Chapter 48

Sang Wan’s voice was soft and gentle. Amid the bustling crowd, Yue Bai was the one who blushed shyly, her ears turning red. She awkwardly pinched her earlobe, shifting her body away in a futile attempt to play it cool, but her cheeks—chilled by the cold wind—suddenly flushed hot.

Still so easy to tease. Sang Wan leisurely stepped back a little, creating some distance between them.

“Sweet or not, Senior Sister—you’ll have to try it to find out,” Yue Bai shot back, refusing to back down.

It was so unexpected that Sang Wan tilted her head and bit down on the straw. She pinched the spot where it met the seal and took a sip, her eyes curving into happy crescents. She deliberately smacked her lips as if savoring it. “Very sweet.”

Senior Sister, that’s cheating. Yue Bai shouted inwardly.

Sang Wan laughed even more happily. She took Yue Bai’s wrist and led her forward until they reached an open area, then finally let go.

Seeing Yue Bai still looking sulky, Sang Wan couldn’t resist poking the puffed-out cheek from her pout. The soft, springy feel tempted her to poke it two more times.

“Senior Sister.” Yue Bai let out a little humph. Not satisfied, she grabbed the hand pressed against her face, rubbed her cheek against it, then pulled it away. “I want to go back.”

“Hm? Already?” Sang Wan glanced at the time. They’d only just arrived at the Pedestrian Street.

“I want to go back.” Yue Bai repeated it stubbornly, her head slightly lowered, but her eyes sneaking peeks at Sang Wan.

She wanted to take her back and find out just how sweet she really was.

“Alright.” Sang Wan smiled.

On the way back, they headed toward the B Station Exit. Along the way, they passed a snack street.

Sang Wan slowed her steps and slipped Yue Bai’s hand into the pocket of her coat. “Want to grab some snacks to take back?”

“No need.” Yue Bai glanced around. She wasn’t hungry right now.

“Pig’s trotters?” Sang Wan led Yue Bai toward one stall. “Want some?”

The first time they’d met on the Pedestrian Street, Yue Bai had been buying pig’s trotters with her roommate. She’d gotten one herself back then.

The taste was pretty good. The only downside was that it left your mouth smeared with oil and sauce.

“No thanks.” Yue Bai was still conscious of her image.

Sang Wan just smiled without commenting.

“Actually, I kind of want some boneless chicken feet.” Yue Bai hesitated for a moment, her gaze landing on a nearby shop.

“Shall we get some?” Sang Wan asked.

“Better not.” Yue Bai recalled a bad experience and pursed her lips.

“What’s wrong?” Sang Wan asked curiously.

“I got a stomachache once from eating boneless chicken feet. Probably bad ones, even though it only happened that one time. It left me with a bit of trauma.” Yue Bai explained.

It had been during summer vacation in high school. She’d been out playing with friends and bought some on the way home. The summer heat made food spoil faster—who knew if they’d been leftovers from the day before? Not long after eating them, her stomach had started hurting.

Sang Wan nodded thoughtfully. Her gaze lingered on the various flavors steaming under the cover before she finally looked away.

They headed back early. The subway on the return trip was much less crowded.

Hand in hand, they walked toward the Teachers’ Apartment. Most of the people they passed were students heading out the school gates to celebrate New Year’s Eve elsewhere.

“Little Bai, do you remember what I promised you during that May 1st Holiday makeup session?” As crowds brushed past them, Sang Wan asked out of the blue.

Yue Bai was a beat slow to react. Two seconds later: “Senior Sister said that if I got into A University, you’d let me paint your portrait.”

“Mm. If you’re free these next couple days, how about we go to the Art Studio tomorrow?” Sang Wan said. “The semester’s almost over. Time for Senior Sister to make good on her promise.”

“Okay.”

Back at the Teachers’ Apartment, Yue Bai helped Sang Wan out of her coat and hung it on the rack.

“You’re awfully eager today.” Sang Wan’s eyes darkened inscrutably. Her slender fingers trailed along the jaw of the girl who’d turned around after hanging the coat, ready to fetch her slippers. “What are you after?”

