Chapter 4: In Sync

The hotel pillows were already high, a total of four, and now three were padded under Lu Jia.

Or rather, with her lower abdomen pressed against them, it indeed kept her from feeling cold.

A palm supported her side waist. Though she couldn’t see Sheng Shubai’s expression behind her, the woman’s words never stopped for a moment.

She had to listen as Sheng Shubai asked her to call her “sister,” then inquired about her composition inspirations, forcing Lu Jia to respond.

In a moment of daze, she even heard Sheng Shubai ask warmly if last night had been her first time trying something like that too, and if there was anything unsatisfactory.

“No, Miss Sheng…”

Her voice was hoarse, and she lacked the strength to turn back and look at her.

Lu Jia truly had no complaints. Except for that segment last night at the desk, where Sheng Shubai had pressed down too hard.

It got to the point that in the afternoon, when discussing with her advisor, as she leaned toward the tablet her advisor was holding, her waist hadn’t been bent for long before her left hand had to reach back for support.

Tonight, Lu Jia had discussed it with the woman in advance, so the force was much more restrained.

She liked it very much.

It lasted nearly four hours in total.

During that time, Sheng Shubai fed her water, and they finally stopped around two in the morning.

The woman leaned against the headboard, her fingertips twirling the ends of Lu Jia’s hair. “Tired?”

Lu Jia shook her head, her gaze tracing down the beautiful collarbone, where several obvious kiss marks stood out.

The area below was covered by the neatly gathered neckline of the nightgown, but Lu Jia knew full well what lay there.

In the latter half, they had switched to facing each other. When Sheng Shubai leaned down close, she couldn’t help but tilt her head up to kiss back, leaving quite a few marks in return.

The nightgown, wrinkled by her own hands, was bunched under the woman’s waist, her smooth, slender legs overlapping. The delicate, warm skin rubbed against hers, melting away like mutton-fat jade.

She was still reminiscing about the atmosphere and emotions from not long ago when her hair was lightly tugged. The force was very gentle, and Lu Jia lifted her eyes to look at the other woman.

Sheng Shubai’s eyebrows arched, her tone deliberately teasing: “Want to try it?”

She had noticed Lu Jia’s gaze lingering several times on the spot covered by her hem.

Lu Jia kept her expression taut. “No.”

After all, she had promised Sheng Shubai beforehand that tonight she could only be passive.

One must keep their word.

Moreover… actually, at that moment, Lu Jia wanted to grab her tablet even more.

Inspiration had struck unexpectedly.

Regarding the leg lines in that line draft, she suddenly thought of… perhaps a more suitable way to render them.

Just as Sheng Shubai released the strand of hair from her fingertips, she saw Lu Jia flip over and get out of bed.

“What are you doing?”

She was puzzled, but then watched as the girl opened her tablet, the screen casting a glaring white glow in the dim room.

Sheng Shubai sighed and turned on the overhead light for her. “Take care of your eyes.”

It was just one or two details to adjust.

Lu Jia simply marked the positions and ideas, drew the revised lines on a new layer, and was back in bed within two or three minutes.

Before turning off the light again, Sheng Shubai waved her phone at Lu Jia.

“I have an early flight tomorrow, alarm at six. If it might disturb you, how about I book the room next door? Sorry to trouble you to move over?”

She didn’t have a habit of holding someone while sleeping.

Last night was her first time sharing a bed with another adult woman.

The girl’s body temperature was a bit higher than hers, and Sheng Shubai liked setting the AC a little lower, so holding her felt just right—soft and perfect.

But after tormenting her like that for so long, waking her up early in the morning would feel too much like bullying a kid.

Lu Jia pursed her lips and shook her head. “It’s fine. But… you’re leaving tomorrow?”

She didn’t feel any reluctance to part; they’d only known each other for just over twenty hours, barely at the stage of exchanging names.

Of course… in other aspects, they’d gotten familiar twice over.

She just felt it was a bit too soon.

Just over ten minutes ago, the woman had held her gently in her arms, soothing her uneven breaths, and now she was saying she had to leave.

Lu Jia hadn’t been close to anyone before. In the half month since going to the bar, she’d also heard the manager say that some people, on their first try, easily mistook the chemistry of such encounters for real fluttering of the heart.

She, of course, wouldn’t.

But to be fair, she had a very pleasant time with Sheng Shubai.

Lu Jia was glad she’d met a good person and couldn’t help but sigh that there probably wouldn’t be another chance to meet.

After all, her graduation project draft would be finalized soon.

Otherwise, flying to the other woman’s city for inspiration wouldn’t be out of the question.

