Offense - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The setting sun slanted west, filling the store with a brilliant golden light.

The group of elderly people behind them were still chattering about something. After offering that flimsy excuse, Zhou Yanqian gave Lian Wan a slight smile, let go of her hand, and led the way.

The sudden loss of Zhou Yanqian's warm, soft fingertips in her palm made Lian Wan's gaze darken for a moment. She quickly hurried her steps to follow. The back room was unlit, and it grew darker as they walked. The only sound Lian Wan could hear was her own breathing, one breath after another. The darkness bred endless courage in her. Unable to restrain herself, she drew closer and closer, finally raising her hands and wrapping them tightly around the woman's waist from behind.

The embrace was so tight it was inseparable, as if they were two trees that had grown together.

Zhou Yanqian was unprepared and let out a muffled grunt from the force of the hug. When she turned her head, she collided right with Lian Wan's face as she leaned in to kiss her.

Lian Wan had just gotten off work and come in from outside. Her face still held the residual warmth of the sun, her lips were hot, and the arms wrapped around Zhou Yanqian's waist were burning warm.

Zhou Yanqian's legs went weak. She staggered a few steps and was suddenly pressed against a shelf.

In the darkness, both of their breaths were ragged and chaotic. Lian Wan's kiss was quite rough, as if she were returning everything Zhou Yanqian had previously taught her in this one way. Zhou Yanqian was kissed until she was nearly out of breath. As she struggled to breathe, she couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with this person. She had such a frigid-looking face, yet she became a completely different person during moments of intimacy.

Fine. In a new wave of heat and confusion, Zhou Yanqian admitted to herself that she was a sucker for this.

As if she'd finally had her fill, Lian Wan, panting, loosened her hold slightly. The woman lay limp in her arms, her breath brushing gently against Lian Wan's ear.

"I'm thirsty," Lian Wan said softly after a long pause, rubbing her face meekly against Zhou Yanqian's.

She pressed her lips together, looking surprisingly a little pitiful.

The storage shelves were filled with cases of instant noodles and snacks, and mineral water was stacked on the floor. The two of them had thrown their excuse to the back of their minds the moment they came in, but now they remembered it.

Acting cute again, Zhou Yanqian patted her face. Her own body was limp, and her voice was weak. "Get it yourself."

The person holding her remained tightly wrapped around her, as if boneless, not moving an inch. "I won't drink then."

Why is she so clingy? Zhou Yanqian raised a hand to pat her head, but then remembered how this person used to be so aloof toward her. She pulled her hand back, her tone taking on a coquettish edge. "Oh, suit yourself then."

Lian Wan touched her forehead, wanting to say something but holding back. She just lowered her head and slowly nuzzled the corner of Zhou Yanqian's lips. The kiss softened Zhou Yanqian's heart, and she lowered her voice. "Alright- be good." She pushed against Lian Wan's shoulders to straighten up a bit, fumbling in the dark for the cases on the floor. "Which one do you want? There are still people outside, we shouldn't stay in here too long."

Lian Wan held her, sounding sullen. "Why are there people outside?"

"They're old neighbors from around here," Zhou Yanqian said. "The store has air conditioning, so I let them come in and sit."

"Doesn't it affect your business?" Lian Wan couldn't help but ask. She actually had more she wanted to ask, like why the store Zhou Yanqian opened didn't seem to care about profits. If it was for a leisurely life, wouldn't it be better to just rest completely?

"Not really." It was rare for Lian Wan to be so talkative, so Zhou Yanqian explained a bit more. "I get bored in the store, and you can't keep me company. It's nice to listen to them talk."

"What do they talk about?"

"Lots of gossip." Zhou Yanqian pulled a bottle of mineral water from a case on the floor, wrapped her arms around Lian Wan's neck, and leaned in close. Her breath was moist as she spoke. "I've heard so much gossip."

"Mm," Lian Wan hummed, holding her. She walked to the door but paused, reluctant to go out.

The woman in her arms was oblivious to her little thoughts, still talking about the strange things she'd heard that morning.

"The auntie from the third floor said her grandson was looking for a partner online, got his pictures taken, and was scammed out of money. He's too scared to report it to the police, so now he just complains at home all day. She's tired of hearing it, so she always comes out to chat with her old friends."

She suppressed a laugh. "You have no idea. Even with her grandson in that state, she's still so persistent about setting me up with someone."

Lian Wan wasn't surprised at all. She just asked calmly, "With her grandson?"

"How could that be possible?" Zhou Yanqian laughed and nuzzled her face, drawing out her words. "They said- there are lots of unmarried, talented young men in the town's Vehicle Team. They earn a lot, aren't home often, and marrying one of them means you can just lie back and collect money without having to serve anyone." She mimicked their tone: "A match that couldn't possibly be better."

Lian Wan just listened, not saying a word.

"Mmm-" Zhou Yanqian used the sliver of light from the crack in the door to study her expression, dragging out the sound. "At that moment, I thought- I'm dating one of the drivers from that team. Too bad they'll never guess who it is..."

Lian Wan asked, "Is it better if they can guess, or better if they can't?"

"Of course it's not good." The woman stared at her strangely. "Honestly, with a catch like me, how could you let other people know? Aren't you going to hide me away?"

