Chapter 100: Side Story 1 Part 1

The next morning, Su Mi rarely lazed in bed.

Mentally, she really wanted to get up, but her body wouldn’t cooperate, so she simply stayed in bed and reviewed her course materials.

They were in the Southern Garden.

Su Mi finished her course materials, worked through two pages of practice questions, and looked out the window.

It was an autumn morning with clear, bright sunshine. Through the large glass window, she could see the shimmering pool where Shen Han swam freely like a fish.

Shen Han was clearly in a great mood that day. She had gotten up early, brought breakfast to the bedroom for Su Mi to eat, handled some work nearby, and soon wanted to get close to Su Mi again.

After Su Mi sternly refused her, Shen Han seemed a bit helpless yet brimming with energy. She simply changed into a swimsuit and headed to the outdoor pool on the lower level outside the bedroom.

Su Mi watched wide-eyed as Shen Han changed into her swimsuit. Her gaze clung to those curves, her heart itching unbearably. She had the lust but lacked the courage, so she just watched Shen Han dive into the blue pool without daring to call her back.

Su Mi closed her light brain and was just about to get up when a sharp ache hit her waist. Her expression nearly crumbled. She shifted around for a bit before finally getting out of bed.

She threw on a cream-colored knit sweater over her nightgown, picked up her water cup, and casually slipped out to the balcony. She dragged a chair closer, sat down, and settled in to watch.

The sunlight held no real warmth, but as it shone on the fair figure darting through the blue pool water, that figure seemed to glow with dazzling light.

Hum hum, mine.

Su Mi pretended to be calm as she admired the view. Whenever she felt her expression turning too drooling, she took a sip from her water cup.

Before long, Shen Han stopped swimming and glided to the edge near Su Mi. She rested her arms on the poolside, tilted her head back, and looked up at her. “Come down and swim a few laps?”

Su Mi figured that with her current physical state, she’d cramp up the moment she hit the water. Too embarrassed to admit it, she made an excuse. “No thanks, I don’t have a swimsuit…”

Shen Han said, “The guest room closets should have some.”

Su Mi replied, “I’m not a great swimmer.”

Shen Han raised a brow, her lips curving up. “I can teach you.”

She gazed up at Su Mi, her wet face dotted with glistening water droplets. As she spoke, one droplet trailed down her pale cheek and lingered at the corner of her lips before she licked it away.

As she took in the droplet, her ice-blue eyes stayed fixed on Su Mi.

Sudden memories flooded Su Mi’s mind, heating her cheeks. She widened her eyes and stammered, “What are you thinking… So improper.”

This woman… was definitely not talking about proper swimming lessons!

Shen Han shrugged, feigning innocence. “I just saw my girlfriend and got happy. What’s wrong with that?”

Her smooth, exquisite shoulder and neck lines resembled a work of art, marked by the bite Su Mi had left there. The neat teeth imprints on her pale skin glistened with water droplets, radiating an erotic allure.

Su Mi coughed lightly and averted her gaze, stepping back. “You keep swimming then… It’s cold out here. I’m heading inside.”

She wrapped her fluffy sweater tighter around herself and casually slipped back into the bedroom.

Following her memory, she found the guest room closet. She froze for a moment upon entering, finally understanding what Shen Han meant by “should have some.”

Three large wardrobes were packed full of new clothes for every season, plus display cases for shoes, hats, and accessories. A quick check showed they were all her size and style.

But when did they buy all this? Surely not overnight.

Su Mi picked out an outfit and changed, then returned to Shen Han’s living room. She grabbed a bottle of juice from the fridge, plopped down on the sofa, and sipped it while browsing her light brain.

Xu Nanqiao had been taken to the hospital by Shen Han’s people and sent Su Mi a message saying she was safe. Gu Yansheng also messaged an apology, explaining his entanglement with that rich second-generation heir and asking her to pass on that Shen Han could handle it however she wanted.

Su Mi replied to both, then checked the class group and major course group chats.

After reading an extracurricular article the teacher had uploaded, she heard a knock at the door.

It was Butler Li. He smiled warmly when she opened up. “Miss Su, any plans for later? Should I have the kitchen prepare lunch?”

Su Mi said, “Hold on, let me ask Shen Han.”

She left the door open and dashed back into the bedroom.

Water ran in the bathroom—Shen Han was showering. Su Mi knocked, and the water stopped.

Shen Han’s clear voice came from behind the door. “What’s up?”

She was probably just rinsing off. Through the frosted glass, Su Mi could vaguely make out her silhouette moving around.

She had already seen pretty much everything there was to see, but even viewing those curves through the glass now made Su Mi shy. Still, she didn’t look away. “Are we eating lunch at home?”

Shen Han replied, “Yeah. We’ll head out this afternoon to play. Didn’t you want to go to that mountain?”

Su Mi ran out to tell Butler Li they’d eat lunch, then returned to the bathroom door, hesitating.

Su Mi said, “Today? I’m still kinda…”

She still felt sore in her waist and back. How could she go hiking?

Shen Han laughed from inside. Her voice came muffled through the door, husky and teasing, each inflection tugging at Su Mi’s heartbeat.

