After Escaping Marriage - Extra 25
Chapter 168: Extra 3 - Parallel World
Before Cheng Zhanxi’s mind could even begin to analyze the meaning behind Yu Qingtang’s action, her head was already spinning as she let Yu Qingtang do as she pleased. It wasn’t until Yu Qingtang’s cool fingertips gently pinched her chin that all her senses seemed to break free from some invisible restraint and come online at once. She smelled the fragrance wafting from Yu Qingtang, who was pressed so close against her. She felt the warm, soft arm wrapped around the back of her neck. And most importantly…
The temperature of the lips pressed against hers.
She was kissing her.
It was Yu Qingtang kissing her.
This one clear, distilled thought shattered Cheng Zhanxi’s belatedly returning composure all over again.
Yu Qingtang had no experience and was very nervous, so the kiss was, at most, a light pressing of their lips together, foreheads touching, breaths intertwining.
After a moment of tender, closed-eyed stillness, Yu Qingtang released her lips, though her hand remained tightly clasped with Cheng Zhanxi’s.
She had waited for her for so many years. This time, she would not let go, no matter what.
“Are you… Are you…” Cheng Zhanxi, a beat behind, took a moment to react. Suppressing the tremble in her voice, she unconsciously licked her dry lips and asked softly, “What… what do you mean by this?”
Am I dreaming again? Cheng Zhanxi thought.
Yu Qingtang looked at her and smiled. “Guess.”
Cheng Zhanxi was speechless.
She looked hesitant, staring down at the floor and biting her lower lip.
Yu Qingtang realized she was falling into her old habits again and promptly corrected herself, saying bluntly, “I like you.”
Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes shot up.
Looking into her eyes, Yu Qingtang repeated earnestly, “I like you, Cheng Zhanxi.”
It was a strange feeling. She had rehearsed this confession in her mind thousands of times, imagined the scene in which it would happen countless times, but in the moment it actually happened, Yu Qingtang felt an unprecedented sense of peace. In that second, she didn’t even think about Cheng Zhanxi’s answer. She was utterly calm.
Perhaps she really should have confessed sooner.
Yu Qingtang tilted her head, her gaze gentle as she asked with a smile, “What about you?”
“What?” Cheng Zhanxi asked silently in her mind. She watched as Yu Qingtang, still holding her hand, pulled her closer. Her fingertips caressed the back of Cheng Zhanxi’s hand as she said in a low, soft voice, “Do you like me?”
A firework exploded in her mind, followed by a second, and then countless more, bursting one after another against the black canvas of the sky.
Cheng Zhanxi didn’t answer her. Actions were more powerful than words.
She cupped Yu Qingtang’s face and kissed her.
Just as it had happened countless times in her dreams, it was a wet, tangled kiss, her arms wrapped tightly around her, not loosening in the slightest.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathless.
It was a first kiss for both of them, so there was no technique to speak of. The simple feeling of their hearts connecting was enough to make their souls tremble.
They both smiled and simultaneously hugged each other.
Cheng Zhanxi tilted her head, her chin resting in the crook of Yu Qingtang’s shoulder, and placed small, scattered kisses on the young woman’s temple. The rims of her eyes reddened slightly as a single sentence surged through her mind: She’s mine. From today on, she’s mine.
She no longer had to worry about losing Yu Qingtang. They would forever be the closest to each other, never leaving one another’s side for the rest of their lives.
It was wonderful.
Cheng Zhanxi was still lost in a state of immense joy, her heart beating erratically. Her delicate kisses moved from Yu Qingtang’s temple back to the corner of her lips, lingering there for a moment before she reluctantly pulled away.
But then, Yu Qingtang suddenly leaned forward and unexpectedly nipped the tip of her tongue.
Cheng Zhanxi was speechless.
Yu Qingtang burst out laughing.
Cheng Zhanxi indulgently ruffled her hair, glanced toward the bathroom, and said, “I’m going to take a shower first.”
Yu Qingtang wrapped her arms around her waist and clung to her affectionately for a moment before saying, “Go on.”
Cheng Zhanxi opened the closet to get her pajamas.
