BSS - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

With the click of the shutter, a long time later, Deng Chuan would still remember the streets of Chongqing in the afternoon, the deep green shade of the trees, and Xu Wei smiling calmly at her camera.

Rather than visiting fixed tourist spots, the three of them spent most of their time wandering the streets. The roads in Chongqing were always undulating, up stairs and down slopes. They would find a coffee shop on a corner to sit in, or discover hot pot restaurants and specialty shops tucked away deep within residential complexes.

While playing with the coffee shop's cat, Yang Jing said to Xu Wei, "It feels like we're back in university."

Xu Wei unhurriedly ate a piece of matcha milk mousse. "I was quite busy during university."

Yang Jing thought back for a moment, then laughed. "True. I could never find you in your dorm."

"Thinking back now, it's a bit of a shame," Xu Wei said. "What I gained and what I lost back then were completely out of proportion."

Yang Jing nodded and asked, "So if you had a chance to do it over, what would you choose?"

"Hmm... If I did it over... I'd probably still be very busy," Xu Wei mused, feeding a spoonful of mousse to Deng Chuan, who was taking pictures of the cat. "Can't be helped."

Yang Jing nodded thoughtfully.

The cat in the coffee shop was pure white with translucent blue eyes. Through Deng Chuan's lens, it appeared with a clean, pure, and composed cuteness. There weren't many people in the shop, and the cat took a step, then stopped, considering for a long time before finally settling down under their table, lazily flicking its tail.

The staff member brought their coffee and affectionately called to the cat, "Xiao Bai," telling it not to disturb the customers.

"It's okay," Yang Jing said. "It's very cute."

Xiao Bai's ears twitched a few times, and it turned its head to the side, pretending not to have heard the staff member.

The staff member left with a smile. A little while later, they brought over a plate of hash browns, saying it was on the house.

The sun was especially strong that afternoon. Seeing the scorching heat outside, they gave up on their plan to visit the handmade silver jewelry shop and simply stayed in the coffee shop until the sun began to set. Only then did they get up, ready to continue their stroll and figure out where to have dinner.

When Deng Chuan went to pay the bill, the server hesitated to speak several times as they saw the group was about to leave. A young man emerged from behind a curtain leading to an inner room. "Excuse me. I'm the manager of this shop. Could I discuss something with you?"

The manager, whose surname was Jia, explained that the coffee shop was located at the junction of the old and new city districts and primarily targeted a younger market. He said Deng Chuan's image was a perfect fit for their target demographic and asked if she would be a model for a promotional photo shoot about making coffee.

The pay was generous, and they also offered a permanent 30% discount card.

Deng Chuan didn't agree immediately, looking to Xu Wei for her opinion. She only accepted after Xu Wei nodded. The manager was sharp; he pulled out chairs for Xu Wei and Yang Jing, inviting them to sit, and added with a smile, "Our photographer is already here. It'll be quick."

Xu Wei glanced with interest at the dense rows of coffee cups hanging upside down behind the counter. Hearing his words, she smiled faintly and said, "It's okay, we're not in a hurry. Just make sure the photos look good."

"Of course, of course. If you could leave an email address, we'll send the finished photos to you when they're ready."

"Okay."

A staff member led Deng Chuan to the back to change into a crisp yet soft black shirt and pants outfit, with a brown apron tied at the waist. The photographer had their own makeup and didn't do much, simply darkening Deng Chuan's eyebrows and eyes before beckoning her behind the counter.

A staff member came up to chat with her, explaining how to choose coffee beans, brew, and filter. The atmosphere was harmonious, and the photographer didn't direct her poses, simply taking candid shots from the side. Following the steps, Deng Chuan actually managed to brew the first proper-looking cup of coffee of her life.

After one last posed shot of her gazing at the coffee, the photographer said they were done. They flipped through the photos on the camera to show Deng Chuan. Since both of them were into photography, they ended up chatting and even added each other on WeChat.

Deng Chuan didn't change back into her clothes right away. She placed the cup of coffee she had brewed on a green ceramic saucer with a small golden spoon and carried it over to Xu Wei and Yang Jing's table. "Want to try it?"

Xu Wei picked it up and took a sip, leaving a faint lipstick mark on the rim. Seeing Deng Chuan's expectant gaze, she said encouragingly, "Hmm... it's not bad."

Yang Jing also took a sip. She heard Xu Wei's comment just as the coffee touched her lips and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, though she said nothing.

When the three of them left the coffee shop, the sun was already setting in the west. The molten gold afterglow of the sunset decorated the entire sky like a ballroom draped in gold leaf.

As they walked down the street, people would occasionally stop to take pictures of the sky. Deng Chuan held Xu Wei's hand, feeling that her steps were as light and airy as the fluttering hem of her skirt.

Deng Chuan's camera captured the mottled graffiti glimpsed on the roadside, deep-fried skewers sprinkled with a thick layer of chili powder, red oil hot pot, the nightscapes of Jiefangbei and Hongyadong, a distinctive bookstore on the street, and the cat at its entrance. These images of light and shadow, along with Deng Chuan herself, became deeply immersed in those summer days, never to be separated.

On their last day in Chongqing, a light rain was falling outside the window.

They had originally booked a three o'clock flight back, but Yang Jing had something come up at her clinic and left early, leaving Deng Chuan and Xu Wei alone in the rental. Tired from the past few days and with the rain falling outside, the two of them didn't go out again, choosing to stay in their room and rest.

Xu Wei woke up a little earlier than Deng Chuan. The first thing she saw was Deng Chuan's face, close enough to touch. Deng Chuan's sleeping face was serene, her breathing even, and she seemed to be in a deep sleep. With her eyes closed, she looked even younger than her actual age.

