PANT - Chapter 72
Chapter 72
After Su Tianxue asked her question, she saw the bewilderment in Shi Ning’s eyes.
In that instant, she knew she had been overthinking things.
Shi Ning didn’t remember anything at all.
So, was the “wife” that had brought her such joy, and the kiss that felt so long-awaited, just a product of her being half-asleep?
What had Shi Ning dreamed of?
Was it something related to her?
Su Tianxue’s thoughts were in turmoil. She pressed her lips together and let go of the woman. “It’s nothing.”
Only then did Shi Ning realize what she had just done. She apologized to Su Tianxue, “Sorry.”
Su Tianxue shook her head.
Shi Ning noticed her expression and asked tentatively, “Did we know each other before?”
Shi Ning’s question stunned Su Tianxue.
She lowered her eyes. “Why do you ask?”
Shi Ning said, “The way you look at me, it’s as if you know me very well.”
As a lawyer, discerning the emotions of others was an important skill.
Shi Ning was adept at it.
From the first moment she saw Su Tianxue yesterday, Shi Ning felt that this seemingly cold woman held a surprising emotion in her eyes.
It made her unable to ignore it.
Faced with Shi Ning’s question, Su Tianxue had many ways to answer.
For instance, she could tell Shi Ning directly that they had once been in love in another world.
Passionately in love.
Or, she could lie and deny Shi Ning’s guess.
Let everything return to zero and start over.
But none of these were choices Su Tianxue was willing to make.
She had to admit that she was very greedy right now.
She wanted Shi Ning to stay by her side, but she couldn’t tell her everything.
Knowing Shi Ning as she did, Su Tianxue knew she wouldn’t believe her if she told the truth.
This woman might seem casual and lazy, but she was sharp as a tack.
But if she said nothing, what reason could she give for Shi Ning to stay?
She had an idea.
Su Tianxue nodded and said softly, “I’m sorry to tell you this way, but I actually suffer from Erotomania, a delusional love disorder.”
Shi Ning: “Huh?”
This seemed to be beyond her scope of knowledge.
Twenty minutes later, Su Tianxue found her diagnostic report in her room.
In reality, she had just asked Fei Yue to have someone photoshop it.
.......
Well.
Fei Yue did have her uses.
Su Tianxue looked down as Shi Ning flipped through the documents and the description of her condition.
After Shi Ning finished reading, she handed the iPad back to Su Tianxue.
“So, you’ve always believed I was your wife?”
Su Tianxue nodded.
Shi Ning shook her head with a smile. “Is something so absurd possible in this world?”
Su Tianxue: “I’m sorry, I can’t control it either.”
Shi Ning: “Why did I become the object of your delusion?”
Su Tianxue: “You’re good-looking.”
Shi Ning let out a laugh.
She had been complimented by many people, but someone as direct as Su Tianxue was a rare sight.
Shi Ning: “So, you’re saying you hope I can help you treat your delusion?”
Su Tianxue: “The doctor said that appropriately engaging with reality can alleviate my symptoms.”
Su Tianxue: “If you don’t mind.”
Ordinarily, Shi Ning wasn’t such a kind-hearted person.
When had she ever been so charitable as to help someone with their illness?
If you’re sick, go see a doctor.
She was a lawyer, not a psychiatrist.
But for some reason, looking at Su Tianxue, she suddenly found herself unable to say no.
She leaned back, settling comfortably into the sofa. “Can you tell me what you’ve fantasized about?”
She wanted to hear the story from her own lips.
...
After Su Tianxue finished speaking, Shi Ning felt that it was indeed quite a fantasy.
Did she look like the type of person who would turn from her prodigal ways, wake up every day to make breakfast for one person, be a punctual chauffeur to and from work, and act as a hand warmer when it got cold?
Please, she was Shi Ning.
If there were a ranking of the most romantic and fickle figures in A-City, Shi Ning had no doubt she would outshine everyone and secure the top spot.
