After Escaping Marriage - Extra 15
Chapter 158: Extra 3 - Parallel World
The other end of the line fell strangely silent for a moment.
Then, as if nothing had happened, Cheng Zhanxi let out a couple more laughs and asked, “Then why don’t you tell me how you’d like to be eaten?”
Yu Qingtang countered, “How would you like to eat me?”
Cheng Zhanxi teased improperly, “Steamed? Braised in soy sauce?”
Yu Qingtang said, “…Go to sleep.”
Cheng Zhanxi was still giggling. “Okay, good night.”
“Good night.”
Once again rendered speechless by Cheng Zhanxi, Yu Qingtang was the first to hang up.
Listening to the dial tone, Cheng Zhanxi zoned out for a while before slowly putting her phone back.
She lay flat on her bed, hands pillowed behind her head, staring blankly at the ceiling.
At her age, even if she hadn't eaten pork, she'd seen a pig run. She wasn't so completely clueless as to be a block of wood. Yu Qingtang’s calm words, “Who says I can’t be eaten?” echoed in her ears, making her toss and turn for a long time before she finally fell asleep.
That night, she had a dream.
In the dream, there was a damp, white fog. She and Yu Qingtang were walking deep among the trees, occasionally catching the fleeting shadow of a deer.
The trees were lush and towering, blocking out the sun. Not a single ray of light could penetrate, and with the overlapping layers of fog, Cheng Zhanxi could only hold Yu Qingtang’s hand tightly, turning her head to look at her face, which was obscured and indistinct in the thick mist.
The only sound in the forest was the crunch of their footsteps.
They walked like this for a very, very long time. Cheng Zhanxi thought to herself, How come Yu Qingtang hasn’t complained about being tired? This isn’t scientific. So she took the initiative to ask, “Should we take a break?”
Yu Qingtang didn’t speak.
Cheng Zhanxi’s lips moved, but she swallowed the rest of her words and silently continued walking for a while longer.
“Where are you taking me?”
“…”
“Why aren’t you talking, Yu Qingtang?”
“…”
Cheng Zhanxi stopped abruptly. Yu Qingtang, whose hand was held in hers, turned around. Her expression was hazy and vague.
The surrounding fog grew thicker and colder.
Cheng Zhanxi shivered. Just as she was about to say something to the silent Yu Qingtang before her, she saw the other girl lean in closer.
Along with the damp, spreading fog, a sensation as cold and wet as the mist itself touched Cheng Zhanxi’s cheek, then her lips…
And then she woke up.
A faint blue light was visible on the horizon; the sky had not yet fully brightened. Cheng Zhanxi sat up, clutching her wildly beating heart, and swallowed hard.
What was that in the dream?
She threw off the covers, got out of bed, and took her empty cup to the desk to pour some water, downing half a glass in one go.
Since she couldn't get back to sleep anyway, she might as well study. Cheng Zhanxi randomly pulled a book on Western art history from the small bookshelf and sat at her desk to read.
On any other day, if she had dreamed of Yu Qingtang, she would have been eager to tell her. But this time was an exception. She instinctively kept it a secret, hiding it in her heart and telling no one.
After they got over that hurdle, she and Yu Qingtang went back to how they were before, sticking together whenever they had free time. But since they both had their own things to do, the time they could spend together was limited.
Winter passed and spring arrived, and Yu Qingtang welcomed her eighteenth birthday.
Yu Qingtang didn't want a big celebration, so Wei Tingyu and Yu Ci only invited the Cheng family over for a meal at their house.
The men, except for Cheng Yuanxi, went into the kitchen, while the women chatted and laughed outside. The birthday girl and her best friend were in the bedroom upstairs.
Cheng Zhanxi was as comfortable in Yu Qingtang’s house as she was in her own. At this moment, she was lying on Yu Qingtang’s bed, limbs spread out, as blissful as an immortal.
Yu Qingtang sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze lowered slightly as she looked at her. “Is my bed really that comfortable?”
Cheng Zhanxi bounced herself up and down a couple of times, closing her eyes in enjoyment, letting her actions speak for her.
—It’s so comfortable.
Yu Qingtang said, “Then will you sleep here tonight?”
Without thinking, Cheng Zhanxi replied casually, “Sure.” Lying on her back, she looked up at her and suddenly smiled. “When was the last time we slept together? It feels like it’s been a long time.”
Yu Qingtang said, “Didn’t we sleep together when we went to the hot springs?”
Cheng Zhanxi laughed. “Hahahaha, I forgot.”
Yu Qingtang lowered her eyes.
Looking at her expression, Cheng Zhanxi felt that she was acting a bit strange today, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what was odd.
Cheng Zhanxi unconsciously pouted, deciding not to think about it. After all, this was Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang’s gaze fell on her full lips, lingering for two seconds before she forced herself to look away.
