Offense - Chapter 24
Chapter 24
On a summer evening, the sun was still scorching.
Finally done with work, Lian Wan drove the truck back to the lot. When she got out, the door handle was already scalding hot from the sun. She touched it briefly with her fingertips, then walked away, feeling a distinct trickle of sweat slide down her spine.
Turning out of the lot, she was met with dense green shade. People dotted the road in twos and threes. Children shrieked and played along the roadside, while adults, home from work and carrying groceries, hurried toward their homes.
Following their footsteps, the hidden impatience in Lian Wan's heart began to stir and surface.
She felt like a kite floating in the sky, the other end of the string held firmly in Zhou Yanqian's hand. The pull was like a shadow, always there. Lian Wan knew she had been caught. She couldn't stop thinking about her all afternoon, her thoughts breaking free of their restraints and running wild.
Zhou Yanqian's figure in the kitchen was beautiful. She remembered that from last time.
Her apartment building was close now. The faint aroma of cooking drifted between the buildings, along with the crisp, clear sound of a spatula against a wok. Lian Wan took the steps two or three at a time, plunging into the pitch-black stairwell.
The sound of her heavy footsteps echoed in the stairwell.
To Lian Wan's surprise, the doorbell rang for a while before the door was opened from the inside.
The person who opened the door, Zhou Yanqian, was still in her nightgown. In contrast to the dust-covered Lian Wan, she still had a hint of sleepiness about her, yet her eyes were surprisingly clear. With her dark hair unbound, she was like a moon just pulled from the water-damp and languid.
The woman leaned against the doorframe and gently raised her eyes to look at her. For some reason, she seemed exceptionally tender and affectionate today, lacking the usual carefree air that made Lian Wan feel awkward.
She leaned against the frame, extended a hand toward Lian Wan, and blinked, saying softly, "You're early today."
Lian Wan accurately grasped the outstretched hand. Her own hand was warm from a day of baking on the steering wheel, a warmth she could feel herself. The woman's hand in her palm was soft and cool. Lian Wan held it and didn't let go. As if possessed, she leaned in, lowering her head to kiss Zhou Yanqian's pursed lips.
Zhou Yanqian offered almost no resistance as she was pulled into an embrace.
They kissed as they moved backward. Lian Wan successfully stepped into her home, the front door swinging shut haphazardly behind them. The body in her arms was warm, like a vine grown from a cozy bed, twining itself tightly around Lian Wan. Lian Wan wrapped her arms around her waist. The height of the entryway was just right. She lowered her head and plundered all the longing she had felt on her way here.
A hand gently caressed the back of her head. The woman wrapped her arms around her neck, her chest rising and falling slightly. She pressed her face close, kissing the corner of Lian Wan's mouth soothingly, as if helpless against Lian Wan's urgency, yet also indulging her clumsy advances. "Alright... I just woke up... Go wash your hands and eat first."
Lian Wan heard her but didn't move. She nuzzled her cheek with her nose, a fond gesture that came naturally. Zhou Yanqian was watching her with a smile, and Lian Wan saw that her gaze held only her. In that instant, it was as if all the heartache she'd felt on her way home surged up. She buried her head in the warmth of Zhou Yanqian's collarbone and mumbled, "Just a little longer."
"Mmm... you're crushing me..." Zhou Yanqian's tone was chiding. She held Lian Wan's head and shifted her neck uncomfortably. "You're all dirty. Remember to change your clothes later."
The woman's body was distinct in her arms, something real and solid. Lian Wan held her, confirming the reality of the embrace. A familiar fragrance wafted from Zhou Yanqian's hair-the rich, enchanting mist that haunted Lian Wan's dreams. As if sensing a summons, Lian Wan pressed the tip of her nose against her collarbone. She tentatively bit down, her sharp teeth making Zhou Yanqian shudder. "What are you doing..."
Just a little force was enough to suck a red mark onto the fair skin, threatening to draw blood.
Lian Wan searched deeper and deeper, almost burying her entire head inside her collar.
Zhou Yanqian grunted in pain and pushed away lightly.
Lian Wan sensed her intention, caught her hand, and pinned it, panting heavily.
She held her, but her voice wasn't as resolute as her actions. She only stammered, murmuring hesitantly, "I missed you so much..."
She didn't dare look up, but she knew the other woman was watching her.
"Zhou Yanqian-" she finally said it, no longer relying on 'Sister' or anything else. She called her name openly, and her heart filled with a strange sense of relief.