“I have to head back to C City for now, but I’ll be back in the evening.”

Sheng Shubai turned to look at her. “Want to come over again for the night? Don’t worry, no doing it tomorrow night. I have something to give you.”

“C City?”

Lu Jia was stunned for a moment. “I’ll come over, but no need to spend money. I’ve gotten so much inspiration these two days; I haven’t even properly thanked you yet.”

Come to think of it, she should be the one giving Sheng Shubai a gift.

Since the woman didn’t want to do that tomorrow night, replacing it with something else… she’d think about what to give after waking up.

But Sheng Shubai’s attention was on her reaction to the first half of the sentence, her tone leisurely: “How about that—you’re from C City?”

Lu Jia shook her head. “I’m going there for grad school next semester.”

“I see, what a coincidence then.”

The woman’s eyebrows lifted, a hint of imperceptible knowing mixed into her surprise. “Who knows—we might even have a chance to meet again.”

As the lights dimmed, being drawn into Sheng Shubai’s embrace at the waist, drowsiness also spread through her thoughts.

Lu Jia’s voice had softened, but she hadn’t forgotten what the woman had just said: “Miss Sheng, you really don’t need to give me anything.”

She would come over willingly.

“You’ll like it.”

Her palm slid under the hem of Lu Jia’s sleepwear, pressing directly against the girl’s lower back without barrier, drawing her half an inch closer.

Sheng Shubai’s tone carried weariness too: “Don’t move around. It’s late; go to sleep.”

“Good night, Miss Sheng.”

The final syllable faded into the air, and the next second, Lu Jia’s breathing evened out.

Sheng Shubai responded softly, “Good night.”

She thought it would be nice to have a body pillow like this.

It had to feel just as soft, be constant temperature, and best of all, say good night to her before bed.

–

Sheng Shubai went to the airport early in the morning.

Lu Jia wasn’t woken by her movements.

But in her sleep, without the warmth of being held, she unconsciously pulled over a pillow and buried herself in it.

The embrace was refilled, but unfortunately, it wasn’t soft enough.

When she finally woke up late due to her biological clock, Lu Jia rubbed her cheek against it in a daze, only realizing belatedly that the texture felt off.

“Remember to take the room card. See you tonight.”

The note was held down by one corner of the tablet on the desk, its style very familiar.

Lu Jia pulled it out and glanced at it, then flipped to the back—it was the contact info she’d written yesterday.

The woman’s handwriting was beautiful, vigorous and elegant, with iron hooks and painted strokes.

Through the light of the overhead lamp, the ink traces were still clearly visible from the back, in stark contrast to her own neat rows of small seal script.

She flipped it back over and snapped a photo to send to Sheng Shubai, meaning she’d seen it.

Opening the chat, she saw the other had sent a message just after seven, when she was still asleep.

“Sorry, hope it didn’t disturb you. I left in a rush and forgot to schedule housekeeping. Could you call them before you leave?”

Lu Jia typed back: “Got it. Already saw the note. See you tonight.”

After washing up, no new messages came from the other side—probably on the plane. Lu Jia rubbed her waist and looked around the room; it really did need cleaning.

Sheng Shubai’s luggage was still there, placed fairly neatly. But other things were… quite messy.

The blanket from last night, even with the waterproof pad underneath, had inevitably gotten wet from how much she’d leaked.

It had just been folded aside at the time, and the other two pillows accidentally stained by Sheng Shubai were tossed on the sofa overnight.

If they were continuing tonight, like the first night, the bathroom would be the best spot.

Lu Jia called the front desk to schedule it before leaving the hotel.

Her advisor had a morning meeting, so she wasn’t in a rush to return to school to revise the draft. She planned to buy a gift for Sheng Shubai first.

The gift style was what Lu Jia had thought of before falling asleep.

These two nights sleeping, she’d been held by Sheng Shubai, nestled right at her chest.

At first, it felt a bit awkward, but Sheng Shubai’s hold was firm, not letting her move much. Since she’d suckled plenty anyway, Lu Jia got used to the position.

Her nose tip against the delicate skin, the woman’s unique scent wafting over, easily muddling her thoughts.

Lu Jia had seen her perfume bottle but hadn’t paid attention or remembered the name.

Searching by memory of the bottle’s shape, she pinpointed the brand and rushed to the offline counter to test. “Yes, this one.”

A classic oriental floral scent, rich and intense.

Her fingertips brushed the crystal-clear, crimson square bottle, and she recalled first seeing Sheng Shubai at the bar a few days ago—the woman in a wine-red long dress, like a bewitching rose blooming in the dark.

