Offense - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The turquoise water of the pool rippled. After a while, it felt as if the whole world was swaying.

Lian Wan squatted down, looking down at Zhou Yanqian from above. She gently cupped Zhou Yanqian's face, her movements so careful it looked as though Zhou Yanqian were the one leaning her face into Lian Wan's palm.

The woman's face was wet and slick. A few stray droplets of water traced a path down her eyebrows and eyes, finally landing in Lian Wan's hand.

It was like a drop of water on parched lips, or a rootless bird soaring over the sea. In that moment, the water became a soft, boundless medium that brought them intimately close once more.

The pool's water reflected on the natatorium's glass ceiling, resembling the shimmering, fiery clouds over a sea at sunset. The sky ceased to exist; as far as the eye could see, there was only the rippling light of the water. Others in the pool splashed and shrieked, but the sounds were left far behind, leaving only the surge of water that filled their world.

Zhou Yanqian stood upright, her two long, slender white legs swaying indistinctly beneath the surface. She had pinned up her soaking wet hair, and droplets of water pooled in the hollows of her collarbones. Below that, her chest was tightly covered, yet it still gave the impression of being round and full.

The water was only chest-deep on Zhou Yanqian. Lian Wan cradled her face, gazing into her eyes, which seemed exceptionally clear after emerging from the water. In this moment, Zhou Yanqian lost her usual inscrutability, becoming real and tangible-even docile. It was as if Lian Wan had finally caught her, or perhaps she had willingly chosen to stop, resting in Lian Wan's palm.

The cool water of the pool made the woman's face seem exceptionally radiant. Yet the body beneath the swimsuit was alluring. Pure desire and pure longing warred in her heart. Lian Wan tightened her fingers, pressing her palms against Zhou Yanqian's face until there was no space left between them.

Involuntarily, she swallowed.

Zhou Yanqian caught the slight bob of her throat and sensed the sudden shift in her emotions. She raised an arm from the water, pressed her thumb to Lian Wan's neck, and scraped it twice with keen interest before whispering, "Little Puppy is swallowing secretly. What are you thinking about?"

With her movement, the water in the pool seemed to ripple again.

Lian Wan noticed that Zhou Yanqian's lips were exceptionally lustrous as she spoke. Between her pearly teeth as they parted was a more hidden presence, faintly visible. An almost frantic itch started in Lian Wan's heart. Because of Zhou Yanqian's words, the two warring thoughts strangely ceased their battle. They tangled together, like ice and fire surging through her body, leaving her mind in a daze.

"I…"

Lian Wan, emboldened by desire, only managed to open her mouth. She suddenly had no idea what to say; nothing felt right. She could only close it again, tongue-tied.

She hadn't expected that Zhou Yanqian would seem angered by the act of her closing her mouth. The water by her chest surged, spilling over the edge of the pool and soaking Lian Wan's pant leg. "You…!"

Lian Wan was even more bewildered. She tried her best to meet Zhou Yanqian's gaze calmly, but her eyes uncontrollably drifted downward.

Stealing glances again.

Zhou Yanqian laughed in exasperation at her innocent yet pleading expression. She strained to stand on her tiptoes, reached out, and gave Lian Wan's cheek a hard pinch. "I don't want to talk to you anymore. Just take my things and wait for me on the side."

After a moment's thought, she added fiercely, "Don't you go anywhere. If I get out and you're not here, you're dead."

After saying this, she kicked her legs, easily broke free from Lian Wan's hands, and in the blink of an eye, turned and swam away.

Her mood shifted too quickly; the earlier docility had been an illusion. Lian Wan didn't have time to react, remaining squatted by the pool in a daze. Her hands were still wet. The water held Zhou Yanqian's body heat, and both lingered damply on her skin. Lian Wan stood up, her gaze chasing Zhou Yanqian's retreating figure. She watched her wring out her dripping hair before diving back into the water a moment later.

