Chapter 27
The embrace lasted a very long time.
So long that the motion-sensor light in the hallway quietly switched off in the silence, leaving only the warm yellow glow spilling from the bedroom doorway to outline the two tightly joined silhouettes.
So long that Wen Yan’s arms ached faintly from holding on, yet she still refused to loosen her grip even a little.
So long that the chill of the late-night wind clinging to Jin Zijin’s overcoat was completely warmed away by their body heat.
At last, Jin Zijin let out a muffled laugh. “Mm... Dr. Wen, if you keep hugging me like this, I might have to be sent to the hospital for lack of oxygen.”
Only then did Wen Yan come back to herself. Her arms loosened slightly, and she lowered her head to look carefully at the person in her embrace in the light.
Jin Zijin’s cheek was pressed against the crook of her shoulder; her long lashes cast a faint shadow beneath her eyes. The traces of fatigue were obvious, but the corners of her mouth were relaxed and slightly upturned.
“Why did you come back early?” Wen Yan asked. Because of the long silence and the emotional upheaval, her voice was lower and rougher than usual.
“I missed you,” Jin Zijin answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She rubbed her head against Wen Yan’s neck like a cat finally home and completely relaxed. “The meeting that was originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon got moved up to this morning; once it was over, I changed to the earliest flight.”
She said it lightly, but Wen Yan knew exactly how tight the schedule and how intense the pace must have been.
That soft, aching place in her chest was touched again.
“Are you tired?” Wen Yan’s fingers slipped unconsciously into the soft hair at the back of her head, massaging her scalp gently.
Jin Zijin let out a comfortable sigh and leaned even more limply against her. “Tired. But it’s much better now.”
She lifted her eyes; Wen Yan’s face reflected in them. “Smelling you makes me not tired anymore.”
Wen Yan’s ears heated at once. She didn’t pick up the flirtation, only said, “Come inside first. Take a hot shower and rest properly.”
She guided Jin Zijin in, closing the door behind them and shutting out the quiet hallway and the night outside.
The indoor climate control kept the room at a pleasant temperature, but the warmth from their pressed-together bodies was the truest source of heat at this moment.
Barefoot on the carpet, Jin Zijin let Wen Yan take her coat.
She watched as Wen Yan carefully hung the clothes outside the closet, her movements natural, as if she had done it a thousand times.
“Are you hungry? There are ingredients in the kitchen; should I cook you some noodles?” Wen Yan asked when she turned back.
Jin Zijin shook her head and tugged on her hand, her fingertip lightly hooking her palm. “I’m not hungry; I had a light meal on the plane. I only want to shower now, and then... ”
She paused, her gaze falling on Wen Yan’s face with a glint of sly expectation. “...sleep.”
Wen Yan’s heartbeat skipped under that look, though her expression remained steady. “Okay. I’ll run you a bath.”
“Together?” Jin Zijin raised a brow.
“...The tub isn’t big enough.” Wen Yan turned toward the master bathroom, but the red at her ears betrayed her.
Jin Zijin watched her nearly fleeing back and laughed softly.
The laugh was like a feather brushing Wen Yan’s spine, leaving it faintly numb.
Soon, the bathroom was filled with the sound of running water; the rising heat spread the soothing scent of bath oil through the air.
Wen Yan checked the temperature and was about to leave when Jin Zijin was already leaning against the doorframe.
She had taken off her blazer and now wore only a silk shirt and trousers. Two buttons at her collar were undone, revealing a delicate collarbone and a stretch of smooth skin.
The weariness from long-distance travel on her only made her look, strangely, more unguarded and languidly alluring.
“Thank you, Dr. Wen.” Jin Zijin stepped inside and dragged her fingers across the back of Wen Yan’s hand, leaving behind a faint, itchy sensation.
“Hurry up and wash; don’t catch a cold.”
Wen Yan lowered her eyes, avoiding that maddeningly seductive patch of skin, and quickly stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door for her.
Through the frosted glass, the faint sound of water could be heard, along with the occasional soft humming; easy and careless.
