Chapter 9: Bite Marks

Lu Jia was inexplicably scolded, completely baffled, but she didn’t want to argue with a drunk person.

She asked several times for the password to the apartment across the hall, trying to help Sheng Shubai back. But the woman just leaned into her arms, mumbling fragmented words that Lu Jia couldn’t understand.

Hearing words like “damn it” and “slag woman,” Lu Jia figured it wasn’t about her and relaxed.

She tightened her hold on Sheng Shubai a bit more, only to get bitten again.

“Hey… Miss Sheng, you—”

Lu Jia winced in pain, feeling her shoulder hurt even more now—probably broken skin and bleeding.

After that bite, combined with the girl’s pleading tone, Sheng Shubai sobered up a little and eased off.

Lu Jia finally breathed a sigh of relief, but then a wet, hot sensation came from the same spot on her shoulder.

She was kissing her.

It had started as mere soothing, but her pajama top was tugged lower and lower—exposing her collarbone, then further down to the soft swell of her chest.

Lu Jia was pressed against the doorframe, her hands still firmly around Sheng Shubai’s waist.

The woman wore a skirt that night, revealing a section of her back. Lu Jia had been careful at first to avoid touching skin, but now she couldn’t hold back.

Smooth skin pressed directly against her palm.

The summer night hallway was somewhat stuffy and warm; fine sweat beaded faintly on Lu Jia’s forehead. Yet Sheng Shubai’s body temperature felt just right, and Lu Jia couldn’t help but rub gently.

She was nearing her period anyway, and after months apart without intimacy with anyone else—not even much on her own, which never felt as good as with Sheng Shubai.

They’d only been intimate with each other, sharing a few nights of contact back then, so they knew each other’s sensitive spots well. The woman in her arms reached over familiarly, and with one touch, Lu Jia’s mind wandered.

Her short pajama shorts were loose. Lu Jia grabbed Sheng Shubai’s hand as it pressed toward her waist, steadying her voice with effort. “Miss Sheng… let’s go inside.”

At least, not here.

She couldn’t stand much longer.

They didn’t even make it to the bedroom; it happened hastily on the sofa first.

Her waist felt so weak she could barely get up.

Lu Jia steadied her breathing and saw that the woman’s eyes had cleared. With little strength left, she reached out and tapped Sheng Shubai’s shoulder. “Miss Sheng, want to continue?”

It was a shame about her freshly washed sofa cover.

No sooner had she spoken than Sheng Shubai scooped her up. “Where’s the bedroom?”

The sofa was too small—too inconvenient.

Her thoughts had cleared, but Sheng Shubai’s steps were still unsteady as she walked.

Lu Jia pointed to the bedroom door, terrified by the woman’s wobbly gait. She struggled to walk on her own, but the moment she moved, she got bitten on the shoulder again—the same spot.

This woman sure loved biting tonight.

Lu Jia hurt too much to move.

She was set down on the edge of the bed, but before she could lie back, Sheng Shubai had already claimed her pillow.

“I’m out of energy.”

Sheng Shubai tugged her with surprising force, squinting lazily with a seductive lilt in her voice. “Little Lu sister, your turn.”

This was payback for not trusting her to walk steadily earlier.

Lu Jia knew it full well but also felt it was only fair to reciprocate.

Her right hand had just started to reach over when the woman grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

Lu Jia paused, stunned for a few seconds. She bit her lip, then lifted her hand to tie up her hair as a kiss landed along her inner thigh.

Sheng Shubai gave her a sidelong glance.

She hooked Lu Jia’s chin and pulled her upward.

Her fingertip brushed lightly over the girl’s full lips, her tone leisurely as her knee nudged suggestively. “Not with this… with this.”

“Grind.”

–

It had been a long time since she’d gotten this hungover.

Nearly noon, the light leaking through the curtains was blindingly bright.

Sheng Shubai rubbed her throbbing temples, half-opening her eyes to glance at the window before groggily pulling the covers over her head and rolling over to sleep more.

Wait.

She didn’t have a habit of sleeping naked.

The direct feel of the sheets against her skin was too uncomfortable. Sheng Shubai reached down and felt the familiar curves of her own body, completely bare.

She opened her eyes and yanked off the covers, sitting up straight.

Her vision swam before clearing.

Why was she naked… Wait, what was this hideous bedding?

The pink-and-blue plaid was covered in childish little sheep patterns—more headache-inducing than the hangover. The style was so familiar that when the knock came and the girl walked in, Sheng Shubai wasn’t surprised at all.

“You’re wearing pajamas, at least.”

Sheng Shubai took the hot water Lu Jia brought over and sipped to soothe her throat. “Why don’t I have any clothes?”

The woman’s figure was stunning; she casually threw off the covers and leaned against the headboard, her kiss marks fully visible.

“You don’t like my pajamas, so I didn’t change you into them.”

Lu Jia averted her gaze, too embarrassed to look much.

It was broad daylight, after all.

Sheng Shubai thought for a moment. “True.”

Waking up in a full-body cartoon sheep pajama set… better naked, since the other had already seen everything.

She gave Lu Jia the password to the apartment across the hall and asked her to fetch a silk nightgown.

Sheng Shubai cradled her honey water, eyes downcast in thought.

