A night breeze lifted the hem of her clothes, drawing Jiang Xiaoyi’s gaze to Meng Chuning’s snow-white legs swaying into view.
Jiang Xiaoyi closed the window first, then walked over and said, “Sister, the bedsheet is wet, and I don’t have a fresh one to replace it with.”
“…” Meng Chuning tugged at the corner of her shirt. “We don’t have to do it on the bed. The kitchen would work, or the bathroom, mm…”
Jiang Xiaoyi’s face turned red as she covered Meng Chuning’s lips. She had originally thought her sister was just joking and didn’t really mean it, so she had pretended to be all innocent about it. But now it seemed she had overthought things—her sister absolutely did mean it.
Meng Chuning’s lips were soft and plush. With her mouth covered, all she could do was stare intently at Jiang Xiaoyi with eyes shimmering like they held unshed tears.
The heat and dampness against her palm, combined with that gaze, made Jiang Xiaoyi’s entire body flush with warmth. She gently lifted her hand, blinked, and asked, “Sister, are your… physical needs really that strong right now?”
“…Mm.” Meng Chuning swallowed the rest of what she wanted to say. Had she made her desire too obvious? But the truth was, she wanted Jiang Xiaoyi the moment she laid eyes on her.
Hearing Meng Chuning admit it, Jiang Xiaoyi scratched at her hair and asked, “Sister, have you ever dated a girlfriend before?”
Meng Chuning shook her head. Jiang Xiaoyi felt a flicker of surprise. Her sister was so exceptional, yet she’d never had a girlfriend? That meant Jiang Xiaoyi was the only one who’d ever been intimate with her.
She hadn’t dated anyone either, and she had zero experience with that kind of thing, so her skills probably wouldn’t leave her sister craving more. But the fact that her sister was clinging to her like this could only mean one thing: Meng Chuning had only ever tried it with her. So whenever the need arose, she thought of Jiang Xiaoyi first.
Jiang Xiaoyi felt like she’d made a terrible mistake. It was all System PP’s fault, damn it.
“Sister…” Jiang Xiaoyi ruffled her own hair into a mess as she said tactfully, “Why don’t you just take care of it yourself? It’s fine if the bedsheet gets wet…”
Meng Chuning’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Sister?” Before Jiang Xiaoyi could finish, Meng Chuning whirled away in a mix of shyness and frustration, heading toward the bedroom. Jiang Xiaoyi couldn’t stand the thought of being separated from her and hurried after, wondering if she’d said the wrong thing again. Being that direct was bound to embarrass her sister.
When they reached the bed, Meng Chuning casually flipped back the quilt and lay down. Their hands were still clasped together. Meng Chuning’s pull dragged Jiang Xiaoyi forward, and just as she was about to collapse onto her, Jiang Xiaoyi caught herself with both arms braced on either side of Meng Chuning’s body, her upper half hovering over her.
Jiang Xiaoyi clamped her mouth shut. “Sister, I take back what I just said.”
Lying on her back, Meng Chuning looked up at her. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”
“…” Jiang Xiaoyi nodded slowly, then rolled off her. “Sleep well, Sister, but don’t let go of my hand.”
Meng Chuning turned slightly onto her side. “Why?”
Jiang Xiaoyi reached out and switched off the light. The bedroom plunged into darkness. After a moment, Meng Chuning heard her say, “Because I don’t want to be apart from you, Sister.”
In the blackness of night, those words set Meng Chuning’s heart pounding like a drum. Was Jiang Xiaoyi speaking from the heart, or just teasing her? Did she even realize what that sentence implied?
But Meng Chuning didn’t dwell on it. She just wanted to savor the moment. “I don’t want to be apart from you either.”
Jiang Xiaoyi’s hand was gripped even tighter after that. She closed her eyes with a sense of contentment and drifted off to sleep. In her hazy drowsiness, she felt a warm, soft body nestle into her embrace.
“Xiaoyi?” Meng Chuning whispered softly in her ear. All that came back was the sound of Jiang Xiaoyi’s breathing growing slow and even.
A twinge of defeat hit Meng Chuning. She could fall asleep just like that? Meng Chuning was practically stripped bare in her arms, and yet Jiang Xiaoyi had simply dozed off peacefully.