Wen Yan stood in the center of the bedroom and suddenly felt a little at a loss.
After the intense rush of reunion slowly settled, a gentler joy and peace began to rise from the bottom of her heart, filling every corner.
She walked to the bed and straightened the blanket she had hurriedly messed up earlier.
When her fingertips brushed the soft fabric, that sense of emptiness from being alone vanished without a trace.
This space, because of another person’s real presence, had instantly taken on a completely different meaning.
The water stopped.
After a while, Jin Zijin came out wrapped in a bathrobe.
The woman’s hair hung wet over her shoulders, her face flushed a healthy pink from the steam, and her eyes were hazy with moisture; she looked several degrees softer than usual.
Wen Yan naturally picked up the dry towel she had prepared. “Come here; I’ll dry your hair.”
Jin Zijin obediently sat on the edge of the bed.
Wen Yan stood behind her, wrapped the towel around her long hair, and gently and carefully rubbed it dry.
Neither of them spoke; only the faint rustle of fabric against hair and each other’s steady breathing filled the room.
At this moment, the silence felt more like arrival than any words could.
Once her hair was half-dry, Wen Yan fetched the hair dryer.
The warm air hummed to life; her fingers threaded through Jin Zijin’s thick, slightly wavy hair, carefully controlling the temperature and distance.
Jin Zijin closed her eyes and leaned back slightly, resting her head against Wen Yan’s abdomen in complete relaxation.
“What happened to that patient at the hospital later?” Jin Zijin suddenly asked, her voice somewhat muffled beneath the noise of the dryer.
“Recovery is going well,” Wen Yan replied. “Thank you for arranging things.”
“Don’t thank me again.” Jin Zijin lifted a hand and gently pinched her wrist from behind. “The legal team has already started following up on the insurance matter; there should be progress soon. Things like this—if they drag on too long, people’s patience gets worn down.”
“Mm.” Wen Yan switched off the dryer, and the room fell abruptly quiet.
She combed through Jin Zijin’s soft, fluffy hair with her fingers and said in a low voice, “You did very well.”
Not “thank you,” but “you did very well.”
It was a deeper kind of recognition, a shared resonance.
Jin Zijin turned her head and looked up at her, light flickering in her eyes.
She said nothing, only reached out to wrap her arms around Wen Yan’s waist and rested her face against her, quietly leaning there for a while.
Once the hair was dry, sleepiness surged up like a tide.
The two of them lay down side by side beneath the covers.
Jin Zijin habitually turned onto her side, searching for the most comfortable position, and finally buried her face in Wen Yan’s neck, one arm draped around her waist.
Wen Yan adjusted her posture so she could lean more securely, then reached out and switched off the last night-light.
Darkness gently enveloped them.
Physical fatigue was real, but her mind felt strangely clear.
Wen Yan could feel Jin Zijin’s breathing gradually growing long and even, warm and regular against the skin of her neck.
Another person’s weight and warmth existed there in a very real way, fully pressing down and filling the faint restlessness that had lingered in her heart these past days.
She remembered that just a few hours earlier, she had been awkwardly analyzing the difference between “separation anxiety” and “liking someone” with an AI.
At this moment, the answer seemed self-evident.
Not because of habit, and not merely because of responsibility.
It was missing the way she looked when she came home in a dust-covered rush; it was aching for the fatigue of the schedule she had compressed for her sake; it was liking the way she handled problems so decisively and thoroughly; it was greedily wanting the comfort of her unreserved closeness.
She wanted to get near her, to touch her, to let her have a shoulder to lean on when she was tired, and when she gave warmth, to return the same warmth in turn.
In the silence, Wen Yan suddenly spoke very softly, her voice so low it nearly melted into the night: “I missed you very much.”
She wasn’t sure whether Jin Zijin had already fallen asleep.
But the arm around her waist tightened almost imperceptibly.
Then came a sleepy murmur from her embrace, like a dream or a reply: “I know.”
The final syllable was swallowed by deeper sleepiness.
Wen Yan smiled without making a sound in the darkness.
She lowered her head and lightly kissed the top of Jin Zijin’s hair, then closed her eyes as well.
