MTB - Chapter 14
Chapter 14: A Beauty's Misfortune Begins with Pitying a Scumbag
Yun Yang’s expression fell, replaced by a scowl. “Talk about what?”
“Let’s talk about why you hide whenever you see me. And…”
At this, Tang Yuelou paused and slowly walked toward her.
She wasn’t one to wear her emotions on her sleeve. Whether anger or joy, she maintained an unwavering smile, like a mask glued to her face. In the past, Yun Yang, like most people, had thought she was merely good-tempered. Now, as she gradually discovered the woman’s true nature, she realized it should be called “fake and pretentious.”
And who knew how she was plotting to settle scores later—just like right now.
It was only when Tang Yuelou appeared before her that Yun Yang realized it was raining outside. The hem of her long skirt was damp with rain, there were wet patches on the front of her blouse, and she carried a heavy, damp aura. When she wasn’t smiling, she seemed oppressive and somber. Yun Yang feared this expression the most. An inexplicable panic rose in her heart, and when she stood up, her leg was numb and she nearly tripped.
She steadied herself on the edge of the counter, warning nervously, “Don’t come any closer. This is work time. This is workplace sexual harassment. I can report you…”
But before she could finish, Tang Yuelou walked past her and closed the window.
Yun Yang couldn’t continue.
Tang Yuelou turned and sat on the sofa, leaning back in a very relaxed posture, and asked with perfect composure, “What harassment?”
Yun Yang said, “Haha, pretend I didn’t say anything.”
“It’s after hours now. Don’t be nervous. Am I that scary?” Tang Yuelou said casually. “Sit.”
For some reason, Yun Yang felt she was a bit strange today.
She watched as Tang Yuelou slowly swept her damp hair back. Her gaze was fixed on Yun Yang, yet she seemed lost in thought, in a way that was different from her usual expression when you could tell she was plotting something. It wasn’t until she noticed Yun Yang’s stare that she looked up and smiled faintly. “What is it?”
Yun Yang asked, “Did you have a lot of classes today?”
Tang Yuelou paused, as if she didn’t understand what she meant. Then, she raised an eyebrow slightly. “Is this you showing concern for me?”
Dodging the question and changing the subject—looks like she has no intention of telling the truth. Yun Yang said expressionlessly, “I can’t stop you if you want to think that.”
Tang Yuelou turned her head to the side and laughed out loud.
This time, it sounded like a genuine laugh, but it didn’t sound like praise. It just made Yun Yang feel a little irritated.
“Why are you sitting so far away? Come here.”
“That’s a single-seater sofa.” Yun Yang saw her gesture to the space beside her and found it absurd. “Do you want me to sit on your lap, or on the table?”
Unexpectedly, Tang Yuelou actually considered it carefully. “I’d prefer the former. What do you think?”
Then Yun Yang gave a polite smile, stood up decisively, chose the latter, and sat on the table in front of her.
She was sitting, but not so brazenly. She leaned against the edge of the table, turning sideways with her arms crossed, and lifted her chin. “Close enough now. Let’s talk.”
“I just want to know why you’re still always avoiding me,” Tang Yuelou’s tone sounded somewhat helpless. “I thought you were no longer resistant to me.”
“Haha, it’s nothing.” Yun Yang sneered. “I’m avoiding you simply because we have a generation gap.”
“There’s a generation gap between us as teacher and student, but what about now?”
Tang Yuelou leaned sideways on the sofa, propping her chin on one hand, and smiled with narrowed eyes. Her legs were crossed, revealing the slender calves hidden beneath her skirt. Once that prim and proper facade was shed, a glimpse of the “something else” hidden behind it seemed to emerge, making her appear languid.
…To be honest, even knowing it was likely an act, Yun Yang was a complete sucker for it.
She felt that Tang Yuelou might be some unique breed of fox spirit, the kind that had cultivated itself into a demon.
“A little closer?” Tang Yuelou watched her eyes, seeking her opinion.
“Any closer and I’ll be sitting on your head.” Yun Yang rolled her eyes.
Despite her verbal disdain, she still shifted her position and sat down in front of Tang Yuelou.
Their current posture was a bit strange. The table was higher than the sofa and they were very close. Yun Yang, not wanting to get her skirt dirty, could only let her legs hang down, pressing against Tang Yuelou’s knees. The fabric of the skirt, with its excellent drape, rubbed against her jeans, conducting their body heat between them in the small space.
At this close distance, Yun Yang could see her eyes clearly. They reflected specks of light under the lamp, looking gentle and moist. Yun Yang’s heart softened, and she left the rest of her words unsaid.
The rain outside seemed to have gotten heavier, but the window’s soundproofing was excellent. All that could be heard was the faint sound of raindrops hitting the glass, and the sound of their breathing.
