CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 64 [THAT NIGHT]

Chapter Sixty-Four: That Night

The home of the woman called Xiaoxia was quite a mess.

It was an old-fashioned, two-bedroom house.

The living room was tiny; a small dining table for four barely left room for a sofa.

Bags were thrown on the dining table, and a mess of leather shoes and high heels lay on the floor by the door. Dirty clothes were piled on the sofa.

Leftover food remained on the dining table, uncleaned, just left there.

Zhang Linsheng, inexperienced as he was, hadn’t expected the home of this seemingly sweet-smelling girl to be such a chaotic disaster. If he had been a decade older and more experienced, he would have known that the homes of single girls are often quite disorganized.

"Don’t just stand there! Have a seat!"

Zhang Linsheng hesitated. His clothes were damp, and he felt uncomfortable sitting on someone else’s sofa, fearing he might soil it, so he perched himself on a wooden stool instead.

He barely managed to sit on half of it.

The girl swiftly ran into another room and then emerged with a men’s jacket and casual pants.

"You can wear these. I bought them for my dad, but I haven’t taken them to him yet. They’re new. This is the only set of men’s clothes I have in my house."

The clothes landed in Zhang Linsheng’s arms.

Then she added, "Go change in my room. I need to shower quickly; I’m soaked through."

Well, that statement seemed harmless enough.

Zhang Linsheng was wearing a coat. Though the spring rain was fine, he had been riding his bike, and the woman had been holding up her trench coat to shield him. As a result, only his coat got wet. The fine rain hadn’t penetrated it, so his clothes underneath were still dry.

But it was different for the girl. She was only wearing a red, deep V-back dress for her evening work, and it was completely soaked through.

Having said that, the girl went straight into the bathroom and closed the door. Soon, the sound of rushing water came from within.

At eighteen, Zhang Linsheng had never experienced such a scene before.

Sitting there, he was initially lost in thought.

Hearing the rustling and the pouring water in the bathroom, his young heart began to beat in a somewhat chaotic rhythm.

His mind couldn’t stop picturing the woman in the tight-fitting red dress he had seen at the KTV that night, its thin and clingy fabric, and that curving outline from behind...

Shaking his head firmly, Zhang Linsheng picked up the clothes and went into the room.

As he passed by the bathroom door, his steps slowed just a bit... But after all, a young man is still just a young man, not yet of the age to be a lecherous creep, and he didn’t stoop to the despicable act of eavesdropping with his ear pressed against the door.

There were two bedrooms; one door was locked, the other open.

Zhang Linsheng entered the open one and located the light switch by the door. After he turned it on, he was stunned.

The room was even more chaotic!

The blanket on the bed wasn’t folded, just crumpled there in a heap. It was originally a double bed, but now it also held discarded clothes that hadn’t been put away, strewn carelessly by the bedside.

Next to the wardrobe, a chair was piled with bags, and a pair of stockings hung on its back.

An old dressing table stood there, its mirror cracked and patched with glass glue, looking as if it bore an extra scar. The surface was covered with cosmetics, and lipsticks were scattered about.

Two storage boxes sat on the floor, both heaped with clothes.

In short, this small room was messy and cluttered, with scarcely any place to step.

And the room carried a particular scent.

There was a pack of cigarettes on the bedside table, the ashtray brimming, alongside an opened can of potato chips.

Zhang Linsheng quickly stripped off his coat and pants and put on the borrowed clothes.

Then, not daring to look around any longer, he walked out of the room and sat back down in the living room.

The woman was still showering; the sound of the shower was still running.

Zhang Linsheng glanced at the time; it was getting late...

But that night, his father was on the late shift, and his mother hadn’t returned home either.

The young man comforted himself.

He also felt he should probably leave, but a small part of him didn’t want to.He didn’t know what he was waiting for, nor was he actually expecting anything.He just wanted... to wait a little longer.

Yes, at least he should wait for the hostess to come out and say goodbye before leaving. Zhang Linsheng made up that excuse for himself.

The rain was still pattering down.

Chen Nuo felt the room was a bit stuffy, so he got up and opened the window.

He glanced at the time and turned his head to say, "Let’s go, I’ll take you back. Are you going to call your driver?"