——————
Wen Yan woke gradually within a warm, soft embrace.
Her consciousness had not fully cleared yet, but her body sensed the anomaly before her mind did.
She was wrapped tightly in a gentle yet stubborn weight.
With some effort, she opened her heavy eyelids; in her blurred vision, what came into view first were the slightly wavy strands of hair scattered around her neck.
Then her sense of smell awakened too.
A crisp yet warm citrus fragrance, mixed with the heat unique to sleep, drifted up from the person in her arms, seeping into her from all directions.
She was dazed for several seconds before memory slowly clarified, like reefs revealed after the tide receded.
This was Jin Zijin’s villa.
Last night, Jin Zijin had come home.
Not a dream; not an illusion.
That realization finally allowed the taut strings of her heart, stretched for a whole week, to loosen completely.
She moved her slightly numb arm and felt the smooth expanse of the person in her arms.
A silent smile curved Wen Yan’s lips. She raised a hand and rubbed the other woman’s hair.
Then she lowered her head and kissed the fragrant crown of her hair with exquisite care.
She tried to carefully withdraw the arm that was being used as a pillow, but the moment her body shifted even an inch, the arm around her waist tightened at once.
Like vines winding around a tree, it pulled her back even more firmly.
That warm, soft body followed and pressed closer, almost fitting itself into her arms.
Wen Yan: “...”
After a pause, she tried again, this time more slowly.
The result was the same.
Jin Zijin even rubbed dissatisfiedly at the crook of her shoulder and let out a vague hum through her nose, the arm around her tightening further, as if even in sleep she had to assert possession.
This time, Wen Yan clearly felt the force of the arm around her; there was a tautness to it, full of readiness.
She was awake.
Wen Yan understood.
Turning her head slightly, her lips almost brushed the other woman’s soft, cool ear. Her voice was husky from just waking, but exceptionally gentle. “Awake?”
A muffled, victorious chuckle came from within her arms.
Then Jin Zijin opened her eyes; they were bright and clear, with not the slightest trace of drowsiness.
She lifted her face, resting her chin on Wen Yan’s collarbone, her eyes rippling with tiny flashes of light. “How did you know?”
“I could feel it.” Wen Yan’s palm rested on the back of her head, her fingertips absentmindedly twining through the ends of her hair. “Did you sleep well?”
“Mm.” Jin Zijin let out a satisfied sigh and buried her face back into her again; her voice sounded muffled. “Very well. Sleeping next to you is deeper than sleeping on any bed in a hotel.”
She paused, then added with a hint of teasing curiosity, “Dr. Wen, do you have some kind of magic that helps people sleep?”
Wen Yan thought for a moment and gave a very serious answer. “People have subconscious responses to scent and to the physical presence of a partner.”
“If you sleep well beside me, it may mean... your gene sequence doesn’t reject my biological pheromones.”
Jin Zijin laughed softly and let her fingers climb to the first button of Wen Yan’s home clothes, toying with it unhurriedly.
Her voice drew out the words, sweet as honey. “Why not say it’s my genes that chose you first?”
Wen Yan’s breathing faltered slightly.
She lowered her lashes and met Jin Zijin’s gaze as it tilted upward.
In the dimness before dawn, those eyes were like obsidian sunk in a deep pool; clear, yet with a whirlpool that could silently draw a person in.
The moment their gazes touched, Wen Yan clearly felt her heart seized by something soft yet powerful.
She didn’t say anything else. Only lowered her head and kissed her with a kind of reverent tenderness.
The first kiss landed gently on Jin Zijin’s trembling eyelids.
She could feel the other woman’s long lashes brushing against her lips, light and ticklish.
Then she kissed the other eye.
Wen Yan kissed very slowly, very focused, as if savoring the rarest treasure in the world.
Afterward, she pulled back slightly and studied those beautiful eyes now shut before her, murmuring softly, “Your eyes... are really beautiful.”
The corners of Jin Zijin’s mouth lifted even higher.
