Chapter 15: This Is Fine

After that day, the relationship between the two seemed to shift. A silent heaviness spread between them.

Meng Yao was arranging a freshly bought bouquet of flowers, her head lowered so that her thin bangs obscured her eyes.

“Xiao Yao, are you unhappy?”

“No, Grandma.”

Meng Yao finished with the flowers, set up the bed table in front of the elderly woman, and placed the porridge she had bought on the way.

“Eat quickly, Grandma.” Meng Yao looked at her grandmother with a rare smile—faint, but genuine.

The old woman’s hair was a mix of grey and white, her face a roadmap of deep wrinkles, and her eyes clouded with age. She looked at Meng Yao, sighed, and placed a rough hand on top of Meng Yao’s head.

“Xiao Yao, how could Grandma not see that you’re unhappy?”

“Is it because the hospital fees are too expensive? Grandma has been feeling much better lately. I can be discharged; there’s no need for any surgery,” the old woman rambled.

Meng Yao took her grandmother’s hand and pressed it against her own cheek. Her expression softened, melting the usual coldness of her features. “Grandma, don’t worry about the money. I told you before, I borrowed it from a friend. I’ll pay her back later.”

The old woman continued, “Then did you have a fight with that friend? If you made a mistake, you must apologize quickly. Don’t wait until you lose them to regret it.” She seemed convinced that Meng Yao’s unhappiness stemmed from a conflict.

Meng Yao sighed. “No, it’s just that the Gaokao is coming up and the pressure is a bit high.” To keep her grandmother from worrying further, she told a small lie.

The old woman had a moment of realization. “Look at that, Grandma almost forgot such an important thing.” She then smiled. “But our Xiao Yao will definitely do well. Our Xiao Yao has the smartest brain.”

Thinking of something, the woman’s face took on a nostalgic look. “Back then, it was raining so hard. I was ready to go home when I saw tiny little you next to a trash can. So small and pitiful. I asked everyone, but no one could find your parents. So, I raised you myself. Who knew Xiao Yao would be a little prodigy, always coming in first place, and so good-looking? Everyone around said I picked up a little ‘quilted jacket’…”

Meng Yao sat by her side, quietly listening to the old woman recount the past. When people get old, they inevitably enjoy rambling and bringing up these old memories.

It was nearly 9:00 PM when Meng Yao returned from the hospital. Some time ago, Zhao Xue had dragged her to register her face for the gate’s facial recognition.

But Meng Yao had never used it. Every time she came back, she would see Zhao Xue opening the door to greet her. The living room light would cast a halo around her; wearing a white dress and smiling, she always looked exceptionally beautiful.

Sometimes, as soon as the door closed, Zhao Xue would throw herself into Meng Yao’s arms. They would kiss passionately like a real pair of lovers, inseparable.

But the last two days had been different. The front door remained tightly closed, and there was no familiar figure waiting.

Meng Yao lowered her eyelids, her long lashes casting a shadow, and opened the door herself. The living room lights were on and food was on the table, but Zhao Xue was nowhere to be seen.

Her mood dipped inexplicably. Meng Yao pursed her lips. She finished her dinner and washed up in silence, then lay in bed, letting the darkness consume her.

In these past two days, she had sensed Zhao Xue’s cooling attitude. Perhaps this was the best outcome; in half a month, there would be no lingering threads to cut.

Yet, she felt a trace of resentment. Why did Zhao Xue get to be so capricious—stepping in and out of her life whenever she pleased?

Meng Yao’s eyes gradually clouded with a dark intensity. A thought surfaced in her mind. She stood up, stripped off her old-fashioned T-shirt and jeans, and put on a silk nightgown from the closet.

The nightgown was form-fitting, tracing the curves of her body clearly. The hem only reached her knees, revealing her fair, slender calves. Her lines were crisp and clean—not like Zhao Xue’s soft flesh, but with beautiful, subtle muscle definition.

Meng Yao went to Zhao Xue’s door and knocked softly.

Click.

The door opened from the inside. Zhao Xue’s face—startlingly beautiful without any adornment—came into view. Zhao Xue blinked her captivating “peach blossom” eyes. She opened the door fully and leaned against the frame with her arms crossed, a look of obvious surprise in her eyes.

“Meng Yao, is something the matter?”

Meng Yao’s fingers tightened slowly. In the dim light, her expression was hard to read. Her voice was a soft whisper: “Zhao Xue, let’s make love.”

Zhao Xue’s eyebrows arched slowly. She looked directly into Meng Yao’s eyes, genuinely surprised. She had already planned to let Meng Yao go, but she hadn’t expected Meng Yao to deliver herself to her doorstep just a few days later.

Zhao Xue let out a smile and teased, “Meng Yao, you’d better think this through. No regrets?” She wasn’t some saint; if the meat was being served, why wouldn’t she eat?

Meng Yao shook her head slowly. “No regrets. I want to do it with you. That’s all.” That’s all…

The warm yellow light shone upon the two overlapping silhouettes. Even though Meng Yao usually kissed her with such vigor, when it finally came to the last step, even her hands were trembling.

Seeing that the girl was just fixated on her lips and stalling the next move, Zhao Xue flipped their positions and pinned Meng Yao beneath her. She kissed the corner of Meng Yao’s mouth. “Be good. Don’t be nervous.”

