Yun Huizhi slept deeply.
Excitement, exhaustion, the body heat of another person, all plunged her into a deep sleep that afternoon.
She dreamed of a very small incident from her early childhood. Back then, her parents still lived with her. Before sleep, she would drink a glass of milk, held in her mother’s arms while she read her fables.
The light in the room was a creamy, warm yellow. Her mother was fragrant, her voice exceptionally gentle.
Father pushed the door open and said he would take them to the amusement park the next day.
She cheered.
Then Yun Huizhi became her adult self in the park. She had no one to accompany her. She went on the slide alone, rode the carousel, queued for the roller coaster with the thrilling track.
After the roller coaster started, the acceleration and weightlessness threw her out of the dream.
Consciousness returned to reality. She couldn’t remember which fable her mother had read to her in the dream.
But she remembered where she was: a not-so-prosperous small city, a scenic tourist town, an inn with a distinct style, the best room in the inn.
She had already been living here for a month.
And now, on her pastoral-style bed, lay the woman she had only met yesterday.
Because she’d fallen asleep without having time to put clothes on, she could now feel the places where her skin touched the sheets were incredibly comfortable. So comfortable that just after waking, she wanted to sleep again.
That drowsy state made her zone out for a while. It took a moment to realize that Chu Ruoyou was already awake.
Yun Huizhi opened her eyes. The other woman was playing on her phone.
“When did you wake up?”
“Not long ago.” Chu Ruoyou didn’t even look at her.
Her voice was somewhat hoarse. It hadn’t just become hoarse after this nap; Yun Huizhi had noticed her voice change during the second half of their afternoon session.
Although there hadn’t been any shouting, the constant panting and low moans, the restraint of not crying out loud, still strained her throat.
But at the time, Yun Huizhi had been too intoxicated to care about her hoarseness.
It was only now, hearing it, that she felt a mix of emotions.
“What time is it?” Yun Huizhi asked her.
“Five forty.”
“It’s already five forty?!”
Chu Ruoyou was calm, not finding the time late at all. She asked gently, “What’s wrong? Is there something urgent you didn’t do?”
“No, just slept too long. I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
Two hours with her eyes closed.
Yun Huizhi adjusted her sleeping position. As she stretched her leg, it touched Chu Ruoyou. The sensation of delicate, smooth skin came through. For a moment, she was reluctant to move away and just rubbed against her.
Chu Ruoyou glanced over. Interpreting it as a suggestive hint, she clearly refused: “If you can’t sleep, don’t think about other things. What needed to be done today is already done.”
Yun Huizhi hadn’t had that intention, but hearing her say that, she deliberately became rebellious. Her overstepping leg not only didn’t retreat but intensified its trespass.
She pressed against Chu Ruoyou’s leg and sat up, a somewhat childish, mischievous smile on her face: “I can work overtime.”
Leaning against the headboard, the person kneeling before her was completely unclothed. The visual impact was too strong. Chu Ruoyou’s heartbeat became wildly erratic.
So she closed her eyes.
“Get off,” Chu Ruoyou said in a low voice.
Asleep and awake again, she didn’t acknowledge the intimacy.
“Why close your eyes? Haven’t we already seen everything of each other?” Yun Huizhi wasn’t truly pressing down on her. She clamped her knees around one of Chu Ruoyou’s bare legs and leaned her body forward slightly.
Chu Ruoyou opened her eyes. There were no extraneous emotions in them; rather, they were somewhat cold: “It’s you who has seen all of me. I haven’t really seen much of you.”
What she said was the truth. After all, she was the one receiving. She just needed to lie there, not caring much about Yun Huizhi at all.
“Do you want to see? While I haven’t put my clothes back on yet, feel free.”
Yun Huizhi deliberately tried to seduce her, her gaze fixed on Chu Ruoyou’s lips, wanting very much to kiss them. Chu Ruoyou’s mouth had a particularly good texture.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right time. What would a kiss mean now? She wasn’t planning to do anything else.
One thing she was very satisfied with was that during their encounters, no matter when she wanted to kiss Chu Ruoyou, Chu Ruoyou would respond.
Even when she was so breathless she could barely catch air, her voice shattered into pieces, she never pushed her away.
“Don’t want to.”
The seduction failed. Chu Ruoyou politely declined.
Yun Huizhi sat back on the bed, stopping her nonsense.
Just as she was about to feel around for her phone, she was reminded: “You should drink some water. Your lips are dry.”
