Forbidden To Be Tempted

Two pairs of eyes collided suddenly.

Wen Ruoxian froze for a moment, looked at Cheng Suran with soft eyes, and quickly reacted, showing a gentle smile: "Miss Jiang."

"Miss Wen is back." Jiang Yu smiled back, but there were ripples in her heart.

What she saw at the dining table that day is still vivid in her memory.

"I didn't know Miss Jiang was coming over today to visit. I should have come back earlier," Wen Ruoxian said as she changed into slippers and walked over, engaging in casual conversation. She glanced at the hand on Cheng Suran's shoulder.

With a smile on her face, Jiang Yu looked at her nonchalantly: "Miss Wen is too polite, I just came here to give Ranran some clothes."

The hands on her shoulders tightened.

Cheng Suran's body tensed up, embarrassment evident in her eyes. She wished she could just disappear.

She regretted it.

She had only thought it was just a few pieces of clothing, and Jiang Yu was right – this was a normal exchange. She couldn't refuse a client's goodwill, and she had planned to just look at the clothes at the entrance of the community. She hadn't expected the "private custom" affair to be so grand... If she had known, she wouldn't have agreed to let Jiang Yu come up.

She remembered Jiang Yu asking her twice if Wen Ruoxian was her girlfriend. Now, the two of them were suddenly brought face-to-face...

Why does she feel like she has done something wrong?

Hold on—

Could it be that Jiang Yu did this on purpose?

The sizes of the pants and skirt were just right, fitting her body curves perfectly. They were specially brought for her, and the luxurious fabric was not to be wrinkled or folded. Yet when she tried them on, she still folded and adjusted them, and there was no damage.

The more Cheng Suran thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong, but this was not the time to flirt, Ruoxian knew that she and Jiang Yu knew each other, but Jiang Yu didn't know that she had told Ruoxian, she had to introduce each other again.

"Oh, Ruoxian, let me formally introduce you. Miss Jiang is a friend I knew before, a top model. You should be familiar with her."

"Miss Jiang, this is Ruoxian, you already met her so I won't introduce her much. We've known each other for five years and currently live together."

She tried her best to maintain a generous and decent smile.

Jiang Yu was taken aback, a look of surprise flickering in her eyes. She hadn't expected Cheng Suran to introduce her this way in front of her best friend. She had thought... that she would always be just a "business partner."

A previously empty corner of her heart was now filled with comfort, brimming with warmth. She smiled and said, "Mm, we're all friends."

Wen Ruoxian nodded lightly: "Miss Jiang, have dinner here tonight."

Jiang Yu secretly wanted that, but she glanced at Cheng Suran's expression and said with a false tone, "No, I wouldn't want to disturb you."

"Since we're all friends, there's no such thing as being a bother. I happen to have some fresh ingredients at home. Manager Jiang, if you don't mind, you can taste my cooking ." Ruoxian said this while giving a glance at Cheng Suran.

Normal business, normal business...

Cheng Suran silently repeated to herself.

Since Ruoxian had spoken, she wouldn't make her lose face. Cheng Suran smiled and nodded, "Yes, don't be so polite with us."

"Well then," Jiang Yu smiled, "Thank you for your hospitality."

The three of them exchanged smiles.

Wen Ruoxian patted Cheng Suran's shoulder lightly, and said softly: "Ranran, sit with Miss Jiang first, and I'll cook."

After speaking, she turned and walked towards the kitchen.

"Hey," Cheng Suran shook off Jiang Yu's hand, took a few steps, and caught up, wrapping her arms around Wen Ruoxian's, "You've been busy all day, I'll cook dinner."

"It's fine."

"I've been sleeping at home for most of the day, so it's a good time to move around."

"Tsk, pig."

"Deal then."

She spoke softly, shaking her arms coquettishly.

"Ok," Wen Ruoxian sighed in a helpless yet indulgent tone, "you try on the clothes first, I'll prepare the ingredients, and then you can take charge in the kitchen."

"Okay."

Two sweet pears formed on her cheeks.

Jiang Yu watched them, her grip on the clothes tightening into a fist, the delicate fabric wrinkling and revealing small creases, much like the complex emotions swirling within her at this moment.

After all, this place is Ranran and Wen Ruoxian's home.

She is just a guest.

The softest part of her heart was stabbed, she took a deep breath, lowered her head, and carefully smoothed the crumpled clothes.

"Jiang Yu..."

Cheng Suran came back to her.

Jiang Yu raised her eyes as if nothing had happened: "Huh?"

