Chapter 28

Bai Shuangshuang felt that, in some sense, she was pretty impressive. Even in a situation like this, she managed to extend the hand that wasn’t pinned down, pressing it against the chest looming right up to her face, and calmly asked Bai Tongsheng, “A-Sheng, what do you want to do?”

The room was pitch black. Even though they were so close they were nearly pressed together, she still couldn’t make out the expression on the other woman’s face.

Bai Tongsheng didn’t speak, nor did she make any further moves. Bai Shuangshuang could clearly hear her own heart picking up speed, beat by beat.

Thump.

Thump-thump.

Thump-thump-thump.

Then Bai Tongsheng laughed.

It wasn’t the kind of self-mocking, chilling, grating cold laugh.

It was a warm laugh, one filled with good cheer. Even without seeing it, Bai Shuangshuang could tell a gentle smile lit up the other woman’s face.

Her heart, already beating faster than usual, lurched even more uncontrollably at the sound.

In that moment, she felt utterly unfamiliar to herself, as if she stood on the brink of being drawn into some unknown realm.

A flicker of panic surged in her chest. All those times she’d wanted to run away came rushing back at once, urging her to flee.

—Before that net could close around her, she had to pull away.

“A-Sheng, don’t. It’s uncomfortable.”

The words somehow lent her a spark of resistance. The hand pushing against Bai Tongsheng started to slide upward, but just then, her other pinned hand was suddenly freed. She forgot what she’d meant to do, relief washing over her for a split second—until the next, when her heart leaped into her throat again.

Both her hands were now clasped together, pinned firmly back above her head.

Now she really was like a fish on the chopping block.

Waiting to be gutted.

“Now, I’m going to demonstrate what didn’t reach the final step that night. This time, you can tell me why, right?”

—Demonstrate?

—What?

Bai Shuangshuang didn’t have time to puzzle it out before a warm pressure settled on her lips, startling her still.

When she realized the other woman wanted to delve deeper, her body went rigid. She began to struggle.

Between their pressed lips came a breathless, pleading whimper. “A-A-Sheng, no… don’t.”

In that instant, the woman beneath her must have been gazing up with wide, clear eyes like a startled deer’s, her cheeks flushed the tempting hue of ripe peaches from shame and helpless frustration. Perhaps her skin even glowed with a faint pink sheen. It was a sight designed to kill.

Just imagining it was enough for Bai Tongsheng to know she couldn’t hold back—and now, she didn’t.

Desires pent up for years could finally burst free on the day she’d truly become an adult.

Bai Shuangshuang’s soft murmurs trailed off lower and lower until, at last, they gave way to enchanted, fragmented moans—shallow sounds from her throat that brought a blush to anyone who heard.

The woman who’d momentarily sated her hunger and meant to pull away darkened her gaze instead, pressing her deeper into the bed.

~~~

Bai Tongsheng pushed open the door, bowl of cooked noodles in hand. Faint, barely audible sobs filled the room.

She set the bowl aside first, then flicked on the light. The moment brightness flooded the space, the figure with half her head peeking from the quilt yanked the covers over herself completely.

Bai Tongsheng sat on the bed’s edge and whisked the quilt away. The little rabbit with reddened eyes shrank back at once.

The wicked wolf who’d just finished tormenting her rabbit offered no chance for ostrich tactics. She scooped the girl straight into her arms.

Bai Shuangshuang sniffled, trying to wriggle free. Bai Tongsheng wiped at her tears and warned flatly, “Cry again, and I kiss you for ten minutes.”

Her body went stiff. The tears she’d nearly stemmed gushed anew.

Bai Tongsheng had only meant it as an empty threat, but that pitiful look—the kind that begged to be thoroughly ravished—made her pause. Unable to resist, she pinned the girl down and bullied her fiercely once more.

At first, Bai Shuangshuang cried and shoved at her weakly. But her pushes grew feebler until her hands fell slack. Bai Tongsheng’s fingers twitched, lacing through hers in a tight, interlocking grip as she deepened the kiss.

When she finally released her, Bai Shuangshuang whimpered, soft and petulant. “A-Sheng, this isn’t right. What we’re doing…”

Bai Tongsheng gazed at her. “What’s not right?”

She averted her eyes, ducking her head in grievance, her voice a plaintive murmur. “Everything’s not right.”

Bai Tongsheng didn’t let go of her hand. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to her eyes. “Is it wrong to kiss your eyes?”

Then her nose. “Is it wrong to kiss your nose?”

On the lips: “Kissing your mouth is wrong?”

On their intertwined fingers: “Kissing your hand is wrong?”

“Or—”

She took her hand and pressed it to her own chest, letting her feel the uncontrollable pounding of that scorching, feverish heart.

“Bai Tongsheng likes Bai Shuangshuang—is that wrong?”

Bai Shuangshuang heard that final sentence and went blank, lifting her head in disbelief to stare at her with wide eyes.

Her gaze was more serious than it had ever been. “Bai Tongsheng likes Bai Shuangshuang—the kind of like that makes her want to start dating early.”

Then she kissed her forehead. “But now, it’s not early anymore.”

Bai Shuangshuang finally snapped out of it and shook her head frantically, tears spilling from her eyes. “This is wrong, A-Sheng. This is wrong!”

“Where’s the wrong part?”

Sobbing, she racked her brain for reasons—reasons that might convince her.

“I’m your sister.”

“You were adopted by my uncle. We’re not blood-related.”

“Then I’m still your sister!”

“Starting today, you’re not my sister anymore.”

“Bai Tongsheng!”

She held down her body as it tried to leap up. “Any other reasons? If not, I’m not giving you a chance to come up with any.”

“We’re both girls.”

“So?”

“This goes against the natural order!”

“Against what natural order? Rebel against what way? From now on, I am the natural order. I am the way!”

“You!”

Bai Tongsheng lowered her head until their foreheads touched. The affection in her eyes was so clear it was impossible to ignore.

“Bai Shuangshuang, you said yourself you’d give me something really important. Are you trying to back out now?”

She looked away, unable to face the depth of emotion in those eyes. “I’m not backing out.”

Bai Tongsheng’s lips curved slightly. “Then give me yourself.”

“To me, you’re the most important thing in the world. So I made a wish—that the most important thing in the world would belong completely and utterly to me from now on.”

“Can you tell me… can my wish come true?”

