Lou Yixuan’s right ear was probably the most sensitive part of her entire body, mainly due to psychological reasons. After the car accident injury, she had automatically developed a protective mechanism toward it.
Any unexpected touch made her resist psychologically.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to force you.” Seeing her defensive posture, Lin Huayan quickly withdrew her hand.
Lou Yixuan grabbed it and wouldn’t let go, blurting out anxiously, “It’s not forcing. Let me guide you to touch it first.”
She led Lin Huayan’s fingers into the hair behind her ear, where there was also a scar, extending inward right along the hairline.
“Feel it?”
Lin Huayan’s fingertip trembled.
Because what Lou Yixuan was guiding her to touch was a scar.
She steadied herself, then slid her middle finger along the scar’s path. Roughly estimating, it was about two finger joints long, and the texture was much smoother than the scar on her own waist.
“Is this… from the car accident?”
Lin Huayan’s heart ached terribly. Tears welled up in her eyes again and again, only to be suppressed each time.
Lou Yixuan had described her right ear deafness so lightly, just to avoid making her sad. It was the same as last night when she had told Lou Yixuan that she only had one kidney left—she had tried her best to frame it positively.
They loved each other so much. Lou Yixuan wouldn’t mind her having only one kidney, and she wouldn’t mind Lou Yixuan having only one working ear.
What they wanted, cared about, worried over, and valued had always been each other’s health.
“Yeah. Because I couldn’t hear, and out of fear, for a long time after surgery, I wouldn’t let anyone except doctors and nurses touch my ear. That wound too. Even after it had healed for ages, I always felt like it hadn’t fully mended. Even touching it myself hurt.”
So she never got any scar removal surgery; she just covered it with her hair.
Plus, the hair roots were damaged. Even if she repaired the scar, she’d need follicle transplants for hair to grow back.
It would be too much self-torment.
“I even saw a psychologist for it. It’s kind of like ‘phantom limb pain.’ I know what’s going on rationally, but…”
But she still felt the pain. She was still scared. Just like on the sofa last night.
Lin Huayan lifted her fingertip slightly, afraid of hurting Lou Yixuan. No wonder she had asked last night if her wound still hurt…
“It’s okay.”
Lou Yixuan pressed Lin Huayan’s lifted finger back down. “Touch it more. Touch it a few more times. Maybe I won’t have phantom pain anymore. Heartache can be cured, so phantom pain definitely can too. Teacher Lin, cure me some more.”
After the accident, she basically never tied her hair up. She only braided on the right side to cover that scar.
Scars—why not hide them if you could?
Lin Huayan stroked from the outside inward, deeper: “Are there injuries anywhere else on your body?”
“Weren’t all the other places on my body seen and touched by you last night?”
“…” Lin Huayan couldn’t continue that line. Last night, she had been the one seen and touched; she hadn’t had the presence of mind to look at Lou Yixuan.
Seeing through her embarrassment, Lou Yixuan chuckled slyly: “Didn’t see last night? Then tonight, look again?”
Lin Huayan said nothing. She pressed: “Will you look?”
“…I’ll look.”
“…Okay then. We’ll look together.”
“…” Lin Huayan’s heart and hand trembled again at her words.
As Lin Huayan gently massaged her scalp and ear, Lou Yixuan comfortably narrowed her eyes and leaned forward, pressing Lin Huayan back against the sofa.
“Lin Huayan.”
“Hm?”
“From now on, all your sweet words and important words—say them to my left ear.”
“Okay.”
When the pad of her finger brushed that small area on the tragus, Lou Yixuan shivered again.
“I can’t take it.” She was unbearably ticklish.
“What?” Lin Huayan hadn’t caught Lou Yixuan’s whimper-like sound. She lowered her gaze to look at her—and was suddenly ambushed. “…Mmph.”
“Teacher Lin, you’re massaging me so comfortably… and so ticklish.”
As she spoke, Lou Yixuan’s tongue tip swept across Lin Huayan’s lips. Without lingering there long, she delved inside, entwining with Lin Huayan’s tongue in playful frolic.
They had kissed countless times from last night until today, but the moment Lou Yixuan kissed her, Lin Huayan’s defenses crumbled so easily.
She was grateful, though—she had put on a bra after her shower. Otherwise, she probably couldn’t have held out right now.
“Yixuan, Yixuan.” Lin Huayan cupped Lou Yixuan’s face to stop her from kissing downward. “You have work this afternoon. It’s almost noon; we need to make lunch. Be good and come cook with me.”