Her form was like a fish. With a light stroke of her arms, she nimbly wove through the duck-shaped floaties, the clusters of chatting swimmers, and the noisy middle-aged man teaching his son to swim. She swam from one side of the pool to the other and back again several times. Her form was practiced and graceful, but her stamina gradually gave out, forcing her to stop and rest, clutching her chest as she caught her breath.

Lian Wan, holding Zhou Yanqian's towel and clothes, went back to sit with the parents waiting for their children. She wore the same expression as they did, her eyes fixed on the water.

She didn't join their conversation, but her ears gradually filled with its contents: the county tutoring center's summer discount was a great deal, the town high school's education quality was slipping, this year's university acceptance rate had hit a new low, it was no wonder the new English teacher had already applied for a transfer…

The parental chatter was endless. Lian Wan listened, but her focus never wavered.

The sky outside had darkened. After what felt like a long time, she finally saw Zhou Yanqian rise from the water, grabbing the railing to climb out. The pool rippled again as the woman's upper body emerged. The exposed skin not covered by her swimsuit was dazzlingly white. She wasn't tall, but her proportions were perfect-a slender waist and long legs. Even the arch of her foot was alluring. Every man in the pool was, subtly or not, watching her at that moment. A flare of anger ignited in Lian Wan's chest. She strode over, unfolded the towel, and wrapped Zhou Yanqian up in her arms.

"Let's go," she said to Zhou Yanqian, her face cold. She didn't forget to sweep a warning glance over the heads bobbing in the pool.

Fortunately, Zhou Yanqian didn't make a fuss. She nestled obediently in her arms and let Lian Wan lead her toward the changing room.

Lian Wan held her the whole way. Her anger had come on fast and faded just as quickly. Remembering the little fit Zhou Yanqian had thrown earlier, the force of her cold glare dissipated. She only dared to ask in a small voice, "Are you cold?"

"A little." It seemed her anger hadn't completely faded. Zhou Yanqian didn't look at her, replying in a flat tone.

They reached the changing room, which was warmer than the poolside. In the inner section, the sound of hot water pattered in the showers; someone was rinsing off.

The towel was quickly soaked. Lian Wan hastily pulled out a fresh one and diligently helped her dry her hair and shoulders. Only when she moved to Zhou Yanqian's arm did she notice the woman staring at her with an ambiguous smile.

Zhou Yanqian deliberately put on a stern expression, which at first glance was quite intimidating.

"…" They looked at each other. Lian Wan awkwardly pulled back her hand, but not before using a corner of the towel to dab the water from Zhou Yanqian's chin. After a moment's hesitation, she dared to lean in and ask tentatively in a small voice, "Let me help you, okay?"

They weren't alone in the changing room. Others were talking, and not quietly. Fearing Zhou Yanqian hadn't heard, Lian Wan leaned close to her ear to speak.

In truth, Lian Wan's intentions weren't entirely innocent. The anger sparked by the onlookers at the pool hadn't faded, and the Little Puppy in her was desperate for some kind of confirmation. Besides, they were so close now. Zhou Yanqian's body heat radiated warmly through the damp towel, reminding Lian Wan of how she had pressed against her just like this that afternoon.

Wrapped in the towel, Zhou Yanqian said nothing.

Lian Wan leaned in a little closer. "Okay?" She tentatively placed a hand on her arm. When Zhou Yanqian didn't object, she grew bolder and pulled her into an embrace again. "Don't be angry…"

Zhou Yanqian slowly wiped her face with the towel, shooting Lian Wan a sidelong glance.

"I was wrong," Lian Wan said in a small voice, helping hold the towel for her.

She didn't even know what she'd done wrong, but she was well-practiced at apologizing. "I'm sorry. Please don't be angry anymore."

At this distance, Lian Wan only had to lower her head to brush against Zhou Yanqian's cheek. Zhou Yanqian's earlobe was cool to the touch. Lian Wan couldn't help but tighten her arms, a sense of peace washing over her as she held her. It felt as if the entire inscrutable afternoon had found its answer in this one embrace. With her head lowered, her lips brushing against Zhou Yanqian's earlobe, she steeled herself and explained honestly, "…I swallowed back then because I was looking at your chest. I was too embarrassed to say anything, that's why I didn't answer you."

