My Evil God Girlfriend (gl) 32

Chapter 32: Entering the Inner Sanctum

The sun gradually dipped westward. Xiang Er picked at her lunch, restless, then grabbed her phone. The photo in her album showed Shen Yuhe gazing at her intently, a gaze that had been interpreted as affectionate. She stared at the pixelated image of Shen Yuhe, while the real Xiang Er looked back at the pixelated Shen Yuhe.

Her heart pounded, constantly checking for new messages, both relieved and disappointed that none had arrived all day.

The sunlight weakened, giving way to twilight, time slipping away slowly. Outside the window, the autumn wind rustled the branches, scattering fragments of golden light, like pieces of the sun breaking off, the sunlight softening, fading.

Xiang Er looked out the window and suddenly wondered, where was Akhe now?

Was there someone, somewhere, who had received that strange sculpture, and discovered all sorts of strange occurrences in their home… Had Akhe gone to someone else’s house?

Xiang Er remembered the small tentacle, visible only to her, curling up in the sunlight on her computer at work. That tiny tentacle had once saved her life, and she was grateful for that.

Grateful, but still, it was better that they were apart.

The end-of-workday bell finally rang. Her colleagues still pretended to stretch languidly at their computers, but Xiang Er had already grabbed her bag and hurried out.

As she passed by Zhu Minmin, Zhu Minmin quickly stood up:

“Let’s go, let’s go together!”

Xiang Er, unable to refuse, continued walking, her mind focused on finding Shen Yuhe, who was probably in the company downstairs. She headed towards the stairwell, her steps unusually hurried.

However, as soon as she turned the corner, she saw her.

Her hurried steps faltered, her body leaning forward, but her feet rooted to the spot. She shyly lowered her head.

Shen Yuhe was dressed in black today. Black stilettos, elegant and fashionable. Black suit trousers and a sharp black blazer, even her makeup was in shades of black, her lips a gradient from deep red to black, her eyeshadow dark and smoky.

Xiang Er’s gaze fell on Shen Yuhe’s black high heels, the black accentuating the smooth, white skin of her feet, like the finest jade, the blue veins tracing delicate lines along her beautifully shaped ankles, disappearing into the dark fabric of her trousers.

Xiang Er suddenly felt nervous, nervous about the decision she was about to make. She took a deep breath, lifted her head, and looked at Shen Yuhe’s face.

She felt that Shen Yuhe’s expression, for some reason, wasn’t one of happiness, but rather… a mixture of annoyance and resignation.

Shen Yuhe met Xiang Er’s gaze, sighed, and raised a hand:

“Come here.”

Xiang Er heard a suppressed gasp behind her and turned to see Zhu Minmin’s excited face.

Zhu Minmin was practically jumping for joy, screaming internally: This is what a true CEO is like! Those two words, “Come here,” pure CEO vibes! She had finally found her OTP(One True Pairing), this was it, this was the real deal!

Seeing Zhu Minmin’s expression, Xiang Er blushed crimson, flustered. Zhu Minmin winked frantically, gesturing for her to hurry up, and Xiang Er, finally understanding, turned back, about to take a step…

When Shen Yuhe moved.

Shen Yuhe strode towards her, her stilettos clicking sharply against the tiles, her face cold and annoyed, an aura of coldness around her, reaching Xiang Er in a blink of an eye.

Before Xiang Er could react, Shen Yuhe’s beautiful face was only inches away, her breath, carrying that familiar sweet fragrance, brushing against Xiang Er’s cheek.

She leaned closer and sniffed Xiang Er’s cheek lightly.

Like a predator, confirming the scent of its prey.

Darkness descended, pressing close, sniffing, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her hair swaying, the sensation of her skin against Xiang Er’s incredibly vivid.

Xiang Er’s back stiffened, unable to move, silently praying that no more colleagues would see them, her body tensing, her cheeks burning, almost sweating despite the cold weather.

Shen Yuhe said with a faint smile:

“Good, the scent hasn’t changed.”

Xiang Er let out a puzzled “Huh?” but before she could process the words, Shen Yuhe suddenly grabbed her collar, pulling her closer.

Shen Yuhe leaned against the wall, Xiang Er’s body pressed tightly against hers.

“Someone’s coming.”

Shen Yuhe whispered, her arms naturally wrapping around Xiang Er’s back, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Xiang Er let out an involuntary gasp:

“Who…”

The sound of rolling wheels approached. Xiang Er glanced back and saw the cleaning lady’s cart, which would indeed take up most of the hallway, but… did they need to be this close…

Xiang Er was almost a head shorter than Shen Yuhe, and being held like this, she didn’t dare look up, her vision would be completely filled with Shen Yuhe’s perfect face.

She struggled slightly, trying to pull away:

“I’ll move over here…”

A strong hand pressed against her back, not forcefully, but Xiang Er, already struggling, lost her balance and fell forward.

She fell completely into Shen Yuhe’s arms.

Looking up, all she could see were Shen Yuhe’s long, thick eyelashes, trembling like butterfly wings, lowered as she looked at Xiang Er with intense emotion.

Xiang Er couldn’t decipher the emotion, her mind completely blank.

The rolling wheels seemed to come from a distant place, fading in and out, everything distorting and trembling. She could no longer tell if this was reality or a hallucination, nor could she tell if what she was holding in her hands was a soft waist, or something else…

She even wondered if this was another one of Akhe’s illusions?

It felt too unreal… Her heart was pounding so hard, could Shen Yuhe feel it? Shen Yuhe’s heartbeat was completely drowned out by hers, this was so embarrassing, so mortifying…

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the cleaning cart passed, and Xiang Er was finally allowed to stand up straight, the embrace loosening.

Shen Yuhe’s voice, like a cello, filled with amusement, echoed in her ear:

“You’re so cute.”

What… what was that about? What was she referring to?

Xiang Er felt like she was burning up. She quickly took two steps back and, to hide her blush, turned her head away… and saw Zhu Minmin standing nearby, her mouth agape, her jaw practically on the floor, looking like a statue of astonishment.

Xiang Er:

“…”

She wanted to explain, but she knew any explanation would only make things worse… She just wanted to run.

She turned to Shen Yuhe and asked:

“Let’s go to that coffee shop, shall we? I have something to talk to you about.”

Shen Yuhe’s eyes lit up, and she smiled:

“Okay.”

They walked towards the elevators together. The cleaning cart was also waiting there.

Xiang Er had deliberately chosen her outfit today, hoping to impress Shen Yuhe. A beige sweater, a white knit top, a long skirt, and beige boots, a soft and gentle ensemble.

Standing next to Shen Yuhe, in her cool, all-black outfit, the contrast was striking.

Zhu Minmin followed them, standing within Xiang Er’s line of sight, winking and grinning excitedly. Xiang Er could only look away awkwardly.

Shen Yuhe glanced at Zhu Minmin and asked Xiang Er, her voice low and slightly condescending:

“Do you dislike her?”

Xiang Er quickly shook her head:

“No, no, she’s my colleague, she’s nice, just a bit gossipy…”

Shen Yuhe’s gaze shifted away from Zhu Minmin. The elevator arrived, and they stepped inside. As Zhu Minmin was about to follow, she suddenly twisted her ankle. It didn’t hurt, but by the time she looked up, the elevator doors had already closed.

“Ouch! I can’t follow them now… But I never would have guessed, Xiang Er, this girl… she’s hiding something…”

Zhu Minmin muttered to herself, rubbing her ankle, her fingers flying across her phone screen as she posted on social media: OMG, you guys, I think I’ve found my OTP! My sweet, introverted colleague and the cool, domineering CEO aaaaaaah…

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Xiang Er and Shen Yuhe rode the elevator down, walked out of the industrial park, and arrived at the coffee shop, alone together the entire time.

Shen Yuhe had seemed slightly annoyed when she first saw Xiang Er, but now her mood seemed to have improved, a smile playing on her lips as they entered the coffee shop.

The shop was crowded today, with a line at the counter, but as soon as Shen Yuhe entered, the people in line seemed to scatter, some leaving without ordering, some turning to find seats. The two of them walked straight to the counter without pausing.

This time, Xiang Er ordered a latte for Shen Yuhe, with no coffee, extra sugar, and extra cream. The barista was the same one from yesterday, and she smiled brightly, leading them to a secluded corner booth.

Finally alone together, Xiang Er prepared herself for a moment, then carefully said:

“Um… are you… still looking for a place to stay?”

