The two souls trembled in unison, embracing tightly in the serene night, tracing each other’s contours.
Water splashed softly, and moonlight cascaded down with it.
In the hazy glow, Lou Yixuan beheld the full bloom of vibrant flowers, swaying gracefully like scattered stars or dancing fireflies, gently caught by the breeze, drifting down one by one, transforming into dreamlike hues.
In the instant their eyes met and they smiled at each other, the entire mortal world faded into mere backdrop. Their fingerprints overlapped on feverish skin, etching an exclusive rhythm.
Gazed upon by Lin Huayan’s affectionate eyes, she loved it immensely.
She loved this moment when only she could witness the ultimate beauty in full bloom, loved this moment when only she could catch the floral scent.
Even if ruthless time had once shattered her into fragments, she could still cradle a complete heart to love Lin Huayan.
With mountains and rivers vast, and the fires of human life flickering through three meals and four seasons—as long as Lin Huayan was there, every awakening from a dream was a perfect cycle of reincarnation.
Lou Yixuan transformed into a treasure hunter, probing Lin Huayan’s body tentatively to uncover hidden gems.
And Lin Huayan had never known her own body could respond in so many ways. It felt like floating in the clouds, or submerged in water—her heart soaring and plunging, her entire being slick and limp.
A dense itch overflowed from the depths of her heart. She clung tightly to Lou Yixuan’s neck for support, yet arched her own back.
“What if I told you I knew Lu Lingxuan from a very, very long time ago?”
Lou Yixuan wasn’t wearing her hearing aid.
But in the relatively enclosed, narrow space of the bathroom, the hearing in one ear was enough to catch Lin Huayan’s voice from above.
The shower was running, the water flow creating some interference.
She straightened her legs, shifted position to kiss Lin Huayan’s ear, and conveniently offered her own left ear to Lin Huayan’s lips, so she could hear the important words clearly.
If it wasn’t important, why would Lin Huayan choose this moment to say it?
After these encounters, she’d figured out Lin Huayan’s little tricks—always dropping something touching at times like this to shatter her resolve, weaken her mental defenses, and escape the imminent onslaught.
Indulging her, she asked, “How early is very early? Before my hospitalization, right?”
“Back when we were both still at No. 1 Middle School.”
No. 1 Middle School?
Lou Yixuan was truly stunned this time, her mind blanking for a moment. “Then last summer in the hospital, you… you…”
“Yes, I recognized her. So I was the one who told her first that I teach at Tianmu Middle School.”
Lu Lingxuan was only two grades below Lou Yixuan; the two sisters had spent a full two years together in the high school division.
Two years, four semesters—even if Lou Yixuan and Lu Lingxuan had been ever so careful to avoid her, it was impossible to leave no traces, no slips at all.
She had seen them after morning exercises, in the corner of the cafeteria, in countless inconspicuous spots around campus.
Of course, always from afar, secretly.
From what she’d observed, Lou Yixuan didn’t seem to have any particularly close friends in class, rarely getting chummy with other girls.
But almost every time she spied Lou Yixuan walking with Lu Lingxuan, Lu Lingxuan was all over her—handsy and playful—and Lou Yixuan’s expressions and movements looked utterly relaxed and at ease.
She’d first heard Lu Lingxuan’s name announced over the speakers at the sports meet that year.
Lu Lingxuan was a sophomore then.
Lou Yixuan had never participated in sports meets, Lin Huayan knew.
But Lu Lingxuan probably joined every year, and sprinting was her forte—she’d placed well in both the 100m and 200m.
They’d been next-door neighbors for three years, close enough to eat at each other’s homes, yet neither had ever openly shared their family and friends.
They tore down the “teacher-student” label on one side, while strictly guarding that “teacher-student” boundary on the other.
“I was betting too—betting you’d remember me, that you’d still care about me, that you’d come find me.”
“Lin Huayan…”
“Yixuan, back then I didn’t think too much. I didn’t want to disrupt your life. I just wanted to know if you were doing okay.”
Lu Lingxuan was her only lead.
Fleeting, gone in a flash.
She had to seize it.
