Online Romance with an Iceberg Professor Backfired - Chapter 26.1

Chapter 26.1: The Kiss

The tomatoes in the wok ultimately burned.

Ji Pei was pressed against the counter with her back to Jiang Xianhan. Jiang Xianhan held her chin, forcing her to turn her head. The moment Jiang Xianhan’s soft, warm lips were about to touch hers, Ji Pei subconsciously pursed her lips.

“Why are you so scared? Are you afraid I’ll eat you?” Jiang Xianhan stared at Ji Pei’s tightly closed eyes with interest and laughed. “Could this be your first kiss?”

Ji Pei put down the wok, turned off the heat, turned around to lean against the countertop, supporting herself with both hands.

Seeing this, Jiang Xianhan wrapped her soft, slender arms around Ji Pei’s waist, seized the opportunity, and gently covered the two lips she had been longing for.

“Mmm…”

Ji Pei’s face flushed instantly. Her earlobes were so red they looked as if they were about to bleed. She supported herself on the countertop with one hand and tried to push Jiang Xianhan’s shoulder with the other, but the movement was light and airy, seemingly a posture of both resistance and invitation. Ji Pei tightly closed her eyes, her lips sealed. She didn’t know how to kiss, and coupled with the tingling nervousness that had taken over her body, Ji Pei didn’t even know how to breathe, let alone open her mouth to accommodate Jiang Xianhan.

Jiang Xianhan opened her eyes, taking in Ji Pei’s inexperienced, trembling state. She took off her slightly askew glasses and casually placed them on the counter. Jiang Xianhan enveloped Ji Pei’s lips with her own, extending her soft tongue, tracing and outlining the tight seam of the other’s lips, trying to find a weak point to break through.

Jiang Xianhan’s tongue tip met Ji Pei’s firm teeth. She extended her right hand to the back of Ji Pei’s head, pulling her closer. Ji Pei’s entire face was flushed. Jiang Xianhan couldn’t even detect the other person breathing. She’s so nervous from just a kiss that she stopped breathing. Will she suffocate soon? Jiang Xianhan kissed the corner of Ji Pei’s mouth, gently coaxing, “Breathe through your nose.”

Ji Pei opened her eyes a tiny slit. The moment she saw Jiang Xianhan staring intently at her, she tightly closed her eyes again. “…” She took two breaths and finally recovered, only to see a devouring light burst from Jiang Xianhan’s eyes. Ji Pei was both anxious and frightened. She even felt that the next second Jiang Xianhan would pounce on her and bite her.

Their lips separated slightly for two seconds. Ji Pei’s hand touched the handle of the wok and got burned. In that moment of distraction, Jiang Xianhan took her breath away again.

Jiang Xianhan’s tongue couldn’t break through Ji Pei’s tightly clenched teeth. She searched left and right for a breakthrough. Finally, she couldn’t resist pinching Ji Pei’s waist.

“Open your mouth.”

Ji Pei let out a soft moan and slowly opened her mouth at Jiang Xianhan’s instruction. The next second, the soft tongue drove straight in, completely breaching the last line of defense Ji Pei was holding.

“Wuwu…”

Ji Pei gripped Jiang Xianhan’s shoulders with both hands. Her tongue was tangled and stirred, making her feel like Jiang Xianhan was about to devour her entirely. She opened her mouth and forgot to be active, allowing Jiang Xianhan to do whatever she wanted.

In truth, Jiang Xianhan’s kissing skills weren’t much better. On the first day of meeting Ji Pei in person, she had thoroughly researched a lot of theoretical knowledge: How to make the other person feel pleasure during a kiss, and How to kiss your partner until their legs are weak. Jiang Xianhan read and remembered all of this, but when it came to the actual, intense scenario, she didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, Ji Pei had her eyes closed and couldn’t see her embarrassment.

Glistening saliva trickled down from the corner of Ji Pei’s mouth, which she didn’t manage to close in time. She wiped it with her hand, but Jiang Xianhan caught her fingers, intertwining them.

They kissed in the kitchen for over half an hour. Ji Pei’s mouth was numb. She couldn’t even feel her lips anymore. Jiang Xianhan wasn’t much better off. Her lips were swollen and throbbing, and a lingering burning sensation remained. The consequence of being greedy was that both of them had to open the refrigerator and take out ice cubes to soothe their lips.