The “her” in Su Tianxue’s story seemed like an impossible existence.
Thus, after hearing Su Tianxue’s words, Shi Ning nodded seriously. “It seems your condition is indeed quite severe.”
Su Tianxue: ...
Shi Ning smiled. “Since you’re so pitiful, I’ll be merciful and help you out.”
Su Tianxue thought: No matter which world it is, this woman is just as punchable.
Su Tianxue lowered her eyes. “Thank you.”
Shi Ning: “How can I help you?”
Su Tianxue: “Have a relationship with me in reality?”
Shi Ning agreed casually, “Sure.”
Then she paused. “But, what was your name again?”
Following someone home, sleeping on their sofa for a night, and now agreeing to date them to treat their illness.
And yet, she didn’t even know the other person’s name.
Su Tianxue pointed to the iPad. “My name was in the report just now.”
Shi Ning scratched her head. “Sorry, I didn’t look closely.”
Su Tianxue said softly, “Su Tianxue. That’s my name.”
Shi Ning’s lips parted slightly, repeating the name several times under her breath.
How strange.
Every syllable, every tone.
It was as if they had lingered between her lips and teeth thousands upon thousands of times.
How wonderful.
“Su Tianxue.”
She smiled and extended a hand toward Su Tianxue. “Hello, my name is Shi Ning, your future girlfriend. It’s a pleasure.”
Su Tianxue shook Shi Ning’s hand, thinking to herself that of course she knew her name.
Shi Ning.
The woman who had once blazed through her life like a flame, leaving her mark on every corner of her world.
Of course she knew her name.
Shi Ning was in a relationship.
The news spread quickly through their circle.
But no one took it seriously.
The frequency with which that woman fell in love was as common and normal as eating and sleeping.
During idle chatter, people would mention it casually, then guess when Shi Ning would break up this time.
But when they saw Shi Ning’s girlfriend delivering a bento box to the law firm, everyone was dumbfounded.
It wasn’t that they hadn’t seen Lawyer Shi’s previous partners—just a few days ago, the young woman who had just been dumped had come over to make a scene.
This time, her partner was beyond everyone’s expectations.
They had never seen Lawyer Shi with someone like this before.
She was as cold and proud as snow hanging on a branch, commanding the world to submit with her sharp beauty.
Everyone started gossiping in private.
“Has Lawyer Shi changed her taste?”
“This one looks completely different from Lawyer Shi’s previous partners. Where did she find her?”
“What a lucky woman.”
“Lawyer Shi really has a way with people.”
The comments flew, and when Shi Ning heard them, all she wanted to say was that she really hadn’t been the one to pursue her.
If she had to say, this girlfriend had fallen from the sky.
She had just happened to catch her.
When Su Tianxue stood at the office door and knocked lightly, Shi Ning was quite surprised.
She closed the case file she was holding—one concerning the repatriation of cultural relics—and got up to open the door for Su Tianxue.
“What are you doing here?”
Su Tianxue was holding a newly bought lunchbox, beige and very simple-looking.
“Have you had lunch?”
Shi Ning shook her head.
Su Tianxue: “Are you not planning to eat?”
Shi Ning explained instinctively, “I’m too busy today. I was planning to eat after I finished with these files.”
Su Tianxue knew that this woman would forget to take care of herself whenever she got busy.
In the past, it was always Shi Ning who reminded her to eat, reminded her to take care of herself.
Now, their roles were reversed.
It was her turn to remind Shi Ning.
Su Tianxue placed the lunchbox on the desk.
The moment the lid was lifted, Shi Ning smelled a fragrant aroma.
“Stir-fried pork with chili peppers?” She sniffed the air.
Su Tianxue nodded, taking out the containers layer by layer.
“You made this?” Shi Ning was surprised.
Su Tianxue: “Mhm.”
