Chapter 41: Goddess

Jiang Bomu stayed in the second bedroom.

Gu Yu felt a bit of regret. She thought they’d sleep in the master bedroom, a perfect chance to finally see what Jiang Bomu’s room really looked like. But then she reconsidered—sharing a bed was already a rare opportunity she couldn’t even hope for. To wish for more was just wishful thinking.

Gu Yu, oh Gu Yu, you’re really insatiable! Gu Yu cursed herself inwardly, but her face showed a sweet, harmless smile. “Sister, this bed is a bit small. Sorry for the discomfort.”

“It seems I’m the one who’s the guest here,” Jiang Bomu raised an eyebrow slightly. “And this bed is more than spacious enough for two.”

Right, she’d almost forgotten—this was her home. Gu Yu, without blushing or missing a beat, said, “Well, I’ve slept here more times than you. A few more times and I’ll get used to it.”

Jiang Bomu keenly caught the emphasis placed on the word “slept.” She glanced at Gu Yu coolly and said calmly, “I’ll go back and wash up first.”

Gu Yu nodded, holding back her laughter. Once the door closed behind her, her smile slowly spread wider. Even her ears turned red. So easy to tease.

Soaked by the rain, she hadn’t had a chance to clean up yet. Only now, with a moment to spare, did she feel the sticky dampness on her skin. She carried Wan An over to the nightstand, made sure it wouldn’t crawl off anywhere, closed the door, and went to the bathroom to shower.

When she returned to the room, Jiang Bomu was already there, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching Wan An sleep. A gentle smile graced her lips. Hearing Gu Yu enter, she started to get up but realized Gu Yu was already looking at her. She had no choice but to stay seated, her expression turning a bit awkward.

Gu Yu grinned. “Sister actually likes cats, doesn’t she?”

“I like them okay.”

Jiang Bomu looked down, and her gaze suddenly fell on the other woman’s long, slender calves. A jolt went through her heart, and she averted her eyes, though she couldn’t help stealing glances from her peripheral vision.

Gu Yu was wrapped only in a bath towel. Water droplets slid slowly from her long hair, a bead of water trembling at her collarbone, then swaying gently before disappearing down into the towel, making one involuntarily imagine the young, beautiful figure beneath—the soft curves, the slender waist.

“Liar. I saw you petting Wan An,” Gu Yu said huffily. “Liking a kitten isn’t shameful. Why won’t you admit it?”

The bed dipped beside her as Gu Yu sat down. The fresh citrus scent of the shower gel slowly drifted over, making Jiang Bomu’s heart race.

Jiang Bomu shifted slightly further away under the pretense of reaching out to pet Wan An, then spoke. “I just had one unpleasant experience before.”

“What kind of experience?” Gu Yu guessed. “A stray cat scratched you? Or bit you?”

Jiang Bomu didn’t answer, instead saying, “Let me dry your hair.”

Again. She was saying nothing again.

Relationship history was one thing. If she wanted to keep secrets, so be it. They were only housemates, not in a romantic prelude. Gu Yu didn’t have to dig to the bottom of every matter. But what about cats? What couldn’t be shared about that?

She pressed her lips together, wanting to press further, yet unwilling to jeopardize this hard-won chance to share a bed. She held back and kept quiet.

The sound of the hair dryer buzzed in her ears—noisy, grating, annoying.

Even Jiang Bomu’s gentle touch couldn’t soothe her; it only made Gu Yu more frustrated.

Her care for her was solely because she was her ‘older sister,’ lacking any other emotion, yet it constantly fueled Gu Yu’s fantasies, leaving her soberly drowning in them.

The moment the hair dryer stopped, Gu Yu exhaled deeply, masking the weariness on her face. She spoke again, full of energy, “Sister, I need to change. You should look away for a bit.”

After seeing Jiang Bomu out, she winked playfully. “No peeking, okay?”

“What kind of person do you take me for?” Jiang Bomu laughed despite herself, rubbing her head.

The instant the door closed, Gu Yu’s smile vanished completely. She randomly pulled on a pajama set, sat on the bed, and pondered where exactly things had gone wrong. Why was there no progress in her relationship with Jiang Bomu?

Memories of the past month or so surfaced in her mind. She suddenly recalled telling Jiang Bomu about her secret crush on a goddess for four years. As the one involved, she knew perfectly well that the person she secretly loved was Jiang Bomu. But to the observer, Jiang Bomu remained completely oblivious.

Gu Yu facepalmed.

Back then, she’d even made a veiled confession, thinking herself a genius. Now, looking back, she might as well have said nothing.

She rolled around on the bed twice in frustration, then stared up at the ceiling. How was she supposed to fix this?

“Xunxun, not done yet?”

Jiang Bomu’s voice came from outside. Gu Yu replied weakly, “Sister, you can come in.”

Jiang Bomu turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, her gaze landing on Gu Yu.

Her posture was indeed a bit too unrestrained. Her nightgown had ridden up to her thighs, and the hem of her powder-blue underwear was visible, partly hidden, partly revealed.

The books say powder blue makes one feel calm and peaceful.

Yet Jiang Bomu felt her breath catch. She quickly averted her eyes, but the sight was already etched into the deepest part of her mind.

“Xunxun,” she couldn’t help but remind her, “sit properly.”

“What’s wrong?” Gu Yu sat up, confused.

“Nothing. Let’s sleep.” She placed a small night light on the headboard and turned off all the other lights.

Gu Yu rubbed her eyes and slipped under the covers, making small talk. “I’m not very sleepy. You?”

She wasn’t sleeping tonight until she clarified that matter!

Jiang Bomu asked, “You want to chat?”

“Yep,” Gu Yu found the perfect opening, “how should we take care of Wan An?”

Jiang Bomu’s own mind was a tangled mess. The peaceful routine had suddenly been disrupted by a fragile little cat she was entirely unprepared for. Instinctively trusting the doctor, she said, “We’ll see what the vet says tomorrow first.”

Right. Gu Yu almost forgot that. While checking her phone, she said, “Let me ask my friend which pet hospital is best.”

Jiang Bomu thought of the girl who’d video-called Gu Yu today. Bright, sunny looks, soft yet strong. Definitely someone who got along well with Gu Yu.

She couldn’t help guessing—could that girl be Gu Yu’s goddess? They’d been friends for a long time, so maybe Gu Yu didn’t want to confess, afraid they couldn’t even stay friends.

Lost in these wild thoughts, she heard Gu Yu speak: “Jian Ya says we should go to Zhiyuan Pet Hospital. She knows someone there.”

Jian Ya. A nice name too.

Jiang Bomu gave an “Mm” and asked, “What kind of cat does she have?”

“You mean Jian Ya?” Gu Yu replied while typing. “A silver shaded. So fat its eyes are almost gone. Super pettable.”

Gu Yu casually found a picture in her chat history. Swiping left, it was all photos of that silver shaded. She said triumphantly, “I used to be so envious. Now I have a cat too. I’m gonna send her a hundred pictures a day!”

Jiang Bomu asked calmly, “You two are very close?”

“Yep. We’ve been friends since our first year of high school.”

Met in the first year of high school, started having feelings in the second year—exactly four years until now. Jiang Bomu felt she had guessed the answer. Gu Yu’s goddess was Jian Ya.

Gu Yu reminisced about the past, clicking her tongue. “She was a sports student. You know that saying—all sports students are playboys. Well, she’s a total playgirl. All these years, no one’s managed to make her reform.”

That didn’t quite seem to fit. Jiang Bomu studied Gu Yu’s expression under the dim light. When speaking of this, her face showed not a trace of resentment or shyness. Just casual chatting.

“But she seems ready to settle down lately,” Gu Yu gloated. “She fell head over heels for an intern at Zhiyuan. Tomorrow I definitely have to see what kind of divine being this little vet is.”

Not Jian Ya.

Jiang Bomu looked down, unable to tell if she felt more relief or disappointment.

Gu Yu paused, feeling the groundwork was sufficiently laid, and continued, “Speaking of which, sister, I want to tell you something.”

Jiang Bomu was distracted. “Go on.”

“Actually, I don’t have a goddess.”

That one sentence stunned Jiang Bomu for a long moment. It was a while before she came back to herself. She repeated, “You don’t have a goddess?”

“Right,” Gu Yu said, embarrassed. “I’m twenty years old. Having no one I like is just too embarrassing. So I told a tiny lie.”

She asked in a coquettish, pleading tone, “Sister, you won’t think I’m childish, will you?”

“No,” Jiang Bomu gazed at her and said slowly, “you should have told me sooner.”

Gu Yu missed the implication in that sentence, subconsciously assuming she meant she’d never think her childish. So she beamed. “If I’d known you wouldn’t mind, I’d have said so sooner.”

She held Jiang Bomu’s hand, half-jokingly, half-seriously, “But it’s not entirely a lie that I had a goddess. Because my goddess right now is you.”

Jiang Bomu raised an eyebrow slightly. She took Gu Yu’s hand and pulled her into her arms.

“Then, your goddess gives you a reward. You’re allowed to sleep in my arms tonight.”