She confessed her crime, but Zhou Yanqian still didn't respond.

Lian Wan could only apologize again.

"I'm sorry… I won't stare anymore," she said, her voice growing dejected. "I was wrong… I was really wrong. Please don't be angry, okay?"

The conversation was not for young ears, and there were children in the changing room, so Lian Wan was careful to keep her voice low. The spot behind Zhou Yanqian's ear grew warm where Lian Wan's breath touched it. The person holding her seemed to have undergone a personality change. Her usual coolness and guardedness had vanished, replaced by a clingy, whimpering demeanor. Though she could only repeat "I was wrong" and "Please don't be angry," it was enough to drain all the fight out of Zhou Yanqian.

As she listened, Zhou Yanqian's body softened, her arms went limp, and her fingers came to rest gently on the back of Lian Wan's hand. "Alright, alright, I know. Now… let go of me. I need to go rinse off."

Lian Wan couldn't tell if she was truly not angry anymore. She followed her, step for step, to the shower stalls in the back. She took the towel Zhou Yanqian handed her and passed over the dry clothes.

"I'll wait for you out here. Just call if you need anything," she said, reluctant to leave.

Zhou Yanqian didn't say anything. She just clutched the clothes Lian Wan had given her, then looked up and stared at her for a long moment.

Lian Wan had no idea what she might have said wrong. As Zhou Yanqian watched her, she suddenly didn't know what to do with her hands and feet, pressing them awkwardly against the seams of her pants.

The person in the next stall turned off the water, followed by the rustling sound of someone getting dressed.

Seeing that Zhou Yanqian didn't seem inclined to speak, Lian Wan turned to leave. The next second, however, Zhou Yanqian grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the narrow shower stall.

The air was thick with the scent of air freshener. Zhou Yanqian pushed Lian Wan into a corner to stand. The dry clothes and wet towel were still in her arms.

Afraid of being overheard, Zhou Yanqian leaned in very close. She cupped Lian Wan's face, her voice a low, fragrant whisper. "The hook in here seems to be broken. You can just stand here and be my clothes rack. Don't you like to look? Maybe if you look enough, you won't be so tongue-tied anymore."

She truly didn't seem angry anymore; in fact, she seemed to be in a very good mood. But her suppressed laughter still sent Lian Wan's heart into a flutter.

The clothes and towel lay between them, a barrier preventing them from getting any closer. Lian Wan stared at her, hardly believing what she was hearing and simultaneously shocked by her own shamelessness. "But I… I don't have much experience. I might need to look for a while."

"Alright." The woman's eyes crinkled with a smile. She hooked an arm around Lian Wan's neck, her wet skin pressing against hers. She lowered her voice suggestively. "Then… where would you like to start looking?"

The person in the next stall finished dressing and left. Before long, new people came in from outside. A jumble of footsteps and conversation bustled past their door.

From one of the shower stalls, the sound of running water never ceased.

Zhou Yanqian opened the door. Lian Wan was holding her discarded clothes and the used towel.

No one noticed that they had come out of the same shower stall. Outside, the pool was still bustling, filled with the shrieks and laughter of boisterous children.

They passed through the clamor and walked together to the natatorium's exit.

The exit opened onto the parking lot. Only a single streetlight was on. The cars, near and far, were submerged in the dim light, their shadows overlapping.

Lian Wan held Zhou Yanqian's hand as they looked for the car. Suddenly, she heard Zhou Yanqian, who was leaning against her, let out a soft laugh.

The sound of her laughter seemed to brush against Lian Wan's arm.

"Look," she said.

Lian Wan followed her finger and looked up.

The night was enchanting, and half the sky was filled with a brilliant expanse of stars.

Get instant access to all chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next