After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Cheng Zhanxi stood up and walked to the table, looking at the thin, breathable pair of panties left outside.
The sound of water from the bathroom had been going for a while, indicating Yu Qingtang had started showering long ago.
Cheng Zhanxi’s outstretched hand paused mid-air, her knuckles flexed, and she retracted it.
She lay back down on the bed, planning to pretend she had just seen it when Yu Qingtang called for her, and then go in to give her the underwear. Otherwise, it would make her seem like she wasn't much of a gentlewoman, always fixated on that sort of thing.
In the bathroom.
Yu Qingtang stood under the showerhead, her long, swan-like neck tilted back. Warm water streamed down, flowing over her moderately sized, round, soft breasts, her flat abdomen, and her long, straight legs. Under the lights, steamy water droplets rolled across her fair, jade-like skin, resembling pale pink pearls.
Yu Qingtang washed very slowly and carefully, especially the area Cheng Zhanxi had once paid special attention to.
When Yu Qingtang realized this, her cheeks, already flushed from the steam in the glass-enclosed shower, turned even redder. The tips of her ears, which hadn't been exposed to much hot water, were even redder than the rest of her skin.
Fortunately, Cheng Zhanxi wasn't in the bathroom to see her embarrassed state.
Yu Qingtang instinctively glanced towards the bathroom door. Had she locked it when she came in?
Although Cheng Zhanxi wasn't the type to enter uninvited, an image flashed through Yu Qingtang's mind: Cheng Zhanxi, for some reason, pushing open the door while she was showering, happening to see her standing in the bathroom.
Yu Qingtang’s toes, standing on the white tiles, involuntarily curled. A layer of sweat formed on the back of her neck in the steam, and her heart beat erratically.
The entire showering process passed amidst Yu Qingtang’s wild thoughts. She reached up, turned off the hot water, pushed open the shower door, and quietly glanced at herself in the opposite mirror before wrapping herself in a bath towel and searching for her underwear on the stool by the door.
Yu Qingtang’s expression froze slightly.
How could it not be there?
Yu Qingtang searched her memory fragments from before she entered. She had been too nervous and couldn't clearly remember if she had taken her underwear. Since it wasn't on the chair, she probably hadn't.
What to do?
Yu Qingtang bit her lower lip slightly.
Ask Cheng Zhanxi to get it for her? Just the thought made Yu Qingtang’s ears burn, as if she were about to self-combust.
Yu Qingtang’s gaze shifted to the overcoat at the bottom of the stool. She had come in too hastily and had even forgotten to take off her overcoat, so it remained in the bathroom.
…
The sound of water in the bathroom stopped.
Cheng Zhanxi stopped playing with her phone, her ears perked to listen to the movements on the other side of the wall.
Hmm? Hadn't Yu Qingtang realized she didn't bring her underwear yet?
Squeak—
A soft sound, the sound of the bathroom door opening. Only the sound of the door was heard, no person was seen.
Cheng Zhanxi sat up, looking towards the door with confusion.
The hotel room wasn't large. There was some distance from the bathroom to the table, which had to be crossed within Cheng Zhanxi’s line of sight.
Yu Qingtang looked down to check her overcoat. The buttons were all fastened properly, and it covered her down to her knees. Below her knees, Yu Qingtang’s slender, straight, and well-proportioned calves were exposed to the air.
Yu Qingtang stared at the table a few steps away, took a deep breath, and, feigning composure, walked into Cheng Zhanxi’s line of sight.
Cheng Zhanxi’s breath hitched.
She actually came out commando.
In Yu Qingtang’s imagination, she would calmly retrieve her underwear and walk back to the bathroom. In reality, she was pinned to the spot by Cheng Zhanxi’s scorching gaze from behind.
Yu Qingtang swallowed, resisting the urge to look back.
The room was so quiet that even the sound of dripping water could be heard.
Yu Qingtang never thought her hearing was good, but she felt she could hear Cheng Zhanxi’s heavier breathing from the bed not far from her.
Yu Qingtang unconsciously pressed her legs together.
Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes grew darker. If Yu Qingtang continued this, whether intentional or unintentional, seduction, she really couldn't be blamed for not acting like a proper person. After all, compared to not acting like a proper person, “being incapable” was more serious.
An invisible sense of pressure filled the air. A fine layer of sweat appeared on Yu Qingtang’s forehead.