She didn’t open her eyes; she only raised a hand and lightly tapped her full, dewy lower lip with a fingertip. “Just my eyes? Aren’t my lips worth kissing?”
Looking at her like this, Wen Yan’s chest was filled to the brim with a warm, melting emotion.
She smiled, no longer hesitating, and followed her heart as she leaned down again, precisely catching that tempting red.
Dawn had not yet broken; in the winter darkness before morning, there was a unique quiet blue haze that slipped softly into the room through the crack in the curtains.
The light was faint and blurred, enough to outline the interwoven figures on the bed, while the details were gently hidden in shadow.
In the dim world, only the faint wet sounds of their lips and teeth meeting remained, along with breathing that grew increasingly tangled and disordered.
Jin Zijin’s lips and tongue were unbelievably soft, carrying the slight moisture and sweetness of early morning, like a ripe peach. One light taste was enough to fill the mouth with rich, fragrant juice.
At first Wen Yan was still restrained, testing the waters, but soon she was lured deeper by that flavor and gradually took control of the rhythm.
Leaning against the headboard, she held Jin Zijin in her arms and asked near her ear, “Without that... is it okay outside?”
Jin Zijin nodded and buried her face in Wen Yan’s embrace.
Wen Yan’s hand moved up gently.
Whether it was the ferment of longing from their separation, or whether the dim, ambiguous morning light itself had an intoxicating effect, Wen Yan was especially patient today; especially tormenting.
Jin Zijin’s arms hooked around her neck, her fingertips unconsciously sinking into the muscles of her shoulders and back. Now and then she gave an impatient little thump, or let out a muffled urge from deep in her throat.
Wen Yan, however, acted as if she heard nothing, continuing unhurriedly to measure every inch of territory with her lips, tongue, and fingertips.
She ignited little sparks again and again, yet refused to give the most direct comfort.
At last, Jin Zijin could endure no more and turned her head to bite her earlobe.
Her breathing was ragged, her voice soft and trembling, like petals blown apart by the wind. “Wen Yan... you... a little harder... ”
That plea, carrying a near-sob in it, was like the final key; it completely opened a gate deep in Wen Yan’s heart.
She stopped restraining herself.
Jin Zijin’s consciousness was thrown to the crest of a wave, then plunged into the warm sea.
The world shattered and reassembled, leaving only the solid, powerful embrace behind her, and the fierce occupation that made her tremble all over.
——————
When everything finally settled, Wen Yan carried the completely exhausted Jin Zijin into the bathroom and carefully lowered her into the prepared bathwater.
She stepped in herself as well, letting Jin Zijin lean into her arms as she began to wash her patiently.
Her movements were slow and meticulous; her fingertips, with their faint calluses, brushed over tender, sensitive skin and drew out wave after wave of tiny shivers.
Warm water flowed over them, the foam slick and smooth, yet she spared no corner.
It was like the most exacting craftsman cleaning a peerless treasure, or like an endlessly tireless bee insisting on collecting the final drop of crystal honey from a petal.
At first Jin Zijin had been enjoying it with her eyes closed, but gradually her breathing began to falter again.
Finally, she could not bear it anymore and grabbed Wen Yan’s wrist fiercely under the water, her voice hoarse beyond belief. “...Stop washing.”
Too bad. Too bad.
This person in bed was absolutely not a good person!
She only knew how to bully her!
How was this washing?
Who ever came out cleaner the more they were washed?
This was clearly...
This was clearly...
Wen Yan’s hand slid deeper by instinct, pressing precisely into place.
Feeling the change and the slick warmth, Wen Yan couldn’t help laughing softly. She leaned close to Jin Zijin’s red ear, her breath hot. “Such a warm welcome? Did you miss me that much?”
Jin Zijin shuddered violently all over, then turned her hand back to clutch Wen Yan’s hand tightly, her knuckles going white with force.
Wen Yan understood immediately what that meant; she raised a brow in surprise, then laughed.
A deep, delighted laugh trembled up from her chest, through the skin pressed together between them, and struck straight at Jin Zijin’s heart.
“So amazing,” she said, kissing the sweat-damp hair at Jin Zijin’s temple, her tone full of astonishment and undisguised affection. “My baby.”
