Shi Qianyu blew Wen Xin’s hair dry.
The two of them returned to the large bed together. The red wine had been decanted by then, and Shi Qianyu picked up a glass, slowly pouring the deep crimson liquid into it.
She handed one glass to Wen Xin, then raised her own toward her with a beautiful smile. “Cheers?”
“Cheers.” Wen Xin lifted her hand to clink glasses gently with her.
The red wine swirled in the glass, reflecting the fractured light in mesmerizing patterns. Wen Xin looked up to meet Shi Qianyu’s gaze and saw that same shimmer in her eyes.
But she was even more beautiful—stunningly, dazzlingly so. Wen Xin tilted her head back to drink, yet her gaze lingered on Shi Qianyu’s face, unable to pull away for a long time.
The wine had a unique taste: slightly bitter at first, then rich and sweet, meant to be savored slowly, not gulped down.
Wen Xin knew this in her heart, yet she still couldn’t quite master the technique. She had to stop halfway through, her brows furrowing slightly as she murmured to Shi Qianyu, “It’s so bitter.”
Shi Qianyu reached out to stroke her soft hair. “Do you want to keep drinking?”
Wen Xin nodded. “Yes.”
It was bitter, but she wanted to keep going anyway, as if driven by some deep obsession.
Shi Qianyu guessed at least eighty percent of the reason behind it, but she didn’t point it out or ask for confirmation. She simply said, “Let’s take it slow, okay? We’ll drink more in a bit.”
The hotel server had brought fruit along with the wine. Shi Qianyu picked up a cherry and held it to Wen Xin’s lips, saying softly, “Ah—”
Wen Xin obediently lowered her gaze and took the cherry into her mouth. It was large and juicy, bursting with sweetness as she chewed, washing away the bitterness in an instant.
Shi Qianyu looked into her eyes. “Is it sweet?”
Wen Xin swallowed the cherry and answered earnestly, “Sweet.”
Shi Qianyu asked, “Want another one?”
Wen Xin nodded. “Okay.”
So Shi Qianyu selected an even larger one and brought it to her lips.
Wen Xin didn’t bite right away. Instead, she said on instinct, “A-Yu, you should try one too.”
Shi Qianyu replied, “Okay, but you eat this one first.”
Only then did Wen Xin open her mouth to bite down. Before she could take the whole thing, the woman in front of her leaned in close.
Closer. Even closer. Until she took the other half of the cherry into her mouth and bit down with her.
The juice burst at that moment—some melting in their mouths, some splattering onto their lips. Shi Qianyu swallowed her half, then extended her tongue to lick away the juice from Wen Xin’s lips.
A seductive smile played in her eyes, her tongue as soft as the rest of her. The light cast upon her made the invitation in her gaze all the clearer.
She’d so thoughtfully fed her the cherry, yet her eyes boldly proclaimed that what she wanted to give her went far beyond fruit.
“…”
Wen Xin could hear the sound of her own heartbeat.
In the twenty-odd years before meeting Shi Qianyu, Wen Xin had always thought of herself as someone with few desires. She’d lived so repressively—work and gaming filling her days, with no friends, no family, no lover. Nothing at all.
It was fine that way. Compared to the hardships of her childhood, this life was at least calm and uneventful. Wen Xin didn’t dare hope for more; just staying alive was her greatest wish.
That all changed when she met Shi Qianyu.
After that, everything was different. Shi Qianyu gave her so much, but most importantly, she taught her how to feel joy—not just mentally or materially, but physically as well.
At first, Wen Xin hadn’t dared to look directly at it, afraid of falling too deep. But everything has its limits, and prolonged repression leads to a rebound.
The alcohol, now taking effect, reminded her of her purpose that evening. She wanted to drink, to be with Shi Qianyu—but it was more than that. Desire piled up and shattered her facade. She clearly wanted more.
So she lowered her gaze and kissed Shi Qianyu’s lips in return. Those lips carried the rich aroma of wine and the sweetness of cherry, blending into something even more ambiguous and alluring.
When the kiss ended, their breathing had grown ragged.
A few buttons on Shi Qianyu’s nightgown had come undone in the chaos. She noticed but made no move to fix them, letting it hang open to reveal a glimpse of soft skin.
Her fingertips trailed down Wen Xin’s cheek, to her lips, her neck, her collarbone. Smiling, she asked softly, “Doesn’t Sister want to drink anymore?”
She had seen through the desire in Wen Xin’s eyes long ago.
Wen Xin paused for a few seconds. Though a bit embarrassed, she didn’t look away. “No… not anymore.”
Shi Qianyu kissed her lips lightly once more, then sat back up and picked up the wine glass from the bedside table. In a gentle voice, she said, “But I still want to.”
She tilted her head back to drink, her neck arching in a graceful curve, exposing its most vulnerable spot to Wen Xin. She drank rather quickly, mimicking Wen Xin’s earlier mistake, clearly doing it on purpose for her to see.
