Forbidden To Be Tempted

Cheng Suran doesn't remember how she fell asleep.
In the haze, she only felt surrounded by a reassuring warmth.

 

When she woke up, Jiang Yu was gone again.

 

That Monday, the class was full, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, from dawn to sunset.
She changed four classrooms throughout the day.

 

When the bell rang for the last class, the class committee yelled loudly before everyone left:

 

“Those who want to sign up for two competitions come to my side to register–“

 

“Be active! The second class next door registered seven people, and there are only three in our class.
This may be the last time you participate in activities at school.
You may not have time for senior year next year.
Don't leave any regrets for your college life!”

 

The school holds many activities every year, with different scales.
In addition to the sports meeting and New Year's Day party, the most grand activities are the Top Ten Singer Contest and Fashion Show Contest, which are often held by the end of October, and registration preparations begin two months in advance.

 

Classmates, you look at me, I look at you, laughing and joking:

 

“I've asked around, four people in class 2 signed up for the Fashion Show, and the rest in the Top Ten singers,  the same as our class, a tie.”

 

“Hmm, whoever puts the tall ones in the second class doesn't count.”

 

“I want to apply for the Fashion Show.
But with my height, I'm afraid that the clothes will drag me away when I go on stage?”

 

“Ha ha ha ha…”

 

Everyone laughed together.

 

Cheng Suran was sitting in the corner, packing her books, the world around her seemed to have nothing to do with her.

 

“Ranran—” Ding Yuan approached at some point, “Aren't you going to apply for the singing competition?”

 

“I remember hearing you sing in the dormitory, it was very nice.”

 

“…It's just for self-entertainment, not on stage.” Cheng Suran smiled lightly, with a habitual indifference in her tone.  She was preoccupied about going to her sister's office, and after she finished speaking, she hurriedly left through the back door.

 

She arrived at the company before dark.

 

It was the end of working hours, and the employees in the building went out one after another.
Cheng Suran passed them all the way unimpeded, attracting many probing eyes.

 

She silently entered the elevator, went upstairs, and came to the door of Jiang Yu's office.

 

060212, she entered the password successfully.

 

In that instant, in a flash of lightning, she thought, could this string of numbers have any special meaning? But she didn't know Jiang Yu at all, so she had no way to guess, and could only dismiss the idea.

 

There was no one in the office, the floor-to-ceiling windows were half open, and the cool wind blew the curtains slightly.

 

There is a small photo frame on the table, and there is a single photo embedded in it – Jiang Yu is standing on the green lawn, holding a Corgi in her arms, with a warm and confident smile on her face, wearing the most plain and simple white tee and jeans.  A sense of sophistication.

 

The time stamp on the lower right corner indicated it was eight years ago.

 

Cheng Suran looked at it for a while, then turned around and walked to the sofa to sit down.

 

She opened the drawer, and found there were indeed many snacks inside, her eyes lit up.
Squid slices, rusks, strawberry crisps, seaweed rolls…
She has never eaten any of them, and she wants to try them all.

 

She seldom ate snacks since she was a child, and the only few times her cousin was willing to share them with her was a blessing.

 

After she came out to study, she was forced to make a living, and even became more reluctant to spend money on it.

 

But, now, can she have so much?

 

So happy!

 

Cheng Suran closed the drawer, got up and went to the small bathroom behind the sofa to wash her hands, and use the toilet.
Just when she turned off the faucet, she heard the door slamming outside.

 

She was about to move.

 

Then, a sound of footsteps came in, like two people.

 

“Are you getting used to the new agent?” Jiang Yu's voice was soft and thin, and there seemed to be a smile in her tone.

 

After two seconds of silence, another strange woman's voice: “It's all good, Sister Na is our chief broker after all, she has a lot of resources, and I am the best, a strong match.” The tone was relaxed and sounded very young.

 

Cheng Suran held her breath.

 

Is she supposed to go out now? Sister is talking about work with someone.
Would it be embarrassing to go out at this time? But not going out seems to be eavesdropping on purpose…
She was a little confused, so she quietly looked out.

 

It was dark, and the lights in the room were turned on.

 

Jiang Yu stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, with her arms crossed, body slightly sideways, with her long hair hooked behind her ears, revealing a cold and bony side profile, which looked a bit sharp.

 

The other person is next to her, who is also tall but also has a cold and arrogant appearance, her eyes are especially enchanting and soft, like a fox, and seem to discharge electricity when they move between eyebrows.

 

“Sister Yu, it's really tiring to go to the auditions.
When will I stop doing this…”

 

“When you stop being a model.” Jiang Yu interrupted softly.

 

“…”

 

Bai Lu blinked, tilted her head and smiled: “Shouldn't it be when I'm like you?” After speaking, she took her arm affectionately.

 

Their jet-black hair was tangled together.

 

This time there is no strong perfume smell.

 

Jiang Yu tilted her head, looked at her like looking at a child, and said helplessly: “Any model, no matter how good the qualifications are, no matter how famous they are, they have to go to auditions before going on the show, including me.”

 

In a daze, she remembered that when she first arrived in Paris, she was alone, unable to understand the language, isolated and without any resources, so she could only go to the door to find clients with films and magazines, and “sell” herself one by one.

 

Being rejected, discriminated against, humiliated again and again…

 

Because she has tasted that kind of bitterness and knows the importance of opportunities, she doesn't want the people she cultivates to taste it again.

 

“I know,” Bai Lu stuck out her tongue, “I just want to blow rainbow farts* to you.”

*flatteries

 

Jiang Yu stretched out her index finger and poked her on the forehead, “If you only eat the rice cake that your mouth can reach, you will be the one who starved to death.”

 

*you'll hurt yourself because of laziness, an idiom that originated from a folktale about a man who is too lazy to eat.
One day his mother was going on a long trip, so she made him a big piece of pancake, made a hole and put it around the man's neck and told him to bow his head and take a bite when he gets hungry.
Unexpectedly, when the mother came back, the lazy man was already dying of hunger.
When the mother saw that the cake was still on his neck, taking a closer look, he only ate as far as his mouth could reach.

 

“Yeah, I understand.”

 

Bai Lu's eyes were fixed on her bright red lips, her throat moved and she tilted slightly, but at this moment, Jiang Yu's cell phone rang, and she picked it up.

 

“Um.
I'm in the office.
Not yet.
Good.”

 

After talking for a few minutes, she hung up.
She opened WeChat again, and the screen was tilted to one side.

 

“Sister Yu—”

 

“Um?”

 

“I've been obedient recently, do you want to give me some reward?” Bai Lu hugged her, and stretched her gaze to snoop.

 

But she only saw the head of a little penguin.

 

The screen goes off.

 

Tsk.

 

Jiang Yu raised her eyes, “What reward do you want?”

 

“Hmm—” she snorted, rubbed her ear against Jiang Yu's hair, and said something uncertain, “Cover resource?”

 

“Okay.”

 

“At least one of the 'Big Three' must be single-handed.” Bai Lu added.

 

She refers to the three most influential fashion magazines in China, “Fashion Color”, “Zero Degree” and “Most Fashionable”.

 

Jiang Yu became silent.

 

Seeing that she didn't speak, Bai Lu thought it was because she didn't agree or was out of action, and she was a little anxious.
The hand on her shoulder moved up unconsciously, and put it around her neck, “Sister Yu…
am I your favorite little fox?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do you like me?” She blinked softly.

 

“Yes.”

 

Jiang Yu looked at her and smiled.
She didn't mind her slightly overstepping movements.
Her expression became more gentle.
She raised his hand to lift up the broken hair on her sideburns, and said calmly and firmly: “Be calm, don't be impatient, the cover will be yours.”

 

The smile didn't penetrate into her cold eyes.

 

“Of course, Sister Yu is the best.” Bai Lu was so happy that she almost went to kiss her.

 

But she just tilted her head, stopping herself, and brushed her lips gently against her hair.

 

From an oblique rear angle, it looked like a kiss.

 

At least in Cheng Suran's view.

 

The bathroom was small and the lights were not turned on.
She hid in the dark, leaning against the wall, her eyes stretched out through the gap, and fell straight to the sides of the two hugging people.

 

The nerves in the whole body seemed to be stimulated, and the tingling sensation climbed up her tailbone.

 

Her mind went blank.

 

 ….

 

Not long after, Bai Lu left.

 

Jiang Yu was still standing in front of the window, looking at the scenery in the distance, looking down at her phone from time to time, frowning slightly, as if she was waiting for someone.

 

“Sister…” Cheng Suran walked out in time.

 

The woman turned around and stared.

 

“You were here?”

 

“Um.”

 

Jiang Yu raised her brows slightly.

 

Cheng Suran bit her lower lip and explained in a low voice: “I wanted to wash my hands before eating snacks.
When I was about to go out, you came in.
I didn't hide it on purpose, nor did I mean to listen to you, to see you…”

 

The voice suddenly froze.

 

The picture she saw just now flashed in her mind.
Her heart seemed to be stuffed into a ball of cotton soaked in water, stuffy, damp, feeling like she couldn't breathe.

 

Sister just said last night that she likes her the most…

 

She puffed up her face.

 

Jiang Yu looked at the girl quietly, without any emotion in her eyes, and was about to say something when a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and she raised her eyes.

 

“Is Little sister here?” Qi Yan came in and her eyes fell on Cheng Suran with precision.

 

She smiled.

 

“Hello, little sister, my name is Qi Yan, I am the photographer here.
The main reason I invited you here today is…” After a brief introduction, Qi Yan went straight to the point and made a gesture of invitation signaling Cheng Suran to sit down.

 

As she spoke, she took out the contents of the file bag.

 

She simply ignored Jiang Yu, the boss.

 

Today is the time for the two parties to discuss the shooting of a photo book.
Qi Yan introduced the concept of the whole series and the theme ideas of different periods to Cheng Suran.
She spoke very fast, as if she was in a hurry to do something.

 

Cheng Suran sat opposite her stiffly, a little absent-minded.

 

“That's about it, do you understand?” Qi Yan asked suddenly.

 

She blinked blankly: “What?”

 

“…”

 

Jiang Yu, who had been ignored all this time, suddenly ordered: “Speak slowly and explain it to her again.”

 

She walked to Cheng Suran and sat down.

 

Cheng Suran turned her head and glanced at her, only seeing her cold side profile, her brows and eyes were light and emotionless, as if she would never be able to get close.

 

But just now she tucked her hair for that strange woman.

 

So gentle, so natural.

 

Cheng Suran's nose became sore.

 

“Well, the photobook will be a series, divided into eight issues in total, and each issue has a theme…” Qi Yan slowed down her speech and re-explained, her gossiping eyes swept back and forth between Jiang Yu and the girl.
After finishing speaking, she tutted twice.

 

Jiang Yu looked back at her calmly, and said in a calm tone, “What are you rushing for?”

 

“Qiao Qiao is waiting for me downstairs.”

 

“…”

 

“Anyway, she's one of your own people so I won't be too polite, goodbye.” When Qi Yan talked about her own people, she looked at Cheng Suran for two more seconds, her eyes meant something, and there was a bright smile in her pair of peach blossom eyes.

 

She got up and exited the office, closing the door intimately.

 

There was silence.

 

The cold white overhead light shone down, and the light and shadow were sparse, casting a cool color on the two sitting quietly.

 

“Elder sister.”

 

Jiang Yu didn't respond, but turned her head, her dark eyes were calm and dull.

 

Cheng Suran looked at her, with lips turning white.
She looked at her silently for a while, and then she mustered up the courage to ask, “Do you have any other lovers?”