Chapter 39
"Come out and put on a face mask, or the goddess's face will be ruined, and that would be a shame." Qin Wanshu gently nudged Zuo Qinghuan, who was still hiding under the blanket.
"I'll do it myself." Zuo Qinghuan had no desire for Qin Wanshu to see her red and swollen face; she must look awful.
"You're so stubborn." Qin Wanshu shook her head. Was Zuo Qinghuan really that obsessed with saving face?
Qin Wanshu lifted the blanket that Zuo Qinghuan had tightly wrapped around herself. However, Qin Wanshu seemed to have forgotten that the person underneath was completely naked, curled up on the bed like a peeled egg. The sight made Qin Wanshu feel a bit awkward, so she quickly covered Zuo Qinghuan back up, this time only exposing her head.
When Zuo Qinghuan felt the blanket being lifted, instead of covering her private parts, she instinctively covered her swollen, red face—a typical response from a woman who values her appearance.
"Are you going to do it or not? If not, I'm going home," Qin Wanshu raised her eyebrows and said.
Zuo Qinghuan, thinking Qin Wanshu was about to leave, panicked and grabbed Qin Wanshu's clothes, "Don't go!" As Zuo Qinghuan sat up to grab her, the blanket slipped down to her waist, revealing a scene that was quite seductive. Qin Wanshu tried to maintain her composure, avoiding any inappropriate glances. In fact, Zuo Qinghuan's body was slimmer and more proportionate than her own, with delicate skin. Women's bodies are much more beautiful than men's, Qin Wanshu mused.
"If you take care of your face, I won't leave." Qin Wanshu sat back on the edge of the bed with Zuo Qinghuan, grabbing a peeled boiled egg from the bowl on the nightstand and gently pressing it against Zuo Qinghuan's swollen face.
At first, Zuo Qinghuan hadn't felt any pain, but now that her attention was back on her face, she realized how much it stung.
"Does it hurt?" Qin Wanshu asked, looking at Zuo Qinghuan's usually pleasant face, now swollen and red, with the distinct imprint of five fingers. The woman who had hit her was no weakling. At that moment, Qin Wanshu felt a tinge of guilt. She could have intervened earlier to stop the woman from hurting Zuo Qinghuan. Qin Wanshu wasn't as kind-hearted as she appeared. If it hadn't been Zuo Qinghuan who was attacked, she probably wouldn't have bothered to get involved. But the fact that it was Zuo Qinghuan made her realize that she felt something special for her—more than just fondness, there was a hint of affection.
"Yes," Zuo Qinghuan nodded, resting her half-covered body against Qin Wanshu, quietly letting her rub the boiled egg over her face. Zuo Qinghuan loved being enveloped by Qin Wanshu's presence; it made her feel inexplicably safe and content. Due to her lingering guilt, Qin Wanshu didn't push Zuo Qinghuan away as she usually would. Instead, she let her be. Still, when Zuo Qinghuan's pale, slim shoulders were exposed, they were so beautiful that Qin Wanshu couldn't help but glance at them, though it was more out of admiration than lust.
"Qin Wanshu, I'm starting to like you more and more. What should I do?" Zuo Qinghuan whispered softly as she pressed the other side of her face against Qin Wanshu's chest.
For some reason, perhaps because Zuo Qinghuan was speaking so close to her heart, Qin Wanshu felt a slight tickle in her chest as she heard those words—soft, delicate, and somewhat itchy, like being brushed by a feather. Qin Wanshu, however, didn't respond, continuing to gently press the egg against Zuo Qinghuan's swollen cheek.
"What do you think I should do? You make me feel so insecure, and I hate that feeling," Zuo Qinghuan muttered softly, sounding more like she was sighing than complaining.
"Then why did you come after me in the first place?" Qin Wanshu asked with a smile. Not many people had the courage to approach her like Zuo Qinghuan did—unless they were exceptionally outstanding individuals. Even Shi Yunyang, despite her unreliable nature, was undeniably exceptional. Clearly, Zuo Qinghuan didn't fall into the category of exceptional in Qin Wanshu's eyes.
"You look like a goddess. You're different from anyone I've ever met. It makes people want to get closer to you. But once they do, they realize that goddesses are still goddesses, untouchable by us mere mortals..." Zuo Qinghuan said, half-joking and half-serious. But the more untouchable something is, the more one desires it.
"There are no goddesses in this world," Qin Wanshu said, her smile fading. "I think that's enough. Get some rest. After a good night's sleep, you'll feel better tomorrow."