"You just said that these clothes are designed according to my figure?"

"Right."

"So many clothes, can they be made in a few days? Although I don't understand the process of making clothes, I know common sense." Cheng Suran stared at her with a serious expression.

"..."

"It shows that you had a plan in advance, not a spontaneous decision."

The questioning tone struck heavily at Jiang Yu's heart, and she was reminded of how at ease Cheng Suran had been in front of Wen Ruoxian, contrasting sharply with her current demeanor. A sense of bitterness and turmoil surged within her, making her feel even more upset.

"Do you want to hear the truth?"

Cheng Suran nodded, wearing an expression that seemed to say: "I knew it."

Jiang Yu spoke slowly, "It was done two years ago. At that time, I had just started experimenting with my own designs, and many of my inspirations came from you. I always felt that if you were around, you would definitely like them."

"I just wanted to try making a few pieces, and since I still remembered your size, I made them for myself to keep. But I never thought... that we would meet again."

After saying that, she smiled, her eyes shining with light.

Soon after, she realized that these words had crossed the boundary of a mere business partnership between two people. It made her appear as if she had meticulously woven a net, waiting for Cheng Suran, the prey, to take the bait—one that lacked sincerity and felt disgusting.

She couldn't rush things now.

Jiang Yu redirected the conversation back to the clothes: "I was worried that you might have lost or gained weight over these years, and the previous sizes might not fit anymore. I brought them over today for you to try on. If they fit well, that's great. If not, I'll remake all of them."

Cheng Suran stared at her, her frown slowly loosened, but her throat was choked.

Really...

So reluctant to part with her, reminiscing about her for so many years, then why did she push her away in the first place? Can a person change so much in five years?

"Ranran, try this one on too," Jiang Yu smiled and lifted the clothing in her hand.

The sleeves, previously crumpled by her, now had distinct creases under the light. Cheng Suran noticed and reached out to smooth them, but the creases wouldn't disappear. Finally, she fully believed Jiang Yu's words.

"This one can be ironed later, preferably using a steamer while hanging," Jiang Yu patiently explained.

Cheng Suran nodded silently, put on the clothes, and then went back to the room to alternately change into pants and a short skirt.

She stood in front of the dressing mirror, carefully observing herself.

The hem of the short skirt reached just halfway down her thighs. In the lamplight, one could faintly see a light scar on her leg, appearing whitish and slightly different in color from the surrounding skin.

That scar...

Jiang Yu suddenly remembered a night in the deep mountains a few years ago.

"I like the design of this chain, simple color, a touch of metallic element to avoid being too dull. This delicate style won't look old-fashioned when worn..." Cheng Suran turned left and right in front of the mirror, quite satisfied. As she turned her head and looked up, she saw Jiang Yu staring at her legs.

She paused for a moment, then realized and quickly turned away: "I actually prefer pants and long skirts."

She hurriedly returned to the room to change into pants.

Jiang Yu's complexion has returned to normal. She walked up to her and looked at her in the mirror and explained in a gentle voice: "The flared trousers visually elongate the calves, making people look lighter and taller. You can wear a short vest for the upper body. Or other short clothes..."

Then, she roughly talked about the design ideas.

Cheng Suran tried one by one, and she explained one by one.

Each piece of clothing had the "Y.R." initials logo discreetly placed, unique and one-of-a-kind, with no second piece in the world.

Whether it was the style, design, fabric, or tailoring, everything was impeccably aligned with Cheng Suran's preferences.

Except for the skirts.

Jiang Yu squinted and smiled: "Do you like it?"

"Mm." Cheng Suran couldn't tell a lie and nodded slightly.

"It's all for you."

"Thanks."

Jiang Yu was silent for a while and then said: "In the future, as long as I have inspiration, I will make clothes for you.

"Then you will be my tailor?"

"That's not a bad idea."

Cheng Suran was at a loss for words.

Her fingertips slowly brushed the fabric of the clothes, it was soft and smooth, and she had some expectations and longings in her heart. Having something she liked so much, a unique piece in the world that money couldn't buy, how could she not be captivated?

But it's a short-handed thing to do.

After thinking about it, she usually interacts with customers in the same way. New customers have cooperated many times and become old customers, and they continue to bring new customers and expand their network of contacts.

It's all business.

"I think it's better to buy them at a discount." Cheng Suran thought of a compromise.

Jiang Yu hesitated a little, but she didn't force it, and nodded with a smile: "Okay."

