Provoking the Obsessive, Cold, and Aloof CEO - Chapter 4

At Longhua Tianyu Apartment 17, Ji Qingyun entered the house, changed her shoes, and turned on the lights.

Although the apartment had been unoccupied for two or three years, it had been regularly cleaned, leaving it spotless and fully equipped with daily necessities, though lacking any sense of human warmth.

Ji Qingyun sat on the sofa for a while, finally feeling the clamorous voices that had been buzzing in her ears fade away.

Today had actually been relatively peaceful, with only Liang Shuang joining the fray. On ordinary days, when all four of her “cheap mothers” chimed in, the cacophony was no better than a bustling marketplace.

She couldn’t understand why the Old Master insisted on the entire family living together. With dozens of voices chattering simultaneously, the constant drone was enough to drive anyone mad.

Fortunately, since taking over management of the company, she had been able to use work as an excuse to live separately most of the time, and no one had objected.

Ji Qingyun opened the wine cabinet, only to find it empty. The hourly housekeeper regularly cleaned the apartment but never restocked the wine.

She went to the study and turned on the computer, only to discover there was no internet connection. It occurred to her that the bill probably hadn’t been paid.

Returning to the sofa, Ji Qingyun caught a faint whiff of gardenia, likely lingering on her clothes from the car ride.

Ji Qingyun changed her clothes and went out for a walk around the neighborhood. After strolling halfway around the complex, she spotted the number 12 doorplate in the distance: the Ruan Family.

A breeze stirred, causing the roadside cherry trees to rustle and sway. Petals drifted down like a fleeting, ethereal rain under the streetlights.

Ji Qingyun turned to leave when she suddenly heard a voice behind her: “Sister?”

She turned back to see the girl standing beneath the cherry tree. Falling petals landed on her brown hair, covering her shoulders and filling her arms.

Under the streetlight, her doe-like eyes sparkled, and the smile she tried to suppress bloomed like a sunflower.

She hurried toward Ji Qingyun, her smile radiant, and tugged gently on her sleeve. “What brings you here?”

Standing so close, the delicate fragrance of gardenias was unmistakable—fresh, subtle, and perfectly complementing Ruan Taoran’s own vibrant energy.

Her eyes shone with surprise and delight, as if Ji Qingyun’s arrival had brought her immense joy. Yet she dared not move too much, only lightly holding onto her sleeve.

Ji Qingyun’s gaze lingered on a stray strand of hair near the girl’s temple. She reached out, her fingertips brushing against it, and gently plucked away a pink cherry blossom petal.

Ruan Taoran stood still, letting Ji Qingyun move as she pleased, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Did you come looking for me, Sister?”

Is this such a big deal? Ji Qingyun couldn’t understand her excitement over such a trivial matter—simply coming to find her.

Ji Qingyun replied coolly, “I was full after dinner, just taking a stroll before bed.”

It was a casual remark, but she hadn’t actually eaten enough. It would have been strange to feel full in that environment.

“Oh.” The light in Ruan Taoran’s eyes dimmed slightly, though the smile remained on her lips. “Shall we walk together, then?”

Ruan Taoran fell into step beside Ji Qingyun, and they strolled beneath the cherry blossom trees. A gust of wind swept through, sending another shower of delicate pink petals drifting down.

Ji Qingyun turned her head and caught Ruan Taoran gazing at her. Through the falling blossoms, those doe-like eyes were fixed on her, filled with nothing but her.

Ruan Taoran looked away with feigned awkwardness, but the corners of her lips couldn’t help but curl upward.

Beautiful, isn’t it? Heartwarming? She had seen Ji Qingyun approaching through the window and carefully planned her entrance before rushing downstairs.

The March night wind was cold, but for the sake of the most tender and visually perfect scene, she hadn’t dared wear a coat, fearing it would disrupt the harmony of the moment.

The wind was blowing, making it quite chilly.

Roll King quietly gasped, but she refused to show any sign of shivering. Curling up would ruin her elegant posture.

Ruan Taoran edged closer to Ji Qingyun and tentatively touched the back of her hand.

