Ji Zhenshi had somehow become fluent in communicating with her without any barriers, though she always claimed she couldn’t understand sign language whenever she threw a tantrum and refused to talk. But how could someone who could argue with her in sign language possibly not understand it?
Without Li Yunli noticing, Ji Zhenshi had silently mastered seamless communication with her, like a gentle rain nourishing the earth unnoticed. What started as simple text exchanges had evolved into heated debates at the drop of a hat.
It was all because Ji Zhenshi had secretly learned sign language to accommodate her.
Ji Zhenshi had done far more than she could have imagined.
The sign language book showed clear signs of frequent use. It was hard to picture Ji Zhenshi starting from scratch amid her busy schedule, diving into something so unfamiliar—she must have struggled to adapt at first.
People often took things for granted; it was human nature. Even someone as perceptive as Li Yunli hadn’t realized this until now.
Li Yunli’s emotions churned as she stared at the book for a long while before quietly putting it back. She straightened Ji Zhenshi’s backpack a bit, then turned and climbed the stairs to the loft.
“Sister A-Yun, you’re so slow. I was about to fall asleep,” Ji Zhenshi said. She had already showered and was sitting on the bed watching videos. She only pulled off her earbuds when she heard footsteps coming up.
Her eyes always burned with such intense heat, wrapping around anyone they landed on. Li Yunli stood at the doorway, scorched by that gaze.
She looked away awkwardly. “I always close up at this time. It’s only nine-thirty. Is that late? You don’t head to bed until the early hours at school, right?”
Ji Zhenshi patted the spot beside her, signaling that she’d already warmed the bed. Then, with drooping eyes, she wheedled playfully, “I’m tired today, you know. Sure, I’m young, but I can’t run on infinite energy. Come on, keep me company while I sleep.”
“Mm. If you’re sleepy, go ahead and rest. I’ll join you in a bit.” Li Yunli stepped inside and opened the wardrobe to grab her pajamas. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the glasses of milk Ji Zhenshi had prepared—two of them, with one already drunk.
She had a habit of drinking a glass before bed, but tonight, lost in old memories and low spirits, she’d forgotten all about it.
This little rascal seemed so carefree and oblivious to details, but in truth, her thoughtfulness ran deep. She was incredibly considerate.
Whoever ended up with her would be truly blessed.
Li Yunli had thought this countless times—and envied that person just as often.
Ji Zhenshi grinned triumphantly. “See? Hurry up. I’ve warmed the sheets for you—pretty thoughtful, right? Full bed-warming service.”
Li Yunli couldn’t help but smile helplessly. She had no intention of praising Ji Zhenshi’s so-called thoughtfulness. Head down, pajamas in hand, she headed for the bedroom door.
It was midsummer, after all. Ji Zhenshi’s bed-warming antics weren’t exactly considerate.
The girl was a walking furnace. Even with the AC on, sleeping next to her meant cranking it down two degrees lower. And yet here she was, “warming the bed”?
“Li Yunli! You have to praise me.” Seeing Li Yunli unmoved, Ji Zhenshi sensed something off about her mood tonight. She threw back the covers and stood up on the bed.
Towering over her like that, she made her outrageous demand with utter shamelessness.
Li Yunli turned back reluctantly, only to see that Ji Zhenshi wasn’t in pajamas at all. Instead, she wore one of Li Yunli’s own shirts from some forgotten visit—oversized, with the top two buttons undone, revealing an enviably tempting glimpse of skin.
Anyone would think she was trying to seduce someone.
Li Yunli rubbed her forehead, eyeing Ji Zhenshi with strained patience. “Itching for a spanking, are we?”
“I don’t care. You can’t exactly kick me out of bed, can you?” Ji Zhenshi arched a brow, clearly pushing her luck.
Even if Li Yunli got mad, she’d never actually hit her… right?
Not that she’d really punish her, Ji Zhenshi amended silently in her mind. After all, she still remembered the time at the mall when she’d teased Li Yunli too far and gotten swatted for it. She knew even the gentlest person would fight back if pushed.
At that, Li Yunli suddenly smiled—a smile that could upend the world under the dim yellow light.
The next instant, she signed, “Go ahead and try. There are plenty of sofas downstairs. Take your pick.”
Such a silent threat was the deadliest kind.
Ji Zhenshi deflated instantly, flipping her attitude faster than turning a page. She switched to a pitiful whine. “This is how you treat me? Sister A-Yun, you’ve changed. You weren’t like this before. Have you found some new little sister, so now you’re out of patience with this old one?”
“…”
“Only you.” Li Yunli was thoroughly disarmed, correcting her gently.
From start to finish, it had always been just Ji Zhenshi.
Dealing with one Ji Zhenshi was already more than she could handle—she was constantly spun around by her antics. Adding a new “little sister” to the mix? No thanks.
Ji Zhenshi leaned on the bed’s edge, her upper body inching closer. “Really?”
Li Yunli thought she could slap a pair of cat ears on her right then—she looked so adorably obedient in that moment, impossible not to pet.
She nodded. Then, thinking of the sign language book in Ji Zhenshi’s bag, she signed suddenly, “Xiao Zhen, you’re amazing.”
With that, Li Yunli turned and slipped into the bedroom, leaving no room for a response.
Huh?
Ji Zhenshi blinked in confusion. Li Yunli had just praised her out of nowhere—something even her earlier shameless begging hadn’t earned. It left her utterly thrown.
What was so amazing about her?
Puzzled, she suddenly remembered something. Barefoot, she hopped to the bathroom door. “Sister A-Yun, I forgot to tell you—when I showered, I noticed the water heater’s acting up. It’s sparking, so I unplugged it. Don’t plug it back in…”
Before she could finish, a sharp click echoed—the breaker tripping. Darkness swallowed the room.
Even the bathroom light went out, leaving only the patter of running water. Ji Zhenshi held her breath, hearing nothing else from inside.
“Sister A-Yun? You okay?” She called tentatively, pausing for two seconds before realizing Li Yunli couldn’t speak anyway. What response was she expecting?
But the water heater was electrified!
Ji Zhenshi’s heart raced in panic. She knocked lightly. “Sister A-Yun?”
How could Li Yunli possibly answer? Mute and suddenly plunged into darkness, the unexpected accident threw Ji Zhenshi into full-blown alarm.
There was still water running. Had Li Yunli been shocked?
It wasn’t impossible!
“I’m coming in…” Eyes squeezed shut, Ji Zhenshi braced herself and pushed open the bathroom door.
Li Yunli usually had the place to herself, and even when Ji Zhenshi was around, she trusted her enough not to lock it.
The door swung open to reveal a shadowy silhouette in the dimness, along with the unmistakable haze of steam.
“Xiao Zhen… get out first.” Li Yunli covered her private areas, her face burning with shame as she forced her hands to sign.
Utterly naked, she wanted to melt into the floor.
She’d heard the noise and was fumbling for her phone to reply to Ji Zhenshi when the girl burst in before she could grab it.
The light was faint, but Li Yunli was completely exposed. Shocked and mortified, she just wanted Ji Zhenshi gone.
There wasn’t enough light for Ji Zhenshi to read signs clearly. She stepped forward two paces and caught Li Yunli’s wrist precisely, her voice urgent. “Sister A-Yun, are you okay? Did you get shocked? I was trying to warn you. It’s probably just tripped the breaker now—no worries, don’t be scared.”
Li Yunli found herself pulled into an embrace. Both barefoot and scantily clad—especially Li Yunli, naked—their heated skin pressed together. Her earlobes flushed crimson, hot enough to bleed.
She grabbed the girl’s collar to steady herself and signed, “I’m not scared…”
But Ji Zhenshi was solely focused on her safety, oblivious to the intimate friction or Li Yunli’s signs. She just hooked an arm around Li Yunli’s waist, soothing her tenderly. “Unplug it for a bit, then flip the breaker back— it’ll be fine. Don’t rush. Shut off the water first; no cold showers.”
Li Yunli desperately wanted to say she wasn’t scared at all. This had happened several times when Ji Zhenshi wasn’t around, and she handled it herself.
Ji Zhenshi’s sudden intrusion was what had her flustered.
Hot breath ghosted her ear. Li Yunli pushed silently at Ji Zhenshi’s shoulder, trying to create distance.
She had never exposed herself like this to Ji Zhenshi before. In the dim atmosphere, secret feelings stirred, her heartbeat threatening to betray her.
Li Yunli bit her soft lips hard. Struggling, she parted them to stop this absurd farce. “Ji Zhenshi…”
No sound escaped—only her breath against Ji Zhenshi’s ear, her trembling fingertips barely holding the collar.
“Don’t rush…” Afraid Li Yunli might slip, Ji Zhenshi noted they were both barefoot; a fall could drag them both down. She held her tighter, retreating to a dry spot.
Only then did she register how impossibly soft and warm the body in her arms was. Looking down, she realized Li Yunli was naked, even glimpsing deep crimson peaks on snow-white skin.
Li Yunli had been wet; holding her this long soaked Ji Zhenshi’s clothes too. Their scorching bodies rubbed together, sparking indescribable thrills.
Li Yunli was fragrant and yielding—she didn’t want to let go.