Ji Pei sat at the other end of the sofa, far away from Jiang Xianhan, afraid the other person would pounce on her again and start biting and kissing her. Her calves were sore and weak, and the soles of her feet were slightly numb. Ji Pei even found it difficult to stand up. Her fingertips trembled gently. Ji Pei held the ice pack wrapped in a towel, secretly glancing at Jiang Xianhan, who was leaning languidly on the sofa.

Jiang Xianhan, however, showed no signs of distress. She held the ice pack to her lips, her gaze fixed on Ji Pei. Ji Pei’s entire face, even down to her neck and collarbone, was a faint pink. She took out another ice pack, placed it on her ear, and secretly withdrew her gaze.

“Why are you sitting so far away?”

Ji Pei’s tongue was still sore, and her lips were burning. She tried to lick them with her warm, moist tongue and nearly passed out. “You’re too much.”

Ji Pei’s eyes were filled with faint moisture. She stared intensely at Jiang Xianhan, pointing to her bloodshot lips, and began to accuse her. “You just wanted to eat me. You liar. You said you would only kiss me once.” Ji Pei couldn’t forget what Jiang Xianhan had said before the kiss. She had coaxed her, saying it would only be one kiss. Who knew that one kiss would last for over half an hour, nearly burning the pork rib stew in the pot? Now her mouth was so swollen she couldn’t eat the hot food. Ji Pei had no choice but to keep applying the ice pack.

Jiang Xianhan stood up, looking down at Ji Pei. Ji Pei sensed a strong feeling of crisis. She hugged the rabbit pillow next to her, holding it in front of her. Although it was useless, it did serve a stylistic purpose.

“Don’t come over here.”

She was truly scared now. Her tongue was sore and numb, and even swallowing was difficult. Ji Pei felt that their way of kissing was wrong. She remembered watching movies and TV shows where the protagonists hugged and kissed until they were sweating and their legs were weak. In a word, blissful. Today, her first kiss was taken by Jiang Xianhan. Besides the heart-fluttering and nervousness, all that was left was the numbness and soreness on her tongue and lips. Did they kiss the wrong way? Ji Pei hadn’t expected them to kiss so intensely right after meeting. She hadn’t even looked up any kissing guides. Apart from mouth-to-mouth, she hadn’t expected Jiang Xianhan to immediately go for a French kiss, and with such intensity.

Thinking of this, Ji Pei glared at her fiercely.

Sensing Ji Pei’s mournful gaze, Jiang Xianhan moved closer to her until she cornered the huddled Ji Pei against the sofa cushion, leaving her nowhere to go.

“Let me see your mouth.”

Jiang Xianhan’s voice was soft and gentle. She sat next to Ji Pei, grabbed one of her hands, and hooked one leg around the other’s ankle to prevent her from jumping off the sofa and escaping. Ji Pei wasn’t petite, but her height, nearly 1.8 meters with shoes, was no match for Jiang Xianhan, who pinned her against the sofa cushion, leaving her completely trapped.

“What are you going to do?”

Jiang Xianhan pinched her chin with one hand and said, “Your mouth seems to be bleeding.”

Ji Pei opened her mouth, seemingly believing her. “Bleeding?”

Jiang Xianhan’s eyes narrowed slightly. She hooked Ji Pei’s neck and kissed her.

“Jiang Xianhan…”

Ji Pei was instantly pressed down onto the soft sofa by Jiang Xianhan, who also snatched away the rabbit pillow Ji Pei was holding. It was in the way. Their bodies were pressed intimately together. Ji Pei could feel Jiang Xianhan’s warm body even through her sweater. This was the first time she had been this close to a woman, their lips and tongues touching, exchanging saliva. Ji Pei tasted a metallic sweetness. She quickly realized something: she had bitten Jiang Xianhan’s lip during the struggle.

“Hiss…”

Jiang Xianhan licked the bead of bl00d seeping from her lip. She supported herself on either side of Ji Pei’s head with both hands, resembling an enchanting mountain spirit, her lips vivid red. “Biting me?”

Ji Pei instantly became flustered, like a child who had made a mistake, grabbing the sofa cover underneath her. “I… I didn’t mean to…”

She secretly glanced at Jiang Xianhan and saw that the other person wasn’t angry. Instead, her lips were curved, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes.

“Why did you kiss me so roughly? I told you to stop, but you kept lying to me.”

Jiang Xianhan knelt between Ji Pei’s thighs, leaning in. “You bit my lip. It hurts now. How are you going to compensate me?”

Ji Pei tried to flip over and escape the sofa. “I’ll go get you a band-aid.”

Jiang Xianhan gripped her waist with one hand and tossed her back onto the sofa. “Get back here!”

Ji Pei lay on the sofa, one leg dangling on the floor, covering her head with the pillow, seemingly having lost all strength. “Jiang Xianhan, you liar… you bully!”

Jiang Xianhan grabbed the corner of the pillow, ready to throw the bothersome object away, but was met with even stronger resistance from Ji Pei.

“I won’t ever believe you again!”

The end result of her resistance was being pinned down again. Ji Pei felt oxygen-deprived. She gazed up at the ceiling, then her eyes slowly returned to Jiang Xianhan’s lips. She had indeed accidentally bitten Jiang Xianhan’s lip during the struggle. Now, the wound was darker than the rest of her lip, and it looked quite painful. Ji Pei pursed her lips, used her arm to prop up her upper body, and proactively kissed Jiang Xianhan’s lip, gently rubbing the injured spot with her raised lip.

Jiang Xianhan was slightly stunned. She hadn’t expected Ji Pei to suddenly become so proactive. Then, a soft, warm tongue gently licked the swollen lip where she had been rubbing. The slightly rough tongue, like a small kitten, licked repeatedly. The last thread of sanity in Jiang Xianhan’s mind almost snapped.

Ji Pei apologized softly, “I’m sorry. Does it still hurt?”

The spot where Jiang Xianhan’s lip was bitten was both sore and itchy. Ji Pei’s licking made it even more so, yet she inexplicably felt a blissful tingle in her scalp.

“If you lick it a little longer, it won’t hurt.”

Ji Pei softly snorted twice. Her tongue was sore, and after licking for a little while, she felt exhausted. “I’m done. Your mouth isn’t bleeding anymore.”

Jiang Xianhan was also tired. She wanted to rest on Ji Pei for a bit, but just then, the doorbell rang.

Who could it be?

Ji Pei’s pupils constricted slightly. She gently pushed Jiang Xianhan and looked at the door. “Get off me first. Someone is here.”

The doorbell kept ringing relentlessly. Ji Pei saw Jiang Xianhan still staring at her without moving and pushed her again. Jiang Xianhan saw Ji Pei wanting to get up and open the door. She hugged her waist, shook her head, and laughed. “Do you know what you look like right now? Do you still dare to go open the door?”

Ji Pei touched her burning cheek, puzzled. “What… what do I look like now?”

Jiang Xianhan rubbed her earlobe and said, “Very appetizing.”

“…”

What a dreadful adjective.

Ji Pei reached for the phone on the table, opened the video lock, and saw the two people ringing the doorbell. Sure enough, it was Ji Fan and Ye Wenzhu. Didn’t she ditch them? How did they find their way here?

Ji Pei had changed the villa’s door code a few days ago because Jiang Xianhan was staying. Ji Pei sighed in relief. Thank goodness she changed the code. Otherwise, the moment Ji Fan and Ye Wenzhu opened the door and saw them wrestling and kissing on the sofa, her and Jiang Xianhan’s image would be completely ruined.

Outside the door, Ji Fan and Ye Wenzhu were confused. Ji Fan remembered the code was her mother Liu Yanfen’s birthday, but she tried it several times, and it kept showing the wrong password. No one answered the doorbell either.

“That doesn’t make sense. Is no one inside?”

Ye Wenzhu pointed to the tire tracks outside the door. “What do you mean no one? They must have come back. Maybe they’re doing something adults shouldn’t be doing right now, swept up in passion and unable to separate. That’s why they won’t open the door for us. Wouldn’t we be ruining their fun by going in now?”

Ji Fan looked shocked. “No way. It’s their first time meeting. They got into bed so quickly?”

Ye Wenzhu said without hesitation, “Highly likely. I know your sister is quite traditional about relationships. But the more I look at Jiang Xianhan, the more she doesn’t seem like a decent person. She probably wanted to devour Ji Pei completely a long time ago.”

“…”

The conversation between Ye Wenzhu and Ji Fan was heard clearly by Ji Pei and Jiang Xianhan, every word. Ji Pei secretly glanced at Jiang Xianhan and quickly turned off the phone, afraid Ye Wenzhu would blurt out more shocking comments.

Jiang Xianhan was expressionless. She even thought seriously for a moment, nodded, and laughed. “She’s right.”

