CHAPTER 93

Xiaoyuan arrived at the top floor of Ji Dao Hotel.

She had been here before with Xiang Zhishi, and she had also seen Wei Zhuang in the hotel's private elevator. Back then, she could never have imagined that she would grow so close to Wei Zhuang.

The door slid open, and she stepped inside, calling out, "Frances..."

The room was silent, and as she walked in, an indescribable feeling seemed to stir in the air.

She ventured further inside, and there stood Wei Zhuang by the floor-to-ceiling window, arms crossed, gazing at the shimmering river and the hazy lights outside.

The spotlight above cast its glow inch by inch over her graceful figure, exuding an aura of loneliness, melancholy, and undeniable charm.

Xiaoyuan couldn't help but call out to her again.

Wei Zhuang seemed to hear her this time, slowly turning around to look at her.

When Xiaoyuan met her gaze, her heart trembled. 'She seems like she needs a hug.'

Without hesitation, Xiaoyuan ran toward her, her mint-green chiffon dress fluttering as she moved. She carried a hint of the cool rain from outside, her soft arms opening to embrace her.

Wei Zhuang was caught off guard, momentarily stunned.

Xiaoyuan's soft, dark hair brushed against her cheek, her breath lingering close. Wei Zhuang lowered her gaze, her eyes falling on the black bow at the back of the girl's sweater.

"It's... raining outside." Xiaoyuan suddenly said from within the embrace.

"...Oh," Wei Zhuang blinked, her hand sliding down, brushing past the bow and resting on Xiaoyuan's slender waist.

"I won't go back tonight. I'll stay here with you, okay?" Xiaoyuan looked up at her, her eyes still sparkling, filled with stars that flickered brightly.

Wei Zhuang's eyelashes trembled slightly. Following the embrace, she gently leaned her head against her, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Xiaoyuan raised her hand to stroke her face. Wei Zhuang lifted her eyelashes to look at her. Her eyes seemed to hold a deep, bottomless world, mysterious, lonely, and filled with pain.

"Was work very tiring today?"

"Or... did something happen that made you unhappy?"

'She also seemed like she needed a kiss.'

Xiaoyuan's heart was drawn to her, and without thinking, she rose slightly on her toes and kissed her.

Her lips were a little cold, with a faint trace of red wine, but they were so soft.

Xiaoyuan still didn't know how to kiss properly, she could only rely on instinct, on the genuine feelings in her heart.

She felt a bit flustered, a bit nervous, and an indescribable ache in her heart.

Why did she feel this way?

She couldn't quite explain it.

There were so many things she didn't understand about Wei Zhuang.

That's why she wanted to hold her tightly, to kiss her properly.

Her arms wrapped around the woman like soft vines, her lips brushing against hers like dew-kissed petals, gentle and unhurried.

Though lacking in technique, it was filled with tenderness.

Wei Zhuang couldn't help but close her eyes, feeling most of the strength in her body drain away with her kiss. Something soft also transmitted from her sweet, innocent kiss, secretly and silently stimulating her brain nerves, spreading all the way to... her eyelids.

The woman's hand gently smoothed the back of her head, and Xiaoyuan paused.

"I'll be right back." Wei Zhuang's voice was very low, pressed into her ear. Then she withdrew from Xiaoyuan's embrace, smoothed her hair once more, and turned away.

Xiaoyuan: "..."

Half shy and half puzzled, she also touched the spot where Wei Zhuang had just smoothed her hair.

Ah, was her kissing skill that bad?

......

The sound of running water filled the room. Wei Zhuang lifted her face, water droplets sliding down her pale cheeks and neck. Her slender hands caught the water.

She wasn't one to cry easily. The few tears she had shed were all before she turned 20.

The clearest memory was when she had just returned from abroad after a successful fertilization procedure. Lying in bed, she overheard her father and stepmother arguing. The fear from that moment still carried its menacing face even after many years.

But the reason she couldn't stop crying was because her stepmother had spoken up for her.

That was the only time she had cried so unrestrainedly.

For a long time, she had believed her world consisted of only herself, walking and living in solitude. She thought she had grown accustomed to it, until someone passed by with a lantern—a light that belonged to someone else, yet briefly illuminated her path.

That flicker of light made her realize she had been living in darkness all along.

From then on, she understood more clearly that in this world, only she could be her own foundation. No one would come looking for her with a lantern, only her own strength was the most reliable.

In the years that followed, no matter how much isolation she faced, how difficult the challenges, or how helpless she felt, she walked through it all step by step, never shedding another tear.

Wei Zhuang stared at her reflection in the mirror, her gaze fixed on her slightly reddened eyelids, lost in thought.

'Why?'

She reached up to touch her eyelids. Could they still produce tears?

It felt unfamiliar, confusing.

Her gaze lowered, and she touched her lips...

After a while, she finally came out. Xiaoyuan was no longer in her original spot. Wei Zhuang's pupils narrowed slightly as she walked around the room.

The suite on the top floor had several rooms. Wei Zhuang passed through the large living room and entered the adjacent sitting area. Xiaoyuan was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, talking on the phone. The light reflected in her eyes, sparkling like stars.

"Sister Chenying, yes, I'm back."

"Sister Ruan Qing said I can rest this month, though there might still be some scattered work... Ranran?"

Xiaoyuan's eyes curved into a smile. "No, it's no trouble..."

Just now, she wasn't sure if it was her or He Chenying's signal that was bad. She couldn't hear clearly just now, so she came over here to answer. He Chenying had called to say that she had forgotten something when they were eating just now. Huo De had returned to Shencheng from her father's place, and was clamoring to see Xiaoyuan.

