Forbidden To Be Tempted

"I misunderstood you today, I'm sorry. I hope we can reduce our private communication in the future."

"Goodbye."

Cheng Suran resolutely turned around and left.

Fragments of the model were scattered on the ground, small parts rolled far away, the swings fell apart, the decorations fell off, and the limbs of the figurine were broken and changed beyond recognition.

Jiang Yu looked at the mess on the ground as her mind buzzed.

[The left side is your career, which is what everyone sees, and the right side is your life, which is what I see. ]

[Sister, do you still like it?]

[I like it very much.]

[In these years when you were not around, it was my only keepsake.]

Her heart fell to the ground.

Jiang Yu squatted down slowly, stretched out her hand, picked up the scattered pieces on the ground one by one, and put them into the acrylic box. As she picked it up, her hands trembled more and more, and her shoulders trembled.

Tears welled up in her eyes, gradually blurring her vision.

It's broken.

All broken.

She gritted her teeth and gasped, and suddenly laughed: "Fortunately... I ate a lot of food today... I really won't be able to eat like that in the future..." She muttered as she picked them all up.

She had picked up most of the fragments within her reach, but those farther away were beyond her grasp. So, she knelt down, crawled over, and picked them up. Even the tiny bits and pieces were gathered in the palm of her hand.

Tian Lin stood behind, watching her, and unknowingly, her eyes turned red as well.

How did it become like this?

If loving someone requires you to humble yourself, then it's meaningless to be together. "Sister Yu, stop picking."

She couldn't help but advise.

Jiang Yu seemed as if she couldn't hear, still kneeling on the ground. The ceramic tile floor was very smooth. The tiny, fragmented debris couldn't be picked up, so she used her fingernails to scrape and grab.

After cleaning up, she trembled as she stood up with the box in her arms. She closed the door, turned around, and just like that, she bumped into Tian Lin's line of sight. She paused for a moment, forced out a bitter smile.

"It's too late today, stay at my place."

Seeing her tearful face, Tian Lin's heart ached: "Okay."

Jiang Yu lowered her eyes and didn't say anything else. She walked towards the master bedroom with the box in her arms, step by step like stepping on cotton.

Behind, Tian Lin's tears fell.

....

After running out of the community, Cheng Suran sat in the car in a daze, with wet tears hanging from the corners of her eyes on her eyelashes, she quietly looked at the shadow of the street lamp, her heart was turbulent.

It was a gift that she spent a lot of time and energy on, it was a gift that carried her full sincerity and love, and it was a gift that should have been thrown into the trash can. Jiang Yu picked it up in front of her, and she destroyed it in front of Jiang Yu.

But she didn't feel at ease at all.

What was shattered was not just the model, but also her heart. The harsh words she had said to Jiang Yu were meant for both Jiang Yu and herself. While it seemed like she was "getting back" at Jiang Yu, she was actually tormenting herself.

The phone suddenly vibrated.

Cheng Suran lowered her head and saw that the ID was Ruoxian, and realized that she had been out for a while, so she quickly connected: "Ruoxian...

"Ranran, where have you been? Why are you taking so long?" The voice on the phone was a little anxious.

"I'm here at Jiang Yu's place, I brought her something." Cheng Suran said truthfully, "I've already left, I'll be back right away."

"Oh."

The tone returned to calm.

After ending the call, Cheng Suran looked up and gazed deeply at the tall building inside the gate.

There won't be a future anymore.

Before entering the house, Cheng Suran tucked away all her emotions. The living room light was still on. Wen Ruoxian sat alone on the sofa in a daze, as expected. She always had to wait for her to come back before she could sleep peacefully.

"Ruoxian…"

"You're back."

Wen Ruoxian got up with a smile, Cheng Suran watched her walking towards her, a little nervous, afraid of revealing her emotions, so she smiled casually.

"Mm, we chatted for a while and forgot the time."

"Is Miss Jiang doing okay?"

"She's fine."

Cheng Suran lowered her head to change her shoes.

Wen Ruoxian gazed at her thoughtfully for a moment, nodded, and didn't ask any further. Out of habit, she reached out and gently smoothed Cheng Suran's hair, saying, "You're tired too today. Get some rest early."

"Mm."

Cheng Suran showed a cute smile: "Good night."

Wen Ruoxian walked over to the room, calm as if nothing had happened, everything was as usual. The moment Cheng Suran closed the door, she breathed a sigh of relief, leaned against the door softly, and closed her eyes.

She wondered how Jiang Yu was doing right now.

Would she pick up the broken model? Or would she have the nanny clean it up along with the new clothes and throw everything away? If she did pick it up, would she attempt to piece it back together? With her clumsy hands, it might be difficult for her to restore it to its original state. If she ended up throwing everything away, would that mean her heart had been deeply wounded, and she would no longer want to have any dealings with her?

Thinking of the latter makes her chest ache.