Someone called from downstairs that dinner was ready.
Cheng Zhanxi leaped off the bed, slipped into her shoes in a flash, and dashed towards the grand meal in the first-floor dining room like a bird returning to its forest.
Yu Qingtang followed behind her at a leisurely pace, her eyes never leaving her back, like a hunter lying in wait in the forest, waiting for her prey to take the bait.
Eighteen was a dividing line. Many things that were forbidden before one’s eighteenth birthday were permitted on that day. Drinking, for example.
There was red wine at every place setting on the table, except for Cheng Zhanxi’s, whose glass was filled with juice. Cheng Zhanxi protested, “I want to drink wine too!”
Cheng Yi ruffled her hair. “You can drink on your birthday.”
Cheng Zhanxi pursed her lips.
Just as Yu Qingtang was about to swap her wine for juice, Yu Ci said, “It’s Tangtang’s birthday today. Let’s make an exception just this once.”
Since Yu Ci had spoken, Cheng Yi couldn't very well object. Song Qingrou poured a shallow amount into the bottom of her glass and said, “Just a little.”
Cheng Zhanxi held the glass and agreed repeatedly, “I know.” Then she gave Yu Ci a sweet smile. “Thank you, Auntie.”
Yu Ci beamed.
Yu Qingtang glanced at her mother with an unreadable expression. Yu Ci returned her gaze, her eyes curving into crescents.
Yu Qingtang: “…”
“Happy birthday, Tangtang.”
With a clink, seven wine glasses touched.
After the main course, the cake was brought out. The two families sang the birthday song together. Yu Qingtang, wearing a birthday crown, clasped her hands in front of her, made three wishes, and blew out the candles.
Yu Qingtang cut and served the birthday cake. Seeing her family eating the cake in harmony, a smile couldn't help but appear on her face.
Suddenly, she felt something cold on her left cheek, as if something had been smeared on it. In the next instant, a figure flashed before her, and Cheng Zhanxi was standing two steps away, laughing heartily.
Yu Qingtang touched her face and looked down to see white cream on her fingertips.
Yu Qingtang took a light breath and narrowed her eyes at Cheng Zhanxi.
But Cheng Zhanxi was looking to her side.
Before Yu Qingtang could react, her right cheek was also hit.
Yu Ci, holding a cake plate, said smugly, “This is called a feint to the east and an attack to the west.”
Cheng Zhanxi raised her hand, and Yu Ci raised hers as well. They high-fived in the air and said in unison, “Yay!”
Yu Qingtang: “…”
Yay, my foot. What feint to the east and attack to the west? The only two childish people in the whole room were them.
Song Qingrou suddenly noticed the commotion and said excitedly, “They’re smearing cream!”
The three men: “Huh?”
Faster than one could say, Song Qingrou scooped up some cream from a plate and went on the attack with the force of an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
None of the three men were spared.
“…”
Song Qingrou got up to join the battle. Yu Qingtang, while complaining internally, fought back. It devolved into a chaotic free-for-all, filled with screams and laughter. The three men were too embarrassed to fight with their wives and sister, so they started attacking each other.
The scene was beyond chaotic.
Yu Qingtang ended up with a face like a painted cat, even getting cream in her hair. After the battle ended, she went upstairs to take a shower.
Cheng Zhanxi’s parents and brother got up to leave. Cheng Zhanxi was staying the night at the Wei house. Song Qingrou reminded her to go to bed early and not play too late, and Cheng Zhanxi nodded like a pecking chicken.
After seeing her parents and brother off, she scampered upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door on the second floor.
Yu Qingtang had just finished her shower and was wearing a well-fitting, pearly white silk nightgown. The style was rather mature, revealing the graceful curves of a young woman’s body. She was like an apricot on a branch, tinged with green and red—still a little tart, yet already showing a hint of charm.
Cheng Zhanxi stared for a few extra seconds, thinking that she rarely saw Yu Qingtang like this. It was a different kind of beautiful.
Yu Qingtang tied the sash into a decorative knot, her long, slender white fingers nimble. She looked at the transfixed Cheng Zhanxi and said, “I put your pajamas in the bathroom.”
Cheng Zhanxi: “Oh, okay.”
She walked to the bathroom door, then turned to look at her again.
Yu Qingtang curved her lips into a smile.
Cheng Zhanxi almost hit her head on the doorframe but corrected her course just in time and went into the bathroom.
The steam in the bathroom had not yet dissipated. The scent of shower gel and shampoo lingered in the air, making Cheng Zhanxi feel a little light-headed as she stepped into the glass shower stall.
Warm water streamed down from her head to her toes. Cheng Zhanxi tilted back her long, snowy neck, letting the hot water rinse over her again and again. Her young pores opened up, and her skin became moist and dewy with a faint pink glow.