Yue Bai froze for a second, her intentions laid bare.

“What does Senior Sister think I could be after?” Yue Bai met her gaze steadily.

Sang Wan said nothing. They just stared at each other.

“Pfft.” Yue Bai broke first. Unable to keep a straight face against Senior Sister’s beauty, she burst out laughing. “Senior Sister, I just wanted to help you take off your coat.”

“Just a little kiss.” Even saying it, Yue Bai felt shy. “Is that okay?”

Sang Wan slipped on her slippers and leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. She looked Yue Bai up and down, neither agreeing nor refusing. Only after Yue Bai had changed into her shoes did she ask, “Did you want to come back early just for this?”

Yue Bai’s breath hitched. For some reason, Sang Wan’s words made her eyelids twitch. Panic surged through her now that her secret was out.

She stood there silently, not knowing how to respond. Nearly five-foot-nine and blocking the doorway, her flustered look successfully amused Sang Wan.

“What are you afraid of? Senior Sister won’t scold you for it.” The laughter in Sang Wan’s voice made Yue Bai snap her head up.

She stared intently at the woman whose gaze was like limpid water. Sang Wan had put on makeup before heading out today—her lips a soft pink that had lightened a bit from the milk tea.

Yue Bai’s eyes flickered, her fingertips curling and trembling slightly.

Perhaps tired of standing, Sang Wan shifted her pose against the doorframe. Or maybe impatient from waiting, the rationality faded from her gaze toward Yue Bai. She extended her index finger and lightly tapped her lower lip.

As if receiving a signal, Yue Bai pressed her against the door and leaned in.

…

Yue Bai touched her bitten, swollen lips with lingering satisfaction and smacked them a couple times. “Senior Sister really is sweeter than milk tea.”

Sang Wan’s eyes were hazy. She slumped onto the sofa, weakly covering her mouth, where a tingle still lingered.

The suffocating lack of oxygen had been so intense. It took her a moment to adjust before she pressed her reddened eye corner and glanced down. How had this girl maneuvered her onto the sofa?

Someone who got winded after an eight-hundred-meter run shouldn’t have such impressive lung capacity.

If she hadn’t been unable to push away this girl—who was really getting into it—she wouldn’t have bitten down.

“What was your lung capacity score on the fitness test?” Sang Wan wiped the corner of her mouth.

Sensing trouble, Yue Bai stood before Sang Wan with a pitiful expression. She eyed her embarrassed Senior Sister carefully and slowly held up four fingers. “Over four thousand.”

Sang Wan fell silent. No wonder.

“Senior Sister, I was wrong.” Yue Bai hurried to apologize. She wasn’t sure why Senior Sister had bitten her, but she knew owning up, apologizing, and playing pitiful would keep her from getting blamed—might even earn some sympathy.

After more than a month together, Yue Bai had learned a lot about Sang Wan.

“Where did you go wrong?” Sang Wan asked leisurely.

“Pulling Senior Sister onto the sofa to kiss?” Yue Bai ventured softly.

Sang Wan smiled faintly.

“Eating all of Senior Sister’s lipstick?” Yue Bai tried again.

Sang Wan still smiled faintly.

“Keeping my hand on Senior Sister’s stomach the whole time?” Yue Bai guessed on.

Sang Wan sighed helplessly. “Forget it. It’s not your fault.” It was her own issue.

“Really?” Yue Bai didn’t quite believe it.

“Really.”

“Then one more kiss?” Yue Bai sat down beside Sang Wan.

“…”

Around ten o’clock, after washing up, they climbed into bed. The projector played a popular variety show. Yue Bai lay sideways on top of Sang Wan, her eyes half-lidded in comfort.

The screen didn’t hold Yue Bai’s attention. She usually watched anime and such. Other genres, not so much.

Thinking of that romance movie from before, Yue Bai’s lashes fluttered. Her chin rested on Sang Wan’s shoulder. “Senior Sister, did you play that romance flick on purpose that day?”

