Chapter 83: I’m Starting to Ship You Two

Li Yunli’s warm, gentle voice flowed between them as their breaths mingled. They held each other close, their eyes brimming with affection.

She wasn’t staff, nor had she snagged a ticket for the audience seats, so she couldn’t go inside. Politely declining Tang Xien’s offer to sneak her in as a crew member, Li Yunli waited outside for Ji Zhenshi’s performance to end so they could head home together.

Ji Zhenshi clung tightly to Li Yunli, her breathing still ragged from exertion. She rested her chin on Li Yunli’s shoulder, pausing for a couple of seconds before murmuring, “Sister A-Yun, it’s so cold out here with the wind blowing. Why didn’t you wait in the car?”

“Because the big screen over there cycles through posters of you and Miss Tang,” Li Yunli replied, pointing at the massive display on the wall. “And out here, I can still hear the music from inside.”

A tablet sat nearby, streaming the live video from within. The feed was a bit shaky, but it didn’t hinder the viewing at all.

Ji Zhenshi and Tang Xien shared perfect chemistry onstage, delivering a flawless performance.

Xiao Zhen was truly impressive. Sharing the stage with a veteran like Tang Xien, she showed no stage fright whatsoever—especially during those final ten or so seconds of her solo. She looked so beautiful up there, radiating an effortless charisma that captivated everyone.

As a reward, Li Yunli leaned in and kissed Xiao Zhen’s earlobe, lavishing praise without restraint. “Our Good Child is incredible. I saw everything just now—especially that last part. So charismatic. I loved it.”

The kiss sent heat surging through Ji Zhenshi’s body. She tugged open the zipper of her down jacket, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink, but that didn’t stop her from arching a cool brow. “Really? Has Sister A-Yun fallen for me again? I told you, I’m pretty cool.”

Her fingertip traced lazy circles on Li Yunli’s chest, her voice turning husky and teasing. “Heart skipping beats again, huh, Sister A-Yun? Totally smitten with me, aren’t you?”

Li Yunli lowered her gaze, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes softening with tenderness. “Yes, yes. You’ve got me completely enchanted, our Good Child.”

Earlier onstage, Ji Zhenshi had worn an elegant long gown with exquisite makeup. Under the spotlight, she’d played her violin with serene poise—a stark contrast to her usual laid-back vibe. It was a different kind of beauty, a different allure that drew people in.

Nothing like her casual demeanor now. It was as if she’d transformed into someone else entirely.

The girl could pull off any style with ease.

Still, Li Yunli preferred her relaxed and free-spirited offstage self. Onstage, she always seemed a bit restrained, her sharp edges softened.

Ji Zhenshi beamed at the flattery, her face red as she burrowed deeper into Li Yunli’s embrace.

Her lover’s arms always felt like the warmest place in the world, which was why they both loved these full, heartfelt hugs so much.

They held on for a good while before Li Yunli opened the car door and retrieved the familiar Little Pink Pig Cup from inside. She unclipped the lid and offered the straw to Ji Zhenshi. “Have some water. In a bit, we’ll grab Teacher Tang and go get dinner together.”

Ji Zhenshi hummed around the straw, drawing out an “Ooooh~.”

That elongated tone, paired with her petulant glare, told Li Yunli everything—she was jealous again, and unreasonably so.

She was gnawing the straw so fiercely it was already deformed, unleashing all her sour grapes on the innocent thing.

What a clown. A pathetic little jester.

Li Yunli watched her sulk in silence, making no move to soothe her. Instead, she slyly slipped her hand through the car window and grabbed a small box, palming it discreetly.

“Fine, dinner it is,” Ji Zhenshi grumbled, her voice dripping with vinegar. “Sister A-Yun and Teacher Tang love eating together, huh? Out for late-night snacks in the dead of night.” Her eyes burned with jealousy and discontent.

After a dramatic pause, she added pointedly, “First time I realized late-night munchies come with red wine. Sipping wine together so late at night—how romantic. I’m starting to ship you two.”

That night, she’d tossed and turned sleeplessly, too proud to accept Li Yunli’s invitation to join them.

Stubborn words felt good in the moment, but lying alone in her room, stewing in jealousy, twisting herself into knots—it was pure agony. The hours dragged on interminably.

When Li Yunli finally returned, Ji Zhenshi had smelled the wine on her breath.

They’d been drinking together. Late at night, just the two of them!

The one who’d turned down the invite regretted it bitterly—still did. She couldn’t get past it.

Seeing Ji Zhenshi so adorably sour, Li Yunli couldn’t hold back a soft chuckle. “Weren’t you just bragging about how smitten I am? Now you’re jealous over this? So cute, our Good Child.”

