The Lost Lamb's Trap - Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Stars
After saying she chose Lan Yao, Duan Jiayang realized something bad was going to happen to her.
It was their last day together in the office. If they didn’t do anything, it would be a shame to waste such a perfect opportunity. As Duan Jiayang started to walk away, her arm was grabbed by Lin Ke. “I told you that day, Duan Jiayang, we can’t be even. We can’t let go.”
Duan Jiayang said, “That’s just you. You can live with the past if you want.”
She didn’t look at her, and her tone was freezing.
“Anyway, I’ve long since forgotten it.”
Lin Ke was strong. She held her hand so tightly that it ached. Duan Jiayang tried to pull away several times but couldn’t.
Duan Jiayang said, “I’ve always been curious why you never asked me how I spent the past six years. You see, I’m not that person anymore. I don’t want to be entangled with you like that. I’m afraid of you.”
Lin Ke’s grip loosened for a second. Duan Jiayang pulled her hand back and walked towards the door. But just as she touched the doorknob, Lin Ke grabbed her hand again.
Duan Jiayang closed her eyes. “What are you going to do now?”
Lin Ke moved closer, her breath brushing against Duan Jiayang’s ear. “I tried letting go for a second, and I realized I can’t. A second is hell.” She grabbed Duan Jiayang’s hand again. “So, you have to choose me.”
“My final bottom line,” she said. “Don’t choose her.”
Duan Jiayang also said, “Don’t come near me again. That’s my bottom line too.”
Every time Lin Ke came close, Duan Jiayang trembled. Her body instinctively felt a thrill, like a small knife pricking her nerves. Duan Jiayang tried to push her away with her arm, but Lin Ke didn’t budge.
Duan Jiayang said, “Let go.”
Lin Ke didn’t move. She held her hand tightly.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Lin Ke flipped her around, making her face her. She pushed Duan Jiayang forward with force. Duan Jiayang’s back was pressed against the door. The force was so strong that the door trembled. Duan Jiayang opened her mouth to curse, but she was afraid of being heard outside. She lowered her voice. “Lin Ke, are you crazy!”
The commotion was not small. The person outside must have known someone was pressed against the door.
Yang Ruiqi knocked on the door. “Director, someone from R&D is here about the business trip.”
“Do I stop, or do I not stop?” Lin Ke asked.
It was a double entendre, referring to her relationship with Lan Yao and their current situation.
She had two choices: one, to lie and pretend everything was normal; two, to say what she was thinking.
Duan Jiayang’s brain didn’t have time to overthink. Her breathing was rapid and shallow. “You already know the answer.”
The spacious office was eerily quiet. The employees outside were all working, sitting in various postures. A few of them were looking over in their direction.
She distinctly heard the sound of something falling apart. It was torn.
The moment Lin Ke leaned in, Duan Jiayang’s whole body tensed up. She instinctively closed her eyes and pursed her lips. The kiss she expected never came. Duan Jiayang opened her eyes again, meeting Lin Ke’s pupils. Lin Ke’s deep black eyes stared at her with a cold sharpness, suppressing something.
Since she wasn’t going to kiss her, she… wanted to break free again.
Lin Ke flipped her around again, turning all her words into a single “Ah.”
Duan Jiayang’s forehead was pressed against the door, burning her skin. Duan Jiayang was twisted back and forth, her body manipulated at will. Lin Ke’s hand landed on her leg, just a few centimeters away from her butt. Her leg suddenly trembled.
Her butt muscles tensed, and the skirt clung to her waist.
She turned her head to look, bit her lip, and pulled it back.
“Lin Ke… I never provoked you…” Duan Jiayang said intermittently. Her forehead was against the door. The air conditioner was on in the office. Her voice carried a hint of grievance. Lin Ke didn’t refute her. “That’s right. I just took notice of you and wanted you.”
Duan Jiayang didn’t escape in a hurry. She leaned against the door, recovering for a long time without lifting her head. She was scared of her, scared of looking up and running into her colleagues. She was also ashamed. After being entangled for so long, the thin membrane of her shame exploded at this moment. Her long legs, it seemed, were born to tremble.