She had studied it for a long time, truly not understanding why recipes always said “an appropriate amount” instead of specifying the grams. The food scale she bought was useless. In the end, she cooked entirely by feel.
Before bringing it over, Su Tianxue had tried it herself.
The taste was acceptable.
It wasn’t so bad as to be inedible.
At least it wouldn’t cause a stomachache.
Su Tianxue looked at Shi Ning’s expression and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Shi Ning shook her head. “Nothing.”
“It’s just that you don’t look like someone who knows how to cook.”
Su Tianxue had indeed rarely entered a kitchen.
At first, it was because she didn’t need to, and later, it was because she had Shi Ning.
Now, things were different.
Su Tianxue pressed her lips together. “Try it.”
Shi Ning picked up her chopsticks and, under Su Tianxue’s watchful gaze, put some of the dish in her bowl and ate it with a mouthful of rice.
Su Tianxue’s eyes held a hint of expectation.
“How is it?”
Shi Ning nodded.
She didn’t say that she found it a little salty, so she just kept her head down and ate, pairing each bite of the dish with a bite of rice.
Seeing her eat so happily and earnestly, Su Tianxue’s mood brightened.
Su Tianxue: “Should I bring you lunch again next time?”
Shi Ning put down her chopsticks and gulped down a glass of water.
Hearing Su Tianxue’s words, she almost choked to death.
In order not to be tormented by this culinary assault during their relationship-as-treatment, Shi Ning felt it was necessary to tell Su Tianxue the truth.
“Actually, I think the dish is great, it’s just a tiny, tiny bit salty.”
Shi Ning’s words made Su Tianxue frown.
She picked up her chopsticks and tried it herself.
It wasn’t exceptionally salty, just a bit strongly flavored, which was within a range she could accept.
Su Tianxue: “You think it’s a bit salty?”
Shi Ning nodded.
Su Tianxue thought that the flavor of the dish she made now wasn’t too different from the food Shi Ning used to make.
In the past, when Shi Ning cooked to this level, she never said it was salty; she found it just right.
Su Tianxue pressed her lips together.
Could it be that in the past, Shi Ning had always been accommodating her taste?
She looked at the woman who was still silently drinking water and lowered her eyes.
“It’ll be better next time,” Su Tianxue said softly.
Afraid of discouraging the other’s enthusiasm for cooking, Shi Ning nodded in agreement. “Mhm, it’ll be better next time.”
After delivering the meal, Su Tianxue was about to leave.
Shi Ning looked at her back and called out to her.
“Are you busy this afternoon?”
Su Tianxue had taken some time off from her job in this world, so she wouldn’t have to go to work for a while.
So, in response to Shi Ning’s question, she shook her head.
Shi Ning cleared her throat. “If you don’t mind, you can stay in my office.”
“I have a meeting this afternoon, and I should be able to get off work around three.”
“Is there anything you want to do? I can take you.”
Since she had already agreed to be a couple, she couldn’t just do nothing, right?
Shi Ning still had that much professional integrity.
Hearing Shi Ning’s suggestion, Su Tianxue was still a bit hesitant.
Su Tianxue: “Will I disturb you here?”
Shi Ning smiled. “No, you can rest.”
Shi Ning was confident in her self-control.
Su Tianxue probably hadn’t reached the point where she could have such a big influence on her.
A while later, Shi Ning looked up from her documents.
At some point, Su Tianxue had fallen asleep on the sofa, using her arm as a pillow, which looked very uncomfortable.
Shi Ning was in a dilemma, not knowing whether to turn the page of her file or not.
Finally, she gently put down the papers in her hand and walked over to Su Tianxue.
She wanted to adjust the sofa into a single bed, pulling out the other half hidden underneath so that Su Tianxue could sleep comfortably.
But just as she approached, knelt down by the sofa, and prepared to pull out the mechanism, Su Tianxue turned over, changing from facing the back of the sofa to facing Shi Ning.