This perfume really suited Sheng Shubai, she thought.

After dropping the gift bag at the hotel room, Lu Jia finally returned to school to tweak the line draft. Aside from those strokes of inspiration from last night, she felt there was nothing left to change.

Lu Jia let out a long breath of relief; the line draft that had troubled her for so long could finally be settled.

She exported the line draft and sent it to her advisor, receiving a reply near noon, asking to meet at the office in the college building later.

Arriving half an hour early, Lu Jia waited at the first-floor café for her advisor’s meeting to end.

It was just after class, and quite a few students came in groups of twos and threes. Her seat by the window, nearing noon, reflected the bright light outside.

Lu Jia gazed down, stirring her cappuccino. No music in her earbuds, so she easily overheard the chat from the girls at the next table.

“Didn’t you say the exhibition invited a super pretty consultant teacher who’s not stuck-up? I went super early this morning and didn’t even catch a glimpse.”

The girl complained, “They hyped her up so much, I got up at six to do full makeup just to get her contact.”

Another girl sounded puzzled too. “No kidding! I really saw her! If I hadn’t glitched out staring at her yesterday and forgotten to take a photo, I’d have sent it to you first thing.”

Lu Jia had no interest in pretty women; she just found the voices familiar.

Glancing over, they were classmates from the watercolor department next door.

She recalled yesterday’s dorm group chat; a roommate had mentioned it too, but without a photo, everyone chatted briefly before moving on.

“Little Lu, meeting’s over. Come to the office.”

Receiving Wen Qiu’s message, Lu Jia got up and left the café.

After just a few steps, her phone pinged with a new message from Sheng Shubai, saying she’d just landed and planned to nap after getting in the car.

Lu Jia replied: “Okay, Miss Sheng, safe travels.”

“Got it, thanks.”

Knocking and entering Wen Qiu’s office, Lu Jia pointed to the chair opposite. “Teacher, can I grab another chair?”

These past two days… her waist hurt if she stood too long.

She wondered if Sheng Shubai’s waist hurt from sitting on the plane.

Wen Qiu nodded and turned the monitor screen toward Lu Jia. “I glanced at your line draft earlier; the changes are great. The feeling you wanted to express came through immediately.”

“I was even planning that if you hadn’t finalized it by this weekend, I’d revise it for you myself.”

The woman, nearing forty, had always admired Lu Jia.

She smiled warmly and patted the girl’s shoulder. “But you’re doing great.”

“I owe a lot to you, Teacher.”

Lu Jia smiled. “Without that comment of yours, I wouldn’t have thought of such a good approach.”

Wen Qiu unwrapped the coffee Lu Jia had brought, took a sip at her lips, and suppressed a rising smile. “Oh? Which one?”

She’d said so many things; she wasn’t sure which had enlightened this perceptive young student.

“Didn’t you say ‘art comes from life’?”

The girl’s tone was sincere. “So I went and slept with a woman for a night. It really makes sense; suddenly drawing felt effortless.”

Cough!

Wen Qiu choked hard. “…?”

She turned in disbelief, only to meet Lu Jia’s clear, earnest gaze.

Shock stuck halfway, leaving her utterly choked.

“When did I mean that?”

Wen Qiu exhaled deeply, vaguely feeling that in middle age, her dignity as a teacher was at risk.

Encouraging a student to hook up.

If word got out, she’d be roasted on the campus forum, fired by end of day, and trending on some social platform.

Lu Jia thought seriously. “Wasn’t it?”

Art comes from life.

No matter how she interpreted the words—horizontally or vertically—they clearly meant for her to try it out herself.

Otherwise, how else could she find a woman in real life who matched the seductive charm in her painting, and witness the enchanting scene of her arousal firsthand?

She glanced at her advisor’s shocked expression and swallowed her confusion. “Maybe I misunderstood.”

Her tone was earnest and straightforward, clearly unaware of where the mistake lay.

Yes, she was very grateful to Wen Qiu.

Without her advisor’s offhand remark, she really wouldn’t have finished the final line draft so quickly.

Of course, she owed even more gratitude to Sheng Shubai.

“You… and her…” Did you really sleep together?

Wen Qiu hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself, then wanting to speak again.

How was she supposed to ask?

It was a student’s personal privacy—and of this nature, no less. Wen Qiu felt awkward no matter how she phrased it.

But if she didn’t ask, she felt even more burdened by guilt.

Lu Jia nodded openly, her voice bright and crisp. “Don’t worry, we got along very harmoniously. She’s great in bed.”

Wen Qiu’s pupils dilated in shock.

No one asked you that!