Before that, it had been far too long without any word of Lou Yixuan—the “mutual forgetting across the rivers and lakes,” the “each finding peace,” the “no strings attached” she’d convinced herself of—all came crashing down like an avalanche when she ran into Lu Lingxuan, awakening her fully.
“You won your bet.”
“Yes, I won.”
“I won too. Lin Huayan, we both won.”
Gazing into her eyes brimming with deep affection, Lou Yixuan tucked away those smiling lips in her heart and drew her into a slow, enchanting nocturne.
She’d never imagined that their reunion last September had been orchestrated by Lin Huayan.
Never dreamed that the one who turned this impossible dream into reality would be Lin Huayan.
Lin Huayan.
The Lin Huayan she loved so fiercely it scared her.
Lou Yixuan’s life so far had weathered many downpours, but the most exhilarating were those shared with Lin Huayan.
The rain had seeped into her eyes and into Lin Huayan’s body, so every rainy day brought a tide that lingered without end.
Her eyes were wet, Lin Huayan’s body was wet.
But it didn’t hinder their rendezvous in the slightest.
Didn’t hinder their embracing kisses.
Through the misty rain, Lou Yixuan traced a pristine white porcelain as if it were a priceless heirloom.
She kissed the scar, lifted her leg, and in another spring scene of clear skies, encountered a damp peach grove beyond the world. There, buried the Peach Blossom Brew she’d personally crafted today—labored over all night, yearned for all night, and finally savored.
No allergies here; a faint, alluring fragrance, twisting tenderly through her gut—its aroma and taste more captivating than Plum Wine, more intoxicating.
Rain silk threads falling, densely weaving a light veil.
Peach blossoms bloomed vibrantly, pink petals floating in the rain with a thin mist, like shattered jade soaked in spring water, blooming with glistening wetness.
Mist rose in the woods, water droplets beading on petals like wet rouge.
Rouge belonged on lips.
She parted her lips, smeared and sipped—the texture exquisite, indescribable.
Peach blossoms had always been the finest thing since ancient times.
Good for brewing wine, making rouge, even in dishes and pastries.
Lou Yixuan savored the most enchanting bloom in the forest, every petal caressed and kissed with devout care.
After lingering a while, the rain showed no sign of letting up. Without an umbrella, she ventured deeper into the grove to shelter under a large tree.
Stepping in, her feet sank lightly into damp moss, startling the flower fairies—rain pattered in her ears, peach petals rustled onto her shoulders. The distant mountains blurred into misty blue-green in the fog, leaving only a streak of red glow on the peak, sinking and floating into lips as vividly red.
No shelter under peach trees.
The rain under peach trees was heavier, fiercer, denser.
How many identities could one person have?
Lou Yixuan was a flower gardener planting trees, a sprite gathering blossoms, and a greedy kitten craving wine.
Behind her, the cool porcelain-tiled wall; ahead, the hot cascade of shower water. Lin Huayan’s feet slipped several times, unable to stand, but Lou Yixuan steadied her each time.
Lou Yixuan wasn’t weak at all. She loved kissing Lin Huayan like this, and she knew Lin Huayan loved being kissed this way.
Every time the taste of peach blossoms filled her mouth, she felt Lin Huayan’s intense response—different from the touch of hands—fiercely calling her name over and over.
“Yixuan, Yixuan…”
One call after another, Lin Huayan braced on her shoulders, gripped her hair, pouring out surging love without reserve.
The peach grove in the rain had its own charm—leaves, branches, stamens all adorned with glistening droplets.
Lou Yixuan adored this place, adored its scenery.
Because here was a spectacle only she could see, a fine brew only she could taste, satisfying all her senses completely.
This Peach Blossom Brew, crafted with rainwater and nectar, every step controlled by her own hands—its flavor known only to her—she loved it most.
She was an artist with masterful painting skills and would become an outstanding brewmaster.
If Lin Huayan couldn’t drink wine, she’d brew her own.
After an exhausting bath that left her waist, legs, and heart aching, Lin Huayan first blow-dried Lou Yixuan’s hair, then shooed her out.
