Night Tide-Chap41

Xiang Wan didn’t wash her hands, but she didn’t plan to use them at the crucial moment either.

She played with the upper part Chao Xin for a while before withdrawing her hand and advising Chao Xin, “You should cover yourself.”

Because she was about to go down.

The young lady from the Prime Minister’s household, naturally bright and intelligent, had a learning ability that was second to none.

After acting in a few baihe audio dramas, she realized kisses could venture elsewhere.

Chao Xin surrendered, and the muffled whimper she barely concealed with her hand was the consequence of her actions that had upset Xiang Wan earlier today.

However, it wasn’t enough. As she listened to the absolute silence beyond the double doors, Xiang Wan grew even bolder.

She got up and meticulously washed her hands before she returned to the bed, embracing the perspiration-soaked Chao Xin.

She roused Chao Xin, who was still restless, and whispered into her ear, “The first time we met, Ms. Chao taught me how to control my breathing during recording. ‘Pat, pat, pat,’ hold back when patting down, longing when lifting up, I’ve always wanted to know, was the rhythm back then correct?”

The last note faded, followed by a suppressed moan, and the finger ventured within.

Xiang Wan’s other hand gently patted the edge of the pillow, ‘pat, pat, pat.’

Acting when the palm landed, withdrawing when the hand was lifted, she listened attentively to Chao Xin’s rhythm. It was mostly accurate, although occasionally, the whimpers were slightly disorderly.

Disorderly in a state of emotional turmoil.

Xiang Wan felt satisfied. She gently lay on Chao Xin, her toes lightly lifting, her ankle rotating.

It was a movement of contentment.

Afterward, she snuggled into Chao Xin’s arms and drifted into sleep.

As it was a form of punishment, she didn’t need Chao Xin to feed her; she simply ate until she was full.

The next day, Xiang Wan woke up early, while Chao Xin was still sleeping heavily. She propped herself up, watching Chao Xin for a while. Seeing no sign of waking, she got out of bed herself, got dressed, washed up, and tied her hair into a bun.

Paipai’s room door was also closed. Xiang Wan headed to the kitchen, where she fried three eggs, sliced a small can of luncheon meat, heated up a flat pan, and pan-fried both sides until they were slightly charred.

Footsteps approached from behind her, and a languid Chao Xin drew near. Upon seeing Xiang Wan bustling around, Chao Xin smiled, gathering her hair into a tie. “So early?” she said,

“Did Paipai wake up?”

“Not yet, she has school tomorrow, let her sleep a bit more today.”

With that, Chao Xin turned on the range hood.

“You still don’t know how to use this?”

“I always forget.” Xiang Wan flipped the eggs.

Chao Xin leaned to the side, laughing softly, “You don’t have this where you’re from, right?”

It was like stating a secret that didn’t need to be spoken.

Ever since their confession, she and Xiang Wan had become even closer. The desire for shallow exploration had been satisfied, but deeper, more intricate questions began to surface. Perhaps they couldn’t even be called questions, she just wanted to become more familiar, and wanted Xiang Wan to share more with her.

Preferably, more than any of her friends knew.

Xiang Wan pointed to the stove that had been turned off nearby, “Take out the luncheon meat.”

Chao Xin glanced over, the plate was ready, and the spatula was in Xiang Wan’s hand, but Xiang Wan didn’t want to continue, asking her to take over.

“Fleeting enthusiasm.” Chao Xin smiled and took over.

“No,” Xiang Wan wrapped her arms around her from behind and said, “I just want to hug you.”

Her favourite position was to hold Chao Xin from behind, so she needed to find something for Chao Xin to do.

Resting her chin on Chao Xin’s neck, Xiang Wan could smell the refreshing water and face cream that had just been applied to her face, it smelled best at this time.

After Chao Xin finished plating, Xiang Wan let her go and picked up the bowls and chopsticks, and the two headed to the dining room.

“I just thought of it, you probably haven’t had any vaccines, have you?” Chao Xin set the table as she asked Xiang Wan.