Whenever Li Yunli called her “Good Child,” her voice dripped with tender affection and intimacy, setting hearts ablaze.

Indulging her tantrum, Li Yunli’s gaze toward Ji Zhenshi brimmed with extra softness—a side of her utterly unlike the chilling authority she showed her own father.

Ji Zhenshi pouted, her hand sneaking into her pocket to touch the cool little gift inside. In a huff, she decided not to give it to her. “Hmph, I’m not jealous. Teacher Tang’s great and all, but there’s one thing she can’t match me in.”

No proper coaxing, no gift for you.

She’d rushed out here eager to give it to her right away—something she’d prepared for ages.

It was meant to soothe the unease stirred by her mother Yang Ying, to bind Sister A-Yun even tighter to her.

But no sooner had she caught her breath than Li Yunli mentioned dinner with Tang Xien. Her heart had shattered.

Li Yunli leaned against the car door, intrigued. “Oh? And what’s that?”

Ji Zhenshi flashed a sultry smile, grinding her teeth as she leaned close to Li Yunli’s ear, enunciating each word heavily. “I’m younger than her. Younger means more stamina—to make Sister A-Yun cry and beg for mercy in bed. A whole box isn’t my limit; it’s the packaging’s. And yours.”

“…”

Li Yunli’s smile froze. She spun around, yanked open the car door, and slid inside. “Suddenly not hungry anymore. I’m heading home.”

With that, she pretended to start the engine and drive off.

Daylight debauchery! Shameless!

Ji Zhenshi grabbed her arm in a panic, pleading, “Sorry, Sister A-Yun! I won’t say it again. Come out first—it’s my first time on a stage this formal. Let’s take a picture to commemorate it.”

Li Yunli shot her a glare. “Will you behave from now on?”

She never should’ve encouraged her like that. Now Ji Zhenshi had shattered records and strutted around smugly, plotting ways to top herself.

Her body couldn’t take it. The girl was incorrigible.

“No more mischief.”

“No more sour old vinegar?”

“Nope.”

“And never bring this up again.”

“Okay.”

With plans already forming in her mind, Ji Zhenshi was extra compliant, agreeing to whatever Li Yunli said.

Satisfied with her obedience, Li Yunli pushed open the door and stepped out.

Ji Zhenshi bounced on her toes eagerly. “Sister A-Yun, use your phone to take it. You always make me look good.”

An abrupt suggestion, but Li Yunli didn’t refuse. They stood side by side on the roadside.

Li Yunli stretched her arm high, holding the phone aloft as their heads pressed close together.

Ji Zhenshi goofily flashed a peace sign, nudging Li Yunli’s shoulder affectionately. “Sister A-Yun, do it like me? Just this pose.”

Her scheming grin was obvious—she wanted Li Yunli to mirror her exactly.

Though puzzled, Li Yunli obliged with her own peace sign.

As Li Yunli hit the shutter, her eyes fixed on the screen. Suddenly, she spotted Ji Zhenshi—long plotting this—pull something from her pocket. With a triumphant smirk, she slid it slowly onto Li Yunli’s left ring finger.

The cool metal band encircled Li Yunli’s finger. Sensing the chill, Li Yunli’s eyes widened in delighted surprise, her gaze darting from the screen to the ring. “Xiao Zhen…”

Technically, it wasn’t a conventional ring—it was a Violin String Ring.

As Li Yunli marveled, soft lips brushed her cheek.

Ji Zhenshi planted a bold kiss before gazing at the perfectly fitted ring. “This is the first string I ever took off my violin. It wasn’t expensive, but it means the world to me—the journey from total novice to mastering it completely. For us violinists, nothing’s more romantic than meeting your soulmate and forging a ring from the strings to gift that one-of-a-kind love.”

A broken string reborn as a ring for her beloved.

Ji Zhenshi chuckled softly, her eyes blazing with fervor. “Sister A-Yun, I can’t afford fancy rings yet—no pigeon-blood gems or anything. Don’t mind it, okay?”

Li Yunli examined the slender band on her finger. Being a first attempt, it was a bit uneven and crooked. Clearly, to blunt any sharp edges that might cut her, both the inner and outer surfaces had been meticulously sanded smooth—visible to the naked eye.

The once-rusty, dusty string gleamed like new.

Li Yunli’s warm smile deepened as she admired it. “Silly girl. I don’t care for huge pigeon-blood diamonds anyway. Anything from Xiao Zhen, I’ll treasure.”

Value lay in the sentiment, not the price.

They’d long since outgrown measuring their bond in money.

After a long moment, Li Yunli seemed struck by a thought. She suddenly grasped Ji Zhenshi’s wrist.

