Chapter 28: The Unseen Gaze

Song Qinghuan’s smile widened.

Her hand slid from Lin Shishi’s waist down to her thigh. “I’ll deal with you properly when we get back tonight.”

Lin Shishi bit her lip, too shy to speak.

Yet, her body instinctively leaned closer to Song Qinghuan.

Sunlight continued to stream in. The class carried on.

The two girls nestled together. One listened attentively to the lesson, while the other secretly drifted into thought.

One was possessively dominant, the other willingly reliant.

Their future stretched long before them. However, the sweet, intimate ambiguity of this moment was enough to make the morning utterly beautiful.

Birds flew past the window. The sky was a brilliant blue.

‘If only time could stop at this very moment,’ Lin Shishi mused.

But time would not stop. Their future, undoubtedly, would be even sweeter—

Because Song Qinghuan had declared, ‘This lifetime, you are mine to devour.’

And Lin Shishi, was utterly willing.

****

As night fell.

*Ding-ding-ding.* Lin Shishi’s phone rang, an incoming call.

Song Qinghuan leaned against the doorframe, her long legs crossed, encased in black stockings. Her toes hooked lightly into her slippers, threatening to slip off at any moment.

She raised an eyebrow. “Who’s sending you messages?”

Lin Shishi was sitting on the edge of the bed.

The room was small, bathed in the soft, orange glow of a warm lamp, which made her skin appear even fairer.

The girl wore no socks, her bare ankles slender and delicate. Her toes curled slightly, nails a faint pink, like freshly bloomed petals.

Upon hearing Song Qinghuan’s question, she obediently handed over her phone. When she lifted her face, her eyelashes fluttered lightly. “It’s Dai Canglan. She told me that Her Majesty wants me to go to Xinjing.”

Xinjing was the capital of the Kingdom of Lanfang. The Lanfang Royal Court was located there.

Song Qinghuan took the phone, her fingertips brushing casually against Lin Shishi’s palm.

She lowered her eyes to the screen. The message content was indeed as Shishi had described. Dai Canglan had written it in a very proper manner, showing no hint of trying to steal her away.

Only then did Song Qinghuan relax slightly, letting out a soft ‘hmm’ from her nose.

However, she noticed the last line of the message: “Is now a convenient time for a call?”

A hint of a wicked smile touched Song Qinghuan’s lips. She handed the phone back. “Convenient. Just put it on speakerphone.”

Lin Shishi bit her lower lip.

She nodded, then replied to the message.

Soon, Dai Canglan’s call came in.

Under her ‘dog owner’s’ watchful gaze, Lin Shishi pressed the speakerphone button.

–Hello, Shishi, it’s Canglan.

Lin Shishi’s heart skipped a beat.

She clutched her phone, her voice soft and gentle. “Mm, what is it?”

–Is Song Qinghuan next to you?

Dai Canglan’s voice came through the receiver, carrying a hint of rising mischief, like a cat’s claw scratching at her heart.

Lin Shishi instinctively looked up at Song Qinghuan.

Song Qinghuan stood before her, looking down imperiously, a wicked smile slowly curving her lips.

She extended her index finger, gently waving it, signaling Lin Shishi to lie.

Lin Shishi bit her lip again. This time, she bit harder, leaving a faint mark.

The girl whispered, “She’s not here.”

–Hehehe, she’s actually not there! I’m so incredibly happy!

Dai Canglan’s voice immediately soared, like a child who had received candy. –Shishi—I really, really like you.

Lin Shishi’s breath hitched.

–You have no idea how much I like you.

Dai Canglan continued, her words rapid and fervent. –If it weren’t for this family relation, honestly, I would definitely compete with Song Qinghuan—I would absolutely chase you until you were mine. But that damnable Aunt Fanghua insisted we were relatives, and I… I’m just so tragic… *Waaah*—

Upon hearing this, the smile on Song Qinghuan’s lips deepened.

She suddenly leaned down, reaching out to pinch Lin Shishi’s chin.

Her fingertips were slightly warm, the pressure light, yet full of possessiveness.

She mouthed silently: ‘Continue.’

Lin Shishi was forced to tilt her face up, her twin pigtails sliding from her shoulders to her back, revealing a pale, slender neck.

She opened her mouth, but no sound emerged.

–Why aren’t you saying anything?

Dai Canglan asked from the other end of the phone, her voice laced with laughter. –That day, did you not resist as forcefully? Tell me, do you also like me, even just a tiny bit?

Lin Shishi trembled all over.

That day… she dared not dwell on it, only feeling her earlobes burn intensely.

She quickly shook her head, as if the other person could see her. “No way, how could I? Never.”

Song Qinghuan narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, giving the girl a thumbs-up.

Her other hand, however, slid down Lin Shishi’s chin, her fingertips subtly grazing her neck, stopping at the hollow of her collarbone, tracing a gentle circle.

Lin Shishi flinched her shoulders but did not pull away.

–You have no idea how lonely I am when I’m alone,

Dai Canglan’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of deliberate grievance. –I dream of you every single night.

Lin Shishi’s eyes reddened slightly, as if she had been wronged. She looked up pitifully at Song Qinghuan.

Song Qinghuan finally couldn’t hold back.

She snatched the phone, yelling loudly into the receiver. “Hey! You pervert! Dai Canglan! I’m right here! Can you at least try to save some face? You’re a Dai family member, after all. As a noble, aren’t you ashamed to say such disgraceful things?”

The other end of the phone went silent for a second.

Then came a shriek of “Aow!” followed by Dai Canglan’s exasperated curses. –Song Qinghuan! You shameless wretch! How dare you eavesdrop on someone’s privacy! I’m going to kill you!

Song Qinghuan burst into laughter, bending at the waist, one hand still resting on Lin Shishi’s shoulder. “Come on then! I’m renting a place outside, but you’ll never find me.”

–Hmph,

Dai Canglan scoffed. –How is that possible? What do you think? I know where you both live.

Song Qinghuan’s laughter stopped. “How do you know?”

–Nonsense! Shishi is a key protection target now. Even if you run to the ends of the earth, Aunt Fanghua will arrange for people to keep an eye on you. Aren’t you just renting a room in the Yudashichang market, on the third floor, right? The one by the sea, right?

Dai Canglan sounded triumphant, her tone full of the arrogance of ‘I know everything.’

The more Song Qinghuan listened, the colder her heart grew.

That feeling of being enveloped by unseen gazes returned, like a fine net, suffocating her.

However, Dai Canglan’s tone suddenly shifted. –But don’t worry, they haven’t installed cameras in your room, so we won’t see any of your intimate, embarrassing acts. But we definitely know your location, so if you appear in the vicinity in the future, remember not to engage in street-side activities, okay~?

The final ‘okay’ was drawn out, filled with the pleasure of a successful prank.

Lin Shishi immediately bit her lip. This time she bit harder, her lower lip turning a deeper red.

Her hands unconsciously clenched her skirt, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Song Qinghuan snorted, her tone disdainful. “I’m not as shameless as you, to be out on the street—”

But as she spoke, her gaze slowly drifted to Lin Shishi, from top to bottom—

Her eyes finally rested on Lin Shishi’s tightly pressed legs.

The girl’s bare feet were on the dark floor, her insteps pale and delicate, like a startled small animal.

Lin Shishi felt completely uncomfortable under her gaze, instinctively hugging her chest and shrinking back. “I… I don’t want to play that.”

Song Qinghuan curled her lips into a wicked smile. “I didn’t say I wanted to play,” she suddenly leaned closer, her breath brushing Lin Shishi’s flushed earlobe. “You little hussy…”

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