During the bath, she’d held her leg up so long it nearly cramped. Now alone in the bathroom, she could finally straighten it, stretch, and massage both sides.
Unbeknownst to her, the shooed Lou Yixuan had sneaked out of the master bedroom, fetched things from the study and guest room, and stuffed them under the pillow.
When Lin Huayan emerged from the bathroom in her bathrobe, Lou Yixuan was already lounging lazily on the bed’s edge.
Lin Huayan’s legs went weak under her direct stare. She clutched her bathrobe and said, “Your last week of classes this Monday or Tuesday…”
But before she finished, Lou Yixuan rose and pulled her into an embrace. “Teacher Lin, you think this is over? You still owe me that one time from this week.”
Surrounded by her warm softness, she couldn’t hold back for a second.
Left arm around Lin Huayan’s waist, drawing her to the bed; right hand protectively cradling her head to avoid the headboard, gently pressing her down, then propping on both sides without fully pressing her weight.
“You promised that one time yourself. Time to make good.”
Lou Yixuan knelt on the bed, her freed right hand slipping under the pillow to retrieve Lin Huayan’s usual silver-framed glasses, opening the arms one by one.
“Teacher Lin, the glasses you took off for me—please put them back on for me tonight.”
The bedroom was lit only by the moonlight LED strips along the bed edges—a new habit since Lou Yixuan moved in.
Her one and only “vice.”
Under her expectant gaze, Lin Huayan took the glasses. Eyes downcast, hands trembling slightly, she slowly put them on.
Lou Yixuan was right; last year, she’d removed the frames for her, and tonight, she put them back on for her.
Wearing them was good too.
With them on, she could see the wild Lou Yixuan lurking in the moonlight more clearly—not just being watched the whole time.
The forbearing yet tantalizing Lin Huayan beneath her drew Lou Yixuan down. Their lips and teeth mingled with the faint mint of toothpaste, bodies wafting the fresh scent of body wash—like dewdrops on morning flowers, fragrant and crisp.
Smelled good, looked good, tasted good.
She chased Lin Huayan’s soft tongue relentlessly, drawing sweet nectar without pause.
Her breaths brushed the other’s face—ticklish and traceless, soul-stealing, making them both crave more, to press even closer.
“Teacher Lin,” one hand parted her bathrobe, like a enigmatic specter gliding through shadows, “do you not like me calling my students ‘baby’?”
“…” Her lips freed, but Lin Huayan clenched her teeth.
“If you don’t like it, I won’t call them that anymore.”
“…No.”
“No what?”
“…You can call them, you can.” The bareness under the bathrobe was the most fervent invitation to her lover.
Lou Yixuan leisurely unfolded this invitation, fingertips wandering, reading every word and line: “So, if I call them ‘baby,’ what do I call you?”
Pretending to ponder, then pressing down firmly: “How about calling you ‘baby’?”
“…” The glasses frames had been rubbed askew against the pillow; Director Lin’s dignified image was long gone.
Lou Yixuan nudged and adjusted the frames with her nose—left, up—but it was futile.
“The streets, the school—full of ‘babies.’ Anyone can be called ‘baby,’ anyone can be a ‘baby.’ But my ‘baby’—only you.”
Her lover’s murmured words teased Lin Huayan’s nerves thread by thread. Her brows furrowed deeply, heart hurled to the heights, body arching involuntarily.
Like sudden weightlessness, tumbling from the sky yet never landing.
“Baby, baby…”
Lou Yixuan whispered against her lips, voice low and husky, urgent and earnest. “If you don’t agree, I’ll keep calling you.”
Lin Huayan was more sensitive outside than in—Lou Yixuan knew this best.
With the invitation fully open, there was no skimming halfway; she had to read it all and respond accordingly.
Called “baby” by Lou Yixuan, Lin Huayan was so ashamed she bit the inside of her lower lip, body shaking violently, on the verge of crumbling under intensifying waves.
“Baby, answer me, okay?”
Hard tactics wouldn’t work, so Lou Yixuan switched to a softer tone.