Pressing her lips together, they were a bit dry. Yun Huizhi had no choice but to obey and finish the mineral water she’d opened before her nap.
“Do you want to go out and walk around tonight?”
“Depends on my mood.” Chu Ruoyou wasn’t very enthusiastic.
“Are you worn out?”
Yun Huizhi felt she knew her by now.
Chu Ruoyou gave her a white look and lifted the covers to get out of bed.
Yun Huizhi’s gaze followed her. So Chu Ruoyou, her back to her, only slightly turned her head to instruct: “Change the bedsheet.”
Yun Huizhi’s face heated up. “Oh, got it.”
After Chu Ruoyou found her clothes and went to shower, Yun Huizhi suddenly came to her senses. What was she being shy about? It wasn’t like she was the one who dirtied it.
After changing the sheets, tidying the room, and taking turns showering, it was just in time for sunset.
Seeing Chu Ruoyou leaning on the window, looking west, Yun Huizhi excitedly told her: “Let’s go to the terrace. The view is better there.”
Chu Ruoyou, hugging her water glass, went with her. The evening breeze was cool, carrying a slight warmth but still gentle.
The terrace was indeed a good spot for viewing. Besides the two of them, another pair of girls were there, taking selfies while embracing off to the side.
Their posture and the way they looked at each other clearly showed they were more than just friends.
One of the girls, more outgoing, took the initiative to ask Yun Huizhi: “Zhizhi, not going out to take photos today?”
“I took a nap in the afternoon and only woke up a little while ago.”
“Us too. The alarm didn’t go off. The whole afternoon was wasted.”
Yun Huizhi noticed her curious gaze resting on Chu Ruoyou and introduced her: “This is my friend, here to visit for a few days.”
Chu Ruoyou smiled at them. Yun Huizhi introduced them to her: “This is Wen Zi, this is Yuanyuan.”
After a brief chat, the two girls were about to head down for dinner, saying they hadn’t eaten lunch and were very hungry now.
Yun Huizhi declined the offer to eat together, saying she and Chu Ruoyou weren’t hungry yet and planned to go foraging after dark.
The real reason was that she and Chu Ruoyou weren’t familiar with each other, nor were they particularly close with those two girls. Eating together would be rather awkward.
Besides, given Chu Ruoyou’s personality, she probably wasn’t a social butterfly and definitely wouldn’t want that to happen.
After she sent them off, as if relieved of a burden, Chu Ruoyou spoke to her: “Are those two a couple?”
“You have keen eyes.”
“It’s too obvious. Same shoes, couple phone cases.” Not to mention they were arm in arm even while walking.
A regular Sherlock Holmes, Chu Ruoyou.
Yun Huizhi wiped down the wooden railing with a tissue, and they leaned on it together.
“They are a couple. They don’t hide it either. Told me on the first day they arrived. We’ve chatted before; they’ve been together for years, from university until now. Very sweet, enviable.”
Chu Ruoyou remained silent.
Remembering their morning conversation about orientation, Yun Huizhi asked her: “Has your mood improved?”
Chu Ruoyou immediately knew what she wanted to ask and said bluntly: “It hasn’t.”
“Why can’t it just be good?” Yun Huizhi whined softly at her.
Chu Ruoyou raised an eyebrow. “Why should it be? Just because you exerted yourself once this afternoon?”
Yun Huizhi had actually thought that in her heart, but being called out on it, she was too embarrassed to admit it. It felt too shameless.
She could only say: “It’s not just that shallow. We also went shopping, ate local specialties, rested well, and came here together to watch the sunset. Even with all that, you’re not happy?”
“Let me quietly finish watching the sunset first.”
Chu Ruoyou indicated she didn’t want to talk to her.
“Hmph.” Yun Huizhi voiced her displeasure softly.
Chu Ruoyou heard her and looked over. She was slightly pouting.
But not only was there no unhappiness, her eyes were filled with delight. Her mood was very good. That little huff was just her acting cute.
A bit adorable.
Chu Ruoyou ignored her.
The sun had sunk even lower than when they first came up. The mountains and sky gradually dimmed, merging into one.
Pale gold, light orange, tangerine red—various colors collided and splashed, like a draft sketch, never careless, but beautiful without a traceable pattern.
Yun Huizhi had seen the sunset in Jianjia Town countless times.
The first day she arrived with her luggage, she had stood in this very spot and admired a sunset alone.