"Can I... not go back tonight?" The girl’s face turned red as she looked up at Chen Nuo with a pleading gaze.

HISS!

Chen Yanluo’s heart skipped a beat. Then he deliberately laughed, "What? Are you offering yourself?"

Li Yingwan was silent for a while, then spoke softly, "My mom asked me a lot of questions today... She asked me... since I’ve been here for so long, how far things have developed between us."

"What did you answer?"

"I... I said I was practicing tongue twisters."

...

Despite the awkward atmosphere, Chen Nuo couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

"I... My mom talked to me for a long, long time this afternoon... If I go back tonight, she’s definitely going to say a lot. I don’t want to listen to that, is that okay, oppa?"

Li Yingwan’s face was so red it looked as if it might bleed. She hummed in a voice as low as a mosquito, "I, I’ll just stay over at your place tonight, is that okay?"

Chen Nuo sighed.

He looked at the girl in front of him, her head bowed in silence, her face stubborn.

It seemed to gradually overlap with the Firefly from his past life.

In the end, he softened a bit.

Chen Nuo turned and walked towards his own room.

"Turn off the TV before you go to sleep. You’ll sleep in Ye Zi’s room tonight."

BANG.

The door to Chen Nuo’s room closed.

The sound of water, which had seemed like it would never stop, finally ceased.

Zhang Linsheng suddenly jolted and sat up straight.

But as he stared hopefully at the bathroom door, he waited a while longer, but no one came out. Instead, the sound of a hairdryer emanated from inside.

The boy sighed with some disappointment and mocked himself: What am I disappointed for?

What was he waiting for? He didn’t know. But it seemed he still wanted to wait a little longer.

Yeah... when she comes out, I’ll just say hi and leave.

Yeah, just say hi and leave.

He fished out his cigarette pack and found it empty. He carelessly crushed it and threw it in the trash can.

He felt a bit restless, and now he had no cigarettes.

Suddenly, he remembered there was a pack of cigarettes on the nightstand in her room.

Hmm... if I sneak in and grab one to smoke, it should be fine, right?

As if possessed, the boy got up and tiptoed into the room. He took a cigarette from the pack on the nightstand, gripping it in his hand. As he turned to leave, his foot struck the corner of the bed. A shiver of pain went through him, and his body instinctively arched, but he managed to stifle a cry.

Limping toward the living room, he had just reached the bathroom door when it opened.

The woman pushed the door open and saw the boy standing right outside, hunched over in a strange posture. She was taken aback at first, then her expression became very strange, "What... are you doing?"

Uh...

Sweat broke out on Zhang Linsheng.

After a moment’s thought, he lifted the cigarette in his hand and said dryly, "I ran out of cigarettes, so I took one from your nightstand."

The woman suppressed a smile, scrutinizing the young man before her, "Are you sure you weren’t just eavesdropping on me taking a shower at the doorway?"

"No!" Zhang Linsheng quickly answered loudly, his face turning a little red.

The woman chuckled to herself. So he wasn’t always so cool; there was still a bit of childishness to him.

Back in the living room, the woman found a lighter and tossed it to Zhang Linsheng. "Smoke."

Eh...

Zhang Linsheng hesitated for a moment...

Thinking to himself: So... I’ll smoke this and then leave?

The woman casually turned on the TV and found a channel airing a drama. Then, she went to the refrigerator for two cans of cola and, from somewhere, produced a bag of chips, which she tore open with her teeth.

The woman walked to the sofa. "Sit down. Why are you standing? Have a seat, watch TV."

Zhang Linsheng’s face turned red. He used his cigarette to mask his discomfort and gingerly sat beside the woman.

He tried his best to avoid looking at the woman’s pajamas.

Silk... They looked so light and thin.Though the collar of her blouse was buttoned up high...

But at such close range, the unique fragrance from the woman relentlessly invaded Zhang Linsheng’s nose.

Suddenly, the woman shifted her position, and the hem of her pajama top slid open...

A stretch of pale thigh was exposed.

The young man’s breath caught, and he choked on a mouthful of smoke...

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

Seeing the young man coughing and struggling for breath, the woman laughed heartily and gently patted him on the back.

"How come you’re coughing just from smoking?"

She gave him some cola, and he took a couple of sips to catch his breath.

