A Lesson in Restraint

Zheng Xiaorou probably never imagined that such a scene would unfold at her doorstep on Christmas night: inside the house, Ye Nanzhi gripped the doorknob, refusing to let go; outside the door, Chu Ran held the door panel with four fingers, not loosening her grip in the slightest.

The two remained at a stalemate for a long time, neither willing to retreat. The door stayed open like this, allowing the cold wind to pour in, waking up Paixing inside the house. The kitten shivered and let out a series of purrs in protest. Its hazy, sleepy eyes hadn’t fully opened yet when it accidentally tumbled from its cat nest onto the floor.

There was a thud; it sounded painful.

“Who is it!” Hearing the strange noise inside, Chu Ran didn’t wait for Ye Nanzhi to speak and rushed straight in. Her gaze swept the room, finally landing on that small white cat, Paixing.

The kitten had just woken up and looked up to see a strange woman. Unlike the gentle young lady from before, this woman’s presence was far too cold and rigid. Seeing her, Paixing instinctively took a step back, the fur on its body standing on end.

“Meow~” The weak cry sounded like a plea for help. When Ye Nanzhi entered the room, Paixing was looking at her with watery eyes, letting out several “meows” in succession.

Ye Nanzhi carried Paixing back to its nest and gently soothed it until the little thing finally settled down.

“It’s still sick, you’re going to scare it!” Ye Nanzhi said.

The cat will be scared… Chu Ran sneered inwardly. It seemed that in Ye Nanzhi’s heart, she wasn’t even worth as much as a cat.

“Ye Nanzhi, do you have a conscience?”

“You suddenly disappear like this, not answering calls or replying to messages, what about me!”

“The cat will be scared, but have you ever thought about me?”

“Would I be scared!”

Ye Nanzhi also knew she had gone a bit too far this time and kept her head down without speaking.

But it was precisely this silent reaction that caused the anger in Chu Ran’s heart to burn to its peak.

“What, you don’t even want to talk to me now.” Since that was the case, they would do something that required no words.

No longer possessing her usual gentleness and warmth, Chu Ran picked the person up directly and walked toward the bed not far away.

Before Ye Nanzhi could react, she had already been roughly thrown onto the bed. Before she could recover from the pain in her body, Chu Ran’s weight pressed down on her.

Her hands were easily restrained, and burning breath fell upon her neck—that spot where Chu Ran had left a mark before. With a sudden force, Chu Ran bit down again.

Unlike the restraint shown four years ago, this time it was painful; Chu Ran used real strength.

“Hiss—” The person beneath her let out a muffled groan, and only then did Chu Ran lift her head. The young girl’s eyes were red, and tears welled up, swirling in her eyes but refusing to fall.

She wouldn’t admit she was wrong, wouldn’t say a single kind word to coax her, and wouldn’t even make up a random excuse to lie to her.

Just like that, she stubbornly turned her face to the side, unwilling to give her even a single look.

“Quite stubborn. Heh.”

Indeed, in the years Chu Ran had known Ye Nanzhi, she understood this girl’s temper best; when she became obstinate, she was incredibly stubborn.

But it didn’t matter. Today, she would properly find out whose temper was stronger—Ye Nanzhi’s or hers.

Chu Ran tilted the other’s chin up, forcing the girl to look at her.

“Ye Nanzhi, you brought this on yourself.”

Then, her slender fingers slowly moved down, reaching for the knot on Ye Nanzhi’s collar.

“Chu… Chu Ran…”

Before Ye Nanzhi could finish her sentence, Chu Ran leaned down. At the moment their eyes met, the unfathomable darkness in the depths of Chu Ran’s eyes was completely reflected in Ye Nanzhi’s gaze.

That was the second time she had seen such an expression in Chu Ran’s eyes. Memories of the last time she saw such a sight rushed into her mind, and Ye Nanzhi immediately pleaded for mercy instinctively.

“Chu Ran, don’t, I beg you, don’t do this.” Finally, the stubborn tears could no longer be held back and fell in large drops from the corners of her eyes. Ye Nanzhi’s voice carried a sob as she clutched her collar, her body curled up.

A slight trembling told Chu Ran that the girl was truly afraid, and the look in her eyes gradually regained clarity.

At this moment, Ye Nanzhi clutched her clothes tightly, refusing to let go. A small patch of the bedsheet beside her face was soaked through.

“Ye Nanzhi.” Chu Ran turned her cheek, forcing her gaze to stay on her: “Why are you crying?”

Is it because of me?

Is it true that you really hate me this much?

Even though I have tried so hard to please you during this time, following your wishes in every way and acting the way you like, you remain unmoved. You are still calculating, thinking of leaving me every second of every day.

