After Escaping Marriage - Extra 10
Chapter 153: Extra 3 - Parallel World
Cheng Zhanxi was silent for a long while. On the other end of the line, Yu Qingtang’s voice finally showed a subtle change.
“What’s wrong?”
Cheng Zhanxi snapped out of her daze. “Nothing.”
“If it’s nothing, why aren’t you talking?” Yu Qingtang chided her, sounding increasingly lively.
Cheng Zhanxi imagined her expression through the phone, the corners of her lips unconsciously turning up. She said coquettishly, “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”
“Didn’t we just see each other yesterday?”
“But that was a whole day ago~ The ancients used to say, a day apart feels like three autumns…”
“Stop fooling around,” Yu Qingtang said. “Why did you call me?”
“I just finished painting and I want to see you. Are you still at Teacher Tian’s house?”
“I am.”
“Then I’ll come find you at Teacher Tian’s house?”
“…Mhm.”
“See you in a bit.”
“Mhm.”
Cheng Zhanxi hung up the phone and gave the address to the driver, who started the car and headed in that direction.
The Tian residence.
Yu Qingtang stood on the balcony, a faint smile playing on her lips. She held the phone to her ear, listening to the dial tone after the call had ended.
She slowly pressed the phone to her heart, turned slightly to lean against the wall, touched her forehead to the cool surface, and gently bit her lower lip.
“Qingtang.” A gentle, smiling female voice came from behind her. “I was looking all over for you. So this is where you were.”
Yu Qingtang put away her phone, composed herself, and turned around, saying respectfully, “Teacher’s wife.”
Teacher Tian was the master of traditional Chinese painting Yu Qingtang had apprenticed herself to, and she had been studying with him for ten years now. The lady before her, dressed in a qipao and shawl, was Teacher Tian’s wife, Su E.
Yu Qingtang said with a composed expression, “I just took a call.”
Su E had taken in her entire reaction just now. How could a sixteen-year-old girl, no matter how good she was at hiding her feelings, possibly fool her? She never expected her husband’s young disciple, who always seemed so cool and detached, to look so interesting when she was blushing like a young maiden in love.
She just wondered what kind of person had managed to catch her eye.
Su E was considerate enough not to expose her and said gently, “Come have some fruit.”
Yu Qingtang nodded.
Following behind her, Yu Qingtang said, “Xixi is coming over later.”
The smile on Su E’s face deepened. “Is that so? Then I’ll have to prepare a few extra dishes tonight. When will she arrive?”
Even with Yu Qingtang’s naturally reserved disposition, she couldn’t help but feel a slight twitch at her temple at her teacher’s wife’s obvious fondness.
She was clearly the one who was closer to her, while Cheng Zhanxi only came over to freeload a meal occasionally. Yet every time Su E saw Cheng Zhanxi, she was overjoyed. Perhaps this was just Cheng Zhanxi’s special talent—to be loved by all, captivating men and women, young and old alike.
But this jealousy was very faint. Yu Qingtang wouldn’t be so petty as to be jealous of Cheng Zhanxi for being more popular than her. The dominant emotion seemed to be something else, something she couldn’t quite identify herself.
Yu Qingtang took the fruit Su E offered her. Su E, sitting on the sofa, asked, “So you were on the phone with Xixi just now?”
“Yes,” Yu Qingtang said.
Su E smiled. “I thought it was…” She coughed lightly, changing the subject. It wasn’t appropriate to talk about things like romance and love with such a young girl.
Yu Qingtang’s brow furrowed slightly.
What was it?
After eating a few pieces of fruit, Yu Qingtang stood up. “I’m going to go paint.”
Su E asked, “Aren’t you going to wait for Xixi?”
Yu Qingtang’s tone was casual. “It’s not like she’s some distinguished guest. I see her every day. She can just come find me in the study later.”
Su E smiled. “That’s true. Alright, you go on. Your teacher will be back in a little while too.”
Watching Yu Qingtang’s back disappear into the study, Su E smiled to herself. The two little girls were really close.
The Tian residence had good soundproofing, so Yu Qingtang could barely hear any noise from outside while in the study.
The doorbell rang in the living room. Su E put down her book and opened the door. A beaming Cheng Zhanxi came in and gave Su E a big hug. “Auntie Su!” Before she even finished speaking, she was already craning her neck to look inside. “Where’s Yu Qingtang?”
Su E pretended to be displeased. “You could at least finish the hug before asking.”
Cheng Zhanxi let go, stuck out her tongue, and giggled her way out of it with playful charm.