Zhang Linsheng felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, utterly restless. He tried hard to focus on the TV screen, but he couldn’t help stealing glances at that white, fleshy thigh from the corner of his eye...

A while later.

"Do you like it?" the woman suddenly turned her head to look at Zhang Linsheng.

"...Ah! I... I..."

"Is this TV show good?"

Brother Haonan secretly sighed in relief, whispering, "So-so."

"I also think it’s boring. Shall I change the channel?"

"...Yeah."

The woman offered the chips to the young man.

"Eat."

Uh... Zhang Linsheng found himself conflicted again.

He hesitated for a second. Alright... then... I’ll eat the chips and then leave?

The woman switched to another channel, where a comedy sketch by an unknown performer was playing.

After a few minutes, something in the sketch amused the woman. She suddenly burst out laughing and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, rested her hand on Zhang Linsheng’s shoulder, shaking with laughter.

Zhang Linsheng felt blood rush to his head!

Because of her position, the neckline of her pajamas had opened slightly, revealing a swath of white...

GULP.

He swallowed the unchewed piece of chip in his mouth with a hard gulp.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

Someone was knocking on Chen Nuo’s door.

Chen Nuo sighed.

He got up to open the door.

Li Yingwan stood outside with her arms crossed, looking down at her toes.

"Oppa, can I come in?"

"Aren’t you going to sleep?"

"I... I’m scared."

"Afraid of the dark? Afraid of being alone? Or afraid of thunder?"

Chen Nuo chuckled inwardly. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he stepped aside.

There was a complex look in the girl’s eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she clenched her jaw and stepped inside.

Chen Nuo’s room was small, without even a chair. The girl hesitated before sitting down on the edge of the bed.

As soon as she sat down, Chen Nuo’s words made her jump up.

"Did your mom teach you all of this?"

"Ah!! No, no, no... Mmm, mmm, mmm..."

"Did she or didn’t she?"

"Ah..."

The girl struggled, her eyes reddening again. Yet, a Firefly is still a Firefly; she was, after all, that headstrong, even obsessive girl.

Stirred by Chen Nuo’s words, the grievances in her heart were replaced by a surge of defiance.

"So what if she did! Am I not pretty? Oppa! Why don’t you like me?!"

"Uh..."

"I’m not a child anymore! Am I not attractive? Don’t you want to sleep with me?"

Chen Nuo was stunned.

The image from his past life once again overlapped with the girl in front of him.

That night, in his past life, this girl had also been sitting in front of him, asking in that peculiar, indifferent tone: "Am I not pretty? Why don’t you want to sleep with me?"

After a moment of silence, Chen Nuo walked over.

The comedy sketch concluded.

Suddenly, the woman grabbed the remote and, with a click, turned off the TV.

Zhang Linsheng was somewhat surprised.

The woman turned, a smile playing on her lips, and looked at the young man before her.

"I’ve hinted enough, haven’t I, handsome? I called you up so late, sat next to you in my pajamas, and just now, I purposely showed off my leg and leaned on you while laughing... Handsome, are you even a man? Still no move after all that?"

Chen Nuo leaned over. Li Yingwan’s body trembled. She let out a faint sound and leaned back, falling onto the bed. The girl squeezed her hands tightly by her sides and shut her eyes firmly. She seemed torn between fear and anticipation.

She heard Chen Nuo’s breathing grow closer, heard the rustle of his hands, though she didn’t know what he was doing.

Gathering her courage, the girl opened her eyes slightly, and then...

EH?!

Suddenly, her vision went dark. A blanket was rolled up from both sides, cocooning her within it.

Chen Nuo moved quickly, rolling up the sides of the bedsheet. He gave Li Yingwan a nudge, and she rolled over, completely encased.

She was wrapped up tightly in the blanket like a scallion in a pancake.

Chen Nuo’s movements were deft. Ignoring her surprised yelps and protests, he quickly grabbed a spare curtain cord from a drawer and tied up the blanket.

One loop, two loops, all done!

He reached over and pulled the blanket away from her head. Li Yingwan’s face was revealed just as she shrieked, "AH!!! What are you doing?! Oppa!!!"

"Quiet! You’ll sleep like this tonight! If you keep yelling and tossing around, I’ll throw you out the window and hang you with a rope... I mean what I say!"