The woman’s hair was right at the tip of her nose.
A light, faint fragrance lingered in the air.
She was probably in a deep sleep, dreaming of something pleasant, as she seemed to be in a good mood.
Her red lips were slightly parted.
Shi Ning leaned in curiously and heard her call her name in her sleep.
“Shi Ning.”
Hearing this, Shi Ning couldn’t help but wonder, just how much did Su Tianxue like her?
Or rather, just how severe was Su Tianxue’s illness?
To be calling her name even in her dreams.
Her hands itching, she reached out, her two fingers becoming a small pincer, and gently pinched Su Tianxue’s lips.
Su Tianxue’s lips immediately formed a pouting duck face.
Finding it cute, Shi Ning couldn’t resist using her finger to play with her lower lip.
The action was a bit like teasing a child.
Shi Ning was getting addicted, but then, the unexpected happened.
Su Tianxue’s lips parted slightly, and her fingertip accidentally slipped between Su Tianxue’s lips and teeth.
Shi Ning froze.
The tip of her tongue was soft.
Su Tianxue wasn’t awake, but as if by instinct, she sucked on it.
Shi Ning’s eyes darkened.
She pulled her hand away and, head down, began to pull out the bed for Su Tianxue.
The design of this bed was quite unique.
To convert it from a sofa to a bed, you had to pull out a lower platform from one side, then raise it to create a single bed.
Right now, Shi Ning had just pulled out the low platform and was about to raise the bed and get a thin blanket to cover Su Tianxue.
Just as she was about to turn, her wrist was grabbed.
Su Tianxue’s grip was quite strong.
At least she wasn’t the frail type.
With that pull, Shi Ning fell right into Su Tianxue’s arms.
She was held tightly.
Su Tianxue was like a living octopus, throwing a leg over Shi Ning’s body and immediately pinning her down.
Shi Ning glanced at the office door.
Her blinds weren’t fully closed. If someone was curious, they only had to get a little closer, or glance over as they passed, to see what was happening in the office.
Shi Ning had no desire to provide more gossip for the people at the law firm.
Besides, she didn’t care; her reputation was already in tatters anyway.
But this was Su Tianxue’s first time here.
If she were misunderstood like this…
Shi Ning sighed and struggled to get out of Su Tianxue’s embrace, but Su Tianxue held her tight and spoke with a hint of displeasure.
“Don’t move.”
Su Tianxue chided softly.
Shi Ning’s struggles paused for a moment, then resumed.
Su Tianxue grumbled, “Shi Ning, what are you doing so early in the morning?”
She finally opened her eyes in annoyance.
Only to be met with Shi Ning’s helpless smile.
Now it was Su Tianxue’s turn to be embarrassed.
She immediately let go.
“Sorry,” Su Tianxue apologized.
Shi Ning propped herself up beside the woman and teased her, “What were you dreaming about?”
Su Tianxue averted her gaze, unwilling to meet Shi Ning’s eyes.
She was afraid that if she did, she wouldn’t be able to hold back the surging emotions and grievances in her heart.
She had dreamed of the past.
But now, if she spoke of that past, to Shi Ning it would be nothing more than a fleeting dream, utterly absurd.
Su Tianxue didn’t speak, so Shi Ning teased her, “Dreaming of me?”
It was just a casual remark, but the woman responded seriously.
“Mhm, I dreamed of you.”
Su Tianxue’s honesty stunned Shi Ning.
She asked, “You dreamed of me?”
Su Tianxue: “I dreamed you were kissing me.”
The passion of the kiss in the dream only highlighted the stark difference in reality.
Could they never go back to the past?
Shi Ning pushed herself up slightly. Without a word, she reached out and touched the wall, and the office blinds closed automatically, completely blocking any prying eyes from the outside. No one could disturb this place now.
Shi Ning’s action made Su Tianxue sense something.
It was a signal.
