The rhythm had quietly shifted under Zhao Qingyu’s control, but it only lasted a moment.
Facing her half-hearted teasing—welcoming yet resistant—Shen An opted for the simplest, most direct approach: he reached out, his fingers brushing the zipper of Zhao Qingyu’s swimsuit.
He looked ready to pull it down, eager to glimpse the perfection hidden beneath that form-fitting fabric.
Zhao Qingyu didn’t stop him. She simply raised the slight curve of her lips a fraction higher and teased, “You seem pretty eager.”
“Mm, your swimsuit looks pretty good.”
Shen An’s fingers lingered on the zipper but never pulled it down.
Impulse urged him onward, while reason held him back.
At this stage, describing their relationship as mere friends or colleagues would be laughably self-delusional.
Even Zhao Qingyu’s so-called “high regard” had been shattered by this simmering ambiguity.
They both knew what the other wanted, yet they tacitly held back.
It was a matter of pride, buried deep in their hearts.
What did Zhao Qingyu want?
As early as last night, she’d hinted at it obliquely. What she felt went beyond mere liking—she wanted total possession.
That possessiveness had only grown stronger as their time together became more intimate and natural.
She’d said she wanted trust, but behind that word lay the promise of complete ownership.
That was Zhao Qingyu’s style through and through.
Anything that didn’t interest her wasn’t worth a glance, but anything that did? She’d stop at nothing to claim it.
Sharing? Out of the question, not even a toy or some trivial trinket.
He knew this all too well, which was why he held back.
Simple reason: no matter how beautiful one flower was, he wouldn’t abandon an entire field for it.
But he wasn’t that much of a cad.
More than that, what he truly valued was his own freedom.
Yes, at its core, it had nothing to do with feelings—it was about freedom.
That was Shen An’s pride, just as it was Zhao Qingyu’s.
Neither wanted to be bound by the other.
Zhao Qingyu seemed to sense this too. Her repeated advances were probes, chipping away at his freedom, trying to force a concession.
Shen An countered move for move, engaging in this tug-of-war without ever exposing their true intentions.
It had evolved into a subtle war now—a contest to see who would crack first and fall completely.
Normal relationships didn’t need to be this convoluted, but then again, she was Zhao Qingyu.
Shen An was still waiting for the right moment to slip a collar around her neck.
Zhao Qingyu’s breath hitched. In a mix of embarrassed anger and frustration, she slapped his hand away. “Coward!”
Shen An leaned back, hands behind his head. “Call me whatever you want.”
“Hmph.”
Zhao Qingyu stewed in her frustration with Shen An, so close to that final push.
But the swimsuit was getting unbearably uncomfortable. The steam in the room thickened, making it hard to breathe.
Overwhelmed by the muggy heat, she gritted her teeth and decided to undo it herself.
After all…
After all, she’d planned to show him anyway.
Otherwise, why bother with a swimsuit at all? She could’ve skipped it entirely and saved time.
The zipper slid down quietly, parting at the sides.
The sharp sound of it drew Shen An’s gaze like a starting whistle.
Zhao Qingyu caught his glance from the corner of her eye and felt a smug thrill at the barely restrained heat in his stare.
She took her time, drawing it out inch by inch, leaving plenty to the imagination—and making Shen An itch with impatience, tempted to take over.
Each inch revealed skin flushed pink from the steam, white yet rosy, tender as a blooming peach blossom. It was mesmerizing, mouthwatering.
The process was torture, but it kept Shen An hooked, waiting patiently.
Zhao Qingyu meant to play hard to get a little longer, but halfway down, the zipper jammed…
She tugged harder. It wouldn’t budge.
Zhao Qingyu: ……
Shen An: …….
In this crucial moment, their eyes met in silence.
Pfft.
Shen An broke first, letting out a laugh. His mocking snicker only made Zhao Qingyu grit her teeth and yank at the zipper head more furiously.
Damn it…
“Alright, careful—you’ll really break it at this rate.”