She looked at the table, which was within arm's reach, quickly reached out to grab the thin piece of fabric, buried her head, and rushed back, slamming the bathroom door shut with a bang.
Click—
The familiar sound of the lock.
Cheng Zhanxi closed her eyes in pain and threw herself back onto the bed.
Yu Qingtang leaned her back against the door, her heart pounding in her throat. She didn't dare open her mouth, afraid it would leap out.
Yu Qingtang was about to immediately put on the hard-won panties, but her hand paused. She quietly sensed for a moment, her expression becoming slightly unnatural, the tips of her ears secretly tinged with crimson, and she stepped back into the shower.
Cheng Zhanxi covered her face with the blanket. The sounds from the bathroom became muffled, yet somehow even more alluring.
A short yet seemingly endless amount of time passed. Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes, accustomed to the darkness, were met with a blinding light. She shielded them with the back of her hand and saw Yu Qingtang, neatly dressed, her face flushed, and dark hair still dripping water from the ends. Yu Qingtang’s voice was soft and gentle: “I’m done showering.”
Cheng Zhanxi opened her arms and pulled her down.
Yu Qingtang was caught off guard and fell directly onto her. She tried to push herself up, but Cheng Zhanxi held her tightly.
“Does it hurt?” Yu Qingtang could only ask.
“It doesn’t hurt.” Cheng Zhanxi wrapped one arm around her waist and pressed her other hand against the back of her head, burying Yu Qingtang’s warm cheek into her neck. She panted softly by her ear, her voice suppressed and restrained, “Let me hold you for a bit.”
Yu Qingtang was no longer an innocent blank slate. Just being looked at by Cheng Zhanxi like that had made her legs go weak. In love, hormones, including impulses, were contagious between lovers. Cheng Zhanxi was the one actively releasing them, feeling them more intensely than Yu Qingtang.
Thinking this, Yu Qingtang suddenly felt a curious urge to look down, but Cheng Zhanxi held her too tightly; she couldn’t even move.
Yu Qingtang lifted her head slightly and saw Cheng Zhanxi’s ears; the tips were also red.
Yu Qingtang opened her mouth, imagining gently biting them, and Cheng Zhanxi’s reaction. Her breathing involuntarily lost its rhythm.
The air, which had just calmed down, became agitated again, restlessly pulsing through her nerves.
Cheng Zhanxi lifted her chin. Her tea-colored eyes were as deep as black whirlpools, reflecting Yu Qingtang’s dazed expression.
Cheng Zhanxi’s soft white knuckles, holding her chin, tightened, pulling Yu Qingtang back from her trance. Yu Qingtang met her dangerous gaze and instinctively shrank back, revealing a hint of fear.
Cheng Zhanxi almost laughed in exasperation.
Cheng Zhanxi softened her touch, now pinching Yu Qingtang’s smooth cheek, and said, “Was it fun?”
Yu Qingtang, lying on top of her, asked softly, “What was fun?”
Cheng Zhanxi pinched her again, her voice tinged with a hint of gritted teeth, “Seducing me.”
Yu Qingtang retorted even more softly, “I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.” The woman’s voice was domineering and brooked no argument, yet it also carried a trace of grievance.
“Xixi this, Xixi that, Xixi wants it but you don’t care.”
Yu Qingtang’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, her gaze clear and innocent, yet a wave of indescribable, secret joy welled up within her.
Had she seduced Cheng Zhanxi without even doing anything?
Did that mean she was particularly attractive to her?
Cheng Zhanxi didn’t miss the fleeting joy in her eyes. Who wouldn’t want their beloved to be infatuated with them, body included? Previously, Cheng Zhanxi had never expressed herself so openly in front of her, firstly due to her upbringing and grace; secondly, because she focused more on spiritual attraction rather than physical needs; and thirdly, in front of the person she liked, she always wanted to present a perfect, noble image. But Yu Qingtang was a very slow and unconfident person. If Cheng Zhanxi didn’t say things, she wouldn’t notice or feel them, and even if she did, she would doubt herself.
Now Cheng Zhanxi was telling her plainly: I just crave your body! If you seduce me again, I won’t be able to hold back!
Including her foolish behavior before opening the hotel room door tonight, it was Cheng Zhanxi intentionally showing it. She was, after all, just a young woman in love, who would giggle foolishly for her, forget things, no different from an ordinary person.