Yu Qingtang tilted her head to look and said, “Is that the one you always wear?”
Cheng Zhanxi faltered for a second before saying, “Yes.”
Remembering some of the things she herself had done, Yu Qingtang immediately wanted to ask if Cheng Zhanxi had ever thought of her and… taken matters into her own hands while wearing the pajamas she had gifted her. But it was the first day of their relationship; it wasn’t the time to be so forward. So she just hummed in acknowledgment.
With her back to Yu Qingtang, the tips of Cheng Zhanxi’s fair ears turned red. She didn’t understand why such an ordinary, everyday action suddenly felt so embarrassing just because Yu Qingtang had asked about it.
Cheng Zhanxi clutched the pajamas to her chest, lowered her head, and said hastily, “I’m going to shower now.”
“I’ll wait for you out here,” Yu Qingtang said.
Cheng Zhanxi walked to the bathroom door, then turned back, looking at Yu Qingtang as if she wanted to say something but was hesitating.
Yu Qingtang was confused. “???”
Cheng Zhanxi bit her lip, mustered her courage, and raised her voice. “I forgot to tell you just now.”
“Hm?”
“I like you too,” Cheng Zhanxi said.
The bathroom door slammed shut.
Outside, Yu Qingtang stood stunned for two seconds before breaking into a soft laugh.
She moved from the chair to the bed, tumbling across the neatly made sheets Cheng Zhanxi had straightened earlier and messing them up completely. She fell back onto the bed, her long hair fanning out to cover half her face. Beneath the strands, the corners of her lips were turned high in a smile.
Her friends, whom Yu Qingtang had gathered into a private group chat, all saw a new social media post from her at the same time.
Yu Qingtang: 【I have a girlfriend now. I love her.】
Her friends flooded the comments with congratulations, asking who it was.
Yu Qingtang replied with thanks, generously revealing that it was “the person I’ve liked for a very long time.” As for her name, she would keep it a secret for now, but she would introduce Cheng Zhanxi to them when she had the chance.
As for Yu Ci, she received a message that had clearly lost all reason—
Yu Qingtang: 【Mom ahhhhhhhhhhhhh】
Yu Ci: 【Friendly reminder, ‘mom’ and ‘ah’ shouldn’t be used together. It can easily be misinterpreted.】
Yu Qingtang had no time for that. She typed: 【She said yes ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!】
Yu Ci inwardly grumbled at her daughter’s lack of composure, only to turn and see Wei Tingyu, who had also seen the message, with tears streaming down his face.
Yu Ci: “???” What’s wrong with you, dear?
Wiping his tears with a tissue, Wei Tingyu sobbed, “I’m just so happy for our daughter.”
Yu Ci was speechless.
Well, like father, like daughter.
Wei Tingyu put down the tissue, his eyes still red, and added, “When should we go to the Cheng family to propose marriage?”
…A doting father who worried himself sick over his daughter’s lifelong happiness.
Yu Ci said, “I’ll let my in-laws know the good news first.”
“Good, good, good,” Wei Tingyu said repeatedly.
He pressed the tissue to his eyes again and started to cry softly.
At the Cheng residence.
Song Qingrou received Yu Ci’s call and learned that their two children had gotten together in a foreign country. While deeply gratified, she couldn’t help but grumble inwardly about Cheng Zhanxi. Look at Yu Qingtang, telling her parents right away. Her own daughter hadn’t said a peep to them all day. A grown daughter truly has a mind of her own.
Song Qingrou said, “Isn’t Xixi’s birthday coming up soon? Since Tangtang is also there, why don’t you two come over as well? It’s been a long time since our families got together.”
Yu Ci immediately replied cheerfully, “That’s a great idea!” Then she added, “This will be a very formal meeting. Should we get some new clothes?”
“How about we go shopping in the next couple of days?” Song Qingrou suggested.
“Sounds good,” Yu Ci agreed.
After her shower, Cheng Zhanxi looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was completely flushed, but she could probably pass it off as being from the steam.
While she was still warm, Cheng Zhanxi took a light breath and opened the door from the inside.
Yu Qingtang had already straightened the bed again. Just as Cheng Zhanxi had done for her earlier, she had a hairdryer and a dry towel ready.