Her head was in a daze. Duan Jiayang forgot how she got out of the office. It seemed that Lin Ke had placed a hand on her waist. Her head felt as heavy as if it were filled with ice, hanging on her neck. She could only breathe heavily, propping up her chin.
It was unclear if she was trying to torment her or herself.
Duan Jiayang stared at the computer, her fingers tapping on the keyboard.
Lan Yao was coming to pick her up later. She reapplied her lipstick and went to meet her.
It was around 4 p.m. Lin Ke hadn’t left work yet.
They ate French food together and then went to see a sci-fi movie. The movie was two and a half hours long, and Duan Jiayang understood the plot.
On the way back, they were discussing the plot. They passed a jewelry store. Duan Jiayang walked around but didn’t find what she wanted. Lan Yao pointed to two tigers on a shelf. “It’s the Year of the Tiger. Buy these. They’re holding a gold ingot.”
She smiled and asked, “Do you want them?”
Duan Jiayang looked closely. One tiger was holding a gold ingot, and the other was holding a note that said, “Get rich this year.” They were chubby and adorable. Lan Yao gave her the bag and said, “Don’t be unhappy. I’m giving these to you. If you want them, buy them.”
Lan Yao patted her shoulder, looking like an older sister. “I just took you out to have some fun. Why are you still unhappy with me? Did you and Lin Ke have a fight?”
It was the first time she had mentioned Lin Ke. Duan Jiayang thought she would never bring her up. Lan Yao paid and got the tigers. Duan Jiayang saw she had bubble tea and desserts in her hands, so she hugged the tigers herself.
She was absent-minded the whole time. It was less of a date and more of Lan Yao accompanying her to cheer her up.
In the evening, Lan Yao dropped her off at home. They each had one tiger. Lan Yao walked her to the door, giving her all the desserts she was holding. Then she turned, opened her car door, rolled down the window, and said goodbye to Duan Jiayang.
A pang of guilt rose in Duan Jiayang’s heart. Lan Yao probably didn’t know she was using her as a shield. Duan Litian, who was huffing and puffing from his walk, returned from outside. Duan Litian frowned, hands on his hips. “Duan Jiayang, how can you be so rude? You should at least invite her in for a glass of water.”
“It’s fine. It’s late. Jiayang must be tired.”
“What’s late? It’s only 9:30. Your house isn’t far. Come in and have some watermelon. If you don’t, your dad might think I’m stingy,”
“Why would he?” Lan Yao smiled. “My dad knows me. He used to come to your uncle’s house to eat all the time. He has no right to ask.”
She looked at Duan Jiayang. “Then can I come in for a slice of watermelon?”
They went in together. The desserts were on the table. Duan Litian and Lan Yao were chatting. Duan Jiayang sat on the side, listening. Duan Litian tried to change the subject to get the two of them to talk, but the transition was awkward. Finally, he probably felt it was a lost cause and found an excuse to go upstairs.
With Duan Litian gone, Duan Jiayang’s awkwardness eased a bit. She leaned back and sighed. Lan Yao smiled. “Uncomfortable, aren’t you?”
“A little.”
Lan Yao smiled and said, “Then next time, I’ll secretly drop you off so your dad won’t find out.”
Duan Jiayang’s heart skipped a beat. The same words from different people felt completely different. It was rude to just sit there. Lan Yao had been very considerate. She got up, hugged the tiger, and said, “I’ll give you a tour.”
Duan Jiayang brought the best fruits and snacks to the second floor. The two of them sat on the balcony, and it was still awkward. They didn’t know what to say. It could be said that they were completely lost.
Lan Yao took the initiative to talk, her voice gentle and reasonable.
If Lin Ke hadn’t reminded her, Duan Jiayang would have ignored it herself. Although they were just eating and chatting, the pace was slow, but before she knew it, Lan Yao was very close to her.
Duan Jiayang handed her a piece of peach. Lan Yao said thank you, and her face moved to eat it. Duan Jiayang looked down at her. Her hand paused, as if it had been brushed by a feather. She felt that something was wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint it.