“Hm?” Sang Wan looked down at her.

“Were you trying to get me to kiss you?” Yue Bai licked her lips. Sang Wan hadn’t answered her that day.

“You guess.” Sang Wan blinked playfully.

“It must be.” Yue Bai was even more convinced now.

Sang Wan smiled without responding and pulled her into her arms. “Watch the variety show.”

“Oh.”

Her little underclassman was getting smarter. Pleasure softened Sang Wan’s features.

Yue Bai listlessly kept Sang Wan company for a dozen minutes. Tilting her head, she couldn’t fathom what was so great about it. Senior Sister had never watched this stuff before.

Not as good as watching Senior Sister. Yue Bai turned her head slightly.

The girl’s gaze was fervent and focused. Sang Wan caught the sidelong glance from the one in her arms.

“What do you want to watch?” Sang Wan’s tone was gentle.

“Anime okay?” Sang Wan asked again.

“Mm-hm, sure.” Yue Bai answered quickly this time.

“Any recommendations?” Sang Wan connected her phone to the screen and tapped a few times, bringing up the search bar.

Yue Bai named an anime.

“This one? I’ve seen it before too.” Sang Wan searched it up and picked a random episode.

This time, Yue Bai paid close attention. She propped herself up from Sang Wan’s embrace, hugged a pillow, and leaned head-to-head with her.

The soft glow from the screen lit up the bedroom. After a few episodes, Sang Wan checked the time. Less than an hour until midnight.

Another episode ended, and Yue Bai pinched her slightly cool arm.

The night had grown chilly. She shook out her arm and slipped her hand under the covers, bringing a faint draft.

Sang Wan grasped the hand she’d just slid in. “Cold?”

With that, she reached up and turned on the air conditioner.

“It’s fine. My hand just got cold being out. Much better now.” Yue Bai said.

Sang Wan covered her hand noncommittally. “Don’t…”

A melodious tune suddenly rang out, cutting Sang Wan off mid-sentence. Her phone screen lit up. She glanced down at it and finished her thought: “Don’t catch a cold.”

She picked up the phone. Yue Bai glanced over casually and spotted the contact name smack in the center: Hua Yun.

Sang Wan paused the anime and answered the call. “It’s me. Mm-hmm. What time tomorrow? Do I have to go? Can I skip it? Okay, got it.”

The call didn’t last long. Yue Bai, sitting close by, vaguely caught the words “I’m back” from the other end.

She couldn’t quite make out who it was.

“Little Bai, will you come with Senior Sister to a gathering tomorrow night?” After hanging up, Sang Wan ruffled Yue Bai’s hair, her expression turning slightly serious.

“What kind of gathering?” Yue Bai picked up on Sang Wan’s fleeting unhappiness.

“Just some friends we compete with all the time. We’re getting together for dinner tomorrow.” Sang Wan gave a simple answer.

“Mm-hmm, sure.” Yue Bai pressed on. “Will Senior Sister Wen and Senior Sister Zhou be there too?”

“They’ll be there,” Sang Wan said with a nod.

“Then with Senior Sister, that’ll make three people I know.” Yue Bai tried to lift Sang Wan’s spirits, putting on a deliberately light and upbeat tone.

Sang Wan let out a helpless smile and hit play on the anime again.

Time slipped by until, one minute before midnight, Sang Wan switched off the screen and flicked on the light.

She peered out the window. The starry sky outside sparkled even more brilliantly. The clock struck midnight, ringing in a brand-new year.

“Little Bai, Happy New Year.” Sang Wan leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Yue Bai’s lips.

“Senior Sister, Happy New Year.” Yue Bai kissed her back.

The night grew deep, and Yue Bai drifted off to sleep, her arm wrapped snugly around the waist of the woman beside her.

Sang Wan tightened her grip on the phone, her face grave as she stared at the message that had just come in.

“Ah Wan, Happy New Year.”

“Will you come pick me up tomorrow?”