Ji Pei was stunned. Jiang Xianhan heard such an outrageous accusation about herself and wasn’t angry. Instead, she was smiling and nodding in agreement. Was her temper really this good? Or was she intentionally putting on a show for her?

The two people lingering outside the door finally left. Ji Pei took advantage of Jiang Xianhan’s distraction and quickly slipped out from under her. Ji Pei ran to the bathroom, locked the door from the inside, and checked the mirror to make sure she was safe. When she saw the flushed, lustful look on her face, she covered it tightly with both hands, letting out a small, whimpering cry like an animal. She didn’t dare to look at herself in this state.

Ji Pei felt her pants pocket and realized she had forgotten her phone. What should I do now? Ji Pei washed her face with cold water and then sat on the toilet, cupping her chin in her hands, lost in thought. She remained there for nearly ten minutes without realizing it. The water drops on her face dried. Ji Pei stood in front of the mirror, and when she saw her complexion had calmed down, she splashed another handful of water on her face. She took a deep breath. After preparing herself mentally, she turned the doorknob and walked out.

Jiang Xianhan sat on the sofa, watching Ji Pei, who was walking toward her with water droplets on her face, with a composed look. She patted the spot beside her. “Come here.”

Ji Pei walked straight toward the kitchen, pretending not to hear Jiang Xianhan. She felt this open-plan kitchen was very dangerous. With no door, a certain dangerous person could enter at any time. For example, Jiang Xianhan, who was always trying to take advantage of her unexpectedly, must be kept out of the way. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to do anything in peace.

The corn and pork rib soup in the clay pot was ready. Ji Pei washed the wok and cut two tomatoes. While doing these things, she occasionally poked her head out to check if Jiang Xianhan was still sitting on the sofa. Ji Pei checked the living room sofa two or three times while cutting vegetables. Jiang Xianhan had already noticed her subtle actions in her peripheral vision and smiled silently with pursed lips. She did want to do something, but given the current situation, Jiang Xianhan felt they should proceed step by step and not rush to devour her. She had been too impatient today, and Ji Pei was on the verge of becoming a startled bird.

While making scrambled eggs with tomatoes, Jiang Xianhan stayed obediently in the living room. She didn’t get up for water or the restroom. Ji Pei secretly watched her for a while, hiding near the doorway like a little cat peering at its owner. Jiang Xianhan pretended not to notice Ji Pei watching her. She turned on the TV and watched an old foreign film from the last century.

Ji Pei heard the sound from the TV and finally relaxed. She poured the ribs from the clay pot into a soup bowl and scooped two bowls of rice. The dinner she made was just enough for two people. Ji Pei wasn’t someone who wasted food and disliked leftovers. She precisely controlled the portions every time she cooked.

“Dinner is ready.”

The steaming, fragrant pork rib soup was placed on the table. Ji Pei turned to the kitchen to fetch the rice. Jiang Xianhan, wearing soft cotton slippers, had changed into a light-colored loungewear outfit at some point and instantly looked much softer. Ji Pei came out with the rice and noticed that something about Jiang Xianhan looked strange. She looked her over, from the few strands of hair sticking up on her head to the pink and blue slippers on her feet, and finally figured out what was wrong.

Jiang Xianhan wasn’t wearing glasses. “Where are your glasses?”

Jiang Xianhan took the rice bowl from Ji Pei and said, “I’m not nearsighted.”

Ji Pei carried the scrambled eggs with tomatoes, looking surprised. “If you’re not nearsighted, why wear glasses? Doesn’t it hurt, pressing on your nose?”

Jiang Xianhan put down the rice, turned to Ji Pei, and said, “I look too young. I don’t have enough authority without glasses.”

Ji Pei: “…” She examined Jiang Xianhan’s face and couldn’t find any reason to refute her. Jiang Xianhan’s appearance indeed didn’t show her age easily. Her skin was firm, her nose bridge was high, and there wasn’t a single fine line around her eyes. She really didn’t look like someone in her thirties.

Jiang Xianhan noticed Ji Pei’s scrutinizing gaze and looked directly at her. “Why are you staring at me? I wouldn’t mind another kiss before dinner.”

Ji Pei: “…”

She is absolutely shameless! How can Jiang Xianhan be like this! It seemed she had completely revealed her true nature. She was thick-skinned, and hardly any respectable words came out of her mouth, completely overlapping with Winter Sun from the app, who constantly flirted with her.