She didn’t know how many times Cheng Zhanxi had giggled foolishly for Yu Qingtang when she was alone. Yu Qingtang knew none of this.
If her glamorous exterior prevented Yu Qingtang from seeing the real her, then what was the harm in shedding this outer layer?
Cheng Zhanxi helped Yu Qingtang, who was on top of her, to sit up, then got off the bed herself, saying, “I’m going to take a shower.”
Yu Qingtang blurted out, “Why are you going again?”
Cheng Zhanxi’s gaze became teasing. “What do you think?”
Yu Qingtang involuntarily looked down.
Cheng Zhanxi clicked her tongue. “Where are you looking?”
Yu Qingtang bit her lip and shyly looked away.
She was genuinely curious. Did Cheng Zhanxi also… that? So, the goddess was just like her. Did that mean she…
Yu Qingtang didn’t know what she was thinking; she had thought of everything, though not very clearly. She let her thoughts wander, and her cheeks flushed again as if she were drunk.
Cheng Zhanxi not only did that thing Yu Qingtang was thinking of, she also knew how to self-satisfy.
The sound of water concealed all noises from the glass-enclosed bathroom.
Her beloved was just a wall away. Cheng Zhanxi almost lost control, her voice nearly overpowering the sound of the shower.
Cheng Zhanxi released her bitten lower lip, hung the showerhead back up. Her legs were so weak she could barely stand. She leaned against the wall for a moment, then unhurriedly cleaned herself up.
The bathroom door opened.
Yu Qingtang’s keen sense of smell detected a faint scent, one she had once smelled at the elevator entrance one morning when she was with Cheng Zhanxi. She hadn’t asked then. Times were different now. As a steamy Cheng Zhanxi sat down beside her, Yu Qingtang’s nostrils flared, and she asked, “What perfume are you wearing?”
Perfume?
Cheng Zhanxi was stunned for a moment, then realized from her sniffing action what she meant.
She shook the blanket and said lightly, “You’ll know in the future.”
Cheng Zhanxi’s behavior tonight had emboldened Yu Qingtang. She pressed, “Can’t you tell me today?”
Cheng Zhanxi smoothed the blanket at her feet, then turned to look at her, her gaze meaningful. “Do you really want to know today?”
Yu Qingtang felt a sudden sense of danger, swallowed, and shook her head.
“Well, there you go.”
Cheng Zhanxi’s teasing tone made Yu Qingtang even more curious. She blinked.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at her raven-like dark lashes and suddenly said, “Don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what?”
“Don’t blink at me like that. I won’t be able to resist.”
“Oh,” Yu Qingtang responded softly.
Resist what? I really want to see her unable to resist.
So, when Cheng Zhanxi turned to look at her again, Yu Qingtang fluttered her lashes, deliberately blinking at the woman.
Her deliberate seduction lacked that innocent allure, but it was cute enough to make one want to tease her, achieving a similar effect by different means.
To teach Yu Qingtang a lesson, and also to boost her confidence, Cheng Zhanxi followed her heart and leaned over, one hand supporting herself beside Yu Qingtang, clasping the back of her hand, her fingers intertwining between Yu Qingtang’s.
Yu Qingtang lifted her eyelids, looking at the woman’s delicate face so close, her skin so fine and fair that no pores were visible.
Eyebrows, eyes, nose bridge, lips—every feature was exquisite.
Yu Qingtang’s free hand gently caressed the woman’s fair face, her gaze lingering, repeatedly murmuring the question, “What do you like about me?”
“I like everything about you.”
“But my everything is only a little bit.”
“But your little bit can encompass my everything.” Cheng Zhanxi kissed the corner of her lips, gently saying, “I lack nothing, only you, the one who can make my heart flutter. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Yu Qingtang’s hand slid from her cheek to the nape of her neck, her lashes trembling, and she closed her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes lowered, and she kissed her.
The light in the room cast a soft halo on them.
Cheng Zhanxi’s supporting hand moved, pulling Yu Qingtang onto her. Yu Qingtang’s hands hooked around her neck, their two shadows on the wall inseparable.
Yu Qingtang finally learned to breathe.
The sound of exchanged, wet kisses filled the room, lingering for a long time.
