The guest room light was still off.
Only faint light filtered in from outside.
It was an unfamiliar environment, after all, so Sheng Shubai asked her, “What do you want to do?”
Her voice was very soft, afraid of waking Lu Qiaoyuan and Lu Manwan.
No sooner had she spoken than her wrist was caught.
The grip wasn’t heavy, just a gentle hold, guiding it along. From her cheek to her neck, then to the soft spot over her heart, separated only by a layer of fabric—positions Sheng Shubai knew all too well.
Sheng Shubai couldn’t help curling her fingertips. She spoke again, her throat already dry: “…Lu Jia, this is your home.”
Even though they had slept together countless times, in the eyes of the elders, they had only just confirmed their relationship.
Visiting for the first time and sneaking off with their daughter that very night.
Sheng Shubai felt she’d be thrown out first thing in the morning.
She tried to remind Lu Jia, but as the girl inched closer, the reluctance in her tone, never very firm to begin with, faded even more.
“Sister, don’t you want me?”
Lu Jia leaned in, her rising inflection laced with teasing, her breath brushing Sheng Shubai’s ear.
Deliberate flirtation.
Seeing the other woman merely avert her gaze without responding, she took the woman’s fingertip and slipped it under the hem of her sleepwear.
Fresh from a bath, Sheng Shubai’s fingertips weren’t as cold as usual; instead, they carried a slight warmth.
The door panel behind her was cool, though.
The pad of the finger actively rubbed the tender skin, lingering at her side waist. Lu Jia couldn’t help but tremble.
It had been a long time since they’d done it, so of course she wanted to.
Not only did she know Sheng Shubai wanted it; Lu Jia craved it too.
Though they video-called every night after returning to M City, they hadn’t repeated those scenes from before—holding up her phone while letting Sheng Shubai watch her…
The reason was that Sheng Shubai had said they weren’t together yet, so it wasn’t appropriate for the time being.
Lu Jia knew her mom and grandma slept soundly, and the house’s soundproofing was excellent.
She could hold Sheng Shubai through most of the night, set an alarm for 4 a.m., and sneak back to her own room then.
“Sister.”
Lu Jia thought of something and curved her eyes with a smile: “Doing this—doesn’t it count as having an affair?”
She didn’t know which nerve this struck in Sheng Shubai.
But no sooner had she spoken than she felt her body lighten, and she was laid on the guest room bed.
The sheets and bedding were all new, much simpler in style than her own.
Her sleepwear was pushed up from the hem and slid aside along with Sheng Shubai’s movements. The bedside lamp gave off a soft white light; they didn’t bother adjusting it, having lost all interest in such things.
After removing Lu Jia’s, Sheng Shubai leisurely began unbuttoning her own sleepwear.
Lu Jia watched unblinkingly. With each button undone, more of the smooth, soft fullness she had craved for so long came into view, dazzlingly white.
It proved especially useful tonight.
She suckled for a long time. Occasionally, when the pressure became too much, Lu Jia accidentally grazed with her teeth, always afraid of hurting her.
Lu Jia wanted to pull away, but Sheng Shubai held the back of her neck and pressed her back to her chest: “You want it so badly tonight—must be because you’ve been starved lately. Eat more.”
Her teasing tone brooked no argument.
The pad of Lu Jia’s finger rested on the woman’s shoulder blade, instinctively wanting to tighten, but she held back, afraid of hurting her.
Muffled whimpers escaped as Lu Jia tilted her head back, cradling the pair like she was being fed.
She… she really had been craving it.
Sheng Shubai slipped in another knuckle, coaxing softly: “Keep it plugged, and they won’t hear.”
The woman had good stamina and deft wrist control.
Lu Jia reached climax three times with ease, half her mind spent suppressing noise, making her even more sensitive than usual.
Yet Sheng Shubai picked her up and coaxed her into a new position.
Kneeling astride the woman’s waist, knees apart, Lu Jia hesitated for a few seconds: “This… isn’t it a bit inappropriate?”
They… they had pleasured each other mutually before. Many times, too many to count.
But they had never tried this position.
Sheng Shubai took her wrist, gesturing for her to shift forward.
Up to her chest. Lu Jia paused: “Not too long.”
She was afraid she couldn’t hold back her voice.
Sheng Shubai chuckled: “Okay.”
As she neared the woman’s lips, Lu Jia added seriously: “…Remember to breathe. I’m afraid I’ll smother you.”
Sheng Shubai couldn’t help laughing. She simply leaned in first, pressing Lu Jia’s waist to sit forward.
A seamless, wet softness met perfectly.
Every inch was tended to, meticulously and considerately, making Lu Jia feel like she was floating in a warm, plush cloud.
Occasionally, her nose bridge brushed accidentally, sending another wave of weakness through her waist.
When the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased.
Seeing Lu Jia still setting the 4 a.m. alarm, Sheng Shubai stopped her and planted a warm kiss:
“I’ll hold you back to your room now. I’ll return to the guest room later.”
–
For the next few days, Lu Jia and Sheng Shubai were inseparable.
During the day, they tinkered with printmaking in the studio at Linchang. In the evenings, they drove back to the city center to stroll the nearby sights.
The Lu elders told Sheng Shubai to treat the place like her own home, treating her affectionately yet casually, like a close younger family member.
Sheng Shubai loved the Lu family’s atmosphere.
For two consecutive evenings, the four of them walked together to the nearby park, no longer needing to accommodate Lu Qiaoyuan’s pace.
Tonight, they ambled halfway around as well. The old lady said to give the young ones some space and strode off briskly, pulling Lu Manwan ahead until they vanished.
Lu Jia and Sheng Shubai trailed far behind.
“Grandma usually walks so fast. Yesterday’s slow stroll must have been tough on her.”
