Chapter 40: Friends are the Family We Choose Part 2

Gu Qingshuang looked up. “Now?”

“What else?” Ming Li said with a sigh. “It’s nearly one in the morning. Are you made of iron?”

“Let’s sleep,” Gu Qingshuang said, standing up. “Let’s go back to the room.”

They walked side-by-side to the bedroom. Gu Qingshuang went to shower first. Ming Li looked at the bandage on her leg and wanted to tell her she could skip it, but knowing Gu Qingshuang’s obsession with cleanliness, she kept quiet. She figured she would just help her re-dress the wound afterward.

To her surprise, by the time Ming Li finished her own shower, Gu Qingshuang had already taken care of the wound and was lying in bed, scrolling through her phone.

Ming Li noticed a slight curve at the corner of her lips, as if she were looking at something pleasant. “What are you looking at?” she blurted out. She immediately regretted the prying question, but the words were already out.

Gu Qingshuang turned to her, her eyes sparkling with a light that rivaled Mingyue’s. “Siwang sent me a photo,” she said, showing the screen to Ming Li. “She’s changed so much.”

Ming Li glanced at the screen. The girl in the photo looked incredibly cool and edgy. She had sharp, neck-length hair, wore sunglasses while leaning against a railing, and was dressed in an oversized black hoodie, baggy jeans, and a beanie. She had a very modern, “influencer” vibe.

“What did she used to look like?” Ming Li couldn’t help but ask.

It seemed Gu Qingshuang had been longing for someone to talk to about this. she opened her phone and began digging through photos, eventually finding a blurry one in an encrypted album. Ming Li never expected to see Gu Qingshuang’s private digital vault.

In the photo, a younger, more innocent Gu Qingshuang looked back. She was already putting on a cold, aloof front, but her eyes were bright and full of life—it was clearly just an act. To her left stood Chun Liuyi, and on her right was surely Liu Siwang.

Chun Liuyi was slightly taller than the other two, sporting blunt bangs and a bun—the classic “goddess” look of that era. Liu Siwang, meanwhile, looked every bit the top student. She wore heavy glasses, and though her face was thin, it carried a stubborn, unyielding expression—the picture of a resilient “white flower” heroine from a drama. Despite her serious look, she was holding up a peace sign next to Gu Qingshuang’s face.

Ming Li noticed there were three photos in the album. “Can I swipe?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Gu Qingshuang nodded. “Go ahead.”

All three were group shots from different periods. Gu Qingshuang looked completely different in them. In one, she even had her arm hooked around Chun Liuyi’s neck in a headlock, looking arrogant and full of youthful fire. It was a stark contrast to the stifled, lifeless woman she had become.

Ming Li handed the phone back. “She really has changed a lot.”

Ming Li climbed into bed and switched off the main light, leaving only the two bedside lamps on. Seeing Gu Qingshuang happily chatting away on her phone, Ming Li decided to browse for a bit herself. When she finally felt drowsy, she tucked herself in.

A moment later, she felt Gu Qingshuang’s arms wrap around her from behind. The skin-to-skin contact brought a surge of warmth.

“Finished chatting?” Ming Li asked softly.

“Mhm,” Gu Qingshuang murmured.

Ming Li suddenly remembered something. “Did you only just get back in touch with Siwang yesterday?”

Gu Qingshuang hummed another affirmative, her tone sounding much more affectionate than usual. Hearing that tenderness, Ming Li’s heart softened. She wanted to say that when Siwang returned, she could go with Gu Qingshuang to meet her. After all, meeting a long-lost friend could be awkward.

But she kept the offer to herself. It was overstepping, and it violated the spirit of their contract. Especially with Gu Xueqiang in the mix—just because the Elder Madam hated this person didn’t mean Ming Li had to join in, but it was better not to get involved. It was all just a bit tragic.

Every family has its own cross to bear, she thought. The old saying felt more relevant than ever. In fact, the Gu family’s cross seemed particularly heavy.

As her thoughts drifted, she felt the tip of Gu Qingshuang’s tongue lightly graze her earlobe. A shiver raced through her.

In three years of marriage, Ming Li had never been treated this way. Her drowsiness vanished instantly, her entire body tensing up. She had never been the target of such deliberate provocation from her wife. Just this small show of initiative from Gu Qingshuang was enough to make her defenses crumble.

But it was only the beginning.

Gu Qingshuang slipped under the covers, her hands wandering restlessly over Ming Li’s body. She had no real technique; it was just a clumsy, wandering touch.

Yet, it set Ming Li on fire. From that first lick, she had almost lost her resolve, and this awkward yet suggestive behavior was pushing her over the edge. Ming Li kept her body rigid, refusing to turn around or pull back the covers. She wanted to see just how far this woman—who had never taken the lead—could actually go.

As it turned out, Gu Qingshuang’s limit was “clumsy wandering.” Ming Li eventually sighed in defeat. She had things to do tomorrow and couldn’t let this nonsense continue. She flipped over and easily pinned Gu Qingshuang beneath her.

Under the dim, yellow light, Gu Qingshuang’s eyes were misty and alluring—cold yet undeniably seductive. Ming Li loved those eyes. Usually, it took a lot of foreplay to bring that look out, but tonight, she had it without even trying.

Captivated, Ming Li leaned down and pressed a kiss to her eyelids. Gu Qingshuang’s lashes fluttered against her lips as she stared up at Ming Li.

Ming Li hesitated. “Not sleeping yet?”

“I can’t sleep,” Gu Qingshuang whispered.

“So you won’t let me sleep either?”

“I just wanted to hold you.”

Hearing those words in that cool, refined voice—even if it wasn’t a “cute” plea—was like a potent drug to Ming Li. “Just holding?”

Gu Qingshuang had intended for it to be just that. She was a little cold, she was happy, and having shared so many secrets with Ming Li tonight, she felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy. But as she held her, she found herself wanting more.