After coaxing Lou Yixuan to stop kissing, Lin Huayan went to the bathroom again to change pants.
Lesson learned this time—she added a panty liner.
Lunch was finished with their joint efforts. Watching Lin Huayan ladle soup for her with only egg flowers, Lou Yixuan pinched her own cheek.
Lin Huayan set down the soup bowl: “Why pinch again? Want me to do it for you?”
Lou Yixuan glared at her: “Lin Huayan, don’t laugh. Tonight, I’ll bite you a few times and see if you feel pain!”
“Eat up quick. Then do your makeup properly.”
“…” Lou Yixuan huffed a few times. “You saw my eyes are swollen and didn’t help me reduce the puffiness all morning.”
“Wasn’t wearing glasses. Couldn’t see clearly.”
“…” She had been wearing them, but Lin Huayan took them off, so now she was the one in the wrong.
“Still wanna argue logic with me?”
“Bad egg.”
“Yeah, I’m bad.” Lin Huayan smiled as she picked asparagus for her, one piece after another. “Anti-cancer, low-fat, low-sugar, boosts immunity. Eat more.”
“…” She didn’t particularly like asparagus.
“Open up.” Lin Huayan picked up a slice of meat to her lips.
Lou Yixuan ate it delightedly, then dove into the asparagus. Who said she didn’t like it? She loved it.
After the meal, Lin Huayan washed dishes while Lou Yixuan went back to the bedroom to fiddle with Lin Huayan’s makeup.
Pretty complete set.
Lots of the beauty products were still unopened.
She quickly applied base makeup, focusing on covering the puffy under-eyes. Done in three to five minutes.
She changed into the outfit Lin Huayan had picked out for her, feeling so blissfully floaty that she couldn’t resist pinching her cheek again.
Lin Huayan leaned against the guest room doorframe and caught her pinching motion right then.
The more Lou Yixuan couldn’t believe this was real, the more her heart ached sweetly. She walked in, hugged the dreamlike elf from behind, and they both gazed at their reflections in the dressing mirror.
“Wait for you to come home for dinner tonight.” The lone wanderer of many years finally had someone cute, trustworthy, and worth waiting for.
This place was finally a “home.”
“Yeah. I get off at 5:30, but that time’s likely to hit traffic. So, dinner at around 6:30?” Lou Yixuan reached up to poke Lin Huayan’s soft cheek, poking and releasing like it was a game, then poking again.
“Okay, I’ll prep dinner for that time.” After several pokes, Lin Huayan finally caught the mischievous hand and pressed it in front.
Lou Yixuan flipped her hand to interlace their fingers, staring at their mirror images as she asked: “Lin Huayan, you know I suck at cooking. Once I move in, you’ll be doing it way more often than me. Won’t you find it troublesome? Tiring?”
“No. I like eating with you and am happy to cook for you. But during the school week, Monday to Friday, I probably won’t have much time. We’ll do cafeteria food those five days, and I’ll make you good stuff on weekends.”
“You’re gonna fatten me up?”
“Not too fat. Up to… 100 jin. At least round out that chin a bit.”
“…” She’s really holding a grudge. Lou Yixuan opened her mouth, then swallowed her explanation.
“Wanna say something? Why stop?”
“What I said in the Art Office about being annoyed with you wasn’t just talk. I really was annoyed then. You’re like my emotional switch—you make me immature, bad moods hit like storms, and I get all anxious and insecure. But I’m not like that with others.”
“It’s okay, Yixuan.”
Lin Huayan looked sincerely into Lou Yixuan’s eyes, soothing her anxiety and self-doubt. “It’s because I hold such an important place in your heart that you have such full emotions toward me. All those emotions are just another way you love me—they’re you handing over the real you, including the imperfect parts. I don’t need you to be forever calm and restrained with me. What I love is that free-spirited, lively little cat full of soul. And from another angle, richer emotions and feelings can spark your inspiration and motivate your creations, right?”
Lou Yixuan’s furrowed brow relaxed, and she stared in disbelief: “Teacher Lin, did you secretly study philosophy behind my back? You sound like a full-on thinker with your big truths.”
“I don’t know philosophy.” Lin Huayan lowered her eyes, avoiding hers. “I only know a little… about loving you.”
Lou Yixuan’s heart burned with desire.
If she didn’t have class, she’d drag Lin Huayan to bed and go a few more rounds.