——————
The morning “exercise” lasted more than an hour.
When Wen Yan finally carried the satiated, cat-like Jin Zijin out of the bathroom, the sky outside was already bright, and the winter sunlight was pale but brilliant.
They changed into matching soft home clothes and went downstairs to the dining room.
Aunt Liu had already prepared an exquisite breakfast; it was steaming on the table.
When Jin Zijin sat down, the fingers holding her chopsticks trembled almost imperceptibly; when she reached for a crystal shrimp dumpling, she even missed it once.
Seeing that, Wen Yan naturally took the chopsticks from her and replaced them with a spoon.
She scooped up a plump dumpling, blew on it carefully to cool it, and then held it to Jin Zijin’s lips, her movements smooth and unforced.
Jin Zijin looked up at her, accepted it openly, and bit down without hesitation, as if she had been born to be cared for like this.
After chewing and swallowing, she asked, “It’s Saturday today; do you still need to go to the hospital?”
“Not today; I’m on duty tomorrow,” Wen Yan replied, spooning herself a bowl of congee as well.
“Then what are your plans for today?” Jin Zijin asked, her fingertip tapping lightly on the table as she looked at her.
Wen Yan’s hand paused. She seemed a little hesitant, but still answered honestly, “Originally, if you hadn’t come back, I planned to go look at an equestrian club and book a trial lesson.”
Jin Zijin’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You want to learn horse riding?”
“Mm.” Wen Yan nodded, calm and natural. “Don’t you know how? And you even keep horses.”
“I was thinking, if I could ride too, maybe when you’re free later, we could go to the stables together... It could count as a way to relax.”
She said her thoughts so plainly.
Because she wanted more things in common with you; because she wanted to take part in your hobbies; because she wanted to manage their life together properly.
Jin Zijin propped her chin on one hand, looking at her with great interest, her eyes shining. “So eager to ‘play’ with me?”
Wen Yan met her gaze and nodded. Her tone was as steady as if stating a fact. “I don’t really have private friends; on rest days, if I’m not working, I’m usually alone most of the time.”
“So if you have time, of course I’d want to spend more time with you.” She paused, then added, “And I think horse riding looks pretty interesting.”
Jin Zijin suddenly laughed, her eyes curving into pretty crescents. “Wen Yan, I think you might be a little clingy.”
Wen Yan thought about it, then nodded again, her expression still serious. “Mm, maybe a little. But... ”
She looked up at Jin Zijin, her gaze clear and firm. “If you want to dump me now, it might be a bit troublesome.”
“There’s a cooling-off period for divorce; as for marriage...” She rarely allowed herself the faintest trace of teasing. “They can even send staff to handle the paperwork at the wedding venue. The efficiency is very high.”
Jin Zijin couldn’t help laughing out loud; her shoulders shook slightly.
Sunlight fell across her smiling profile, making it indescribably radiant.
Wen Yan took the opportunity to ask, “So, are you free today? If you’re busy... ”
“I’m free.” Jin Zijin cut her off, her tone brisk. “There’s a private stable near home; the facilities and environment are both good. I’ll go with you.”
“Won’t that delay your work?”
“No.” Jin Zijin shook her head, her gaze turning a little apologetic. “It’s my problem; I packed my work schedule too tightly before and squeezed out my private time.”
She looked at Wen Yan and became more serious. “I’ll try to adjust my pace next year and leave more time open, okay?”
Wen Yan reached out and lightly wiped away a nonexistent trace from the corner of her mouth with her fingertip, smiling softly. “No need to deliberately adjust.”
“When you have time, we’ll be together. When you don’t have time...” she paused, “I can go keep you company when I’m free.”
Jin Zijin looked at her and for a moment didn’t know what to say.
After a while, she asked, “How long do you want to stay today?”
“Probably head back in the afternoon. It’s my first time; I don’t want to get too tired.”
“Then after you get back this afternoon, we can have the tailor come over.” Jin Zijin was already planning. “My mother’s birthday is coming up soon, and there’s also the company annual gala at the end of the year; we need to order a few evening gowns.”
