Burn Out - Chapter 80

Ji Ting wore nothing under her nightgown, and the sight of her shoulder strap slipping down was incredibly seductive. Coupled with the identical scent of their shower gel, the atmosphere was charged. They almost gave in to their desire again, but time didn’t allow for it. She moved away slightly, instead wrapping her arms around his neck. Tan Yucheng had one hand on the edge of the bed and the other around her waist.

Due to their positions, he could see much of her. He moved forward a bit and bit the exposed part of her shoulder.

Ji Ting’s body trembled, and she instinctively dodged slightly, her voice soft as she reminded him, “My mom thinks you’re resting.”

Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow.

He released her slightly and looked up.

Ji Ting’s nightgown was messy, and their eyes met, “What should we do?”

Tan Yucheng leaned back, using both hands to support himself, looking at her hanging onto him. At times, Ji Ting could be very seductive, especially in bed, with her unconscious allure, like now, completely unguarded and tempting him.

He swallowed, his voice very low, “You tidy yourself up in here, I’ll rest.”

Ji Ting looked into his eyes and murmured an agreement.

She lifted her knees from the edge of the bed, adjusted her shoulder strap, and stood up straight.

Seeing her like this, Tan Yucheng couldn’t help but curse under his breath. He stood up, grabbed his clothes, and walked out. The hallway outside was very quiet.

Ji Ting stood by the bed, listening for a moment. No noise meant everything was fine.

She exhaled softly.

She walked over to get her laptop, as she still had some unfinished tasks. She also put the blouse and skirt with the missing buttons into the laundry basket.

Then she sat down at the desk to finish entering the remaining data.

After she was done, Ji Ting took off her nightgown to change clothes. She chose a short-sleeved dress. When she put on her underwear, it stung a bit where he had bitten her, making her ears turn slightly red. She zipped up the dress.

Fortunately, there were no visible marks on her neck.

He was clever, choosing new spots to bite.

After getting dressed, Ji Ting washed her face before opening the door and walking out.

In the main living room, connected to the kitchen and dining room, Xiao Xi and Qiu Dan were cooking. The two fathers were helping to set the table. As soon as Ji Ting entered, Ji Lindong said, “Quick, pour your mom a glass of water.”

Ji Ting acknowledged and turned to the tea tray. She poured a glass of warm water and brought it to Qiu Dan, who was frying duck with some chili, making the kitchen a bit smokey.

Qiu Dan took the water and gave her a slight glare, “You still remember to come out?”

Ji Ting smiled faintly.

Xiao Xi glanced at her son, Tan Yucheng, who had just showered, his hair still damp. He wore a black shirt, slightly unbuttoned, with the tattoo on his collarbone faintly visible. She chuckled and nudged Qiu Dan, “Just focus on cooking.”

“Ji Ting, don’t mind her. Help Auntie by bringing her some water too,” Xiao Xi said with a deep smile in her eyes. Ji Ting nodded and walked out of the kitchen.

She happened to run into Tan Yucheng, who was carrying some wine.

Their eyes met briefly before Ji Ting looked away and walked towards the tea table. Tan Yucheng stood at the table, opening the wine. Ji Ting poured a cup of warm tea and walked past him.

Both of them still carried a faint hint of the same shower gel scent.

After Tan Hui and Ji Lindong finished setting the table with chopsticks and bowls, they started discussing the vintage of tonight’s wine. Ji Ting, having served the tea, pulled out a chair and sat down, typing on her phone to respond to a message from Zhang Yang. There were some discrepancies in the data entries, and Zhang Yang was trying to find the cause. Qiu Dan finished cooking two main dishes, and the two fathers helped bring them out.

Tan Yucheng finished pouring the wine and sat down across from Ji Ting since Xiao Xi had taken his usual seat next to Ji Ting.

Ji Ting looked up and saw him. Tan Yucheng glanced at her and moved a dish she liked closer to her. Ji Ting picked up her chopsticks and started eating. Qiu Dan and Xiao Xi clinked their glasses, and Qiu Dan, still wearing her apron, noticed the tattoo peeking out from Tan Yucheng’s collar but couldn’t see it clearly as it was half-hidden.

Ji Ting ate her food, leaned against the table, drank her wine, and listened to the parents chatting. Tan Yucheng occasionally listened to Tan Hui talking to him, sometimes swirling his wine glass and taking a sip. Ji Lindong, sitting sideways, said to Tan Hui, “Your company just went public, and you’re already talking about internal factions. What are you planning?”

Tan Hui sighed, “Isn’t it inevitable that he’ll have to come back?”

Tan Yucheng replied, “I don’t have any plans for that right now.”