"Okay, then let's make another appointment..."

Xiaoyuan's words suddenly faltered as her waist was encircled, pulling her into a familiar embrace that carried a faint, delicate fragrance.

It was Wei Zhuang.

But Xiaoyuan was still stunned, momentarily forgetting what she had been about to say.

"Didn't you say you'd stay with me?" Wei Zhuang's lips brushed against her ear, sending a tingling itch through her.

Xiaoyuan couldn't quite handle it and shivered slightly. Distracted, she pressed her phone against her ear and turned her face to Wei Zhuang, saying, "Let me finish this call."

"Hello, Sister Chenying... the signal... isn't great..."

Wei Zhuang rarely took the initiative to hug her, let alone in this position. Xiaoyuan always felt that she was acting strangely tonight. Earlier, she had seemed preoccupied and downcast, but now...

"Then let's..."

Her absentmindedness was obvious, and He Chenying probably noticed it too. She chuckled softly, already forming her own assumptions, and said, "Ah, it's too late. I've disturbed you. I'll contact you again later..."

Xiaoyuan's mind went blank, unable to hear what she was saying. Wei Zhuang rested her head on her shoulder, and Xiaoyuan's heart began to race. She couldn't continue the call and hurriedly muttered something before hanging up.

She clutched her phone, her heart pounding in her chest. It was rare to see Wei Zhuang showing such vulnerability.

What had happened to her?

Xiaoyuan exhaled silently.

Even if she asked, Wei Zhuang probably wouldn't answer. So how could she be there for her?

In the silence between them, their breaths gradually mingled, as if their hearts were reaching out to each other from afar, slowly extending their feelers.

"...Frances," Xiaoyuan called her name softly, breaking the moment's silence between them.

The next moment, she felt a loosening around her waist. Wei Zhuang had released her, seemingly already turning to leave. Xiaoyuan quickly turned around and grabbed her wrist, sliding down to hold her hand.

"Wait, I..." Xiaoyuan didn't know what to say, but she instinctively held onto her.

Wei Zhuang turned her face back, her expression unreadable as she looked at her. "I'll have the driver take you home."

Xiaoyuan was startled and blurted out, "I don't want to."

Wei Zhuang didn't speak, just looked at her, her eyes deep and unreadable, the emotions within them completely indistinguishable, only a captivating coldness.

Xiaoyuan's eyes flickered, her heart drumming in her chest. She felt both confused and panicked, almost ready to nod and comply with her arrangement.

But the scene when she first entered the door flashed in her mind in time. No, she hadn't asked Wei Zhuang last night, and she could choose not to ask tonight, but even if she annoyed her, she couldn't leave.

Xiaoyuan braced herself and stepped forward, reaching out again to take the woman's hand, her soft fingers hooking onto hers. "I don't want to leave."

Her eyebrows were dark, thick, and delicately shaped, making her eyes especially bright and expressive. Her beauty was not just on the surface but also in her bone structure, exuding a rare, alluring softness that made her perfect for the camera.

Wei Zhuang had seen some of her acting clips. The way her eyes moved carried a sense of storytelling, a magnetism that was hard to look away from.

In person, her simple and pure personality, as if shaped by her heart, masked the inherent charm of her bone structure. So, the way she looked at people and the words she spoke carried a fervent sincerity.

And Wei Zhuang was the one she was looking at, the one she was speaking to.

Especially at this moment, her face slightly flushed, her lips a delicate red, her eyes holding a hint of tender pleading. When she had pushed the door open earlier, the outfit that anyone could wear seemed to radiate an undeniable allure on her.

It was as if the light had captured her.

Wei Zhuang found herself unable to stick to her original decision. This feeling was so unfamiliar. Tonight, she was completely out of sorts, unable to think clearly.

Wei Zhuang rubbed her forehead, a trace of weariness coloring the corners of her eyes and brows. She was naturally tall, but as her imposing demeanor softened slightly, her slender, elegant neck bent slightly, exuding a natural, alluring fragility.

The previous aloofness was gone, and the rare vulnerability in this strong woman only made her more endearing.

Xiaoyuan stepped forward and hugged her, wanting nothing more than to touch her face in that moment.

Wei Zhuang held Xiaoyuan's hand against her cheek, her gaze calm and steady as she looked at her.

Xiaoyuan endured it for a moment but couldn't help herself and kissed her lips. Wei Zhuang, as usual, neither refused nor responded, silently allowing her kiss.

Xiaoyuan tightened her grip on Wei Zhuang's shoulders, tilting her head up to deepen the kiss. Her heart raced, and after a few clumsy attempts, she finally thought to use her tongue to gently lick Wei Zhuang's lips, trying to melt her composure bit by bit.

At that moment, Wei Zhuang's body shifted slightly, and her hand tightened around Xiaoyuan's waist.

Xiaoyuan's cheeks were burning when Wei Zhuang's other hand pressed against the back of her head, and suddenly, Wei Zhuang kissed her back.

It felt as if a strong electric current followed her kiss, striking her and spreading through her limbs to Xiaoyuan's brain. Her head spun, her legs went weak, and she leaned into the woman's embrace.

The air grew thinner, and Xiaoyuan could sense that Wei Zhuang, like her, had no prior experience with int!macy. Yet, in their mutual response, they seemed to slowly uncover the mysteries of it, gradually blending their lips and tongues.

The room suddenly fell silent, but this silence was not empty. It was filled with the chaotic beating of hearts and moist breaths.

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT