Chapter 36: Nighttime Closeness

“Burp, so full.”
Su Cheng, her belly distended from eating, let out a burp.
She finished the last bit of lemonade.
The box that had contained watermelon on the table was now empty.
Basically, all the watermelon was eaten by Su Cheng.
She had been fed by them like a small animal, and she couldn’t refuse to eat.
After finishing their bubble tea, Su Cheng led the way out of the bubble tea shop.
The time was already nearing ten o’clock.

“Haah.”
Su Cheng let out a yawn.
Lin Shiyue, who was walking behind her, stepped forward to walk beside Su Cheng.

“Orange, are you sleepy?”
Lin Shiyue’s soft voice reached her ears.
Su Cheng turned to look at her, nodding.

“Yes, a little tired.”
Su Cheng was now physically and mentally exhausted.
Having to deal with military training and these two ‘Great Buddhas’ had long drained her energy.
Other people’s rebirths are exhilarating stories; why is hers a miserable one?

“Then let’s head back.”
Lin Shiyue naturally took Su Cheng’s hand, her eyes carrying a smile.
But Su Cheng’s action was unexpected to Lin Shiyue; she directly pulled her hand free, not letting her hold it.
Lin Shiyue’s almond eyes widened.
Her hand, suspended in mid-air, remained motionless for a moment.
Su Cheng cast a glance at her, a look that seemed to say ‘Please let me go.’
She didn’t want to cause any more trouble just by holding hands.
Yin Xuelian, witnessing this scene, covered her mouth and chuckled, her beautiful eyes almost squinting into slits.

Su Cheng lowered her gaze and sighed softly, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, glancing meaningfully at Yin Xuelian.
Yin Xuelian had now put away her smile, calmly meeting Su Cheng’s gaze, her lips curling slightly.
It was just a simple exchange of glances, yet it contained so much.
Although Lin Shiyue saw them exchanging looks, she couldn’t guess their thoughts.
In contrast to Lin Shiyue’s initiative, Yin Xuelian did not actively take Su Cheng’s hand, silently following behind her, making no move until they reached the dormitory building entrance.
This, however, made Lin Shiyue feel that something was off.

“Little Orange, I won’t go up.
Get some rest early, good night.”
Yin Xuelian stopped at the entrance of the dormitory building, showing no intention of taking another step forward.
Su Cheng turned and gave Yin Xuelian a sweet smile, complex emotions hidden deep within her grin.

“Alright, Sister Lian, you should also go back and sleep quickly.”

“Okay, go on up quickly.”
Yin Xuelian smiled, nodded, and waved, glancing at Lin Shiyue, who stood beside Su Cheng with a complex expression, then turned and left.

The iron gate separated Yin Xuelian.
Lin Shiyue was still somewhat incredulous.
Yin Xuelian just went back like that?
Is it real or fake?
Was this still the Yin Xuelian who had been competing with her for Su Cheng earlier?
Carrying this astonishment, Lin Shiyue couldn’t figure it out even when she returned with Su Cheng to her dormitory door.

“Shiyue, get some rest early, good night.”
Lin Shiyue lifted her bewildered eyes to look at Su Cheng, then nodded in response: “Orange, good night, have sweet dreams.”
Su Cheng nodded with a faint smile, bidding farewell in the same way as Yin Xuelian, then opened the door and entered the dormitory.
Light and shadow alternated on Lin Shiyue’s face, which was full of questions.
She still couldn’t understand why Yin Xuelian’s reaction was so abnormal.
Returning to her dorm with doubts, Lin Shiyue found no answers for a long time.

After the duration of one song, the door to Su Cheng’s dorm opened again.
The white-haired girl, still in her dress, appeared at the doorway.

“Orange, where are you going again?”
“I’m not waiting up for you to sleep.”

“Just going out to answer a call.
You guys go to sleep, don’t worry about me.”

“Answering a phone call is that mysterious…”
Chen Xi stared at the closed dorm door, couldn’t help but wonder who had called Su Cheng.

Su Cheng gripped her urgently vibrating phone.
The caller ID on the screen was none other than “Dear Sister Lian”.
Already at the bubble tea shop, Yin Xuelian had secretly made an arrangement with Su Cheng.
Su Cheng was coerced, but she had no choice.
If she didn’t comply, Yin Xuelian would come up to the dorm and ‘gank’ her.
Su Cheng was quite helpless.

She quickly walked downstairs, once again came to the dormitory building entrance, pushed the door open, and walked a few steps forward into the night, only then discovering Yin Xuelian hiding behind a tree, ‘waiting for Orange by the tree stump’.

