Chapter 111: A Kiss Upon Your Wound

But now, Ji Zhenshi couldn’t care less about any of that. While brushing her teeth, she eagerly grabbed Li Yunli’s inner shirt with both hands, desperate to claim the sweet treat her lover had just promised.

Those hands moved with uncanny precision, quick and nimble—Li Yunli couldn’t even catch them.

“Ji Zhenshi!”

Mortified and exasperated, Li Yunli soon found her clothes in disarray, her slender shoulders bared, revealing a expanse of snowy white skin.

Li Yunli pushed her away. With great reluctance, she murmured, “In a bit… okay?”

But a drunk Ji Zhenshi was hardly the reasonable type. She barreled ahead recklessly, and Li Yunli didn’t dare struggle too much, fearing she’d aggravate the injury on her back.

Warm, soft lips finally descended upon the treat Li Yunli knew she’d been craving. Li Yunli tilted back her graceful neck slightly, letting Ji Zhenshi have her way for quite some time.

Clothes slipped to the floor, breaths mingled hotly. The willful one, spoiled beyond measure, had lost all sense of restraint.

Li Yunli’s eyes fluttered shut as she panted out a soft complaint. “You’re so unreasonable.”

Her protest only invited more unreasonable behavior. Her body went limp and aching, and though Li Yunli allowed it once, she quickly refused to let Ji Zhenshi continue her antics. “Enough. You have an injury—you can’t.”

Ji Zhenshi released the reddened fruit. “No…”

“No!” Li Yunli firmly pulled her clothes back on and slid down from the bathroom counter. Her dangling legs finally touched solid ground, and she braced her waist, taking several seconds to steady herself.

Her eyes, rims flushed red, shot Ji Zhenshi several glares. “You were so much more obedient back when you had muscle weakness.”

Back then, she’d cling to Li Yunli and cry, needing plenty of coaxing.

Now, it was all or nothing—no holding back.

“Do you share your sweet treats with others too? Do they get to taste it as well?” Ji Zhenshi suddenly looked up, asking a question that came completely out of left field.

Her train of thought was oddly circuitous. She’d already leaped to the matter of Li Yunli wanting a child earlier, so she fretted that her exclusive treat might be shared with someone else.

Li Yunli glanced down at the snowy expanse now marked with blemishes. Patiently, she replied, “Big Sis only lets Xiao Zhen devour her. Only for you.”

“And from now on, it’ll only be mine?” Ji Zhenshi pressed.

It was something that hadn’t even come to pass yet, and here she was, already worrying.

Li Yunli couldn’t quite grasp what was on her mind. She coaxed her through the rest of their bedtime routine and back to the bedroom, where Ji Zhenshi had to lie prone again. She burrowed into the covers, poking her head out, her big eyes swiveling to fix on Li Yunli. She even smacked her lips.

The sweet treat she’d just been promised!

Under Ji Zhenshi’s gaze, Li Yunli instinctively clutched her chest. “That’s enough. You’ll have tendon sheath inflammation by tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Disappointed, Ji Zhenshi uttered a soft response and obediently closed her eyes to sleep.

“…”

Surprisingly well-behaved.

Li Yunli blinked in mild surprise. “So obedient? Do you even know where you are?”

How could she be so utterly at ease in a completely unfamiliar place, as if it were her own home?

Ji Zhenshi nuzzled into the familiar scent wafting from the bedding, but she didn’t reply.

In her subconscious, there was no difference between here and the coffee shop—it all smelled like Li Yunli.

Watching as Ji Zhenshi quietly drifted toward sleep, Li Yunli smiled softly and murmured, “Not crying for once… it’s almost unsettling.”

She used to cry every time she got drunk. Now she just went straight to bed like a good girl.

Li Yunli watched her for a good while longer. Then she crouched down and retrieved a small box from under the pillow. Inside lay the anklet and ring Ji Zhenshi had snapped in a fit of anger, resting safely.

Back then, Ji Zhenshi had flung them away in a clean break, even injuring herself in the process just to tear off the anklet. Yet Li Yunli had swallowed her bitterness and carefully collected them anyway.

She’d even rewoven the broken anklet, tying a peace buckle to it—a token meant to turn calamity into fortune.

If Ji Zhenshi looked closely, she’d notice that the peace buckle matched the pendant on Hihi’s necklace exactly.

Every detail bespoke Li Yunli’s tender care, her deepest affections laid bare. When Ji Zhenshi rejected them, Li Yunli had painstakingly gathered them back, one piece at a time, keeping them close to her heart.

She had eyes only for Ji Zhenshi—no one else. Her heart belonged solely to her, treating her like family.

Gazing at Ji Zhenshi’s ankle, Li Yunli refastened the anklet. She picked up the ring and took hold of Ji Zhenshi’s hand, intending to slip it back on while she slept.

But after a moment’s thought, she set the ring aside.

Leaning in gently, Li Yunli kissed the wound on Ji Zhenshi’s back. “Good night,” she whispered tenderly.

A kiss upon your wound, in hopes of sharing your pain.

That night, Li Yunli finally got her wish: holding her beloved in the home she’d prepared for so long, drifting off to sleep in each other’s arms.

She knew full well that all the insurmountable obstacles remained. The only change was that she and Ji Zhenshi would never part again.

Li Yunli wouldn’t let go of her hand. Bathed in moonlight, she thought it for the countlessth time.

No one but herself knew the agony she’d endured these past six months. And the secret buried deepest in her heart would stay hidden forever.

Namely, that when Grandma Zhang Fenglan came to see her, Li Yunli had already reached her breaking point. Every day was torment. Obsessively, she’d pored over the notebook filled with memories of their time together, every photo stained with her profound longing. She’d taken out the ring and anklet she kept close countless times, staring at them.

That was why Li Yunli—so stubbornly convinced she was doing right by Ji Zhenshi—had let Grandma’s few words sway her. When enlightenment finally dawned, she couldn’t say whether regret for her mistake weighed heavier or the unbearable void of life without Ji Zhenshi.

Truth be told, she truly couldn’t hold on any longer.

Grandma had given her a way forward, an excuse to atone.

Six months had been her absolute limit. The longer it went on, the less she adjusted to Ji Zhenshi’s absence—it only made each day drag on like a year.

So, good night, Xiao Zhen.

So, I love you so much, Xiao Zhen.

…

The next morning, Li Yunli rose early to prepare breakfast.

She’d just turned off the stove when, from the corner of her eye, she spotted someone peeking tentatively from the bedroom doorway, one hand on her waist. She couldn’t stand fully upright, forced to hunch a bit, yet she kept craning her neck out only to duck back in.

After a night’s sleep, the realization had finally dawned: this was an unfamiliar place.

Li Yunli’s lips curved upward ever so slightly. Pretending not to notice, she wondered what the girl would do next—but her peripheral vision never left her, her eyes shimmering with amusement.

Hihi tugged at her pant leg. Li Yunli scooped up the kitten and whispered to her, “Is our Hihi hungry too? Go eat your kibble first, then you can have fish treats. No being picky.”

In the end, Ji Zhenshi stepped out of the room. She scratched her head sheepishly. “So this is Sister A-Yun’s new place? Nice. Pretty spacious.”

It was leagues beyond the cramped rental she’d lived in.

Seeing the home Li Yunli had described firsthand made Ji Zhenshi’s heart stir even more. This was her dream home. Especially catching Li Yunli in the kitchen making breakfast—it took her back to their days living above the coffee shop.

Li Yunli brought out the meal, her first concern Ji Zhenshi’s injury. “Feeling any better?”