After trying on the clothes, Cheng Suran brought the hangers and hung them up according to Jiang Yu's instructions. Jiang Yu cleaned up the cardboard boxes on the floor, stacked them at the door as if she was in her own home, and turned around to look around.

She wants to tour the whole house and see Cheng Suran's room.

But Ranran didn't intend to show her around.

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=4738582

This translation is originally posted on

love4baihe.blogspot.com

please read it there. and check out other stories too

She didn't mention it, she returned to the sofa and sat down, sipping warm water slowly, took out her mobile phone, and typed down the apartment number in her memo.

[Ranran's Address: Marina Bay Phase II, Building 5, 18th Floor, 1802. ]

"I'll go cook, you sit with Ruoxian."

"Mm."

Cheng Suran went to the kitchen.

Through the partially open transparent glass door, two figures were moving inside, occasionally accompanied by conversations and laughter...

Jiang Yu squeezed the cup tightly and looked at them quietly.

She doesn't know if it's an illusion, but no matter how she looks at Wen Ruoxian, she doesn't look like a normal friend, with those gazes, those small movements... Whether it is between her and Tian Lin, or between her and Pei Chutong, it will never appear.

Wen Ruoxian's gaze upon Ranran carried a gentle warmth, tinged with tenderness and a hint of indulgence. Yet, she would unconsciously avoid Ranran's intimate gestures, as if enduring something, restraining herself, reluctantly opposing her actions, which contrasted with her gaze.

Jiang Yu's heart was in turmoil.

After a while, Wen Ruoxian came out, and Jiang Yu concealed her emotions and thoughts, exchanging a smiling glance with her. They sat diagonally across from each other, secretly sizing each other up.

"Miss Wen, did Ranran mention me to you before?"

"Mm, she said you knew each other before."

"Yeah, we knew each other before, but we haven't really kept in touch these past few years. I didn't expect this coincidence."

The two exchanged pleasantries and discussed work matters for a while.

Wen Ruoxian spoke calmly, very gently, and very cautiously. Jiang Yu carefully probed about her life but didn't manage to know much. Wen Ruoxian was reserved, and when it came to things related to the two of them, she only revealed surface-level details.

For example, they discussed how long they had known each other and their work situations.

There was an inexplicable sense of tension lingering between the two of them...

….

For dinner, Cheng Suran cooked five dishes, two meat, and three vegetables.

She has never liked spicy food, so she specially made two spicy meat dishes. She remembered that Jiang Yu said that she liked spicy food since she was a child, and it was very painful when she had to quit, but she still eats a little occasionally.

Jiang Yu never knew that Cheng Suran could cook, and this was the first time she was testing Cheng Suran's cooking skills.

Seeing the table filled with delicious dishes, the urge to take photos  welled up within her, but she resisted. This isn't her home; this is Ranran and Wen Ruoxian's home.

She is just a guest.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yu felt sour in her heart, so she could only sit down pretending to be calm.

"I didn't even know Ranran could cook before. This table looks very good. I'm lucky tonight." She said with a smile.

Cheng Suran said modestly: "It's just home-cooked dishes."

"Miss Jiang, would you like some wine?"

Wen Ruoxian glanced at the wine cabinet and was about to get up to get it. Jiang Yu was about to turn down the offer, but Cheng Suran reacted one step faster than her, and shook her head at Wen Ruoxian: "She drove here, it's inconvenient."

Jiang Yu's heart moved slightly, and she nodded to Wen Ruoxian.

"Oh, okay." Wen Ruoxian looked at Cheng Suran with subtle eyes.

The atmosphere at the dining table subtly shifted as well.

Jiang Yu couldn't wait and eagerly picked up dishes to eat: water-boiled beef, spicy chicken wings, shredded pork with garlic sauce, hollow-heart vegetables... She enjoyed these dishes and wasn't picky in general. The spiciness suited her taste, and after a while of not eating carbs for dinner, she found the meal increasingly delicious.

However, she didn't touch the Chinese yam.

The three of them chatted while eating, Cheng Suran and Wen Ruoxian sat side by side across from Jiang Yu, eating and chatting, their eyes glanced at Jiang Yu, and their attention fell on her chopsticks, wanting to see what kind of food she was eating most frequently.

From this, one could deduce what Jiang Yu liked to eat...

She had always held onto this obsession.

Seemingly aware, Jiang Yu raised her gaze and caught Cheng Suran pretending to casually avert her eyes, glancing at the dishes once, then twice. A sense of surprise swept over her, and she couldn't help but speculate.

Was she watching her?