Yesterday, when she brought Chu Ruoyou here to check in, she’d also taken a few hurried glances and found it beautiful, but none were as special as tonight.
Perhaps having someone to lean on the railing and gaze into the distance with, her mood stirred by the other’s breath, allowed her to see the natural scenery more deeply and carefully.
And to think more.
Yun Huizhi couldn’t help but turn her head and gaze at Chu Ruoyou. The halo of the setting sun fell on her face, light shattering between her eyelashes.
She slowly blinked. Her face was serene, more moving than the twilight painting on the sky.
This was the first time Yun Huizhi truly felt the meaning of a sunset: sacred, romantic, bestowing a sense of peace not easily broken, as if even a vulgar soul could be cleansed.
Her gaze lingered too long and was caught by Chu Ruoyou.
Chu Ruoyou asked: “Looking at me? Am I good-looking?”
Yun Huizhi smiled and admitted openly: “Stunningly good-looking. Have I ever told you you’re beautiful?”
She was afraid she’d forgotten to say it.
“You did. Just yesterday, not long after we started talking, you complimented me.”
Chu Ruoyou paused, then took the conversation onto the highway. “You also compliment me every time we do it.”
Yun Huizhi wasn’t talkative during those times, but she would praise Chu Ruoyou from head to toe.
The effect was very good in that context. Hearing it made Chu Ruoyou more uninhibited and more easily aroused.
Yun Huizhi remembered and suddenly felt bashful: “I did?”
“You didn’t? Then maybe I was hallucinating.”
“Sometimes, when the body feels extreme pleasure, it can produce all sorts of hallucinations,” the blame-shifting master said.
Chu Ruoyou was speechless and mocked her: “…Don’t be so narcissistic. That body of yours isn’t that formidable yet.”
Yun Huizhi bravely faced the issue head-on: “Where did I not do well? Tell me. I want to become formidable.”
“Figure it out yourself.”
Yun Huizhi couldn’t figure it out. She was very confident, believing Chu Ruoyou was being deceptive. It had clearly felt pretty good.
During her moment of silence, Chu Ruoyou suddenly said: “Thank you.”
Meeting Yun Huizhi’s puzzled gaze, she said gently: “Thank you for accompanying me to watch such a beautiful sunset.”
“No need to thank me. You accompanied me too.”
Yun Huizhi felt happy. This was the first time Chu Ruoyou had thanked her, not just superficial politeness, but sincere.
Before her smile could fully unfold, Chu Ruoyou said in a businesslike manner: “I’ll transfer the money to you. For today.”
This one sentence abruptly sobered Yun Huizhi. The stunning beauty of the twilight was crushed to dust and scattered by the wind.
“Transfer before bed. No rush.”
“Okay.”
Yun Huizhi secretly scratched her hand and gathered her courage: “Um… we haven’t added each other on WeChat yet. How about we do that? It’ll be easier to contact each other these next few days, and also easier for you to transfer money.”
They had previously communicated on the platform where the first private message had been sent. Neither had suggested adding each other as friends.
“Okay.”
Chu Ruoyou agreed.
Yun Huizhi didn’t know why she had first been nervous, then happy.
In any case, it wasn’t for that eight hundred yuan a day.
Back in the room, Yun Huizhi was again reminded to drink water. Seeing her reluctance, Chu Ruoyou supervised from the side.
Only after she finished a glass was Chu Ruoyou satisfied. “See? Your lips only become moisturized after drinking water. You need to hydrate more in the summer.”
“Are you disgusted by my dry lips?”
“I’m not. But moisturized lips should be better to kiss.”
Chu Ruoyou teased with a smile.
Yun Huizhi took the opportunity to say: “Then I’ve drunk water now. Do you want to kiss me for a while?”
“Do you want to?” Chu Ruoyou looked at her impassively.
“Why would I ask if I didn’t want to?”
Yun Huizhi was somewhat embarrassed, afraid she’d ask why, and also afraid she’d think she wanted to do other things.
“Just a kiss, just one minute? Then we go eat after.”
“It’s fine if you don’t want to.”
Chu Ruoyou didn’t speak, but her eyes agreed, melting a hint of allure into them, inviting her to kiss.
Happily leaning over, Yun Huizhi’s tone was slightly raised: “You love drinking water so much, no wonder when you first kissed me, your lips were already so soft and moist.”
“So?”
“So, I like kissing you.”
So she resolved to drink more water from now on, so Chu Ruoyou would also love kissing her.