With a carrot-and-stick approach, she refused to believe Lin Huayan could truly remain impervious—not a drop of water seeping through—against her steady, relentless advances.
Lin Huayan’s face burned like fire, her heart pounding faster and faster. She gritted her teeth and forced a soft “Mm” from her throat.
Faint fragrance wafted in the air, breaths growing urgent. Lou Yixuan nuzzled her fluffy head against Lin Huayan’s neck, easing the pressure of her hands while her heart swelled inside her chest. She actually felt like crying.
I am so happy I want to cry.
“I’m sorry, I bullied you again. But I love you so much, Lin Huayan.”
The taut violin string snapped abruptly, restraint crumbling. Lin Huayan swayed dizzily back to earth.
Under the dim, ambiguous light, she wrapped her arms tightly around the girl on top of her, coaxing softly, “You can bully me. Yixuan, I love you too. So much, so much.”
…
Saturday dawned bright and clear as always, but for once, Lou Yixuan woke up earlier than Lin Huayan.
She had “bullied” Lin Huayan thoroughly the night before. The moment Lin Huayan stirred awake in the morning, she shoved Lou Yixuan right out of her embrace.
Still groggy in her sleep, Lou Yixuan whined and reached out for a hug—only for her hand to get swatted away.
She frowned and blinked open her wide, innocent eyes, brimming with confusion.
This time, Lin Huayan showed no mercy. She pinched Lou Yixuan’s ear and tugged at her cheek. “You’re awake. Now get up.”
“…”
But I don’t have class this morning.
“Before I get out of bed, clean up everything on the floor.”
“!!”
Lou Yixuan snapped fully awake. She rolled over to look at the floor.
The floor… well, it was a total mess, too chaotic to behold.
Countless wads of paper big and small, three torn-open square packets, a used disposable waterproof pad, and two bathrobes in utter disarray.
And it was all on her side!
“Oh.”
Lou Yixuan slid out of bed naked, slipped into her loungewear, and dutifully balled up the trash, stuffing it into the pad before tossing it into the bathroom garbage bin.
She took the bathrobes to the utility balcony and threw them into the washing machine, adding the clothes they’d worn yesterday, then hit start on the cycle.
Last night, she’d secretly fetched an Implanter, some lube, and the pad from the guest room, stashing them under the pillow.
In the end, they’d all come in handy.
In those moments, she couldn’t help feeling so wicked, so evil. How can I take advantage of Lin Huayan’s love like this, bullying her to tears over and over?
But I can’t stop.
Because this naughty, wicked side of me was awakened by Lin Huayan.
It only emerges in front of her—and only finds peace on her body.
After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Lou Yixuan poured a glass of water and carried it into the bedroom.
Lin Huayan lay with her back to the door, the covers tucked tightly around her, but Lou Yixuan’s heart still raced with panic. She knew better than Lin Huayan herself just how that body under the sheets was lushly covered in blooming peach blossoms, petals unfurling in fierce competition.
And that was far from the extent of her handiwork.
Lin Huayan was too tight.
Not counting the nearly ten times that week or last night, she’d only gone in four times before—and always with just one finger.
So last night, greedy and unrestrained, she’d pushed in twice in a row. Once tearing open one square packet, then two. She’d pioneered deeper into the peach grove, brewing an even richer, fiercer Peach Blossom Brew.
Lou Yixuan circled to the other side of the bed, drew back half the curtains, then half-kneeled at the edge. She held the glass in her left hand and gently smoothed Lin Huayan’s sleep-tousled hair with her right.
“Teacher Lin, are you thirsty? I brought you some water.”
It was already past nine. How could Lin Huayan still be asleep?
Her body and mind were just so weary, so limp. She couldn’t sleep, yet she didn’t want to move.
She cracked her eyes open into a thin slit, her expression unreadable.
Lou Yixuan panicked hard. Her legs buckled, knees hitting the floor with a thud as her upper body collapsed obediently onto the bed.
This jolted Lin Huayan fully awake.
She propped herself up on her right elbow in a fluster, reaching out with her left hand to support Lou Yixuan. “Yixuan, what’s wrong?”
