Chapter 31: Love Can Be Made? (Part III)

Zhao Xue’s eyes were rimmed with a seductive flush. “This time, you take the lead. I’m letting you.” Her words were laced with the scent of alcohol.

Whisps of that scent drifted into Shen Xun’s nose, colonizing her brain and making her feel even more intoxicated.

Shen Xun was an adult; she had desires.

Her fingers flicked slightly, eliciting a low moan from Zhao Xue—tender and soft, a sound that sent a numbing spark straight to the tip of Shen Xun’s heart.

“Do you even know who I am?” Shen Xun’s voice was rasping and dry.

Zhao Xue’s gaze was glassy, her expression flickering with a hint of pain. She seemed not to have heard the question, far too occupied with the restless swaying of her hips. “Didn’t… didn’t shower. Dirty.”

Shen Xun let out a short laugh. She withdrew her hand and flipped over, pinning Zhao Xue beneath her.

“Zhao Xue, are you really drunk?” Shen Xun’s own face was flushed, her body running hot under the provocation of the alcohol.

Zhao Xue hooked her legs around Shen Xun’s waist, just as they had practiced for the movie. Her eyes were swimming with moisture as she muttered like a child, “Not drunk. I’m not drunk!”

Shen Xun narrowed her eyes, studying Zhao Xue’s current state. After a long silence, she remarked in a leisurely, teasing tone, “You’re actually a bit cuter than usual.”

Shen Xun reached out. With one hand, she pinched Zhao Xue’s chin to force her mouth open; with the other, damp and insistent, she reached inside to toy with Zhao Xue’s tongue.

Zhao Xue blinked, her reactions slowed. Realizing there was an intrusion, she tried to push back with her tongue in a weak display of resistance. It was futile; instead, her tongue was caught, and silver threads of saliva escaped from the corners of her mouth.

Shen Xun watched without blinking, as if finding the sight fascinating.

Zhao Xue’s brow furrowed. She shifted her hips, brushing against Shen Xun, then twisted her head away to clumsily wipe her mouth. “Don’t play with my mouth,” she muttered sullenly.

Seeing this, Shen Xun forced Zhao Xue’s head back to center. She leaned down and said, “Then I’ll kiss your mouth.” Even as the words left her, Shen Xun thought she must be absurdly drunk as well.

Zhao Xue’s lashes fluttered. She suddenly covered her lips. “No… my first kiss is reserved for the person I love.”

Shen Xun let out a cold laugh, an inexplicable flame igniting in her chest. She pried Zhao Xue’s hand away, her fingers roughly grinding against Zhao Xue’s lips. “First kiss? Heh. It was kissed raw by me long ago during filming.” With that, she lunged forward and captured Zhao Xue’s lips.

Her hands didn’t stop their kneading movements.

Zhao Xue pushed back aggrievedly. “No… stop, don’t want it. Don’t like it.” But Shen Xun’s strength surged, pinning Zhao Xue down, refusing to let her up.

Shen Xun’s eyes were dark with desire, yet they remained strangely cold—as if she were a rational observer watching herself sink into the depths of the night.

She withdrew from Zhao Xue’s mouth and moved elsewhere, her lips grazing skin with an intimate friction.

“What makes you think you can just say no? You think you can escape after seducing me?”

Shen Xun had almost zero experience in this regard. She had never harbored thoughts for men or women; she only wanted to make money. That one absurd night was her only reference point—a memory steeped in embarrassment.

What was even harder to admit was that, back then, she had actually felt something.

Shen Xun hadn’t intended to make Zhao Xue feel good. But looking at the woman beneath her—weeping, eyes rimmed with red, her entire body flushed pink—Shen Xun’s movements involuntarily softened.

She sat up, pulling Zhao Xue into her arms and clutching her back tightly, peppering her with kisses.

Zhao Xue’s eyes were watery, her lashes clumped together from tears. She leaned against Shen Xun’s shoulder and murmured, “Shen Xun… your fingers are so long. I feel like I’m going to… to—ah—”

Before she could finish, Shen Xun bit down on her ear, a sharp sting of pain.

Shen Xun’s voice was parched. “Zhao Xue, do you really like men? You can be this moved while in bed with a woman, hmm?” She flipped Zhao Xue over, forcing her to face her.

“Tonight was your request. Remember that.”

Skin pressed against skin, heat transferring between them. The sounds of intimacy leaked through the cracks in the door—just a fraction, but enough to make anyone’s heart race.

The next morning, Zhao Xue opened her eyes groatily.

The memories of the previous night came rushing back instantly. She reached out and felt bare skin; turning her head, she saw Shen Xun.

Disturbed by the movement, Shen Xun slowly opened her eyes. The transition from daze to clarity took only a second. She bolted upright, her face turning deathly pale as she took in the scene.

She remembered everything from last night; the alcohol had simply stripped away her control.

Zhao Xue blinked. She propped herself up, her voice a bit hoarse. “Shen Xun—”

“Shut up.” It wasn’t loud, but it was freezing.

Zhao Xue wasn’t exactly known for her good temper. “What are you snapping for? Did I force you last night?” She rubbed her forehead. “If you mind that much, just act like nothing happened.”

Shen Xun’s expression turned even worse. She hurriedly threw on her clothes. “It’s better that you think that way. Just don’t let it affect the work.” She left without looking back.