Shen Yuhe smiled faintly, her jade-white fingers tapping lightly on the table, as if thinking, or perhaps observing Xiang Er’s every move.

She didn’t answer, like a cat that had already caught its prey, looking at Xiang Er smugly, watching the trapped hamster with amusement.

Xiang Er looked at her face. The black makeup today was very stylish, but… it made her seem less approachable, slightly intimidating.

She mustered her courage and whispered:

“My apartment… I’ve sorted out some issues, and… and improved the security. If you… if you still need a place to stay…”

She fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, her fingers damp with sweat, the last few words difficult to utter.

She looked up at Shen Yuhe with pleading eyes. Surely Shen Yuhe would understand, right?

Shen Yuhe was also looking at her, savoring her expression, not missing a single detail.

Xiang Er’s pupils were dark, the whites of her eyes bright, almost bluish, giving her a naturally melancholic look. Now, with her anxiety, her eyes were even brighter, glistening with unshed tears, the blue even more pronounced, a faint sheen of sweat on her thin, delicate face, shimmering like moonlight on her forehead.

Shen Yuhe couldn’t help but smile, a genuine smile, and she asked:

“And?”

Xiang Er froze, surprised by the response.

Hadn’t Shen Yuhe said she wanted to live with her? So now… had she been mistaken after all? But hadn’t she said that just yesterday, in this very coffee shop…

The more Xiang Er thought about it, the more anxious she became. She leaned forward, her gaze fixed on Shen Yuhe’s eyes, and said urgently:

“Didn’t you want to live with me? You can now, my apartment is available for a new tenant.”

Shen Yuhe lifted a finger and, reaching across the table, gently touched Xiang Er’s chin, tracing its outline, the delicate touch of skin against skin, soft as a melting cake.

Her voice was filled with amusement:

“But what if… I don’t want to live there anymore?”

Xiang Er didn’t know how to respond. Her chin felt like it was on fire, held by Shen Yuhe’s cold finger, her head trembling, unsure whether to lean forward or back, her mind a jumble.

After a long moment, she finally managed to speak, her voice flat and mechanical:

“Oh… then never mind…”

As soon as she said the words, Shen Yuhe’s brow furrowed deeply. She suddenly stood up, her hand gripping Xiang Er’s chin, her face, with its intimidating black makeup, suddenly close!

Their noses were only an inch apart. Xiang Er’s chin was held captive, her body immobile, her vision blurring, only the overwhelming pressure of a sweet-smelling darkness, making her heart… pound wildly!

Gasps and exclamations echoed around them. Many people were looking at them, even the waiter, carrying their coffee, stopped, looking at them with concern, hesitant to intervene.

But an invisible barrier seemed to surround the two of them, separating them from everyone else. Even with the tension, the imminent threat of violence, it was a private matter, and no one dared approach.

Shen Yuhe tightened her grip on Xiang Er’s chin, her black lips parting, each word laced with anger:

“Can’t you just beg me?”

Xiang Er, unable to speak clearly, only managed a muffled:

“Huh?”

Shen Yuhe closed her eyes, her fingers pressing hard against Xiang Er’s skin, then finally lowered her voice, a coaxing tone in her voice as she leaned closer to Xiang Er’s ear:

“Beg me, try begging me.”

Xiang Er’s chin was still held captive, but her mind suddenly cleared, and she remembered a time long ago… Not that long ago, actually.

Akhe had also asked her to beg, but she hadn’t wanted to. She had never wanted to make a deal with the Evil God, she didn’t believe It would truly be kind to her, there would always be a price to pay.

But now, it was Shen Yuhe, a human, a friend she trusted, who had protected her many times.

Xiang Er knew what she wanted, and she understood the price. She knew that to make friends, or even something more… she had to take a brave step forward.

She looked up at Shen Yuhe, her eyes shining brightly, a trusting smile in them, and despite the pressure on her chin, she managed to say:

“Please.”

Shen Yuhe’s grip tightened, making Xiang Er cry out in pain, then she released her hand.

Xiang Er stared at her, but Shen Yuhe’s dark eyes, unusually, refused to meet hers, her gaze fixed on the table, her face tense, her expression unreadable.

Her cello-like voice, low and slow, reached Xiang Er’s ears:

“Okay. I agree. You asked me to.”