Yu Qingtang gently pushed Cheng Zhanxi’s shoulder. Cheng Zhanxi’s fingers, tangled in her long hair and holding the back of her head, loosened. She kissed the woman’s lips again gently, pulled a tissue from the nightstand to wipe her mouth. As the tissue touched Yu Qingtang’s lips, she said she would do it herself, but Cheng Zhanxi didn’t let her.
She took another tissue, handed it to Yu Qingtang, and puckered her lips forward.
Yu Qingtang looked at her moist lips, bearing traces of her own and Cheng Zhanxi’s. She gently wiped them clean, her fingertip lingering unconsciously on Cheng Zhanxi’s lip bead. Cheng Zhanxi’s teeth parted slightly, unexpectedly biting the tip of her index finger.
Yu Qingtang, caught off guard, let out a small gasp.
Cheng Zhanxi gently gnawed on her knuckle, then released her with restraint.
Yu Qingtang’s face was flushed, and she was speechless for a long moment.
Cheng Zhanxi amusingly scolded for her, “Am I a dog?”
Yu Qingtang said, “You’re a sheep.”
Cheng Zhanxi made horns with her hands on her head, shook her head, and said, “Baa~”
Yu Qingtang couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving.
She’s so cute.
They played for a long time, finally lying down side by side.
Yu Qingtang turned her head to look at Cheng Zhanxi. Cheng Zhanxi, as if by telepathy, extended her arm without being asked, letting Yu Qingtang rest her head in the crook of her arm.
Cheng Zhanxi’s other hand smoothed Yu Qingtang’s bangs and asked, “Do you want to know what Wen Zhihan and I talked about that day?”
Yu Qingtang wanted to feign indifference, but jealousy surged uncontrollably at the mere mention of Wen Zhihan’s name, so sour that she couldn’t make any insincere reaction.
“Mm.”
“That day she asked me out and told me a story.” Cheng Zhanxi’s tone also turned sour. “A story about how she pursued you.”
“She… why would she tell you that?”
“To make me confess to you.”
“Huh?”
“Who made someone so slow?” Cheng Zhanxi pinched her nose. “She pursued you for seven years and you didn’t notice. If I didn’t confess, would I have to pursue you for ten years?”
“It wouldn’t be like that,” Yu Qingtang said very softly.
Cheng Zhanxi heard her sharply. “Am I different from her?”
“You and her… how could you be the same.”
Cheng Zhanxi was pleased, but that wasn’t her main point. She said, “Did you know we couldn’t stand each other?”
Yu Qingtang’s eyes widened; clearly, she didn’t know.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “From the first day we entered the school, we knew we were love rivals, secretly competing. Unfortunately, her combat power was trash; she didn’t last three rounds against me.”
Yu Qingtang burst out laughing, then quickly suppressed it.
Cheng Zhanxi then recounted their verbal sparring in the cafe the day before Wen Zhihan returned to the capital, how they jabbed at each other.
Making the other drink lemonade, Cheng Zhanxi retorting that she was meddling, the “Grandpa Ming lived to ninety-nine” story, which was a veiled insult implying Wen Zhihan was being nosy but also self-aware of her failure… The Cheng Zhanxi in her story was completely different from the one Yu Qingtang knew, perfectly displaying her petty side.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “When I first joined the school, I added her as a friend. I opened her Moments and found she had restricted me. I couldn’t find a single clue related to you. What was the use of keeping her? I deleted her right away. Later, when she sent me a message, she realized I had already deleted her.”
Yu Qingtang: “…Why did she message you?”
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow and looked down at her.
Her jealousy is no less than mine.
Yu Qingtang feigned composure.
Cheng Zhanxi vaguely explained, “Just asking if I was with you, about what happened in the taxi this afternoon. What about you? What did Wen Zhihan say to you?”
Yu Qingtang also glossed over it: “Wished me happiness.”
They looked at each other.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “She’s actually a decent person, I guess.”
Yu Qingtang agreed with a soft “Mm.”
Cheng Zhanxi hummed and said, “If she finds someone in the future, I could still be friends with her.” After a pause, she said, “Just kidding, I’m just petty.”
Yu Qingtang couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving.
Cheng Zhanxi rubbed her cheek with her chin, whining coquettishly, “Will you let me be petty?”
Yu Qingtang’s neck tickled from her soft hair, and her heart also felt a fine itch. She dodged and laughed, “Yes.”
“I’ll be even pettier in the future, will you let me?”
“Yes.”