Some of the wine she couldn’t swallow in time spilled from the corner of her lips, dripping onto her collar and sliding down her skin. The pure white nightgown clung to her body, outlining her beautiful figure perfectly and revealing every hidden curve to the woman before her.
“Oh dear.” Shi Qianyu seemed to notice only then. She looked up with a troubled expression. “What should I do?”
“Sister, will you help me?”
How could she not?
Wen Xin understood her intention. Their gazes locked once more, and she read the blatant seduction in Shi Qianyu’s eyes. That seduction demolished all her pretense and restraint, making her forget everything else for the moment.
Wen Xin leaned down and tentatively kissed the wine from Shi Qianyu’s neck.
The taste was no longer bitter—fragrant now, with a clear aftertaste of sweetness, warmed by Shi Qianyu’s body heat. Wen Xin followed the trail of the wine, kissing or licking or nipping lightly.
It didn’t hurt, but it tingled with fine itches. The little hamster, repressed for so long, finally bared its teeth, leaving her marks upon her skin.
Shi Qianyu smiled, letting her kiss as she pleased. Her fingers brushed over the kiss marks, her tone indulgent. “Looks like I’ll need to wear a high-necked top tomorrow.”
Only then did Wen Xin realize what she’d done. “…Sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Shi Qianyu propped herself up on the bed with one hand, while the other gently pressed Wen Xin’s head back down, stroking along her back and lower still.
The person in her arms trembled, her cheeks flushed and eyes misty as she met her gaze. “A-Yu…”
Shi Qianyu leaned down to kiss her, her hand’s movements growing firmer, the smile in her eyes deepening rather than fading. “Keep going.”
So Wen Xin gathered herself and continued kissing the woman before her until her strength gave out and she sank into the soft bedding.
Shi Qianyu turned off the light. Her room was a cut above the others—on the top floor with a starlit ceiling. Wen Xin’s fingers threaded into her hair as she looked up at the beautiful starry sky overhead. The lights shifted in dreamy, brilliant patterns, stars twinkling as if within arm’s reach.
But she didn’t need to reach for them—the woman before her was her star. For a few moments, Wen Xin’s mind went blank, her chest heaving. She wanted to say something, yet nothing came out. She could only call her name, over and over, in broken gasps: “A-Yu… A-Yu…”
Shi Qianyu kissed her with a smile, saying earnestly, “Wen Xin, there are stars in your eyes.”
“So beautiful.” She kissed her eyes, kissed every soft and delicate place. Wen Xin, already trembling uncontrollably, felt her mind blur further at those words.
In her haze, she finally remembered what she wanted to say—much like what Shi Qianyu had told her, praise straight from the heart. “A-Yu is so beautiful too.”
Her expression was a bit dazed, but she forced herself to focus, her gaze roaming her face. Her lips parted slightly as she murmured softly, “I like…”
Her voice was faint, but Shi Qianyu caught it.
Shi Qianyu paused briefly, looking at her with surprise and tension. “What did you say? What do you like?”
Wen Xin touched her eyelashes, her eyelids, and after a long moment, replied, “Your… eyes.”
“…”
After a beat, Shi Qianyu let out a soft sigh and nipped Wen Xin’s lip in playful retaliation. “Don’t leave big pauses when you talk next time.”
“Naughty.”
–
Before sleep, Wen Xin had set an alarm. Early the next morning, she needed to sneak back to her own room.
She’d drunk quite a bit that night and shared so many intimate moments with Shi Qianyu. Exhausted and weary, she’d thought she’d sleep deeply and feared oversleeping.
But she didn’t. The sleep was comfortable and steady, dreamless—a rare high-quality rest.
In fact, the next morning, Wen Xin woke even earlier than planned.
The sky hadn’t lightened yet; a bright moon still hung on the horizon.
Wen Xin propped herself up in a daze and saw that Shi Qianyu seemed not to have slept—or perhaps had already woken. She now stood quietly by the window.
The sea breeze tousled her hair, while the distant night sky added its sparkle, making her even more beautiful. Wen Xin paused, then pushed back the covers and rose slowly, walking over to her side.
“A-Yu.” Wen Xin sounded deeply concerned. “Haven’t you slept?”
“I did sleep.” Shi Qianyu smiled, worried that she might feel cold. She lifted a hand and drew her into her arms. “I only woke up a little while ago.”
“It’s still early. Do you want to sleep some more?” Wen Xin asked.
Shi Qianyu shook her head. “No.”
“The moon is so beautiful.” Together with Shi Qianyu, she gazed up at the lovely night sky.
Neither of them spoke again. They simply appreciated the scenery in peaceful silence, until the curtain of night slowly lifted and dawn broke.
The horizon gradually brightened, the clouds taking on a stunning golden hue.
Before she knew it, Shi Qianyu turned to look at her again. Her gaze was pure, her smile radiant. “The sun is rising.”
“Wen Xin.” She called her name.
Wen Xin responded absently. “Mm?”
“Good morning.” Shi Qianyu spoke softly to her. “Wen Xin, good morning.”
“May you have an incredibly happy day today as well.”
