Offense - Chapter 17
Chapter 17
The hallway light was a dim yellow, like a long, drawn-out breath.
Lian Wan stared intently into Zhou Yanqian's eyes. After an intense kiss, the woman's eyes shimmered with moisture, making her look exceptionally fragile. She leaned softly against the door, looking back at her as if she had no bones. The dim yellow light was like a camera, panning back and forth, making everything dull and soft.
No longer aggressive. The woman's expression as she regulated her breathing showed a dynamic, classical beauty in the shifting light and shadow. Those thin, red lips were slightly parted, trembling alluringly, yet Lian Wan unexpectedly felt a sense of tenderness.
Moving beyond physical beauty, captivated in another sense, Lian Wan's hands on Zhou Yanqian's shoulders gradually moved up, finally cupping her face.
The woman's face was soft and hot; the breath passing between her lips was also scalding.
As if possessed, Lian Wan recalled the scene of their first meeting. In contrast to the current scalding heat, the woman's cool, pale arms had been a dazzling white light that made her eyes ache. When she pressed close, her skin was like a watermelon chilled in a well during summer—a single touch could raise goosebumps. Back then, Lian Wan couldn't say whether she liked it or not. She would only instinctively retreat. But in those secret dreams, this coolness became another kind of temptation, one she couldn't escape, one that made her heart race.
And now, Zhou Yanqian had changed again.
Which one was the real her?
…While lost in thought, Lian Wan suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. It was Zhou Yanqian, who had raised a hand to gently hook it around her neck.
She didn't speak, only nestled her soft body closer, prompting Lian Wan to lean down once more and hold her tightly.
The sound of the rain was dense. The woman's body was warm. Holding her, Lian Wan felt surprisingly fulfilled, calming her chaotic thoughts.
There was no movement for a long time. The voice-activated hallway light suddenly went out.
The darkness was sudden, but fortunately, the scattered white light filtering in from outside allowed them to see each other's faces. This embrace clearly carried a special meaning. Neither of them spoke; only the faint, quiet sound of their breathing could be heard.
Outside, the trees rustled loudly in the wind, and there seemed to be a faint rumble of thunder. Remembering the balcony full of clothes she hadn't brought in, and the predictable mess, Lian Wan steeled herself and finally spoke.
"I have to go back."
Zhou Yanqian's breath was cool against her collarbone. The warmth of her body was fading bit by bit, and her face was no longer hot. Lian Wan rested her forehead against hers. Though she had made up her mind, she sighed as if compromising and spoke softly.
As if she hadn't heard, Zhou Yanqian didn't respond, only kept her eyes lowered, not looking at her.
"Hm?" Lian Wan gently nudged her face, her tone softening unconsciously. "You're tired too. Go back and rest."
This sentence also vanished without a trace. Lian Wan was at a loss, holding her, not knowing what to do with her.
Her rain-soaked shoulder had now taken on the woman's body heat, her clothes clinging half-damp to her skin. Lian Wan's heart felt as if it were suspended in mid-air.
After a long while, she finally heard Zhou Yanqian speak.
"I don't want to."
In the darkness, Zhou Yanqian's voice held a hint of grievance. She hooked her arms around Lian Wan's neck, her face one that could make a person's heart flutter in panic, but her tone was much more serious than her previous whimsical teasing. "You're going to hide from me again. You're going to stop replying to my messages, avoid me, and ignore me, aren't you?"
Lian Wan froze for a moment, her voice dropping slightly. "What?"
She quickly realized what Zhou Yanqian meant, opened her mouth, and suddenly didn't know what to say.
Seeing her silence, Zhou Yanqian tightened her arms around her neck. "If it's yes, then say yes. If it's no, then say no. What does being silent mean?"
Lian Wan was speechless.
"I knew it." Zhou Yanqian held her, rubbing against her softly and leaning on Lian Wan's shoulder. Her tone sounded very dejected, as if she were hurt to the extreme. Lian Wan panicked, afraid she would cry, and fumbled to hold her face and look at her.
Zhou Yanqian tilted her face up, following the pressure of her hands. For the first time, she pressed her lips together without a smile. Her beautiful eyes were looking at her, seemingly dissatisfied, shimmering with moisture in the dark, yet her pout was as charming as a peach blossom holding affection.
Zhou Yanqian pressed against Lian Wan's hand, rubbing it gently. "Say something."
Lian Wan felt a lump in her throat from her gaze. Remembering all the beauty she had witnessed today, her resolve inevitably softened: Even if she was hiding something, they were so close now that Lian Wan could see all the emotions contained in those eyes—earnestness, disappointment, hope, longing—regardless of whether they were real or fake. Not to mention all the intimacy that had happened between them today. Even if everything was like trying to admire flowers in a fog or scoop the moon from the water, Lian Wan could be certain that the person in her arms was real.
Wasn't that enough?
"After you go back, you're not allowed to hide from me." Seeing she was still silent, Zhou Yanqian turned her head, broke free from her hand, and buried her face in Lian Wan's collarbone, giving it a light bite. Her muffled voice came out, "You have to tell me when you're leaving and when you're coming home."
She stretched out her arms, hugging her tightly. "Got it?"
Lian Wan silently lifted her face from her collarbone, lowered her head, and gazed down deeply.
As they looked at each other, Lian Wan heard her own low, hoarse voice.
She said, "Okay. I'll come find you again tomorrow."
Outside, the wind and rain raged. The balcony was a mess; towels and cups had been blown to the floor, and the clothes on the line were more than half-soaked.
Lian Wan had anticipated this scene. She changed into slippers, walked over, and gathered the clothes one by one without much concern, tossing them back into the washing machine.
