Chapter 29
Neither of them spoke in the bathtub. Qin Cong’an’s hand simply reached for Xu Ling, grabbing her ankle and moving up to knead her calf. Her skin was hotter than the water. It was a slightly strange scene, both of them fully clothed, soaking in the slowly rising water.
Xu Ling grabbed Qin Cong’an’s hand, stopping her from touching her further. She listened intently to the sounds outside. As long as Sister Quan was still there, she didn’t dare do anything.
But Qin Cong’an did. She leaned in and bit her slightly trembling lips. The red wine had indeed been drunk by her. Her whole body was burning, even the tip of her tongue, and it carried the fragrance of wine.
Xu Ling cursed her own stupid mouth. Why did she have to open it at a time like this? Her heart was pounding. It felt like they were having an affair. She was even afraid that the sound of her heavy breathing would be heard by the person outside, even though the sound of the water could cover it.
Qin Cong’an felt the trembling all over her body and had the idea to tease her. She pulled her closer, clamping her legs around hers, and kissed her way down. She was pushed away, but she didn’t care and continued. Anyway, she didn’t dare to make a sound to scold her now, only able to accept her explorations with muffled grunts.
Unfortunately, Xu Ling held onto her clothes tightly and wouldn’t let her take them off.
Qin Cong’an couldn’t understand why she was so insistent. What was wrong with taking a shower with her?
Xu Ling was terrified that Gao Quan would suddenly open the door and come in. Although rationally, she knew it was probably impossible—who would come into the bathroom when someone was taking a normal shower?—but what if! This wasn’t normal!
A moment later, Xu Ling did indeed hear a knock on the bathroom door.
“Hey, Qin Cong’an, are you okay?” Gao Quan really couldn’t figure out why Qin Cong’an had suddenly laughed. Or had she misheard? Was it not a laugh, but a sound of discomfort? She had heard that Xu Ling had fainted during the shoot in the wilderness, and she didn’t want Qin Cong’an to faint too.
Qin Cong’an still ignored her, pulling Xu Ling’s collar loose, revealing one side, and making sucking sounds.
Xu Ling was so scared she pulled Qin Cong’an’s hair in a panic, urging her to answer.
Qin Cong’an did make a sound, but it was clear from the sound that she was in pain.
Two more knocks on the door. “Hey! I’m coming in!”
“Sister,” Qin Cong’an finally spoke, a little lazily. “Don’t bother me. Go back and rest.”
“You scared me to death. If you’re okay, you should have answered.” Gao Quan breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’m leaving. Drink less.”
The sound of footsteps outside the bathroom gradually faded.
“You…” As soon as Qin Cong’an started to speak, her mouth was covered by a hand. It was a little uncomfortable. She stuck out her tongue and licked it.
The palm of Xu Ling’s hand tickled from the licking. She glanced at Qin Cong’an’s eyes, which were looking at her. She felt like she was going crazy. The sound from outside had completely disappeared. Xu Ling pricked up her ears and heard the sound of the main door closing. Only then did she let go, her whole body a little weak, and slid down into the bathtub.
Qin Cong’an held her waist with both hands to support her and continued what she was saying, “You pulled my hair so hard it hurt.”
“Serves you right,” Xu Ling cursed in anger. “What if she had come in? Did you want to be seen!”
“But she didn’t come in.”
“If you had answered two seconds later, she would have!”
“But she didn’t come in,” Qin Cong’an repeated, reaching up to untie her hair. The strands fanned out and fell into the water.
Xu Ling was furious. She had been so scared, and she still had this attitude. She stopped talking and just glared at her.
“Okay, I’m sorry,” Qin Cong’an said, gently caressing her face. “Seeing you willing to shower with me, I got a little excited.”
“Who was willing to shower with you? I was just hiding here out of necessity.” Xu Ling swatted her hand away and was about to stand up.