It was infuriating, but Meng Chuning couldn’t bring herself to shake her awake.
Still, remembering how Jiang Xiaoyi had admitted to missing her a little today made Meng Chuning too happy to sleep. A little miss was still a miss.
She leaned close to Jiang Xiaoyi’s ear. “Xiaoyi.”
Hearing her name, Jiang Xiaoyi mumbled a vague response.
Meng Chuning let out a soft chuckle. “I missed you so, so, so much.”
…
Time ticked past eight o’clock.
Ding-dong—
【Task completed. Host Account balance: 750,000 yuan.】
The task completion chime jolted Jiang Xiaoyi awake. Her mind still foggy, the person beside her shifted, pressing even closer into her arms. Jiang Xiaoyi froze, not wanting to disturb Meng Chuning’s sleep. Then, in the next instant, Meng Chuning’s leg hooked around her waist.
“…” Jiang Xiaoyi’s sensitive midsection clenched instantly, a wave of numbness shooting through her body.
In her sleep, Meng Chuning’s shirt had ridden up almost completely, held down only by a corner of the quilt at her side waist.
Jiang Xiaoyi craned her neck tensely. She gripped the bend of Meng Chuning’s knee with one hand and gently eased her leg downward. When she tried to shift herself slightly, Meng Chuning mirrored the movement.
But hearing the task was done brought a sigh of relief. As Jiang Xiaoyi slowly released her grip on Meng Chuning’s hand, Meng Chuning suddenly rolled over, trapping it snugly between her thighs.
“…” Jiang Xiaoyi went rigid, yanked her hand free in a hurry, and slipped quietly out of bed to the balcony for some cooling morning air.
The crisp dawn breeze felt refreshing. Jiang Xiaoyi balled her fist, feeling a sheen of sweat break out on her back.
Clothes fluttered on the line outside the window. Spotting Meng Chuning’s underwear among them only made the heat rise further.
“Xiaoyi?”
Meng Chuning’s voice drifted from the bedroom, soft and groggy from sleep. Jiang Xiaoyi snapped back to attention and gathered up Meng Chuning’s clothes.
Summer garments were light and had dried thoroughly in the night wind. By the time Jiang Xiaoyi returned with them, Meng Chuning lay on her side atop the bed, blinking at her with heavy-lidded eyes.
Jiang Xiaoyi’s cheeks colored faintly. “Sister, you’re awake?”
Meng Chuning hummed low in her throat. “What time is it?”
“Eight.” Jiang Xiaoyi set the clothes on the bed. “They’re dry now. You change first, Sister. I’ll head downstairs and grab breakfast.”
Meng Chuning mumbled another sleepy affirmation, as if she weren’t quite ready to be up.
Jiang Xiaoyi had never seen Meng Chuning looking so languid and reluctant to leave the bed. She found it utterly adorable and stole another lingering glance.
After washing up and heading out for breakfast, System PP wasted no time in popping up. 【Host, your performance last night was deeply disappointing.】
At the counter paying for her order, Jiang Xiaoyi responded: 【I completed the task, didn’t I? Who was disappointed?】
System PP ground its teeth. 【Meng Chuning, obviously. Didn’t you notice?】
Jiang Xiaoyi paused. 【Why?】
She thought she’d done pretty well last night—even helped her sister with a bath, and Meng Chuning had seemed pleased enough. How could she possibly be disappointed?
System PP pinched the bridge of its nonexistent nose. 【Never mind, I’m not mad anymore. You’re just a dense host who can’t recognize your own feelings, with a memory to match.】
Jiang Xiaoyi: 【?】
Jiang Xiaoyi: 【Who exactly are you cursing?】
System PP: 【Which is why you need me so badly.】
Jiang Xiaoyi: 【No need, thanks.】
When Jiang Xiaoyi returned with breakfast, Meng Chuning—now dressed—emerged from the bathroom, toothbrush in mouth, and mumbled around it, “You’re back, mm?”
“Yeah.” Jiang Xiaoyi smiled at her. “Go finish brushing first, Sister.”
System PP hadn’t vanished yet. In fact, it seemed determined to look out for Meng Chuning’s interests.
