Chapter 29 : Being... Being Teased
"Muyao... Junior Su, I'm leaving now..."
At nearly nine o'clock, Su Mo finally bid farewell to An Xiaoqian and Lin Muyao in the elevator, drawing a perfect conclusion to this exhaustingly eventful day.
Truthfully, she hadn’t planned to tell them—well, mainly An Xiaoqian—about renting the room.
But guilt over the 'fake' birthday gift for Lin Muyao gnawed at her. She couldn’t bear making the already tired actress drive all the way back to Su University after a full day of filming.
Besides, since we’re in the same building, she’d find out eventually anyway.
Watching the elevator numbers climb from the 11th to the 16th floor, Su Mo sighed.
No bedding meant sleeping on the sofa tonight. Summer nights weren’t cold, but the thought of no blanket still felt bleak.
Ding~
The elevator doors slid open. Su Mo stepped out and approached Room 1603.
A small thrill buzzed in her chest.
This was Chu Tianlan’s former room—a space that still carried traces of the elegant senior. Even after touring it earlier, standing here now made her pulse quicken.
Fumbling slightly, she triggered the facial recognition lock.
"Door has opened. Welcome home, master."
The AI voice chirped as the door unlocked.
Su Mo inhaled softly. The faint lavender scent lingering in the air—Chu Tianlan’s signature fragrance—wrapped around her like an invisible embrace. She relaxed and stepped inside.
Then froze.
Wait.
She distinctly remembered turning all the lights off when discussing the rental with President Chu earlier.
Commercial electricity rates are insane! So why was the kitchen’s small lamp now glowing warmly?
Instinct kicked in. Instead of removing her shoes, Su Mo kept one hand on the door handle, ready to bolt, and called out sharply:
"Who’s there?"
The apartment wasn’t large—about 50 square meters, including the balcony. Her voice echoed clearly in the compact space.
A soft rustling came from the kitchen.
No frantic scrambling, no panicked noises. Just... casual movement.
Then—
"Mm... Junior Su Mo, don’t you check WeChat?"
A lazy, velvety voice, tinged with sleepiness, drifted out.
Under the amber kitchen light, Chu Tianlan straightened up from where she’d been leaning against the table. She rubbed her left eye with a delicate finger, her ponytail slightly mussed.
Gone was the pristine white dress from daytime. Now, she wore a fitted purple athletic top that hugged her curves, the fabric stretching subtly over her chest as she stretched.
The sight struck Su Mo with bizarre domesticity—like coming home to a wife who’d waited up for her.
Warmth pooled in her chest. A strange, fluttery sense of belonging.
Shaking off the thought, Su Mo closed the door and checked her phone.
Three unread messages from Chu Tianlan, sent two hours ago—around the time she’d been traumatized in the lingerie store.
> Chu: Junior Su Mo, since it’s your first day here, do you need me to bring a kettle or anything?
> Chu: What are you doing?
> (30 minutes later)
> Chu: I’ll bring some daily necessities over for you.
Su Mo scanned the room.
The disposable slippers at the entrance had been replaced with light blue ones in women’s small.
A simple vase now sat on the kitchen table.
The sofa wore a fresh cover.
An electric kettle hummed quietly on the counter.
Her throat tightened.
The vase and kettle were thoughtful, but those slippers...
Women’s small feet weren’t uncommon, but the fact that Chu Tianlan had specifically bought them for her—
Ugh. Why is she so... so...
Nice.
The kindness squeezed her chest with equal parts gratitude and guilt.
Chu Tianlan, ever perceptive, read her conflict instantly.
"Junior Su Mo," she began, stepping closer, "you’re only renting for a month. I don’t plan to lease this room again afterward. Rather than moving things in and out, it’s easier to let you use these properly."
Her tone was light, logical. But the way her lips quirked betrayed amusement.
Su Mo opened her mouth. "But—"
A finger pressed gently against her lips.
Chu Tianlan leaned in, her orchid-scented breath brushing Su Mo’s cheek as she whispered:
"If you keep being this formal, I’ll start thinking you don’t like your senior’s care."
Then—
Pinch.
Warm fingertips found Su Mo’s cheek, giving it a playful squeeze.
Unlike Lin Muyao and An Xiaoqian’s cool touches, Chu Tianlan’s hands were warm. The contact sent a shiver down Su Mo’s spine.
Before she could react, Chu Tianlan withdrew with a smirk, tossing over her shoulder:
"Tutoring’s at 5 PM tomorrow. Don’t forget~"
The door clicked shut.
Su Mo stood frozen, fingertips brushing the spot on her cheek that still tingled.
That look Chu Tianlan gave her—half-lidded eyes, that smirk—
Was I just... flirted with?!
Ding dong~~~
Her phone vibrated. A WeChat notification.
Mind still reeling, Su Mo tapped the screen.
And nearly dropped her phone.
A photo.
An Xiaoqian.
Wearing only the exact same sky-blue bra Su Mo had tucked into her waistband earlier.
The sheer audacity of the image short-circuited Su Mo’s brain.
An Xiaoqian’s waist was impossibly slender—one-hand-span slender.
Yet above it, the voluptuous curves strained against the lace, creating a valley so deep it could drown a person.
Nosebleed imminent.
Su Mo scrambled to type: [WHAT IS THIS?!]
But before she could send it—
[Image recalled.]
A new message popped up:
> An Xiaoqian: Junior Sister Su Mo~ Since you’ve seen me, I want to see you by midnight.
> (Note: Wear the white stockings.)
> 🐼 [Panda holding knife emoji]
Su Mo’s blood ran cold.
First stockings. Now underwear?!
Since when did this escalate to a strip show?!
And—wait.
If An Xiaoqian had the same bra...
Does that mean the one she gave me is also...
Sky-blue. Lace. Barely-there coverage.
Su Mo’s knees buckled.
I’m doomed.