“If you were any slower, I would have gone up to find you.”
Yin Xuelian put away her phone, smiling, her eyes slightly narrowed as she watched Su Cheng.

“Please just let me go.
If my roommates caught us, it would cause a huge commotion.”

“Heh heh, so what?”
Su Cheng didn’t speak.
She couldn’t imagine what the consequences would be.

Yin Xuelian moved quickly.
First, she took Su Cheng’s hand, gently pulled, making Su Cheng’s body lean towards her embrace, then wrapped one arm around her slender waist.
Both were enveloped in darkness.
Su Cheng’s eyes widened in surprise as she bumped into Yin Xuelian’s chest.
Warm, fragrant, and soft jade entered her embrace.
The scent emanating from Su Cheng made Yin Xuelian feel both at ease and happy.

“Sister Lian, this isn’t appropriate here…”

“It’s fine, no one will see us this late at night.”
Su Cheng was held tightly by Yin Xuelian, her nostrils filled with the familiar yet aggressive cool-toned perfume scent on her body.
The scent almost suffocated her.
Yin Xuelian slightly released Su Cheng, lowered her head, and whispered with flowing eyes: “Little Orange, you look so cute in a skirt…”
Su Cheng looked up to see Yin Xuelian’s joyful face.
Her clear, bright eyes reflected Su Cheng’s cheeks, and a strange heart shape seemed to faintly appear.
‘My sister, don’t be emitting hearts!’

Yin Xuelian’s face gradually drew closer.
Her warm, sweet breath brushed against Su Cheng’s soft, bouncy cheeks, staining her fragrant face red.

“Sister Lian… this really isn’t appropriate…”
Su Cheng wanted to resist, but unfortunately, Yin Xuelian’s strength was greater than hers.
Even leaning back, she couldn’t escape her embrace.

“But, I can’t hold back anymore… right now…”

“Sister Lian… no… mmmph…”
Yin Xuelian closed the final distance almost like a sprint, heading straight for her target.
Hot, soft lips pressed against the other’s cherry lips.
As temperatures exchanged, their sweet scents quietly mingled.
Yin Xuelian seemed to be replenishing energy, constantly taking, and Su Cheng was like her gas station.
Su Cheng wanted to struggle and escape, but it was like falling into quicksand; she sank deeper and deeper.
‘What’s wrong with this person?
Every time, it’s like she wants to devour her completely.’
Remembering being kissed unconscious by Yin Xuelian at noon, Su Cheng didn’t want a repeat.
She lightly pinched Yin Xuelian’s thigh, and the pain made Yin Xuelian frown and release her lips.

“Mmmph… Little Orange, you’re not being good.”
Yin Xuelian stared at Su Cheng with displeasure, pouting, annoyed by having her pleasure abruptly cut off.
Su Cheng’s chest heaved far more than Yin Xuelian’s; her flushed cheeks made one want to take a bite.

“L-Let’s move… move somewhere else… If someone finds us… we’re doomed…”
Su Cheng’s suggestion wasn’t without reason.
Yin Xuelian, regaining some rationality, loosened her arm around Su Cheng’s waist.
Her other hand was already firmly holding Su Cheng’s, taking precautions against escape.
Yin Xuelian looked around.
The surroundings were quiet and empty.
Although they were in darkness and wouldn’t easily be found even if someone was there, it was indeed a hidden danger.

“Then let’s go somewhere else.
It’s still early.
Shall we go sit by the lake?”
At the mention of the lake, an alarm rang in Su Cheng’s heart.
She blinked, looking at Yin Xuelian: “You’re not going to get another phone ruined, are you?”
Her last phone got ruined right there, you know.
Yin Xuelian’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled: “Can’t you think of something positive?
Besides, if it gets ruined, I’ll just get you another one, plenty to go around.”
Su Cheng gave an awkward smile: “Then I still want this one.
I really like this phone.”
Yin Xuelian dotingly stroked Su Cheng’s head and said softly: “Okay, if it falls into the water again, I’ll get you an identical one.”

“Still, let’s not drop it in the water.
I don’t like swimming either.”

“Haha.”
Silver-bell-like laughter surrounded Su Cheng’s ears.
Yin Xuelian completely released Su Cheng’s waist and stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
In the post-rain night sky, stars twinkled.
The high-hanging bright moon cast clear, luminous rays, draping over the girls like a thin veil, illuminating their path forward.