Summer night fireflies flickered outside as steam faded, leaving only their rising temperatures and an ambiguously intimate pose.
With such softness in her arms, Ji Zhenshi felt shy, but more than that, reluctant to release her.
She knew she was despicable. She was well aware this was disrespectful to Li Yunli, yet those graceful curves left her unable to stay unmoved.
Suppressed desire ignited. She wanted to claim Li Yunli, body and soul. Love brought longing, possessiveness.
Was this the moment they’d cross beyond sisterly bonds?
“Sorry… I just…” Ji Zhenshi opened her mouth, trying to defuse her “pervy” bathroom crash with some excuse.
Halfway through, a hand clamped over her mouth. The fragrant warmth in her arms pushed at her shoulder, silently demanding she remove the arm from her waist.
So mortifying…
Did Ji Zhenshi not realize how embarrassed she was?
Was catching her naked a good time to chat?
Ji Zhenshi could be so innocently pure it made Li Yunli want to laugh—clumsy yet boldly intrusive.
“Sister A-Yun, I swear I didn’t see anything.” Ji Zhenshi’s lips brushed perilously close to Li Yunli’s earlobe. Unable to restrain her inner possessiveness, she grazed it faintly, as if stealing a kiss on the scorching flesh.
Call me vile, but I want to kiss you outright. If not, I’ll be the thief stealing a fleeting happiness that isn’t mine.
Under this moonlight, I’ve at least kissed my moonlight once.
With those cover-up words—making it all the more obvious—Ji Zhenshi groped for a nearby towel and phone. She draped the towel over Li Yunli before switching on the phone’s flashlight.
Under its beam, Ji Zhenshi shyly averted her eyes. “As long as Sister A-Yun is fine.”
Li Yunli’s cheeks blazed as she looked at Ji Zhenshi. Amid the shame and anger in her eyes lurked something softer, more timid and inexplicable.
She clutched the towel tighter and signed, “I’m fine. Just a tripped breaker. Go flip it back up.”
Ji Zhenshi had overreacted.
But Li Yunli had no intention of blaming her. Leaning on the sink, she panted softly. Her flushed tongue flickered with each parting of her lips, the elegant line of her neck mesmerizing, especially with her quickened breaths adding to its allure.
In Ji Zhenshi’s arms earlier, she hadn’t dared breathe; now oxygen-starved and weak-kneed, she needed support to stand.
“Mm…” Ji Zhenshi hesitated, reaching out before dropping her hand. Unwilling to discomfort Li Yunli further, she stepped back. “I got too impulsive just now. Sorry, Sister A-Yun. Don’t be mad, okay? I really didn’t see anything—promise.”
After agonizing internal debate, Ji Zhenshi spoke carefully.
She didn’t want to disgust Li Yunli, so even her apology came out tentative.
“Got it.” Li Yunli’s reddened eyes stayed downcast. Just hearing “I didn’t see anything” made it impossible to meet her gaze.
Why emphasize that… twice?
Her signs were curt. Thinking her angry, Ji Zhenshi fidgeted with her hem nervously. “We’ve bathed together before anyway. Nothing to be shy about, right?”
Even as she said it, Ji Zhenshi knew how ridiculous it sounded.
She was stumbling over her words from tension herself. That glimpse of beauty lingered inescapably in her mind; she felt like steam was rising from her own body.
“Is it that easy for you to brush off since it wasn’t you getting an eyeful?” Li Yunli gave a self-mocking smile, irked by Ji Zhenshi’s nonchalance.
So Ji Zhenshi felt nothing?
“Huh?” Ji Zhenshi’s eyes reddened with anxiety, as if she were the one exposed. Her words tumbled out incoherently. “That’s not what I meant…”
This mouth of hers! Sharp-tongued usually, useless in the clutch. Ji Zhenshi gritted her teeth.
Li Yunli kept her head lowered and nodded in acknowledgment. “Out.”
“I’ll go then… Stay put; my phone’s in the room. We’ll need yours to see.” The air grew thick with tension. Ji Zhenshi’s breaths shallowed, the spark in her chest doused. She stole a glance at the woman’s profile before opening the door and leaving.
Light returned to the room soon after. Only then did Li Yunli’s taut nerves ease slightly. Damp strands clung to her glistening shoulders, her porcelain skin tinged faint pink—like someone thoroughly bullied.
Warmth flickered in Li Yunli’s eyes, no blame at all. She even covered her chest and curved her lips faintly at some thought.
She’d brushed the edge of that forbidden line, briefly enveloped in the girl’s fervent heat.
Good thing the lights were out; her feigned coolness would have shattered otherwise, impossible to hide.
Lightly biting her paling lip, it took Li Yunli a good while to compose herself before stepping out.