Hearing this, Lian Wan suddenly felt a bit annoyed, but she didn't show it. She just lowered her eyes, not wanting to listen anymore.

Zhou Yanqian didn't notice her low spirits and was still affectionately rubbing against her face. "Anyway, I can't bear to tell anyone."

Can't bear to, or don't want to? Lian Wan let her go. She separated from her at the doorway, where people could see, and walked out as if nothing had happened.

When the old neighbors outside saw them come out, their laughter and chatter quieted for a moment. In that instant, Lian Wan's heart leaped into her throat, only to be gently set down again, because they didn't even glance at her. They were too busy beckoning Zhou Yanqian to rejoin their conversation.

The person who had just been in her arms left without even a trace of warmth after pulling away. Watching Zhou Yanqian start to show an auntie how to play mahjong on a tablet, Lian Wan didn't stay long. Perhaps the store's air conditioning was too cold. She silently pushed the door open and left.

Once outside, the setting sun was intense, as if trying to burn away the last of the summer day's afterglow.

Lian Wan walked all the way home, clutching the bottle of room-temperature water that had just been taken from the case. Sweat seeped from her palm, but it was a dry, sticky heat, incapable of dampening anyone's dreams.

She had installed an air conditioner. She didn't dream anymore.

That momentary despair turned into a bucket of ice water dumped over her head in countless midnight dreams.

These days, Lian Wan had more time to rest, but she actually slept less. Her last bout of insomnia traced back to the anxious summer after checking her college entrance exam scores. It was the first time Lian Wan had so clearly perceived that her fate was clutched in her own hands. There was no one for her to rely on, but also no one who could make demands of her. In recent years, she had seen too much of the fortune and misfortune within that.

On sleepless nights, she would idly scroll through her phone. On her Moments, Wang Zhiqiang was posting videos of his son. A whole stream of them. He had never posted on Moments before; even when he got married, it was just a text message that read like a Vehicle Team group notification. Lian Wan had gone to his wedding. The bride was about her age.

Her cheeks were delicate, her figure slender. She looked a bit like Gu Yan.

On sleepless nights, it seemed every thought could be traced back to the past.

Gu Yan. Lian Wan thought of Gu Yan again. She didn't have her contact information. Neither of them had cell phones when they were in school, and they'd never even been to an internet cafe. Had her child been born yet? Lian Wan knew her address, she thought. Should she go over and give her a red envelope?

But what would she say? In what capacity? Zhou Yanqian had taught her what a woman was, Lian Wan thought, but she hadn't taught her how to treat a woman from her past.

So, what exactly was a woman?

As if guided by a phantom, a memory that should have been completely blurred surfaced in Lian Wan's mind. Gu Yan holding her hand, so nervous that her hand trembled noticeably, like a fledgling bird flapping its wings. Was everyone like that at the beginning? But Zhou Yanqian was different. With her, she was always perfectly at ease. No matter if Lian Wan held her, kissed her, bit her, or took their intimacy to the final step, Zhou Yanqian would just hold her and indulgently stroke her head.

She was different from all the other women in Pingchuan Town. That was why, Lian Wan thought, she was willing to be tamed by her in moments of passion and confusion, but afterward, she would greedily want more.

The clock on the wall ticked away. The night deepened. The breathing of the entire Pingchuan Town slowly quieted, and before the dawn arrived, it seemed she was the only one awake.

These waking moments were useless. The elongated life of midnight only magnified the unease and conflict in Lian Wan's heart. There were times she truly wanted to throw off her blanket, run to Zhou Yanqian's door, and knock. She knew she would be welcomed, but it was precisely this certainty that infuriated Lian Wan.

She tossed and turned in bed, only feeling a hint of weary sleepiness when the sky began to lighten.

But she had to get up for work the next day.

The air conditioner divided the summer's heat and cold too absolutely. When Lian Wan went out, her skin was quickly met with a gust of dry, hot wind. After a while, she felt stuffy all over, as if her skin were puffing up from the inside out. She went to a street-side breakfast stall and bought a cup of congee, feeling much better after drinking it.

After a night, the truck was stuffy and damp again. It was another order for the county seat. Just as Lian Wan was buckling her seatbelt to set off, she saw Wang Zhiqiang knock on her window.

She rolled down the window and looked down. The middle-aged man had a somewhat bashful smile on his face. "Xiao Lian, don't be in such a hurry to leave. I have something to discuss with you."

Lian Wan didn't move, just inclined her head slightly. "What is it?"

"Well... it's..." Wang Zhiqiang wrung his hands, looking as if he was too embarrassed to speak.

Lian Wan frowned. Her nearly all-night schedule left her mind wired but her body exhausted. She couldn't be bothered to deal with Wang Zhiqiang and just watched him in silence.

Wang Zhiqiang fidgeted for a long while before finally saying cautiously, "Could you lend your big brother some money?"

Seeing no sign of resistance from Lian Wan, he continued, "Look, you know the situation with the team. Everyone's income is about the same. You've only got yourself to feed, but me, I have a family, a wife, and a son to support. And well, a new batch of apartments just opened up in the county seat. Your sister-in-law went to check them out and thinks they're pretty good, we're just a little short on the down payment..."

"How short are you?" Lian Wan asked.

Wang Zhiqiang's face lit up. "Seventy thousand."

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