Two Faced Lover - Chapter 52

52: Clumsiness

“I’m going to bed,” Meng Xuran said, clutching the small cluster of baby’s breath as she stood up, her back turned to Bo Mingyan. She blinked hard, watching as her tears soaked into the tiny blue blossoms. “Will there still be baby’s breath tomorrow?”

Bo Mingyan didn’t want to answer directly. “Guess.”

Meng Xuran suddenly lost all urge to cry. She tilted her head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Bo Mingyan. With a soft “hmph,” she muttered a low threat: “Careful, or I’ll deduct points from you!”

Shouldn’t the absence of baby’s breath just mean no points added, rather than deducted?

The corners of Bo Mingyan’s lips curled into a faint smile. She stood up, using her height advantage to look down at Meng Xuran. “Meng Jiaojiao, since when did you become so unreasonable?”

Meng Xuran raised an eyebrow, as if to say she had no intention of being reasonable.

Bo Mingyan sighed, both exasperated and amused. “No expectations mean no disappointments.”

“Then will you disappoint me?” Meng Xuran turned to face her fully.

Bo Mingyan didn’t answer directly. “But I still want to surprise you.”

Meng Xuran let out a soft “tsk” and leaned lazily against the sofa. “What should I do? It seems I’ve ruined your surprise plan, huh?”

Though her words sounded apologetic, there wasn’t a trace of remorse in her tone.

Bo Mingyan stepped closer. “Then how about compensating me?”

The ambiguous words, the dim golden lighting, the subtle atmosphere thickening in the cramped corner—

Meng Xuran was standing with her hip slightly cocked, making her even shorter. Bo Mingyan’s sudden approach intensified the sense of oppression.

Her heart raced like a startled deer.

Lowering her head to avoid Bo Mingyan’s gaze, Meng Xuran fiddled with the baby’s breath in her hand, feigning composure, “Compensate how? I’m not someone who caves to threats.”

Bo Mingyan suddenly bent down, bringing herself eye level with Meng Xuran. Meng Xuran lifted her eyelids, and their eyes met.

The moment hung suspended for two seconds before Meng Xuran broke first. She averted her gaze, reaching up to brush aside the hair Bo Mingyan had deliberately let fall to cover half her face. Her fingers lingered lightly on Bo Mingyan’s cheek. “Don’t even think about fast-forwarding the progress bar.”

Bo Mingyan chuckled softly. “No need to fast-forward. Just a response will do.”

“What response?” Meng Xuran asked.

Bo Mingyan said, “Goodnight, Meng Jiaojiao.”

It was such an ordinary phrase, delivered in a tone as casual as commenting on the weather. Yet the moment Meng Xuran realized what response Bo Mingyan was asking for, an electric current seemed to shoot through her body, leaving her limbs weak.

Especially under Bo Mingyan’s expectant gaze—

Like a pitiful little kitten, so soft, so different, like a dream…

Meng Xuran reached up and ruffled Bo Mingyan’s hair. “Goodnight… Manman.”

After quickly uttering those words, Meng Xuran ducked under Bo Mingyan’s arm and retreated to her room.

Closing the door behind her, her pounding heart gradually steadied. She turned on the air conditioner.

Just as she took off her coat, her phone rang from the pocket.

The caller ID showed Fu Junxue.

Lately, Meng Xuran had been swamped with work, her mind in chaos. Fu Junxue, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Over the past two years, with Fu Changqing’s declining health, Fu Junxue had been running herself ragged. Now that Fu Changqing had returned to take charge, Fu Junxue had promptly taken all her accumulated leave.

Meng Xuran answered the call.

“Oh? Still awake this late?” Fu Junxue’s cheerful tone made it clear she was in a good mood.

Meng Xuran was in high spirits too. She sat at her vanity, turning on speakerphone as she removed her makeup, teasing, “I had a sudden premonition you’d call.”

“Then do you know why I’m calling?”

“No. If I did, I wouldn’t have answered.”

“…”

Fu Junxue laughed in exasperation. After a pause, she got to the point. “How do you plan to handle Moment’s annual party this year? Dad suggested a joint celebration with both companies. What do you think?”

Moment had suffered significant setbacks due to pricing errors on employee discounts. During that time, Meng Xuran had stubbornly refused assistance, and Fu Changqing, respecting his daughter’s decision, hadn’t intervened. But hearing about Meng Xuran being bullied still pained him.

A joint annual party would publicly declare that Fantasy had always been Moment’s backbone, sending a clear message to certain people to back off and stop picking on a young woman.

“No,” Meng Xuran said dismissively. “A bunch of people crammed into a hotel, eating and watching performances—sounds boring as hell.”

“It is a bit dull, especially since most performers are female colleagues,” Fu Junxue said. “So what’s your plan?”

“I’m thinking of organizing a company trip instead. Those who want to go can join, and those who don’t can take time off.” Meng Xuran arched an eyebrow, her voice dropping to a whisper. “And maybe create more opportunities for a certain someone to shine.”

Fu Junxue missed the last part. “That’s a great idea. Mind if I borrow it?”

Meng Xuran asked, “Is your leave over already?”

“Not yet.” Fu Junxue replied.

“Oh? So what have you been up to lately?” Meng Xuran asked offhandedly.

Fu Junxue chuckled, as if recalling something amusing. After a beat, she said, “Been busy fishing.”

“I thought you hated fishing?” Meng Xuran was puzzled.

“Not that kind of fish.” Fu Junxue said with a laugh.

Meng Xuran paused mid-makeup removal, teasing, “Wow. A mermaid, huh? Better watch out for Grandma’s lectures.”

