Chapter Text
Chu Wanning picks up the small post-it carefully placed on her apartment’s door and crumples it into a ball, throwing it inside the pocket of her coat. That's thirty one now and her patience is running thin. If someone wants to play with her, Chu Wanning won’t give them any reason to continue with this stupidity. They are bound to get tired when they notice there’s nothing fun about her reactions.
By the time she arrives at her office, Chu Wanning throws the yellow post-it into the trash can and forgets all about it.
—
It’s unusual for Chu Wanning to be at team dinner. At a drinking party to celebrate a huge achievement, no less.
She doesn’t usually attend these meetings, self-conscious of how awkward she is, of how hard she makes it for other people to deal with. It’s only because they’ve finished a project that gave them one too many headaches and long nights of overtime shifts that she’s even here to begin with; Chu Wanning couldn’t say no to a little bit of alcohol and familiar company. It’s been a couple of rough weeks.
There are nine people sitting around the table and talking in animated tones, exchanging gossip while drinking and toasting and drinking, yet they remain a bit too mindful of Chu Wanning’s presence, their careful gazes turning back to her when their crowd grows a bit too loud. By the tenth time it happens, Chu Wanning has already chugged five glasses of baijiu and regret is starting to sit heavily on her chest.
It’s become rather normal for people to be cautious around her. Chu Wanning is aware of every single one of her flaws and she knows, deep down, that people never feel comfortable in her presence. Because of this, she’s learned to keep her distance, wanting to avoid making things uncomfortable for both the others and herself. But something—be it the exhaustion weighing down her bones or the solitude that sometimes catches up to her—made her come to this dinner tonight, words of acceptance coming out of her mouth well before the thought of rejecting the invitation could even fully form in her mind.
Chu Wanning had chosen to sit between two empty chairs, not waiting to sit next to someone that may reject her presence. But her consideration is thrown out of the window, because right after the first round of drinks is over, Mo Ran walks up to sit on one of the empty chairs and lets her body fall to the side as she mumbles unintelligible words, leaning her head on Chu Wanning’s shoulder, clearly beyond drunk after gulping down every drink sent her way.
This is the same Mo Ran that has been working under Chu Wanning’s team for the past two years, the Mo Ran that has never been scared of her, the girl that at the beginning had been somewhat eager to please her, meeting Chu Wanning’s cold glances with a dimpled smile.
But things changed, of course. Chu Wanning could bring herself to be soft and mellow, no. She was bad at managing the rush of feelings and emotions within her, and even worse at outwardly reacting in a way that left her vulnerable in front of others, so after a big mistake had caused big losses for Sisheng Co., Chu Wanning’s initial response was to lash out at Mo Ran, who had been the team leader for the project. Regret had settled immediately after the words left her mouth, but the damage had already been done, and whatever respect and admiration Mo Ran held for her were completely lost at her anger; Mo Ran’s sweet smiles became mocking sneer, her high regards became resentment and the good moments they had together became scarce and tainted with bitterness.
It has come as a surprise, however, that in these past few months Mo Ran has become rather… subdued, in a way. It’s been a while since she last avoided Chu Wanning, since she last tried to do things her own way, ignoring Chu Wanning’s instructions; she doesn’t look at Chu Wanning with the barely concealed anger she used to, either, and it’s a sudden change that it leaves Chu Wanning at the edge of her seat, anxious for the moment she makes a wrong call again and things go back to the way they were, leaving her to blindly pick up the broken pieces of hope that has, slowly but surely, been building up in her chest.
Another glass is slid towards Mo Ran, who extends an arm to take it with a low chuckle that makes Chu Wanning shudder. Before she’s able to close her hand around the glass, Chu Wanning grabs it and gulps down the entirety of the glass under the watchful eyes of her team. The table quiets down when she places the glass back on the table, wiping the corner of her lips with her thumb, gaze steady as she regards them with a raised eyebrow.
Amidst the silence, Mo Ran is the one to break it, her quiet laugh making everyone relax, their shoulders slumping.
“Thank you, Manager Chu.” she says, lacing one of her arms around one of Chu Wanning’s. Her back snaps upright, body tensing with the unexpected touch but she doesn’t say anything to Mo Ran, or to anyone, really, even if she can hear the quiet muttering that carries with the warm air.
“Take Mo Ran away from her, oh god, is she already that drunk?” someone whispers, their voice annoyed.
“Mo Ran truly has a death wish,” someone else mutters, amused.
Chu Wanning wants to tell everyone that she’s fine, Mo Ran isn’t heavy and she isn’t truly being a bother. Even with all that whispering, no one moves to take Mo Ran away after a long moment, going back to their previous conversation, choosing ignorance over action. Chu Wanning relaxes, for some reason, and barely contains a sigh of relief.
The conversation drifts, then, and she’s only mindlessly following it when she feels her phone vibrate on the pocket of her coat, the sound lost in the loudness of the room. Chu Wanning takes it out, moving as little as possible so she doesn’t jolt Mo Ran’s body and reads the texts from the lockscreen.
Hu Jun
where are you?
why arent you home
Chu Wanning presses her lips together, jaw clenched as she opens WeChat and types out an answer.
Chu Wanning
I’m at a team dinner. I’ll be home late
Hu Jun
you never go to those
why did you go tonight??
im at your place
Chu Wanning frowns, fingers tightening around her phone. It will never feel right to tell him everything she does and everywhere she goes; she will never get used to the reprimands, to the complaints that carry around almost every day because there’s always something she does wrong. She wonders if Hu Jun will be angry at her, then almost immediately concludes that he will. The thought alone is enough to tire her out.
