Chapter 56

◎Let me teach you.◎

Zhouyu and Su Dai had gotten into a spat, so the two of them had gone off somewhere to hash it out. Chen Yi and Xu Yan, embracing the “we’re already here” mindset, ended up having a blast go-karting for quite a while.

By the time they piled into Su Dai’s car to head back to the campsite, Su Dai announced, “Your two third wheels are heading out now—we won’t cramp your style tonight.”

Before they left, Su Dai even winked at Chen Yi.

Chen Yi promptly choked on her own saliva. The little box she’d stashed in her inner pocket felt like it was burning a hole right through the fabric into her stomach.

Help!

“What’s wrong?” Once Su Dai and Zhouyu were gone, Xu Yan noticed Chen Yi acting off and asked her about it.

Chen Yi shook her head frantically. “N-nothing.”

She really was terrible at lying.

Xu Yan ruffled her hair but didn’t press. With Su Dai and Zhouyu out of the picture, Xu Yan seemed much more relaxed.

The two of them settled into their private tent at the mountaintop, the dark valley sprawled out before them, dotted here and there with faint flickers of light. Fog had rolled in at dusk, and tendrils of cooking smoke rose from farmhouses below, drifting up to mingle with the clouds right in front of them.

What an absurd day it had been.

Now it was just the two of them.

“Sorry about that, Sis,” Chen Yi said. She was lying with her head in Xu Yan’s lap, gazing up at her. “I didn’t expect Su Dai to show up here today.”

“Maybe because this is one of her favorite spots too. I should have checked.”

Xu Yan’s hand gently smoothed the furrow between Chen Yi’s brows.

“It’s fine,” Xu Yan said. “I’m happy just being with you.”

Chen Yi grinned and nuzzled closer, rubbing her face against Xu Yan’s stomach.

“Me too.”

“But! While it’s fun hanging out with friends, next time I want to come here just the two of us.” Chen Yi’s fingertip traced lazy circles on Xu Yan’s lower belly, her curiosity piqued. “It just feels like it’d be different.”

Xu Yan hadn’t expected Chen Yi to say that.

She blinked.

Chen Yi sat up at once. “Don’t you think so?”

Xu Yan turned her head slightly. “I do too.”

She was good at sweet talk, but when it came to baring her true feelings—those raw emotions she kept hidden—Xu Yan always felt a little lost.

Chen Yi picked up on it right away. Her fingertip slipped through Xu Yan’s palm, lacing their fingers together. “Were you a little upset today?”

Xu Yan shook her head. “No.”

“Just a bit…” She fumbled for the words. “A bit jealous.”

“Eh?”

“I know Su Dai’s one of your best friends—I get that. And I think it’s great you have good friends in your life. But… Chen Yi… I’m probably not that great. Even knowing all that, in moments like this, I only have one thought.”

“I want you all to myself.”

After spilling those words, Xu Yan felt a rare flush of embarrassment.

“I know that’s not right.”

Chen Yi squeezed her hand, then lifted her other to cup Xu Yan’s cheek, turning her face toward her own. Chen Yi’s lips curved into a smile, though her eyes held a touch of heartache.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, Xu Yan.”

“And don’t say things like that anymore, okay? It’s not that you’re not good enough.”

“Everyone has feelings—it’s normal. If something makes you unhappy, you can tell me about it.”

Xu Yan’s gaze darted away. “I don’t want you to think I’m…”

How to put it? Making something out of nothing? Too possessive? In any case, she didn’t want to ruin the image Chen Yi had of her.

“Think you’re what?” Chen Yi leaned in with a laugh, rubbing her nose against Xu Yan’s in an Eskimo kiss. Now both hands cradled Xu Yan’s face, their eyes locked. “Sis, you don’t have to be perfect to be loved.”

“No one’s perfect in this world.”

“And next time something like this happens, put yourself first, okay? Don’t worry about how I’ll see you. Just think about whether it makes you feel good, feel happy.”

“Like when we argued before… well, if you can call it that.” Chen Yi blushed and gave a shy smile. “Didn’t I tell you exactly what I was thinking? Did you think less of me?”

Xu Yan shook her head without hesitation. “No.”

She’d even loved it when Chen Yi did that.

No guessing games—just pure honesty. It put her at ease.

“So I won’t either,” Chen Yi said softly. “Sis, it’s okay to be jealous or throw a little tantrum. I can soothe you.”

“Don’t always put others’ feelings first. I won’t either. You can share your emotions, voice your needs. Because you deserve it. And if someone doesn’t care after you tell them? Hmph, kick them to the curb! People like that don’t belong in your life.”

You should be with people who cherish you, who love you.

That was Chen Yi’s unshakable principle.

Xu Yan’s way of loving her had been awkward and odd at first. But Chen Yi was glad she’d bet right.

She could count her blessings over this a hundred times.

Gently, she gazed at Xu Yan. “Now, tell me—what are you thinking?”

Xu Yan met Chen Yi’s eyes—summer seas at sunset, not scorching but plenty hot enough.

She was willing to step out of her old shell, shatter her past self, and hand everything over.

“I want to go down on you,” Xu Yan said. “It won’t be contagious today.”

Now it was Chen Yi’s turn to freeze.

Xu Yan seized the moment, threading her fingers through Chen Yi’s hair and drawing their faces close. She tilted her head down, lips brushing lips.

At first, it was just a soft touch.

Chen Yi had no idea what to do. Her eyes stayed wide in bewilderment.