“What’s up?” Ji Zhenshi asked, puzzled.

Li Yunli gently turned over both of Ji Zhenshi’s palms. They weren’t dainty or pretty—violin calluses roughened the fingertips—but that didn’t stop Li Yunli from spotting the faint healed scratches.

The cuts were shallow, mostly superficial scrapes leaving thin red lines. The ones on her index and thumb stood out most; others had faded.

Li Yunli had always known Ji Zhenshi was hopeless with crafts. She handled all the sewing and needlework.

Her own hands were deft, while Ji Zhenshi’s—save for the violin—were all thumbs. With Li Yunli around, she had no incentive to learn.

“Had a rough time, huh?” Li Yunli murmured, her thumb tenderly brushing the calluses, her warm breath ghosting over Ji Zhenshi’s skin.

Clumsy lefty with no experience—making this ring must’ve been a trial.

These were her violin hands.

Ji Zhenshi blinked in surprise; she hadn’t expected Li Yunli to notice such details.

She tugged lightly but couldn’t pull free, so she shrugged with a casual smile. “As long as Sister A-Yun likes the ring, it’s fine. Whatever I can give, I give freely.”

She poured her heart into it; Li Yunli did the same.

Glancing dismissively at her hands, Ji Zhenshi added, “Tiny scratches like this? No big deal. I’m not that fragile—they healed on their own without ointment. Didn’t affect practice, so I ignored it. Besides, you know I’m smart. Watched a tutorial online and nailed it.”

She even tossed in self-praise, quirking her brow smugly.

Li Yunli sighed, booping Ji Zhenshi’s nose. “Our Good Child’s just a little klutz.”

Ji Zhenshi huffed in protest. “I’m not! Shouldn’t you kiss it better right now? I kissed you earlier—with the same medicine for the same wound, right?”

“…”

“Is that how ‘an eye for an eye’ works?” Li Yunli laughed despite herself, turning Ji Zhenshi’s hands over repeatedly.

The left was indeed stronger than the right; a light stroke revealed the veins bulging on the back—pure sensuality.

Mmm… she loved it.

But something felt missing.

What started as a sweet, ordinary gift exchange took a turn when Li Yunli slowly produced a ring box from behind her back.

Catching Ji Zhenshi completely off guard, Li Yunli drew out a ring, her tone tinged with feigned regret. “No kiss, but I do have a gift for Xiao Zhen. Something for you. Keep pushing forward this new year.”

Ji Zhenshi had given her a Violin String Ring, never dreaming Li Yunli had prepared one too.

“Wow! A ring! A ring!” Ji Zhenshi stared at it in disbelief, stunned that they’d both thought alike.

Li Yunli’s voice was soft. “Yes, you saw right—it’s a ring.”

Overwhelmed with joy, Ji Zhenshi could barely process it.

“Ah! A ring! I have a ring! Holy crap, I have a ring!” She clutched her left hand with her right, practically jumping.

Li Yunli steadied her. “No swearing.”

“Oo.” Ji Zhenshi rubbed her eyes and—pathetically—kissed her own hand.

She’d received Li Yunli’s gifts on special occasions before: brooch, watch, necklace, the little fortune pouch on her bag, even the anklet she still wore from New Year’s, handmade by Li Yunli.

But this was special. A ring.

She’d claimed Li Yunli’s forever; now Li Yunli had claimed hers.

Li Yunli turned her palm over, pointing to the etched wavy pattern. “These waves are from the climax of that piece you played when you confessed at graduation. I never fully grasped your feelings then—always regretted it. Now, it’ll remind me forever.”

A clever memento of their sweet memory.

Pure love. Both of them.

Ecstatic, Ji Zhenshi impulsively shoved Li Yunli into the back seat, cradling her face and peppering it with kisses.

Pinned down, Li Yunli endured the onslaught.

Her lips felt swollen from the onslaught when she seized Ji Zhenshi’s wandering hands, firm as steel. “No. Not here.”

Crowds milled across the street, people everywhere outside the cars.

Tolerating kisses was her limit; she wouldn’t enable this recklessness.

If someone recognized Ji Zhenshi—no celebrity, but scandalous headlines loomed.

Joy made Ji Zhenshi’s hormones surge uncontrollably.

Reluctantly releasing her, Ji Zhenshi nuzzled into Li Yunli’s chest, overjoyed. “I’m so happy. I love it so much. Thank you, Sister A-Yun.”

Such a small gift brought her such bliss.

Li Yunli ruffled her hair. “Mmm. I’m happy too, today.”

Ji Zhenshi excitedly took countless photos, selected the best one along with their earlier selfie, and gleefully posted it on her Moments to show off.

If social media rules allowed, she’d have shouted it to the world.