CH 48

As if finally hearing the words that she’d been longing for, Qin Juran rubbed against Ruan Nan’s cheek, repeating her response: “Okay.”

“Ah-Ruan says it’s okay.”

Ruan Nan’s face flushed, her heart overflowing with a strange sensation. Qin Juran loosened her grip around her and the two stood in place for a long while. Ruan Nan seemed to be at a loss as she stared at the tipsy, befuddled Qin Juran. Finally, she jutted her chin and asked, “Now are you ready to sleep?”

Qin Juran blinked and shook her head: “Need to shower first.”

Ruan Nan asked whether she wanted to use the shower stall or the tub. Although Qin Juran was still wobbling on her feet, she insisted on using the shower stall.

Ruan Nan didn’t argue any further. She found a pair of new underclothes and a nightgown for her. “There are fresh towels in the cabinet by the left-hand side. Be careful; don’t fall.”

Qin Juran shook her head: “I won’t fall. If I fall, then Ah-Ruan will be hurt.”

Ruan Nan raised a brow: “?”

Qin Juran reached a hand out to brush against her face: “Because you’d worry yourself sick over me, hehe.”

As Qin Juran turned to go into the bathroom, Ruan Nan chuckled and shook her head. Although she’d seen many types of drunks before, this was her first time encountering a “cute drunk” like Qin Juran.

Since she had mentioned wanting strawberry yogurt earlier, Ruan Nan scoured her kitchen for something suitable, but she only had a cup of plain yogurt. The nearest convenience store was a little distance off, and she didn’t want to leave Qin Juran alone in the apartment. She grabbed the cup of yogurt from the fridge and microwaved it for a few seconds, then pulled out a container of fruit as well. When Qin Juran returned to the bedroom from the shower soon after, Ruan Nan leaned against the doorway to ask: “Qin Juran, do you want fruit?”

“No, thanks.”

Ruan Nan returned to the kitchen and placed the fruit back into the fridge. She carefully brought the cup of yogurt to her room, focusing her attention on the cup, which was filled to the brim, as she made her way over to the bedside table and placed it there. When she raised her head to the sight before her, she nearly knocked the cup over.

Instead of wearing the nightgown, Qin Juran only had a bathrobe wrapped around herself that tightly enveloped her full chest and barely reached down to her knees. Her long, white legs leaned against the bedframe, her hair flowing naturally along her back. Remnants of her red lipstick were still stained on her lips, adding a stark contrast to the fairness of her face. She stared at Ruan Nan with big, doe eyes.

“You–” Ruan Nan stuttered, blushing: “Why aren’t you wearing the nightgown that I gave you?”

Qin Juran squirmed rather abashedly, pouting and replying in a hurt voice: “Ah-Ruan, I can’t fit into that size~”

……

Ruan Nan glanced at the outline of Qin Juran’s upper body that was wrapped in the robe. She had a point.

As if suddenly thinking of something, Ruan Nan began to move towards the bathroom, when Qin Juran laughed from behind her: “Don’t worry, Ah-Ruan. I’m wearing something down there.

Ruan Nan whipped around, her face flaming. “I really can’t with you,” she sighed out exasperatedly, then pulled out a pair of her own pajamas from her closet. “I’m going to shower. Go to sleep if you’re tired, and the yogurt’s for you.”

“Okay.” Qin Juran nodded obediently.

Ruan Nan frowned, mumbling to herself as she walked to the bathroom, “Is she still drunk or not…”

As soon as Ruan Nan left the room, Qin Juran’s face lit up with a smile. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and climbed out of the bed, taking out a piece of lime mint candy from her bag.

Qin Juran peeled the wrapper and popped the candy into her mouth as she climbed back into bed. She splayed her legs casually across the bed and shut her eyes, a small smile lingering on her lips as if she were waiting patiently for something.

Three minutes passed, then five, then ten. Finally, fifteen minutes later, a faint cry came from the bathroom: “Qin Juran.”

“Are you asleep, Qin Juran?”

Ruan Nan’s shouts were intermingled with the running faucet water. Qin Juran’s lips curled as she stepped barefoot out of bed.

When she reached the bathroom, she knocked lightly on the door and asked, “What’s wrong, Ah-Ruan?”

The outline of Ruan Nan’s figure was on full display through the frosted glass of the bathroom door. She pressed against the door and spoke in a small voice: “For some reason, the faucet isn’t turning off.”

Qin Juran replied with an elongated “Oooh,” leaning against the door. “Ah-Ruan, how come every time you shower with me, the shower faucet doesn’t seem to work?”

Ruan Nan’s face was already red from the hot steam of the shower, but the crimson shade only deepened at the sound of Qin Juran’s teasing voice. She tried to explain hurriedly, “I don’t know why either, I’ve never had this problem before. I didn’t even do anything, but it just won’t turn off, even though I’ve been trying at it for a long time.”

The smile on Qin Juran’s face grew, but her voice maintained her easygoing tone: “Then let me go inside to help you.”

“Okay. Hold on…..”

Before Ruan Nan could finish, Qin Juran twisted the doorknob and walked into the bathroom. Ruan Nan had just barely managed to put on her nightgown, and since she wasn’t expecting Qin Juran to suddenly walk in, she blushed and tried to straighten her clothes. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror to make sure everything looked fine, then asked, “What did you suddenly come in for?”