“Eat! What kiss? Haven’t you had enough kissing for today?” Ji Pei’s face was burning as she said this. That kind of talk could come out of Jiang Xianhan’s mouth without any change in expression. I didn’t expect her to be this good.

The sweet scent of corn and pork rib soup wafted over. Jiang Xianhan sat opposite Ji Pei, with a considerable distance between them. Jiang Xianhan actually planned to move her bowl closer, but Ji Pei seemed quite resistant to her.

It was a rare opportunity to have dinner together, especially food cooked by Ji Pei herself, so Jiang Xianhan decided it was best to eat quietly. She only wore glasses when teaching to appear more experienced and mature.

The two ate in silence, with only the faint clinking of spoons and chopsticks. Ji Pei felt it was too quiet and wanted to find something to talk about, but she didn’t know what. Jiang Xianhan specialized in philosophy; perhaps she should discuss philosophy? That wouldn’t be appropriate. Work was one thing, and private life was another. Asking about philosophy would seem too deliberate.

Ji Pei became absent-minded while eating, her mind racing with random thoughts. The pork rib soup in her bowl was getting cold. Jiang Xianhan noticed Ji Pei’s distraction and called out to her. “What are you thinking about? Why aren’t you eating?”

Ji Pei held her small bowl and finished the pork rib soup. “I was thinking about what I should talk to you about so it wouldn’t be so awkward.” The moment Ji Pei said it, she immediately clamped her mouth shut. Why did she blurt out what she was thinking?

Seeing Ji Pei scoop the soup awkwardly, the rib was lifted from the spoon and then dropped back down. Damn rib, get up here quickly! Ji Pei silently screamed in her mind. A hand covered the back of hers, scooped up the nicely colored rib, lifted it, and placed it steadily in Ji Pei’s bowl.

“…” Ji Pei’s face felt hot with embarrassment. She wanted to finish eating and quickly leave.

Jiang Xianhan saw her shoveling the rice, eating quickly, and reminded her gently. “Chew your food slowly. Don’t eat so fast, it’s not good for your stomach.”

Hearing this, Ji Pei unconsciously slowed down and began to chew her food thoroughly. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes mixed with rice was the most delicious food in the world. Ji Pei got two small bowls, mixed one for Jiang Xianhan first, and placed it in front of her. “It’s delicious this way, try it.”

Jiang Xianhan tasted a bite and found the flavor to be excellent. The plain rice was soaked in the rich tomato juice. Although simple to make, it was like a burst of flavor in her mouth when she ate it.

“Some scrambled eggs with tomatoes are sweet. I’m not used to it.” Ji Pei suddenly remembered the sweet scrambled eggs with tomatoes from a certain window in A University’s West Cafeteria. At the time, she thought all scrambled eggs with tomatoes were savory, but she ate a bite and frowned.

“When I was studying in the United States, the school cafeteria also had a lot of Chinese food. The most popular dish was scrambled eggs with tomatoes.” Ji Pei rested her cheek on her hand, putting a piece of egg into her mouth. “Then do you think mine is more delicious, or your school cafeteria’s?”

This was a petty question. If it were someone else, hearing such a question might be met with impatience. But Jiang Xianhan felt that Ji Pei’s softened, triumphant tone seemed to be an attempt to show off her strengths. People often had different competitive instincts, but Jiang Xianhan uniquely took Ji Pei’s words as an expected form of coquetry. She’s acknowledged our relationship. She is my girlfriend now, and she is showing affection toward me. Why is she only showing affection toward me and not others? Because she likes me.

Jiang Xianhan’s lips curled. “Yours is more delicious.”

After hearing the satisfying answer, Ji Pei’s lips curved triumphantly.

After dinner, Ji Pei stood up to clear the dishes. Jiang Xianhan also stood up, holding her own bowl. Ji Pei took the bowl from Jiang Xianhan’s hand. “Go rest on the sofa. Take a shower and sleep later.” Jiang Xianhan’s ankle hadn’t fully recovered. She had walked all day, and after resting for a while, the swelling should have gone down.

“Since I sprained my ankle, I can’t go out for a walk to digest. Washing dishes with you can count as exercise.”