Chu Wanning
It was a last minute decision
Hu Jun
ok
are you coming or not
Chu Wanning knows she should go. She shouldn’t ruin the good mood for too long, fully aware of the way people side-eye her whenever they are about to say something. There’s the exhaustion, too, her shoulders sagging with all the sleepless nights spent at the office. But if Hu Jun is at her place, it means that he wants something and Chu Wanning is sure she won’t be able to give him that something, way beyond tired to even consider dealing with him. He will surely be disappointed in Chu Wanning’s decision to come here, and when he gets irritated—
“He’s annoying,” someone mutters close to Chu Wanning’s ear, startling her enough to flinch back. She then remembers Mo Ran’s head is on her shoulder, her face slightly lit by Chu Wanning’s phone screen. She places it on her thigh, screen down, trying to hide the way her heart rabbits on her chest. “You shouldn’t go back yet, Manager Chu. Here, let me pour you a glass.”
Mo Ran sits upright again, reaching for Chu Wanning’s glass and the bottle of baijiu. Chu Wanning tries to not think of the way her shoulder feels cold, her side empty. She looks at Mo Ran as she pours a glass and offers it to Chu Wanning, their fingers brushing when she takes it with some reluctance.
Chu Wanning drinks the glass in one go, feeling Mo Ran’s gaze on her all the time. She tries not to squirm; it would betray the nervousness that has her hands growing restless, her body much too aware of Mo Ran’s attention. She comes close, however, to squirming away from Mo Ran’s warmth when she sits back with their sides pressed together, leaving Chu Wanning’s skin tingling.
As conscious as she is, Chu Wanning doesn’t move away, neither does she tell Mo Ran to move away. Instead, Chu Wanning keeps still, posture impeccable even when one of Mo Ran’s big hands sneaks to rest against Chu Wanning’s thigh and quietly keeps it there, unaware of the way Chu Wanning’s breath hitches, cheeks warming from the touch alone.
“Sorry, Manager Chu, I’m being too much of a bother, aren’t I?” There’s mirth in the way Mo Ran talks to her, like there’s something funny in this whole ordeal, keeping her tone hushed, her face close, so close to Chu Wanning’s. She wonders if it’s truly amusing to watch her struggle, to notice the awkwardness that radiates out of her. The thought alone is enough for her insides to churn with discomfort.
She should go before her mood curdles and she says something she’ll regret as soon as it happens, just like it has happened many times before.
“I have to go,” Chu Wanning says quietly to Mo Ran.
“Manager Chu,” Mo Ran answers, slurring the words into a quiet whine, hand clasping around Chu Wanning’s forearm, “Is it because of your boyfriend? Let him wait for you until dawn. Don’t go yet.”
Chu Wanning swallows down the discomfort crawling up her throat. There’s something in Mo Ran’s voice, drawing her in, like the moon pulls over the tide, almost hypnotically. She would stay, lending her shoulder for Mo Ran to lean into, if only the situation was any other, completely different from the one they're into.
“I have to go, Mo Ran,” Chu Wanning insists, hand itching to pry Mo Ran’s fingers away, the touch searing even through the layers of clothes.
“No,” Mo Ran says again, quite petulant, her lips tinted deep, dark red sticking out into a silly pout. “Accompany me to the restrooms instead, pretty please?”
Chu Wanning looks at Mo Ran’s pout and sighs through her nose, more of a huff than anything else. She will definitely go home after this.
“Fine,” Chu Wanning says, standing up and dragging Mo Ran up by the elbow, her touch gentle and careful. Mo Ran gives her a dimpled smile and locks their arms together, the height difference making it a little awkward.
Chu Wanning keeps a watchful eye on Mo Ran so she doesn’t trip on her ridiculous high heels, but her thoughts keep drifting towards the height difference between them. Mo Ran is tall, taller than Chu Wanning, but not by much. But when she wears heels, she towers above everyone, including Chu Wanning herself, enough that she has to tilt her head up to look Mo Ran in the eye. It used to annoy Chu Wanning, because every time something went wrong between them, she had to look up to see the sneer in Mo Ran’s glossy red lips.
Tonight, she feels quite grateful for the height. It’s enough so she doesn’t have to see Mo Ran’s hazy and dark eyes again; she doesn’t have to see the way her cheeks have flushed pink with the alcohol, making an alluring sight.
But Chu Wanning doesn’t want to think about any of that. She shouldn't.
They arrive at the tiny restroom at the end of the hall. It’s a small, little thing, so Mo Ran has to step inside first, dragging Chu Wanning by wrapping a warm hand around her wrist.
From the way Mo Ran had been leaning into her for the past half an hour, her words slurred and her voice too loud, Chu Wanning thought Mo Ran was very drunk. Now, however, she stands to her full height, walking in a perfect straight line towards one of the two stalls, closing the door quietly after giving Chu Wanning a smile, her face flushed, but her dark eyes piercing and fully aware.
Chu Wanning waits. She stands facing away from the long and wide mirrors, focusing her gaze on the white floor tiles. By now, Hu Jun must have long since gone home, disappointed by Chu Wanning’s lack of response. Tomorrow, he will ask to meet her for lunch, maybe dinner, and will talk to her in that overly-gentle and chiding tone, saying something akin to A-Ning, you should tell me these things. You can’t keep acting like this if you want it to work. And Chu Wanning, for all that her famous temper precedes her, will say nothing. It doesn’t matter that she hates hearing that tone—she knows it’s meant to make her feel like a fool, like she’s the only one at fault—she will look at Hu Jun in the eye and keep the stubborn line of her mouth shut.
“Manager Chu?” Mo Ran’s face appears in front of her eyes. Chu Wanning snaps out of her bitter thoughts, blinking a couple of times to notice Mo Ran is leaning down to be in her field of vision. “What’s got you so distracted?”
Chu Wanning’s eyes follow Mo Ran as she straightens again. “You should go home soon, Mo Ran.”
“Me? Why me? Weren’t you the one going home?”
“You’re drunk,” Chu Wanning says dryly, considering that enough of an explanation.
“I don’t know about that,” Mo Ran smiles, dimples in their full glory under the white light. “What makes you think so?”
She doesn’t wait for an answer, moving to stand in front of the mirror and turning on the tap to wash her hands. Chu Wanning turns too, looking as Mo Ran takes out a lipstick from her purse, reapplying the now muted color on her lips. She opens her mouth, sliding the bar of color, then smacks her lips together, meeting Chu Wanning’s eyes through the mirror, her lips now glossy and dark red.
Chu Wanning looks at Mo Ran and wonders what changed. She's all smiles and teasing and jokes, just like when they first met. It’s utterly nerve-wracking. Chu Wanning doesn’t know what to expect from it., so she can only wait, heart heavy on her chest, for this peace to be destroyed with the slightest mistake; only then will Mo Ran rethink her actions and decide things were better before, when her kindness wasn't directed at someone that wasn't even worth the effort.
“Mmh, Manager Chu,” Mo Ran mutters, turning around. Chu Wanning tenses like a chord, too conscious of the way Mo Ran’s dark gaze falls on her, the way her tone is deep and breathy.
It’s happening, Chu Wanning thinks, waiting with bated breath for Mo Ran to say something else.
“You should keep looking at me.” Mo Ran steps closer, dangerously so. The closer she gets, the more Chu Wanning has to tilt her head back to look her in the eye.
For some reason, Chu Wanning’s first reaction is to grow defiant, waiting for a fight. She waits for some kind of mocking remark, for Mo Ran to say something that will pierce her heart and bruise her ego. It may be the alcohol in her body, or the hotheadedness she’s always had deep inside of her, but it none of it matters because she keeps looking at Mo Ran, her body turning cold yet threatening to melt under the warmth of Mo Ran’s gaze at any given moment.
Why? Chu Wanning wants to ask. Why should I keep looking at you?
She doesn’t need to voice her question. Mo Ran’s smile grows bigger, much wider as Chu Wanning feels one arm circle her waist, pulling her closer until her chest is flushed against Mo Ran’s, so close she can smell the alcohol in Mo Ran’s breath as she says, “I like the way you look at me.”
For that one brief, fleeting moment, Chu Wanning wonders if Mo Ran sees what she’s tried hard to hide. Panic flares under her crawling skin, heart loud in her ears, eyes searching for Mo Ran’s mocking intentions, but finds nothing. Still, she doesn’t break eye contact with Mo Ran, not when a hand on her waist becomes a full-fledged grip, fingers sinking until she’s sure they’ll print on her skin.
Mo Ran leans down and Chu Wanning closes her eyes instinctively, breath hitching. Soft lips land on hers, the tentative slide stickily sweet. Everything fades away from Chu Wanning’s mind as Mo Ran’s lips move on her with confidence and expertise. She isn’t aware of the moment she kisses back, her hands finding their way on Mo Ran’s neck and shoulder, grip tight as Mo Ran’s drags downwards to her hip and squeezes, deepening the kiss when Chu Wanning’s lips part in a quiet gasp.
Chu Wanning loses herself in the moment, following Mo Ran’s lead when she pushes them to walk into one of the stalls, locking the door with one hand while the other wanders down and grabs a handful of Chu Wanning’s ass, humming as she swallows the surprised gasp that comes out of Chu Wanning’s mouth.
Everything is a mix of arousal and unknown sensations; from the way Mo Ran’s tongue against hers is too much, to the touch of Mo Ran's hands against her body making it burn from the inside.
Mo Ran grabs her own skirt and yanks it up until the hem rests against her upper thigh, barely hiding her underwear. Chu Wanning watches the action with her mouth dry, hands itching to touch and pinch the tanned skin of Mo Ran’s thigh. When Mo Ran’s knee parts Chu Wanning’s legs open, she follows easily, letting Mo Ran’s full, naked thigh to settle in between. Chu Wanning’s body moves on its own accord, foreign to her rationality, hands tangling on Mo Ran’s inky hair, pulling a little when she licks the roof of her mouth, still fondling her ass.
Then, Mo Ran’s both hands settle on Chu Wanning’s hips, pushing them down against her full bare thigh, rocking Chu Wanning with an ease that can only come from a fully developed strength and Chu Wanning being completely gone.
Chu Wanning moans, low and breathy, as her clothed pussy rubs against Mo Ran’s thigh, her wet underwear clinging to her labia. Mo Ran mouths at her jaw, teeth scraping against bone and flesh as she wanders lower, down Chu Wanning’s neck, then up again, mouthing and licking at her earlobe, dragging out another sound out of her.
Heat pools low on her belly, and it’s only then, with Mo Ran moaning into her mouth and one of her hands trying to sneak under Chu Wanning’s pants, that realization falls onto her, cold and harsh, leaving aside the daze she had fallen into.
Chu Wanning pushes Mo Ran away by the shoulders, making her stumble backwards, her eyes hazy and dark. It’s truly a tempting sight, the way her reapplied lipstick is now smeared past her lips and all around. Chu Wanning breathes harshly through her open mouth, the back on her hand wiping away the spit on her chin. It comes out smeared red, just as she expected.
“What’s wrong, Wanning?” Mo Ran asks, sounding genuinely confused, her voice soft and inquiring.
Chu Wanning can feel her soaked underwear, the way her body is on edge, ready to snap at the slightest touch. She doesn’t look at Mo Ran again, not when she tries to grab her wrist and Chu Wanning yanks it back. She unlocks the door of the stall and runs away, ignoring Mo Ran’s loud voice calling after her, leaving the restaurant without going back to the table. Chu Wanning goes as far as her feet take her, until her legs feel too heavy and the cold air she breathes unclouds her mind.
What was she thinking, forgetting herself for a moment too long? Something raw and ugly settles on her stomach, nausea and shame rolling into her. Mo Ran was drunk and Chu Wanning wasn’t. The blame and the consequences of this night solely fall on her, on the way she was unable to stop, on the way she reciprocated without an ounce of doubt.
Chu Wanning calls for a ride and waits with angry tears in her eyes, rubbing his hand against her lips furiously, trying to get rid of the lipstick that undoubtedly is smeared all around her mouth.
Her phone burns a hole in the pocket of her coat, heavy in a way it has never felt before. We’ll talk tomorrow, Hu Jun last texted her. Regret washes over Chu Wanning, wishing she’d gone home earlier. She wants to undo the night, to turn back and stop it from happening.
Liar, something whispers within her and Chu Wanning refuses to acknowledge it and accept the reason why it tells her that.
When she arrives home, she goes directly into the bathroom, turning on the lights and looking at herself in the mirror. She sees someone that looks like herself, yet it doesn’t: her hair is a mess, her lips red and swollen, red lipstick stains on her jaw, her neck, the collar of her white shirt.
Chu Wanning looks in the mirror and despairs.
—
Mo Ran
manager chu, are you ok?
i apologize if i said or did something stupid on friday’s night
ppl told me i was being quite stupid, but i don’t remember much of that night
please don’t avoid me anymore
can we talk? :(
or at least let me apologize properly! i’ll buy you lunch!!!
—
It’s not easy to avoid Mo Ran.
They work on the same department, same floor, and while Chu Wanning has her own office, there’s a limit on how much time she can hide in there when six people report directly to her. She’s acutely aware of Mo Ran’s attempts at lingering around, calling out to her when Chu Wanning walks past her, flashing a smile whenever their gazes inevitably meet. It’s slowly but surely making her lose her mind.
And as much as Chu Wanning wants to deny it, she’s weak. Cowardice runs through her body, making her run away as soon as she catches sight of Mo Ran outside their office. It’s definitely not one of her proudest moments, but she will do anything it takes to escape until the tender bruises on her skin fade away and the shape of Mo Ran’s body against her blurs in her mind.
So Chu Wanning arrives painfully early, and leaves late at night. It helps as a distraction to work for hours until she gets too immersed, and it helps to avoid encountering Mo Ran at the halls or the elevator.
She’s completely taken aback when on Friday’s evening, a familiar voice calls out to her when she steps out of the building.
Chu Wanning stops dead on her tracks, heart on her throat. She doesn’t look back, mind screaming at her to keep walking, to ignore the voice that calls her, just like she’s done the past couple of days. But her body keeps still, even when the echo of heels gets closer and closer.
Mo Ran stops in front of her, a small smile gracing her lips. “Good evening, Manager Chu. It’s been a while.”
Chu Wanning tries to nod, but it comes out as more of an awkward jerk, her body stiff. Still, she tries to appear nonchalant. “Did you need something?”
Mo Ran clears her throat. “Can we talk?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Chu Wanning answers, fast and cool. If Mo Ran doesn’t remember that night, it’s better for the both of them. It was a mistake, after all. Mo Ran may have not been completely aware of who she was with; she may have confused Chu Wanning with another person, imagining their face while she pawed and kissed her with desperation. Mo Ran was drunk, drunk enough to forget that night and Chu Wanning will not hold her accountable for that. “If it’s about work, you can meet me at the office. No need to stay until late to do so.”
“You know that’s not it, Wanning.”
“Don’t—call me that!” Chu Wanning hisses, heartbeat quickening on her chest. The cold air starts to blow, carrying the chill of the wind with it. Chu Wanning shivers under her heavy coat and with it, her heart grows cold. “If it’s about last week, nothing happened. You were drunk, that’s all. Focus on your work, Mo Ran, stop messing around sending me texts.”
Chu Wanning nods once before walking past Mo Ran in a flurry of hurried steps. She doesn’t hear the echo of heels behind her, so she counts it as a win. Good, Chu Wanning tells herself. Mo Ran should stop feeling guilty over something she doesn’t remember; it’s all Chu Wanning's inability to act like nothing happened, dwelling into her shameful memories.
Fortunately, Mo Ran doesn’t text her anymore after that, nor does she seek Chu Wanning out at work. They see each other every day, as expected, but Chu Wanning doesn’t avoid Mo Ran as blatantly as before and Mo Ran’s smiles aren’t as strained as they had grown to be.
All in all, Chu Wanning is ready to leave that night behind, fading with the color of her bruises, until all that’s left is her pale, unmarked skin and the ghost of fervent touches.
—
—
Guilt crawls on Chu Wanning’s skin, driving her days into a mess of denial and hatred, unable to forget Mo Ran’s sweet touches, hot and brazen, much unlike anything she’s ever come to know before. It makes him sick with disgust at how much she finds herself not regretting that night as the days pass and she lies down in bed, reminiscing about Mo Ran’s hands on her, her naked thigh between her legs applying pressure, a feeling she recalls with the help of one of her pillows. And every time, when she comes down from the high, she lies with the rolling shame on her stomach, at loss on what to do.
It makes her reject her boyfriend’s advances all through the week, refusing to meet at either of their apartments, not wanting him to see the bruises on her skin. It’s not something she should be doing, especially not when she knows Hu Jun to grow insistent once she becomes avoidant like this, his need clear in the way disappointment sours his face whenever he arrives at Chu Wanning’s office and offers to take her home, only to be face with an outright rejection masked by stupid excuses Chu Wanning no longer knows if he buys or not.
It’s unfair. It’s truly unfair that Mo Ran gets to live free of this weight dragging Chu Wanning down. And it’s stupid how much Chu Wanning wishes Mo Ran’s wouldn’t live in this blissful ignorance, that she too remembered the way she touched Chu Wanning, the way she kissed and set a branding mark on her; it’s good that Mo Ran doesn’t remember, because this way Chu Wanning isn’t confronted by the deep shame of how easy it was to give herself away to someone who isn’t her boyfriend.
But oh how she still wishes things were different, that she was reciprocated by the love that never came to be.
Chu Wanning knows it’s her fault. It’s all because she wanted something she could never have.
—
The weeks pass and Chu Wanning’s mood sours more and more.
Ever since that last conversation with Mo Ran, things keep going wrong in every sense; Mo Ran doesn’t seek her out anymore, giving her small smiles and walking away with other people, barely looking at her; Chu Wanning’s underwear keeps getting lost somewhere in her apartment, leaving her no option but to keep buying them every couple of weeks; a mistake in the specifications of their latest project has delayed the production, and Chu Wanning is taking the blunt force of her mistakes. Adding to all of that, Hu Jun has been insistently going to her apartment multiple times a week, staying until late, leaving her exhausted for the next morning.
It grows and grows, and Chu Wanning deals with everything as she’s always done: closing off to her surroundings, temper flaring at the slightest inconvenience. People start to tiptoe around her, yet it doesn’t stop her from lashing out at every small mistake.
This doesn’t exclude Mo Ran, no matter how much Chu Wanning wants her far and near at the same time.
Chu Wanning walks out of her office, hands clenched into fists at her sides. Everyone turns to look at her, their shoulders tense, eyes wide when they notice how angry she is. There’s only one person not looking at her. It irks her even more. She roars, loud and angry, “Mo Ran, to my office!”
Mo Ran’s head snaps to look at her, eyebrows raising. She points a finger to herself, and Chu Wanning grits her teeth, turning back to her office. Heels echo in the floor, loud and fast; Mo Ran doesn’t bother knocking on the door, but she does close it behind her. She stands in front of Chu Wanning’s desk, and like this, too, Chu Wanning has to tilt her head to look Mo Ran in the eye. Yet another thing that irks her.
“Is something wrong, Manager Chu?”
“Our client from Bitan called back today,” Chu Wanning says, swallowing down the rising anger. “Did you make sure to call them before the production? Did you send them the prototypes?”
Mo Ran frowns. “I did, I remember we met at a restaurant and I wrote down the changes they requested.”
“I know, you sent me the list,” Chu Wanning answers. “Can you tell me then why the production team got the material details wrong?”
Mo Ran’s eyes widen. It finally reappears, that resentment Chu Wanning is used to seeing in her face. “No, I made sure to send them the right specifications.”
“You didn’t. You forgot to change it.” Chu Wanning rubs her temples, head throbbing with a headache. “I’ve already told you to send me a copy of every email, so this doesn’t happen! Bitan has been calling us today to complain about the wrong products. We know how detail oriented they are Mo Ran, and I trusted you with it.”
Mo Ran scoffs, face coloring with annoyance. She crosses her arms on her chest defensively and says in a measured tone: “Maybe I would’ve remembered to email you if you hadn’t been so busy avoiding me.”
Chu Wanning recoils back from the flame of rage those words ignite. It’s nothing new, Mo Ran used to talk like this to her before she decided to suddenly change her attitude. It still doesn’t stop her from feeling like she’s been hit. It’s been a while since Mo Ran last acted like this, and it hurts like it did before, except it’s worse, because Chu Wanning thought for a small moment that maybe Mo Ran started to like her a little.
She looks away from Mo Ran, focusing back on the open email at her computer. “Call Bitan and apologize for your mistake. Talk them into a deal that benefits both parties.”
Mo Ran huffs. “Fine.”
“I will be here. Come if they refuse to cooperate,” Chu Wanning says and looks back at Mo Ran. “Go back to your desk.”
Chu Wanning watches Mo Ran’s retreating back, and only when the door closes behind her with a loud sound that reverberates in the room, do Chu Wanning’s shoulders slump with tiredness. There’s a bitter taste on her mouth that reminds her of how much everything is a consequence of her own actions and decisions. It doesn’t improve her mood.
The rest of the day is tiring. She has to speak to Bitan’s managers over a phone call while they complain again and again about Sisheng and Chu Wanning’s work. She talks curtly, trying to make them accept the deal Mo Ran proposed. It’s only after an hour of hearing them talk nonstop that they agree. She also explains the situation to all the Sisheng managers, and while they don’t say anything to her face, Chu Wanning overhears them mocking all the mistakes she’s done these past weeks.
And she meets Hu Jun at lunch. They eat together while he goes on a full structured rant about her messed up project, telling her he’s been receiving multiple jabs about her all day. I didn’t expect this from you, A-Ning, he says, shaking his head in disappointment. It’s very tiring to hear them complaining about you all day.
Chu Wanning says nothing, gritting her teeth, pushing aside the expensive plate of food she finds nauseating. Afterwards he corners her at the empty stairs of the building, kissing her and feeling her up, trying to push her pants down. Chu Wanning takes his wrist and walks away. I don’t have time to do this if you want people to stop tiring you out, Chu Wanning says, fixing her shirt. Tell them whatever I do it’s none of your business.
She stays until late, going over a couple of documents that date from years back, trying to search for the documents of a project she worked on as an intern, from the same company as the one she messed up recently. It’s proving hard to find it when the manager before her didn’t make a record of everything they did.
Someone knocks on the door of her office, and she braces herself for yet another complaint. “Come in.”
Mo Ran steps inside, face impassive as she hands Chu Wanning a couple of papers. “Here, I got down the deal.”
Chu Wanning accepts it with a tilt of her head, scanning through the papers to catch the content of them. “Thank you,” Chu Wanning says, voice soft with exhaustion. “Go home already, it’s late.”
She sets Mo Ran’s deal aside and goes back to her screen, reading through the document’s titles and opening those who look promising.
It takes more than Chu Wanning would like to admit to notice Mo Ran is still standing in front of her desk. When she looks up, blinking a couple of times to get rid of the screen image on her mind, Mo Ran is looking at her, face serious, but when she notices Chu Wanning’s gaze on her, she smiles widely, tilting her head to the side.
“Do you need something?” Chu Wanning asks, legs closing up instinctively. Mo Ran’s dark gaze is fixed on her, and the longer she stands without saying anything, the more Chu Wanning’s body itches. Unfair, she thinks for the umpteenth time this week.
“I was thinking, Manager Chu,” Mo Ran says, leaning into Chu Wanning’s desk, both of her hands holding down her weight, and still, she looms over Chu Wanning, who feels like a prey under its hunter’s grasp. She swallows down the thought, breaking eye contact with Mo Ran. “It’s been a while since you were this prickly at the office.”
Chu Wanning’s head snaps back to give Mo Ran an annoyed glare, who looks back at her with a curl of her lips. Sitting like this, Chu Wanning is too aware of Mo Ran’s height, remembering the way she held her that night, strong arms holding her full weight. If she were to pick Chu Wanning up, it’d be—
Breathe. Chu Wanning inhales sharply through her nose, holding it for a couple of seconds before telling Mo Ran with a curt voice, “Get out, Mo Ran.”
“No, no, how could I leave you when you’re so moody?” Mo Ran smiles and Chu Wanning knows it’s meant to be mocking. “Something’s wrong. What is it?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Oh, but of course it is,” Mo Ran chuckles and Chu Wanning feels close to bursting, be it from anger or something else, she’s not sure. “I work under you, Manager Chu, and if there’s something bothering you enough to be like this every day, it’s pretty much my business.”
“Watch your mouth, Mo Ran,” warns Chu Wanning.
Mo Ran’s smile grows wider, triumphant. It’s like she’s won something with Chu Wanning’s warning. “See? So prickly. I think I’ve got an idea of why you’re like this.”
Chu Wanning clenches her jaw, teeth hurting at the constant pressure. “Shut up. Get out, now.”
“Is your boyfriend not satisfying you, Manager Chu? Is he not fucking you enough?”
Chu Wanning sputters, indignation and anger rising inside her, face burning. “Mo Ran!”
Mo Ran smirks, as if there’s nothing wrong with her words. “Did I get that right?”
“Enough!” Chu Wanning stands up, hands dropping on her desk. She should’ve known, she truly should’ve known Mo Ran didn’t see her as anything else than her plaything, her entertainment. Mo Ran never liked her, that much was clear. Her change in attitude shouldn’t have made her lower her guard; Mo Ran kissed her drunk and doesn’t even remember. “Who the hell do you think you are to be talking to me like that?!”
It didn’t mean anything for any of them.
All Chu Wanning can do now is turn off the computer and pick up her things without looking at Mo Ran. She knows that if she stays here, listening to Mo Ran’s nonsense, she’ll foolishly spill angry tears.
Before she can take her belongings, Mo Ran leans over the desk, taking one of Chu Wanning’s hands in hers, startling her into trying to snag it back. Mo Ran’s grip turns bruising for as long as Chu Wanning struggles, leaving her no other option but to look back at her.
“Wanning,” Mo Ran is no longer smiling, she’s looking at Chu Wanning with a serious look, eyes dark and wide. Chu Wanning’s breath hitches at the sound of her name. “I can help you.”
Chu Wanning’s body turns hot and cold at the same time, face contorting into something she knows it’s ugly. “I don’t need your help! You’ve already had your fun for tonight, Mo Ran, don’t you think it's enough? I can report you to HR for doing this.”
“I’m not joking,” Mo Ran hurries to say. “I’m truly not joking. If you’re pent up I can help you, I can make you feel much better than your boyfriend ever has.”
Chu Wanning chokes on her spit, eyes bulging. “I don’t—I’m not—what the hell are you even saying?”
Mo Ran circles the desk in long strides. Chu Wanning steps back until her thighs hit the armrests of the chair, looking up at Mo Ran’s dark red lips, her alluring dark daze. It’s all dizzying, the way she can feel Mo Ran’s body heat, smell her muted but sweet cologne. This close, Chu Wanning is at the exact height to look at Mo Ran’s tongue peeking out to wet her lips.
She has to back away, to push Mo Ran and walk out of the building. She has to go home and pretend none of Mo Ran’s words were real. They can’t be real; why would they, when Mo Ran doesn’t remember that night? If she’s proposing this, it can only mean she—
Impossible.
One of Mo Ran’s hands falls tentatively on Chu Wanning’s waist. “Just say yes, Wanning. Say yes and I’ll make you feel good.”
“I can’t—” Chu Wanning pauses, cheeks flaring with heat at the strain in her voice. She can’t what?
