Lin Ruoyan had already finished work, so Xu Jingyi didn't delay. She went to the restroom to touch up her makeup, emerging looking exquisitely flawless.
Her friend, who had just heard about the dinner, raised an eyebrow at her appearance. "You've come around? Did you listen to what I said earlier?"
"What?" Xu Jingyi didn't understand.
"Aren't you going to dinner with your sister-in-law?"
Xu Jingyi: "Yes."
"Well then, it's obvious. You've been shy and coy since you got off the phone, and now you've touched up your makeup and look radiant. No one would believe you weren't going on a date."
"Huh?"
"Huh what?" Her friend looked exasperated. "I'm telling you, women shouldn't be imprisoned by their own thoughts. I know you were in love with Lin Ruofeng before, but you have to move on, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Xu Jingyi understood what her friend meant and gave her a playful glare. "We're just having a meal."
"Right, right, just a meal. Isn't that how relationships develop, one meal at a time?" Her friend laughed even harder. "And besides, Lin Ruofeng has been gone for so long. Shouldn't you, you know, take care of your needs? You can't spend your youth as a widow."
"If you're not interested in your sister-in-law, I can introduce you to some young studs. Their stamina… tsk, tsk…"
"Alright, alright, enough nonsense. Let's go."
She said this and walked out the door first, ignoring the person still teasing her behind. However, in her mind, she couldn't help but recall the last time Lin Ruoyan kissed her, and she had an… ahem… physical reaction.
I wonder how good Lin Ruoyan's stamina is?
Pah, pah, pah! What does her stamina have to do with you?
Her mind was filled with all sorts of chaotic thoughts until she arrived at the agreed-upon location. Lin Ruoyan was already there, sitting at the table and waiting for her, looking intently at the menu in front of her.
Feeling her approach, Lin Ruoyan raised her head and looked at her. "You're here?"
"Yeah, have you ordered yet?" For some reason, her heart was beating a little faster today when she saw Lin Ruoyan. Although she tried to steady herself, her throat still felt a little dry after speaking.
Lin Ruoyan: "Not yet, Sister-in-law, take a look and see what you'd like to eat."
She thought Xu Jingyi was speaking a little strangely today, more… gentle than usual, her tone softer, a bit different from before.
Just as she was thinking this, she saw Xu Jingyi pick up the water glass on the table and take a sip. Lin Ruoyan came to a conclusion. "Is your throat uncomfortable today? Your voice sounds a bit strange."
Xu Jingyi's hand holding the water glass paused. "No."
"Oh." Lin Ruoyan was also taken aback. "That's good."
The stilted conversation ended. The atmosphere between the two of them was a little awkward. They were both preoccupied with their own thoughts, and their words were somewhat absentminded, so they tacitly focused on ordering food.
After the waiter took the menu and left, Xu Jingyi initiated the conversation, "Were you busy at work today?"
Lin Ruoyan replied, "Not too bad. The plan for the last project is pretty much finalized now. We'll just start implementing it, so I didn't have to work overtime today."
"That's going smoothly then, great. You won't have to work overtime much later either, right?" Xu Jingyi rested her chin on her hand, propping it up on the table, and stared directly at Lin Ruoyan.
Lin Ruoyan felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, and from this angle, she could see her chest, which was clearly… well-endowed.
If she didn't know their relationship was purely platonic, Lin Ruoyan would have thought Xu Jingyi was flirting with her.
Unfortunately, she knew this woman was as straight as an arrow, like a telephone pole, and she genuinely wanted her to get married and have children. It was impossible that she would be flirting. It was just that her style of dress was a bit sexy, and Lin Ruoyan was probably overthinking things.
But even with that understanding, she still couldn't help but be attracted to her. Just looking at her chest, countless images flooded her mind, of caressing, of sucking.
"Later… hmm… it depends on the specific situation. It's hard to say now. If the project goes well, I shouldn't have to work too much overtime."
The two of them didn't hold the gaze for long. The one being stared at felt embarrassed first. She felt her ears getting slightly warm and, to feign composure, she took off her suit jacket, using it to divert attention.
It was actually a little hot. Even after taking off the jacket, she still felt flushed, and she unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt.
"So, when we don't have to work overtime, can we eat together, then?" Xu Jingyi watched Lin Ruoyan's process of taking off her clothes. After the shirt buttons were undone, her collarbone was faintly visible, and she looked quite slender.
She thought of what her friend had said in the afternoon, and nothing felt right, but she had to grit her teeth and play along.
"Eating alone is quite boring. Before, you got off work early and accompanied me for dinner for a while. I was quite happy. I'm not used to eating alone again recently." She smiled at Lin Ruoyan, as if she was a little embarrassed to say these things, but then she asked, "What about you?"
"I…cough…" The images in her head were too vivid. She only realized her voice was already a little hoarse when she spoke. "I… well, if we don't have to work overtime, we… um… can eat together."
She coughed several times while saying one sentence. Xu Jingyi quickly put the water glass in her hand. When Lin Ruoyan held the water glass, Xu Jingyi's fingertip seemed to brush across the back of the other person's hand, as if by accident. "Drink some water. What's wrong? Is your throat uncomfortable?"
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