Chapter 27
Li Qinyue pulled Zhuo Zhi all the way into the hotel. The pretty receptionist at the front desk glanced at Zhuo Zhi and asked, “Do you have your ID?”
Zhuo Zhi hated being mistaken for a minor, so she immediately took out her ID card.
The receptionist smiled and asked Li Qinyue, “One room?”
“Yes,” Li Qinyue replied.
Zhuo Zhi was a little annoyed. Why didn’t they ask her when there was a choice to be made?
After checking in, Li Qinyue pulled Zhuo Zhi’s hand and led her to the elevator. The building was about thirty floors tall, and their room was on the top floor.
The elevator ascended silently. Li Qinyue didn’t speak, and all Zhuo Zhi could feel was the pulsing of their joined hands.
Finally reaching their floor, Zhuo Zhi looked around. The corridor was empty and quiet, devoid of any human presence.
She smiled and asked Li Qinyue, “Do you always like being up high, Sister?”
“Hmm?” Li Qinyue’s mind was clearly elsewhere. She found their room and swiped the card to open the door.
Zhuo Zhi followed her, entering the room without any hesitation, “Standing at a high place gives you a sense of grandeur, overlooking everything.”
“Oh,” Li Qinyue tossed her bag aside, let go of Zhuo Zhi’s hand, and took off her coat.
Zhuo Zhi entered the room and inspected it thoroughly, giving Li Qinyue an OK sign, “Clean.”
“Come here and check if I’m clean,” Li Qinyue spread her arms, striking a pose as if waiting for a security check.
Under her coat, she was only wearing a fluffy, creamy white sweater, loose and soft, with a heart-shaped neckline revealing her delicate collarbone.
Zhuo Zhi was clearly in a good mood. She skipped over and circled around Li Qinyue, “Very clean, very safe.”
Li Qinyue’s arms were still outstretched, “You’re not a very responsible security officer. Aren’t you going to check my pockets for anything?”
Zhuo Zhi looked her up and down. The sweater had no pockets, and her pants were tight-fitting, hugging her long, slender legs. The pockets were flat, probably not even big enough to hold a bank card.
“No problem,” Zhuo Zhi said.
“Is ‘no problem’ something you say with your mouth?” Li Qinyue squinted at her.
Zhuo Zhi laughed, “Then how should I say it?”
Li Qinyue suddenly dropped her arms, grabbed Zhuo Zhi’s shoulders, and pressed her against the wall.
Her hand braced against the wall, one leg wedged between Zhuo Zhi’s legs, securing her position.
Zhuo Zhi wasn’t afraid. Li Qinyue’s hold was full of loopholes, she could escape with her eyes closed.
She was just a little nervous. Li Qinyue had no boundaries when it came to teasing, and Zhuo Zhi had no idea what she would do next.
Less talk, less mistakes. Following this principle, Zhuo Zhi chose to remain silent in this precarious moment.
She just looked at Li Qinyue with innocent eyes, which only made Li Qinyue even more unbearable.
Her gaze swept over Zhuo Zhi’s face, “Have you forgotten why we’re here?”
Zhuo Zhi thought for a moment and said, “You said you wanted to bully me.”
“Then why are you so happy?” Li Qinyue said, “Can you at least look like you’re being bullied?”
Zhuo Zhi immediately drooped her eyebrows, lowered her eyes, and pouted, looking pitiful, “Please don’t bully me, Sister, have mercy.”
Li Qinyue’s breath hitched, her heart itching.
She had a habit since childhood. When she saw something cute, fresh, and irresistible, she couldn’t help but want to destroy it.
For example, a blooming flower, she would pluck its petals one by one. A soft toy, she would punch and squeeze it until it was deformed.
But at least she was a normal person who could control her emotions. She wouldn’t harm cats, dogs, or other small animals, and she wouldn’t truly harm someone she liked so much she couldn’t control herself.
So, she wouldn’t strip Zhuo Zhi naked and devour her, but she had to do something to vent this overwhelming feeling.
Like a pot of boiling sugar being stretched, thread by thread, enough to build a castle.
Li Qinyue stared into Zhuo Zhi’s eyes and slowly leaned closer.
As her chest was about to touch Zhuo Zhi’s body, Zhuo Zhi raised her hands to block, creating some distance between them.
Li Qinyue smiled, her body unable to move closer, but her head could still get closer.