Ye Nanzhi’s reddened nose sniffled twice, and then she hit Chu Ran’s shoulder a few times as if venting her anger: “This is someone else’s house, how can I face my classmate again if you act like this!”

Once the answer was out, the expression on Chu Ran’s face softened a bit, and the stubbornness in her eyes gradually receded.

In an instant, the strength left her body. Chu Ran leaned against Ye Nanzhi, hugging her tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair.

This fragrance seemed to have a magical effect, calming her.

“Zhizhi, I couldn’t find you just now.”

“I’m not afraid of you hiding. It’s difficult for me, but I didn’t even know how to save you, what should I have done then.”

Chu Ran’s voice was tinged with a bit of grievance, like a lost child returning to the embrace of family. She held Ye Nanzhi tightly, wanting to melt her into her own flesh and blood.

After a long time, she whispered, “I’m sorry…”

Finally, the person on top of her reacted.

“Do you really know you were wrong?”

“Yes.”

“Ten minutes.” Chu Ran stood up and looked at her watch: “Ten minutes. Bring the cat and yourself downstairs.”

Ye Nanzhi simply packed the things Paixing would need: cat food, small dried fish, the medicine it needed to take, and a few of its toys. After putting Paixing into the space capsule backpack, she carried it downstairs.

A black car was parked right at the entrance of the building.

Ye Nanzhi knew that Chu Ran had two cars. She drove the white one on the usual way to school, but for anything other than work, Chu Ran used this black car.

Regarding this black car… Ye Nanzhi had almost no good memories. For example, when Chu Ran went to the hotel to catch her last time, she was driving the black car.

It was just like her personality. People at school would never guess that the dignified Professor Chu they saw daily had a side like the one just displayed upstairs.

Since carrying the cat made it inconvenient, Ye Nanzhi didn’t sit in the passenger seat but opened the back door instead.

As soon as Ye Nanzhi got in, Chu Ran first looked at her watch: “You are five minutes late.”

“You can’t blame me!” Ye Nanzhi pointed to Paixing in her arms: “I spent the time organizing its things.”

Chu Ran couldn’t be bothered to argue about such meaningless matters. However, she seemed dissatisfied with Ye Nanzhi’s choice of seat, as she remained silent the entire way.

Since Chu Ran didn’t speak, Ye Nanzhi naturally remained silent as well. The only sound in the car was the faint purring of Paixing from inside the space capsule.

Ye Nanzhi couldn’t help but sigh; it was better to be a kitten. All it had to do was sleep beautifully and act spoiled to get small dried fish; life was so simple and peaceful. It didn’t have to deal with these frustrating matters.

In this way, accompanied by a suffocating silence, Chu Ran drove all the way back. However, at an intersection where she should have turned right, Chu Ran chose to go straight—that was the direction of the Shen University main gate.

When Ye Nanzhi looked up, Chu Ran’s car had already stopped near the gate of Shen University. Ye Nanzhi could even see the lights on in the security room at the entrance and the words “External vehicles must register” on the school gate.

Driving back to the school? What did Chu Ran mean by this? Didn’t she never drive the black car back to school?

Before her thoughts could finish, Chu Ran got out of the driver’s seat and opened the rear door.

Then, the car sank as Chu Ran squeezed into the back seat. She snatched the backpack containing the cat from Ye Nanzhi’s arms and moved it to the front passenger seat.

For a moment, in the space of the back seat, the two sat on opposite sides, both turning their faces to look out the window on their respective sides.

It was very late, and there was almost no one at the school gate, only a few scattered passing vehicles.

Their car was parked under a row of trees; once the streetlights came on, it was perfectly hidden in the shadows.

Chu Ran was the first to break the silence, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the door as she asked, “Do you have anything you want to say about what happened today?”

“Wh-what?” Ye Nanzhi lowered her head to look at the tips of her shoes: “Didn’t I already apologize to you…”

“You apologized because you were hiding from me. But what about stood me up?”

How could she be like this! In her memory, as long as she admitted her mistake, Chu Ran would let her go. She was never “petty” like today, even making her apologize twice for the same thing.

But in the end, Ye Nanzhi was the one who did wrong. Apologizing was only right.

Thinking of this, Ye Nanzhi cleared her throat and said sincerely, “Professor Chu, due to my irrational behavior today, I made you worry, hid away privately, and stood you up, failing to accompany you to celebrate Christmas. For this, I express my sincere apologies. I’m sorry.”

After saying this, she even bowed slightly.

“Did I not tell you that you are not allowed to call me Professor Chu in private?”