Isn't she the one who has been hurt...

Cheng Suran opened her eyes, looked up at the ceiling light and got lost in thought for a while. She was too impulsive tonight, putting aside her emotions, Jiang Yu is currently the company's biggest client, if she cut off the follow-up cooperation because of this, it would be a big loss.

"Ranran."

There was a knock on the door behind her, and Wen Ruoxian called her outside.

Cheng Suran straightened up in a jerk: "Mm, what's wrong?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Oh.…"

There was silence for a while through the door, and then came a gentle voice: "I'm going to sleep. If there is anything, I'll be there anytime."

"Okay."

There was no more movement outside.

Cheng Suran collapsed on the big bed, suddenly feeling extremely relieved.

Now she is not alone, she has a friend by her side, accompanying her, and caring for her. She should cherish the present moment, not think about messy things, and let everything take its course.

….

It was late at night.

Back in the room, Jiang Yu carefully put the box on the table, rummaged through the box, and found a piece of glue, like grabbing a life-saving straw.

She sat down, picked up the larger pieces, put together the outlines as she remembered them, applied glue to the cracks, and glued them together carefully and awkwardly.

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter if it's broken.

She can pick it up from the trash, she can put it back together.

Even if it doesn't look the same.

The larger fragments were relatively easy to piece together, but the scattered tiny pieces were nearly impossible to identify, making the task as challenging as reaching the sky. Jiang Yu sat under the desk lamp, working from midnight until three in the morning, managing to piece together all the major parts with great effort.

However, there are too many missing and damaged places, and it is impossible to see that it is a model at all.

The light yellow light from the desk lamp softly sprinkled on the model, and also lit up Jiang Yu's eyes. A cluster of small flames jumped in those dark pupils, the surrounding was very quiet, and her lonely shadow stretched very long.

The light seeped through the study and the dressing room, casting a glow outside. It caught Tian Lin off guard as she got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.

"Sister Yu..."

The door of the master bedroom was ajar, she yawned, and walked in lightly, "Why haven't you slept yet? It's past three o'clock."

Startled, Jiang Yu's hand trembled, causing the small fragments she had glued together to fall. She hurriedly bent down to pick them up, not paying attention, and bumped her forehead against the edge of the table with a thud. Ignoring the pain, she hastily picked up the small pieces, blowing on them and holding them in her palm.

That impact sounded quite strong.

"I'm not sleepy yet, I'll go to sleep after I'm done."

Jiang Yu's appearance startled Tian Lin, instantly shaking off any drowsiness. She quickly stepped forward and rubbed Jiang Yu's forehead, then glanced over at the items on the table, her expression turning serious.

"Does this even mean anything?" 

She asked.

Jiang Yu lowered her head, wiped off the dusty glue with a paper towel, and applied a new layer.

"So what if it's finished? What she did today is to tell you clearly that nothing is impossible. Why bother keeping this thing and making yourself miserable? Are you willing to sacrifice your dignity and your backbone?"

"If you have to humble yourself to love someone, then it's meaningless to be together." Tian Lin hated iron for not being steel.

Finally, Jiang Yu paused in her task and stared blankly at the broken pieces. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "We should hold onto some memories."

"Besides, I don't think this is humbling."

"..."

Tian Lin was speechless.

"Okay, I'm going to sleep now, and I'll fight tomorrow." Jiang Yu coaxed her.

Turning off the desk lamp, the only light source was a small wall lamp, making the whole room even darker. Jiang Yu watched Tian Lin go out, went back to the bedroom, and threw herself on the bed.

Rabbit dolls engulfed her.

The light from the high-rise outside came in through the gaps in the curtains, projecting strange shapes on the ceiling, large and small light spots, sometimes flickering, sometimes still, confusing her eyes.

Sleepiness gradually swept over.

She is dreaming.

It was the same girl, still wearing a floral skirt, standing on the lawn, smiling at her. She reached out to hug her, but couldn't move, and could only watch her go further and further away...

....

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

Jiang Yu didn't sleep well that night.

As the sun rose, her sleep was disrupted by the sound of her phone vibrating. She rubbed her groggy eyes and checked the incoming call—it was from Bai Lu. The drowsiness instantly faded.

"Hello..."

"Sister Yu, I'm back!" Bai Lu exclaimed excitedly.

Jiang Yu scrambled to sit up: "Where are you?"

"Jiangcheng Airport."

"Isn't the fashion season over yet? You're going to Paris next week, why are you back?"

"I miss you, so I'm back."

"..."

"Sister Yu, I want to eat your spicy chicken. Can we have it for lunch today? I deliberately got off the plane preparing my stomach. Those snacks and drinks are not as good as the dishes you cook yourself."

She acted coquettishly like a child, and seemed to have forgotten the self-harm not long ago.