There was a dishwasher in the kitchen, but Ji Pei didn’t really like using it and usually just washed the dishes by hand. Jiang Xianhan stood next to the glass cabinet beside her. She watched Ji Pei quickly wash a plate and hand it over. Jiang Xianhan gripped the soft towel, wiped the water off, and placed it in the cabinet. The two worked together seamlessly, finishing all the dishes, chopsticks, and cooking utensils in a few minutes.

After drying her hands, Ji Pei stretched. Jiang Xianhan, however, took her hand. Ji Pei thought she wanted to kiss again. “Let’s go to the sofa.”

Jiang Xianhan touched Ji Pei’s head with one hand, gently plucking a tiny fly from her hair. “There’s an insect.”

Ji Pei: “…” Why does it seem like she has suddenly become so desperate? It must be Jiang Xianhan’s bad influence. The old saying, ‘You are influenced by those around you,’ is not without reason.

After removing the tiny fly, Ji Pei couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Jiang Xianhan without her glasses. She felt like Jiang Xianhan was two different people with and without glasses. Jiang Xianhan keenly caught Ji Pei’s gaze, a smile lingering on her lips. “Am I good-looking?”

Caught red-handed and exposed on the spot, Ji Pei’s face flushed. She whispered, “Ji Feng’s choice. How could you not be good-looking?”

Tomorrow was Wednesday. Jiang Xianhan had a class in the second period of the morning. Ji Pei had memorized Jiang Xianhan’s class schedule thoroughly. “You have a class tomorrow morning. I’ll drive you to school.”

“Tomorrow… I do have one class.” Jiang Xianhan leaned her nose against Ji Pei’s, rubbing their noses together slowly and intimately, and laughed. “How about I save a seat for you, and you listen to the lecture in the classroom?”

Ji Pei hadn’t expected to attend her girlfriend’s class after graduating. What was even scarier was that she might be called upon to stand up and answer questions. Given Jiang Xianhan’s personality, the possibility of her asking Ji Pei to answer a question was extremely high. Ji Pei’s most feared profession since childhood was a teacher. Even if they just stood there without saying a word, she would stand up straight and not dare to speak loudly. She never thought she would one day date a professor, the type she was scared of even in her dreams.

“If I come to class, don’t call my name and make me answer questions.”

Jiang Xianhan hadn’t expected Ji Pei’s shyness to be about this. She thought the other person didn’t want to publicly acknowledge their relationship. The big burden in her heart finally dropped. Jiang Xianhan sighed in relief and patted Ji Pei’s head. “Alright, I won’t call you. You just sit there obediently so I can see you.”

Ji Pei touched her head. “Don’t pat my head. It will stunt my growth.”

Jiang Xianhan couldn’t help but smile, and she couldn’t resist touching her hair again. Soft, black strands slipped through her fingers. Jiang Xianhan reluctantly withdrew her hand. “You’re too old to worry about that. Fine, I won’t touch you anymore.”

Night fell. Ji Pei leaned against Jiang Xianhan, looking at her wristwatch. It was already past seven in the evening. “It’s past seven.” Ji Pei climbed out of Jiang Xianhan’s arms, rubbed her eyes, and her voice was a little hoarse. “I should go home.”

It felt a bit inappropriate to live together immediately after confirming their relationship. Moreover, given how handsy Jiang Xianhan had been from the start, Ji Pei felt it wasn’t safe to be alone in a room with her. She initially thought Jiang Xianhan would try to keep her, but the other person merely curled her lips. “Mhm, alright. Be careful on the road. You don’t need to wake up too early tomorrow.”

Ji Pei: “?” Why is this different from what I imagined?

Ji Pei went to the entrance, put on her coat and shoes, and opened the door, ready to leave, but Jiang Xianhan called out to her. “Wait a moment.”

Jiang Xianhan hooked Ji Pei’s neck, pressing her lips against the slightly protruding part of her throat, gently sucking and kissing it, making continuous, ambiguous sounds. Ji Pei wanted to pull back, but her body involuntarily leaned closer to Jiang Xianhan.

She didn’t know how long it lasted. A few minutes felt like tens of minutes to Ji Pei. Jiang Xianhan’s lips left Ji Pei’s throat, and she gave an ambiguous smile. “Putting my mark on you.”

Ji Pei: “…”

It was almost eight when she got home. Ji Pei saw the hickey on her neck in the rearview mirror of the car, and her heart fluttered with delight. Jiang Xianhan looked like an old-fashioned relic from the last century, yet she was so playful. You really can’t judge a book by its cover. Ji Pei pulled her turtleneck sweater higher to cover the hickey. Ji Fan was still young. She couldn’t set a bad example for her little sister, so it was better to cover it.

