No. 76-77 Every Time You Kiss Me
The roses we’d planted at home withered. These past few months felt like years, each day stretching into an eternity.
The Yi Yao of this parallel world never got to say goodbye to her mother. But as Xiaodie had said, the letter she left behind revealed a heart free of regrets.
“I had hoped to see you find a boyfriend someday, but a girlfriend is just as wonderful.”
In her letter, my mother praised me for my filial piety, my academic achievements, my maturity.
Even though I knew that obedience and conformity rarely led to a fulfilling life, her words touched my heart.
The funeral passed in a blur, the grief this time a muted echo of the pain I had experienced in my previous life.
I remained composed throughout the ceremony, my tears held back, my emotions carefully controlled.
My father, however, was inconsolable.
He blamed himself for her death, convinced that if he hadn’t opted for the surgery, she might have recovered, perhaps even been spurred on by my academic success.
He spent the following weeks drowning his sorrow in alcohol, neglecting his responsibilities, leaving me to handle the household chores, the cooking, even his drunken collapses.
The incident at the train station had made Xiaodie and me local celebrities.
I couldn’t fathom how the security cameras had captured such clear footage. The man who had taken me hostage, perhaps out of arrogance or a misplaced sense of sportsmanship, had allowed me to dictate the fight, making it seem like I had completely dominated him. The video went viral, garnering hundreds of thousands of shares. Coupled with the sensationalized news reports and our previous kidnapping ordeal, I became an overnight sensation.
Countless memes, parody videos, and fan edits featuring me circulated online. Someone even unearthed our “dark history” from school, and soon, fanfiction titled “My Yuri Romance with a Delinquent Girl” and “The Taekwondo Girl’s Tsundere Wife” appeared on various forums.
Our Weibo blog, once languishing in obscurity, exploded in popularity, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers. Xiaodie’s cosplay photos, already aesthetically pleasing, were further enhanced by my editing skills, and they spread like wildfire.
I even encountered our photos in some of the QQ groups I had joined in my previous life, with people asking, “Who is this girl?”
I could only close the chat windows awkwardly, setting my QQ status to invisible.
Xiaodie was undeniably more beautiful than me, but for some reason, I received far more attention.
Despite the unexpected fame, life went on.
The May monthly exams concluded, and Xiaodie and I secured the top two spots in our grade.
During the flag-raising ceremony, we were asked to share our study tips.
I recited my daily routine, a monotonous list of disciplined habits. When it was Xiaodie’s turn, she simply said, “I won’t allow anyone else’s name to appear above Yi Yao’s on the results sheet.”
…
I stumbled out of the classroom, my face burning under the knowing stares of my classmates.
Our ambiguous relationship was no longer a secret.
“I’m going home to cook dinner for my dad,” I said, as we left the school grounds, our shadows stretching long and thin in the setting sun.
Xiaodie was now my father’s legal ward, living with us temporarily.
It made my evenings less lonely.
“Okay.”
Her voice was softer than usual, her demeanor more subdued. Had she changed?
I parked the bicycle and unlocked the door. The familiar scent of stale cigarette smoke and alcohol greeted me.
“Dad?”
I waved away the smoke, my nose wrinkling in disgust. “How many times have I told you to stop smoking and drinking? Why don’t you ever listen?”
“You… you’re back…”
My father was slumped in a corner of the living room, a bottle of liquor clutched in his hand. “And Xiaodie… cough, cough… Welcome… home…”
I clenched my fists, my anger simmering.
“How long are you going to wallow in self-pity?”
“Don’t… tell me what to do…”
“I’m your daughter! If I don’t care about you, who will?”
I snatched the bottle from his grasp, my brow furrowed. “How much have you had?”
He held up two fingers, his words slurred. “N-not much… just…”
I glanced at the empty bottles scattered across the floor. “Should we go to the hospital?”
“N-no… leave me alone… I failed your mother… I killed her… Let me drink… It helps me forget…”
He reached for the bottle.
“Slap!”
I didn’t hesitate. My hand connected with his cheek, the sound sharp and clear.
He stared at me, his eyes wide with shock, as if seeing me for the first time.
“You slapped me at the hospital. Now I’m returning the favor.”
He touched his reddened cheek, his hand trembling.
I stood tall, my voice cold and steady.
“Do you really think she would have recovered if we hadn’t done the surgery? That she would have magically healed if we had just waited? Who told you that? The doctors? Some miracle worker?”
