Chapter 28 Part 3

Carrying two bags, they left the store. Yue Bai lifted her arms wearily—she hadn’t let Sang Wan help carry anything.

“Give me one bag,” Sang Wan said, reaching out.

Yue Bai dodged to the side. “It’s fine, just this much.”

In the end, at Sang Wan’s insistence, Yue Bai handed over the lighter bag.

With their purchases in hand, they didn’t wander outside long. They grabbed a simple meal and some snacks before heading back.

As they neared the campus gate, Yue Bai’s steps slowed. She eyed the bags in her hand, lips parting and closing repeatedly, words hovering unspoken.

Sang Wan noticed but didn’t press.

Close to the dorms, Yue Bai finally spoke. She fidgeted with her lips, mumbling, “Senior Sister… um… could I crash at your place again tonight?”

“Hm?” Sang Wan queried.

“My roommates all went home. It’s just me in the dorm.” Yue Bai’s voice was small. She wasn’t usually scared, but after the Haunted House, closing her eyes brought a flood of eerie images.

“Sure.” Sang Wan saw right through her. Her tone softened considerably. “Didn’t you stay last night? You can keep me company for the whole National Day break. Forgot already?”

Her voice was naturally gentle, and now she lowered it further, infusing it with indulgent warmth. Yue Bai lost herself in it. She averted her gaze in a fluster. Without her glasses, Sang Wan’s eyes—clear as autumn waters—met hers, sending Yue Bai’s heart into overdrive.

“Then I’ll be imposing on you for a while, Senior Sister,” Yue Bai said.

“No imposition.” Sang Wan smiled. She loved having her junior around—ideally, all the time.

The moment they entered the dorm, Yue Bai collapsed into the chair like her bones had turned to jelly. Moments later, she sprang upright, remembering this was Sang Wan’s space.

She had to mind her image.

Sang Wan set the bags on the table. Turning, she saw Yue Bai standing stiffly. Puzzled, she blinked. “Why’d you stand up?”

“Heh heh.” Yue Bai grinned sheepishly. “Um, Senior Sister, I’m gonna go shower first.”

“Go ahead.” Sang Wan tidied the desk casually.

Once Yue Bai was in the bathroom, Sang Wan glanced toward the balcony. She wiped her hands clean with a wet wipe, then sat down and picked up a mirror. Tilting her head back slightly, she used her slender fingers to pull open her eyelids and carefully removed her contacts, placing them in their soaking solution. She closed the case and stowed it in the cabinet.

With that done, she took out the pomelo. Her fingertip pressed into the pre-scored skin, peeling off the outermost layer and tossing it in the trash.

She wiped the residue from her fingers with a tissue and rinsed a quiet plate. Sitting at the chair, she meticulously removed the pith clinging to the pomelo segments. The clean, intact flesh was neatly arranged on the plate.

Her peeling was efficient. Soon, half the pomelo filled the dish—just enough. She bagged the rest and tied it off.

She straightened the presentation, picking up any fallen pieces and discarding them.

When Yue Bai emerged, she beheld a full plate of perfectly prepped pomelo. Her eyes lit up. Restraining herself, she silently applied her skincare.

Sang Wan raised a brow and rubbed her temple, tapping the plate’s edge with a fingertip. “Dear Little Bai, the pomelo’s all peeled. Don’t forget to eat it later.”

Teasing, she grabbed the black sleepshirt and headed to the bathroom, adding over her shoulder, “Don’t waste my hard work.”

Yue Bai’s face flushed deeper with each word. Once Sang Wan was inside, she patted her cheeks lightly.

Get it together. No more blushing at the drop of a hat.

Taking deep breaths, she approached the table with eager anticipation, inspecting the pomelo. About to snag a piece, she paused, pulled out her phone, and snapped a couple photos. Satisfied, she pocketed it and popped a segment into her mouth.

Juice burst across her tongue, sweetness flooding her senses. Yue Bai squinted in bliss and reached for another.

“I wonder who’ll be lucky enough to marry Senior Sister someday.” The thought popped into her head mid-bite. Her swallowing hitched, bitterness creeping in.

“Not that sweet after all…” Yue Bai murmured dazedly as she forced it down.

She washed her hands at the balcony sink. Watching the water slip through her fingers, her mood sank.

The bathroom’s running water mingled with the balcony’s flow. Yue Bai looked up in surprise. Through the small transparent panel on the bathroom door, she saw steam fogging the glass, hot water splashing wildly.

Her wandering thoughts snapped back. Clarity returned to her dazed eyes. She chuckled inwardly at her silliness and slid the door open to step inside.

The plated pomelo sat untouched on the desk. Yue Bai sat waiting for Sang Wan.

Ten minutes later, Sang Wan emerged, steamy and fresh. She eyed the barely touched plate. “What’s wrong? Not good?”

She popped a segment into her mouth. The fresh sweetness was strong. “Tastes fine to me. Why aren’t you eating?”

“I wanted to wait for you, Senior Sister,” Yue Bai said.

“Wait for what? I peeled it just for you.” Sang Wan applied her skincare on the other side before sitting beside Yue Bai.

“You have to finish all this peeled stuff, or it’ll lose texture by tomorrow,” Sang Wan said.

“Mm-hmm.” Yue Bai grabbed a piece and nudged the plate toward Sang Wan. “You eat some too, Senior Sister.”

Sang Wan sighed helplessly and savored another segment.

Then she opened her laptop to finish a lingering PPT assignment. Yue Bai watched curiously from the side, munching away. Reaching for more pomelo, her hand met empty air. Looking down, two lonely segments remained.

“…”

If she hadn’t remembered incorrectly, Senior Sister had only eaten two pieces in total. Black lines trailed down her forehead. Though Senior Sister insisted she had peeled them especially for her, Sang Wan couldn’t possibly eat them all by herself.

Eyeing the last two pieces, Yue Bai eagerly picked one up and held it in front of Sang Wan, who had no free hands. “Senior Sister, open your mouth.”

At those words, Sang Wan obediently parted her lips. A piece of pomelo flesh was fed directly into her mouth. Her typing paused for a moment as she glanced sideways at the beaming girl, then turned back to her homework.

It was very sweet. The sugary juice flowed all the way into her heart and lungs, filling the room with a honeyed warmth.

Once it was gone, Yue Bai took the initiative to wash the plate and wipe away the lingering water spots with a paper towel. “Senior Sister, where should I put this plate?”

Sang Wan didn’t look up. “Just leave it on the table in the back.”

Half an hour later, Sang Wan finally finished her homework. She saved the document and shut down her computer.

Yue Bai watched with relish from the side. She was sprawled across the table, her cheek squished against the surface to form a little puffy bulge—soft and doughy.

Sang Wan stared at that tender spot, thinking to herself how much she wanted to poke it.

“Has Senior Sister finished? I’m going to brush my teeth,” Yue Bai said as she stood and headed toward the balcony.

“Let’s go together. We can sleep right after,” Sang Wan replied.

After brushing their teeth, the two climbed into bed one after the other. Yue Bai lay on her side against the wall, leaving plenty of space for Sang Wan.

Half of Yue Bai’s face was buried in the quilt, with only one eye peeking out.

Yue Bai had always felt there was something special about the scent on Sang Wan’s quilt—fragrant and pleasant, much like the smell of Sang Wan’s skin.

At first, she thought it came from the body wash. But even when she used Sang Wan’s body wash while staying over, she never caught that particular fragrance.

“You’re hugging the wall too closely. Come over here,” Sang Wan said. Her palm pressed against the wall as she gently tugged Yue Bai closer. “There’s lots of room on this side.”

Yue Bai wriggled over until their arms touched, then stopped.

The lights clicked off, plunging the room into darkness. Yue Bai stared at the blank ceiling for several seconds before closing her eyes.

A flurry of terrifying shadows raced through her mind. Everything from the haunted house replayed like a film, and her body shuddered violently. She rolled over to face Sang Wan.

But… even with her eyes shut, those images persisted. She kept curling into herself, trying to make her presence as small as possible.

“Still thinking about what happened during the day?” Sang Wan opened her eyes. She had noticed Yue Bai’s trembling when their bodies brushed together but hadn’t said anything then. Now, seeing her huddle tighter, Sang Wan lifted the edge of the quilt with concern and gently pulled her out.

“Senior Sister, whenever I close my eyes, my mind starts racing…” Yue Bai whispered.

“It’s okay. Senior Sister’s right here. If you’re scared, you can hold on to me while you sleep.” Sang Wan lightly patted her back to help her relax.

“Mm.” Yue Bai murmured softly and scooted even closer to Sang Wan’s side.

“Little Bai, tuck the quilt under yourself so you don’t get cold,” Sang Wan said gently.

Sang Wan had noticed over the past few nights sharing a bed that Yue Bai had a habit of kicking off the covers in her sleep.

“Okay.” Yue Bai arched halfway up and pulled the quilt beneath her body. She was half-prone on the bed, her elbows bearing her weight.

Just as she was about to lie back down, her body lurched sideways. Sang Wan swiftly grabbed her arm and tugged, redirecting her momentum. Yue Bai tumbled straight toward her.

By the time Yue Bai recovered, she found her hands braced on either side of Sang Wan’s shoulders, her body half-draped over Sang Wan’s. A warm, soft heat pressed against her abdomen through their sleepwear, and Yue Bai’s breath caught.

She froze and looked down. Sang Wan’s warm exhales brushed steadily against her neck. Yue Bai didn’t dare move a muscle.

“What are you trying to do to me, little junior sister?” Sang Wan’s voice carried a teasing lilt as her arms loosely encircled Yue Bai to keep her from toppling over.

“No, no!” Yue Bai shook her head frantically. She quickly righted herself into a side-sitting position on the bed. “Senior Sister, it wasn’t on purpose. My body just tilted by accident.”

“Mm, I know.” Sang Wan smiled and cut her off. “Now hurry up and sleep. Make sure you cover yourself properly.”

Yue Bai lay back down, not daring to get any closer to Sang Wan. Her heart pounded wildly, the air thick with Sang Wan’s scent enveloping her completely.

Sang Wan rolled onto her side and naturally drew her into an embrace, pressing closer. “Go to sleep. Don’t be afraid—Senior Sister’s holding you.”

The hand on Yue Bai’s back patted gently, accompanied by a soft, soothing hum.

Yue Bai’s restless heart gradually calmed amid the tenderness, and she drifted off to sleep peacefully.

Only when Yue Bai’s breathing evened out did Sang Wan slowly stop her patting. In the darkness, she gazed at Yue Bai’s sleeping face, wide awake herself.

A complex emotion she couldn’t quite fathom lurked in the depths of her eyes. The sensation of Yue Bai sprawled atop her lingered at the center of her chest, a strange new feeling flooding her mind.

It was odd, but she didn’t mind it at all. In fact, there was a faint spark of delight.

Her palm slid down Yue Bai’s back and came to rest at her waist. With one last glance at those closed eyes, a deep sense of satisfaction filled her heart.

“Good night, Little Bai.”