Chapter 36
After her shower, Lin Qianqian realized the pajamas she had grabbed were too revealing.
The V-neck dipped low, and without a bra, she risked accidental exposure.
Even if Lu Yin was the only other person in the apartment, she couldn’t walk around like this.
Her own pajamas were neatly folded in her closet, but she wouldn’t miss an opportunity to bother Lu Yin.
She knocked on Lu Yin’s door, still wearing the ill-fitting pajamas.
The room was dark. Lu Yin must be asleep.
She knocked again.
“Sister!” she called out, considering calling Lu Yin’s phone.
The door opened.
A hand pulled her inside, and before she could react, she was pressed against the door, Lu Yin’s lips on hers, a passionate kiss.
“Sister…” she whispered, the word lost between their lips, her intended question forgotten.
Lu Yin opened her eyes, memorizing Lin Qianqian’s expression, the soft, hazy look in her eyes, the silent invitation in her gaze.
The kiss deepened, their tongues tangling.
Lu Yin’s hands cupped Lin Qianqian’s face, her thumbs tracing her jawline, then her collarbone.
Lin Qianqian shivered, her head tilting back against the door, then forward again, seeking Lu Yin’s touch.
But the kiss remained just a kiss, no further intimacy offered.
The anticipation that had built within her slowly dissipated, replaced by a frustrated yearning.
She reached for her pajama top, wanting to remove it, but Lu Yin stopped her.
Lin Qianqian tried to push Lu Yin away, needing space to undress, but Lu Yin’s embrace was firm.
Was this woman oblivious?
Or was she deliberately teasing her?
Had their separation turned her cold, distant?
All talk and no action?
Lin Qianqian’s mind raced, her unanswered questions fueling her frustration, her desire unfulfilled.
She pushed Lu Yin away with more force, and Lu Yin, sensing her frustration, stepped back.
Lin Qianqian pressed forward, pushing Lu Yin onto the bed. “Lu Yin!”
Lu Yin’s hands braced against the bed as Lin Qianqian straddled her, her brow furrowing slightly.
She finally noticed Lin Qianqian’s revealing pajama top, the neckline gaping open.
Lu Yin adjusted the fabric, realizing the pajamas were too small for Lin Qianqian.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“To change my clothes,” Lin Qianqian said, looking down at her neckline. “But I don’t think that’s necessary anymore.”
She leaned down and kissed Lu Yin again.
Lu Yin didn’t respond, her passivity fueling Lin Qianqian’s frustration.
“What are you doing…?” she asked, feeling like her earlier protests had been ignored.
One rule for Lu Yin, another for her.
Lu Yin could kiss her whenever, wherever, but when she kissed Lu Yin, she was met with this frustrating indifference.
“I feel uncomfortable…” Lin Qianqian said, her voice filled with a childish petulance.
“Where?” Lu Yin asked, her face softening with concern, assuming she was still unwell.
“Here,” Lin Qianqian grabbed Lu Yin’s hand and placed it between her legs.
Lu Yin swatted her hand away, trying to sit up.
Lin Qianqian slid down Lu Yin’s legs, almost falling off the bed before Lu Yin caught her.
“Do you want to change your pajamas?” Lu Yin asked. Lin Qianqian shook her head. “Then go back to your room.”
“No,” Lin Qianqian said, clinging to Lu Yin’s waist.
Lu Yin stood up, Lin Qianqian clinging to her like a koala, her legs wrapped around Lu Yin’s.
“I want to sleep with you tonight. Okay?” Lin Qianqian looked up at her. “Here, or in my room.”
Lu Yin sighed, giving in, and carried her back to the bed.
Lin Qianqian’s face lit up. She pulled the duvet over herself. “Come sleep with me,” she said, her voice playful.
Lu Yin ignored her, lying down beside her, sharing the blanket.
Lin Qianqian draped her arms and legs over Lu Yin, nuzzling her neck. “Sister, you smell so good. Let me smell you.”
She leaned closer, kissing Lu Yin softly.
Lu Yin’s head throbbed, but she couldn’t bring herself to scold Lin Qianqian, her anger always fading in the face of Lin Qianqian’s affection.
She closed her eyes, accepting her fate.
That night, the nightmares didn’t return. She only felt the warmth of Lin Qianqian’s body pressed against hers, her embrace tight and unrelenting.
Lin Qianqian dreamt of waking up in her lover’s arms, their morning sealed with a kiss, but Lu Yin didn’t indulge her fantasies.
She woke up alone, the bed cold beside her.
It was almost noon. Whenever she slept with Lu Yin, she always slept deeply, as if drugged.
