Chapter 18: The Vinegar Jar Tips Over

By the time Fang Run had changed into her loungewear, Pei Luo had already set the table with all the dishes.

The lighting was understated and artistic. The food was sumptuous and exquisite. And, most importantly, there was the person sharing the meal with her.

Pei Luo had her shirt sleeves rolled up, folded over a few times; she looked effortlessly casual, refined, and elegant.

Hearing the soft footsteps, Pei Luo lifted her chin and turned her head toward the hallway leading to the bedroom. The light and shadow carved a sharp line across her face, making her look like a static, perfectly composed portrait.

Inside the glass bottle, the slender stems of the freesias silently absorbed the water, their creamy white petals blooming and unfurling with abandon.

The faint floral scent dissolved into the air, wispy tendrils swirling and lingering around them.

Involuntarily, Fang Run paused mid-step, quietly appreciating this painting of a beauty that belonged to her alone in this moment.

How could Pei Luo constantly emit these tiny, dopamine-stimulating particles around her? Not intensely, but persistently and unceasingly, making her heart flutter with springtime feelings, unable to hide her admiration.

Her pink, puppy-like toes curled slightly, her fair and pretty feet pressing down quickly and lightly before rising again.

Fang Run had tidied her mood. The earlier embarrassment was gone, replaced by a cheerful, radiant spirit.

It seemed Pei Luo had guessed her dietary habits from their few previous meals together, as tonight she had set out a dish of authentically spicy Mapo Tofu.

Fang Run was surprised and delighted, as if a pie had suddenly fallen from the sky, a joy so profound she felt she might fly.

Someone was secretly remembering her preferences. And that someone was Pei Luo, whom she had secretly admired for so long.

This feeling submerged Fang Run’s entire heart in pink bubbles, drowning her in sweet syrup. Even the upward curve of her lips betrayed her utter bliss.

Pei Luo nudged her glasses frame; her neatly trimmed nails were painted a warm, gentle cinnamon pink. “I heard this place does good tofu. You can try it, see if the taste is right.”

Fang Run obediently took a bite. Her eyes lit up. “It’s delicious,” she said happily.

It was indeed good. The syrup concentration in her brain skyrocketed. Her heart hammered uncontrollably. Even her satisfied stomach felt comforted.

Pei Luo simply smiled and helped her ladle out soup and pass her a napkin.

Both clearly enjoyed the dinner.

After they had tidied up, Fang Run rubbed her belly and said, satisfied yet troubled, “I might need to do a little activity today to help digestion.”

After saying this, she gave an embarrassed smile and looked at Pei Luo, who was wiping water marks off her fingers. “Sister Pei Luo, do you want to go out for a walk together?”

Fang Run herself absolutely hated exercise. Maintaining her tall, slender figure was mainly thanks to heaven’s favor—she had a naturally fast metabolism, not prone to water retention or gaining weight easily. Paired with the occasional stretch, it was enough to make her look slim and statuesque.

This was one of the rare moments she proactively mentioned physical activity.

Even though she hadn’t known Fang Run for long, Pei Luo had more or less guessed her habits.

Hearing this, Pei Luo raised an eyebrow. “Going for a walk outside? Are you sure?”

Fang Run immediately felt a little less certain.

Seeing the girl’s brow furrow slightly in distress, and thinking the reason for her clinginess might stem from a lack of companionship, Pei Luo’s heart softened.

“I’m just teasing you. Go get changed, we’ll walk around the neighborhood,” Pei Luo said.

Fang Run’s brow instantly smoothed out. She happily headed back to the bedroom to change.

The autumn night wind was thin and chilly, carrying a distinct cold bite.

Fang Run, prioritizing style over warmth, hadn’t dressed appropriately for the temperature.

Her small, thin jacket only served to accessorize her long dress and offered no defense against the night wind. An ungentle breeze swept past, and she shivered all over.

“Cold?” Pei Luo suddenly asked.

Fang Run couldn’t possibly admit defeat over such a trivial matter. “No, I just heard walking like this helps burn fat better, so I wanted to try it.”

Before Fang Run could continue her excuses, Pei Luo had already slipped off her own coat, sending warmth to the person whose entire body was nothing but a tough mouth.