Su E’s expression softened into a smile. “She’s in the study painting. Be quiet when you open the door.”
“Got it.” Cheng Zhanxi bounded over, slowing her steps as she neared the door and gently grasping the doorknob.
Su E watched her tiptoe inside, shook her head with a smile, and picked up the book from the coffee table again.
A faint scent of ink permeated the study.
The girl painting at the desk with a suspended wrist had a fair and beautiful face. Her jet-black hair was tied back, with only a couple of restless strands falling by her forehead, making her complexion appear even clearer and purer. The bones of her slender wrist protruded as she moved the brush, making it look delicate and small, while the fingers holding the brush were long and strong.
Yu Qingtang’s expression was focused; she didn’t seem to have noticed that someone else had entered the study.
Cheng Zhanxi walked up behind her. Only after Yu Qingtang had dotted the eyes of the crouching tiger in the mountain forest did she speak softly, “Tangtang.”
Without looking at her, Yu Qingtang said coolly, “So disrespectful.”
“Are you finished painting?”
“Mhm.”
Cheng Zhanxi took the brush from her hand and placed it back on the white jade brush rest. As Yu Qingtang flexed her wrist, Cheng Zhanxi lifted her out from behind the desk.
Yu Qingtang gave her earlobe a symbolic pinch but didn’t struggle otherwise.
Cheng Yi placed great importance on his two children’s physical training, so Cheng Zhanxi was practically a martial artist. As they grew older, the gap in physical fitness between her and Yu Qingtang widened. Yu Qingtang preferred quiet over activity. When she was little, refusing to admit defeat, she trained with the Cheng family’s private coach for two days before decisively accepting reality.
In any case, no matter how much she trained, she could never surpass Cheng Zhanxi. And it wasn’t like the two of them would ever fight, so she just let it be.
Cheng Zhanxi skillfully carried Yu Qingtang to the sofa, then buried her face in the crook of her neck, draping her arms relaxedly over her shoulders.
Yu Qingtang watched her head moving about. Her neck felt a little itchy, and her heart felt a little ticklish too. Especially when Cheng Zhanxi’s soft, fine hair slipped past her collar and into her clothes, it sent an almost unfamiliar shiver through her.
Yu Qingtang endured the dual psychological and physical torment for a moment before lightly patting the back of her head. Her voice was tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible hoarseness. “Are you a dog?”
Cheng Zhanxi lifted her head to look at her, her eyes moist and full of spirit.
“Is a dog as cute as me?”
Yu Qingtang burst out laughing.
Was being compared to a dog something to be proud of?
Not only that, but Cheng Zhanxi also asked, “Do you like dogs, or do you like me?”
“You.” Yu Qingtang pinched her cheek.
“If a dog and I both fell into the water, who would you save?”
“You.” Yu Qingtang’s fingertips unconsciously slid to her ear, tracing from the outer ear to the lobe, the pads of her fingers rubbing against it.
Cheng Zhanxi tilted her head, somewhat enjoying this feeling that was almost like an intimate caress.
After a moment, she turned her head away from Yu Qingtang’s fingertips, shrinking her neck and smiling. “It’s hot.”
Yu Qingtang was hot too, but it was her heart that was hot. A warmth rose in her eyes as she looked at Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi took a deep breath of her scent, let out a long sigh, and leaned back into the sofa. To describe it with a term that would later become popular, it was as if she had entered “sage time.”
Yu Qingtang: “…”
Yu Qingtang suddenly grabbed Cheng Zhanxi’s left hand and bit the fleshy part between her thumb and index finger.
Cheng Zhanxi: “Ah!”
She cried out in pain but didn’t immediately pull away. Instead, she stared at Yu Qingtang with wide eyes and said, “What’s wrong?”
Like her brother, Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes held a hint of romance, which became more obvious as she grew older. In this moment, however, her wide-eyed look diluted their natural flirtatiousness, revealing a charming innocence reserved just for Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang opened her mouth as if to bite again. Looking at the unmoving Cheng Zhanxi, she asked with a steady gaze, “Why didn’t you pull away?”
Cheng Zhanxi asked, “Why would I? I wouldn’t even pull away if my mom hit me.”
Yu Qingtang’s expression changed instantly. “Your mom has hit you?”
“I was just making a comparison.”
Yu Qingtang understood her analogy and the intimacy it implied, a closeness that couldn’t be compared to outsiders. She was about to let go of her hand, but then she lowered her gaze to the bite mark on the web of Cheng Zhanxi’s hand. Suddenly changing her mind, she brought it to her lips and licked it with the wet tip of her tongue.