The window in the bathroom hadn't been closed, so it was surely a mess too. The green-painted wooden door was shut, probably blown closed by the wind. Lian Wan couldn't be bothered with it. She grabbed some clean clothes from the wardrobe and took them into the bathroom.
She came out after her shower. Outside, the wind had died down and the rain had stopped. The street was littered with broken branches and fallen leaves scattered by the wind. Fortunately, the standing water on the road was already starting to recede, so it shouldn't affect travel tomorrow.
So much had happened on her rare day off. Lian Wan cleaned up the balcony and the bathroom, did the laundry again, and sat down on the edge of her bed.
Her feelings were complicated. She leaned against the headboard, fiddling with her phone.
Remembering what Zhou Yanqian had said when they parted, she cautiously opened their chat window and tentatively sent a message: "I've finished cleaning up. Getting ready for bed."
The reply came quickly: "Mm-hm, I'm almost done too."
A cool breeze after the rain blew in from the balcony. Lian Wan shifted her legs and pulled the blanket up to her chest. Behind the screen, she wasn't as nervous as when they spoke face-to-face, and her tone was much more relaxed: "Are you cold? Make some ginger tea so you don't catch a cold."
Zhou Yanqian might have been thinking the same thing. She replied with a cat-nodding sticker, her response exceptionally sweet: "I know."
She asked: "Around what time are you leaving tomorrow?"
Lian Wan thought for a moment, then switched to the Vehicle Team group chat to check for messages: "Probably around eight or nine."
Zhou Yanqian: "I baked some bread. Come to my place to get it tomorrow morning."
The words were sudden, and the sentiment behind them made it impossible to refuse. Lian Wan's fingers paused; she suddenly didn't know how to reply.
Zhou Yanqian: "?"
Lian Wan: "Got it."
She felt it wasn't sincere enough and was afraid Zhou Yanqian would get angry. Saying "thank you" would seem distant. After some thought, she sent the same cat sticker Zhou Yanqian had sent earlier and asked: "Are you still going swimming tomorrow afternoon? I can give you a ride."
The reply came back quickly: "Why? Want to watch again?"
Lian Wan was caught off guard. Her mind flashed back to the cramped shower room, bright under the incandescent light. The damp, cool body had become warm and soft after being washed by the hot water, making it almost impossible to look away. And she had been there, holding her clothes, watching the water stream over that body, with droplets splashing onto her face from time to time…
Lian Wan's ears instantly burned red. She explained: "That's not what I meant."
Zhou Yanqian: "Hmph."
Without dwelling on the issue, she immediately sent a sticker of a dog peeking out and commented: "This is you."
Seeing the dog in the sticker, Lian Wan remembered her feeding that little white dog: "Do you like dogs?"
Zhou Yanqian: "They're okay. Mainly because some people resemble them."
Lian Wan didn't understand, but she quietly saved the sticker anyway.
Zhou Yanqian: "I'm not going swimming tomorrow."
Zhou Yanqian: "So remember to come see me at the store after you finish work."
Zhou Yanqian: "Got it?"
Lian Wan: "Got it."
Zhou Yanqian seemed quite satisfied with her obedience: "Good girl."
The two of them chatted on and off for a while, until the washing machine on the balcony beeped, signaling it was done. Only then did Lian Wan get out of bed to hang the clothes.
When she returned after hanging the clothes, Zhou Yanqian had already said goodnight to her.
Lian Wan finished washing up and turned off the lights. The room was pitch black, and the faint rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard from outside.
The phone screen reflected the faint smile on her lips.
Lian Wan: "Goodnight."
Perhaps because of the rain, it wasn't as hot that night as it had been the past few nights. Unexpectedly, the air conditioner installer called her in the morning to ask when would be a good time to come over. Thinking that there wasn't much major work at the Vehicle Team, Lian Wan decided to take another half-day off.
Remembering her promise from last night to go to Zhou Yanqian's place for bread, she proactively reported in as soon as she got up: "Morning."
Zhou Yanqian replied just as quickly: "Morning."
Although it was early, Zhou Yanqian was still in her pajamas when she opened the door. She wore a silk nightgown with a beautiful drape and a deep neckline. Her skin was pale and translucent, still carrying the enchanting haze of the night in the morning light. Lian Wan followed her inside to change her shoes, and as she squatted down, her cheek brushed against the hem of the nightgown.
The smooth fabric couldn't hide the woman's fragrance, which made Lian Wan's ears burn. Afraid something might happen again, she didn't dare follow her further inside. She just stood in the living room and took the large bag of bread Zhou Yanqian handed her.
The paper bag was open. The bread was still warm, emitting a soft, tempting aroma.
Zhou Yanqian asked about her plans for the day. Upon learning the air conditioner installer was coming, she ushered her to the door. "Then you should hurry and get to it. I'm going to sleep a little longer, no rush to open the store."
Lian Wan mumbled, "Okay."
There was so much bread that Lian Wan was afraid the paper bag would tear, so she didn't dare carry it by the handles. She held the large bag in her arms, feeling the warmth seeping out continuously, branding itself onto her heart.
It was very hot, but it didn't hurt.
The aroma of the bread in her arms was so intense it could make one breathless, like another beautiful dream. Lian Wan held it preciously, as carefully as if she were holding a treasure. This time, she spoke first, without waiting for Zhou Yanqian to take the lead.
The main door was half-open, and the woman in the silk nightgown stood in that sliver of morning light.
As if unable to look directly at her, Lian Wan lowered her eyes slightly. She seemed a little shy, afraid of being rejected. Her voice still had a slight nasal tone and was a little quiet.
She asked softly, "At noon, I can come back. Do you want to have lunch together?"
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