“Hmph,” Zhao Xue let out a heavy snort, unsure if Shen Xun even heard it.

Once the door closed, Zhao Xue leaned against the headboard, holding her head. “So rough…” she muttered. Those fingers were so long, charging straight in without hesitation.

Fortunately, the brat had softened up toward the end. Overall, it hadn’t been a bad night.

Exhausted, Zhao Xue spent the rest of her day off lounging on the bed playing “Happy Match,” a mini-game recommended by the set’s makeup artist. It was surprisingly addictive. No one came to find her—not online, not in reality. Only her chirpy little fans.

That night, Zhao Xue flashed a peace sign at her camera, captured the night view behind her, and posted it to Weibo.

Zhao Xue V: A beautiful night. Wanted to show my little fans.

— Waaa, Big Sister finally surfaced! The night view is so white! (Wait, no…) — Sister, is something wrong? Why the ‘angle of death’ photo? (Though you’re still stunningly beautiful)

Zhao Xue looked at the comments with a faint smile. Her fans were actually quite cute. Then she sighed; they were going to be disappointed.

The next day, Shen Xun finished her makeup and was wheeled out of the dressing room, spotting Zhao Xue immediately.

She offered Zhao Xue a polite smile, exactly as she always did in front of others. It was as if she hadn’t been affected by the drunken events at all.

“Alright, everyone get ready!” “Action!”

…

The mermaid had fallen asleep again, knocked out by drugs released from the bottom of the tank.

Li operated the console, transporting the mermaid from the pool to the lab. Her usually gentle eyes watched the footage of the mermaid being dissected as if looking at a piece of dead meat.

After the researchers removed a small piece of flesh from its arm, Zhao Xue (as Li) returned the mermaid to the pool.

The mermaid woke from its stupor. It felt a sharp pain in its arm; it had been wounded again. Its golden pupils were now somewhat grey and dull. It seemed numb, holding no expectations for life.

Until it heard footsteps.

The mermaid’s eyes lit up instantly, its spirit seemingly recovering a fraction. It swung its scarred tail toward the glass, pressing its cheek against where Li’s palm rested. Its expression was pure and sincere—the mermaid couldn’t hide its emotions; it was too simple. Its eyes shone with an intense adoration and a longing for the human.

Human… mine…

Li curled her lips into a smile, radiating gentleness, though the faint dark circles under her eyes gave her a slightly somber air. This made her gentleness seem rare, conspicuous, and deeply sincere.

Li pulled a pill from her lab coat pocket and said with a smile, “This is something I’ve developed. It’s still in the experimental stage, but let’s see if it works today.” She spoke as she walked up the stairs.

The mermaid followed her steps, swimming slowly upward until it finally breached the surface.

Zhao Xue (Li) arrived at the edge of the pool and beckoned the mermaid over. She was now well-accustomed to handling the mermaid, ensuring it wouldn’t hurt her.

The mermaid blinked its bright eyes, looking at the human with a mix of innocence and joy. It swam to her almost instantly. The human hadn’t touched it in a long time. It wanted…

Looking at the human so close at hand, the mermaid’s pale face began to flush uncontrollably. The breeding cycle… was coming again.

Li shed her lab coat, then her shoes. She rolled up her pant legs, revealing pale, delicate feet and slender, well-proportioned calves. Noting the mermaid’s unblinking gaze, she slowly sat down and lowered her legs into the water.

The mermaid watched from right beside her. Once settled, Li reached out. “A31, come here. Let me touch you.”

The mermaid knew what this gesture meant. It emitted a happy sound and slowly rested its face against the human’s warm palm. Fragrant, warm… it loved this. The mermaid’s temperature began to rise.

Li let out an unreadable smile. She had checked the records: mermaids were naturally cold, but once they entered their breeding cycle, their bodies would become scorching hot for five to seven days.

She placed the pill in her mouth, cupped the mermaid’s face, and leaned down to press a kiss against its cheek, emitting that same frequency from before.

Love…

Then, she reached out and unbuttoned her own shirt, revealing the body hidden beneath the white fabric.

The mermaid’s eyes widened. The human was inviting it…

Instantly, its golden pupils glowed with an intensity that rivaled the stars. A clear joy spread across its face as it lunged, pinning the human against the edge of the pool. Its tail swished happily, kicking up sprays of water.

The fire of desire spread in its eyes. The cold pool water was no match for its steadily heating body.

Li pressed down on the mermaid’s head as it nuzzled restlessly against her chest. She arched her neck, letting out low, shallow pants. Her clothes were soaked, her hair dampened, and her black-rimmed glasses had been tossed aside.

After a long while, she pushed the mermaid back. It seemed to understand her intent and withdrew. Its eyes were filled with grievance, as if questioning why the human had stopped.

But the grievance lasted only seconds before it saw the human submerge her entire body into the water. Her legs wrapped around its waist.

The human let out a melodic, breathless gasp. “Into the water… let’s see if the medicine works.”

The mermaid didn’t understand the words, but it could feel the human’s body rubbing against its own, and saw her finger pointing toward the depths.

The mermaid was instantly ecstatic. It held the human and dove straight down into the water. It seemed the human wanted to mate with it in its sleeping quarters.