Offense - Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Lian Wan woke up very early the next day.

It was an ordinary summer day in this small town. Lian Wan opened her eyes to a room filled with bright daylight. She had already kicked the blanket to one side. Outside, the clamor of construction rang out, the rhythmic banging grating on one's nerves. It made the water stain on the ceiling seem to tremble, like the shimmering surface of some ostentatious body of water. Lian Wan stared at it for so long that she started to feel dizzy.

She stared like this for a while before rubbing her head, feeling it was time to wake up properly.

In the dim bathroom, water trickled. The sound of an argument from next door came through the vent, muffled, as if someone were blow-drying their hair while shouting. Accompanied by this background noise, Lian Wan turned the rusty faucet and splashed her face with water. Her hair had grown quite a bit longer these days without her noticing; it could touch the edge of the sink when she bent her head.

The phone, which had been on a call all night, was hot in her pocket. When Lian Wan got up, she glanced at it. The call had ended at five in the morning. Would Zhou Yanqian have noticed her offense on the other end of the line? Lian Wan wondered. The heat from her dream gradually dissipated after she woke up. The shame in her heart was gone, replaced by a strange shyness, the kind that could make her ears burn red.

She buried her face in her wet palms, belatedly feeling her cheeks flush.

When Zhou Yanqian called, she was met with Lian Wan's voice on the other end, feigning composure. "You're up? Did you sleep well?"

After saying this, she added guiltily, "I was so tired last night, I fell asleep before I could really talk to you."

Puppies are usually bad at hiding their feelings, but the one she'd found was the best at it. Her tail was practically brushing against your leg, yet her gaze remained calm and restrained, waiting for you to notice her affection first.

In the shady alley, the shadows of the trees danced outside the shop. Sunlight filtered finely onto the countertop, losing its midsummer scorch and becoming warm instead, like a freshly baked cake. Zhou Yanqian leaned back in her chair, her gaze resting on the counter as she listened attentively to the voice on the phone. She chuckled softly. "It was fine. You don't snore."

Youth, after all. Lian Wan felt a rare happiness in her heart. She hummed in agreement, a little smug. "I'm a very still sleeper. My grandmother used to praise me when I was little, saying I'd wake up in the exact same position I fell asleep in."

"Is that so?" Zhou Yanqian drew out her words, teasing her. "Then when are you going to sleep with me?"

Lian Wan was bending over to pick up her small bag of clothes. At those words, she felt the blood rush to her neck and her legs go weak. She plopped right down on the floor, leaning her back against the edge of the bed and lowering her head.

The hard bedframe pressed against her back, stemming the thirst that rose in her throat.

But Zhou Yanqian persisted, coaxing her playfully, "Hm? Say something. When?"

Lian Wan was speechless. She stared blankly at the floor, not knowing what to say but unwilling to leave the question unanswered. Finally, she managed, "Didn't we... didn't we sleep together last night?"

"Is that the kind of sleeping I was talking about?" The woman's voice was laced with laughter, but to Lian Wan, it sounded heavy, as if she were genuinely angry. "Don't play dumb with me."

Lian Wan's lips moved.

She didn't speak. Zhou Yanqian paused for a moment, then said softly, "I miss you."

Her tone was gentle, like a lazy, light feather from the softest down duvet on a large bed.

Lian Wan was utterly defeated.

"Tonight... tonight, then," she said, steadying herself. "I can be back tonight."

"You said it." There was a smile in Zhou Yanqian's voice. She laughed, then sighed, a sound laden with emotion, like an unopened flower bud holding all the swelling promise of spring between its lips. "Aigh... you sound so reluctant. Do you miss me too?"

"Hm?... Mmm."

"Quick, tell me, do you?"

"Yes... yes."

The noise outside had just quieted down when the banging started up on the ceiling again. But on the other end of the line, the woman listened quietly to her words. Lian Wan mustered her courage and finally said it.

She said, "Yes, I miss you too."