As the woman’s eyes met hers, Su Tianxue, lying on the sofa, reached out and grabbed Shi Ning’s collar. She asked, “Want to kiss?”
Shi Ning’s lips curved. “It would be my honor.”
She braced her hands on either side of the woman and leaned down to kiss her.
This kiss felt as if it had been delayed for far too long.
As if a century had passed since their last kiss.
Entwined, alternating.
A lover’s kiss was always the most moving, the most heart-pounding, and yet it made time slow down completely.
You could feel every breath the other person took.
Her long hair brushed lightly against her cheek, a slight tickle that inevitably brought to mind falling willow catkins.
Without purpose, without end.
Shi Ning was very gentle at first.
In her eyes, this was her first kiss with Su Tianxue.
She didn’t want this kiss to be a bad one.
But once she was actually kissing Su Tianxue, it was as if everything spun out of control.
Emotions and instinct, unleashed and unstoppable.
She couldn’t help but hold the other person tighter, her hands gripping more firmly.
Kissing her as if she wanted to knead her into her very bones.
Until the end of the world.
When the kiss ended, Shi Ning pulled away, steadying her breath. Beneath her, Su Tianxue seemed perfectly calm, even having the leisure to extend the tip of her tongue and lick away the glistening moisture from the corner of her lips.
In that instant, Shi Ning felt as if she was being looked down upon.
She said lazily, “Miss Su, your kissing skills are not bad.”
Su Tianxue: “Likewise.”
Su Tianxue: “A great student comes from a great teacher.”
All her kissing skills had been learned from the person in front of her.
Hearing this, Shi Ning felt a little sour.
“Great teacher?”
So while kissing her, she was thinking of someone else?
Could she tolerate that?
Shi Ning certainly couldn’t.
She lifted Su Tianxue’s chin, cupping it, and kissed her again.
Her competitive spirit flared up, and halfway through the kiss, she even asked, “Me or your teacher, who’s better?”
Su Tianxue was utterly exasperated.
Did this person have any idea she was jealous of herself?
She refused to answer, so Shi Ning kissed her deeper.
When this kiss ended, a small reminder suddenly popped into Su Tianxue’s mind.
[Memory unlocked 1%]
Before Su Tianxue could understand what that meant, she heard Shi Ning ask, “That’s strange.”
Su Tianxue: “What is?”
Shi Ning: “Kissing you doesn’t feel like the first time.” She pondered, “It’s as if, before this, we’ve already kissed.”
Saying this, Shi Ning herself laughed.
She said jokingly, “Could I have been infected by you?”
Could mental illness also be transmitted through kissing?
Su Tianxue had a theory.
Without a word, she pulled Shi Ning in for another kiss.
When it ended, the tiny voice appeared again.
[Memory unlocked 2%]
Shi Ning muttered, “It can’t be contagious, can it?”
Su Tianxue guessed that she had found a way to make Shi Ning remember everything.
.......
Well.
How should she put it?
This method was very Shi Ning.
After the two of them composed themselves and got up, it was almost time for Shi Ning’s meeting.
The intern she was mentoring came to knock on the door and remind her.
The door opened, and Shi Ning made the introduction.
“This is my intern, Shen You.”
Shen You was a girl with black-framed glasses who looked very much like a student, giving off a bookish vibe.
“This is my… girlfriend. Su Tianxue.”
When Shen You heard Su Tianxue’s name, she froze.
She looked up at Su Tianxue, her surprise plain to see.
Shi Ning found it odd. “Do you two know each other?”
Su Tianxue shook her head.
Shen You’s head shook like a rattle drum. “N-no, we don’t.”
Su Tianxue said goodbye to Shi Ning and stayed in the office to wait for her.
As Shi Ning led Shen You toward the conference room, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
Shen You: “Huh?”
Shi Ning: “I’ve been your mentor for so long. You think I can’t tell when you’re hiding something?”