Xu Yan’s tongue traced Chen Yi’s lips, moistening the slightly dry surface.

Glossy and shimmering.

“Silly girl,” Xu Yan murmured against her lips, her voice slithering like a serpent’s hiss into Chen Yi’s ear—a potent venom that melted her entire body. “Close your eyes.” Xu Yan guided her. “Open your mouth.”

Lost and flustered, Chen Yi squeezed her eyes shut, clutching the tent mat so hard her fingertips dug in.

Her lips parted slightly.

Xu Yan’s tongue tip darted in like a nimble snake, plunging into warm wetness to claim that shy little cherry tomato.

The snake coiled around the tomato, squeezing out waves of sweetness.

Chen Yi gradually lost herself in it, trying to mimic Xu Yan. But she was too eager, leaving Xu Yan equal parts amused and exasperated.

“Baby, slow down.”

She’d teach her everything.

How to go down.

How to French kiss.

By the time they both collapsed into the tent’s soft bedding, the mountain mist had thickened. The sun had long set, the moon now hung in the sky. The tent had grown chilly amid their heat, but pausing now brought the cold into sharp relief.

“No—we’re outside,” Chen Yi said as reason trickled back.

Xu Yan didn’t mind, but she figured the kid was embarrassed.

“I’ll turn on the heater,” Xu Yan offered.

Chen Yi clung to her, refusing to let go.

She’d only just gotten the hang of tasting that feast of beauty—she wasn’t about to stop.

Xu Yan chuckled helplessly, charmed by the clinginess, and hugged her back to share their warmth.

They stayed like that, embracing until they both cooled off.

“I’ll do it.” Chen Yi finally rolled away, darting to the tent edge to flip on the heater.

She zipped the entrance shut and cracked open the skylight. Through the transparent windproof plastic layer, a canopy of stars glittered across the night sky.

The tent warmed up gradually, and Chen Yi stripped off her clothes.

Xu Yan’s jacket was already discarded from earlier, leaving her in a thin shirt. The 5mm metal buttons did nothing to hide her soft swells.

Chen Yi had just gotten an eyeful.

Xu Yan had pulled her in for that view.

One more second, and Xu Yan would’ve fed her those cotton candies.

Chen Yi shook her head to clear it.

She tossed her clothes into a pile nearby when something slipped out.

It took Chen Yi three seconds to react. She yelped and flung herself over the little box, shielding it with her whole body.

Xu Yan frowned in confusion. “What’s up?”

She was busy smoothing the wrinkles from her clothes.

“Nothing!” Chen Yi yelled.

Her panicked cover-up only made it more obvious. Xu Yan’s interest piqued.

“Let me see.”

Chen Yi shook her head.

“Really not gonna show me?”

Chen Yi held firm.

Xu Yan arched a brow, leaned forward, and murmured into her ear. As usual, she teased Chen Yi’s earlobe with a fingertip—then hot breath washed over it. “Baby, let Sis see? Hmm?”

She used a sultry tone she’d never pull out in normal talk—like a serpent weaving a hypnotic dream with its scarlet tongue.

Chen Yi’s ears turned scarlet.

“You—you’re cheating!”

Xu Yan licked her earlobe, then traced its curve. “Let me see.”

Chen Yi was going out of her mind.

She surrendered.

Tears welled up in her eyes from the teasing.

“Just a peek,” she pleaded pitifully.

Xu Yan agreed.

Chen Yi shifted aside and fished out the little box, planning a quick flash. But Xu Yan caught her wrist.

Xu Yan saw it clearly.

“Ah—so our Yi Yi planned this ages ago?” Propping her head, she grinned at Chen Yi. “What kind of naughty girl packs this?”

Chen Yi protested innocence at once. “No!”

“Su Dai gave it to me today!”

Xu Yan raised an eyebrow. “She carries these around?”

Chen Yi mumbled, “It’s in her car.”

Xu Yan thought, Who’s the real wild one here?

“So what does she mean, giving you this?” Xu Yan asked knowingly.

Chen Yi floundered. “I don’t know.”

Xu Yan let out a soft chuckle as she took the little box from Chen Yi’s hand. She coaxed her gently. “Shall we toss it? We won’t need it today anyway. Tomorrow when we get back, we’ll buy a new one.”

Chen Yi blinked. “Sis, you’re jealous again.”

Xu Yan didn’t deny it this time. “A little.”

She threw the little box into the small trash bin and reached out to toy with Chen Yi’s hair. “To be honest, when Yu You’an was curling your hair earlier, I felt a twinge of jealousy too.”

Chen Yi covered her face and let out a silent scream.

“Yi Yi, some things you don’t need to learn from anyone else.” As Xu Yan spoke, the corners of her eyes seemed to hook right into the soul—a sharpness that could carve out the heart, laced with a fatally seductive charm.

She added, “I’ll teach you.”

Xu Yan fiddled with Chen Yi’s fingertips, then suddenly leaned down and planted a kiss on one.

A rose bloomed on her index finger, taking root deep in Chen Yi’s heart.

“How to win my favor. How to find your own happiness. Don’t ask anyone else about these things. Yi Yi, I’ll teach you. I promise.”

The witch had brewed a potent love potion.

Chen Yi drank it down willingly.

“Okay,” she said obediently.

As a reward, Xu Yan licked her fingertip. “Mm.”

“Tomorrow after work, once we’re home, I’ll start teaching you.”

—?

Eh? Eh? Eh?!?