With a chuckle, Shen An leaned in to help, adjusting the swimsuit’s position before slowly easing the zipper down.
It wasn’t broken, just stuck. Zhao Qingyu’s frustrated tugs had nearly done the damage.
Zhao Qingyu grumbled irritably, “This stupid swimsuit—I’m tossing it one day!”
Shen An’s lips quirked up at that. “Hey, I thought every girl at the hot spring spa got one of these. Didn’t realize it was your personal stash, Senior Sister.”
This…
Zhao Qingyu’s mouth fell open, ready to bite the jerk to death.
With the zipper fully undone, Shen An smoothly helped her slip the swimsuit off, sparing her any more fumbling.
And as it came away, Zhao Qingyu’s curvaceous, sensual figure was laid bare before Shen An’s eyes.
Hiss…
So big…
So white…
Slurp…
Ahem.
He couldn’t be blamed for losing his composure—the sight was too damn hot!
Hidden beneath the swimsuit was an ultra-sexy wine-red bikini set, three pieces that left little to the imagination.
The wine-red lingerie intertwined with the creamy fairness of her skin, creating a striking and vivid contrast. Beneath her exquisite collarbone rose two lofty peaks, squeezed together so that a glimpse of pale flesh spilled out to either side. They could not contain the moon-pale purity that cascaded forth like a waterfall plunging three thousand feet, resembling a pair of full wine-red moons suspended in the night sky. Nestled in the valley between those peaks was a beauty mark, like a divine stroke of the brush—the sole pure hue amid the clash of colors.
From that beauty mark, smooth expanses of skin stretched outward, unbroken and inviting, dipping into a silver-lake hollow at her navel.
Deeply concealed, truly deeply concealed.
Shen An felt a pang of profound guilt. He had somehow projected the image of a barren basin onto Zhao Qingyu’s body.
Fortunately, she had a heart as broad as the sea and wouldn’t stoop to his level of pettiness.
Hoo~
Shen An stared and stared before hastily sitting down.
Zhao Qingyu blinked in bewilderment. What? Was it not appealing?
She glanced down at herself and saw nothing amiss.
Though she dressed boldly on ordinary days, a closer look revealed nothing truly exposed—just outfits laced with seductive allure.
Deep down, she leaned toward the conservative side.
It matched her personality: she seemed capricious and unbound, but in truth, she knew well how to weigh matters lightly or gravely.
She avoided exposure not because she lacked the figure for it, but simply because it wasn’t her style. She knew full well her body was flawless.
So…
This should have been a devastating blow, right?
Yet Shen An’s reaction…
Zhao Qingyu tilted her head, utterly perplexed.
Having dressed so daringly already left her feeling shy—how could she ask outright?
After some deliberation, she settled on a tactful question: “Is there something wrong?”
Shen An shook his head vigorously. “No problems at all.”
“Then…”
Then why did you suddenly sit down?
Indeed, Zhao Qingyu interpreted his abrupt seating as disinterest.
Otherwise, wouldn’t he at least try to take advantage?
She took a step forward, but Shen An raised a hand to stop her. “Don’t.”
“Hah?”
Zhao Qingyu furrowed her brows, her inner confusion deepening.
Was it no longer mere disinterest, but outright revulsion?
Indignant and baffled, she narrowed her eyes and snapped coldly, “If you dislike it that much, I’ll just put it back on so I’m not an eyesore!”
With that, she snatched up the swimsuit floating on the water’s surface.
Shen An tilted his head back to gaze at the ceiling. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
“Wrong about what!”
He wasn’t even looking anymore?
Unable to hold back, Zhao Qingyu vented her frustration. “Is it that ugly?”
“No, not ugly at all. On the contrary—it’s gorgeous.”
Shen An kept staring at the ceiling, silently giving Zhao Qingyu a thumbs-up. “Among all the girls I’ve known, you’re the most beautiful so far.”
In every way.
Zhao Qingyu eyed him skeptically and pursed her lips. “Don’t try to fool me.”