Seeing that Qin Wanshu was about to get up, Zuo Qinghuan hugged her waist tightly, refusing to let her leave. "You're not going to leave tonight, right?"
Qin Wanshu hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'm just going to throw away the egg." Only then did Zuo Qinghuan reluctantly let go, trusting that Qin Wanshu wouldn't break her word.
Zuo Qinghuan sat on the bed waiting for a moment, and soon Qin Wanshu came in.
"Do you want to take a shower?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, flashing her first smile of the night and handing the prepared pajamas to Qin Wanshu.
Qin Wanshu glanced at the transparent glass separating the bathroom, feeling a bit hesitant. The last time she showered, Zuo Qinghuan had gone to the kitchen, so she didn't pay much attention. But after seeing Zuo Qinghuan shower earlier with everything visible, she felt uncomfortable.
"Can you go to the living room?" Qin Wanshu asked.
"I promise, I'll stay under the blanket and won't peek," Zuo Qinghuan said confidently, though it wouldn't take long for Qin Wanshu to realize how unreliable that promise was.
After hesitating for a moment, Qin Wanshu accepted the pajamas from Zuo Qinghuan. If she cared too much about Zuo Qinghuan seeing her, wouldn't that mean she was being unnatural? Qin Wanshu tried to keep a calm mindset.
Once Qin Wanshu took the pajamas, Zuo Qinghuan obediently wrapped herself up in the blanket. But as Qin Wanshu looked at her, she thought Zuo Qinghuan was only pretending not to peek. After all, last time when she was drunk, Zuo Qinghuan had helped her change clothes, meaning she had probably seen everything already. Qin Wanshu began to feel a sense of "what's done is done."
Qin Wanshu entered the bathroom, her back to Zuo Qinghuan. As soon as the sound of water started, Zuo Qinghuan sneakily opened a small slit in the blanket, revealing her mischievous eyes. This wasn't Zuo Qinghuan's first time peeking, so she felt no guilt.
Zuo Qinghuan's eyes trailed from Qin Wanshu's neck down her spine to her waist, and her perfectly shaped hips—sexy enough to cause a nosebleed. She wanted to do something to Qin Wanshu, feeling it would be a shame not to. Qin Wanshu's figure was just too tempting, even more so than Li Xin's, whom Zuo Qinghuan had occasionally teased. But her feelings for Qin Wanshu were different, as she realized she had a strong physical attraction toward her.
Qin Wanshu showered quickly, feeling uneasy as if there were an intense gaze focused on her back.
Qin Wanshu washed so fast that Zuo Qinghuan felt unsatisfied, like not being able to eat her fill. However, Zuo Qinghuan was even more excited about the idea of lying in bed with Qin Wanshu. Even if they did nothing, just lying together felt intimate, and the thought thrilled her.
As Qin Wanshu dried her hair, she noticed the obvious slit in the blanket and felt a bit exasperated. Anyone could tell when someone was sneaking a peek, but she chose not to say anything. Knowing that Zuo Qinghuan had been watching her naked made Qin Wanshu feel slightly shy.
"Did you finish your shower so quickly?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, feigning surprise.
"Yes," Qin Wanshu nodded.
"Come here, let me help you dry your hair," Zuo Qinghuan offered kindly.
Qin Wanshu didn't refuse and handed the towel to Zuo Qinghuan, sitting by the bed as Zuo Qinghuan began drying her hair gently.
Zuo Qinghuan knelt behind Qin Wanshu, softly drying her hair. Qin Wanshu's hair was long, though slightly shorter than Zuo Qinghuan's, and the texture was well-maintained, clearly from good care. Qin Wanshu was six years older than Zuo Qinghuan, but her natural beauty and self-care made her skin so flawless it was admirable. Zuo Qinghuan doubted she could maintain such good skin at thirty.
After drying Qin Wanshu's hair, Zuo Qinghuan playfully nuzzled her nose against Qin Wanshu's neck, an affectionate gesture like an animal showing affection to its mate. Qin Wanshu didn't reject it, allowing Zuo Qinghuan to continue her playful actions.
Seeing Qin Wanshu wasn't rejecting her, Zuo Qinghuan became bolder. Seizing the moment when Qin Wanshu wasn't paying attention, she pushed her down onto the bed.
Qin Wanshu didn't even have time to struggle as Zuo Qinghuan pressed all her weight onto her, preventing her from breaking free. Zuo Qinghuan's bare body was fully against hers, and her long hair fell over Qin Wanshu's face and neck, creating an intensely intimate and ticklish feeling.
"Qin Wanshu, let's make love!" Zuo Qinghuan said in the most serious tone while speaking the most inappropriate words.