~~~

Bai Shuangshuang would rather Bai Tongsheng wanted to kill her like she had in her previous life. Anything would be better than spending the rest of her days with her in this new kind of relationship.

So she cursed her without holding back.

“Bai Tongsheng, you’re a total pervert!”

A pervert who had fallen for the girl she’d always called her sister.

Bai Tongsheng accepted the label gladly. Her eyebrows arched happily as she planted a kiss on Shuangshuang’s nose. “Mm, I’m a pervert. And I’m sick, too. So don’t make me mad, Shuangshuang. A sick pervert flying into a rage can be pretty terrifying.”

Bai Shuangshuang clapped a hand over her nose, her tear-stung eyes glaring daggers. “Don’t touch me!”

Bai Tongsheng just smiled at her without a word.

Her silence, and the way she leaned in again, made her refusal clear.

Realizing she couldn’t outmatch this kind of pervert, Bai Shuangshuang quickly calmed down. At last, she came up with a way to protect herself—for the time being, at least.

She laid down her ultimatum. “You can’t touch me again until after the Gaokao.”

Fearing Bai Tongsheng might refuse, she struck a pose that promised mutual destruction. “Bai Tongsheng! I’m not some pushover! Push me too far, and I don’t even know what I might do!”

The one clearly outmatched in every way pondered quietly for a few seconds. Amid Bai Shuangshuang’s tense anticipation, she nodded lightly.

“Okay.”

A surge of pride welled up in Bai Shuangshuang’s chest. She had actually intimidated this pervert into submission?!

Her triumph lasted only a few seconds before Bai Tongsheng’s voice cut through, laced with indulgence.

“I’m agreeing not because I’m scared of you.”

She let out a soft chuckle. “It’s because I like you, so I’m spoiling you.”

Bai Shuangshuang’s face flushed crimson. She clapped her hands over her ears like an ostrich burying its head in the sand and hissed in embarrassed fury, “Bai Tongsheng! Don’t ever say stuff like that again!”

Bai Tongsheng ached to kiss her. Shuangshuang’s shy, flustered expression was utterly endearing. But remembering her promise, she sighed and looked away.

One more glance, and she wouldn’t be able to hold herself back.

“Bai Shuangshuang, I’ll remember every bit of this.”

—Remembering how many times I wanted to kiss you.

—And collecting it all back with interest on the day the deadline ends.

~~~

“The noodles have turned to mush. I don’t want to eat them.”

For the first time, Bai Shuangshuang acted spoiled in front of Bai Tongsheng.

It was a privilege reserved for the one being cherished.

She had never spoken to Bai Tongsheng like this before. But somehow, everything that had just happened had gotten to her. Without thinking, the words simply slipped out.

Their dynamic had flipped a complete one-eighty. Bai Tongsheng was exceptionally indulgent with her, even taking great pleasure in Shuangshuang’s unwitting coquetry and little fits of pique.

“Then I won’t eat it.”

But she wouldn’t let it go. “I’m hungry, though!”

Bai Tongsheng smiled warmly. “Then I’ll go cook another bowl.”

By the time she came back downstairs with a fresh bowl of noodles, Bai Shuangshuang suddenly snapped out of it. What on earth had she just done?

Had she been possessed or something?!!!

Bai Tongsheng was back upstairs in no time, carrying the steaming bowl. She dragged a chair over and sat on the edge of the bed. As Shuangshuang reached for it, she pulled the bowl away. “I’ll feed you.”

“I have hands!”

She blew gently on the noodles pinched between her chopsticks to cool them, then held them to Shuangshuang’s lips, her gaze deep and unwavering. “This is my first time waiting on someone hand and foot.”

Of course, Shuangshuang knew what she meant. That stare made her skin crawl until Bai Tongsheng added, “Do you want this bowl to go cold too? Make me run another trip?”

“I wouldn’t mind. But on Gaokao results day, I’ll give you one extra kiss.”

“Bai Tongsheng!”

“So, are you eating or not?”

Grudgingly, under this pervert’s ministrations, Shuangshuang wolfed down the noodles at a pace more than fifty percent faster than usual.

She barely tasted them. Her attention was entirely consumed by that unrelenting gaze.

“Your bed’s not here!”

Bai Tongsheng switched off the light, yanked her into her arms, and pulled them both under the covers. “Starting now, this is our bed again.”

Shuangshuang wriggled in her embrace, but Bai Tongsheng suddenly pressed a hand to her lower belly. Her body went rigid. In the next instant, those fingers began gently kneading the slight swell from her full stomach.

“Don’t move. Let me rub your belly for you.”

The night was too dark, her resistance too feeble, and exhaustion too overwhelming.

Shuangshuang came up with a handful of perfectly good excuses for herself before finally, shamefully, giving in.