The warning didn’t seem to have much effect on Ye Nanzhi. She changed the subject and continued, “But Professor Chu.”

Ye Nanzhi deliberately emphasized the word “Professor,” her tone full of provocation.

“I also want to remind you that as a teacher, we agreed before that you would let me go once Professor Song returned. By that account, I’m not being excessive. Moreover, my injuries are now healed. If I continue to stay at your house, it will inevitably lead to rumors and gossip, which wouldn’t be good if it caused you trouble. So, doing this is also for the sake of your reputation.”

“I am just an ordinary student at Shen University. I just want to spend these few years peacefully. As for anything else, I don’t dare to think about it, nor will I. I hope Professor Chu can respect my wishes as a student.”

Respect. During this period, Chu Ran had indeed respected Ye Nanzhi too much.

After pretending for so long, this rabbit seemed to have forgotten that she was a wolf. She had sharp teeth, fierce claws, and a strength that the rabbit could not break free from.

“Finished?” Chu Ran’s gaze swept over Ye Nanzhi’s ponytail. She reached out and pulled off the carrot hair tie from the other’s hair, examining it in her palm for a long time before commenting, “I think the rabbit clip looks better.”

Before Ye Nanzhi could grasp the meaning behind those words, Chu Ran cupped her cheeks and leaned in for a kiss.

Perhaps because she wasn’t prepared, this attack was exceptionally easy. While her territory was being invaded, the bow on her collar was also easily pulled open.

Wandering hands gradually moved downward. Chu Ran saw that on the snow-white skin, the reddened tooth marks were so abrupt—she had left them on Ye Nanzhi earlier at her classmate’s house.

That bite wasn’t light; it would probably take a few days to completely fade.

Even after all that, she still didn’t learn her lesson. A teacher, is it? Then she would give Ye Nanzhi a proper lesson today.

On the other side, Ye Nanzhi struggled fiercely, but no matter how hard she tried, Chu Ran’s body remained unmoved, pressed tightly against her.

Warm palms gradually moved to a critical position. The little rabbit finally turned fierce. As their lips and teeth touched, the taste of blood began to spread in both their mouths.

Right at this moment, Chu Ran suddenly lifted her body and looked back.

Ye Nanzhi thought her resistance had worked and was about to speak when Chu Ran’s index finger pressed against her lips.

A low voice sounded in Ye Nanzhi’s ear, her tone more relaxed than ever before: “Zhizhi, look. Does the girl outside look familiar to you?”

Ye Nanzhi looked back and saw her cousin, Li Huan. She had also met the one next to her; he was her cousin’s little boyfriend.

Today was Christmas, and it looked like the two had just returned from a date. Li Huan was still holding a bright red rose in her hand. The two were chatting and laughing, walking slowly toward them.

“As expected of a young couple, walking so slowly, making me wait so long.” Chu Ran curled her lips, pretending to comfort her by smoothing Ye Nanzhi’s hair, but the words she spoke were enough to send Ye Nanzhi into an abyss.

“Zhizhi. Tell me, if I were to open the car door right now and let Student Li Huan see a scene like this, wouldn’t it be very interesting?”

“What are you going to do?”

Her fingertips moved all the way down Ye Nanzhi’s neck, rubbing back and forth against the skin of Ye Nanzhi’s collarbone. Chu Ran smiled and said, “What I do depends on Zhizhi’s performance, doesn’t it?”

Chu Ran had specifically not gone home and instead parked the car here for the sake of the scene before them. Just now at the intersection, she had inadvertently glimpsed Li Huan, so she waited here to catch the rabbit—Ye Nanzhi.

Right now, the rabbit had no choice but to comply.

“Zhizhi, I wonder if you have anything else to say regarding your previous behavior.”

Ye Nanzhi pursed her lips and said very reluctantly, “I’m sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have stood you up.”

“What will you do if it happens again?”

“It won’t happen again.” Ye Nanzhi lowered her head, looking submissive.

If it were before, Chu Ran would have let it go.

But now, she had already stumbled twice because of Ye Nanzhi. This young girl looked soft and compliant, but who knew what bad ideas she was plotting in her heart.

Words were not enough; Chu Ran now needed something more practical to steady her thoughts.

She wouldn’t go as far as devouring her completely, but she still had to collect some interest. At the very least, it would be compensation for her long endurance.

She reached up and wiped the wound on her lip, which was stained with specks of blood: “Zhizhi’s words aren’t very sincere. If you apologize, you have to show sincerity.”

As she spoke, she used her blood-stained fingertip to draw a circle over Ye Nanzhi’s heart.