“No.”

“I’m a bit worried.” Chao Xin said.

“How so?”

“Your previous home, or say work environment, were relatively closed, not many people. But campus life, the cafeteria, the bathhouse, military training, and so on, where people gather, isn’t it a bit dangerous if you haven’t had any vaccines?”

Chao Xin wasn’t too sure, she just remembered that Paipai’s school would always organize vaccinations a few years ago, so she naturally started worrying about this matter for Xiang Wan.

“What could I catch?”

“I’m not quite sure, I’ll ask around for you, see if you can get any vaccine boosters, you might need to get your antibodies checked first.”

Chao Xin said while eating, then poured a glass of milk for Xiang Wan.

Checking the time, it was 9:10.

“We need to eat quickly, I remember you have a freshman orientation lecture at ten.”

Xiang Wan felt a bit sweet inside, “You glanced at it yesterday, and you remembered it so clearly.”

“I used to take Paipai to school on the first day, so I’m quite experienced.” Chao Xin took a sip of warm water.

But Xiang Wan fell silent, biting her lip while looking at Chao Xin.

Chao Xin raised an eyebrow, smiling as expected, “Your sulky face also looks a bit like Paipai’s.”

Xiang Wan was annoyed, her eyes slightly squinted and her cheeks puffed up a bit.

“The more I look, the more alike you two seem.”

“I’m not eating,” Xiang Wan put down her chopsticks, “I’ll go by myself.”

“Don’t you want me to accompany you?”

“No need.”

Chao Xin nodded, “Then I’ll eat a bit more, clean up afterward, and go to work.”

“Going to work?” Xiang Wan furrowed her brows, “You said yesterday that you would accompany me, why would there be work?”

“Because you’re very independent, and now I’m free, I plan to visit the new studio.”

The corners of her mouth curled into a faint smile.

Xiang Wan stood by, gazing at her pensively, no longer in a hurry.

“If you keep angering me.”

Then she looked up and down at Chao Xin, very slowly.

Chao Xin averted her gaze, clearing her throat, she stood up, “I’m done eating, I’ll go for a stroll around Jiang University.”

Xiang Wan chuckled, her lips curling into a smirk as she asked Chao Xin, “What are you doing at Jiang University?”

“Enjoying the greenery, digesting my food.”

They indeed walked as if digesting food. When they reached Jiang University, it was 9:35. Xiang Wan didn’t plan on returning to the dormitory, so both headed directly to the lecture hall on the ground floor of the second academic building.

Today, Chao Xin was dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and had her hair styled in a loose fishtail braid. She wore only a light layer of makeup, appearing as an attractive senior student.

The senior student escorted the junior to the front of the academic building. There was a row of bicycles under the shade of the trees, some students with backpacks arrived early to secure seats in the study room. Chao Xin stopped, gesturing for Xiang Wan to go in, but Xiang Wan seemed a bit troubled, “What should I do?”

“Hmm?”

“I seem to be growing more and more reluctant to part with you.”

Even if she was about to do something serious related to her studies, she didn’t want to take a single step onto the staircase.

She was a little frustrated, raising her hand to touch her bun hairstyle.

Chao Xin was most vulnerable to Xiang Wan’s straightforwardness. She hesitated briefly, her heartbeat subtly quickening. In the dappled sunlight under the tree, she confided, “I feel like I am a little bit too.”

“Oh.” Xiang Wan seemed somewhat satisfied, feeling like they had made an equal exchange.

“Then I’m going in.”

“Mmm.”

After taking a step up the stairs, Xiang Wan turned around again, “Tonight, shall we have dinner together?”

Chao Xin’s ears felt a bit warm, because Xiang Wan had given a little hop when she turned around, which was incredibly charming.

“If you want, we could also do lunch.” Chao Xin laughed, it’s close anyway.

“Mmm… Let’s do dinner. I’ll get to know my classmates at noon.” Xiang Wan hooked her leg back, taking a step back in retreat.

“Alright, see you tonight.”

“See you tonight.”