“No, I’m dead serious.”
Shen An swore earnestly.
“Then why won’t you look at me!”
Zhao Qingyu marched right up to him, cupping his face and forcing his gaze toward her.
She stood while he sat.
At that distance, in that position, the first thing to fill his vision was those two lofty, suspended moons.
Hiss.
Shen An sighed, a mix of helplessness and embarrassment. “Can’t you let me cool off a bit?”
He pointed downward.
“Hm?”
Perplexed, Zhao Qingyu instinctively followed his finger.
One second… two seconds… three seconds…
Whoosh.
Her cheeks flushed crimson as physiological knowledge flooded her mind. She released his face as if electrocuted and turned away silently. “Then I won’t disturb you.”
Shen An gazed heavenward in exasperation, a touch melancholic. “Should’ve worn looser pants…”
Yeah, it wasn’t that she wasn’t attractive—it was that she was too attractive.
It had his blood surging, reason barely holding the line.
After swimming laps in the center of the pool, Zhao Qingyu glanced his way and murmured, “Better now?”
Shen An shook his head. “Getting there.”
“You’re such a hassle!” Zhao Qingyu grumbled.
Shen An’s mouth twitched. “My fault?”
“Hmph, then I’ll put it on.”
Zhao Qingyu huffed in annoyance.
“No, don’t you dare put it on.” Shen An objected strenuously.
“Then endure it!”
Zhao Qingyu swam toward Shen An.
She couldn’t stand idling foolishly on the sidelines.
Beyond the lingering shyness, she also realized this was a golden opportunity.
How often did she get to see Shen An so meek, so utterly flustered?
She glided over languidly, surfacing under his watchful eyes. Water sprayed up, setting those moons quivering tremulously—as if they plummeted straight into his heart.
Hiss.
But Zhao Qingyu wasn’t satisfied. She sidled up beside him and slowly sat down.
Hiss~
That wasn’t all. After a moment’s thought, steeling her resolve, she reached out, hooked her arm around his, and clung tightly.
Soft—unprecedented softness, like an elf dancing in his heart.
Seeing this, Shen An shot her a wry look. “Senior Sister, you really have no shame.”
Zhao Qingyu arched a brow. “What did you say?”
Her tone carried a faint chill.
“Heh, you think I’m scared of embarrassing myself in front of you?” Shen An straightened up. “Not at all. In fact, I’d love to stare at you forever!”
With that, he whipped his head around, eyes locked unblinkingly on those swells.
That scorching gaze, though merely looking, felt as intimate as hands kneading.
Zhao Qingyu cracked first, hastily covering herself and whispering furiously, “Pervert!”
Shen An shrugged. “See? That’s exactly why I wanted you to keep your distance.”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t care if I went full nude right now—if not for your feelings.”
Zhao Qingyu’s lips curved playfully, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Then strip.”
Shen An’s face froze.
“I’m not afraid of you…”
“I’m not afraid.” Zhao Qingyu cut in.
“I’m telling you, I’m not joking…”
“I’m not afraid!”
Zhao Qingyu dropped her shielding hand and lifted her chin. “Go on, strip.”
Shen An gripped his waistband, pretending to yank it down.
But Zhao Qingyu didn’t flinch, didn’t even cover her eyes in shame.
Damn, she’d built up an immunity!
Now Shen An felt awkward.
Zhao Qingyu fixed him with a stare, provocation and teasing brimming in her eyes.
“Uh, Senior Sister, we’re here to soak in the bath. No need to get hung up on stripping, right?”
Shen An humbly draped an arm around her shoulders.
Zhao Qingyu pursed her lips and snorted haughtily. “Coward.”
Shen An: ……
“Yeah, I’m a coward.”
No helping it—he was done for this time.
Shen An nodded in admission.
But at his rare meekness, Zhao Qingyu didn’t press further. She quietly leaned against him, letting the topic drop.
Yeah, who said her own heart wasn’t racing?