Cheng Zhanxi cried out again, “Ah!”
Yu Qingtang looked up. “Does it hurt?”
“No,” Cheng Zhanxi said.
“Then why did you cry out?”
“I-I don’t know.” Cheng Zhanxi’s heart was beating abnormally. She took a couple of quick breaths and said in confusion, “Maybe it tickled?”
Yu Qingtang let go of her hand.
Cheng Zhanxi looked down at the wet mark on her hand, her expression dazed, lost in thought.
Yu Qingtang got up to tidy the desk, and Cheng Zhanxi watched her from the sofa. Yu Qingtang was wearing a white dress today. They were still students, so the style wasn’t anything special, but it looked exceptionally good on her. As she moved, her fair, delicate ankles were revealed, and the swaying hem of her skirt looked like the wings of a white butterfly.
Yu Qingtang was half a year older than her, but her temperament was vastly different—cool and serene, with a composure that belied her age.
Yu Qingtang walked over, took the hand of the dazed Cheng Zhanxi, and said, “Let’s go out and get something to eat.”
Su E was already busy in the kitchen.
Yu Qingtang took a piece of fruit from the fruit bowl and began to peel it. The TV was playing the recently popular historical sitcom, My Own Swordsman. Cheng Zhanxi glanced at the TV, but her gaze quickly returned to Yu Qingtang.
Without looking up, Yu Qingtang sensed her gaze and an imperceptible smile touched her lips. “Watch the TV. Why are you looking at me?”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “I can watch TV when I get home.”
Yu Qingtang looked up, a teasing smile on her face. “And me?”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “I won’t be able to see you when I get home.”
Yu Qingtang was speechless.
Cheng Zhanxi moved closer to her, pressing right up against her. Yu Qingtang quickly moved the hand holding the fruit knife away. “Be careful, you’ll get cut.”
“I won’t.” Cheng Zhanxi reached out and wrapped her arms around her waist.
Yu Qingtang could barely move. “What are you doing?”
Was she going to sniff her again?
Cheng Zhanxi rested her chin on her shoulder, looking at the flawless white side of her neck, the faint veins, and her small, translucent ear. She blinked slowly a few times, not nuzzling against her like before.
Maintaining this awkward posture, Yu Qingtang finished peeling the apple for her. She strained to grab a small plate from the coffee table, cut the apple into several pieces, and fed one to her.
Only then did Cheng Zhanxi let her go, though one hand remained wrapped around her waist.
“Your waist is so slender,” she exclaimed in amazement.
“You hug me every day. You’re only just discovering that now?” Yu Qingtang said, exasperated.
“No, it’s just… ugh.” Cheng Zhanxi didn’t know how to explain it. It just felt exceptionally good to the touch today, and she wanted to feel it a little more.
“Let’s go to a hot spring tonight,” Cheng Zhanxi suggested.
“Why?”
Cheng Zhanxi almost blurted out, “I want to see your waist.” She quickly bit her tongue and said, “Studying has been too tiring lately.”
Yu Qingtang shot her a sidelong glance but didn’t refute her clumsy excuse. “Where would we go this late?”
Without thinking, Cheng Zhanxi said, “Oh, I know a friend…”
Yu Qingtang cut her off coldly. “Not going.”
She placed the plate in her hand onto Cheng Zhanxi’s and went into the kitchen without looking back to help Su E.
Cheng Zhanxi scratched the back of her head.
Why is she angry again?
Yu Qingtang chopped a couple of vegetables, calming her own inexplicable pettiness. When she came out and saw Cheng Zhanxi looking at her with pleading eyes, the last bit of her anger dissipated. “You don’t need to trouble your friend. I’ll book a room at a hot spring hotel later, and we can go next week.”
Cheng Zhanxi nodded repeatedly.
All she wanted was to go to a hot spring with Yu Qingtang; nothing else mattered.
“Come here,” Yu Qingtang said.
Cheng Zhanxi obediently walked over.
Yu Qingtang took her hand, added a new set of teeth marks over the spot she had bitten before, and then released her.
Cheng Zhanxi watched her lower her hand, let out a soft sound, and said, “You haven’t…”
Yu Qingtang tilted her head. “Haven’t what?”
“You haven’t…” Cheng Zhanxi’s heart traitorously began to race. The last two words were spoken so softly they were almost inaudible. “…licked me.”
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