“I…”
“Do you know who scraped together the money for that surgery? Who signed the consent form? Tell me, how many surgeries have a 100% success rate? How many illnesses are guaranteed to be cured? Tell me!”
“…”
I grabbed his collar, pulling him close. “We don’t owe each other anything in this life. Not you, not me. She’s gone, but you and I are still alive. You can find someone new. I still have to study, to go to university. If you want to die, there are eight floors in this building. Be a man and just jump.”
I released him and turned away.
“You said I would never be the top student. You called me a failure. Well, I proved you wrong. What about you? Can I call you a failure now?”
He hung his head, defeated.
“I’ll be the top scorer in the city for the high school entrance exams. Where I go to school is up to you.”
I took Xiaodie’s hand, her face pale and bewildered. “Let’s go.”
“Yi Yao?” she asked hesitantly. “What about your father?”
“Leave him. The wise understand. The foolish remain ignorant.”
…
At Xiaodie’s villa, we fell into our usual routine. We went to the market, bought groceries, cooked dinner, sharing a simple yet satisfying meal.
Afterward, we walked in the empty park, played with Xiaobai, then settled down to do our homework.
Xiaodie was a quick learner. She had struggled to differentiate between sugar, salt, and MSG before, but after observing me in the kitchen for a few weeks, she could now prepare edible meals.
She was also diligent with her studies, never hesitating to ask for help, her questions relentless until she understood the concept completely. Perhaps her only flaw was her lack of boundaries at home. On warmer days, she would often shed her underwear, wandering around in just a skirt, much to my embarrassment.
“It’s nice that the teachers didn’t give us any extra homework today,” I said, stretching as I closed my last textbook. Xiaodie was looking at me with a strange smile.
“W-what?”
She had been doing this a lot lately, staring at me with an intensity that made me uncomfortable.
“Nothing. You just look extra handsome today.”
“Why does that sound so suggestive?”
“Hee hee, don’t worry about it. It’s getting late. Time for bed.”
She reached for her pajamas.
“Already?” I glanced at the clock. It was only nine o’clock.
“Early to bed, early to rise. Go take a shower, Yi Yao. I’ll use the other bathroom.”
Although her villa was mostly unfinished, it had all the essential amenities, including four bathrooms. More than enough for the two of us. Xiaobai, thankfully, relieved itself in the garden.
I watched her leave, her intentions unclear, and grabbed my pajamas.
I was exhausted. An early night sounded perfect.
Three months. It was enough time to adjust to anything.
Even the reality of being a girl.
I no longer felt self-conscious about my body. It felt natural, mine. Yi Yao’s memories had seamlessly integrated into my being.
But Xiaodie’s casual nudity still flustered me.
I emerged from the bathroom, my hair damp from the shower, to find her already in bed, the covers pulled up to her chin.
We shared a room, since only one bedroom in the villa was furnished. But… was she naked?
“It’s too early to sleep,” I said, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling out my phone. I wanted to check on my father.
Suddenly, two arms wrapped around me, pulling me down onto the bed.
“Hey…”
Before I could push her away, her lips were on mine, silencing my protest.
The soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated her face, confirming my suspicions. She was indeed naked.
Her body was beautiful, her curves soft and inviting.
The warmth of her skin against mine, the intimacy of our embrace, sent a shiver down my spine.
My thin sleepwear slipped down, revealing my shoulder.
“I know you’re hurting, even though you don’t say it,” she whispered, her breath warm against my cheek.
She pulled back slightly, her eyes shining in the soft light.
“It’s okay to let go sometimes. I’ll share your burden.”
She leaned in again, her body pressing against mine.
“W-wait…” I stammered. “This is too cheesy!”
“Is that all you’re worried about?”
“How did this even happen?” I turned away, my face burning. “We were just…”
“How dare you ask me that!” she huffed, her cheeks puffing out in a pout. “Aren’t we dating? What’s so strange about this? Or were you lying? Do you not like me after all?”
“Of course I like you!”
“Then that’s all that matters. You’re not escaping tonight, Yi Yao. I’ve got you now.”
She tossed my pajamas aside.
Our bodies pressed together again, the heat of her skin searing mine.
“See? Your words might be protesting, but your body is saying something else.”
“…”
…
I want to walk hand in hand with you, just like this, no matter how many times, I will call your name.
***
Volume 2 : END
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