Chapter 41

On a rainy day, the neon outside the window had already lit up. The rain fell in a steady patter, and inside the room, so did the breathy, sultry sounds.

The moment Yan Can heard, “Then don’t hold back,” she could no longer suppress the desire in her heart.

She slipped into the room, shoved Su Ci against the door, caught her pale wrist, and lifted it over her head. Then, without another moment’s delay, she stole the first kiss of the day.

The kiss was gentle and lingering. The soft, sucking sounds tickled both their ears, and both of them flushed.

Her backpack thudded to the floor with a dull crash. Su Ci had barely reacted when her body suddenly went light; the next second, she was lifted off the ground. The sudden weightlessness made her instinctively loop her arms around Yan Can’s neck.

When her back hit the soft sofa, Yan Can pressed down with her. Dense, scattered kisses trailed from her forehead downward, all the way to her slender neck.

Su Ci had no choice but to tilt her head back to make it easier for Yan Can.

Wet, burning kisses spread from her neck to her collarbone, lingering in the hollow of her throat.

Even though they had seen each other yesterday and kissed then too, Yan Can still wanted more. The moment she saw her, she wanted to kiss her; when she couldn’t see her, she missed her.

Even now, with her right here beneath her, she still missed her.

That longing became something tangible, and Yan Can used real action to leave it on Su Ci’s body, turning it into one hot, ambiguous mark after another.

If it were any other time, Su Ci would never have let Yan Can leave traces in exposed places like her neck or face.

But... for reasons she couldn’t quite explain, ever since she’d confirmed that Yan Can was that good person, she had discovered that in addition to liking and loving Yan Can, there were other complicated feelings in her heart.

She couldn’t untangle them clearly herself; if Yan Can wanted to do something, then she could do it.

She accepted her unconditionally.

Yan Can kissed Su Ci’s cheeks, forehead, the corners of her eyes, and her soft red lips with deep affection.

The person beneath her was unusually obedient today. Aside from her body’s natural reactions and her eager cooperation, there was nothing else.

Too obedient.

“Why didn’t you tell me to draw the curtains today?” Yan Can asked, kissing the corner of her lips.

Usually, at Yan Can’s place, Su Ci always made her turn off the lights and draw the curtains.

Though she never said it outright, Yan Can knew Su Ci was actually a little shy.

Otherwise, why would she insist on drawing the curtains every time they were at her place, and why would she always want the lights off?

Even after they had kissed and hugged more often, Su Ci rarely mentioned turning off the lights anymore.

But the curtains still had to be drawn.

Her full, beautiful red lips parted and closed as Su Ci said in a hoarse voice, “As long as you like it.”

“Whether you draw them or not... doesn’t matter.”

Because of that one sentence, Yan Can’s heart softened completely. The corners of her lips lifted. “You’re really indulging me, aren’t you?”

Su Ci said nothing. The back of her hand rested over her eyes; her red lips were slightly parted, and her chest rose and fell visibly. Clearly, she still hadn’t fully recovered from the lingering pleasure.

No one had ever indulged Yan Can like this before; it felt wonderfully strange.

“Su Ci, if you keep this up, I really will eat you whole.”

She bent down again and sealed those slightly parted red lips.

They had just eaten dessert, and Su Ci still had a faint creaminess on her tongue, soft and sweet.

This kiss was longer than any before. It felt as though no matter how much they kissed, it would never be enough; they sucked, licked, and nibbled until even their throats felt it still wasn’t deep enough, until they wanted to melt the other into their own flesh and blood, you in me and me in you, becoming one.

Yan Can suddenly understood why some couples could cling to each other all day and still never get enough of kissing.

By the time she got to the end, Yan Can had lost control and grown fierce. The kiss turned rough and urgent, like some kind of release, until Su Ci was breathing hard and tears of physiological strain welled at the corners of her eyes.

Even so, Su Ci still didn’t push Yan Can away. She tried her best to respond, their lips and teeth tangled together. Only when Yan Can heard a muffled whimper did she finally let her go.

Their lips parted, drawing out a thin thread of saliva that broke across Su Ci’s swollen mouth.

Su Ci opened her eyes and looked at her through a haze of tears. Yan Can lifted her thumb and gently wiped away the moisture at the corner of her lips, then said in a husky voice, “You’ll only be like this with me, won’t you?”

As she spoke, she leaned in to kiss her again.

Even knowing the answer, she still wanted to ask it over and over.

Yan Can kissed her with such urgency and force that Su Ci’s lips went numb; she couldn’t even catch her breath, let alone answer.

Even with the air conditioner on, a thin layer of sweat had formed on both of them. They were pressed tightly together, forehead to forehead. Yan Can’s breathing was hot and scalding as it brushed over Su Ci’s ear, making her unable to resist tightening her fingers in Yan Can’s long hair.

Her skirt was lifted. Yan Can’s hand pressed against her knee as she looked down at the person beneath her. Although she had already guessed Su Ci probably wouldn’t refuse, she still asked, “Is this okay?”

Su Ci’s eyes were red at the corners, her voice hoarse. “Anything is fine.”

Because it’s you; anything is fine.

Their skirts were bunched up, blocking the view. Darkness suddenly fell over her eyes, making every other sense sharpen all the more. She felt a scorching hand gently close around her ankle, brushing over it as if carrying an electric current; wherever it passed, a wave of powerful numbness spread.

Su Ci bit hard on her lower lip, trying her best to resist the embarrassing sensation.

“You...” Feeling her tension, Yan Can hesitated a little. Through a layer of fabric, she nipped at her ear and said softly, “...relax.”

“Sorry, I...” Before Su Ci could finish, she felt the weight on her body leave. The fabric over her face was drawn down again, covering her thighs. She blinked her misty eyes; Yan Can had already risen from her and was crouching beside the sofa, looking at her intently with a pair of peach-blossom eyes.

Being stared at like that made Su Ci feel embarrassed, so she turned her face away.

But not long after, someone firmly caught her chin and turned her back. Yan Can looked at her with a smile. “You made my hand hurt.”

Her hand hurt?

Su Ci frowned and immediately reached for Yan Can’s right hand. Yan Can’s skin was very fair. She had broken a bone a while back and hadn’t been in the sun for a long time, so the area covered by the cast was even paler than the rest of her body. Now, when Su Ci looked over, her wrist did seem a little red.

She lowered her eyes, feeling guilty. “Sorry, I... didn’t mean to.”

It was just a natural bodily reaction; she couldn’t control it either.

Actually, it didn’t hurt at all, but Yan Can liked how worried Su Ci got about her.

She kissed Su Ci’s eyes. Su Ci’s lashes trembled lightly, and she lifted her gaze.

Knowing Yan Can was doing it on purpose, she still wasn’t angry. Instead, she cooperated, holding Yan Can’s wrist with both hands, bringing it to her lips and blowing on it gently, then softly rubbing the reddened spot while asking how it felt now and whether it still hurt.

Yan Can’s heart melted.

When they first met, she had thought Su Ci was cold and hard. After spending more time with her, she had even come to think the girl was indifferent and heartless.

But as time went on, she realized Su Ci’s heart was actually very soft.

Thinking of how this person had quietly repaid not only her parents’ debts but also helped a friend support their parents in old age, a complicated feeling rose in her chest.

She just... felt so sorry for her.

Her eyes gradually stung, heat surging upward until it was about to spill out.

She pulled her hand free from where Su Ci was still holding it and wrapped both arms tightly around her.

She hugged her especially hard, and Su Ci hugged her back.

“Su Ci?” Yan Can rested her chin on Su Ci’s shoulder. Su Ci was too thin; aside from that spot, there was hardly any flesh on her body. “Eat a little more, okay?”

Su Ci didn’t understand why she’d suddenly brought this up. In a very soft voice, she said, “Okay.”

“And if you ever like someone in the future, you have to tell me.” She didn’t know when the male lead would show up.

Su Ci still answered softly, “Okay.”

“From now on, you have to stay well, all right?” Don’t go looking for death anymore.

The words sounded strange. Su Ci frowned, but she still didn’t ask; she simply said, “Okay.”

“I really want to eat you up.” Yan Can said.

Su Ci: “Okay.”

Yan Can laughed. She let go of Su Ci. “You’re really indulging me like crazy.”

Su Ci lowered her eyes and said nothing. Yan Can thought she was unbearably cute, cute and obedient. She kissed the small, delicate mole on the bridge of her nose. “Can we skip tutoring tonight?”

“You can relax a little if it’s appropriate,” Su Ci said.

Yan Can was delighted. “I’m finding that you’re getting less and less principled.”

...

A week after the sports meet, the heat was still intense; then the temperature dropped sharply.

When the weather turned cold, Su Ci’s birthday was also approaching.

Yan Can didn’t know what Su Ci liked. All she usually did was solve problems and work part-time.

She couldn’t exactly give her practice books and cash for her birthday, could she?

That would be far too blunt.

After agonizing over it for a long time, Yan Can decided to just ask Su Ci directly.

That day, Su Ci went off to work part-time, and Yan Can sat at the bar waiting for her.

Su Ci didn’t get off until three in the afternoon. Dai Wen made her a special drink; after hearing about her trouble, he smiled and said, “Don’t let A-Ci’s usual silence and coolness fool you. She looks like she’s not interested in anything, but actually, she’s just like other girls.”

Hearing that, Yan Can became a little interested. Dai Wen said, “She likes plush toys.”

As he said that, he laughed. “A while back, a friend gave her a stuffed doll, and she treasured it a lot.”

Plush dolls?

“Really?” Yan Can was deeply skeptical. When she had given Su Ci a plush keychain before, that person had looked thoroughly unwilling. Besides, Yan Can had been to Su Ci’s home; there hadn’t been a single plush toy in the place. “Are you serious? I’ve never seen one at her house.”

Dai Wen said in surprise, “What? That can’t be. She used to really like them.”

Yan Can narrowed her eyes. Her expression turned cold. “Maybe she doesn’t like plush toys; maybe she likes the person who gave her the plush toy.”

Dai Wen looked as if he had suddenly realized something and set down the rag in his hand. “Now that you say it, that’s possible. They really did have a pretty good relationship.”

Yan Can suddenly remembered the first time she’d gone to Su Ci’s home. That day, she and Su Ci had searched the little rented apartment for a long time, looking for a plush toy.

She remembered that Su Ci had been especially fond of that plush toy.

At the time, she had even been grumbling to herself, thinking that Su Ci looked so cold all the time, yet she actually liked this kind of plush toy.

Yan Can’s eyes narrowed. Her expression turned cold. “The friend you mentioned; was it a man or a woman?”

Dai Wen: “A woman.”

A woman, then that was fine.

Yan Can let out a breath of relief. No, wait; a woman still wasn’t fine.

Her gaze darkened slightly. “You said they had a very good relationship?”

Dai Wen, thinking of Zheng Mo, said, “Yeah, they were very good friends.”

Just as he finished speaking, his phone rang.

“Sorry, I need to take this.”

Yan Can waved him off. Dai Wen answered the call. “You’re saying the gift was returned? Okay, I’ll ask A-Ci for the address later.”

After hanging up, he looked up and beckoned to Su Ci, who had just glanced over.

It wasn’t busy at the moment, so Su Ci set down the tray in her hands and came over. Dai Wen said, “You moved?”

Su Ci nodded. Dai Wen said, “Xiao Tian sent you a gift, but it got returned.”

“A-Ci, I’m not trying to speak up for Xiao Tian, but he—”

“Ah Wen.” Su Ci’s expression suddenly turned cold. “You don’t need to play peacemaker.”

Dai Wen said helplessly, “It’s not that I want to play peacemaker. Do you know how much Xiao Tian cares about you? The day he ran into you at the hospital, he was happy for several days. You don’t know this, but not long ago, he even secretly came to school to see you, he—”

“Sir, two special drinks.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit walked over and impatiently tapped his fingers on the table.

Dai Wen could only swallow the rest of his words and turn to greet the customer.

“Yan Can, wait for me ten more minutes; I’ll finish my shift and we can go.” Su Ci turned to speak to Yan Can, only to find her still in a daze, as if lost in thought.

“Yan Can?” Su Ci lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

Yan Can turned around, her brow faintly furrowed. “Who was he talking about?”

“Was it that boy who harassed you last time? Was it him?”