Ji Pei crept through the door and immediately saw Ye Wenzhu and Ji Fan sitting on the living room sofa with expressionless faces. Both turned their heads when they heard the movement, their expressions less than friendly. Ji Pei pretended not to see them, yawned, and casually took off her coat and changed into slippers. As she passed the two, Ye Wenzhu stopped her.

“Wait a minute. Where did you go carousing all afternoon? Why did you leave Fanfan and me stranded on the street?”

Ji Pei awkwardly tugged at her sweater collar. “I have a girlfriend. Of course, I had to go on a date with her.”

Ye Wenzhu was both jealous and angry, clenching her fist and grinding her teeth. “Hmph, you prioritize romance over friendship. Even Fanfan can’t stand it.”

Ji Pei hit the nail on the head. “That’s because I’m dating the professor who failed her.”

Ji Fan’s face immediately fell upon hearing this.

Seeing that Ye Wenzhu was about to start an attack on her, Ji Pei preemptively stifled it by pulling out a delicate wooden box from her bag. “Here, a gift for you.”

Ye Wenzhu gave a cold snort, indicating she didn’t care, but she honestly took the box. She opened the box and saw a Ferrari sports car key inside, with a cute little golden panda hanging from it. Ye Wenzhu’s eyes instantly widened. She held the key with trembling hands. “Oh my god, Pei Pei, how many Bulgarian roses would I have to sell to buy one of these?”

Ji Pei heard the change in her address and knew she had won her over. “I originally planned to give it to you on your birthday. Now, you’ll have to receive something else on your birthday.”

Ye Wenzhu immediately jumped up and planted a big kiss on Ji Pei’s face. “Will you be my girlfriend? I can be the mistress.”

Ji Pei wiped her face with a look of disgust. “Only Jiang Xianhan can kiss me. You can kiss your sports car from now on.”

Ye Wenzhu: “No problem!”

Ji Pei took out a wet wipe and vigorously wiped her face twice. “I’m driving Jiang Xianhan to school tomorrow. You go pick up the car yourself. Don’t disturb me.”

Ye Wenzhu: “No problem!”

The next day, Ji Pei drove over punctually with an insulated lunch box containing breakfast. Jiang Xianhan got into the car and saw that Ji Pei had prepared breakfast for her. She opened it to take a look. “You must be hungry. Eat in the car. We’ll be at school after you finish.”

Jiang Xianhan touched her flat stomach, then closed the lid. “I’m not very hungry right now. I’ll eat when we get to school.”

Ji Pei was always a little nervous when driving into the school, afraid of being stopped by the security guards. Since Jiang Xianhan stopped driving, her exclusive parking spot had become Ji Pei’s. Ji Pei parked the car and was about to follow Jiang Xianhan to the office when she received a call from Ye Wenzhu. Ye Wenzhu said she had encountered a problem picking up the car and couldn’t resolve it alone, so she wanted Ji Pei to come help her.

Ji Pei put the phone on speaker. Both she and Jiang Xianhan heard Ye Wenzhu’s voice. Ji Pei clutched her phone and looked pleadingly at Jiang Xianhan. “Should I go take a look? I’ll try to be back before class starts.”

Jiang Xianhan didn’t say anything, just nodded in agreement.

In the office.

Zhang Yun was eating a steamed bun with chili oil when she saw Jiang Xianhan enter with a refined lunch box, looking radiant. She looked on curiously and dragged her chair over. “Well, I’ll be. The famous Professor Jiang, who never eats out, actually brought her own food today.”

Jiang Xianhan smiled, a rare sight. “My girlfriend prepared this for me.”

Zhang Yun instantly felt the dry steamed bun in her mouth was no longer appealing. She took a vicious bite of the bun. “Hmph, breakfast should be steamed buns with chili oil. You don’t appreciate good food.”

Jiang Xianhan ignored her. She opened the lid of the Strawberry Bear lunch box, took out the utensils, and began to eat her breakfast unhurriedly. Zhang Yun secretly peered over, filled with extreme jealousy. There was a heart-shaped fried egg, golden pumpkin millet porridge, golden roasted bread, and a vegetable platter. Zhang Yun looked at the half-eaten steamed bun in her hand, finished it in two bites, and washed it down with half a bottle of mineral water. Just because she has a partner, does she have to show off like this?

