Sweet as Honey and Sugar - Chapter 10:
He Qingrou stayed in the bathroom for quite a while before stepping out. Lin Nai was sitting on the bed, focused on her phone.
The hotel had provided two sets of pajamas, one long and one short.
Lin Nai had taken the short one, leaving the longer set for her perhaps out of thoughtfulness,
knowing she might feel uncomfortable otherwise. When He Qingrou came out,
Lin Nai set her phone aside and went into the bathroom to dry her hair.
He Qingrou checked her phone. A message from her colleague Wan Keyin had come in.
He had spoken to someone higher up and said that the preliminary review results
would be out the next day their proposal had impressed the executives.
She typed back a short thank-you.
Almost immediately, another message followed. The assistant manager,
Yao, had visited that day and wanted to see her at the office tomorrow.
He Qingrou frowned slightly. If Yao needed something, she could have sent a message herself.
Still, she replied that she’d come in the afternoon.
Wan Keyin then asked whether the team should plan a dinner to
celebrate once the review was done.
After so many sleepless nights of work, they deserved it.
She first typed a simple “okay,” but then thought for a moment and changed it.
Saturday night, hotpot’s on me, she wrote.
A few seconds later, she added another line: Everyone’s welcome to bring family.
The chat was quiet for half a minute, then a flood of cheerful replies filled the screen.
Thank you, team leader! We love you!
He Qingrou smiled faintly, put the phone aside, and went back
to sorting through her files, planning tomorrow’s tasks.
The sound of the hairdryer hummed from the bathroom until it finally stopped.
Then Lin Nai’s voice called softly from inside, asking her to come over.
Puzzled, she set down her papers and stepped into the doorway.
Lin Nai stood with the hairdryer in hand and gestured for her to sit.
Let me help, she said, tugging gently at the towel around He Qingrou’s head.
You’ll catch a chill if you leave your hair wet.
A cool breath brushed the back of her neck as the towel came off,
and she shivered instinctively, trying to step back. I can do it myself, she murmured.
But Lin Nai gently pressed her shoulder, keeping her still.
The warm brush of her fingers against He Qingrou’s collarbone made her heart skip a beat.
Don’t move, came the quiet instruction. The hairdryer whirred to life,
warm air drifting through strands of dark hair while slender fingers moved with practiced ease.
The warmth spread slowly, soothing. Every time Lin Nai’s fingertips brushed her scalp,
a faint shiver ran down her spine.
In the mirror before them, the reflection showed two figures close but not quite touching a quiet,
almost tender picture. He Qingrou’s eyes trembled, and she turned her face away,
only to bump softly into Lin Nai’s waiting hand.
Both froze for a moment.
The air between them thickened with warmth and silence until Lin Nai broke it with composure,
lowering her hand and continuing as if nothing had happened.
Within a few minutes, it was done. She hung the hairdryer back on the wall and said it was finished.
He Qingrou nodded, her ears burning beneath her hair.
The air felt dense again, like the steam from her earlier shower hadn’t yet faded.
When she glanced up, her gaze caught the faint curve of Lin Nai’s neckline, the soft gleam of skin, and she quickly turned away.
I’ll head out first, she murmured, slipping past her and back into the room.
After that, something invisible seemed to linger between them — a fine thread stretched tight, fragile but unmistakable.
She tried to focus on her notes, but her eyes kept drifting toward Lin Nai, who was back on her phone. The light from the screen reflected against her pale skin, her fingers tapping gracefully, her lips pressed together in concentration.
He Qingrou thought she had a beautiful mouth — the kind of shape that seemed almost designed for attention, soft and expressive without effort.
Her thoughts began to wander.
A sudden voice broke the silence. You’ve been staring for a while. Is it really that interesting?
He Qingrou’s heart skipped, but she stayed calm. I wasn’t staring, she said lightly. I was thinking.
Lin Nai smiled faintly, seeing through her but saying nothing more.
They both went quiet again. Time slipped past unnoticed until the clock crept toward midnight.
Lin Nai turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness, and wished her goodnight.
He Qingrou murmured a reply, curling beneath the blanket. The bed was soft, but her mind refused to rest. The quiet made her thoughts louder, chasing themselves in circles.
Outside, thunder rolled suddenly, sharp and heavy. The sound made her jump so hard the water bottle in her hand spilled across the blanket.
Lightning flashed through the room. Lin Nai stirred awake and switched on the light, blinking at the soaked bedspread.
You can’t sleep there now, she said gently. Come over here.
The storm outside grew fierce — rain hammered the windows, thunder echoing against the glass.
He Qingrou hesitated, then picked up her pillow and crossed to the other bed. Lin Nai turned off the light again.
Sleep. We’ll get up at eight, she said.
He Qingrou didn’t answer. The space beneath the blanket was warm, filled with the faint scent of linen and something softer she couldn’t name. The two beds were wide, but the shared blanket was not. Lying close was the only way to stay covered.
There was still a line between them — thin but unmistakable, made of restraint, caution, and something unspoken.
She closed her eyes, trying not to think, until sleep finally found her.
When she woke again, gray dawn light was seeping through the curtains. Lin Nai’s side of the bed was empty. The air was quiet except for the dripping of rain on the windowpane.
He Qingrou dressed quickly and tidied up just as Lin Nai came back inside, phone in hand from an early call.
Good morning, Lin Nai said with a soft smile.
Morning, He Qingrou replied.
Breakfast’s included here. Want to eat downstairs or order in?
Let’s stay here, He Qingrou said. We need to leave by nine for the meeting.
Lin Nai nodded and called room service.
By nine, they had checked out and arrived at Hexin International. The visit went smoothly the
earlier problem had been resolved, and the managers were all smiles.
The general manager greeted them warmly, perhaps eager to smooth over yesterday’s tension.
He even sent them off with gifts, insisting it was a gesture of goodwill.
Lin Nai handled the conversation with poise, assuring him their partnership would continue as
planned. Her tone was polite but firm, enough to put him at ease.
By the time they left for the airport, the sun had broken through the clouds.
Their flight landed back in Nancheng by late afternoon.
He Qingrou returned to the office and distributed the gifts among her team before heading to her desk to tidy up. Just as she was about to go find the assistant manager, a colleague told her someone was waiting at the front desk.
It was a delivery from a florist.
Are you Ms. He Qingrou? the delivery person asked.
She nodded.
Someone ordered these flowers for you, the woman said,
handing over a bouquet and a small envelope.
He Qingrou signed the receipt, puzzled, then pulled out the card nestled among the blooms.
Inside, there was only a single letter: W.
She stared at it for a long moment, trying to think who it could be.
Thank you, she told the delivery woman, who smiled and
gave her a business card for the shop before leaving.
He Qingrou turned, still holding the bouquet, and almost collided with
Lin Nai standing behind her.
Lin Nai’s eyes lowered slightly, lingering on the flowers in He Qingrou’s arms,
her expression unreadable.