At first, it was just a brief touch, but then she reached out and gripped Ji Qingyun’s hand tightly. “So cold,” she murmured.

Ruan Taoran’s own hands were cool, but compared to Ji Qingyun’s, they still retained some warmth.

Ji Qingyun’s hand felt like a block of ice, just as it had during the day—a chilling touch that made one’s heart tremble.

Ruan Taoran scanned Ji Qingyun from head to toe. “Sister, you’re dressed way too lightly. As the saying goes, ‘Cover up in spring, toughen up in autumn.’ You’re most likely to catch a cold during seasonal transitions.”

“I told you to dress warmer during the day, and you still haven’t put on an extra layer tonight. What if you get sick?”

Ruan Taoran tugged Ji Qingyun’s hand, pulling her toward home. “I have a jacket at my place. I’ll find one for you to wear right away.”

She was so anxious, practically dragging Ji Qingyun along as if the next second without a coat would mean certain death from the cold.

Ji Qingyun stood rooted to the spot. “Ruan Taoran, I’m not cold.”

“How can you not be cold? Your hands are freezing!” Ruan Taoran was frantic. She had dressed too lightly for the sake of fashion, and if they didn’t go back soon, she’d catch a cold.

Her undisguised urgency was plain as day in her eyes, and Ji Qingyun couldn’t help but notice.

Ruan Taoran cares this much? She’s this worried?

When she had left home earlier, surrounded by dozens of family members, not a single one had told her to put on an extra layer.

Ji Qingyun’s resolve wavered, but she still didn’t move. “I don’t want to meet your family. Besides, it would be impolite to visit empty-handed.”

If she saw Ruan Feng, the conversation would inevitably turn to work, and Ji Qingyun wanted to avoid that topic.

Ruan Taoran frowned, looking troubled. “But you can’t just stay out here in the cold like this.”

And I can’t stay out here in the cold either! I need to go back and put on a coat. If I keep wandering around with you like this, I’ll be bedridden tomorrow.

Her eyes lit up with an idea. “We don’t have to tell them. We can sneak back to my room quietly.”

“Aren’t you angry?” Ji Qingyun suddenly asked.

Ruan Taoran warmed Ji Qingyun’s hand in her own. “Why would I be angry?”

“I don’t want to go to your house or meet your family,” Ji Qingyun said.

Almost before the words left her lips, Ruan Taoran replied, “You don’t want to see them, but you want to see me, right?”

She showed no sign of anger, but rather a hint of smugness. “My dear sister likes me, so seeing me is enough. I’m so happy.”

She quickly added, “Come on, they’ve all gone inside. Let’s sneak back in quietly—no one will notice.”

If they didn’t go inside soon, they’d catch a cold for sure. The cherry blossom rain was beautiful, but the wind was bone-chilling.

Those bright, deer-like eyes gazed at her, filled with anticipation and concern.

Seeing Ruan Taoran’s genuine worry about her thin clothes, Ji Qingyun softened her stance and nodded. “Alright.”

Ji Qingyun had never snuck into someone’s house like this before.

Ahead of her, Ruan Taoran, her head covered in flower petals, peeked around like a thief.

With the petals and her fluffy hair, her head resembled an adorable little mushroom.

Seeing the courtyard empty, Ruan Taoran quickly turned back and waved for Ji Qingyun to follow.

The two crept into the courtyard, then slipped into the house, climbed the stairs, and reached Ruan Taoran’s bedroom—all without being noticed.

Ruan Taoran didn’t have time to brush the petals from her hair. She frantically rummaged through the clothes rack, pulling out a light beige cashmere coat.

Without a word, she draped it over Ji Qingyun’s shoulders.

She reached out to help Ji Qingyun fasten the buttons, her body pressed almost against Ji Qingyun’s chest.

Ji Qingyun lowered her head and saw the soft, light brown crown of Ruan Taoran’s hair, carrying a faint, elegant fragrance of gardenias.

Ji Qingyun glanced around the room. There was only a table and a bed; not even a wardrobe. All the clothes hung on a simple rack.