【Host, time for today’s task.】
Jiang Xiaoyi jabbed the straw into her drink with extra force. 【Hit me with it.】
System PP hemmed and hawed, stammered through the announcement, then bolted, its parting words echoing faintly via brainwave.
【Today’s task: Touch Little Butterfly.】
【Task target: Meng Chuning.】
Jiang Xiaoyi: 【?】
What the hell was that? Some new slang she’d never heard? Why not just say it plain instead of talking in riddles?
Jiang Xiaoyi handed the soy milk to Meng Chuning. “Sister, it’s getting late. Let me take you to work.”
“Sure.” Meng Chuning shouldered her bag on the way out. “Won’t sending me off hold you up, Xiaoyi?”
Jiang Xiaoyi shook her head. “Nope. My morning’s free.”
In the taxi, Meng Chuning turned to face her. “Xiaoyi, when do you join the crew?”
The opening ceremony for Want to Hear You Say was already done, and the cast was trickling in. Jiang Xiaoyi was due that afternoon, with a jammed schedule for the next couple of weeks.
“In the afternoon,” Jiang Xiaoyi said, “but my scenes are tonight. I’ll head to set early to get the lay of the land and wait my turn.”
Meng Chuning hummed in acknowledgment. “I’ll come visit you on set.”
Jiang Xiaoyi blinked in surprise. “Visit me?”
“Of course.” Meng Chuning’s voice softened. “Unless you don’t want me to?”
Jiang Xiaoyi shook her head at once. “I do.”
As the taxi rolled along, Jiang Xiaoyi’s heart picked up speed. “No one’s ever visited me on set before. You’re the first, Sister.”
Something tender stirred in Meng Chuning’s chest, as if she finally understood what Jiang Xiaoyi meant.
Ever since breaking into the entertainment circle, Jiang Xiaoyi had scraped by with bit parts—blink-and-you-miss-them extras who filmed their scene and vanished. The whole concept of a set visit was foreign to her.
Seeing the spark of anticipation in those deep, dark eyes, Meng Chuning smiled. “Then I’ll come visit you often.”
The taxi pulled up to the curb. Jiang Xiaoyi flashed a brilliant grin, circled around, and opened the door for Meng Chuning.
They walked into YN Group together. Jiang Xiaoyi hit the elevator button for her. While they waited, Meng Chuning asked, “Xiaoyi, want to come up with me?”
“Nah, I won’t bug you at work, Sister.” Just then, the doors slid open, revealing an elegant middle-aged woman who stepped out.
Meng Chuning hesitated a beat, then entered and called out obediently, “Mom.”
Meng Qinglan halted mid-step, her gaze raking over her daughter. “Fan Yu mentioned you didn’t come home last night.”
From outside the elevator, Jiang Xiaoyi waved cheerfully at Meng Chuning. “Have a great day at work, Sister!”
The voice drew Meng Qinglan’s eyes to Jiang Xiaoyi’s face, where she spotted something telling. “You were with her last night?”
The elevator fell silent.
Meng Chuning let out a quiet hum. Meng Qinglan remarked in an inscrutable tone, “She’s quite pretty. What does she do?”
Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaoyi blinked at the fully shut doors. Meng Chuning looked an awful lot like that poised middle-aged woman inside.
Probably her mom, Jiang Xiaoyi thought to herself. She has such great presence.
Once outside YN Group, the task from System PP suddenly popped back into Jiang Xiaoyi’s mind.
She scoured the internet for clues but came up empty, more baffled than ever.
She tried hailing System PP, but it was offline.
In moments like these, Su Jiuyue was her go-to.
The instant Jiang Xiaoyi fired off the keyword “Little Butterfly” to consult her.
Su Jiuyue: 【Holy shit.】
Su Jiuyue: 【Google it yourself (article link attached)】
Su Jiuyue’s outsized reaction came with a link to some steamy online tale from the flower city forums. Foreboding prickled at Jiang Xiaoyi as her fingers shook opening it.
[In a secluded corner away from prying eyes, the female lead’s skirt hiked off, her ankles seized and legs folded upward—knees bumping her chin—as the other girl pressed between her thighs and leaned in for a closer look. “Sister’s little butterfly is so pretty.”]
“…”
Jiang Xiaoyi skimmed a hurried line or two before her face went up in flames.