Qin Cong’an quickly wrapped her arms around her thighs, preventing her from getting up, and looked up at her. “You’re really not going to?”
Soaked, Qin Cong’an looked inexplicably pitiful. Xu Ling almost gave in and said, “I will, I will,” but she still said firmly, “Of course not.”
But Qin Cong’an was also very firm, holding onto her and refusing to let go.
“Let go. I don’t want to shower with you.” Xu Ling felt that if she didn’t let go, she would really lose control.
Qin Cong’an looked at her for a while, then let go of her hand, but pressed on her shoulders and stood up.
She stepped out of the bathtub and started to take off her soaked clothes.
Xu Ling watched her back, watching her body gradually return to its original form. She really wanted to pull her back, but she held back. She just silently chanted in her heart, turn around, please?
Qin Cong’an didn’t turn around. She put on another dry bathrobe and left the bathroom.
Xu Ling looked at the closed door. Before leaving, Qin Cong’an hadn’t even turned her head to look at her. Xu Ling felt a little disappointed again. She should have just showered with her. No, she couldn’t shower with her. She couldn’t let her get her way.
She even climbed out of the bathtub and locked the door before taking off her wet clothes.
Soaking in the hot water, the half bottle of red wine Xu Ling had drunk started to take effect again, making her dizzy and her body hot. It was very uncomfortable, and her heart was beating uncomfortably fast. She didn’t soak for long before she got up, drained the bathtub, and took a shower before leaving the bathroom.
Qin Cong’an was lying on the bed, drinking red wine and reading a book. Unlike usual, she didn’t look over when she came out.
Xu Ling swallowed. She felt that she was angry, but what right did she have to be angry? She had deliberately teased her, scared her half to death, and still expected a reward? Dream on.
But Xu Ling’s clothes were all wet, and she couldn’t wear them. She couldn’t go back to her own room. That’s right, that was the only reason she wasn’t going back to her own room.
Wrapped in a towel, Xu Ling climbed onto the bed and said, “You can go wash up.”
Qin Cong’an put the book and the red wine on the nightstand, still not looking at her. But she took a T-shirt from the cabinet and threw it to her, then took her own pajamas and went to the bathroom to shower.
Xu Ling wrinkled her nose and put on the T-shirt she had given her. It was very loose, just enough to cover her bottom.
Qin Cong’an usually didn’t take so long to shower, but today, perhaps because she was angry, she didn’t come out for a long time. Xu Ling was bored and picked up her book to read.
As expected, before she had even finished the first page, Xu Ling started to get sleepy. She yawned, put down the book, and closed her eyes.
But Xu Ling didn’t fall asleep, or she had just entered a light sleep. In any case, as soon as the side of the bed dipped, she woke up. Xu Ling didn’t open her eyes, waiting for her to kiss her.
No movement.
Damn it, the silent treatment again?
Xu Ling’s hand moved, reaching over to the other side, and touched her thigh, but it was quickly moved away.
“…” Xu Ling opened her eyes, turned on her side, and looked at Qin Cong’an leaning against the headboard, her face not looking over. “Qin Cong’an.”
“Hmm?”
“Why aren’t you talking?”
“What is there to say?” Qin Cong’an stared at the page, her face calm and without a ripple.
Xu Ling was so angry she wanted to bite her, but she just moved closer, took her book and put it away, and said, “I’m in a bad mood. I came to find you, but you came back with Sister Quan. I was so scared I hid in the bathroom. I was about to break down, and you still teased me like that, so I’m very angry.”
“Why are you in a bad mood?”
“Just… I was assigned a job I don’t want to do.” Xu Ling choked a little. “That’s not the point. The point is, I have a reason to be angry, right? What are you angry about?”
Qin Cong’an stated her reason decisively, “Obviously, because you wouldn’t shower with me.”
“Just listen to yourself. Isn’t that ridiculous!”
“Is it? We were both soaking in the water, both wet, and you still refused. Isn’t that ridiculous?”