Seeing Li Huan and her boyfriend getting closer and closer, Chu Ran saw that Ye Nanzhi was still hesitating. Her hand reached for the car door handle. The silver switch was lifted bit by bit. Just as the door was about to be pushed open, Ye Nanzhi took the initiative to meet her.

This was the first time the little rabbit had initiated a kiss since their reunion. Although it was as clumsy and uncoordinated as it had been four years ago, she still followed Chu Ran’s past example, tracing Chu Ran’s lips bit by bit and sucking on the corners of her mouth.

The rabbit had taken the initiative; there was no reason for the wolf to ignore it.

Very quickly, the dominant position returned to Chu Ran. She was no longer satisfied with a simple kiss and moved down bit by bit, undoing the last restraint on the rabbit’s body.

A pair of snow-white softness easily fell into her grasp. As moist lips descended, Ye Nanzhi’s cheeks were instantly flushed with shy red.

An involuntary muffled groan escaped her. Ye Nanzhi tried her best to control her body’s reaction, but the car still swayed slightly with her trembling.

Just then, Li Huan and her boyfriend happened to walk closer.

“By the way, how is your sister? Professor Chu was looking for her so late earlier and even called you. Is there some urgent matter?”

“Aren’t they researching a topic together? It’s probably something about the project. I don’t know how my sister is doing now or if she’s eaten dinner.”

“Then call and ask her! If she hasn’t, you can bring her something to eat when you go back,” the boyfriend suggested.

No sooner said than done, Li Huan took out her phone.

Inside the car, the ringtone sounded. Chu Ran snatched the phone first and said in a low voice, “If you don’t want to be caught, be good. You know how to answer, right?”

The ringtone was silenced, but the screen continued to flash. Chu Ran swiped the answer button and turned on the speakerphone.

“Hello, Huanhuan.”

“Sis, where are you?”

“Dor… mitory.” Just as Ye Nanzhi was answering, Chu Ran kissed her neck again.

“Sis, how are you? Is Professor Chu finished with her work?”

Ye Nanzhi looked at Chu Ran on top of her, holding back her gasps and gritting her teeth to reply, “It should be… almost finished.”

“It seems I haven’t satisfied Zhizhi, since you think I’m almost finished.” Chu Ran said in a deep voice in Ye Nanzhi’s ear, “Then I’ll have to ‘work harder’!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Ran suddenly used force to leave a dark red mark on Ye Nanzhi’s collarbone.

The cry of pain that reached her lips was forced back by Ye Nanzhi.

“Sis, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? You sound strange.” How could Li Huan have imagined that Ye Nanzhi, on the other end of the phone, was in the car right next to her, surrounded by such an erotic scene: “Sis, have you eaten? Do I need to bring you something to the dormitory building?”

“No need. It’s late, you should rest early. Don’t worry about me.” After saying that, she hung up the phone first.

“It’s all your fault!” Ye Nanzhi pushed against Chu Ran, who looked up with an undisguised expression of success.

While Li Huan was still wondering what was wrong with her cousin today, her boyfriend tugged at her sleeve.

“Shh~ Look at that car!”

He pointed to Chu Ran’s car in the shadows of the trees, where the swaying of the car body had just slightly stopped. The boyfriend looked like he had seen through it: “They must have been very intense just now! Parked here, I guess it must be someone from the school! Want to go over and take a look?”

Their voices were not loud, but they happened to reach Ye Nanzhi’s ears. Fearing she would be seen in this state, she began to tremble even more violently.

Seeing this, Chu Ran held her and used her body to shield her: “Don’t be afraid. The glass is covered with anti-peeping film; they can’t see anything.”

Despite saying this, her hand and body movements showed no intention of yielding.

“You’re crazy!” Li Huan got angry and even threw the rose at him: “You’re really disgusting!”

Realizing his girlfriend was angry, the young man hurried forward to coax her. As the voices of the two grew further away, the swaying car body finally came to a stop.

Ye Nanzhi leaned weakly against the car door, gasping for breath.

Compared to her disheveled state with her collar open, Chu Ran was much more composed. It was just a silk shirt, but the shoulder area had been wrinkled by Ye Nanzhi, and the first button of the collar had been pulled open at some point.

Fastening her buttons, Professor Chu was as dignified and elegant as usual. The difference was that today, a carrot hair tie hung on her fair wrist.

She thoughtfully wiped the water stains from the corner of Ye Nanzhi’s lips and then completed the words she hadn’t finished earlier.

“Student Ye.” Using Ye Nanzhi’s own form of address, Chu Ran said, “If there is a next time, I don’t mind exploring even ‘deeper’ knowledge with Student Ye.”