Lian Wan said, "I missed you so much."
A small hum escaped Zhou Yanqian's nose. Hearing Lian Wan's words, she seemed to smile. Lian Wan found the smile on her lips and swallowed it, yet she made a show of weakness, ceding all control to her.
She no longer wanted to delve into anything else about her-the other meanings in her words, all the games, the desire, the true feelings or false affections. If she could, she would let her decide everything.
Lian Wan quietly released her hand and began to rub the red marks her grip had left on Zhou Yanqian's wrist.
Zhou Yanqian's lips were red and swollen. She raised her eyes and shot Lian Wan a light glare.
Lian Wan stared at her in silence.
As if unable to bear it, the woman involuntarily looked away. She took a moment to even her breathing before saying softly, "Don't be like this. I don't feel well."
Lian Wan froze.
Seeing the change in Lian Wan's expression, she quickly grabbed Lian Wan's hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. Leaning against her coquettishly, she looked up and explained in a small voice, "My stomach hurts."
Her voice held a hint of grievance. "I was fine this afternoon."
Her palm pressed against Zhou Yanqian's noticeably warm lower abdomen. Flustered, Lian Wan loosened her grip slightly, then, realizing what she meant, quickly held her tight again. "Then, then I-I'll carry you to bed to rest."
Zhou Yanqian hummed in agreement. She seemed to stop putting on a brave face, and her features instantly grew pale.
Lian Wan had never had this problem herself. She searched through her meager life experience for a way to handle it, clumsily carrying her toward the bedroom. "Have you had brown sugar ginger tea? Are you hungry? You just lie down. I'll go make you some congee, and then I'll wipe your hands and feet with a hot towel..."
Zhou Yanqian wrapped her arms around her neck, held steadily all the way back. She was weak, but in a good enough mood to retort, "I don't have a fever."
Lian Wan mumbled, "Oh."
No matter the occasion, Zhou Yanqian always enjoyed seeing the little puppy flustered. Lying on her shoulder, she couldn't help but stifle a laugh. Because she had no strength, her voice was light and airy. "Why are you so dense?"
She directed Lian Wan to open the bedroom door and tuck her into a pile of blankets on the bed. "Okay, that's good. I'll be fine after a little rest. You go eat first. The rice is in the pot, and the soup is warming in there too."
The woman sank deep into the bedding, her face, pale from the discomfort, peeking out. She had completely lost her usual charm and carefree air. But Lian Wan was even more moved. Zhou Yanqian's kindness came on so headstrong, it seemed a tiny bit of it was enough to make her heart ache and swell.
She didn't know what to do to repay such thoughtfulness. Lian Wan was silent for a long while before saying softly, "You shouldn't cook if you're not feeling well."
"Tired of my cooking, are you?" Zhou Yanqian sensed her panic and silence and couldn't help but want to laugh again. Her stomach didn't seem to hurt as much anymore. Still, she shot a weak glare at her, fierce as a paper tiger. "I can't get angry right now. The food is in the pot. Go eat, now. Put the bowl and plate in the dishwasher when you're done."
Lian Wan stood frozen in place, her head lowered, lost in thought. Finally, she tucked the blanket in for her and gave a muffled, "Okay."
Zhou Yanqian took her hand, tracing light patterns on her palm. "Take a shower after you eat. Your clothes are in the closet. Help yourself."
Lian Wan's fingertips twitched, as if wanting to touch her face.
"Okay."
"Good girl..."
Satisfied, Zhou Yanqian pulled her hand back under the covers. The soreness and fatigue in her body seemed to rush in all at once, and her eyelids grew uncontrollably heavy. "I'll be waiting for you here..."
Her voice gradually faded.
Lian Wan straightened up. She carefully checked the blankets and the air conditioner's temperature one more time before turning off the light and closing the door.
Outside the bedroom, the living room was unusually quiet.
The crystal chandelier on the ceiling looked old, but its light was still bright. Lian Wan stood there for a long while. Her gaze fell on the coffee table by the sofa, where an opened blister pack of painkillers lay.
Next to it were scattered medicinal patches.
Lian Wan couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. Her usually cold and hard heart seemed to have become very, very soft, just like the first time she held Zhou Yanqian in her arms.
She walked over, crouched down, and carefully reached out to touch the half-empty glass beside the medicine.
The side of the glass was still warm, with beads of condensation clinging to it.
Steam, hot rice, meat soup-their scents quietly diffused into the summer night air.
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