Ji Zhenshi gripped the chair back and, without a second thought, snaked an arm around Li Yunli’s waist, nestling into her embrace with a whine. “It hurts. Feels worse than before. But it’s fine—doesn’t stop me from walking normally. I’ll head to the hospital later for the doctor to check it. My meds ran out anyway; time for a refill.”

She exuded such a devoted wife vibe, apron-clad and whipping up breakfast first thing. One glance, and no one could look away. Pure homemaker charm.

“Then I’ll go with you.” Li Yunli patted Ji Zhenshi’s head, her voice soft and coaxing. “What’s wrong, good child? Hungover headache?”

Cherishing the moment, Ji Zhenshi hugged Li Yunli tightly, her heart melting.

She wanted to keep this Sister A-Yun forever and always.

If only they could hide away somewhere no one could find them, loving in secret—maybe then they’d avoid all these uncontrollable hardships.

Li Yunli watched as the girl nuzzled and fidgeted in her arms without a word. She tilted Ji Zhenshi’s chin up with a gentle gaze. “Hmm? Where doesn’t feel good?”

Ji Zhenshi toyed with the edge of Li Yunli’s apron, lost in the moment. “Nowhere hurts. Just… you look so beautiful.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” Li Yunli’s smile deepened at the words. “But I figured you’d wake up shocked in a strange place. Didn’t expect your focus to be this. Such a sweet talker—you leave me at a loss.”

“Nah, wherever you are is home to me. Why be surprised? What surprises me is how gorgeous my wife is, making me breakfast. I’m the luckiest.” Sweet nothings flowed effortlessly from Ji Zhenshi’s lips, as if she’d never given her the cold shoulder before.

Fully unleashed, she bared her truest self.

She craved Li Yunli, body and soul.

Li Yunli glanced sideways. Ji Zhenshi’s smug expression was far too brazen. “Who said I’m your wife?”

The one who’d rejected even the ring was calling her wife already.

“You will be—soon enough!” Ji Zhenshi declared with utter confidence.

Li Yunli chuckled lightly and didn’t indulge the honeyed words further. Instead, she took Ji Zhenshi’s hand. “Come here. Your toothbrush and towel are right here—you used them last night. No need for me to help you brush now, right?”

She gave her a tour of the essentials, then casually lifted the hem of Ji Zhenshi’s shirt to confirm no fresh bleeding before relaxing.

“Wait— Sister A-Yun, that’s a bit aggressive!” Ji Zhenshi’s eyes widened. She hadn’t even had time to clutch her shirt, and Li Yunli had exposed everything underneath—nothing worn there from the night before.

Still reeling, Ji Zhenshi couldn’t believe her usually reserved and demure Sister A-Yun could lift her shirt without batting an eye.

Seeing her act all prim and proper like some virtuous lady, Li Yunli narrowed her eyes meaningfully, words hovering on her tongue before she held back.

Finally, she couldn’t resist. “Who could be more aggressive than you? Xiao Zhen, you’ve grown up, huh? No more milk for you—you prefer sweet treats now?”

Ji Zhenshi fixated on that one spot, utterly devoted to it.

Li Yunli didn’t think her own were exceptionally large—just normally full and shapely. Yet Ji Zhenshi adored lavishing attention there, nipping and teasing, leaving marks that took days to fade.

“Huh?” Ji Zhenshi raised a brow, not quite catching on.

“Your favorite sweet treat.” Li Yunli turned to leave.

“Wait.” Ji Zhenshi pulled Li Yunli back by the waist, drawing her into her arms. “Everything here comes in doubles, waiting for me to move in, right?”

Without hesitation, Li Yunli nodded candidly. “Yeah. From the day I rented this place, I’ve been waiting for you to cool off and join me.”

Every step of her plan had included Ji Zhenshi.

Now it was Ji Zhenshi who felt flustered, stunned for a second. Li Yunli reached out, playfully tracing her chin with a fingertip. “I’ve been waiting for you all along. So, what’s wrong?”

Ji Zhenshi, I’ve been waiting for you.

You kissed me first, giving me a chance to love you. You started shattering those worldly chains—so you have to love me to the end.

That one kiss had become an eternal bond.

Ji Zhenshi’s hand on her waist was enveloped by warmer fingers. Li Yunli smiled. “Has Xiao Zhen gone speechless?”

“Actually, I’m worried…”

“Worried your mom will find out we’re living together and come make trouble, right?”

Li Yunli had already seen through Ji Zhenshi’s hesitation.

Turning fully, she cupped Ji Zhenshi’s cheek, her gaze warm as spring waters. “It’s fine. I’m not worried anymore. In my eyes, Xiao Zhen can handle it. Of course, I’ll be right there with you. I’m no longer the helpless mute she called me. I’ve broken free from my father’s family, opened a second shop with even better income. We have an adorable cat, and within my means, I’ve given you the best home possible. We’re happy—that reality gives me all the confidence I need.”

They were meant to be happy. Why separate?

Yang Ying couldn’t find a better match.

Ji Zhenshi stared, stunned for seconds, on the verge of tears. “You finally…”

Li Yunli soothed her. “Finally what? Everyone has the right to make mistakes—it’s how we grow, isn’t it? I’m six years older, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get lost or mess up. I’m not pretending to be noble. I just wanted the best for you too badly.”

She hadn’t planned to explain, but Ji Zhenshi calling her hypocritical had lodged like a thorn. She had to clear it up.

“Sorry. I was too harsh.” Ji Zhenshi apologized.

“All good. I forgive you.” Li Yunli ruffled her hair. “Just don’t go to those business dinners anymore—they’re dangerous. Even without getting hurt or dealing with Zheng Siqi, don’t go. If Miss Tang can’t give you the stage you want later, I’ll pour everything I have into letting you play violin on one. Now I have the means to say that. Xiao Zhen, that’s the biggest reason I feel recovering matters.”

“Mm. Thanks, Sister A-Yun.”

“I’m the one who should thank you for loving me.”

“Then we’re even.”

“Go brush your teeth. Your clothes are on the rack. Hospital after.”

Li Yunli slipped from her embrace and opened the door to leave.

Ji Zhenshi changed and emerged to find Li Yunli seated at the breakfast table.

Suddenly shy, Ji Zhenshi pulled out a chair and sat across from her, fidgeting and hesitating. She started to speak several times but held back.

Li Yunli caught it from the corner of her eye. “Eat up. Daydreaming?”

“Oh.” Disheartened, Ji Zhenshi picked up her spoon, but she ate without tasting it, squirming uncomfortably.

Li Yunli noticed and seemed to guess the cause—probably spotted it while changing.

But she said nothing, waiting for Ji Zhenshi to bring it up herself.

Calmly taking a bite of her steamed bun, Li Yunli wondered how long the girl would stew.

The same one who’d been so defiant before was now a picture of embarrassment.

After an eternity—by which time Li Yunli had set down her bowl and chopsticks—Ji Zhenshi finally mumbled awkwardly. “Sister A-Yun…”

“Um… earlier…”

“I just saw the anklet on my foot, so… what about my ring…?”

She stammered through the sentence, pausing for breath multiple times. Li Yunli crossed her arms, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she watched the awkward display.

How deeply she’d wounded her back then…

She’d tossed them right in front of her to spite her, utterly ruthless.

Li Yunli had cried uncontrollably even as she fished the dripping ring from the wineglass, wiping it carefully and tucking it away. Her heart had ached like a knife twist as she painstakingly cleaned and repaired the anklet bit by bit.

And that morning after, Ji Zhenshi hadn’t even asked about them.

That very night, she’d gone to the bar chasing other women. Li Yunli had endured unimaginable pain caring for her while salvaging those discarded tokens of love.

Xiao Zhen, you can’t fathom how pathetic and helpless I felt then. So this is just a little payback.