She lowered her head, her breath falling on Zhuo Zhi’s cheek. Li Qinyue could feel the little girl holding her breath. If she could, she would probably have paused her heartbeat too.
Li Qinyue whispered, “If you want me to spare you, you have to cooperate.”
Zhuo Zhi only moved her chin slightly, indicating agreement.
Li Qinyue’s lips were almost brushing against her earlobe, “Take a deep breath.”
Zhuo Zhi hesitated for a moment before obediently relaxing and taking a deep breath.
“Does it smell good?” Li Qinyue asked.
Zhuo Zhi’s breath hitched. After a while, she replied, “Yes.”
Li Qinyue was about to tease her further when Zhuo Zhi suddenly added, “But there’s a smell of smoke.”
Li Qinyue: “…”
All her words were stuck in her throat. If this was just harmless teasing, Li Qinyue could still blow smoke in Zhuo Zhi’s face like when they first met. But now, the only thing she felt was genuine awkwardness.
It was like trying to seduce someone and asking, “Do you like my lipstick?”
And getting the answer: “You have some food stuck on your lips from lunch.”
Li Qinyue remained motionless for a while. This position wasn’t comfortable for either of them. Feeling a little annoyed, she turned her head and kissed Zhuo Zhi’s cheek forcefully.
“Smack,” it was a loud kiss.
Before Zhuo Zhi could react, Li Qinyue moved away and headed towards the bathroom, “I’m sleepy.”
Zhuo Zhi figured that she had canceled her dinner plans and booked a hotel room just because she was sleepy and wanted to rest. She rubbed her cheek and adjusted the air conditioning to a comfortable temperature.
When Li Qinyue came out, Zhuo Zhi was making the bed, fluffing the blankets and thoughtfully arranging them into a sleeping bag shape.
Li Qinyue walked over to her and said, “What’s with the bed-making service?”
“So you can rest well,” Zhuo Zhi pulled back a corner of the blanket and smiled, “Please.”
Her expression and actions were full of eagerness to please. Li Qinyue, who had been throwing a tantrum out of embarrassment, felt her anger dissipate as she looked at Zhuo Zhi’s smiling face.
She sat down on the edge of the bed and said to Zhuo Zhi, “What about you?”
“I’m not sleepy,” Zhuo Zhi glanced around the room and pointed, “I’ll sit on the sofa for a while.”
“What are you going to do on the sofa?” Li Qinyue knew she didn’t have the habit of playing with her phone, and Zhuo Zhi’s phone probably didn’t have much to offer in terms of entertainment anyway.
“Hmm…” Zhuo Zhi thought for a moment and pointed again, “There are magazines over there.”
“Are you going to read with the lights on?” Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow.
Zhuo Zhi also realized it was inappropriate, “No, no, the lights should be off so you can sleep better.”
“Okay,” Li Qinyue agreed, kicked off her slippers, and got into bed, “Then you should sleep too.”
“Okay,” Zhuo Zhi got up to draw the curtains, then walked towards the sofa.
“I want you to sleep here,” Li Qinyue patted the space beside her.
“Ah, no, it’s fine,” Zhuo Zhi waved her hands frantically, “The sofa is big enough…”
“Is it bigger than the bed?” Li Qinyue frowned, looking annoyed, “Why did I book a room with a big bed if I wanted you to sleep on the sofa? Aren’t you wasting my money?”
“No, it’s not…”
“Then come here.”
“I’m afraid you’re not used to…”
“Do I need you to tell me what I’m used to?” Li Qinyue glared at her, waving her hand impatiently, “If you feel wronged sleeping in the same bed as me, just say it.”
“I don’t,” Zhuo Zhi hurriedly walked over, “Then I’ll… go wash my face.”
“Go ahead,” Li Qinyue burrowed under the covers.
As soon as Zhuo Zhi entered the bathroom, Li Qinyue threw off the covers, quickly took off her sweater and pants, leaving only her underwear.
She tossed her clothes aside, turned off the lights, and got back into bed, covering her bare shoulders tightly.
Zhuo Zhi finished washing her face and brushing her teeth, sniffing herself.
She was prone to sweating even in winter, and she hadn’t brought a change of clothes because they had come to the hotel in a hurry. She couldn’t take a shower now, which was the main reason she didn’t want to sleep in the same bed as Li Qinyue.
After staring at herself in the mirror for a while, she realized that the lights in the room had been off for some time. She figured that Li Qinyue was probably already drowsy.