Both were tired from a busy day, and sleepiness washed over them. Cheng Zhanxi didn’t want Wen Zhihan to be the last topic before they slept, so she forcibly changed it: “I want to go to a haunted house.”
Yu Qingtang, twirling a strand of her long hair in one hand, yawned and said, “Okay, when Xiao Qing’s dad is better, I’ll take you and Xiang Tianyou.”
“Not Xiang Tianyou, just the two of us.”
“Wouldn’t that be bad?”
“Secretly, we won’t tell him.”
Yu Qingtang smiled. “Okay.”
“I also want to watch movies, go shopping, eat out, travel, you accompany me.”
“Mm.”
Cheng Zhanxi chattered on, her voice growing softer, her breathing deeper, and she gradually fell asleep.
Pale moonlight filtered through the sheer curtains. Her sleeping face was serene, the corners of her lips upturned, not like a lofty deity, but like a little girl who had gotten her candy.
Yu Qingtang pressed her fingertip on her full lips.
Cheng Zhanxi murmured something and opened her lips. Yu Qingtang, afraid she would bite her, quickly withdrew her finger.
After a moment, she curiously reached out again, proactively inserting her finger between Cheng Zhanxi’s lips and teeth.
The soft, moist tip of her tongue pressed against her fingertip. Yu Qingtang’s heart simultaneously felt as if it were squeezed by a hand, thumping heavily. A strange, intense sensation rushed through her limbs, making her tremble slightly.
Yu Qingtang didn’t dare explore recklessly anymore. She wiped the glistening moisture from her fingertip, snuggled into Cheng Zhanxi’s embrace, and closed her eyes.
Yu Qingtang slept soundly. Her biological clock wasn't as punctual as Cheng Zhanxi’s. She woke up late the next day; sunlight was already streaming into the room. She turned her head; Cheng Zhanxi was still asleep. Her waist felt a little heavy—it was Cheng Zhanxi’s soft arm.
Yu Qingtang didn’t want to check her phone for the time, so she leaned closer to count Cheng Zhanxi’s distinct eyelashes.
Just then, Cheng Zhanxi suddenly opened her eyes.
Their eyes met.
Yu Qingtang’s heart skipped a beat—from fright.
Cheng Zhanxi, prepared, pulled Yu Qingtang, who reflexively tried to retreat, into her embrace with the arm around her waist.
Neither of them wore bras to sleep, and their innerwear was thin. Pressed so closely together, their body heat transferred continuously, making the already warm bed instantly hotter.
Yu Qingtang’s heart pounded. Looking at Cheng Zhanxi’s clear eyes, she asked, “When… did you wake up?”
Cheng Zhanxi thought for a moment and said, “About an hour ago.”
“Then why didn’t you get up?”
“Watching you sleep.”
“Sleeping… what’s so good to look at?” Yu Qingtang’s voice grew lower.
The woman’s smiling voice came from above her head, “Then why were you watching me sleep?”
Yu Qingtang said nothing.
Cheng Zhanxi tightened her arms around her and laughed, “Only the magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people are not allowed to light lamps, hmm?”
Yu Qingtang buried her face in her chest, her head still nuzzling inward like a cat.
“Miss Yu is so domineering.” Cheng Zhanxi’s laughter made her exposed ear tips turn completely red.
Cheng Zhanxi stroked her long hair and said, “I’ll stop teasing you. We should get up.”
Yu Qingtang’s muffled voice came from her embrace, “You get up first.”
Time was indeed tight. Cheng Zhanxi didn’t delay further, kissed the top of Yu Qingtang’s head, and started to withdraw her arms. She felt a subtle, almost negligible resistance, but Cheng Zhanxi still noticed it, immediately stopped her action, and hugged her again.
Yu Qingtang snuggled in her embrace a bit longer, then proactively retreated, looking down as she said, “Go wash up.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Mm.”
It was a distance of no more than ten steps, yet Yu Qingtang was reluctant to part, so Cheng Zhanxi played along with her reluctance.
It wasn't an exaggeration; couples in the honeymoon phase are naturally inseparable and find it hard to part.
Cheng Zhanxi went in to wash up. Outside, Yu Qingtang arranged the skincare bottles and jars, placed the shoes neatly by the edge of the bed. While idle, she even folded the blanket. Cheng Zhanxi came out with water droplets on her face.
Yu Qingtang walked into the bathroom. As her hand touched the toilet lid, she noticed a new disposable underwear in the trash can beside it—the light blue one Cheng Zhanxi had worn last night.