“Yes you can, baby,” Mo Ran says, voice growing deeper, sultrier with every word she mutters. “Let me show you.”
She leans down, eyes open. Chu Wanning squeezes hers shut, waiting for the inevitable touch on her lips. But Mo Ran kisses gently the corner on her lip, lingering for a moment before pulling away. Confused, Chu Wanning opens her eyes and sees Mo Ran dimpled smile.
“Good, Wanning, so good,” Mo Ran mutters, chuckling quietly.
She leans in again and kisses Chu Wanning properly this time. It’s much like that night and Chu Wanning’s stomach rolls with the memories and sensations drowning her in pleasure. Their lips slide desperately, Mo Ran’s tongue parting Chu Wanning open and licking the roof of her mouth, her movements domineering, all while Chu Wanning is left clinging to Mo Ran’s shirt like her life depends on it.
“Fuck,” Mo Ran mutters against Chu Wanning’s lips, untucking Chu Wanning’s shirt, sliding her hands to touch the warm skin underneath.
Chu Wanning shivers, sighing into the kiss. Her mind spins, a moan catching on her throat when Mo Ran picks her up by the ass and sits her down on the desk gently, opening Chu Wanning’s legs to fit in between. A roll of Mo Ran’s hips has Chu Wanning throwing her head back, and Mo Ran doesn’t lose any chance; she kisses Chu Wanning’s jaw, down the column of her neck, teeth scraping against her collarbone.
Tonight, Mo Ran isn’t drunk. Tonight, she holds Chu Wanning with more fervor than that night.
Mo Ran pops open the button of Chu Wanning’s dress pants, pulling them down until they fall down to her ankles, her legs bare under Mo Ran’s watchful eyes.
“Fuck,” she breathes out, her eyes glued to Chu Wanning’s legs. It makes her grow self-conscious, closing her legs to keep a sense of decency away from the hungry gaze Mo Ran has on her. “Wanning, you’re really gonna be the death of me.” Mo Ran says against Chu Wanning’s neck, right where she knows a bruise will undoubtedly bloom.
Mo Ran’s fingers fiddle with the waistband of Chu Wanning’s underwear, sneaking a hand to cup her ass as she bites down hard on Chu Wanning’s shoulder, groaning into the skin. Chu Wanning lets out a loud gasp, buckling her hips unconsciously, searching for the relief she craves. Mo Ran takes her hand out and Chu Wanning opens her mouth in a whine that never takes form. Still, Mo Ran’s hands keep wandering, caressing her thighs with a surprising gentleness, each one of her touches leaving Chu Wanning’s skin tingling and scorching.
Quiet noises keep pouring out of Chu Wanning’s open mouth, and she can feel the moment she starts to lose herself in the moment, her legs parting a little wider, her head lolling to the side, baring her throat for Mo Ran’s expert mouth. She stops caring about her rumpled state, about how unsightly she may look, and the only thought in her head is Mo Ran and nothing else. Shame gets put past her, and in a surprising act of boldness, she catches one of Mo Ran’s wrists and stops it from moving further than where she’s hot and aching.
At that moment, Mo Ran’s movements halt. With Chu Wanning almost lying down across her desk, Mo Ran towers over her. It’s truly a sight to see Mo Ran’s broader frame encompassing Chu Wanning’s smaller one like this. It’s enough to make her shiver with a building anticipation, her watery eyes meeting Mo Ran’s dark ones, watching the exact moment Mo Ran’s jaw grows slack and a quiet, startled curse makes it past her lips.
What Chu Wanning doesn’t expect is the sudden jerk of Mo Ran’s hand to pull her underwear down to her knees and off her legs, leaving Chu Wanning bared to the cold air. Chu Wanning pants harshly at Mo Ran’s forceful actions, and when her legs close unconsciously, Mo Ran’s hands fall on her ankles. Like this, with her legs kept parted, Chu Wanning’s lower half is completely exposed, the wetness trailing down her thighs and ass completely evident.
A wicked smile spreads on Mo Ran’s lips, her pink tongue wetting her bitten-red lips. “You’re so fucking wet, Wanning,” Mo Ran says, hands sliding up Chu Wanning’s thighs. “Had I known you liked this so much, I'd have done it so much sooner.”
Chu Wanning breath hitches, face burning with the humiliation of her body being so embarrassingly honest. She’s never felt this—exposed, this bare in front of someone else’s eyes. Chu Wanning raises both of her hands to cover her face, an attempt to feel like she’s regained a bit of control over the whole situation, but then Mo Ran laughs and she feels her cunt clenching at the sound, dripping even more slick down her ass.
“Look at you, baby,” Mo Ran says, sounding breathless. “That pretty mouth of yours might say so many things, but your body doesn’t lie. I know you like this.”
Chu Wanning shakes her head. There’s only so many hits her pride can take. She can already feel the tears well up in her eyes, shame and humiliation rolling in waves inside her body, unwilling to recognize she’s become like this, so easy and ready to bend towards pleasure, forgetting about anything else. After today, Mo Ran could laugh on her face about all of this and all Chu Wanning could do is take the mockery face on, knowing she was too desperate, too needy.
“Manager Chu.” Mo Ran’s voice is sharp, commanding, domineering. She draws Chu Wanning attention towards her in a matter of seconds, startling her out of her thoughts at the familiar yet foreign term of address.
There’s a severe expression on Mo Ran’s face, gone is the mischief that has colored her gaze since the moment she stepped into Chu Wanning’s space. She looks Chu Wanning in the eye, voice stern as she says, “Wanning, baobei. Don’t think about anything else right now. Focus on me, and only me.”