Tang Yuelou’s fingers rested against her chin, her gaze sliding down from Yun Yang’s eyes, bit by bit, until it disappeared beneath the hem of her work uniform. The smile on her face deepened.
She was back to her usual “fake and pretentious” self. Yun Yang felt that under this gaze, she had nowhere to hide her shame. She averted her eyes unnaturally, glancing instinctively toward the door.
“Is Sister Ningning still downstairs?” Yun Yang asked.
“I’ve already sent her home. The shop is closed, there won’t be any customers. It’s just the two of us here.”
Her last sentence was spoken in a very low voice, becoming a soft whisper that carried a heat that made one’s ears burn, as if it held some kind of deliberate temptation.
“What’s wrong?” Tang Yuelou raised a hand to brush her dangling hair, chuckling softly. “Are you hot? Why is your face so red?”
…Asking the obvious.
Tang Yuelou’s fingers threaded through her hair, gently guiding her downward. Yun Yang was forced to lean forward until Tang Yuelou’s hand was supporting the back of her neck.
“…Teacher,” Yun Yang, ever adaptable, tried to negotiate. “I’d like to request a change of position.”
“Hm?” Tang Yuelou caressed her earlobe, asking casually, “Give me a reason?”
“What bull… I mean, I can’t reach, I’m not stable, it’s uncomfortable, things like that.” Yun Yang corrected herself mid-sentence and gave a dry laugh. “Which one are you more satisfied with?”
Tang Yuelou nodded, as if finding the reason plausible, and then stood up from the sofa.
Now, even that little sense of superiority from “looking down” was gone. Yun Yang subconsciously shrank back, but her hands were pressed against the tabletop. They stared at each other silently for a few seconds, and then Tang Yuelou’s kiss fell upon her.
Perhaps because she had been in the rain, Tang Yuelou no longer smelled of all those miscellaneous perfumes. As she drew near, the unrestrained scent that belonged uniquely to “Tang Yuelou” invaded from all directions, fine and dense.
She rarely kissed so fiercely, one hand pressing Yun Yang’s wrist, the other gripping her chin. Yun Yang had to tilt her head back. She couldn’t tell if she had forgotten how to breathe or if Tang Yuelou was intentionally trying to suffocate her. She pushed hard against Tang Yuelou’s shoulder, feeling the other woman straighten up, still holding her chin and forcing her to look up.
“You’ve been smoking again?”
“No!” Yun Yang was a little breathless. The slight feeling of suffocation made her feel oxygen-deprived and dizzy, but Tang Yuelou showed no sign of letting go. She had no choice but to admit, “…The night before last. Just one.”
“Really?”
“It’s a lie. Believe it or not.”
Tang Yuelou nodded. “I believe you.”
…That’s it? Yun Yang hadn’t expected her to be done just like that. “That’s it? Nothing else to ask?”
“Going shopping with a friend isn’t on the forbidden list. Or was she more than just a friend?”
Yun Yang: “…”
Well, well. Setting a trap for me here.
“No, we’re really just ordinary friends… What are you doing! That hurts!” Yun Yang gave an ingratiating smile and reached up to pry her fingers away, only to have her arm twisted behind her back. Tang Yuelou untied her work tie, deftly wrapped it around her wrists, tied a knot, and pulled it tight.
“I never said I was letting the smoking slide.”
A beauty’s misfortune really does begin with pitying a scumbag. Yun Yang struggled to stop her, leaving a few shoe prints on her off-white skirt. “Let go! What right do you have to control me! Let—”
“These are the rules.” Tang Yuelou gently wiped a bit of moisture from the corner of her mouth. “I hope you’ll be obedient. Otherwise…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but Yun Yang felt the hand on her waist tighten slightly. She tensed for a moment, and after relaxing, only a tingling itch remained.
Yun Yang swallowed the words “What right do you have to make me follow your rules,” bit her lower lip, and lowered her head.
“Remembered?”
“…”
“I want an answer.”
“…I remember.”
“Good girl.”
The phone tossed to the side was still vibrating. Reality felt incredibly fractured in that moment. This strange disconnect made her burn from the inside out. Yun Yang felt an inexplicable sense of grievance, and a sob escaped her throat. Tang Yuelou froze, followed her gaze to glance at the window, then lowered her eyes and smiled.
“Don’t be afraid. Leave it to me.”
A hand gently covered her eyes. Yun Yang flinched involuntarily. In that warm darkness, Tang Yuelou’s kiss fell again—this one was gentle and clinging, completely different from the earlier dominance. It was a tenderness that made one want to sink into it.
Yun Yang closed her eyes, trembling.
—The rain outside seemed to be getting heavier.
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