Yu Qingtang tilted her head in confusion.
After coming out, she didn’t mention this matter, as it was private, but it always felt strange whenever she thought about it.
Xiao Chunjin’s surgery was scheduled for next week. Yu Qingtang still had school work to attend to, so she didn’t stay in Jiangning County. She left some money for Xiao Qing to cover their expenses and told her that she would pay her tuition fees in advance. Her previous absences would count as leave, and she would have to return to school after her father’s initial recovery. She would also come back later to bring Xiao Qing her books so she could study ahead.
Xiao Chunjin, lying in bed, looked much better. He struggled to sit up, his eyes brimming with tears, and he repeatedly thanked Yu Qingtang.
Xiao Qing supported her father’s arm, her eyes shining as she looked at Yu Qingtang.
On Sunday noon, the two drove back to Sicheng.
As March approached, the weather warmed up quickly. Green shoots sprouted on both sides of the desolate road, full of life.
Cheng Zhanxi steadily held the steering wheel, her sleeves habitually rolled up, revealing a section of her fair forearm. Years of exercise had given her a thin layer of muscle, with smooth, beautiful lines extending to her long fingers.
Yu Qingtang was looking at her neatly trimmed, rounded nails out of the corner of her eye when she heard Cheng Zhanxi sigh from the driver’s seat, “Teacher Yu saved a family.”
Yu Qingtang: “…”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “Didn’t you notice the way Xiao Qing’s dad and Xiao Qing looked at you? Like you were their savior.”
Yu Qingtang frowned: “It was just a small effort.”
Others might not know, but didn't she know? If she didn't understand Cheng Zhanxi, she might have thought she was deliberately mocking her.
Cheng Zhanxi said pointedly, “So people are easily limited by themselves. Whether one is a god or a human, it’s just a different perspective on things.”
Yu Qingtang glanced at her.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “Take me, for example…”
Cheng Zhanxi paused for suspense.
Yu Qingtang couldn’t help but ask, “You what?”
Cheng Zhanxi looked straight ahead, the corners of her lips curved. “I’m a petty person.”
Yu Qingtang laughed.
Cheng Zhanxi: “I’m also afraid of ghosts, and I cry a lot. You haven’t seen much of it before. I’ll cry for you to see in the future.”
Yu Qingtang bit her index finger to stop herself from laughing out loud.
Cheng Zhanxi: “But I still think I’m interesting and cute.”
Yu Qingtang snorted, biting back her laughter.
Cheng Zhanxi: “One of the biggest annoyances in my life is being too popular. It’s a good thing I didn’t debut. If I had, what would Jin Siyue be doing?”
Yu Qingtang: “Who is Jin Siyue? Sounds a bit familiar.”
Cheng Zhanxi: “An unpopular celebrity, my childhood friend. I’ll introduce you to her later.”
The “unpopular” Jin Siyue, testing the sound system at a stadium for her concert for ten thousand people, let out a loud sneeze.
They chatted all the way. Yu Qingtang discovered that Cheng Zhanxi was unusually narcissistic, but her narcissism was well-founded, so it only added to her charm. Cheng Zhanxi also discovered that Yu Qingtang admired her unusually much; she felt that the best in the world naturally belonged to her, and others were unworthy.
Her love for her seemed to also contain a layer of idol worship.
Yu Qingtang’s feelings for her were too complex, too profound—friendship, love, perhaps even familial affection. The most intense and only emotions of her twenty-eight years of life were all given to this one person.
That’s why she was so cautious, treading on thin ice, lowering herself to the dust.
Returning to school on Monday, Yu Qingtang didn’t mention Xiao Qing’s family situation, only said that she had some matters to attend to and would return to school in one to two weeks, reassuring her classmates.
Life got back on track. Cheng Zhanxi intentionally shed her glamorous halo, step by step showing Yu Qingtang more of her human side, especially in the haunted house, where Cheng Zhanxi cried and screamed, clinging to Yu Qingtang the whole time. Afterwards, they shared an ice cream.
March, spring returns.
During Class Seven’s PE class, Cheng Zhanxi gathered Li Lan and a few others, huddling together and whispering about something. The girls’ eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Lian Yabing looked like she was about to faint from excitement.
The next day, Li Lan knocked on the door of Yu Qingtang’s office.
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