At the end, her voice turns sweet and tender, indulging in a way Chu Wanning doesn’t think should be directed at her. Mo Ran’s eyes grow round and inquiring, as if waiting for an answer, and against everything inside her telling her not to fall, she nods once, relief easing on her chest when Mo Ran’s expression regains that alluring smile she’s always secretly trying to search for.
“Good girl,” Mo Ran says, so suddenly and unexpectedly Chu Wanning’s body jolts at the pleasure it dawns within her. It’s so obvious, the effect those words have on her, that Mo Ran laughs, her body bending until she rests a cheek against one of Chu Wanning’s thighs. “Do you like it? Do you want me to keep calling you a good girl?”
Chu Wanning presses her lips into a tight line, refusing to meet Mo Ran’s eyes. There’s a giggle, then a hand settles on Chu Wanning’s inner thigh, fingers ghosting close to her cunt, until they grow into a full-fledged touch, holding Chu Wanning’s outer lips open, baring her pussy to Mo Ran’s sight, who licks her lips, leaving them shiny with spit.
“You smell so fucking good, baobei,” Mo Ran groans, her breath fanning against Chu Wanning pulsating pussy. “You’re so pretty. Your pink, swollen pussy is so much prettier than I imagined, baby. My mouth waters just from looking at your dripping cunt.”
Suppressing a whimper, Chu Wanning shuts her eyes closed, body tensing like a chord with expectation. The next thing she knows, there’s a kiss placed right on her clit, soft and gentle. Chu Wanning’s eyes fly open, seeing the moment Mo Ran’s tongue peeks out and settles against her clit. Chu Wanning’s mouth parts around a broken cry, hips jerking in surprise at the spark of pleasure it brings.
Encouraged, Mo Ran closes her lips around Chu Wanning’s clit and sucks hard, the vibrations of her moan making Chu Wanning’s back arc, chasing after the sensation. One of her hands settles on Mo Ran’s ponytail, fingers digging into her scalp.
“You taste so, so good, Wanning,” Mo Ran pants, yet again leaning down to lick and slurp on Chu Wanning’s cunt. “I could spend my entire life eating you out, taking you apart little by little until you’re squirting on my face.”
Chu Wanning hisses out loud, pushing Mo Ran’s head until her mouth is flushed against her pussy, trying to get her to shut up. Mo Ran chuckles and gets down to business, one of her fingers circling Chu Wanning’s hole. “How many can you take, huh? One, two? I’m sure your tight hole hasn’t taken anything thick yet, right?”
“Shut up,” Chu Wanning grits out. Eyes rolling back as she feels Mo Ran push in two fingers at once. The burn draws enough pleasure out of her, hips buckling to meet Mo Ran’s languid thrust of her long and thick fingers.
In the back of her mind, Chu Wanning thinks she’s never been able to take this much without an uncomfortable amount of pain. This pleasure is like no other she’s ever felt, making her body burn alive with want, with so much need it’s making her lose all of her inhibitions.
“Fucking my fingers like a desperate bitch,” Mo Ran says amusedly, her mouth and chin are dripping with slick. Chu Wanning bites her lips in an attempt to stop the embarrassing sounds from coming out. “You truly are so needy, baby. Does that useless boyfriend you have not fuck you like this?”
Chu Wanning whines out loud, a drawn out and pathetic thing that makes her want to disappear into the ground. “Stop—ah, stop talking!”
“Mn, sorry, sorry, you’re right. I told you to focus on me, didn’t I? I’ll make sure all you can think about is me, Wanning, don’t worry.”
And according to her words, Mo Ran spending the next few minutes fucking Chu Wanning with her fingers, licking and sucking on her clit. Chu Wanning’s hips move on their own accord, chasing after Mo Ran’s tongue and fingers, and Mo Ran’s name falling out of her bitten lips. She keeps her hands buried in Mo Ran’s hair, pushing her head forwards, not letting her get too far from where she needs her the most.
It’s a slow kind of buildup and a fast kind of release, the way her orgasm rolls upon her in the most unexpected moment; it comes easy, sudden, her legs shaking and unstable as her body tingles down to her toes, tensing and then relaxing in a matter of seconds. She chants Mo Ran’s name all the while, dizzy with the pleasure that floods, feeling Mo Ran’s mouth on her as she comes down from her orgasm, body limp and pleasantly relaxed slumping on her messy desk.
Chu Wanning groans loudly at Mo Ran’s insistent licks on her oversensitive clit and pulls her by the ponytail, trying to drag her away. The sight that blesses her is one Chu Wanning will never forget. Mo Ran looks like a mess: her lips are red and swollen, slick making a mess of all the area around her mouth, down her chin. While Chu Wanning breathlessly admires the sight, Mo Ran licks her lips, gaze fixed on her. Chu Wanning swallows down, and that’s all it takes for Mo Ran to push herself forward and pull her into a kiss, allowing Chu Wanning to taste herself on Mo Ran’s tongue. Her hands caress Chu Wanning’s hips in a soothing manner, much too different from the mean touch she was landing mere moments ago.
They kiss languidly for a while, wet and messy as Mo Ran carefully helps her get fully dressed and then drives her home. It all happens so fast that Chu Wanning can barely catch up with everything, way too dazed in the aftermath, body tingly and mind buzzing, as if drunk from Mo Ran’s mouth alone.
“I hope that made you feel better, Manager Chu,” Mo Ran says right after stopping in front of her apartment building. She unbuckles both of their seat belts and leans forward, placing a gentle kiss on the corner of Chu Wanning’s mouth. “Let me know if you need anything else, baobei.”
Chu Wanning numbly walks out of the car and watches Mo Ran drive away into the night, wondering how the hell did she end up like this.
—