“Not as ridiculous as you. Besides, if you hadn’t turned on the water, how would we have gotten wet?”
Qin Cong’an stared at her. “But you didn’t turn off the water either.”
“…” Xu Ling was silent. Right, why hadn’t she turned off the water? Okay, she knew that subconsciously, she had wanted to shower with her. She took a deep breath and said, “Because when you’re scared, you can’t think about so many things!”
Qin Cong’an retracted her gaze and reached for the book, as if she didn’t believe her words.
Xu Ling propped herself up on the bed. She didn’t care anymore and continued to complain, “And, the most ridiculous thing is that you stop talking when you’re angry. How many times has it been? I really don’t know how you can be in a relationship like this…”
Her mouth was faster than her brain. Xu Ling realized what she had said was wrong and stopped in time, although it didn’t seem that timely.
Qin Cong’an’s expression did indeed waver a little. She stopped her movements and looked up at her.
Xu Ling was so stared at that her heart grew cold. She wanted to say something to change the subject but felt that anything she said now would be strange. Then she heard her speak first.
“So, do you want to be in a relationship with me?”
“…” Xu Ling was dumbfounded. What was this? Was this the scumbag promising the other woman, I’ll break up, just wait for me, but in reality, she would never break up, just stringing her along?
“Don’t joke around,” Xu Ling said in a low voice, then lay down and pulled the covers over herself to sleep.
“Okay, I understand.” Qin Cong’an moved closer, her body pressing against her back, her voice very soft and gentle, with a hint of pleading. “I’ll change first. I won’t stop talking to you anymore.”
Xu Ling wanted to cry. Why did it really feel like she was coaxing her? Why did it really feel like they were about to fall in love, when she knew it was all an illusion?
“Then I have a question. Why don’t you want to shower with me?” Qin Cong’an whispered in her ear.
“…” Xu Ling suddenly didn’t want to cry anymore. “I just don’t want to.”
If I don’t, you’ll remember. You won’t forget me so quickly.
Qin Cong’an nuzzled her neck, her fingers grabbing the hem of her clothes.
“I have a question too,” Xu Ling interrupted her. “Why are you so insistent on showering together?”
“I want you to be honest with me.”
Xu Ling was stunned. “I’m in your bed without even wearing underwear. Isn’t that honest enough?”
“Then if it’s okay in bed, why isn’t it okay in the bathroom?”
Xu Ling didn’t know how to answer this question. She couldn’t tell the truth. She turned over and said with a hint of coaxing, “I just don’t want to. Maybe in the future. Maybe one day I’ll want to.”
She knew that day would never come. Qin Cong’an, just you remember this.
“Okay, one day,” Qin Cong’an said, looking into her eyes.
Xu Ling didn’t look at her face, didn’t dare to. She lowered her eyes and stared at her chest. But still, she couldn’t resist it. She pressed her face against it, hot against cold, and instantly felt alive again.
As her mind went blank, Xu Ling fantasized about being in a relationship with Qin Cong’an.
They have a big fight, saying the most unbearable things to each other. Then, for the sake of a snack, she takes the initiative to lower her head and ask for a reconciliation, only to be slapped by the still-angry Qin Cong’an.
Hiss, so good.
The various fragmented scenes were finally finished. Now, only the final major scene was left. Jian Yu and Wen Xi find that man. While they are planning their strategy, Wen Xi happens to run into the man outside. She follows him, is discovered, knocked out, and taken back to his residence.
Wen Xi’s tracking skills were so good that even trained people would have a hard time discovering her. At this point, she suddenly realized that maybe the reason Ku Ai would rather die than tell her where the man was, was because he was too dangerous.
Chang Ning clapped her hands and said to everyone, “If there are no surprises, we should be able to wrap up the entire production in ten days at most. I hope everyone will give it their all until the very end. Thank you for your hard work.”
Xu Ling counted the days. Only ten days left.