But she didn’t have time to dwell on it. It was Saturday. Her birthday was tomorrow.
Lu Yin hadn’t mentioned her birthday gift. She had to find a way to bring it up again.
If all else failed, she would storm into the art institution and drag Lu Yin away.
The memory of last night’s frustrated encounter resurfaced. She finished her breakfast, a plan forming in her mind.
She retrieved a skimpy summer outfit from her suitcase.
She ordered some red rope online and watched a few self-bondage tutorials.
It was her birthday. She would let Lu Yin unwrap her present.
But the tutorials were complicated, and she couldn’t see her own back. The red rope tangled around her arms and neck, the intricate knots beyond her understanding, leaving only a series of red marks on her skin.
She wanted to send Lu Yin a picture, complaining about her struggles, but she didn’t want to reveal her plan.
That evening, as she eagerly awaited Lu Yin’s return, a message arrived. Lu Yin was staying at the institution tonight.
Lin Qianqian resisted the urge to go to her, tossing the rope onto the table in frustration.
So much for her elaborate plan.
That evening, after her last class, Lu Yin browsed birthday cakes online.
Yu Miao entered the office, gesturing towards a list of student names on Lu Yin’s desk.
“I thought it would take you a few days to finish this. I just got back, and I’m already swamped,” Yu Miao said, glancing at Lu Yin’s laptop screen. “Isn’t your birthday in the spring?”
“No, it’s not mine,” Lu Yin said, then, thinking better of it, added, “Just looking at cakes.”
“For your sister?” Yu Miao asked, knowing the real reason. “No wonder you rescheduled your classes again. You never missed a class, even when you were sick. This is the second time this month.”
“It’s important,” Lu Yin said vaguely, messaging the bakery, asking about custom designs.
After confirming the details, she put her phone away.
She didn’t have many classes today, but she had crammed them all into a single day to free up her schedule for tomorrow.
Five classes back-to-back.
She had messaged Lin Qianqian, but hadn’t received a reply. She could imagine Lin Qianqian sulking, and a smile touched her lips.
The next morning, Lu Yin went to the bakery.
She glanced at the calendar. December 12th.
Two weeks until Christmas.
Lin Qianqian had always insisted on celebrating Christmas with her, just because her last name was Lu.
Lin Qianqian would even wear a Santa costume and cuddle her, pretending she was a reindeer, claiming it was warm and fuzzy.
Besides her last name, Lu Yin couldn’t see any resemblance between herself and a deer.
Eating grass, celebrating Christmas…Lin Qianqian always found a way to connect the most unrelated things.
But it had added color to her palette, to her life.
As a child, Lu Sui had taken her to art exhibitions, where she had been praised for her talent, her artistic genius.
After Lin Qianqian entered her life, the compliments shifted, focusing on her vibrancy, her expressiveness. It was why she had chosen watercolors as her medium.
But after their separation, she had lost her inspiration, her paintings feeling dull and lifeless, the joy gone from her work.
She had left the house early, hoping to return quickly, but the morning traffic was heavy.
While waiting at a red light, Zhong Shiwu sent a picture of a dark brown frame with intricate carvings.
She asked for Lu Yin’s opinion, offering to make changes or connect her with the designer directly.
Lu Yin, not particularly interested, simply replied that it was fine, leaving the decision to Zhong Shiwu.
She parked at the bakery and retrieved the cake, sitting back down in her car.
Zhong Shiwu pointed out a few details, suggesting some modifications.
Lu Yin glanced at the time. It was still early. Lin Qianqian was probably still asleep. She replied to Zhong Shiwu, their conversation a welcome distraction.
Zhong Shiwu seemed to be in a good mood, free from work, otherwise she wouldn’t be chatting with Lu Yin.
Lu Yin sent a teasing message, and Zhong Shiwu laughed.
A cup of black coffee and a pastry sat on the dashboard, along with a small timer displaying the calories burned.
She had been supervising Ming Yao’s morning jogs and evening exercises for so long that she could now track Ming Yao’s progress based on the calories burned.
[Zhong Shiwu: Raising a child is hard work.]
Lu Yin understood, not wanting to intrude. Zhong Shiwu’s situation was even more complicated than her own.
As she was about to start the car, her phone buzzed again. She assumed it was Zhong Shiwu, but it was Lin Qianqian, and Lu Yin’s head began to throb.
Lin Qianqian had sent a picture of herself tied up with red rope, the knots loose and clearly staged.
[Lin Qian: Little Grass is trapped! Reschedule your classes and come home to rescue her!]
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