…
Cheng Zhanxi reached out to turn off the faucet, grabbed a bath towel to dry herself, and then took the nightgown from the stool. As she shook it out to put it on, she realized it was almost identical in style to Yu Qingtang’s. The silk was smooth and clung to her skin. Cheng Zhanxi took a couple of steps; it was so light it felt like she was wearing nothing. Forcing down her awkwardness, she went out.
Yu Qingtang’s long hair was draped over her back. She held a hairdryer, trying her best to keep her gaze on Cheng Zhanxi’s face. “Come here,” she said.
Cheng Zhanxi did as she was told and sat on the edge of the bed.
Yu Qingtang’s fingertips ran through the long hair at the back of her head. The strands pulled at her scalp, and Cheng Zhanxi flinched slightly as a strange sensation washed over her.
The hot air blew through her hair. Cheng Zhanxi looked up and leaned back slightly, the fragrance coming from behind her captivating her breath.
Yu Qingtang put away the hairdryer. Cheng Zhanxi yawned and said, “I’m a little sleepy.”
Yu Qingtang pinched her cheek. “Don’t sleep.”
Huh?
Cheng Zhanxi forced herself to stay awake, her eyes wide as saucers.
Yu Qingtang’s hand approached her face again. This time, it wasn’t a pinch, but a caress.
Cheng Zhanxi flinched away again.
Yu Qingtang raised an eyebrow.
Cheng Zhanxi said in a small voice, “…It tickles.”
Yu Qingtang’s eyes darkened slightly. She immediately averted her gaze, walked over to the TV cabinet, opened a drawer, took out a disc, and put it in the DVD player.
Cheng Zhanxi craned her neck. “Are you going to play a movie?”
With her back to her, Yu Qingtang hummed in affirmation. She looked at the cover of the Blu-ray disc and, after a moment’s thought, decided not to hide it back in the drawer.
Yu Qingtang casually tossed it onto the bed and said, “I’m going downstairs to get something.”
Curious, Cheng Zhanxi picked up the case. She looked down at it, her expression freezing slightly.
Yu Qingtang placed several glass bottles that looked like drinks on the floor and beckoned for Cheng Zhanxi to come sit. Cheng Zhanxi took the bottle she was handed, sniffed it, and asked, “What kind of drink is this?”
“It’s not a drink, it’s fruit wine.” Yu Qingtang took a sip first. “You’re not an adult yet, so drink less.”
Cheng Zhanxi took a taste and smacked her lips. It didn’t taste like alcohol at all, so she drank it like juice.
The movie’s opening credits finished, and the main story began.
Since Yu Qingtang had just turned eighteen, the movie she chose was of course not R-rated. It was just an ordinary romance film. What made it different from most romance films was that the protagonists were two people of the same sex, both female.
Cheng Zhanxi ate snacks and drank fruit wine as she watched the two female leads meet for the first time, develop feelings for each other, and try to create chance encounters. The director was very skilled at filming, perfectly capturing the feeling of a fluttering heart.
The motion of Cheng Zhanxi bringing snacks to her mouth slowed. She took a tissue to wipe her hands, sat up straight, and stared at the television without blinking. The light from the screen flickered on her face, making it alternately bright and dark.
Yu Qingtang discreetly let out a sigh of relief.
Good, she wasn’t completely focused on eating.
The two female leads held hands, walked to the middle of a large bridge, and shared a gentle kiss under the setting sun.
For some inexplicable reason, Cheng Zhanxi turned her head to glance at Yu Qingtang. Yu Qingtang sensed her gaze and turned to look back.
Cheng Zhanxi’s gaze slid downwards slightly. She pursed her lips. The scene on the TV changed, and the light shifted in her peripheral vision. Cheng Zhanxi came back to her senses and turned her face back to the screen.
Yu Qingtang: “…”
It was fine. There would be another chance.
The first kiss was light and beautiful, like a dragonfly skimming the water, a brief taste before pulling away.
On the screen, there was more tenderness than passion between the two.
Later, one protagonist visited her girlfriend’s home. A private space, soft lighting, a beautiful lover—it was only natural to lose control of one’s emotions.
Cheng Zhanxi reached for the fruit wine beside her. Her hand missed before she finally managed to grab it and take a sip, trying to cover up the sound of her accelerating heartbeat.
Why aren’t they done kissing yet?
A gaze was cast upon her from the side. Cheng Zhanxi looked over. In the dim room, Yu Qingtang’s pupils were dark, bright, and moist.
Thump, thump.
Cheng Zhanxi’s gaze uncontrollably moved downwards, fixing on the red lips so close to her. She swallowed.
Yu Qingtang met her eyes, the moisture in her pupils rippling softly.
The string in Cheng Zhanxi’s mind tangled into a messy knot. She propped a hand on the wooden floor, lowered her eyes, and kissed her.
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