CH 20

In the warm room, the yellow lamplight created an especially strange atmosphere. In addition to that was Qin Juran’s shameless attitude, and Ruan Nan suddenly found it hard to breathe.

Noticing Ruan Nan’s reddening face, Qin Juran began to worry that she would faint again. She let out a soft chuckle and finished unbuttoning her shirt. Reaching a hand to stroke Ruan Nan’s hair, she finished softly, “You know, sometimes it’s alright to admit when you’ve done something nice for others.”

“Go shower, now.”

Qin Juran prepared a pair of slippers and a fresh towel, then led Ruan Nan to the bathroom across from her room. The bathroom was quite old and cramped, so Qin Juran only helped her turn on the lights and gestured that she would be close by, telling her to call if she needed anything.

As the sound of water trickling blended in with the humid temperature, Qin Juran changed into her nightgown and sat at her desk, lightly pinching the petals of a gypsophila flower between her fingers.

President Qin’s standards were high, and she had wanted to live simply and honestly. In her past life, the only woman who had tried to get into her bed was someone seducing her for a business transaction.

The pretty and alluring model had brought President Qin back home and meticulously took care of her, even changing her shoes and feeding her honey water. However, in the moment of truth, as soon as her sweet, pampering words left her mouth, President Qin had a sudden rush of clarity from her drunken stupor and realized the woman’s ulterior motives. After exposing her, the poor model was so ashamed that she bought the soonest train ticket and ran away within that night.

So that’s why, tonight…

Qin Juran glanced at the narrow bed. She chugged down a glass of water, trying with great difficulty to quench the burning sensation within her.

10 minutes later, a sound of knuckles rasping against the door sounded from the bathroom. Qin Juran quickly reached the doorway and asked, “What’s wrong?”

While the shower still seemed to be running inside, Ruan Nan replied in a strenuous tone, “I can’t turn off the faucet.”

The shower was indeed old-fashioned and difficult to use; Qin Juran herself had struggled for a good while to turn it off last night, as well. She pressed against the door and quietly instructed her, “Try to first turn the knob all the way to the left, then adjust it slightly to the right.”

“It doesn’t work.”

“Then you can get dressed and I’ll go inside to turn it off after.”

“The bathroom is too small – my clothes will get splashed with water.”

“….”

The water vapor wafted out from the door gap, accompanying Ruan Nan’s voice. Qin Juran once again felt a wave of heat rush through her body and let out a cough: “Then I’m coming in?”

There was no response, only the soft click of the lock unlatching.

Qin Juran swallowed and spoke somewhat uneasily: “Turn around.”

“Are you turned around?”

Once again, Ruan Nan did not answer. Qin Juran inhaled a sharp breath and began to turn the doorknob, her head hanging down low. She tried to follow her memory and aim her gaze straight towards the faucet, but the bathroom was indeed tiny; Qin Juran’s nightgown was soaked by the time she reached the shower.

Ruan Nan had turned towards the wall, but despite her best efforts, Qin Juran couldn’t help glimpsing a strip of snowy-white skin from the corner of her eye.

The water pattered against her face and the dense steam formed droplets on her eyelashes as Qin Juran maneuvered the faucet shut. Just as she meant to step back out, Ruan Nan suddenly turned, baring her delicate porcelain-white back and nearly exposing the outline of her chest. Qin Juran immediately felt the blood rush to her face and hurriedly fled in retreat.

Once she shut the door, Ruan Nan heard the sound of footsteps, then a young man’s voice called out, “Who’s that in the bathroom, Sis?”

“Stop! Don’t come any closer!”

“Sis, why is your nose bleeding?”

—-

Since her previous nightgown had soaked through, Qin Juran had no choice but to change into another one. This gown was shorter and only reached the top of her knees, barely covering the tattoo on her thigh. Qin Juran thought for a moment, then pretended to go use the bathroom. She pulled out a band-aid from her bag and stuck it over the tattoo.

Maybe it was due to the heat, but her nose really had been bleeding. After she finished washing her face clean, she returned to her room to see Ruan Nan sitting at her desk wearing a white silk pajama shirt dress, damp hair flowing over her shoulder. The dress was extremely short; in her sitting position, it looked as if she wasn’t wearing any pants. Her slender white legs rested upon the carpet, the red manicure on her toenails accentuating her fair feet.

And that tattoo on her ankle.

Qin Juran felt her nose begin to tingle again.

Ruan Nan threw a glance towards Qin Juran, then asked nonchalantly, “You got a nosebleed, just then?”

“It was nothing.” Qin Juran subconsciously rubbed her nose.

Ruan Nan seemed to have realized that something was off with Qin Juran a while ago. She rose up from her seat languidly and hung her towel on the balcony. Walking back towards Qin Juran, she pointed to the bed: “You’re sleeping here?”

Qin Juran pulled out her phone and stared at it for a few moments, then tossed it upon her bed: “Mhm.”

“We’re sleeping together?” Ruan Nan feigned confusion, mounting a knee upon the bed. Her shirt was only half buttoned and slid off her shoulders, allowing Qin Juran to catch a glimpse of her fair collarbone and chest area.

Qin Juran turned her face away: “You can sleep on the inside.”

Seeing that all her usual coyness was gone, Ruan Nan couldn’t help letting out a soft laugh. Without saying another word, she climbed up into the far end of the bed, obediently tucking herself under the covers.

Qin Juran also didn’t know what else to say under these circumstances. She took one look at Ruan Nan tucked in against the wall and asked, “I’ll turn the lights off, then?”

Ruan Nan murmured in agreement.

After flicking off the lights, Qin Juran also climbed into bed. She draped a small corner of the blanket over her, muttered a quick “Good night,” then shut her eyes and tried to enter a meditative state, feeling like a Buddhist monk.

“You’re sleeping already?” Ruan Nan’s restless voice chimed from beside her, her tone sounding 30% blunt, 70% playful.

Qin Juran had also realized that ever since the two stepped foot in her home, Ruan Nan had taken every chance to provoke her, knowing that she wouldn’t do anything.

Without opening her eyes, Qin Juran raised her eyebrows in the darkness: “You’re still not done playing?”

Ruan Nan adjusted her position until she was practically clinging onto Qin Juran. In an innocent tone, she asked, “Didn’t this Older Sister say yesterday that I kept her up all night?”

“What—you want to repay the gesture?” Qin Juran didn’t know how she let such an uncool comeback slip out of her mouth.

“Of course, I do – but is Older Sister too afraid?”

Think. Qin. Juran. Think.

""

Qin Juran sucked in a deep breath, not daring to move an inch. However, she continued to bluff, letting out a soft chuckle, “What’s there to be afraid of?”

At the sound of a rustling noise, Qin Juran moved to pull the blanket tighter around her, but her fingers accidentally bumped into something soft and smooth. At the touch, she felt her entire body tremble and blurted, “Why did you take off your underwear!?”

Ruan Nan frowned, “Who sleeps with their underwear on?”

With extreme duress, Qin Juran coughed and tried to recover herself: “You know, it’s quite hot in here. I’m going to turn on the fan.” As she said this, she took off the blanket and prepared to get up.

Right as she tugged off the blanket, before she could sit up, she suddenly felt her body get pinned down by Ruan Nan’s. Ruan Nan planted a knee between Qin Juran’s legs, the warmth of her skin causing the air to rush out from Qin Juran’s lungs. The look in Ruan Nan’s eyes was indiscernible as she leaned closer and murmured playfully into Qin Juran’s ear, “So nervous.”

“Do you really like me –”

“President Qin?”

T/N: Whew~ Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?

Sorry for the sporadic updates lately, exam season is really kicking my ass loll