She didn’t black out when drunk; she remembered everything from last night clearly.

She’d bitten Lu Jia, then taken liberties with her.

Though the girl hadn’t seemed to mind and had even reciprocated eagerly, Sheng Shubai had started it with the bite—she owed an apology.

Lu Jia returned quickly, handing over the smooth silk nightgown, but Sheng Shubai took it and yanked her wrist too.

Lu Jia stumbled forward, instinctively kneeling on the edge of the bed.

“Professor Sheng?” Lu Jia swallowed.

It was morning already—did she want to go again?

As Sheng Shubai tugged open her pajama neckline, Lu Jia’s lips pressed together. She started to close her eyes on reflex but saw the woman’s gaze fall on the bite mark on her shoulder.

It had been a deep bite, scabbed over faintly with blood.

Her fingertip brushed it gently; Lu Jia hissed softly, and Sheng Shubai’s tone held regret. “Sorry, I drank too much last night. Want to bite me back?”

She tilted her head, offering her right shoulder.

The nightgown lay aside; the woman was still naked.

The soft curves and shoulder were offered up close. Lu Jia hesitated, looking away. “It’s fine, really.”

Sheng Shubai was about to say not to be shy, just bite back, when the girl said earnestly, “I should thank you for that bite—it gave me inspiration.”

Sheng Shubai: “…?”

“I woke up in the middle of the night with a sudden dream of new ideas, but I couldn’t sketch them.”

Lu Jia looked serious. “That bite… it helped me a lot. I should be thanking you.”

She was only twenty-two, after all; halfway through, Lu Jia paused.

She was too embarrassed to say it.

It was her first time realizing she… actually liked being bitten. Inspiration had struck in that moment.

After Sheng Shubai fell asleep, afraid to lose the spark, Lu Jia had thrown on her pajamas and gone to the study, sketching until nearly dawn before catching a short nap in the bedroom.

Sheng Shubai thought she’d misheard.

After processing for two seconds, she looked at the girl with complicated eyes, words caught in her throat.

Still groggy from waking, she didn’t press the issue right away.

She slipped into the nightgown and got up to head back to her own apartment for a wash-up, but after two steps, pain flared in her inner thighs.

And not just there.

“Hiss—”

Sheng Shubai sucked in a sharp breath and turned to the culprit.

Lu Jia went quiet, pointing to the nightstand. “I ordered two ointments via delivery this morning. That one’s unopened if you need it.”

The other, of course, she’d already used on herself.

It had been too long last night. Their skin was delicate, and they fumbled at first, taking a while to find the rhythm—Lu Jia’s waist ached from the effort.

It was Sheng Shubai who gripped her side and lifted to meet her that finally got them going.

It hadn’t seemed like much then, but waking up, Lu Jia felt sore too and discovered red, nearly broken skin on her inner thighs.

Glancing at the ointment’s uses, Sheng Shubai sat back on the bed edge. She opened the packaging and noticed the girl had slipped back to the living room, thoughtfully closing the bedroom door.

She chuckled teasingly, “Such a thin-skinned kid.”

Last night, when she wouldn’t get off, there hadn’t been any shyness.

In the living room.

Lu Jia closed the bedroom door and returned to her usual calm composure.

The sofa cover had been removed and tossed in the washer. She eyed the pile of bedsheets on the other side—poor things, working overtime first thing in the morning.

Though it wasn’t that early anymore.

She waited a moment, then headed back to the study.

The large desk held more than one drawing.

The one underneath was the line draft from her midnight inspiration burst, while the watercolor portrait on top was what she’d sketched afterward, still buzzing with ideas—a portrait of the woman.

Sheng Shubai had striking features suited to bold colors; watercolor or oils brought out the vibrant flair in her brows and eyes better than prints.

Last night, Lu Jia had coaxed her into the bathroom for a quick wipe-down, but the woman refused to move further—Lu Jia had done the full makeup removal herself.

Having wiped every inch of skin carefully, the face she’d already found exquisite looked just as beautiful bare.

So her hand had itched, and she’d indulged in a sketching spree.

She was pondering refinements when footsteps approached from behind.

Lu Jia turned to see Sheng Shubai eyeing the portrait in her hands.

“Figured it out and ready to abandon the dark side for the light—coming to learn watercolor with me?” The woman’s tone was lightly teasing.

Lu Jia explained, “No, I just think you’re beautiful.”

Sheng Shubai was in a good mood and let it slide.

“Lu Jia.”

She leaned casually against the desk, lifting her chin to call her over.

Lu Jia set down the painting. “What is it, Professor Sheng?”

Sheng Shubai pointed to the printmaking line draft from last night’s inspiration—another sultry, atmospheric piece.

“From what I know, that someone… I mean your advisor, their research direction is pretty close to your thesis, right?”

Lu Jia nodded. “Yes.”

The woman’s tone was coaxing. “I remember you saying you weren’t good at this, which is why you came to me back then, right?”

Lu Jia nodded again. “Yes.”

“So, want to—collaborate long-term? Mutual benefits?”

Sheng Shubai enunciated clearly. “I’ll provide the inspiration. How about it?”

Lu Jia paused.

Was it… what she thought it was?