Shen You said timidly, “It’s nothing.”
Shen You: “She’s Su Wanxing’s older sister. Didn’t you know, Lawyer Shi?”
Shi Ning: “Su Wanxing?”
At the mention of this, Shen You was wide awake.
She took out her phone. Tucked into the gap of the transparent case were several photos, all of a girl’s face.
“Her, Su Wanxing. My idol.”
Shi Ning: “Don’t know her.”
Shen You: ...
She pushed up her glasses. “It’s okay, Lawyer Shi. Just pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Anyway, it didn’t matter whether Lawyer Shi knew Su Wanxing or not.
She had already found a “mother” for her precious daughter.
Shen You remembered that the character settings for Su Wanxing’s fanfiction top, which she had sent to a fanfic author in her circle, were based on Shi Ning’s template, and she couldn’t help but giggle.
Fanfiction is good, fanfiction is wonderful.
She heard that the author was even going to write an ABO fic this time.
She wondered how many tops her baby would be assigned.
Shen You looked at Shi Ning’s back and secretly clenched her fist.
She hoped Shi Ning could fight for it!
She had to stand out among the tops!
Work was over.
Having someone accompany her to and from work for the first time felt strangely unfamiliar to Shi Ning.
Su Tianxue asked about her work.
Shi Ning couldn’t reveal too much, so she only gave a simple overview.
“Some cultural relics have been stranded abroad, and we’re currently planning to file a lawsuit to demand their return.” Shi Ning smoothed back her long hair. “It’s quite troublesome. These kinds of cases are hard to win.”
Su Tianxue: “Is it because the laws are different on both sides?”
Shi Ning: “You know about this?”
Su Tianxue: “I’ve heard people talk about it.”
I heard it from you.
Shi Ning: “Jurisdiction in these cases is generally complex and difficult to determine, and it’s hard to say which country’s laws and regulations apply. This case was originally handled by another lawyer in our firm, who was known as the number one person in litigating for the return of lost overseas cultural relics. But he had an accident due to poor health, so it’s been temporarily handed over to me for a while.”
“Generally speaking, these lawsuits are mainly based on international conventions like the 《Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property》 and the 《UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects》. These are areas I’m not very familiar with, so I’m currently studying them.”
Most people didn’t like to take on these kinds of cases, nor did they get them easily.
In short, it was a thankless task.
Now, by a strange twist of fate, the case had ended up in Shi Ning’s hands.
Shi Ning had said a lot in one go, and only when she realized it did she feel apologetic.
“This must be boring, right?” she asked Su Tianxue.
Even as a lawyer, she sometimes found these cases quite dull.
Su Tianxue shook her head. “No.”
She liked hearing Shi Ning talk to her about these things.
In the past, after Shi Ning had embarked on her path as a lawyer, she would often share her feelings with her.
Su Tianxue didn’t find it boring at all.
She liked this feeling of sharing a world with the other person.
Hearing Shi Ning talk to her about these things made Su Tianxue feel that she had been included within the other’s sphere.
At the same time, she would also share her own work experiences and content with Shi Ning.
Although their fields of work and expertise were completely different, over time, they could gain some understanding of each other’s industries through osmosis.
Shi Ning asked Su Tianxue, “What about you? What do you do?”
It seemed a bit late to be asking this now.
They were already dating.
They had already kissed several times.
Only now did she think to ask the other person what they did for a living.
The thought of it made even Shi Ning herself feel a bit absurd.
Su Tianxue had long anticipated that Shi Ning would ask this.
“I’ll tell you when we get home.”
Shi Ning: “Home?”
Su Tianxue: “Aren’t you coming home with me?”
Shi Ning really wanted to say that she had her own home too, that she wasn’t homeless.
But Su Tianxue’s gaze was too earnest, and Shi Ning even read another meaning in it.
She smiled. “Can I take that as an invitation?”
Su Tianxue: “It is.”