Meng Yao blinked her dry eyes, looking up at the Zhao Xue hovering over her. The nightgown she had specially put on had long been tossed aside.

Meng Yao was somewhat dazed by the Zhao Xue of this moment. The visual impact was too strong; Zhao Xue was beautiful—so beautiful that she often found herself losing her train of thought.

Zhao Xue’s kisses were light, like feathers. Wherever they landed, it felt like an electric current, making her skin itch. A faint flush appeared on Meng Yao’s cold, pale face, and her breathing turned into a series of hazy gasps.

Zhao Xue smiled, her voice husky. “I’ll go slow.” At this moment, her features were incredibly vivid, and her low, raspy voice made everything she said sound like an invitation.

Though Zhao Xue was a hedonist who didn’t like being proactive, she found great interest in pinning Meng Yao down—especially seeing Meng Yao’s uncertainty about how to proceed. She wanted to see Meng Yao’s dark eyes filled with desire; she wanted to see that cold face flushed with passion because of her.

Zhao Xue ran her tongue over her lips. The pink tip of her tongue looked soft and tender. Meng Yao knew for a fact it was soft and tender; she had tasted it many times.

The scene was too seductive. Meng Yao’s brow furrowed slightly. Zhao Xue brushed Meng Yao’s bangs aside, revealing her smooth forehead, and gave it a light peck. “Be a good girl.”

So gentle… Meng Yao thought blankly, feeling as though she was about to drown in Zhao Xue’s eyes.

The atmosphere grew thick and sticky, like chocolate-covered candy, sweet enough to be cloying. Meng Yao’s breathing was heavy, her hot, damp breath seemingly saturating the air. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and the corners of her eyes were tinged with red—she looked both beautiful and fragile.

Zhao Xue kissed the corner of her eye. “So beautiful, baby.”

Meng Yao’s heart beat wildly; her eyes had lost their usual icy calm. After an unknown amount of time, Meng Yao’s raspy voice broke the silence. “Zhao Xue, I want to try… can I?”

Through the humid air came Zhao Xue’s soft chuckle. “Sure.”

The moon gradually hid behind the clouds, but the light in Zhao Xue’s room remained on.

“Go slow.” Zhao Xue’s eyes were half-lidded, the upturned corners carrying a boundless charm. Her lips were red and swollen—alluring and beautiful. Her voice was barely a whisper, like a secret shared between lovers.

She looked down at the crown of Meng Yao’s head. “Where did you learn to be so good at this, hmm?” Her tone was sweet and rising at the end.

Meng Yao’s breathing was heavy. She hadn’t learned it anywhere; she was just following her instincts. The night grew deep, but Meng Yao seemed to have inexhaustible energy. Zhao Xue felt her entire body going soft.

Exhausted, her words lost their rhythm. “Enough… we have school tomorrow.”

Meng Yao kissed her, sharing a long, lingering kiss. She pressed her forehead against Zhao Xue’s and whispered hoarsely, “Okay.”

# SHIT SHIT SHIT!!! EXPLOSIVE NEWS, THE KIND THAT ACTUALLY KILLS!!! EVERYONE, WATCH THE VCR #

The bold, capitalized title on the forum was incredibly eye-catching. The students of Chaoxi High were curious just how “explosive” it could be. When they clicked in, it was a total bombshell.

The post was quickly pushed to the front page, sitting at number one.

— Holy shit, is it morning or am I dreaming?! — You’re not dreaming. Zhao and Meng were making out in the empty classroom of Building 3!!! — Wait, doesn’t Zhao Xue like Su Xu? If I recall, she’s had several boyfriends, including XXX from our school. — I’m Zhao Xue’s ex. We dated for a week and didn’t even hold hands!!! — Ugh, gay people are so disgusting!

For most students at Chaoxi High, the day felt like a dream. The video was short, but Zhao Xue’s face was clearly visible, accompanied by several high-definition photos. Although the other person’s face wasn’t caught, they knew at a glance it was Meng Yao.

Zhao Xue’s fame at Chaoxi High was on par with Bai Jianming and the others—only hers was for being a “villain.” Regardless, anything she did was easily plastered all over the internet. Most people loved gossip, and being hit with such explosive news left them discussing it frantically.

— I’m so sorry, but Zhao Xue’s blushing face really makes my [inorganic version of male anatomy] explode. — Damn, Meng looks really into that neck-kissing. I can’t imagine how soft and fragrant the Eldest Miss’s skin is! — I was wondering why Zhao always buttoned her collar to the top lately. Turns out it was to hide hickeys. I can’t tell if Meng is being forced or not—that sense of “claiming” is too strong. — Doing this at school? Miss Zhao truly has no fear. I just wonder what’ll happen to Meng Yao.

Meng Yao walked behind Zhao Xue, her bangs obscuring her eyes as usual. She ignored the gazes from the people around them; her entire field of vision belonged to Zhao Xue.

After what happened last night, Meng Yao found her heart had stilled. She thought that this was probably the best result. Eventually, she would fade from Zhao Xue’s sight and live her own ordinary life.

The program she wrote was running better and better; the money she earned was enough for her and her grandmother to live peacefully. And as for Zhao Xue… when the time came, she would pay back all the medical expenses and sever all ties completely.