After laughing for a bit, she said, “I checked. There are cable cars and shuttles up and down the mountain. Climb if you want, ride if you don’t. Plus, we have a treatment pod at home. Lie in it for ten minutes, and you’ll feel great.”

Su Mi subconsciously thought using a treatment pod for this was such a waste.

But… fine, Shen Han had money.

She didn’t reply, but the door opened.

The bathroom air was cool. Shen Han had changed into a sleeveless nightgown, her long hair damp and draped over one shoulder. She tilted her head to tousle her wet locks as she walked to the vanity next to Su Mi, glanced in the mirror, and said, “Remember to order anything you want to eat.”

Su Mi blurted, “Oh, oh, okay.”

She sneaked a peek. The nightgown’s neckline was ruched into a piled collar that nicely concealed the cleavage but accentuated its presence. Water droplets pooled in her collarbones, and higher up…

Shen Han looked at her with a teasing, helpless smile. “You wanna stare again, but if I get close, you’ll dodge. I notice you…”

Su Mi coughed. “Ahem!”

Her ears turned red as she changed the subject. “Let me blow-dry your hair, sis.”

Shen Han smiled. “So sweet of you.”

Su Mi hummed in agreement, had Shen Han sit on the small bench by the bed, grabbed a hairdryer from the vanity, plugged it in, climbed onto the bed, and knelt behind her. “Starting now, okay?”

Shen Han said, “Sure, thanks.”

Su Mi replied, “No need to be polite.”

Even as she said it, looking at Shen Han’s back made her inexplicably nervous. Kneeling put her a bit higher than Shen Han on the low bench. From above and behind, she could see the dark whorl at the crown of Shen Han’s head and the full sweep of her shoulders and back.

Shen Han seemed completely at ease with her nearness, sitting straight and waiting patiently.

Su Mi coughed lightly for no reason, reached out, and gently lifted some of the damp hair from the back of Shen Han’s head. Her fingertips slipped into the wet strands and brushed her nape. Nervous, Su Mi said, “Sorry.”

Shen Han chuckled softly. “Do whatever.”

Su Mi pressed her lips together, turned on the hairdryer, and carefully blow-dried Shen Han’s hair.

Blow-drying someone else’s hair felt totally different from doing her own. Su Mi wasn’t used to it. One hand nervously managed the distance between dryer and hair, the other clumsily parted the strands, lifting the wetter sections to dry. The fragrance matched Su Mi’s own shampoo. As the warm air heated it, a soothing, warm scent filled her hands, and the hair gradually dried and fluffed out.

After the back, Su Mi moved to the side, starting with the damper ends and working up. She cupped her hand over Shen Han’s ear. The warm breeze tousled the side strands, blowing some forward onto Shen Han’s face in a messy tangle.

“Pfft.” Su Mi giggled. She quickly reached to smooth the strands back, tucking them neatly into her palm. Once done, her eyes met Shen Han’s unexpectedly.

Amid the soft whir of the hairdryer, Su Mi blinked, leaned in, and kissed Shen Han’s cheek.

“Good girl,” Su Mi cooed.

Shen Han pursed her lips, pointing to her own lips.

Su Mi shook her head teasingly. “Nope. No teasing the hairdresser girl.”

Shen Han smirked but said nothing.

By the time Su Mi finished blow-drying Shen Han’s hair, her arms and knees ached. As she scooted to the nightstand to unplug it…

Before she could set the dryer down, hands gripped her waist.

Su Mi: …Huh?

She barely managed to place the hairdryer on the nightstand before Shen Han pinned her to the bed.

The hair she had just dried hung loose now, draping onto the sheets beside her like a fragrant cage, trapping her.

Shen Han narrowed her eyes. “Hairdresser girl?”

Su Mi felt guilty. “The wind was too loud earlier… You must’ve misheard…”

Shen Han’s gaze grew dangerous as she leaned closer, her hand slipping naturally under Su Mi’s waistband.

Su Mi made her final struggle. “Didn’t we say hiking this afternoon?!”

Shen Han pressed against her, her laughter intimate and nasal. “The treatment pod will fix it.”

That afternoon, they headed to River Le Mountain.

Su Mi soaked in the treatment pod, emerging refreshed and invigorated, feeling like a new person.

She just had a tiny bit of resentment.

She zipped her jacket all the way up, burying her chin in the collar, and huddled on one side of the back seat, staring out the window in a daze.

Her mind wandered aimlessly: Would she really need to use the treatment pod or treatment device like this every day from now on?

Forget the cost—even talking about it was embarrassing.

Who spends half the day in bed like this?!

The car entered the scenic area and drove to the mountain base. Not many people were hiking that afternoon. Su Mi shook off Shen Han’s hand, hopped out, stood aside with hands in pockets, and waited awkwardly for Shen Han.

Shen Han spoke briefly with the driver first, then came over and glanced at Su Mi with a smile. “Little lady, all alone?”

Su Mi eyed her warily. “No.”

Shen Han asked, “Who are you waiting for then?”

Su Mi stubbornly replied, “No one. I’m just standing here.”

Shen Han said, “Alright, then I’ll look elsewhere. My girlfriend said she’d wait here, but I don’t see her.”

She strode off toward the other side without a backward glance.

Su Mi’s eyes widened in shock as she watched Shen Han’s tall figure walk away, unsure how to react.

What the—?!