, while Fu Chaoying devoted herself entirely to the intense tender preparation. Both tacitly minimized unnecessary interruptions.

Still, Fu Chaoying would occasionally open their chat. The latest messages were either her sending a photo of her lunch, Ye Jiayuan greeting her with a “Good afternoon,” or asking about her progress.

Beyond that, it seemed they had lost the thread for deeper conversations.

The ambiguous atmosphere from that night’s video call quietly dissipated amid their busy schedules.

Gradually, Fu Chaoying grew accustomed to checking her messages less frequently, pouring all her energy into work. Yet on Thursday afternoon, she unexpectedly received a dinner invitation from a director at Nanyan Art Museum.

Alarm bells rang in her heart.

Though this director wasn’t directly involved in the bidding process, an informal meeting before the official tender opening wasn’t technically a violation of procedure.

But Fu Chaoying couldn’t shake off a nagging suspicion. After all, her relationship with this director wasn’t close enough for such a last-minute dinner invitation—normally, appointments required at least a day’s notice.

With a mix of unease and curiosity, Fu Chaoying arrived as agreed.

During the pre-dinner small talk, the director casually inquired about her company’s recent developments and showed seemingly genuine concern about her personal matters, yet skillfully avoided any mention of the global exhibition project bidding.

It felt like an ordinary gathering to maintain personal connections.

However, halfway through the meal, the director suddenly shifted the conversation, his tone laden with meaning: “Xiao Ying, as you know, Southern School ink painting is indeed facing a decline, with a lack of new talent.”

“At Nan Yan Art Museum, we fully understand your concerns and know how deeply you cherish Old Master Fu’s legacy.”

“That’s why we hope this global exhibition project can strengthen our mutual trust and connection.”

“More importantly, we wish to collaborate with the Fu family—especially by bringing Master Fu’s treasured works to light—to pioneer a new era for Southern School ink painting’s preservation and development.”

The emphasis was unmistakably on that last sentence.

Fu Chaoying calmly finished the meal and politely escorted him to the parking lot. The director seemed to regard her with appreciation, patting her shoulder and saying, “Both I and the museum have high hopes for you!”

With a faint smile, Fu Chaoying replied, “Thank you for your kindness and recognition.”

As the city lights began to glow, Fu Chaoying returned home to find a message from Ye Jiayuan on her phone: 【Good luck with the bid opening tomorrow. Looking forward to good news.】

Her fingers hovered over the screen before she typed back: 【I’m looking forward to good news too.】

They exchanged their usual goodnights.

Early the next morning, Fu Chaoying led her team to Nan Yan Art Museum for the bid opening. Though it was their first time participating in such a process, each member carried themselves with calm professionalism.

Even when other bidders who knew Fu Chaoying attempted to engage in conversation, her team deftly exchanged pleasantries without delving into substantive discussion.

Fu Chaoying remained composed as ever, quietly awaiting the results.

As time passed, an unspoken tension filled the air.

When the moment to announce the winning bid arrived, Fu Chaoying’s heart tightened involuntarily.

Soon after, the host read out the selected company.

Beside her, assistant Li Bingzhi subtly grasped her arm in silent shock and disbelief.

Not far away, the team that had tried to approach them earlier now cast puzzled glances in their direction, murmuring among themselves.

Fu Chaoying smiled wryly, then turned to her team and said softly, “Let’s go.”

Back in the company car, Li Bingzhi couldn’t contain her confusion any longer. “Director Fu, our proposal was impeccable—the budget was reasonable, and you’re…” She trailed off, realizing she might be overstepping.

Fu Chaoying leaned back in the comfortable seat, a faint smile playing at her lips as she countered, “Did you all assume we were guaranteed to win the bid?”

The team members exchanged glances but remained silent. In truth, it wasn’t just their team—almost everyone who knew Fu Chaoying was participating had taken it for granted that she would secure the project.

After all, she had an unparalleled advantage: not only was she a rising star in the ink-wash painting scene, but she was also the granddaughter of the late master Fu Li.

With a reassuring smile, Fu Chaoying said, “We only prepared for three or four days. Scoring this high is already impressive.”

Their company had ranked second, just 0.05 points behind the winner.

She added cheerfully, “You’ve all worked hard these past few days. Take today off—go home and rest.”

The announcement lifted the mood in the car, easing some of the disappointment from the loss.

By the time Fu Chaoying arrived home, she received a message from Ye Jiayuan: [Don’t worry, there will be plenty more opportunities like this in the future.]

Clearly, Ye Jiayuan had already seen the official results.

Fu Chaoying tapped out a quick reply: [Yeah!]

End of conversation.

After a light lunch, she retreated to her bedroom, hoping to sleep, but tossed and turned restlessly.

Though she hadn’t held high expectations, a crushing sense of defeat threatened to overwhelm her.

The team’s relentless efforts over the past few days now seemed utterly futile.

With a self-deprecating smile, she consoled herself: At least the preparation only took a few days. Not too much wasted.

Eventually, exhaustion took over, and she drifted into a deep sleep, not waking until evening when Aunt Wu knocked to call her for dinner.

Fu Chaoying got up, freshened up, and headed downstairs.

The tantalizing aroma from the dining room lifted her spirits slightly—until she turned the corner and froze.

A woman was already seated at the table.

It was Ye Jiayuan, who wasn’t supposed to return from Hong Kong to Nanyan until tomorrow.

Today, she wore a beige maxi dress, exuding elegance and grace, her usual cool demeanor softened with a touch of warmth.

Heart racing, Fu Chaoying couldn’t help but beam at her, nearly blurting out, “Jie—”

Remembering Aunt Wu was nearby, she quickly corrected herself, her voice laced with surprise, “Jiayuan-jie, what brings you back so suddenly?”

After just five days apart, Ye Jiayuan’s gaze seemed gentler as she nodded slightly. “I came back for an important project debrief at the company.”

Fu Chaoying took her usual seat across from her, and the two fell into their usual rhythm—casually chatting about work and life over dinner, their conversation giving no hint of their romantic relationship to any onlooker.

After the meal, Ye Jiayuan mentioned, “I brought you a small gift. It’s in the car.”

There was a subtle implication in her eyes.

Fu Chaoying wasn’t naive enough to think it was really about a gift—she instantly understood it was just an excuse for Ye Jiayuan to be alone with her.

The two got into the car one after the other.

The enclosed space of the vehicle made their breaths mingle, creating an inexplicably intimate atmosphere.

Fu Chaoying tilted her head to glance at her, but her gaze inadvertently swept over those red lips. Realizing this, she quickly averted her eyes as if startled—only to hear Ye Jiayuan’s cool voice say, “If you’ve been wronged, why didn’t you tell me?”

Fu Chaoying turned back in surprise, a trace of confusion in her eyes. “Huh?”

She knew? How did she know?

Ye Jiayuan gazed at her quietly before sighing helplessly. “I guessed.”

A flicker of what seemed like concern passed through Ye Jiayuan’s eyes, and the sense of grievance Fu Chaoying had suppressed with her self-defense mechanisms now surged to the surface.

Pursing her lips, Fu Chaoying remained silent—until she suddenly felt a hand rest on her shoulder, applying gentle pressure.

In an instant, she was enveloped in that familiar, warm fragrance, her heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably—

Ye Jiayuan pulled her into an embrace and murmured, “I’m your girlfriend.”

“You have me behind you. You can ask me for help, vent to me, let out all your emotions without holding back.”

“Instead of silently enduring everything alone, keeping it all inside so I can’t even tell.”