Chapter 36 Part 1

Chi Nuan went to take a shower and saw Gu Ningzi folding the changed clothes neatly and placing them aside.

There were spare shoes in the car, but what about the clothes? After thinking it over, Chi Nuan still blushed and washed them for Gu Ningzi.

After the shower, she hung the clothes up to dry and walked into the room.

Gu Ningzi sat at the desk on the phone. Hearing the door open, she turned her head and smiled at Chi Nuan. In her usual tone toward the person on the other end, she asked, “Have you taken your medicine yet?”

Chi Nuan closed the door. Gu Ningzi’s call continued: “If it’s serious, go to the hospital and get it checked.”

Hearing words like “medicine” and “hospital,” Chi Nuan walked over to Gu Ningzi’s side. Gu Ningzi mouthed the name: Tang Siru.

Chi Nuan nodded. Her inherent impression of Tang Siru wasn’t great. She picked up the English book on the desk and sat on the edge of the bed to review vocabulary words.

Though she was supposed to be memorizing words, her ears perked up as she listened to Gu Ningzi talk with divided attention.

Gu Ningzi didn’t say much more, and the call ended quickly.

Chi Nuan couldn’t help but look up. “What happened to her?”

Gu Ningzi: “She just switched skincare products and had a bit of an allergic reaction.”

Chi Nuan: “Oh.”

Gu Ningzi opened the door and stepped out for a moment. When she came back in, her expression was a little subtle: “…Did you wash my clothes for me?”

Chi Nuan’s face flushed red: “I did.”

Gu Ningzi said awkwardly: “…I could have washed them myself.”

Chi Nuan: “Have you ever washed your own clothes?”

Chi Nuan tilted her head and looked at her, her gaze soft. She simply wanted to know if Gu Ningzi had ever done laundry, with no other meaning behind it. But for some reason, Gu Ningzi felt especially embarrassed under that gaze. She walked over, took the English book from Chi Nuan’s hands, and turned off the light: “Don’t look at it anymore.”

Chi Nuan’s mind was still active, but she had lacked sleep the previous night, and her body was truly fatigued. Lying together with Gu Ningzi, the room quiet and still, it only accentuated the fierce wind and sudden rain outside the window.

And the pounding of her heart.

It wasn’t the first time sleeping together with Gu Ningzi, but now that their relationship had advanced a step, the feeling was completely different. Amid the anxiety was some unknown anticipation, like an undercurrent beneath the sea’s surface.

Gu Ningzi turned on her side, facing Chi Nuan.

Chi Nuan also turned her head to look at her.

“…Can I hold your hand while I sleep?” Gu Ningzi asked her.

You used to just hold it without asking before… Chi Nuan took a deep breath and said softly: “…No.”

Gu Ningzi: “Oh.”

The air conditioner blew out wisps of cool air. The roses on the desk were still vibrant in color, showing no signs of wilting.

The sound of clothing rustling rose as Gu Ningzi propped herself up. She leaned closer, her loose hair brushing against Chi Nuan’s face.

Wasn’t it just holding hands!? Why did she suddenly get so close?

The distance between them was now mere millimeters; they could both feel each other’s hot breath.

Gu Ningzi stared into Chi Nuan’s eyes, paused for two seconds, and Chi Nuan suddenly covered her mouth.

Gu Ningzi: “…”

Chi Nuan: “…”

Gu Ningzi couldn’t hold back her laughter, and Chi Nuan turned beet red from being laughed at.

“Do you think I was going to kiss you?” Gu Ningzi asked while laughing.

Chi Nuan kept her hand over her mouth, embarrassed to the point of nearly fainting.

Gu Ningzi lowered her head, and the kiss landed on the back of Chi Nuan’s hand, her voice more intoxicating than sweet wine: “I’ll indulge you a little.”

Chi Nuan wished she could hide herself away; she was so shy her soul felt like it was smoking. Was there anything more mortifying than getting ahead of herself like this?

Gu Ningzi guessed her thoughts, grabbed her wrist, pressed it to the pillow, and leaned in again with a smile.

Chi Nuan’s eyes wavered, but this time she didn’t dodge.

Gu Ningzi kissed her.

Their slightly cool lips touched lightly.

“Your premonition wasn’t wrong…” Gu Ningzi murmured with her breath.

The sound of the rain faded away. Chi Nuan was so nervous she forgot to breathe. Oxygen deprivation made her feel like she was sinking into soft sand, every cell in her body dancing—no, no existing words could describe this moment’s feelings. Pale descriptions couldn’t convey even a fraction of this wonder.

Gu Ningzi’s kiss was very light, almost brushing and then pulling away. Their eyes met, and Gu Ningzi smiled with raised brows before leaning in again, planting soft, fragmented kisses along Chi Nuan’s lips once, then again.

Chi Nuan covered her eyes, and Gu Ningzi laughed as she buried herself in the crook of Chi Nuan’s neck.

That night, Chi Nuan slept fitfully, waking several times to look at Gu Ningzi. Even in her dreams, Gu Ningzi held Chi Nuan’s wrist tightly, refusing to let go, like a childish little kid. The more she looked, the more she liked her. While Gu Ningzi slept soundly, Chi Nuan carefully kissed her forehead.

…

Chi Nuan got up just before seven, while Gu Ningzi was still asleep.

The rain outside had stopped at some point, and the sun had already climbed high. Chi Nuan drew the blackout curtains, darkening the room again.

Before leaving, she quietly leaned over the bed to gaze at Gu Ningzi’s sleeping face—peaceful beauty with a touch of docility, utterly captivating.

Chi Nuan leaned closer, wanting to kiss her, but noticed Gu Ningzi’s eyelids trembling slightly.