So she quietly turned off the bathroom light, quietly opened and closed the door, and using the faint light coming through a gap in the curtains, she slowly made her way to the bed.
She remembered the location perfectly, lifting the covers just enough for her to slip in without disturbing Li Qinyue.
Li Qinyue’s breathing sounded steady, but the moment Zhuo Zhi got into bed, she suddenly woke up and spoke.
“Take off your clothes,” she mumbled, “Aren’t they dirty?”
“I already took them off.” Zhuo Zhi’s outer clothes were in the bathroom. She was now wearing thermal underwear and a shirt.
Li Qinyue’s arm suddenly reached out, landing randomly on Zhuo Zhi’s waist. She felt around and asked, holding Zhuo Zhi’s shirt, “You call this taking off your clothes?”
Her voice was still sleepy. Zhuo Zhi explained, “I have clothes underneath.”
Li Qinyue’s hand didn’t leave her body. It slid down and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand towards herself.
Before Zhuo Zhi could even think, her palm had already touched cool, smooth skin. At first, she didn’t know where she was touching, but then Li Qinyue moved her hand up and down, and goosebumps erupted all over Zhuo Zhi’s body.
She was touching Li Qinyue’s shoulder, and as her hand slid down, half of it brushed against Li Qinyue’s soft breast.
There was a bra, but the thin fabric only made her touch more distinct.
Distinct enough to instantly picture the shape in her mind. It was incredibly embarrassing.
“Take off your clothes like this,” Li Qinyue said, letting go of Zhuo Zhi’s wrist as she tried to pull her hand back.
Zhuo Zhi remained frozen in her half-leaning position, one leg on the bed, the other still on the floor, for a long time.
When the heat in her face subsided a little, she mumbled, “Sister Qinyue, it’s best not to take off too many clothes in a hotel…”
“You’re so annoying,” Li Qinyue rolled over, her back to Zhuo Zhi, “You’re even more particular than me. Can’t you just let me sleep comfortably?”
Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to say anything more. To show her sincerity, she took off her shirt and got into bed, wearing only her thermal underwear.
The room fell silent. Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to move a muscle after lying down.
Li Qinyue lay with her back to Zhuo Zhi for a long time, then suddenly rolled over and lay flat, her voice soft, “My back is cold.”
Zhuo Zhi quickly reached out to tuck her in.
“Still cold,” Li Qinyue said after a few seconds.
“Is the air conditioning too low?” Zhuo Zhi sat up slightly, “I’ll turn it up.”
“It’ll be too dry if we turn it up,” Li Qinyue’s tone was calm.
“Should I get you a glass of water?”
“Do I want water or do I want to sleep?” Li Qinyue opened her eyes, looking at Zhuo Zhi, her tone still calm.
Zhuo Zhi was propping herself up on her elbows, feeling speechless.
What did she want her to do? Who was being particular now? She wanted to ask Li Qinyue if she regretted asking her to sleep in the same bed. If she did, she could just say it, and Zhuo Zhi would immediately roll onto the sofa.
Li Qinyue seemed to understand her unspoken thoughts. She reached out and tugged at Zhuo Zhi’s arm, “Lie down.”
Zhuo Zhi lay down, frustrated but not daring to complain.
“Come closer,” Li Qinyue pulled her arm, bringing her closer.
Zhuo Zhi was pulled closer, frustrated but not daring to resist.
“I like to sleep on my side,” Li Qinyue said, turning to face her.
“I can sleep any way,” Zhuo Zhi showed her that she was truly not picky.
“Okay,” Li Qinyue’s hand landed on her waist, “Then let me hold you.”
Zhuo Zhi’s body instantly stiffened. Li Qinyue’s slender arm wasn’t heavy, but after those words, it felt like a hammer pressing against her abdomen, every touch incredibly distinct.
Li Qinyue moved closer, and Zhuo Zhi’s shoulder and hip were now under the weight of the hammer, her legs entangled in a chain.
Li Qinyue’s breath tickled her neck, like a flurry of needles.
Li Qinyue sighed, and used the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms*.
Li Qinyue’s voice in the darkness was content and comfortable. She murmured, “I’m cold, you’re like a little stove.”
A delayed reaction, striking Zhuo Zhi’s heart, making it race as if she had just run ten kilometers and couldn’t catch her breath.
***
Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms*: A hand-to-hand combat technique in novels by Jin Yong.
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