Chapter 36: Kiss

The nightmare clung tightly, the girl’s expression filled with pain as her head shook from side to side, her fingers digging in hard. When Yan Ningxi noticed, the girl’s palms were already scratched open by her nails, leaving bloody marks.

“Ming You?”

Yan Ningxi leaned down and pulled her into an embrace, holding her with both arms while gently stroking her back and calling her name.

Leaning into the familiar embrace and inhaling the familiar scent, the girl’s clenched hands and teeth loosened a bit. She gradually stopped trembling, lifted her hands, and hugged Yan Ningxi tightly in return.

“Were you having a nightmare again? Dreams are all fake, illusory. Don’t be afraid—I’m here.”

Yan Ningxi stroked the girl’s hair and back from top to bottom again and again, hoping to awaken her senses through this soothing.

The method worked.

But as soon as the girl opened her eyes, unable to distinguish dream from reality, she bit down on Yan Ningxi’s neck—for just one second.

The pain hadn’t even peaked before it abruptly stopped. Yan Ningxi’s tense body had just begun to relax when she felt dry lips press against her, overlapping with the bite mark.

She had never ridden a roller coaster, but tonight’s sensations rivaled one.

“Sorry, I bit you again and hurt you.”

The girl’s voice was hoarse from throat discomfort, thick with nasal tones. “Sister Yan, I owe you two bite marks now. How should I pay them back?”

Her speech was clear and coherent—good, she was awake. Yan Ningxi pulled back a little. “Your forehead is covered in sweat, and your body feels hot. I’ll get a towel and thermometer…”

As she spoke, the girl’s face pressed right up against hers.

Yan Ningxi’s eyes widened in panic, their hot breaths intertwining as the girl’s lips burned especially fiercely.

This kiss held no aggression.

This kiss was just the overlapping press of four lips, hastily ending after two or three seconds.

The girl slid weakly downward, as if she had used up all her strength, going limp in Yan Ningxi’s arms like an ostrich burying its head.

Neither of their two wildly pounding hearts could be described as “little deer randomly colliding.” Moreover, pressed face-to-face so tightly, they could clearly feel each other’s bodies—so soft.

Ming You felt like she was in a furnace. The terror of the nightmare had been burned to ashes by blazing flames, replaced by heartfire that spread from inside to every inch of her skin.

Yan Ningxi’s breathing was unsteady, her chest heaving. Her mind detached from her body for a moment. Once her spirit reunited with it, she silently recited “Spring River Flowers and Moonlit Night” to herself as a calming incantation.

Once her heartbeat steadied, she helped Ming You lean against the headboard and tucked the blanket around her. “Don’t think about anything.”

It was a double entendre.

Don’t think about the nightmare, and don’t think about what just happened.

After getting out of bed, Yan Ningxi still didn’t turn on the bedroom light. She went to the bathroom, soaked a towel in hot water, and checked her neck in the mirror.

The bite mark was shallow.

She touched it—it didn’t hurt. It would probably fade after a night’s sleep.

She wrung out the hot towel and returned. “Wipe your face first.”

“Thanks.” Her eyes had adjusted to the dark, so Ming You took the towel and wiped her own face and neck.

Yan Ningxi’s mouth felt dry, so she went to the kitchen, poured warm water from the thermos into a cup, drank half, rinsed, then refilled most of a cup. She returned to the bedroom holding the cup in one hand and a mercury thermometer in the other.

“Take your temperature. Put this under your armpit.” They exchanged the thermometer and towel. Yan Ningxi handed her the cup. “Drink some water to soothe your throat.”

Ming You didn’t speak, silently doing whatever Yan Ningxi said. Watching Yan Ningxi take the towel and cup away, she placed her right hand over her heart.

Thump, thump, thump…

Did that just count as a kiss?

It was indescribable, yet she couldn’t suppress the urge to do it again.

Five or six minutes later, Yan Ningxi came back. “That’s enough—take out the thermometer and give it to me.”

37.1°C—hard to say.

“It’s fine, Sister Yan. Just a regular cold. I sweated it out after taking the medicine, and I’ll be full of energy tomorrow.” Before Yan Ningxi entered, she had sneaked a peek at the thermometer. It wasn’t as high as when she really had a fever.

But Yan Ningxi asked again, “Anywhere else uncomfortable? Any nausea or urge to vomit?”

Ming You shook her head.

Yan Ningxi helped her lie down, lightly touching her forehead with the back of her hand—no more sweat. “Then lie still and keep sleeping. I’ll go tidy up.”

In the bathroom, Yan Ningxi gave herself plenty of mental preparation.

But when she returned to bed and turned off the phone flashlight, the girl shifted her body toward her. “Sister Yan, I’m afraid of having another nightmare. Can I hold your hand?”

After a moment of silence, Yan Ningxi extended her hand.

Reason told her she was simply unable to refuse the girl’s repeated shows of weakness out of a mentor’s care and pity for the younger generation. But that wasn’t it— what she couldn’t resist was the girl’s body heat, her joy, and her coquetry.

She had even calmly accepted the girl’s “kiss.”

Ming You grasped it and pulled Yan Ningxi’s hand back into her own blanket. “Good night, Sister Yan.”

…

At six-thirty, Yan Ningxi’s phone alarm rang. It was Monday—she had morning self-study and first and second periods, so she needed to leave by seven.

She turned off the alarm and realized her right arm was numb. Tilting her head right, her chin and neck itched from the girl’s hair.

