Chapter 33

This wasn’t the first time Bai Shuangshuang had waited for someone here, but she’d never felt this nervous before.

Bai Tongsheng’s words from yesterday had kept her up all night.

She was a model student who never arrived late or left early for class—skipping altogether was simply unthinkable.

But today, for the first time ever, she’d nodded off in the middle of a lecture in the massive auditorium, unable to fight the drowsiness any longer.

Luckily, there was only one big class that morning. Once it ended, Shuangshuang dragged herself to the vending machine and bought a cup of coffee, finally shaking off the fog.

Jiang Chan knew Bai Tongsheng was coming and had said something utterly baffling.

“Oh, your little sister’s Gaokao is over, huh? So if she wants to start dating now, it wouldn’t count as puppy love anymore, right?”

When Shuangshuang pressed her for an explanation, Jiang Chan just smiled enigmatically, as if to say she’d figure it out soon enough.

Those words reminded Shuangshuang of what she’d said herself on Tongsheng’s eighteenth birthday. It seemed that deadline had now passed.

The thought only made her more uneasy.

“Bai Shuangshuang.”

The voice came out of nowhere right by her ear. She jumped, but before she could even turn, the other girl had slipped an arm around her lower back and, under the stares of everyone around them, calmly pulled her into an embrace.

Sensing the eyes on them, Shuangshuang quickly pulled away, her cheeks flushing. “A-Sheng, when did you get here?”

Resisting the urge to take a nip at that tempting spot, Tongsheng took her hand instead. “Just now. Come on, let’s drop off your luggage first.”

“You already booked a hotel?”

“Yeah, right by your school. I’ll be staying a week.”

Shuangshuang blinked in surprise. “Does Auntie know? I thought you’d only be here two or three days.”

Unable to hold back, Tongsheng leaned down as if whispering something in her ear—at least, that’s how it looked to onlookers. But Shuangshuang knew exactly what she’d done.

“Trust me, if I didn’t have to go back, I’d stay until your break starts.”

The spot she’d nipped burned like fire. Mortified and annoyed, Shuangshuang touched her earlobe self-consciously and hissed under her breath, “A-Sheng! Don’t bite my ear!”

Tongsheng was in high spirits. With a quick motion, she intertwined their fingers.

“Bai Shuangshuang, the Gaokao is over.”

Shuangshuang had been about to protest the overly intimate hand-holding, but those words chased every other thought from her mind.

Tongsheng didn’t press the topic further. Some things were already firmly in her grasp; there was no rush to stake her full claim just yet.

~~~

By the time they wandered back to the hotel, it was nearly eleven.

Fortunately, tomorrow was the weekend—no need to worry about oversleeping and being late.

While Tongsheng showered, Shuangshuang, with nothing better to do, tidied up her suitcase.

She’d just folded the last pair of pants when arms wrapped around her from behind. Tongsheng rested her chin on Shuangshuang’s soft black hair. “Bai Shuangshuang, I’m done.”

Shuangshuang caught the fresh scent of body wash wafting from her. She shot to her feet, face burning, snatched the clean clothes draped over the bedfoot, and fled to the bathroom. “I—I’m going to shower.”

Tongsheng chuckled softly, glancing at the neatly organized suitcase with gentle eyes full of warmth.

Shuangshuang took her sweet time in the shower, but eventually, even that came to an end.

Tongsheng didn’t rush her from the other room for once, as if she understood exactly why Shuangshuang was dragging her feet.

When she finally pushed open the bathroom door, the room lights were off. The curtains were open, letting moonlight spill in and cast silvery patterns across the floor.

The dimness helped calm her nerves a little.

Shuangshuang shuffled toward the bed. She was barely at the edge when the girl who’d been idly scrolling on her phone looked up, set it aside, and yanked her down onto the mattress.

Tongsheng leaned back against the headboard, pinning Shuangshuang’s hands and forcing her body forward against hers. Though Tongsheng looked like the one in control, half-pinned beneath her, Shuangshuang couldn’t shake the feeling that she was the one truly holding all the cards.

Nerves flooding back, Shuangshuang tried to pull her hands free and scoot away, but the moment the thought crossed her mind, Tongsheng gently cupped her chin.

It didn’t hurt, but the grip was firm enough to hold her in place.

“A-A-Sheng,” she stammered.

Tongsheng leaned in, brushing her lips lightly against Shuangshuang’s before pulling back.

“Let me tally up how many you still owe me. Bai Shuangshuang, that’s one.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she closed the distance again, tasting briefly before parting once more.

“That’s two. Now, you count for me.”

Bai Shuangshuang had completely lost track of where she was. Her mind was a total blank from Tongsheng’s actions.

She kissed her a third time and murmured, “Answer me. How many is this?”

No one replied. She lifted her eyelids and saw the dazed expression on the face before her. She stopped teasing and pinned her down with a grin. “I’ll pay back the rest all at once.”

By the time Bai Shuangshuang remembered how to breathe, her hands were already resting on the other’s waist. She felt like someone bewitched by a siren, willingly plunging into the depths together.

Ambiguous gasps and moans rose and fell intermittently in the little room, so sultry that even the bright moon overhead blushed and hid behind the clouds.

Bai Tongsheng nipped at her plump, glistening lips. She’d bite down, then release, only to bite again and release once more—over and over, as if she could never taste enough, as if she’d gladly drown in this bliss forever.

Hotter than her own heartbeat was her partner’s breath. Louder than her pulse were her partner’s moans.

“Bai Shuangshuang, why do I like you so much?”

“Bai Shuangshuang.”

“Bai Shuangshuang.”

One after another, each call laced with the speaker’s deep, fervent love—as if she longed to etch those three words into her very bones.

“Bai Shuangshuang, you like me too, right?”

“You don’t have to like me a lot. Just a little. A tiny bit is enough.”

“Bai Shuangshuang.”

“Bai Shuangshuang.”

Who reached out first?

Who pulled the other close?

And who was it that responded so tenderly?

“Who told you I don’t like you?”

