Offense - Chapter 25
Chapter 25
By the time Lian Wan finished the steaming hot dinner and returned to the room, Zhou Yanqian was already curled up under the covers, fast asleep.
The old house's wooden floor was a bit rough. Walking on it barefoot produced occasional creaks. Remembering what Zhou Yanqian had told her, she lightened her steps and switched on the bathroom light.
The shower was separated by a glass partition, still dotted with beads of water. The damp touch of water molecules in the air clung to her skin. As she walked in, the tiled floor was ice-cold, yet it seemed to burn the soles of her feet. Lian Wan turned on the showerhead. Steam rose, and a fragrance identical to Zhou Yanqian's seemed to instantly fill the bathroom, enveloping her.
Almost subconsciously, Lian Wan sniffed lightly.
The water murmured, and the bathroom light was a dim yellow. Standing under the shower, a person felt like a broad-leafed tree, all its pores opening to breathe.
A ceaseless stream of water slid over the bridge of her nose and her lips, falling onto her undulating body. The tall woman's expression was serene, but she braced a hand against the wall, quietly pressing her face against the glass door beaded with water.
She touched the tip of her nose to a few of the cool droplets.
Unable to explain the motive behind her actions at this moment, Lian Wan only felt an unfounded sense of longing well up inside her, a desire to be close to everything related to Zhou Yanqian.
Her mind was empty, yet her senses were sharp. Her head was spinning, yet her thoughts were surprisingly clear.
Zhou Yanqian had a beautiful face. Lian Wan closed her eyes, tracing it in her mind.
She was, of course, the most beautiful woman Lian Wan had ever seen. That was beyond doubt, but there was something else, more captivating, hidden beneath her skin. The shifting currents in her eyes and the ambiguous fragrance filling the room were like a slippery loach in a paddy field; Lian Wan couldn't grasp her.
But perhaps she could grasp something else.
Lian Wan maintained her posture, pressed against the glass. As if struck by inspiration, she found herself uncontrollably thinking that just a few dozen minutes ago, and indeed on every ordinary day inside this house, Zhou Yanqian would have stood here, letting the glass door quietly fog up. A few drops of water would slide over her body before splashing onto the glass, where they would linger for a long time in the darkness, unnoticed.
Such a beautiful sight, with no one to discover it.
The image in her mind made Lian Wan unconsciously part her lips and let out a soft breath.
Her forehead was now pressed completely against the cool glass. The tip of her nose was damp, as if the woman's body heat still clung to it. There was also a faint smell of blood in the air, one that lingered in the bathroom, which she had noticed the moment she walked in.
The chaotic thoughts in her mind surged, as if boiling in her veins. Lian Wan paused for a long while before opening her eyes and wiping her face.
She stepped out of the shower and back onto the cold tiles.
This time, the temperature failed to cool her down. The mist was roughly wiped away, and Lian Wan saw her reflection in the mirror. Her lips were bright red, her eyes a captivating black, as if burning with flames.
It was a self that was both familiar and strange.
She stared for a while before looking away and putting on the pajamas Zhou Yanqian had prepared for her. Everything about the woman was as comforting as the soft cotton fabric against her skin. Lian Wan pressed her lips together firmly, for the first time having to rely on a silent expression to seal away her surging heart, lest any of the tenderness inside overflow.
In that moment, restraint became a soft shield, enveloping Lian Wan's usual silence.
The bathroom light went out.
The bedroom was unlit. The heavy curtains blocked the clear moonlight of the summer night from entering.
The mattress dipped carefully.
Strangely, in complete contrast to all the wild fantasies Lian Wan had about her in the bathroom, Zhou Yanqian's breathing was as quiet as some small animal's. In the darkness, it seemed exceptionally pure, exceptionally pristine, and it slightly soothed her boiling heart. Lian Wan found the covers and gently slid in beside her. Almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, Zhou Yanqian's arm reached out.
She wrapped it around Lian Wan's waist, her voice muffled. "…I fell asleep."
"Yeah." The moment she spoke, Lian Wan's voice became raspy, inexplicably dry. "You can sleep a little longer."
"Mmm-" Zhou Yanqian drew out the sound. Having just woken up, her eyes were still closed, and she was whining like a child, with a certain relentless persistence. "No, talk to me for a bit."