Tan Hui turned to look at Tan Yucheng.

Leaning back in his chair, looking relaxed, Tan Yucheng said lazily, “If you’re thinking of bringing me into the company because it’s too busy after going public, I suggest you hire a professional manager.”

Tan Hui’s plan fell through.

Ji Lindong laughed, patting Tan Hui on the shoulder, “He chose computers early on, so you should have known he had no intention of managing your business.”

Tan Hui, a bit resigned, took a drink.

These past few days in Hong Kong, Tan Yucheng helped handle so many things that Tan Hui thought he had convinced his son. However, Tan Yucheng still insisted on his own plans. Xiao Xi, resting her chin on her hand, said, “Old Tan, what’s the rush? They say you should start a family before establishing a career. Although our son has already started his career, he’s still young, right? He just needs to start a family. Let’s wait until he’s settled down to discuss this.”

Hearing this, Tan Hui remained silent.

Tan Yucheng glanced up, casting a brief look at Ji Ting.

Ji Ting took a sip of her drink and blinked.

What are you looking at?

Stop looking.

Tan Yucheng’s eyes showed a hint of amusement as he pressed his finger down, moving another dish she liked closer to her.

Qiu Dan, however, still remembered Tan Yucheng’s mention of a girlfriend. She leaned closer to Xiao Xi and asked, “Didn’t you ask him?”

Xiao Xi replied softly, “No, I didn’t.”

Qiu Dan: “Why not?”

Xiao Xi: “Isn’t it obvious? He’s also hesitant.”

Qiu Dan paused, noting that Tan Yucheng didn’t refute the idea of starting a family and establishing a career. This meant there was someone he was considering. He wasn’t sure if it would work out, which is why he hadn’t formally introduced her to Xiao Xi and Tan Hui. It indicated a careful approach—was there an obstacle on the girl’s side?

Qiu Dan hesitated and glanced at Ji Ting, who was eating and drinking obliviously.

Just eating and drinking.

Ji Ting didn’t realize that by eating more of Qiu Dan’s dishes, she was being silently criticized in her mother’s heart.

After dinner, the two fathers brought out a chessboard to play a game. The two mothers stood behind their husbands, watching. Ji Ting sat on the armrest of the sofa, playing a game on her phone, while Tan Yucheng sat next to her. They formed a team in the game to complete tasks together. Tan Yucheng’s character saved Ji Ting’s character in the game but got killed himself. He put his phone on the coffee table, peeled an orange, and fed it to Ji Ting.

Ji Ting instinctively leaned forward to eat it but paused and took it with her hand instead.

Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow.

Ji Ting chewed the orange and glanced at the parents. They were absorbed in the game, with Qiu Dan and Xiao Xi intensely gesticulating and the fathers completely unfazed, as if they were in deep concentration.

Tan Yucheng offered her another piece.

Ji Ting took it again. Tan Yucheng smirked and whispered in her ear, “I’ve never fed you before?”

Ji Ting looked at him.

“What have you fed me?”

Tan Yucheng’s gaze was lazy and fixed on her.

Indeed, he hadn’t fed her before. Only after they got together did he hold her and feed her at times, sometimes even biting the food in her mouth. Ji Ting stuffed the orange into her mouth and focused on her game character. Tan Yucheng then grabbed some mangosteen and started peeling it for her.

Ji Ting liked mangosteen but couldn’t eat too much of it. After peeling two, Tan Yucheng switched to another fruit.

Later, Tan Yucheng received a call from Chen Fei. He got up to wash his hands and then returned to handle work on his tablet. Ji Ting was called by Qiu Dan to help make tea. She exited the game and sat at the tea tray, pouring hot water and straining the tea. While she wasn’t very professional, she did it competently. She used tongs to distribute teacups to everyone. Xiao Xi sat down beside her and touched her wrist, measuring it with her hand, and said, “Tingting’s hand is perfect for wearing a bracelet.”

Tan Yucheng responded with a hum.

Ji Ting turned to look at him.

What are you humming about?

Xiao Xi laughed and said to Ji Ting, “I’ll buy you a bracelet to wear in the future.”

Ji Ting quickly replied, “Aunt Xiao, I rarely wear them. When I’m busy at the store, it’s hard to wear one. It can easily get damaged.”

“No problem, we can buy it and keep it,” Xiao Xi said with a smile, patting Ji Ting’s wrist.

Ji Ting felt helpless.

Xiao Xi often bought her jewelry, and she had a lot of it, but bracelets were very valuable. Ji Ting quietly kicked Tan Yucheng under the table. He was scrolling through his emails with a smile appearing in his eyes.