Between adults, a hint was enough.
Shi Ning raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
Su Tianxue: “Are you scared?”
The woman’s challenge was like a straight punch coming right for Shi Ning’s face.
Not taking the bait wouldn’t be in Shi Ning’s character.
With great tacit understanding, the two of them walked upstairs.
They walked past the dim streetlights of the residential complex.
They walked past the flickering light in the corridor.
For a moment, Shi Ning felt that she had been to this place before.
That she had experienced these moments before.
Déjà vu.
Then, she quickly attributed this illusion to “jamais vu.”
A misreading of reality by the human brain.
What was she thinking?
How could she have been here before, how could she have experienced the exact same moment?
Su Tianxue took out her key and stood at the door.
The metal key slid into the lock, turned, and with a click, the door was unlocked.
Su Tianxue pulled out the key.
The two entered, and as soon as the door closed, they were kissing each other.
Like two magnets.
Once placed together, they would immediately attract, adhere, and become one.
A kiss in the dark was a little more special.
Everything seemed so ambiguous, so inscrutable.
Pink specks of light seemed to float in the air.
The kiss went from slow to urgent, then deepened.
Shi Ning directly lifted Su Tianxue, holding her by the legs, and pressed her against the wall.
They were on the verge of continuing.
In the darkness, a cough was heard.
Shi Ning was dumbfounded.
Su Tianxue was also stunned.
The two of them looked toward the source of the sound. In the pitch-black, a phone’s flashlight lit up, held high, shining on a person’s face. It had the feeling of someone trying to scare people by pretending to be a ghost in the middle of the night.
But there was no need for pretending anymore.
The moment that soft cough sounded, Su Tianxue and Shi Ning were already scared half to death.
For some reason, in that instant, only one phrase flashed through Shi Ning’s mind.
—A second blooming.
But this was clearly her first time experiencing such an awkward moment!
Where did the “second” come from?!
Su Tianxue and Shi Ning silently separated.
The former reached out and pressed the light switch for the room.
Click.
The lights came on, and Su Tianxue looked at the uninvited guests in her home. “Wanxing, Zhu Yu.”
Zhu Yu was a little embarrassed.
Su Wanxing, however, narrowed her eyes, looking at Su Tianxue and Shi Ning.
“Sis, care to explain?”
On the sofa, Shi Ning sat.
The atmosphere felt very much like a tribunal.
Su Tianxue had just secretly conferred with Shi Ning, quietly telling her that her sister didn’t know about her “illness” yet. So, for now, the two of them only told Su Wanxing and Zhu Yu that they were dating.
As for the question of how the two of them got together, Shi Ning crossed her arms leisurely and looked at Su Tianxue.
She seemed to be waiting for the other to speak.
Su Tianxue said with a straight face, “It was love at first sight, so we got together.”
Su Wanxing: “Who pursued whom?”
Su Tianxue: “I pursued her.”
Su Wanxing was puzzled. “I never knew you liked girls, sis.”
Su Tianxue: “I like her now.”
Su Tianxue was like an impenetrable ice shield. No matter what Su Wanxing asked, she could answer the question with a straight face, without any shyness.
Frank and direct.
This was Su Tianxue’s true nature.
Shi Ning watched the show from the side, and in that moment, she suddenly thought,
Damn.
This woman is so cool.
Su Wanxing and Zhu Yu had only come back temporarily to pick something up. Encountering this, they stayed a little longer.
As they were leaving, Su Wanxing and Zhu Yu asked Shi Ning for her contact information.
After adding the two of them as friends, Shi Ning realized that she and Su Tianxue hadn’t even added each other on WeChat.
So after Su Wanxing and Zhu Yu left, she held out her phone’s QR code to Su Tianxue.
“Scan it.”
“We should at least add our girlfriend, shouldn’t we?”
A beep sounded, reminding Su Tianxue and Shi Ning that they had successfully added each other as friends.
Shi Ning asked casually, “Was that your sister and her partner?”
Su Tianxue shook her head. “They’re friends.”
But Shi Ning thought that the way that person named Zhu Yu looked at Su Wanxing was anything but innocent.
However, Shi Ning wasn’t a gossip, so she didn’t ask any more questions.
The fiery moment the two of them had just shared was interrupted, as if a basin of ice water had been poured over their heads, drenching them from head to toe.
It was a bit awkward.
Fortunately, they were both people who had seen their fair share of storms.
After tidying up, Shi Ning had originally planned to continue sleeping on the sofa, but Su Tianxue stopped her.
“Aren’t you going to sleep with me today?”
Shi Ning thought, This isn’t appropriate, is it?
“I’m fine on the sofa,” she said.
Su Tianxue looked at Shi Ning, her eyes crystal clear, and said softly, “But I’m not.”
In the past, she rarely spoke so directly and honestly with Shi Ning.
If there were ever any truly honest moments, it would have been when she was being tormented by Shi Ning in bed to the point of being unable to bear it, only then would she speak her true feelings.
Want.
Want more.
Mhm, a little harder.
But now, in this world, Su Tianxue felt that she had to be a little more proactive.
She had no intention of letting Shi Ning get away.
What was wrong with speaking a little of her true feelings?
Shi Ning was no saint. Faced with Su Tianxue’s words, she decided to abandon the idea of sleeping on the sofa.
Lying in the same bed with Su Tianxue, she felt a little nervous.
Shi Ning lay flat on her back, her hands pressed tightly against her legs.
She was still wearing Su Tianxue’s clothes.
She hadn’t brought any pajamas.
Su Tianxue found this version of Shi Ning a little amusing.
Stiff and straight, like a zombie.
Not at all like the shameless flirt who had approached her when they first met.
What Su Tianxue didn’t know was that in Shi Ning’s judgment, these two things were different.
She had acted that way back then only because their first meeting was in a situation of misunderstanding, and she was a bit competitive.
Now…
Dating in this way.
It had made Shi Ning feel all chaste.
And there was always a string in her heart that was pulled taut.
They say doctors have benevolent hearts.
Although she wasn’t a doctor, she didn’t want her actions to turn into a situation where she was supposed to be helping the other person with their mental illness, but ended up looking like she was taking advantage of them.
Shi Ning didn’t want that.
So she kept herself tense, lying beside Su Tianxue.
The two of them were sharing a single blanket.
Su Tianxue turned over to face Shi Ning. “Are you asleep?”
Shi Ning: “No.”
How could she possibly fall asleep?
Su Tianxue: “Do you want to kiss me?”
She asked directly.
Before Shi Ning could answer, Su Tianxue added, “I think I want to kiss you right now.”
...…
How could she resist this?!?
Su Tianxue’s fingertips had already hooked Shi Ning’s finger.
A gentle pull, and a kiss followed.
With a kiss, everything that followed became a matter of course.
Shi Ning had originally thought that they would need some time to adjust in this matter, but to her surprise, everything exceeded her expectations.
It was strange.
It was as if it had happened thousands of times before.
The two of them were perfectly compatible.
It was as if, in a dream, this had happened before, and more than once.
At the moment the world turned upside down, heaven and earth spun.
There were times when Shi Ning couldn’t tell if what she was seeing was real or a dream.
In all the hazy and splendid moments, she always felt like she was seeing something else.
As if this wasn’t the first time she had seen the woman like this.
Nor was it the first time she had kissed the reddened corners of her eyes, leaned over her, pressed down on her hands, and intertwined their fingers tightly.
.......
Outside the window, the moon hid behind a tree, unable to bear peeking at this shy scene.
A faint light shone in.
Everything in the room appeared pure and bright.
When it was all over, Shi Ning lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and thought, It’s over.
It’s all over.
Could I have a mental illness too?
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