“And we should let the tailor at home get familiar with your style too.”
Wen Yan let out an “ah,” then became somewhat flustered. “Your mother’s birthday? I... should I prepare a gift? I haven’t even formally met...”
“No need to prepare anything specially; I’ll arrange it.” Jin Zijin’s tone was warm, considerate, and thorough. “As for meeting them, there’s no rush. The two of them probably don’t even have much time to interact with you.”
She explained briefly.
Jin Zijin’s father was an internationally renowned cellist; her mother was a top-tier folk dance artist. The two had met through art.
After marrying, they had devoted most of their lives’ passion to the stage and charitable tours, traveling constantly and rarely coming home.
After Jin Zijin’s wedding ended, the two had immediately rushed off to their next public performance project for glacier protection.
Wen Yan listened, somewhat stunned.
Although she didn’t know much about the Jin family, she had heard of this couple’s “legend” from Wang Manyu’s occasional sighs.
In elite circles, these two were widely regarded as oddballs.
They were immersed in their own artistic world, practically untouched by worldly concerns.
It was said that they had originally planned to remain child-free, but then Jin Zijin arrived unexpectedly; Jin’s mother happened to be religious, so she gave birth to the child.
After she was born, neither of them raised the child and simply handed her over to Jin Shuangye to bring up.
Other than “oddballs,” Wen Yan couldn’t think of a better word.
But looking at the relaxed, poised Jin Zijin before her, Wen Yan’s surprise quickly gave way to understanding.
With her grandmother’s abundant love and wise guidance, she had grown up so wonderfully.
Independent, strong, yet still possessing a sharp sensitivity to warmth and the ability to give it.
Whether she had parents or not, it had no real impact on her.
She had still become a very good adult.
Wen Yan instantly understood the role those parents played in Jin Zijin’s world. She curved her lips and gave a light laugh. “Okay.”
——————
After breakfast and a short rest, Jin Zijin took Wen Yan to the private stable.
When they arrived, Lin Xiao was already waiting at the entrance; everything had been arranged.
They were led to the changing room and put on brand-new riding clothes prepared for them.
When Wen Yan finished changing, tightened her belt, and stepped out of the cubicle, she immediately saw Jin Zijin waiting outside.
Just her back was enough to make Wen Yan’s breath catch slightly.
The tailored dark riding outfit perfectly outlined Jin Zijin’s smooth, upright figure.
Her long hair had been neatly tied into a low ponytail, exposing the graceful line of her pale nape.
She was holding a riding helmet in one hand and speaking with the instructor in profile; the contours of her side face looked especially sharp and cold under the indoor lights.
And when she turned around, the legs tightly wrapped in fitted riding pants captured Wen Yan’s full attention.
She had always known Jin Zijin’s leg shape was beautiful, but at this moment, in such functional clothing, that unique charm suspended between elegance and power was magnified to the utmost.
Straight, long, powerful; so beautiful it was impossible to look away.
Sensing her gaze, Jin Zijin looked up and smiled, then waved her over.
The two of them walked side by side toward the riding field.
The winter sun wasn’t harsh; it spread evenly across the neatly trimmed lawn. The air was crisp and dry, mingled with the scent of grass and horses.
The instructor led over a tall chestnut warmblood.
As soon as the horse saw Jin Zijin, it excitedly snorted and leaned over to rub its head affectionately against her shoulder.
“Xingchen, did you miss me?” Jin Zijin asked with a smile, stroking its smooth neck.
The horse gave a happy whinny and kept nudging her palm with its nose; in their interaction, complete trust and intimacy were obvious.
Wen Yan stood a few steps away, quietly watching the scene.
Sunlight fell on Jin Zijin’s smiling eyes and her posture beside the horse, softening the sharpness she usually carried in the business world and revealing a vibrant, different kind of tenderness.
A warm smile also spread in Wen Yan’s eyes without her noticing.
After Jin Zijin and Xingchen had affectionately greeted each other for a while, she turned to Wen Yan and held out her hand. “Come.”
