A reunion only meant something if they both missed each other.
Over thirty hours later, the plane landed smoothly in Cloud City. Miao Zhu spotted Mu Shanyi waiting at the airport.
Lu Zheng carried her cello for her and pushed the luggage cart. Miao Zhu flew into Mu Shanyi’s arms like a bird released from its cage.
The wrinkled mood that had persisted for over ten days finally began to smooth out bit by bit as this person enveloped her in an embrace.
Having left behind the continuous spring rain, Miao Zhu finally returned to the passionate summer.
She wrapped her arms around Mu Shanyi’s waist and deeply inhaled her scent. But after just a few seconds, she lifted her head to look at Mu Shanyi again, then buried her face back into the embrace and rubbed her cheek against her.
Mu Shanyi felt her series of small movements and kissed her hair with a smile. “How are you like a little cat?”
Miao Zhu’s words stuck together, each one clinging to the next. “I missed you so much.”
She poured out the thoughts in her mind and the words from the messages right to her face, every syllable carrying scorching heat.
“I really missed you,” Miao Zhu emphasized.
Mu Shanyi tightened her arms and hugged her even harder.
Cloud City was in the midst of dusk, with vast expanses of clouds hanging in the sky, all dyed red by the sunset.
They left the airport, and Lu Zheng gripped the steering wheel meticulously as the car traveled along the road to Tower Shadow Sunny River.
Mu Shanyi took Miao Zhu’s hand and removed the Safety Bracelet for her.
Not having heard Mu Shanyi say “I miss you” herself left Miao Zhu feeling a little disappointed, but she was equally concerned about something else. “Sister A-Heng, what did you mean by preparing gear for walking Grace? An electric scooter? A helmet?”
“Gloves, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads… I have those too.” Mu Shanyi gently removed the bracelet and set it aside. “How’s your riding skill?”
“Pretty good.”
Mu Shanyi held Miao Zhu’s hand, her thumb pad slowly rubbing the palm of Miao Zhu’s hand. “Don’t get hurt.”
Her palm was already sensitive, and with Mu Shanyi’s cherishing tone fanning the flames, a tingling itch spread from Miao Zhu’s palm straight to her scalp, surging through her body in an instant. She couldn’t help but tremble. “I’m not walking it today anyway.”
In the private space of the car, with Lu Zheng present, Miao Zhu felt embarrassed to be too intimate with Mu Shanyi. After blurting that out, she quickly glanced at the back of Lu Zheng’s head.
Lu Zheng’s eyes were focused on the road conditions, her ears selectively deaf—an impeccable rear view.
“Okay.” Mu Shanyi’s fingers twitched, sliding to Miao Zhu’s wrist.
Mu Shanyi turned her face sideways. She wasn’t wearing earrings today. Miao Zhu’s gaze lingered on her exquisite, porcelain-white ear one moment, met her eyes the next. Then she realized her words seemed to hint at something, her cheeks growing hotter and hotter. She simply turned away, pretending to gaze out the window, murmuring, “The sunset is so beautiful.”
Mu Shanyi’s breath brushed her ear. “Your pulse is racing.”
“Longlong, what are you thinking about?”
That nickname made Miao Zhu’s mind explode.
What she was thinking was something they both knew full well. Once they returned to Tower Shadow Sunny River and the elevator doors closed, the pent-up thoughts needed no more restraint. Their bodies gave each other the most direct answers.
Miao Zhu drowned in Mu Shanyi’s fragrant breath and fervent kisses. Only by clinging tightly to her could she support her softening, powerless body.
“Are you tired? Want to rest first?” Mu Shanyi caught her waist with one hand, bracing the wall with the other.
“No!” Miao Zhu refused urgently.
Amid the entwined kisses, the two tumbled onto the sofa together.
Every cell in Miao Zhu’s body screamed with desire. Mu Shanyi somehow produced a finger cot, and during those waiting seconds, Miao Zhu grabbed her hand, her patience utterly spent.
“Your eyes are full of me.” Mu Shanyi’s voice trembled too as she hovered at Miao Zhu’s neck. “So smooth, hot, and wet.”
Miao Zhu let out a short, sharp cry, and then it was unstoppable.
She actively took, sucked, her waist arching as she sought more from Mu Shanyi.
Mu Shanyi pressed down on Miao Zhu’s shoulders. Miao Zhu only had to lower her eyes to see that hand.
It was Mu Shanyi’s left hand, elegant like jade fan ribs, stacked with emerald rings of varying widths. When she gripped hard, her knuckles turned white, fingers sinking deep into the skin.
Miao Zhu stared at that hand, her mind filled with what the other one was doing.
Her heart felt like it was being gnawed by a thousand ants at once. Unable to endure it, Miao Zhu opened her mouth and bit down hard on Mu Shanyi’s left hand.
“Why are you shaking like this?” Mu Shanyi let her bite, pressing close to Miao Zhu’s face. “Longlong, control yourself. It’s just starting.”
Miao Zhu’s brain refused any more signals. She was utterly crushed and submerged by the raging torrent…
She slowly opened her eyes. Her tear-soaked lashes stuck together in clumps. The world before Miao Zhu expanded from small to large, from blur to clarity.
The sky was filled with fiery sunset clouds. Cloud Tower stood quietly in the distance, the river beneath it like a mirror of water. The view was pristine, without a speck of impurity.
Her sense of touch returned too. Mu Shanyi’s fingertips climbed leisurely up her back, lingering extra on that little red mole when they found it.
Only then did Miao Zhu realize she was sprawled on the sofa, with Mu Shanyi’s dark red cashmere shawl padded beneath her, soaked with damp traces.
Her memory skipped the most intense part; she only remembered biting Mu Shanyi’s hand.
“It didn’t break the skin, did it?” Miao Zhu hurriedly flipped over to check Mu Shanyi’s left hand.
The skin on the outside of her thumb was red, with neat teeth marks—not shallow. Fortunately, it hadn’t broken the skin and bled.
“Does it hurt?” Miao Zhu cradled it in her palm and blew on it, utterly ashamed. “I didn’t mean to… I just couldn’t help it.”
Mu Shanyi teased her. “The other hand got bitten even harder. Aren’t you going to check that one?”
The other hand got bitten…
“Don’t say it! Don’t say anything!” Miao Zhu frantically covered Mu Shanyi’s mouth. The lingering flush surged back. “I don’t want to hear it!”