The class passed quickly. The bell for the end of class rang, and Ji Pei still hadn’t returned. Jiang Xianhan went to the classroom with Bai Yin. She stood on the podium, watching the students file in and take their seats, but she still didn’t see the person she wanted to see.

Finally, the bell for the start of class rang. Jiang Xianhan began her lecture, but she was somewhat distracted. Even Bai Yin noticed it and thought Jiang Xianhan was just exhausted and hadn’t rested well. About ten minutes into the class, the back door of the classroom opened slightly. Ji Pei sneaked in, bending low, and sat in the seat closest to the back.

Finally made it. Ji Pei let out a deep breath, meeting eyes with Jiang Xianhan, who was holding the microphone on the podium. She puckered her lips at her. She had intended to blow a kiss, but the classroom was a sacred place for learning, so Ji Pei restrained herself.

In the eyes of others, Ji Pei was a latecomer who snuck in without a textbook, a degree of carelessness that would normally result in a fifty-point deduction from the participation grade in Jiang Xianhan’s class. The surrounding students looked on gleefully, thinking Jiang Xianhan would surely go over and ask her why she was late. But they waited and waited, and Jiang Xianhan remained seated on the podium without moving.

The girl to Ji Pei’s left looked shocked. She quietly leaned over and couldn’t help but ask, “Classmate, are you perhaps Professor Jiang’s relative?”

Ji Pei figured it was better to keep things simple and nodded in affirmation.

During lunchtime, Ji Pei went with Jiang Xianhan. Bai Yin followed behind the two, secretly sighing that their relationship was getting better and better. She didn’t expect Ji Pei to be so responsible. Even though Professor Jiang could walk, she still wasn’t reassured and personally brought her to class. How could there be such a good girl in the world?

Jiang Xianhan and Ji Pei occasionally brushed shoulders. “What did the person next to you say during class?”

Ji Pei’s eyes widened. She lowered her voice. “Professor Jiang, you are too petty.”

Seeing Jiang Xianhan’s serious expression, Ji Pei laughed. “She saw me being late, not bringing a textbook, and having a bad attitude, and asked if I had connections.” Ji Pei poked Jiang Xianhan’s hand with a finger. “Better now, my Great Professor Jiang?”

It was lunchtime, and the cafeteria was crowded. Bai Yin was nowhere to be seen, having been squeezed away. Ji Pei took the opportunity of the crowd to hold Jiang Xianhan’s hand and weave through the people, finding a secluded and quiet spot. “You sit here. I’ll go buy food.”

After about ten minutes, Ji Pei returned with two trays. Jiang Xianhan had told her to buy whatever she liked, so Ji Pei bought six different dishes. “The cafeteria is so crowded. I hardly ordered takeout during my four years of university. Now that I’ve graduated, I miss eating school food every day, but it’s a bit far.”

Jiang Xianhan smiled, extended her chopsticks, and took a piece of the sweet and sour pork ribs from Ji Pei’s tray, placing it on her own. Ji Pei thought Jiang Xianhan was craving her sweet and sour pork ribs and intentionally pushed her tray closer to Jiang Xianhan. “The auntie at this window is so nice. She gave me a lot.”

Jiang Xianhan’s lips curved slightly. She still felt the ribs in Ji Pei’s tray smelled exceptionally good. “I’ve wanted to eat yours for a long time.” A few days ago, she saw Ye Wenzhu skillfully taking sweet and sour pork ribs from Ji Pei’s tray and had long been unable to resist the urge. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a title then, so she could only watch longingly.

Ji Pei was stunned. “What?”

Jiang Xianhan took another piece of rib and said, “I saw Ye Wenzhu likes to take food from your plate.”

Ji Pei hadn’t expected Jiang Xianhan to remember the time she ate with Ye Wenzhu a few days ago. “We were roommates. I was close with her then. When we ate, everyone would order three different dishes, and we would share them.”

Jiang Xianhan gnawed on the rib and said a faint “Oh.”

Seeing that Jiang Xianhan seemed to be jealous, Ji Pei took advantage of no one looking and quickly touched Jiang Xianhan’s fair, delicate hand, a light tap like a small cat’s paw. “That was in the past. I have a girlfriend now. I’ll only eat with you from now on.”

Jiang Xianhan’s gaze lightly swept over the spot Ji Pei had touched. She gently snorted through her nose. “Don’t let there be a next time.”