Seeing no reaction from Lian Wan, she poked her collarbone and urged softly, "Go on."
"…Does your stomach still hurt?" Lian Wan thought for a moment before asking in a small voice.
"A little."
As she spoke, Zhou Yanqian moved closer, her slender shoulders nearly pressing into Lian Wan's embrace. "It's okay, not as bad as before."
"Was the soup good today?" In the darkness, her gaze was earnest, impossible for Lian Wan to avoid.
"It was good," she answered honestly.
Then she moved her hand down, quietly hugging her back.
The touch she had longed for in the bathroom was suddenly in her grasp, and the wild horse in Lian Wan's heart found its direction. She silently held the woman's warm body, feeling Zhou Yanqian's fingers stroke the back of her hand.
Zhou Yanqian followed her lead, remaining silent for a while before suddenly asking, "Are you unhappy?"
Lian Wan paused, then answered in a deceptively casual tone, "The captain of our Vehicle Team asked to borrow money from me this afternoon."
"Ah. Is that so."
As Zhou Yanqian spoke, she rolled over to press against her, leaning into her embrace as if she had no bones. She reached up to pinch her ear, her voice lazy, as if she were smiling. "Hmm… our little driver Xiao Lian is so soft-hearted, you didn't actually lend it to him, did you?"
After saying this, her fingers slid down from her ear and lightly tapped Lian Wan's lips.
"Your lips are soft, too," she said, her tone thoughtful and playful. "I wonder if your heart is soft, if you'll listen to whatever anyone says."
With that, she lifted her head and gave Lian Wan a quick kiss. "I'll know once I take a taste."
Lian Wan subconsciously closed her eyes.
It felt like a feather had brushed lightly across her lips. When she opened her eyes again, the woman was already nestled back in her arms.
"Are you that nervous? Your whole body is stiff," Zhou Yanqian said, laughing as she clung to her neck. "Hmm- do I need to kiss you a few more times for you to get used to it?"
The expected silence arrived. Zhou Yanqian was prepared and was about to say a few more teasing words, to make the easily embarrassed puppy curl up her ears too, or better yet, hide completely in her arms, but was suddenly caught by the chin.
Lian Wan was silent, but her grip was domineering, pinching her chin until it hurt.
"What are you doing… Mmph…"
Before she could finish, her lips were firmly sealed. This kiss was as fiery as usual, and Zhou Yanqian once again lost the initiative, passively bearing the price of the puppy's shyness.
Her lips were bitten, devoured, the force unrelenting. Zhou Yanqian gasped in pain and was about to push her away, but gradually, as if she had tasted something good and had her fill of that initial rush, Lian Wan softened her touch. She began to clumsily but earnestly try the techniques Zhou Yanqian had taught her. Zhou Yanqian felt the change in her. Though her technique was still clumsy, her own body began to lose control, melting like a puddle of water.
Lian Wan's eyes were closed, her breath enveloping Zhou Yanqian softly with each inhale and exhale. The intimate pleasures between people were nothing more than this; Zhou Yanqian felt as if she could sense her mood through the entanglement of their lips and tongues.
What is she thinking? Why is she suddenly so serious?
Undeniably, Zhou Yanqian had no strength to resist such earnestness. Even if the current situation wasn't ideal, her body went soft in her arms, ready for anything.
Amidst her impatience, Lian Wan broke away, panting, her gaze in the darkness hot and focused. Zhou Yanqian was so captivated by her look that she could hardly pull herself away. She pushed herself up, wrapping her arms more tightly around her neck to demand an embrace.
"Hold me…" she said.
All along, because Lian Wan was so transparent in front of her, she could always say whatever she wanted to express without any reservations.
As expected, the little puppy she had her eye on immediately held her tight, and even nuzzled her gently with the bridge of her straight nose, as if seeking affection.
So good. Zhou Yanqian sighed in satisfaction, affectionately rubbing the cheek pressed against hers.
If only she could always be this good.
Zhou Yanqian then thought of some of this person's stubbornness and unconsciously pressed her fingertips a little harder.
But what she didn't expect was that, as if sensing her mood, the usually docile Lian Wan who was holding her suddenly lifted a hand and gently stroked the back of her head.
Her palm was warm, a comforting gesture that seemed to reverse their roles.
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