Yet the room was cozy and well-kept, with a tablecloth, a rug, and a vase of fresh flowers on the table.

Ruan Taoran’s fingers were stiff with cold, and it took some effort to fasten the two or three buttons.

She rubbed her hands together, then pulled a fleece robe off the rack and slipped it on. After kicking off her shoes, she sat cross-legged on the bed.

“Sister, sit too,” she called out to Ji Qingyun, patting the space beside her.

With no chairs in the room, the bed was the only place to sit.

But sitting on someone’s bed right away felt a bit impolite, and perhaps too intimate…

Ruan Taoran showed no such reservations. She looked Ji Qingyun straight in the eye, her gaze open and warm, full of enthusiasm and initiative.

Ji Qingyun hesitated for a moment before cautiously sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Once seated, she realized the gardenia scent wasn’t just coming from Ruan Taoran; two fragrant pouches hung from the headboard.

The pouches were identical to the ones hanging in Ruan Taoran’s car, with gardenia as the dominant note and a subtle hint of lemongrass.

Ruan Taoran noticed Ji Qingyun’s gaze lingering on the pouches but didn’t comment.

What was that saying? To truly know someone, you must first know their scent. A single whiff can bring a person to mind.

Ruan Taoran reached for her design portfolio and began flipping through it.

With nothing to say, they needed to find something to talk about. Ruan Taoran never let the conversation go stale.

“Sister, look at my designs! Even my teachers say I have a natural talent.”

Ji Qingyun had nothing better to do, so she accepted Ruan Taoran’s invitation to look through the portfolio together.

Initially, she intended to just glance casually, but after a few pages, the expression in Ji Qingyun’s pale, glass-like eyes sharpened.

Ruan Taoran truly loved cloud motifs. Many of her designs incorporated clouds in various forms: auspicious cloud patterns, soft cloud-like shapes…

The portfolio in Ruan Taoran’s hands wasn’t just any random sketchbook; she had several, and this one specifically focused on cloud-themed designs.

Halfway through the portfolio, a sudden knock-knock-knock echoed at the door.

“Who is it?” Ruan Taoran called out.

The maid’s voice replied, “Second Miss, the Eldest Miss has returned. Madam requests you come downstairs to greet her.”

“Understood,” Ruan Taoran replied. “I’ll be down after I change.”

Ruan Taoran glanced at Ji Qingyun, her eyes lingering with reluctance, and closed the booklet in her hands. “Sister, I’ll go down first. We can look at this again later.”

A shadow flickered in Ji Qingyun’s eyes, her voice turning slightly cold. “Since you’re back today, shouldn’t she have come home earlier to greet you?”

Not only did Ruan Ruyue fail to welcome her during the day, but she also summoned her downstairs late at night. This was quite the display of the Eldest Miss’s arrogance.

“Maybe she had work to handle…” Ruan Taoran offered a reasonable explanation, trying to excuse Ruan Ruyue’s behavior.

Of course, she knew that Ruan Ruyue was the person in this household who hated her the most. This was just a deliberate power play.

“You call her ‘Sister’?” Ji Qingyun’s cold voice abruptly cut through Ruan Taoran’s words.

Ruan Taoran paused, surprised. Ruan Ruyue was her uncle’s daughter, a year older than her. Calling her “Sister” seemed perfectly natural.

“She’s the eldest. You should call her ‘Eldest Sister’,” Ji Qingyun said, taking the booklet from Ruan Taoran’s hands and flipping through it with feigned nonchalance.

Ruan Taoran: “……”

The terms “First Sister” and “Second Sister” are usually used when there are multiple older sisters in a family, and they’re referred to by their birth order, right?

Ruan Taoran only had one older sister, Ruan Ruyue, and had always called her “Sister” since childhood.

Calling her “First Sister” sounded like addressing a middle-aged woman buying groceries at a roadside stall.

Ruan Taoran’s mind raced, but the smile on her face deepened.

Ji Qingyun is quite possessive about the title “Sister,” isn’t she?