Duan Jiayang’s fingers trembled slightly. She held the fork, not daring to move.
Lan Yao said openly, “Jiayang… in fact, Lin Ke wasn’t the only one who liked you all this time. You don’t have to feel guilty or nervous.”
“I have my own motives.”
Duan Jiayang’s hand trembled even faster. She suddenly moved backward, creating distance between them. Lan Yao sat in her original position and smiled. “…If you want to use me to make Lin Ke give up, you can be as casual as you want.”
“Sister Lan Yao, I… I feel like…” Duan Jiayang stammered. In her life, she had been confessed to by two people: Lin Ke and Lan Yao, one a stepsister, the other a neighbor’s sister… One’s confession made her feel like she was going to be devoured, and the other…
“There’s nothing about me that’s worth liking.” Duan Jiayang turned her head, feeling wary and flustered.
“Why do you have to use ‘worth it’ to evaluate liking someone?”
Lan Yao said very seriously, “I didn’t say it at first because I was afraid you’d reject me like you rejected Lin Ke. Now… consider me a home wrecker. I’ll be working hard to pursue you from now on. After all, back then… Lin Ke wasn’t the only one who liked you.”
The wind blew. She was stunned by the sudden confession. Looking back now, all she could remember were the times she played with her when she was little. Duan Jiayang asked herself, she wasn’t outstanding in any way. There was nothing about her that was worth liking.
“Did… my dad do something?” Duan Jiayang was very flustered. She suspected her dad was behind it, that he had some secret with the Lan family. “Do you have work connections?”
“Jiayang, you have to believe in your own charm. My motive is you, not your dad’s money.” Lan Yao’s smile was indulgent and helpless. “My family’s business is doing quite well.”
Duan Jiayang still couldn’t believe it. Lan Yao saw her nervousness and said softly, “I’ll head back now. I’ll pick you up tomorrow too. You can think about it, but don’t just think about how to reject me.”
She knew when to stop. It was the first time Duan Jiayang had experienced a confession that was so quiet, where she could hear the sound of the wind blowing, without it being repressive or heavy.
Lan Yao waited quietly for her to recover before she left.
She said goodnight and told her she would see her tomorrow.
Her house wasn’t far from here. From the balcony, you could see the other’s roof.
She had been confessed to… a confession.
The department found out that Duan Jiayang was moving out that day. Duan Litian was afraid she would change her mind, or maybe he was also afraid of Lin Ke going crazy. When Duan Jiayang went to her office, there was nothing left on her desk. Everything had been cleared out.
Everyone in the office was busy with their own work, just like a normal day. The keyboards were clacking away.
With everything cleared out, Duan Jiayang felt very redundant in her job.
She held her bag and stared at her desk, not reacting for a long time.
After a while, she put her bag down.
Yang Ruiqi had a moment to spare and turned her head to look at her. “Did you and… Director Lin have a fight? The two women from HR who moved your things just now startled me.”
“Why do you ask?”
Duan Jiayang hadn’t received any notification from HR. It must have been at her dad’s instruction.
Yang Ruiqi thought carefully before speaking. “One of you is going to Ta Shan, and the other is changing departments. Isn’t that just…” Isn’t that just breaking up? Afraid of hitting a sore spot, she chose her words carefully. “This looks like a disagreement.”
“She and I… weren’t very close to begin with. We just went to the same school.” Duan Jiayang looked around, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She felt uncomfortable, not knowing where to put her hands. She had been working here for over a year and had… gotten used to it. This was her comfort zone, too. Finally, her eyes landed on the one-way glass.
“…Oh.”
“Want to get dinner tonight?” Yang Ruiqi suggested.
They had worked together for so long, and everyone had taught her a thing or two. Duan Jiayang didn’t want to turn them down. “Okay.”
No one dared to ask Duan Jiayang what was going on, and they couldn’t say anything to make her stay. Duan Jiayang wasn’t suited for this office. The translation department was a better fit for her major.
Duan Jiayang took out her mirror. Just as the mirror reflected her chin, the director’s office door opened. The finger on Duan Jiayang’s cheek froze.
Lin Ke hadn’t left for her business trip yet.