~~~

When Bai Shuangshuang woke, the room was empty.

For a moment, she felt utterly deceived.

Just then, the door swung open, wafting in the aroma of food.

The same person who’d whispered such blush-inducing sweet nothings the night before greeted her with perfect composure. “You’re awake?”

Bai Shuangshuang stared at her for several seconds, struggling to reconcile this woman with the one from last night.

It was just that Bai Tongsheng looked far too calm right now.

Nothing at all like the girl who’d clutched her tight, pleading so desperately—half aggrieved, half eager—for even the tiniest scrap of affection in return.

But Bai Shuangshuang soon realized she’d misjudged her.

Bai Tongsheng finished fastening the last button on her sleepshirt, her demeanor utterly cool and collected. No one would guess that moments ago, she’d pinned her to the bed and devoured her mouth ravenously for minutes on end. “Clothes-wearing beast” fit her to a tee.

“Time to eat. The food’s getting cold.”

Bai Shuangshuang glowered at her. “Whose fault is that!”

Bai Tongsheng shot her a glance. “Don’t tempt me—unless you don’t want dinner at all.”

“…”

“Bai Tongsheng! You’re a crazy lunatic!”

“Mm, noted. Next time, I’ll be even crazier.”

“…”

She couldn’t win. She really thought too highly of herself.

~~~

“Is this… us dating?”

Bai Tongsheng’s gaze darkened. “Want to return the goods?”

Bai Shuangshuang kicked at her, cheeks flaming as she hissed, “What are you even saying? When did I accept delivery!”

She caught her foot with ease, set it down, then undid one button right in front of her. “I’m an adult. If you want to accept delivery, I don’t mind.”

A pillow smashed into her face.

“Bai Tongsheng! Pervert!”

She stopped teasing, picked up the pillow, and set it neatly beside the other one. Then she leaned in close and let go of the button. “Button it for me.”

Bai Shuangshuang leaned forward. The moment her fingers touched Tongsheng’s shirt, their lips met again.

Bai Shuangshuang collapsed bonelessly onto the bed and rasped, “Bai Tongsheng! Is that all that’s in your head!”

Bai Tongsheng buttoned up herself, then bent down and planted a kiss on her flushed little nose. “Of course I should do things I like with the person I like. Or rather… things a girlfriend should do with her girlfriend.”

That last word silenced Bai Shuangshuang completely.

Her face burned crimson. She slapped both hands over her eyes, too embarrassed to look at Bai Tongsheng.

So Bai Tongsheng kissed her hand backs instead—one kiss per word.

“Girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend.”

“My girlfriend.”

Bai Shuangshuang yelped and dropped her hands. Her face was as red as a cherry bomb about to blow, her voice soft and petulant. “Shut up! Don’t say it again!”

Bai Tongsheng adored her like this. She leaned in closer, coaxing softly, “Tell me, who’s my girlfriend?”

Bai Shuangshuang’s eyes darted away evasively. She wouldn’t meet her gaze or say a word.

“Come on, tell me.”

She nuzzled her little nose against hers. “Who is my girlfriend?”

Bai Shuangshuang forced out a barely audible syllable. “Uh… me.”

“And who are you?”

She clammed up and refused to say another word.

She nuzzled her again. “Who are you?”

“Bai… Bai Shuangshuang.”

“Good girl. Here’s your reward.”

The kiss was scorching hot, and Bai Shuangshuang couldn’t bring herself to refuse it.

In just one short week, she came to truly understand the terrifying consequences of unleashing a wolf that had been caged and starved of desire for years.

~~~

“I’m waiting for you at home. The moment vacation starts, come straight back to me.”

“Mm.”

“If you miss me, give me a call. I’m available twenty-four hours a day.”

Bai Shuangshuang’s face heated up. “I got it, I got it. Just go already.”

Bai Tongsheng’s gaze turned shadowed. “We won’t see each other for a whole month. No goodbye kiss?”

She immediately took a step back and shot her a glare. “Do you think it’s just the two of us here? Everyone’s watching.”

Bai Tongsheng watched that instinctive retreat, and every trace of a smile vanished from her face. “Bai Shuangshuang, even if a million people were watching, I could still kiss you right out in the open.”

She fell silent after that, as if that fleeting glimpse of vulnerability and sorrow had only been an illusion. “I’m heading out. See you.”

“A-Sheng.”

Bai Tongsheng turned back with calm composure, only for a warm touch to brush her cheek.

“If it’s you… then I can too.”