Offense - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

They were woken by a loud noise.

The wind and rain outside hadn't stopped. The sound was like a sudden clap of thunder, and the cars parked downstairs shrieked piercingly. Lian Wan hadn't been sleeping deeply. Before Zhou Yanqian could cling to her, she pulled her into an embrace and comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Something probably got blown over by the wind."

Her voice, set against the sharp noise, sounded exceptionally gentle. It was a newfound thoughtfulness. "I'll go take a look."

Zhou Yanqian was still shaken. She let Lian Wan lift the covers and get out of bed, propping herself up on her elbows against the pillow, looking uncharacteristically dazed.

She had always suffered from insomnia. After moving back to her hometown, it had improved to light sleep. Although her current restful life was indeed helping, her body was still weak from a long period of poor health. Her heart, startled awake so suddenly, struggled to calm down. All she could do was lean back and wait for it to pass.

Lian Wan, completely unaware of her state, walked to the window, lifted the curtain, and pushed it open to look outside. Sheets of rain blew in. The red lights of the cars downstairs flashed along with their shrieking, serving as a chaotic backdrop in the downpour.

Beyond that, it was pitch black. Everyone's windows were shut tight, some even taped up in an X-pattern, as if preparing for a typhoon. It was still early, and the streetlights in the old residential complex weren't on yet, so she couldn't see much. But the roads were definitely flooded. She could hear the sound of water rushing rapidly.

It seemed whether she could take the truck out tomorrow would be an issue.

With this in her thoughts, Lian Wan stood there seriously for a while longer, craning her neck to look outside. The rain soaked one side of her hair. Only after confirming that no dangerous objects had fallen from the nearby buildings did she close the window and turn around.

The woman, clutching the blanket, was leaning against the headboard. Her long hair, usually tucked behind her ears, had fallen forward, vaguely obscuring half her face. Her gaze was fixed on Lian Wan.

Lian Wan couldn't help but feel that gaze had weight to it.

As she got closer, she noticed Zhou Yanqian was biting her lip.

The usually brazen woman rarely showed such weakness. Lian Wan froze for a moment. Only when she felt a hint of grievance in the gaze fixed upon her did she realize she should go and hold her.

The arms that wrapped around her back were light, like embracing a handful of clouds.

"How is it?" Zhou Yanqian asked softly.

"It's nothing," Lian Wan's tone was quite calm amidst the sound of the rain. "The street is just flooded. Is everything in the store put away properly?"

The woman's hand slid gently and slowly down Lian Wan's back. Her response was just as soft and slow. "Mhm…"

She paused, then added, "…I think I feel a little unwell."

Her voice was very quiet. Lian Wan couldn't hear clearly, so she lowered her head, bringing her ear closer, and asked again, "What's wrong?"

"My heart is fluttering," Zhou Yanqian said, taking a very light breath. "And my chest hurts a little."

"Where?"

Zhou Yanqian took her hand and guided it inward.

Lian Wan froze for a second, then heard her speak again.

"Don't move."

"Let me lean on you for a bit."

Lian Wan didn't move a muscle. They fell silent. Beneath the dry, soft fabric was the woman's warm chest. Lian Wan could feel her skin against her palm through the thin layer of her nightgown, and the quiet beat of her heart. She didn't know what Zhou Yanqian was thinking right now, but she could perceive the rhythm of that heartbeat.

Just as, without looking up, she knew Zhou Yanqian was still watching her.

Suddenly, there was a flicker of light and shadow. The curtain wasn't drawn tightly, and the shadows of the trees outside were swaying, mixed with the flashing red lights of the cars. The wind grew stronger, and a dense patter of rain swept in from the distance, like a waterfall pouring down on their heads.

Lian Wan turned her head reflexively, but Zhou Yanqian squeezed her hand tightly. She thought for a moment, then lowered her head to look at her. She first touched the corner of the woman's mouth, then leaned in to whisper, "It doesn't look like this rain will stop anytime soon. I should still go check the store tomorrow. It'll be trouble if the water rises."

Zhou Yanqian took the opportunity to cup her face and hummed a soft "mhm."

