Chapter 69: A Familiar Gesture

Hua Mu’ai didn’t return to the apartment until half past twelve in the night.

She tiptoed to the door and poked her head inside.

Only a wall lamp was on in the living room. It was eerily quiet.

“Phew…”

Hua Mu’ai let out a long breath, her whole body relaxing.

Holy Sakura Academy had organized a seven-day summer camp, and all three little ones had gone.

With the spacious apartment finally left to just her and Shen Tinglan.

And Shen Tinglan was definitely asleep by this hour.

What a rare chance for peace and quiet!

Whistling a little tune, Hua Mu’ai happily changed into her slippers and slipped back to her own room.

A soft click.

The door to the neighboring room opened. Hua Mu’ai’s smile froze.

Shen Tinglan, wearing a nightgown, leaned against the doorframe. Her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders, revealing delicate collarbones. She exuded the unique allure of a mature woman.

“Captain, why are you coming back so late?”

Her voice brushed over Hua Mu’ai’s heart like a feather, laced with a hint of ambiguity.

Hua Mu’ai’s heart skipped a beat.

“I was at an internet cafe. What… what business is it of yours!” She instinctively straightened her chest to hide her fluster.

Shen Tinglan chuckled softly, completely unbothered by her attitude.

“Perfect timing.”

She strode over on her long legs. “I have some data I need the captain’s cooperation to collect.”

Before she finished speaking, she had already grabbed Hua Mu’ai’s wrist.

Her palm was warm and strong.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!”

Hua Mu’ai was startled and tried desperately to break free, but the other woman’s strength was astonishing.

She was pulled into the room by Shen Tinglan.

“Bam.”

The door closed.

Hua Mu’ai’s heart went “bam” as well.

Shen Tinglan’s room was as tidy as the woman herself. The air carried a pleasant fragrance.

“Sit.”

Shen Tinglan let go and pointed to the edge of her bed.

Hua Mu’ai was pushed down onto the bedside, her body tensing up.

Shen Tinglan pulled over a chair and sat directly opposite her. Their knees touched.

The distance was too close.

Close enough for Hua Mu’ai to feel the faint airflow from her breathing.

Hua Mu’ai was extremely uncomfortable, fidgeting like sitting on needles.

“What’s the captain so nervous about? It’s not like I’m going to eat you.” Shen Tinglan smiled.

With that, she took a detector from her equipment case beside her and said softly, “I need to do a contact test to ensure the accuracy of the data.”

As she spoke, her fingers gently touched Hua Mu’ai’s forehead.

As her face drew near, Hua Mu’ai’s cheeks flushed crimson.

“You… get away!”

“Be good. Don’t move.”

Shen Tinglan held the instrument, slowly moving it from her forehead down to her temples, then gently around to the back of her ears. Her movements were skilled and professional.

But that professionalism felt particularly provocative at this moment.

Suddenly she leaned in even closer, her breath hitting Hua Mu’ai’s face.

“The captain’s star power is very unstable,” her voice sounded by her ear, “especially when your heart rate speeds up.”

What did this woman mean?

Hua Mu’ai sensed something wrong. She stood up to run, but her shoulder was pressed down.

“Don’t move. It’ll be done soon.”

She was too strong. Hua Mu’ai couldn’t budge.

She cursed inwardly.

Is this woman here for testing or for flirting! If you have something to say, just say it! What’s with all the hands-on stuff!

Just then, Shen Tinglan habitually tilted her head, revealing a gentle smile. Then she reached out and lightly brushed a stray lock of hair from Hua Mu’ai’s forehead, tucking it behind her ear.

The movement and expression…

Hua Mu’ai’s breath caught.

Exactly the same!

This was clearly the look Su Wanning used to give her, etched deep in her memory.

Hua Mu’ai felt dizzy.

“Captain, your face is really red.”

As if unaware of anything amiss, Shen Tinglan took her hand with concern.

Their fingers intertwined.

The pulse beat traveled through their palms.

“I’m not going to hurt you. Just relax.”

Hua Mu’ai panicked.

That familiar scent, which made her heart ache and instinctively yearn, mixed with the warmth of the palm, trapped her firmly.

“What exactly are you trying to do!”

She finally couldn’t help shouting.

Shen Tinglan let go. Her smiling eyes turned calm.

“I just want to help you recover your power, Captain.” Her gaze was complex. “Because I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

The words were sincere, but they made Hua Mu’ai very uncomfortable.

She pushed Shen Tinglan away with all her might and rushed out of the room as if fleeing for her life.

Bursting into her bedroom, she slammed the door shut behind her.

Knock knock knock.

A knock sounded.

From outside the door came Shen Tinglan’s gentle voice.

Hua Mu’ai covered her ears, sliding down until she collapsed onto the floor.

She hugged her knees, her heart pounding wildly.

Her mind was filled with the scene from just now.

The gesture of tucking her hair back was so familiar.

It couldn’t be.

Her lover had died long ago!

Died in the blood-red twilight, died under the erosion of the Void, leaving not even a body behind.

Hua Mu’ai bit her lip and tasted the metallic tang of blood.

The knocking stopped.

Footsteps gradually faded away. The sound of a door closing came from next door.

Hua Mu’ai looked up at the dark room and asked herself silently.

Shen Tinglan, who are you really?

She threw herself onto the bed, burying her entire face in the bedding.

That made her feel a little safer.

But when she closed her eyes, Shen Tinglan’s face appeared.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

The words looped in her mind.

Hua Mu’ai covered her head.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”

She shouted, but her eyes uncontrollably stung with tears.

When Wanning died, she had also hidden herself in her room, thinking it was just a nightmare.

As long as she woke up, Wanning would be there with breakfast, smiling and calling her to get up.

But when the dream ended, there was only the cold gravestone.

She had buried all her weakness deep in her heart, using arrogance to disguise herself.

Hua Mu’ai was Gu Qing.

Gu Qing was Hua Mu’ai.

She had never changed, not really.

Even after swapping bodies, this feeling had never diminished by half.

Now, a strange woman had suddenly appeared.

She didn’t look like Su Wanning, didn’t sound like Su Wanning, and didn’t have Su Wanning’s personality.

But her every move, the scent on her, was imitating Su Wanning in every way.

Yes, it was all imitation!

Hua Mu’ai lifted the pillow and sat up straight, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.

Shen Tinglan was sent by GSA Headquarters.

Among GSA’s upper echelons, many coveted Tian Lanxing’s power and had always wanted to figure out the secrets on her body.

Could this be a setup they devised?

Find a woman who had studied Su Wanning’s files, deliberately imitate her movements and expressions, to break through her psychological defenses and extract secrets?

How despicable!

Hua Mu’ai clenched her fists.

If that were the case, Shen Tinglan was too terrifying.

She could mimic the tenderness that Su Wanning unconsciously revealed so perfectly that even she, who had lived with her day and night, almost fell for it.

“This young lady will definitely not let you succeed!”

Hua Mu’ai swore through gritted teeth.

She jumped off the bed and walked to the mirror.

In the mirror was a small, adorable pink-haired loli, the corners of her eyes still bearing unshed tears, looking pitiful.

“Stop crying! So embarrassing!”

She raised her hand to wipe away her tears and patted her cheeks.

From tomorrow on, she had to be on strict guard against this woman.

No matter what tricks she used, she absolutely must not be led around by the nose again!

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