Today's job wasn't easy. But Lian Wan maintained her exhilarated mood as she entered the factory, did her inspection, loaded the cargo, and hit the road. The county seat was more crowded, the roads two lanes wider than in town, and the quality of driving was uneven. It was chaotic, with the sound of horns chasing her relentlessly.

This was when the advantages of driving a large truck became apparent. Lian Wan sat high above the fray, windows rolled up tight. The engine steadily pushed the vehicle forward, her hands firm on the steering wheel, her mood as open and vast as an untouched landscape.

Under the bright midday sun, the whole world was in chaos, yet it seemed to be opening up just for her.

The sun had set. Zhou Yanqian finished recording the day's accounts and stretched lazily in her chair.

It was almost closing time. She had turned off the store's air conditioner, but much of the residual coolness lingered in the air, preserving her good mood.

She checked her phone, guessing that Lian Wan was probably on her way back by now. She didn't send a message, just cleared the things on the table to one side and prepared to go home.

Not until she heard the crisp jingle of the wind chime on the door. She looked up and saw the person who had pushed the door open.

Standing against the light of the setting sun, her figure was like a pilgrimage in an oil painting. As she got closer, Zhou Yanqian saw that her clothes were dirty again for some reason, as if she'd been rolling in the dirt. Fortunately, her face was still handsomely delicate. Zhou Yanqian's mood improved even more. She saw that Lian Wan had just come in from outside, her face and body steaming with heat. When the cool air of the shop hit her, a soft, relaxed expression appeared on her face.

Like a big golden retriever that had just fallen into the water and climbed onto the bank to shake its head.

Zhou Yanqian's gaze was unconsciously captivated. She watched her walk over, watched her sweat, watched the beads of perspiration trickle from her chin down her neck. Only then did she react, pushing a tissue toward her. "Wipe your sweat."

Lian Wan took it but continued to stare at her without blinking. After a long moment, she said slowly, "You look so beautiful today."

The corner of Zhou Yanqian's mouth twitched. She wanted to laugh but held it back, huffing through her nose. "Since someone is putting on an act, I have to dress up nicely too. Otherwise, how could I satisfy your innocent girlish fantasies?"

"It's not like that," Lian Wan denied earnestly.

Then she added, "You've always been beautiful."

In the twilight, her eyes were very bright, as if she were speaking of the most important thing in the world.

No matter how much she tried to restrain herself, Zhou Yanqian found she was still blushing. She pressed her lips together and didn't linger on the topic, standing up and heading outside. "Such a sweet talker. You must know there's good food waiting for you tonight, huh?"

Lian Wan followed, helping her pull down the rolling shutter door and getting another smudge on her clothes in the process.

"You don't have to make too much," she said while pulling the door. "There are only two of us."

Zhou Yanqian watched her quietly, saying nothing.

The night quietly enveloped their surroundings. The Virginia creeper released a clean fragrance, warmed by the setting sun, like the sap dripping from a broken young shoot. It was uniquely light amidst the rich botanical scents of the summer night.

As Zhou Yanqian walked, she noticed Lian Wan reach out a hand as if to take hers, but then she seemed to think better of it and pulled it back, letting it rest against her pants.

She reached out, pinched a corner of Lian Wan's shirt, and tilted her head. "Hm?"

At this hour, people in the residential building were having dinner. The clatter of bowls and chopsticks could be heard from many windows. Zhou Yanqian's delicate eye makeup was indistinct in the darkness, but her pale face and collarbones were a hazy vision, almost forming a cool, gentle cloud next to Lian Wan's hot arm.

She only leaned closer without saying anything, but Lian Wan understood her meaning and explained in a low voice, "My hand is dirty. I forgot to wash it when I got back."

The woman raised an eyebrow, her reply full of meaning. "Oh."

She had only said that one word, but for some reason, Lian Wan's ears turned completely red.

She hesitated for a long while before, as if mustering all her courage, she said in a low voice, "I'll wash it carefully later."

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