Unsure whether she wanted to say something or if she was observing her choice of dishes, Jiang Yu looked at the food on the table. Her gaze coincided with Cheng Suran's, and their chopsticks paused for a moment. They exchanged a casual smile before Jiang Yu bravely picked up a piece of Chinese yam and put it into her mouth.

Cheng Suran also took a piece, chewed slowly, and swallowed before suddenly asking, "Miss Jiang, is my cooking alright?"

She looked at Jiang Yu, slightly nervous.

This was her first time cooking for Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu felt that she understood, the corners of her lips raised, and she praised without hesitation: "I want to come here for dinner every day."

Cheng Suran's cheeks turned slightly red, and she was also relieved, her heart was filled with infinite warmth and satisfaction.

She praised her.

How could it be even more joyful than making money?

Bah bah.

Jiang Yu looked at the plate of yam again, hesitated for a moment, then stretched out her chopsticks to pick up a piece and ate it, and then continued to eat other dishes.

That's what she said.

But she knew that it might be difficult to have this opportunity in the future.

After eating, Wen Ruoxian brought a fruit platter, and the three of them sat on the sofa, eating fruit while resting.

After about half an hour, Jiang Yu began to feel a bit warm and itchy. Unable to resist, she reached out to scratch and felt small raised bumps on her skin that were slightly warm to the touch. The more she scratched, the itchier it became.

Her head also started to feel dizzy, and her stomach felt nauseated.

"Ranran..." She furrowed her brows, clutching her stomach tightly, "Where's the restroom?"

"It's over there."

Cheng Suran pointed in a direction and suddenly noticed that Jiang Yu's complexion was off, which startled her. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Yu didn't respond, she got up and headed to the restroom.

Soon, the sound of retching could be heard from inside.

"! ! "

Cheng Suran and Wen Ruoxian looked at each other, stood up abruptly, and rushed into the toilet.

"Jiang Yu!"

They saw Jiang Yu squatting by the toilet, curled up, vomiting upside down, her arms and neck were swollen red like mosquito bites.

Cheng Suran was scared out of her wits, and squatted down to hold her: "What's the matter? Why is there so much..."

A terrible thought flashed through her mind.

Food poisoning?

"What's the matter?" Wen Ruoxian followed, also frightened by the scene in front of her.

Jiang Yu was panting with difficulty, and in a daze, she grabbed Cheng Suran's hand: "Ranran..."

"Hey, I'm here. What's going on? Could it be food poisoning..." Cheng Suran murmured, but her mind was already blank.

Wen Ruoxian was still calm, and quickly made a judgment: "It shouldn't be food poisoning, otherwise, how could the two of us be okay? There are so many red rashes, it may be an allergy..." She reached out and hooked Jiang Yu's shoulder, "Help her up quickly, let's go to the hospital."

"Oh oh, alright..." Cheng Suran panicked, nodding repeatedly, and tremblingly helped Jiang Yu to stand up and leave.

Wen Ruoxian grabbed her bag and car keys, opened the door, and the two of them supported Jiang Yu as they entered the elevator and went down to the parking lot.

"I'm driving."

"Okay."

Wen Ruoxian let go, and Jiang Yu's weight pressed heavily on Cheng Suran's shoulder as if she had become boneless, her lips moved slightly: "Yam*... Ranran, no need to...” In her state of panic, Cheng Suran misheard it as "take medicine," and in a moment of anxiety and fear, she tightly wrapped her arms around Jiang Yu's waist: "No, we must go to the hospital. Don't be afraid... It's okay, I'm here with you."

*山药 (shan yao) = yam,吃药 (chi yao)= take medicine 

Allergies can also be fatal.

"It's because I'm allergic to yam... I don't need to go to the hospital..." Jiang Yu endured nausea in her stomach and struggled to say every word.

Cheng Suran was stunned.

Yam...

Fried yam on the dinner table.

Isn't that Jiang Yu's favorite dish? She clearly saw that she ate a lot, but in a blink of an eye, Cheng Suran understood.

"You're allergic to yams?"

"Then why did you still eat so much? Didn't you know that you are allergic? Did you do it on purpose? Cheng Suran was furious and raised her voice a few degrees.

This was unacceptable.

Knowing that she's allergic, but still ate so much, making fun of her own life and safety.

"I didn't..."

Jiang Yu leaned weakly against her, her eyes reddened, her voice feeble: "Because you cooked the dishes, I didn't want to waste... I don't know when I'll get the chance to eat again."

Cheng Suran's anger froze in an instant.