She looked at her. Lian Wan's hair had grown a little longer recently. Because her diet had become more regular, her face seemed to have filled out a bit too. Her hair, usually tied up for convenience, was down, making her look surprisingly innocent and pure.

"Are you still feeling unwell?" The one being stared at lowered her head to look at her and asked softly, "Were you scared? I'll go get you a glass of water."

Zhou Yanqian wrapped her arms around her neck and pinched her cheek. "Why are you suddenly so considerate?"

She seemed to have recovered a little, her tone becoming light again. Hearing this, Lian Wan relaxed somewhat, as if the handful of clouds in her arms was slowly descending. She was just looking up, the pressure on her cheek unchanged, when she felt soft lips gently land on hers.

"That's more like it." The woman tilted her head, kissed her again, and smiled with narrowed eyes. In a rare, gentle tone, she said, "You should smile more."

Lian Wan's smile faded. She gently pressed her cheek against the other woman's, her tone also gentle. "I'll go get you a glass of water."

Zhou Yanqian followed her all the way to the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around her waist and didn't move. Patting her stomach, she suddenly laughed. "I heard your stomach growl."

Lian Wan kept her head down as she poured water from the kettle. She admitted it, turning to look at her, a little embarrassed, "I think I'm hungry."

Tonight's dinner was mung bean congee, a cold mixed vegetable salad, and soy-braised beef.

The old house's kitchen was small; with two people in it, it felt a bit crowded. Lian Wan stood at the stove mincing garlic while Zhou Yanqian stood beside her, picking at the sliced soy-braised beef.

She said the beef was braised at her family's home and brought over, thankfully before the storm hit.

She said this while stuffing a slice of beef into her mouth. The rain had stopped in the evening. The sky was overcast, the dusk faint. Outside the window frame, only half of a lingering sunset remained. The woman leaned against her, cheeks puffed out as she chewed, and sighed, "Mmm-so good. It's a shame we're out of alcohol. Drinking and eating meat is the best in this kind of weather."

Lian Wan listened, putting the minced garlic into the mixing bowl for the salad. She stretched out an arm to push open the window for some air, then lowered her head and thought for a moment. "I think I still have a few cans at my place. The fridge lost power, so they're room temperature now. Do you want some? If you do, I can go get them later."

Zhou Yanqian said, "Sure. While you're at it, remember to pack up everything you need to bring over. Don't make it a hassle by going back and forth."

This was her way of telling Lian Wan to move in completely. Lian Wan understood. She looked at Zhou Yanqian's profile, slightly nervous. The woman's moist lips still had a slight sheen of oil on them. Then, she smelled the garlic on her own hands. In the small kitchen, the savory aroma of the beef and the sharp scent of garlic vied for dominance, while the mung bean congee bubbled on the stove.

She immediately added, "I'll give you my house key later. The next time you take the truck out, stop by the locksmith in the county town and get another one made."

"Ah…" The cold salad was still beside her. Lian Wan reached for the chopsticks, then remembered she hadn't added the seasonings yet. She fumbled a bit, unscrewing the caps for the vinegar and soy sauce, then adding a spoonful of chili oil. She almost couldn't get the lid back on the sugar. The bean sprouts, steeped in vinegar, released a sweet fragrance like a grassy field after rain. Lian Wan stared at them, tossing them over and over, her own unspoken thoughts tumbling just as much. "Okay… Actually, there's a locksmith in town… Did that one close down?"

As if she knew Lian Wan would ask this, Zhou Yanqian narrowed her eyes smugly. "I don't know. I went to look a while ago and didn't see it. Maybe it moved."

"I see." So she had already thought this through. Lian Wan clutched the chopsticks and nodded, feeling the corners of her own mouth slowly turning up.

Tall and thin, with slender shoulders, clearly only in her early twenties. If she didn't restrain her smile, her whole expression would be radiant.

Her nose was even crinkling.

Zhou Yanqian stared at her. The corners of her own eyes naturally tilted upwards, their shape beautiful and fluid, carrying a captivating curve whether she was smiling or not. At this moment, they were filled with affection, reflecting the dusky, rainy twilight outside the window.

"You look silly,"

she said. Then she couldn't help but laugh herself.

Previous Table of Contents Next