The girl wasn’t sleeping on the pillow but sideways against her shoulder, the AC blanket draped over both of them. Under the blanket, her right arm was being hugged by the girl.

She hadn’t woken up all night.

She touched the girl’s forehead and face—no fever, no sweat. Using both hands to extract her numb arm, the girl hugged tighter. Not only that, she even rubbed her head a few times.

Helpless, Yan Ningxi half-sat up facing the girl, using her left hand to move the girl’s head onto the pillow.

In this position, they were “airtight.” Ming You’s eyes saw only black, but hair brushed her face, and the scent entering her nose was intoxicating body fragrance.

Her heartbeat lost control again.

She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, loosening her hands to let Yan Ningxi “manipulate” her.

Hearing Yan Ningxi get up and go to the bathroom, she finally let out a long breath, rubbed her eyes, and reached for her phone on the nightstand.

She entered the ticketing system and bought a 7:35 high-speed train ticket, then got up too.

After washing up, Yan Ningxi stood at the door and asked the person folding the blanket, “You’re awake—how do you feel?”

“Much better.” She lied—the cold medicine wasn’t a miracle pill; her nose was still stuffy, throat still itchy. “I bought a train ticket for 7:30.”

“Okay. You wash up, I’ll make breakfast. Eat and take your medicine before you go.”

Yan Ningxi warmed milk, fried eggs and bacon, washed a few lettuce leaves, and heated toast in the microwave.

Ming You took her time with her morning routine, appetite lacking, but Yan Ningxi’s breakfast whetted it.

Together with Yan Ningxi— she had put her to sleep, and she woke her up.

Three meals a day, porridge can be warmed, sharing dusk.

She thought, what was wrong with living like this every day?

After changing and doing makeup, she emerged to see Ming You had obediently finished breakfast and medicine, dishes cleared. “If you feel unwell or carsick on the way to the station and can’t hold out, call me.”

At the door, shoes changed.

“Sister Yan.” Ming You hugged Yan Ningxi. “Thank you for giving me a wonderful weekend. I’m very happy, and I like everything we did together.”

—She likes you, no faking it.

Yan Ningxi thought of what Qi Xuexin had said. Her hands at her sides clenched into fists then relaxed. Her voice softened, like a big sister. “More happiness means fewer nightmares.”

…

In the neighborhood, a couple walked their dog hand in hand. That deep golden-yellow large dog looked especially familiar; both Ming You and Yan Ningxi couldn’t help glancing at it twice.

Spotted by two beauties, the dog seemed summoned and charged straight over.

Yan Ningxi reflexively stepped back. Seeing this, Ming You stepped in front of her, raising her palm outward in a blocking gesture.

The Golden Retriever’s “pounce” was stopped by its owner.

The leash was in the male owner’s hand; he yanked the dog and clamped it between his legs. The female owner apologized, “Sorry about that. This guy loves beauties and pounces whenever he sees one.”

“It’s fine.” Ming You wasn’t sure if this was the same Golden Retriever from their rainy night encounter last time. “Does it ride the elevator by itself?”

Female owner: “You’ve met it before? Yeah, it’s sly— not only rides elevators but opens doors and plays tricks. Sometimes it sneaks out for walks on its own.”

Ming You smiled, walked over, and bent down to pet the Golden Retriever’s head after a couple steps. “You need to be more steady. Too wild, and you’ll scare the big sisters away.”

They bid each other “bye-bye” with the female owner. Ming You asked Yan Ningxi, “Sister Yan, are you afraid of dogs?”

“Wipe your hands.” Yan Ningxi dodged the question and handed her a pack of wet wipes.

It was the first time Ming You saw Yan Ningxi pull wet wipes from her bag—a blue mini pack, the same kind she had used for years. This brand had originally been bought for her by He Huan because it was compact and easy to carry.

He Huan, He Huan—truly a lingering ghost. Just when she was about to forget He Huan’s existence, something unexpected always dredged up bad memories.

At the roadside, Yan Ningxi accompanied Ming You to hail a taxi.

“See you, Sister Yan.”

“See you. Temperature and style are equally important—wear more if it’s cold, take medicine on time.”

“Yes, ma’am, Teacher Yan.”

On her way back to school, Ming You logged into Space and posted a photo of her and Yan Ningxi with the caption: 【Dawn and Dusk.】

…

At noon, Yan Ningxi and He Huan went to the teachers’ cafeteria for lunch. They got their meals and sat down. After a few bites, He Huan asked, “Has she been in touch with you lately?”

“Yes.” Yan Ningxi answered truthfully.

She wouldn’t bring up Ming You unless He Huan did.

Though they had known Ming You for different lengths of time, as her teachers, their starting point was the same: hoping Ming You and every other student could be healthy in body and mind, growing toward the sun.

“Yan Yan, while guiding her onto the right path, you need to stay calm at all times—don’t let her lead you astray.”

“She hasn’t gone astray.” Yan Ningxi corrected He Huan’s wording.

But He Huan disagreed, face stern. “Astray doesn’t mean evil paths. Yan Yan, I’ve known her for five years—you’ve only known her a short time. A kid like her, once she gets extreme, is hard to handle, her actions hard to control. I don’t want because of me…”

“Teacher He, you’re overthinking it.” Yan Ningxi met her gaze seriously. “I know what I can and can’t do, and what responsibilities I can or can’t bear.”

“Sorry, I was worrying unnecessarily.” Yeah, now she was the outsider—who was she to interfere?