Chapter 37: The Manga Confession

“Mmmph—”

With just the lightest touch, Ye Qing heard Shen Congqing let out a long, muffled groan. That melodious sound made Ye Qing’s delicate fingers tremble even more violently.

‘Tang Nuo must have inflicted this with her cane, and I even played a part…’

Whether from shame or shyness, Ye Qing carefully squeezed the ointment onto her fingertips. She then gently applied it to Shen Congqing’s reddened skin, her movements as tender as if cradling an infant.

As a hint of coolness spread over her burning buttocks, Shen Congqing couldn’t help but hum contentedly once more.

She rarely experienced such meticulous care. The novelty of not needing to think, simply relaxing her nerves, easing her taut body, and entrusting it to someone else, was both new and captivating.

With her face turned forward, Shen Congqing couldn’t see Ye Qing’s distressed expression, choosing only to indulge in the moment.

“Ye Qing.”

“Hm?!”

Startled by the sudden address, Ye Qing’s body gave a slight shiver. Fortunately, her fingertips weren’t resting on Shen Congqing at that moment, or she might have poked forward and pressed into the flesh.

Shen Congqing’s thoroughly ravaged buttocks now possessed a jelly-like texture. A thin, supple layer of skin encased the deep red beneath, yielding with the slightest touch.

Once a finger was removed, it would swiftly spring back due to its ample elasticity, a sight Ye Qing couldn’t tear her eyes from.

“Thank you. Your hands are very nimble and gentle.”

Praised so directly, even Ye Qing’s pretty face flushed, and she stammered, unsure how to respond.

‘What would Shen Congqing think if she knew this was actually the masterpiece of me and another mischievous girl?’

‘She would definitely give me a severe dressing-down…’

‘Please, stop praising me, I’m truly sorry!’

‘I’ll never disparage Magical Girl Qing again. She’s the best Magical Girl in the world.’

As she thought this, Ye Qing’s movements slowed further.

When she gently pressed her fingertips onto Shen Congqing’s tender skin, she could even faintly feel a subtle, rhythmic pulse, as if the injured tissue was rapidly repairing itself, a truly astonishing phenomenon.

‘As expected of Magical Girl Qing, her recovery ability is truly formidable, and her willpower surpasses all else.’

‘To still insist on teaching me, even with such injuries…’

As she mused, the guilt in Ye Qing’s heart grew even heavier.

‘I am truly sinful.’

“Ye Qing, you don’t have to be so careful. It’s fine to be a little bolder. I’ve, well… I’ve sustained quite a few similar injuries, so I’m long accustomed to this sort of thing.”

Shen Congqing spoke again, seemingly encouraging Ye Qing. Upon hearing her words, Ye Qing’s cheeks involuntarily reddened further, becoming as translucent as frosted maple leaves.

“Teacher Shen, just rest easy…”

“I just didn’t expect anyone to care, and I got a little carried away… Ye Qing, you’re so thoughtful.”

Ye Qing’s movements froze, stunned by Shen Congqing’s audacious words, unable to regain her composure for a long moment.

‘Who praises someone like that anymore…’

‘If Lin Shaoyao saw me in this awkward state, she’d definitely burst into laughter, pointing and saying, ‘So, Ye Qing, you’ve finally met your match today!”

‘But who wouldn’t be flustered by something like this?’

Her mind raced with wild thoughts, making it almost impossible for Ye Qing to simply view Shen Congqing as just a teacher anymore.

After all, no teacher had ever tutored her with such meticulous care, lavishing praise and even offering hands-on guidance…

Recalling the sensation of being enveloped in Shen Congqing’s warm hand, Ye Qing’s delicate fingers, still slick with ointment, found it impossible to remain steady, and she numbly poked down.

“Eep~”

Shen Congqing’s soft gasp made Ye Qing recoil as if shocked, and she began to wish for the ordeal to end quickly.

With a pair of hazy amber eyes, Ye Qing deftly spread the ointment evenly, forcing herself not to overthink. Finally, she made it through those agonizing few minutes.

To allow the medicine to take full effect, Shen Congqing had to remain lazily prone until the ointment dried. Meanwhile, Ye Qing, still in the room, found herself in an awkward predicament: unable to stay, yet unable to leave.

‘If I stay… Shen Congqing’s alluring, upturned buttocks would continue to tempt my gaze.’

‘But leaving would make even less sense.’

Thus, the awkward Ye Qing could only turn her face to the wall, looking exactly like someone forced to reflect on their misdeeds. The sight made Shen Congqing chuckle softly.

“What kind of posture is that… Don’t be nervous, just look at me. I still have something to tell you.”

Ye Qing nodded stiffly, slowly shifting her gaze until Shen Congqing’s face came into perfect focus.

With a solemn expression, she sat upright, hands clasped tightly on her knees like a kindergarten student. However, her restless feet continuously wiggled gently.

Every subtle movement of the dark-haired girl was observed by Shen Congqing’s emerald-like eyes, yet she merely smiled without comment.

“Ye Qing, what are you usually interested in? Games, novels, or manga?”

It seemed like a simple inquiry about her interests, yet Ye Qing felt as if she were facing options in a visual novel, compelled to give it serious thought.

“Uh… probably manga,” she replied.

In truth, Ye Qing wasn’t particularly interested, but having frequently drawn inspiration from it, she had encountered a fair amount of manga. If pressed further, she could likely conjure up a few plausible answers.

“So, what kind of manga do you usually read?”

‘This is truly a troublesome question.’

‘After all, I can’t exactly say I like reading suggestive manga, can I?’

‘How about Magical Girl? Would Teacher Shen be pleased with that answer? But I don’t really read those…’

Suddenly, a thought sparked in Ye Qing’s mind. If the genre was inconvenient to mention, she could simply use the artist’s name as a substitute. Surely, a sophisticated lady like Teacher Shen wouldn’t detect the hidden meaning.

“Like the manga by ‘Mirror Flower,’ for example…”

Ye Qing spoke vaguely, assuming she could brush it off with a single phrase. She failed to notice the golden-haired woman on the sofa whose beautiful eyes had widened.

“You said Mirror Flower… What do you like about her?”

Ye Qing hadn’t entirely lied; she did frequently browse the artist’s manga, and her own drawing style had, to some extent, been influenced by that senior artist.

The meticulous coloring and line work were almost at the level of fine art, making it impossible for one’s imagination to run wild.

Instead, one only wished to immerse themselves in that world of ink-wash paintings, even if her plots were admittedly quite tedious…

It was genuinely exquisite, but whether it was effective in *that* regard, Ye Qing didn’t know; she hadn’t tried it herself.

Regardless, the artist was known for suggestive works. Questioned by Shen Congqing like this, Ye Qing stammered, unable to articulate her thoughts for a moment.

“Just… the colors and brushwork, I guess? Her art gives off a very tranquil feeling…”

“And what else?”

For some reason, Shen Congqing’s slender calves unconsciously lifted, swinging alternately behind her like a lively young girl’s. Her eyes, moreover, were brimming with delight.

Ye Qing licked her parched, cherry-red lips.

“The characters, perhaps. The characters she draws are especially vivid.”

Having waited a long time without receiving the desired answer, Shen Congqing raised an eyebrow and continued to prompt her.

“When reading manga, shouldn’t one care more about the plot?”

‘Go on, tell me what you really think, even if it’s a past memory that makes you blush.’

This question, however, was simple, and Ye Qing answered without hesitation:

“Ah, well, that part is quite boring.”