Hearing the door open, Yu Qingtang looked up.
Their eyes met. Cheng Zhanxi’s pale toes curled inside her slippers, and her fair cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, a change so rapid it was visible to the naked eye. Fortunately, she was already so red that there wasn’t much room to get redder, so it wasn’t too obvious.
Yu Qingtang smiled faintly, her tone gentle. “Come here.”
Cheng Zhanxi resisted the shy impulse to close the door and slowly shuffled over.
She sat down on the chair, and Yu Qingtang began to dry her hair with the towel. Cheng Zhanxi was too shy to look at her but couldn’t stop herself from wanting to, so her head turned back and forth with Yu Qingtang’s movements.
Yu Qingtang squeezed the back of her neck, telling her not to fidget.
Her body temperature was naturally low, and having been away from Cheng Zhanxi for a while, it had returned to normal. The cool touch made Cheng Zhanxi shiver.
Yu Qingtang immediately apologized in a soft voice, “Did I startle you with the cold?”
“No.” Hearing her gentle tone, Cheng Zhanxi’s heart felt like it was floating on a cloud. Forget this being a dream; she had never even dreamed of a Yu Qingtang like this. She took Yu Qingtang’s hand from her neck, brought it to her lips, and couldn’t help but place a kiss on the smooth back of her hand.
Yu Qingtang’s gaze grew even more tender and affectionate.
Cheng Zhanxi’s heart pounded heavily in her chest. She pulled Yu Qingtang down, seating her on her lap, then tilted her chin up and kissed her.
The first time is awkward, the second is familiar. Cheng Zhanxi was, at her core, an enthusiastic and passionate person. Now that her only reservation was gone, her pent-up emotions erupted like a volcano.
The kiss left Yu Qingtang feeling hot all over, so weak she could barely muster any strength. But she didn’t want to push her away. Her hands draped over Cheng Zhanxi’s shoulders as she limply received the kiss, her cheeks flushed crimson.
Cheng Zhanxi released her.
Yu Qingtang collapsed against her, gasping for air, feeling both shy and embarrassed, and a little angry at herself.
In the countless scenarios she had imagined, the one left breathless and clinging to the other like a vine to a tree was supposed to be Cheng Zhanxi. How did it end up being her?
“You…” Yu Qingtang, having recovered slightly, looked at Cheng Zhanxi hesitantly. “How are you so good at this?”
Has she practiced with someone else? Yu Qingtang’s brow furrowed.
Cheng Zhanxi was still savoring the aftertaste of the kiss and didn’t notice the change in her expression. A beat later, she asked, “Good at what?”
Cheng Zhanxi never lied to her. Yu Qingtang quickly accepted reality and changed the subject. “It’s nothing.” It was better if Cheng Zhanxi didn’t understand.
Cheng Zhanxi didn’t press the issue. Her eyes lowered, fixated on Yu Qingtang’s red lips.
The mental preparation Yu Qingtang had done before coming was completely shattered by Cheng Zhanxi’s direct and fervent actions. Seeing the color in Cheng Zhanxi’s pupils darken, she couldn’t tell if she was feeling anticipation or fear. She quickly broke Cheng Zhanxi’s gaze and said, “Let’s dry your hair first.”
Cheng Zhanxi averted her eyes and said, “I’ll do it myself.”
“Why?” Yu Qingtang asked. Didn’t she like being taken care of by her?
Sensing her questioning gaze, Cheng Zhanxi explained, “You smell too good. I can’t control myself.”
Yu Qingtang found this amusing and retorted, “I smelled good before, too. How did you control yourself then?”
Cheng Zhanxi took the towel from her and started drying her own hair, turning her head to the side. “How can that be the same?”
She bit her lip, a faint smile spilling from her exquisite features. Her long, damp hair was wrapped in the towel, and her entire face radiated a dazzling beauty under the light.
Yu Qingtang couldn’t tear her eyes away. “How is it different?”
Cheng Zhanxi lowered her eyes and smiled, her voice as soft as a whisper, yet every word was perfectly clear.
“Because now, you’re my girlfriend,” she said.
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