Lu Jia curved her eyes, secretly explaining to Sheng Shubai.
They didn’t take yesterday’s path. That side had blooming wintersweet in vast patches, drawing crowds for photos and admiration—not noisy, but not serene.
Fewer people walked this road. Lu Jia held Sheng Shubai’s hand, introducing the plants she recognized along the way.
With a linchang at home and Lu Manwan working at a botanical research institute for years, Lu Jia had been immersed in it since childhood. She knew and loved all sorts of flowers and plants.
Sheng Shubai listened to each one but remembered few, focusing instead on the girl’s bright eyes, even prettier under the night sky and streetlights.
If not for the occasional passersby, she feared she wouldn’t resist kissing her.
“Sister, what are you thinking?”
Lu Jia straightened, holding a dried leaf she’d spotted inside the lawn—intact and clean, without rot or decay.
Turning, she saw Sheng Shubai gazing at her, eyes full of tenderness.
Her heart softened. She hooked Sheng Shubai’s fingertip: “I’ll process it when we get back and make it into a bookmark for you. How’s that?”
Sheng Shubai had no shortage of bookmarks.
From her travels, souvenirs piled up, plus gifts from friends—enough unique ones to fill a box at home.
But she just nodded: “Then I’ll keep you company. Once I learn, I’ll make one for you in spring.”
Lu Jia carefully pocketed the leaf, afraid it would crumple.
Rounding another bend, she pointed out a distant building to Sheng Shubai: “That’s where I went to high school—that building.”
They had driven past the high school during the day.
But it was vacation, so the school wasn’t open to the public.
Lu Jia had mentioned it casually, and they’d slowed by the fence for Sheng Shubai to snap a photo.
Her class in senior year had been on the second-top floor of that teaching building—easy to spot.
“Sixth window from the left—great view. I sat there for a long time,” Lu Jia said, laughing as Sheng Shubai pulled out her phone again. “It’s so far; what’s there to photograph?”
Sheng Shubai zoomed in, meticulously adjusting settings.
Her tone held a hint of regret: “Didn’t bring my camera, so this will have to do.”
High school and university breaks overlapped, so she couldn’t drag Lu Jia back from C City just to see her school.
Catching the meaning in her voice, Lu Jia glanced around the empty greenway and leaned in, brushing Sheng Shubai’s lip corner lightly.
“Sister, these things aren’t important.”
Lu Jia held little nostalgia for her past.
She’d never had true close friends or vivid memories. High school was just three busy, fulfilling years—from naive youth to adulthood, nothing more.
Sheng Shubai explained: “I saw you at M University before, so I got curious about your high school too.”
She didn’t consider herself some dangerous pedophile.
But imagining the girl hugging books in diligent study, that freshly blossoming beauty in her school uniform—youthful and innocent—made it a pity she hadn’t seen it herself.
Once back in C City, they could try a new role-play game.
Hearing this, Lu Jia laughed: “You’re clearly just into girls.”
Lu Jia’s photo album had scant high school pictures. Sheng Shubai had only seen the small graduation photo from her training studio and the year-end group shot, where Lu Jia was a tiny figure in the crowd.
“I’ll ask Mom when we get home; she might have kept some.”
Lu Jia recalled the school and studio had official accounts—maybe old photos were posted.
Her grades were decent; she’d cracked top twenty a few times. Once, napping during break, she’d been dragged for a photo. Half-body in uniform, plain as could be—she hadn’t even bothered looking.
Sheng Shubai nodded: “Okay.”
She checked her watch and took Lu Jia’s hand, walking back step by step.
Lu Jia was puzzled: “We haven’t walked long; why head back?”
Sheng Shubai coughed lightly: “To find Auntie and ask about the photos.”
She couldn’t wait to see them.
–
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the Sheng family flew in from Z City.
They brought plenty of gifts too. Sheng Old Madam entered leaning on her cane, shaking hands with Lu Qiaoyuan and exchanging greetings. When her gaze landed on Lu Jia, it stuck there, her wrinkles deepening with a smile.
After some warm pleasantries, they sat amicably to discuss the young ones’ marriage.
Seven people in total, and though Lu Jia and Sheng Shubai were the stars, they had little to say.
So they sat side by side in the sofa corner, Sheng Shubai occasionally peeling a honey tangerine to feed her.
Engagement and wedding dates had been carefully selected. They’d hold a grand family ceremony. All girls, no dowry traditions—the families’ gifts would all go to the young couple anyway.
At Sheng Tianqin’s “young couple,” she squeezed Sheng Shubai’s hand lightly and met her eyes just as she turned.
Young couple.
She couldn’t help curving her lips.
The Sheng family’s sincerity was evident; they truly valued Lu Jia. The Lu family doted on their daughter too, giving all they could—destined for her anyway.
Hearing the list of dowries both sides settled on, Lu Jia even forgot to bite the honey tangerine at her lips.
“Suddenly feels like… I don’t need to work hard anymore.”
She poked Sheng Shubai’s arm secretly, showing her the text on her phone screen.
Sheng Shubai glanced lightly and took the phone: “Fine by me. I’ll support you.”
Seeing those words, Lu Jia leaned into her, took back the phone, and replied smilingly: “No need for you to support me.”
The woman’s words pleased her, but she couldn’t accept being kept so easily. Besides, she loved printmaking and was luckily talented at it.
Burying that would render her years of effort meaningless.
“Isn’t it only natural to support my wife?”
Sheng Shubai leaned close, lips parting slightly, whispering hot breath into Lu Jia’s ear.
The light, soft tickle, with both families’ elders chattering animatedly nearby.
Lu Jia’s ears burned—whether from flirting in front of family or the woman’s form of address, she wasn’t sure.
She corrected: “Fiancée-to-be.”