The streetlights glowed a dim, warm orange, emitting a soft, lonely light that stretched the two figures’ shadows, walking side-by-side, out long and thin.

When they moved closer, their shadows seemed to nestle together.

The enduring woody perfume on Pei Luo genuinely enveloped Fang Run. It was like dry leaves blended with strong liquor—mellow, bitter, and slightly spicy; once you got used to it, it felt incredibly warm.

Fang Run’s eyelashes trembled lightly. The warmth from the other woman’s coat slowly rescued her freezing body, pulling her back into a comfortable range.

It felt as if, for a split second, she was only inches away from the small mole on the side of Pei Luo’s nose.

If she pretended to accidentally twist her ankle, maybe she could inadvertently brush against that exquisitely alluring little mole.

In that short span of time, a kaleidoscope of ideas flashed through Fang Run’s mind.

Pei Luo’s face moved from near back to a polite, social distance.

Fang Run felt a slight pang of regret, yet also a relief that she hadn’t acted so rashly just now.

If she moved the progress bar too fast, wouldn’t Pei Luo be baffled and shocked?

She liked women, but Pei Luo might not.

At this thought, Fang Run’s eyes involuntarily turned cold. Her gaze grew dark, flickering, dangerous, and sullen.

However, as if the heavens had heard her inner thoughts, Pei Luo proactively picked up a conversation, cutting off her increasingly deviating train of thought.

“Today, when I saw you all at the shopping center, were you having a gathering with classmates?” Pei Luo asked.

Although that hurried glimpse at noon had been panic-inducing, Fang Run was still delighted about it.

Encountering Pei Luo outside of her planned schedule felt like something fated, a continuous series of chance meetings that held a poetic kind of romance.

Fang Run wasn’t as flustered as she had been before dinner. With her expression management back online, she answered very properly, “They’re members of a group project for filming. We’ll be spending a few weeks making a micro-movie.”

Pei Luo nodded, thoughtful. “So, in that case, maybe one day I’ll be able to see Little Run on the big screen?”

That was a bit difficult for the Little Run of right now.

Fang Run wasn’t sure if she wanted to enter the film and television industry. Without backing and connections, making it would be very hard.

Although she loved certain moments in acting—where she could legitimately experience other people’s ways of life, their joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures—such opportunities were rare and couldn’t be sought. She held no optimism for it, choosing only to focus on the present and cherish every chance she got to perform.

So, Fang Run only gave a vague answer. “That will depend on how hard Little Run works in the future.”

Pei Luo’s lips curved upward. “Then I’ll look forward to it and buy a movie ticket to support you someday.”

Fang Run smiled too. In this moment, her mood was buoyant and hopeful.

Something occurred to her. She asked, “When the time comes, will Sister Pei Luo come alone to support me?”

She added, sounding wronged, “I don’t mean anything else by it. I just feel that if Sister Pei Luo brought some unrelated man to watch my movie, I wouldn’t be as happy about it.”

The girl’s eyes were filled with anticipation and a cautious, tentative probing. Her tactic wasn’t particularly clever, but it held a sincere, frank naivety.

The conviction in Pei Luo’s heart grew firmer. Slightly exasperated, she reached up and ruffled Fang Run’s hair. “I won’t. What are you thinking? How could I possibly bring some unrelated man to support you?”

She paused, then added, “I’ll come watch it by myself.”

An activity like watching a movie together was too intimate. Even Sheng Nuoyi only dared to organize a company team-building event, call it that, and then sit next to Pei Luo, pretending it was a date for just the two of them.

Even having never been in a relationship, Pei Luo understood that two people going to a movie together signified an ambiguous, entangled relationship.

Her saying this also seemed like a veiled message to Fang Run, signaling she wouldn’t be looking for a romantic partner.

Fang Run felt relieved, but also a little dejected.

Her Sister Pei Luo really seemed to lack any romantic radar whatsoever.

But, well, that was fine too. If she couldn’t have her in the short term, at least no one else would get ahead of her.

Fang Run’s eyes dimmed slightly. She took the opportunity to lean her head against Pei Luo’s shoulder, docile as a lamb. “Okay, Sister, it’s a promise.”

Her movement was gentle and obedient, like a cloud softly landing on Pei Luo’s shoulder.

Though Pei Luo was wearing a somewhat thick sweater, she felt as if burned by the girl’s warmth. Her body stiffened.

For some reason, ever since overhearing Fang Run’s nighttime murmurs, the pure, clean scent of freesia that had clung to the fingertip that had pressed on her own lips—Pei Luo had developed an acute sensitivity to their intimate physical contact that she’d never had before.

The way Fang Run treated her… it wasn’t like the casual affection one showed a neighborhood older sister.

The fleeting thought no longer held firm. Pei Luo’s conviction wavered again. She was uncertain once more about how the other girl truly saw her.

Perhaps, she was just being overly sensitive.

And yet, at the thought that Fang Run might be this close with others too, Pei Luo’s mood couldn’t be lifted.

It was as if an invisible string tugged lightly, disrupting her thoughts.

Pei Luo admitted that the complex thoughts flooding her mind at night had inevitably entangled her in worldly worries.

It was too cold outside, so they didn’t wander for long. After making a round, they returned to their familiar apartment building.

When they entered the elevator, there happened to be another resident inside—a petite, cute girl.

The girl had been looking down at her phone. When the two of them walked in, her eyes brightened. Once the elevator doors closed, her eager gaze settled on Pei Luo.

“Hello, may I have your contact info, Sister?” The girl’s voice and appearance were both the sweet type, so sugary it could make your bones brittle.

Pei Luo looked at her. “Me?”

The girl nodded vigorously. “Mm! Sister, you’re so pretty. Even if it’s just to expand my friends list, it’s fine.”

She was about to say more when a figure suddenly stepped in front of her.

Fang Run’s height advantage became starkly apparent. She glared down her nose at the girl. From an angle Pei Luo couldn’t see, her gaze was laced with venomous coldness.

“I think we’ll pass on that,” Fang Run said, her lips barely moving. Her tone was gentle, with not a single odd note detectable. “My Sister doesn’t often use social media.”

She deliberately stressed certain words, her declaration of sovereignty unmistakable.

A flash of understanding crossed the girl’s eyes. She glanced at Fang Run, then at the tiny corner of Pei Luo still visible behind her. Somewhat regretfully, she muttered an apology and retreated to the corner, returning her attention to her phone.

Lesbians universally love Sisters, Fang Run thought. Tonight, she especially hated this trend.

It was hard to imagine how many women had their eyes on Pei Luo when she wasn’t looking.

At the company, there was Sheng Nuoyi, watching like a tiger eyeing its prey. And when Pei Luo wasn’t home, who knew how many people came at her, wave after wave?

Thinking of this, Fang Run’s mood plummeted to rock bottom.

Like a bird of prey whose territorial line had been tested, she narrowed her eyes in displeased, cold sharpness.

Even after entering their home, Fang Run’s dark mood hadn’t dissipated.

Pei Luo, sensing something off with her emotions, casually asked, “What’s wrong?”

She hadn’t paid the slightest bit of attention to the girl’s attempt to hit on her.

Fang Run bit her lower lip and turned her head to look at Pei Luo.

Clearly, this wasn’t the right moment. She had already tested the waters today once. But she was still unwilling, still wanted to fish for more intel, to understand Pei Luo better.

Ultimately, she knew pitifully little about Pei Luo.

Little Sister Run decided to just go for it.

A clear, soft compliance surfaced in those absolutely-not-cute fox eyes. Fang Run took a step forward and, without warning, hugged Pei Luo.

The girl’s body was warm, fragrant, and soft, carrying the floating, hidden movement of a dark tide and the unretreating chill of the autumn night.

Pei Luo’s gaze faltered. Sensing something, the hand she had raised hesitated to land.

Fang Run really had grown up. A tall and graceful young woman, lacking nothing, with an outstanding figure and looks.

She lowered her head and nuzzled into the crook of Pei Luo’s neck. Her warm breath hit the other woman’s skin.

Almost imperceptibly, the corner of her lip brushed against Pei Luo’s earlobe as she passed.

This tiny detail was so trivial that the other party didn’t even notice.

Fang Run’s heartbeat picked up a little. Her voice was muffled, as if deeply wronged. “Sister, please don’t look at them, okay?”

“I will get jealous.”