“Let her lecture all she wants. I won’t listen.” Fu Junxue deflected. “What about you? Still no developments?”

“Of course there are. Someone as exceptional and rare as me,” Meng Xuran drawled, wiping off her lipstick with deliberate slowness, her tone both proud and smug, “is naturally busy being hooked by a beauty.”

Said beauty had already returned to her room, put away her laptop, and collapsed onto the bed. Staring at the bright white ceiling, scenes from earlier replayed incessantly in her mind.

Closing her eyes, Bo Mingyan saw Meng Xuran’s eyes again—

Glistening with unshed tears, tinged with red when she said, “Please bear with me.”

In that instant—

Bo Mingyan was seized by an impulsive, overwhelming urge to pull Meng Xuran into her arms, even to kiss away her tears.

But she also felt that excessive intimacy without confirmed mutual feelings was just taking liberties.

At the very least, she herself would find it off-putting.

Many things didn’t cease to be harassment just because both parties were the same gender.

Too much passion might scorch them both, but remaining as aloof as before hardly counted as pursuing someone.

Bo Mingyan didn’t know how to pursue anyone. Past experiences being pursued only provided failed counterexamples, offering no practical guidance.

So what should she do? What type did Meng Xuran like? Bo Mingyan had no clue.

Asking outright felt insincere. Beating around the bush felt like cutting corners for the sake of the progress bar. She wanted to know the progress only to confirm she was on the right track, not to treat this like a task.

In this regard, Bo Mingyan was utterly clumsy.

A stupid person resorts to stupid methods. All she could do was offer everything she loved and do everything within her power.

Judging by today’s progress, Meng Xuran seemed to like the baby’s breath and the goodnight wishes.

Lost in these rambling thoughts, Bo Mingyan lifted a hand to the spot where Meng Xuran had ruffled her hair—

The touch had been neither too light nor too heavy, like petting a cat.

Not even Bo Weize had ever ruffled her hair like that.

No one had ever treated her this way.

Her face burned, wave after wave. Bo Mingyan couldn’t tell if it was from the swelling or something else. She rolled over, burying her face in the pillow.

After a while, she checked her phone for the time and sent Meng Xuran another “goodnight.”

Drowsily, she wondered—if she said goodnight every day, would she get head pats every day?

Would Meng Xuran think she was a creep…?

The next morning, Bo Mingyan got her answer.

Checking the time, she noticed a WeChat notification. Tapping in, one glance made her bolt upright in bed. She blinked twice, confirming she hadn’t misread.

At 12:37 AM, she’d sent Meng Xuran the exact thoughts she’d had before bed—

Including the line about being a creep.

At 1:06 AM, Meng Xuran had replied:

[Schrödinger]: Hmm~ Never pegged you for such a little creep.

[Schrödinger]: But if there’s a goodnight and good morning every day, I might consider it.

Bo Mingyan sat frozen for a long moment before her lips curled up. She typed:

Good morning.

As usual, after washing up, she prepared lunch for two in the kitchen. Packing the meal boxes, she noticed it was still early, so she took a shower.

Meng Xuran’s wake-up time hadn’t arrived yet.

Returning to her room, Bo Mingyan took out the hair tie Meng Xuran had given her and loosely tied up her hair.

Her gaze inadvertently landed on the mirror, freezing.

The reflection showed half her face still slightly swollen, the other half with sharp features—narrow eyes with upturned corners, a high, straight nose, and lips naturally crimson. The glasses framed a face that was striking and sharp, its edges not softened even by the pastel sweater.

Sharp as a beautifully crafted blade—pleasing to others, wounding only herself.

But if “others” meant Meng Xuran, the latter half no longer applied.

Bo Mingyan sat at her desk, slowly removing her glasses. She opened a drawer and peered inside.

She didn’t wear much makeup, but she had enough.

On the desk sat the perfume she and Meng Xuran had swapped. She’d only used it once, on the day of the exchange. Hesitating briefly, she spritzed some on her wrists and behind her ears.

When Meng Xuran emerged from her room and saw Bo Mingyan boiling eggs in the kitchen, she froze.

Usually, Bo Mingyan rarely waited to go to work together.

Her eyes locked onto Bo Mingyan’s low ponytail.

The hair tie matched the one hidden in her own sleeve.

Noticing the movement, Bo Mingyan glanced toward the doorway. “Morning, Meng Jiaojiao.”

“Morning.” Meng Xuran’s lashes fluttered as she studied Bo Mingyan, playing dumb. “Dressing up so nicely—what’s the occasion?”

“Waiting to go to work with you,” Bo Mingyan said honestly, turning off the stove.

Meng Xuran arched an eyebrow, turning away to pour cereal into her mug. Her lips pressed together, as if cereal had spilled straight onto her heart.

“What should I do? I want to enjoy this treatment a little longer. Maybe I shouldn’t give you points.”

“Then don’t,” Bo Mingyan said gently.

Even without points, she’d keep doing it.

Peeling the eggs, removing the yolks, spreading Meng Xuran’s favorite jam on toast—Bo Mingyan handed the prepared breakfast to her.

Meng Xuran caught a whiff of familiar perfume and smirked.

As Bo Mingyan drew near, Meng Xuran tugged off her hair tie and slipped it onto her own wrist, replacing it with hers around Bo Mingyan’s.

Her fingertips brushed Bo Mingyan’s palm as she leaned in to whisper:

“If the progress bar stays stuck, would you try… creepier methods?”

Bo Mingyan’s palm tingled. Her heart even more so.