Qin Juran raised a brow: “Didn’t you want me to?”

“You’re not worried that I hadn’t put my clothes on yet?”

As if hearing a joke, Qin Juran laughed softly: “Worried?”

Ruan Nan didn’t say anything more, assuming that she was still under the effects of the alcohol. Although the bathroom was large enough that the two could stand inside without getting splashed on, the moisture in the room was still able to dampen the silken fabric of their clothes.

The white fabrics of both the bathrobe and nightgown became translucent as the moisture soaked through.

Ruan Nan didn’t make any comment, only pointing to the showerhead: “Help me fix it.”

However, rather than the broken faucet, Qin Juran seemed more interested in Ruan Nan’s body.

She stepped closer and closer, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. Meanwhile, Ruan Nan inched backward in response, her face reddening, until she hit the mirrored wall behind her. She let out a small cough and asked, “What do you think you’re doing, Qin Juran?”

Qin Juran glanced into the mirror at her own charming expression, cocking her head: “Nothing, it’s just that I don’t like doing laborious things for free.”

“I had just dried down, too, but now Ah-Ruan wants me to go fix the faucet. Then won’t I have to get wet again?”

Qin Juran leaned closer against Ruan Nan’s ears, the warm bathroom light offsetting the pink glow of her face. She breathed out gently: “Since Ah-Ruan is making me wet, don’t you think I deserve some compensation?”

“Qin Juran, what are you saying……”

Ruan Nan flinched at the ticklish sensation in her ear, but she was already backed against the wall with nowhere to escape. Qin Juran pressed one of her slender, white arms against the mirror behind her, using the other hand to gently lift Ruan Nan’s chin up. Her eyes were fixed upon Ruan Nan’s delicate lips as she slowly leaned closer.

As water continued spurting out of the faucet, the humidity enveloped their entire bodies, causing their clothes to cling to their skin. Ruan Nan’s breathing was becoming more uneven, and her two hands balled into fists behind her back as she gently closed her eyes. The next second –

一A pair of soft, warm lips landed upon her own.

Unlike the quick pecks from before, Qin Juran didn’t seem willing to let go so soon this time. As her hand traveled lower, her tongue gently grazed over the other girl’s teeth, and the cool scent of lime permeated the air around them.

Although summer had long passed, Ruan Nan seemed to hear the soft fizzing of a bubbly summer drink resounding in her ears.

Qin Juran moved closer, pressing her tongue in deeper as well. She patiently guided Ruan Nan using her movements, wrapping her arms around and pulling her tighter.

Ruan Nan closed her eyes, the sensation causing her mind to go blank and her body to feel soft and limp.

The shower continued to crackle, and Ruan Nan’s eyes squeezed at the feeling of damp heat that was spreading through her body. She wanted to push Qin Juran away, but there was no strength in her weak arms. Instead, almost instinctively, Ruan Nan wrapped her arms around Qin Juran’s waist.

Their upper bodies were so close that the silk fabrics were rubbing against each other. Ruan Nan was becoming shorter of breath, and accidentally let out a gasp.

“Qin~ Ahh….”

Qin Juran pulled away, but her eyes were that of a fox staring at her prey. She pressed Ruan Nan back against the mirror, the previously teasing tone absent from her voice when she patiently asked: “What’s wrong, is that too much?”

“I, I can’t breathe, Qin Juran…..”  Ruan Nan’s face was burning hot. She tried to look away from Qin Juran’s gaze, but Qin Juran held her chin firmly: “Did that feel good?”

“Stop talking, Qin Juran…”

Qin Juran smirked and chuckled: “Respond to me, Ah-Ruan.”

She proceeded to suck on Ruan Nan’s lower lips, waiting until they were moistened and slick before probing her tongue inside.

Ruan Nan was still hesitant. She timidly stuck her tongue out to meet the softness between her lips and teeth, then quickly retracted it, as if she’d been electrocuted. A sense of shame like never before washed over her.

Somewhat offended by her hesitation, Qin Juran pulled Ruan Nan tighter into her embrace, continuing to kiss the little ‘stray cat’ in her arms with even more unrestrained passion.

The lingering taste of wine intertwined with the minty lime flavor. As Qin Juran shut her eyes, it felt as if numerous days and nights flashed in her head. Ruan Nan’s forehead was creased in an accusatory and embarrassed expression, which only made the deep kiss feel even more exciting.

Feeling Ruan Nan push against her, Qin Juran let go again, panting as she looked at Ruan Nan. For some reason, not only were Ruan Nan’s cheeks bright pink, but her eyes were also rimmed with a red flush and glistened with tears. Her chest was visibly thumping with her sharp breaths.

Seeing Ruan Nan like this, Qin Juran was at her limits. She scooped up Ruan Nan in her arms, bringing her straight towards the bed in her room.

Upon realizing Qin Juran’s intention, Ruan Nan didn’t know what to do. She spoke in a small voice as she tried to escape: “Qin Juran, you said you wouldn’t do anything until we become official.”

Qin Juran grabbed her by the ankles and climbed over her. Her voice came out deep and raspy: “Oh really? But I changed my mind.”

“Ah-Ruan, haven’t you ever heard of the saying 一”

“Sex first, love second?”