Jiang Yu had a headache, and felt suffocated, but in the end she knows a large part of the reason why Bai Lu was so willful was her indulgence. No matter how unbearable the disaster she caused, she could only swallow it in her stomach.

"Okay, I'll let auntie buy chicken."

"Sister Yu loves me the most!"

Then the phone was cut off.

Jiang Yu sighed as she held the phone. She sat on the bed for a moment before getting up and heading downstairs. She opened the curtains to let sunlight in. On the desk in the study, the broken model stood silently.

Only a vague outline could be discerned, hinting that it was once a model.

A fleeting moment of pain crossed her eyes. She gingerly picked it up and placed it inside a cabinet. The original acrylic box was gone, leaving it exposed and bare.

From now on, this will be her only keepsake.

....

The aunt nanny bought a freshly processed whole chicken, and Bai Lu arrived not long after. She hadn't put on any makeup that day, and her sharply defined face looked naturally clean. She wore plain long sleeves and jeans, a very understated outfit.

She had sprayed a hint of perfume, something quite rare for her.

It is the vetiver iris that Jiangyu likes and often uses.

Jiang Yu had initially planned to ask for an explanation, but as the words reached her lips, she hesitated. Seeing Bai Lu reminded her of that night's blood, the words she had spoken, and a suffocating feeling weighed heavily on her heart.

"You've been busy these days, right? Have you been taking good care of yourself?"

Jiang Yu smiled instead.

Bai Lu was taken aback, a nervous look briefly flashing in her eyes before turning into a smile. "It's okay, being busy makes life fulfilling," she said, reaching out to take Jiang Yu's arm.

"Let me see your wrist."

Jiang Yu grabbed her left hand.

The cut wound on the wrist has healed, leaving only a faint scar, which can only be seen if you look closely.

Bai Lu didn't speak, just stared at her face.

"It's not worth hurting yourself for anyone." Jiang Yu put down her hand.

"Don't do this kind of thing again."

"Oh."

Bai Lu had a strange expression on her face, she withdrew her hand: "You don't blame me?"

"What?"

"I came back on my own."

"If I blame you, will you stop being stubborn?"

"Go rest, I'll cook," Jiang Yu turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Bai Lu hurriedly followed, "I'll accompany you."

The ingredients in the kitchen were all prepared and placed on the counter in an orderly manner. Jiang Yu put on her apron and took charge of the cooking herself. She was like a robot operating according to the established procedures, with a face full of absent-mindedness.

"Sister Yu, I have something to tell you." Bai Lu watched her calmly.

Jiang Yu hummed without raising her head.

"Miss Mina has been busy with foreign models recently. She has no time to take care of me. I thought I could help her when I have the time. What do you think?"

"You are too busy with your own work, how can you help?"

"It's just a simple thing, like if I meet a new model at a certain show, I could help build a bridge in the middle and bring them to our company. Then we promote them, and who knows, we might even get a few contracts from those looking to leave their current agencies."

"You're a model, not a talent scout."

Mina is the company's Chief Agent and also the Director of the Brokerage Department. She's also Bai Lu's agent. Over the past few years, it's been Mina who's been handling Bai Lu's bookings and accompanying her on her outings. The two have a close relationship and are often seen together.

"I just want to help you with something. It won't affect my work. After all, we're family. If I can help, I definitely will. Don't let the fat water flow to others' fields." Bai Lu smiled and hugged her arm.

Jiang Yu once again felt the torment of being with Bai Lu.

The scarlet blood, the resentful eyes, aroused the shadow in her heart... She didn't know if this kind of thing would happen again, as if there was a time bomb around her.

"Well, as long as it doesn't affect your work, you can do whatever you want, but if you can't handle it, don't force yourself and leave it to Mina." She just wanted to get rid of Bai Lu quickly.

It's better to keep this person busy than to be pestered herself.

hoo—

A hint of cunning flashed in Bai Lu's eyes, and a little joy appeared on her face: "Mm don't worry."

Jiang Yu cooked three dishes for lunch.

Last night, she was heartbroken and sad, and she didn't go to sleep until after three o'clock in the morning. Her mind was still a little heavy, her appetite was poor, and she only ate half a bowl of rice.

In the past, whenever Bai Lu was with her, her mouth would chatter like a machine gun, talking about various topics and engaging in non-stop conversations. But today, it was as if she had become a different person. She was eating while looking at her phone and didn't say a word.

She left immediately after eating.

Catching a plane back to Paris.

After Bai Lu left, Jiang Yu immediately called her assistant to inquire and give some instructions. Although she had some lingering worries, she quickly felt a sense of relief and relaxation—knowing that the ticking time bomb wasn't beside her for the moment.

A WeChat message popped up suddenly.

Bai Lu: [image]

It was a screenshot of a passer-by's Weibo post.

In the photo, she was standing by the baggage conveyor at the airport, and Cheng Suran had half of her face shown.

Bai Lu: [Did you find your little sister again?]