The moment Xu Wei's fingers touched her face, she woke up instantly.

Opening her eyes, Deng Chuan's gaze was dazed for a moment before relaxing into a smile when she saw Xu Wei. "You're awake?"

Her voice was soft, prompting Xu Wei to lower her own. "Did I wake you?"

"No," Deng Chuan said, but she reached out to wrap an arm around Xu Wei's waist, pulling the thin blanket with her as she snuggled closer. She contentedly nuzzled against Xu Wei's shoulder and closed her eyes, murmuring, "Let's sleep a little longer..."

The next second, her breathing became even again.

Xu Wei smiled and adjusted the hand Deng Chuan had placed on her waist. Deng Chuan's body was warmer than hers, and the attraction of that warmth was a vivid demonstration of tenderness.

The air conditioner gently blew cool air into the quiet room, the only sound being the soft patter of rain outside. Xu Wei had completely lost the desire to sleep. She reached out, tracing Deng Chuan's eyebrows, her closed eyes, and then the line of her nose down to her soft lips.

She didn't care whether Deng Chuan would wake up, her mind singularly focused on getting closer, even though the distance between them was already intimate enough.

After waking up again, the two of them nestled in bed, looking through the photos on Deng Chuan's camera.

Deng Chuan had just finished washing up, her mouth tasting of mint. Her arms were loosely wrapped around Xu Wei as she showed her the photos on the camera, intermittently nuzzling against her ear.

The kid had always been clingy, so Xu Wei didn't mind. She took the initiative to ask if she could post some of the photos—the ones without faces, just the scenery shots.

"Sure, I'll edit them when I get back and send them to the group chat."

Xu Wei hummed in agreement, then heard Deng Chuan say regretfully, "I should have brought another memory card."

"It's okay," Xu Wei said comfortingly. "What the camera can't record, you can remember with your eyes."

Deng Chuan didn't say anything.

Xu Wei looked up at her and saw that Deng Chuan's eyes were fixed on her collarbone and the space below, unable to look away.

"You..." Xu Wei started to pull at the collar of her shirt, but then she stopped.

Deng Chuan's eyelashes lowered for a moment, then lifted again as she stared into Xu Wei's eyes.

Her gaze was deep. Xu Wei's hand went to the soft collar of Deng Chuan's pajamas, giving it a small tug to signal her closer. Deng Chuan placed the camera on the bedside table. She supported Xu Wei's waist, adjusted their position, and cupped her face, drawing near.

Kisses traveled from her lips to her neck. The mood was right, but the kid was a little rough. She bit down a little too hard, and Xu Wei pulled back in pain, her mind clearing slightly. She felt Deng Chuan's fingertips press against the spot, stroking it soothingly.

Before she could complain, Deng Chuan murmured, "Sorry..." She lowered her head and moved closer again. "I'll be gentler this time..."

Xu Wei's hand, gripping her collar, tightened.

Outside, the fine rain pattered down, occasionally hitting the window with a sporadic sound. The curtains were drawn tightly, but it was brighter outside, and a large patch of light in the shape of the window frame filtered through. Xu Wei's bare shoulder was exposed in this light.

The minty taste was so strong it seemed to fill her sinuses. Xu Wei was breathing lightly as she touched Deng Chuan's face, signaling her to loosen her hold. Deng Chuan didn't let go; instead, she hugged her and rolled over, holding her even tighter.

The two of them lay in bed, listening quietly to the rain outside for a while. Deng Chuan's hand rested on the narrowest part of Xu Wei's waist. Both were sweating slightly, and their long, damp hair stuck to their skin, tangled together so it was almost impossible to tell whose was whose.

Xu Wei pulled the blanket up a little. "Don't catch a cold."

Deng Chuan took the hand that was pulling up the blanket. With their noses touching, she said in a low voice, "I'll take responsibility for you."

Xu Wei was speechless for a moment, then laughed. Her hand paused, and she replied softly, "Okay. You'll take responsibility for me."

They held each other and talked for a while longer. Deng Chuan asked about Xu Wei's university days, wondering if she had also rushed to class in jeans and a white shirt, strolled on campus with friends at night, and perhaps, confessed her feelings to someone or been confessed to...

These were all times Xu Wei had lived through. Before Deng Chuan appeared, Xu Wei had still been walking her own path, shining brightly.

But Xu Wei shook her head. "During my undergrad, I was already working on projects with my professor. Besides attending classes, reading literature, and writing papers, I didn't have many other social activities."

As for the other things, Xu Wei summarized tactfully, "My family had my fortune told, and they said I do attract a lot of bad romantic luck."

Deng Chuan thought of Mediterranean from the science class and couldn't suppress a smile, leaving Xu Wei completely baffled.

The sweat on their bodies dried quickly in the air-conditioned room. After chatting for a while, Xu Wei patted Deng Chuan, telling her it was time to get up and pack for checkout.

This time, they didn't shy away from each other while changing. They changed openly, packed their things, double-checked that nothing was left behind, and were out the door before twelve o'clock.

Downstairs, while waiting for a taxi, Xu Wei received a call from the driver to confirm their location. She finished the call quickly and then felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned to look and saw Deng Chuan holding a bouquet of red roses, bought from who knows where. The petals were still dotted with water droplets as she held them out toward Xu Wei's cheek, as if for display.

It was noon in Chongqing. Because she had been running, beads of sweat had formed on her temples, and her eyes were sparkling. To Xu Wei, those eyes swirled with the grandest romance of the summer.

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