Wen Yan walked over.
Jin Zijin took her hand, led her to Xingchen’s side, and patiently explained and demonstrated the proper way to mount: “Left hand here, hold the reins like this... yes, put your foot in the stirrup, tighten your core, use the strength of your waist and legs, and push up... ”
Wen Yan learned very quickly.
Her physical condition was excellent; her core strength was steady. After hearing once and watching once, she followed the instructions.
Left hand gripping firmly, right foot in the stirrup, waist and abdomen exerting force.
The movement was clean and decisive; with one elegant swing, she was already seated steadily in the saddle.
Admiration flashed in Jin Zijin’s eyes.
She stepped forward and lightly patted Wen Yan’s waist. “Sit a little farther forward.”
Wen Yan adjusted her center of gravity slightly as instructed.
The next moment, Jin Zijin placed her left hand on the front of the saddle and, with her right hand lightly supporting Wen Yan’s lower back, borrowed the momentum to leap up, smoothly mounting behind her.
The saddle space was somewhat cramped for two riders; Wen Yan’s back instantly pressed closely against Jin Zijin’s chest and abdomen.
Through the two layers of riding clothes, their body heat and heartbeats seemed distinctly legible.
Jin Zijin’s arm came around her side, skillfully taking up the reins and loosely enclosing Wen Yan in her embrace.
She turned her head, her lips almost touching Wen Yan’s ear, her warm breath brushing it. “Relax; follow my rhythm. We’ll take it slow and walk one round first.”
As she spoke, she gave the reins a light shake and squeezed the horse’s belly with a barely perceptible pressure from her legs.
Xingchen understood the cue and stepped off with a steady gait, carrying the two women tightly together on its back as it trotted over the crisp winter grass, tap, tap, tap... with a distinct rhythm.
The wind blew toward them, carrying chill, but much of it was blocked by the warm chest behind Wen Yan.
The world swayed gently with the rise and fall of the horse’s back; in the distance stretched the vast winter woods, and nearby the fence and pasture kept sliding backward.
It felt as if the world had been reduced to this one small space atop the horse; all that remained were the rhythm of hooves, intertwined breathing, and the steady, powerful heartbeat behind her.
Wen Yan was still a little stiff at first, but under Jin Zijin’s low instructions by her ear and the completely controlled riding pace, she gradually relaxed.
She tried to feel the rhythm of the horse’s movements; to adapt to the warmth and solidity of the embrace behind her.
Sunlight stretched the shadows of the two women and the horse long across the golden pasture.
At this moment, all the noise and disorder drifted far away; the world was left with only one chaotic heartbeat.
Unable to resist, Wen Yan turned her head to look at the beautiful face of the person behind her and asked curiously, “Have you ever... taken someone riding like this before?”
Jin Zijin froze for a second. “Hm?”
Realizing she had been too obvious, Wen Yan hurriedly turned back, her ears red, and muttered incoherently, “N-no... nothing. Pretend I was talking nonsense.”
Ahhhhh... she must not have been thinking straight; why on earth did she ask that?
Crazy, crazy!
This was asking for death!
She should just find a crack in the ground and bury herself in it.
Behind her, Jin Zijin looked at her ears, red as if they were bleeding, and laughed softly.
The next second, she leaned toward Wen Yan’s ear and chuckled, “I said it already; with you, it’s my first time.”
“Everything is my first time.”
At that moment, Wen Yan’s heart was like a balloon broken free of its string; it drifted, light and weightless, rising into the air with the wind.
Then with a bang, it burst.
————————
She’s really pursuing you very seriously [split]
Wen Yan.
You can’t tell? [eating melon]
Jin Zijin is completely in full wife-chasing mode. [though she herself doesn’t think so [oh oh oh]
The only requirement I have for writing this novel is: it should be suitable for a good dessert; a pretty nice bedtime read.
I have no other requirements.
After all, everyone who started following this story knew that I opened it on a whim. When serialization first began, it had fewer than a thousand bookmarks.
I hope it can become a little bit of spiritual comfort for everyone when they’re tired. [fist clasp]