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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Shuhan was still sitting under the large pillar at the entrance of the cinema, her long skirt crumpled beneath her, and her high heels scattered carelessly to the side. She leaned against the marble column, dozing off, her head resting on the cold, hard stone. The neatly styled hair she had when she left was now becoming messy. Her head drooped lower and lower, almost burying itself in her chest, with her long hair piled at the back of her head, revealing a long, snow-white neck that sparked imagination.
At this moment, the hour hand on the faux clock on the wall had passed 2 AM, and there were hardly any people left at the cinema entrance; even the Popcorn Vendor was starting to pack up for the night.
The temperature was a bit low in the late night. Liu Shuhan instinctively shivered with her eyes closed and hugged her arms tighter, curling herself into a tighter ball.
Liu Shuhan had thought countless times about leaving, but she stubbornly challenged herself to see how long she could wait.
When Cheng Qiuyi arrived, this was the scene she saw. Liu Shuhan was pitifully curled up on the ground, resembling the little match girl. Cheng Qiuyi felt a sharp pain in her heart; she quickly stepped forward and embraced Liu Shuhan. Liu Shuhan's skin was cold, and Cheng Qiuyi felt another wave of guilt wash over her.
What a fool, so foolish it was heartbreaking.
"Hey beautiful, are you her friend?" The Popcorn Vendor asked as he finished packing up and locked the door. He casually struck up a conversation with Cheng Qiuyi. "You really should have told someone if you couldn't make it. This little girl has been waiting alone from afternoon until midnight. It's painful to watch."
"When did she arrive?" Cheng Qiuyi asked the vendor, but her heart was entirely focused on Liu Shuhan. She tidied Liu Shuhan's messy hair and gently said, "Shu Han? Wooden? Wake up, we're going home."
Liu Shuhan rubbed her eyes awake and saw Cheng Qiuyi's face close to hers. Still half-asleep and confused, she thought she was dreaming and wrapped her arms around Cheng Qiuyi's neck, planting a big kiss on her cheek. "Qiu Yi! You finally came!"
The attendant standing nearby covered her mouth and chuckled before shaking her head and walking away.
Only then did Liu Shuhan realize it wasn't a dream; she quickly let go, her face alternating between blue and red. "I-I'm sorry... I was dreaming..."
"Oh?" Cheng Qiuyi smiled as she touched the side of her face that had been kissed. "The long-standing wooden block finally woke up today? What kind of dream did you have? Did you dream about me and then decide to kiss me?"
Not only did I dream about kissing you, but I also dreamed about doing other things with you. Liu Shuhan dared not say this out loud; instead, she pretended not to hear Cheng Qiuyi's words and looked left and right without meeting Cheng Qiuyi's gaze.
Her eye makeup had smudged all around; Cheng Qiuyi found it both amusing and heartbreaking. "Silly girl, why are you waiting here like this? What if I hadn't come?"
"But you came anyway..." Liu Shuhan realized she was still wrapped around Cheng Qiuyi and felt quite embarrassed as she pulled away. She stood up and brushed off the dust from her skirt that had gotten dirty from sitting on the ground. Trying to act nonchalant, she said, "It's fine now that you're here; we can't watch the movie today anyway. I have to work tomorrow, and there are no more buses at this hour. You have to take me home; no refusing!"
Cheng Qiuyi lowered her head and caught a glimpse of Liu Shuhan's bloodied and bruised heel.
She knelt beside Liu Shuhan's feet, gently stroking her delicate ankle. For someone who was so afraid of pain, Liu Shuhan's foot was injured like this, yet she didn't even furrow her brow.
Liu Shuhan instinctively pulled her foot back as if shocked, awkwardly pulling Cheng Qiuyi up from the ground. "What are you doing? Get up! The ground is so dirty, and you’re sitting on it like a three-year-old!"
"Shu Han, let me carry you back?" Cheng Qiuyi said, reaching out to grasp Liu Shuhan's wrist.
Liu Shuhan was startled; Cheng Qiuyi usually never called her by her full name, always referring to her as "Wood" or "Dead Wood." Suddenly using her name felt so formal, it was strange.
Liu Shuhan glanced around furtively like a thief. Although there was no one around, being in such a public place made her feel a bit shy.
"Can you even carry me? Don't be fooled by how thin I look; there's plenty of meat on my bones."
Cheng Qiuyi chuckled. "Why not give it a try? Don't worry, I won't drop you." She squatted down in front of Liu Shuhan and patted her back. "Get on."
Liu Shuhan carefully draped her arms over Cheng Qiuyi's shoulders and then leaned her entire upper body onto her.
Cheng Qiuyi supported Liu Shuhan as she stood up, feeling the weight of the person on her back. She easily picked up the pair of high heels that had fallen to the ground and walked out.
"I thought you would be heavier; you're quite light."
"Of course," Liu Shuhan said contentedly, resting her head on Cheng Qiuyi's shoulder.
Cheng Qiuyi's back was very slender, with only a thin layer of muscle covering her shoulder blades. Liu Shuhan even felt that she could hear Cheng Qiuyi's heartbeat through that thin layer of skin. Yet, her back was strong; lying on it made Liu Shuhan feel an unprecedented sense of security.
So Liu Shuhan thought that if Cheng Qiuyi could carry her like this forever, being stood up wouldn't be such a big deal after all.
On the empty road, only a few cars sped by. Cheng Qiuyi walked slowly forward with Liu Shuhan on her back, as if this road would never end.
"Shu Han," Liu Shuhan said, swaying and nearly falling asleep when Cheng Qiuyi suddenly spoke, "I'm sorry."
Liu Shuhan shook her head. "You must have had something come up that prevented you from coming. It's okay."
"Does your foot still hurt?"
Liu Shuhan chuckled lightly. "It doesn't hurt anymore. With such a beautiful girl like you carrying me, even if my foot were broken, it would be worth it."
"Don't say such unlucky things."
Liu Shuhan laughed again.
After walking for a while, Liu Shuhan realized something was off. "Where are you going? This isn't my house."
"I'm going to my place. Your little doghouse has nothing in it. Let's stay at mine for the night, and you can take a day off work tomorrow to rest."
"But..."
"No discussion."
Liu Shuhan pouted and said softly, "Alright then."
The two of them took their time walking and didn't get home until nearly four in the morning. Cheng Qiuyi sent Liu Shuhan to take a shower while she took out an old first aid kit to examine it carefully.
After Liu Shuhan finished her shower and came out wearing the nightgown Cheng Qiuyi had prepared for her, Cheng Qiuyi pressed her down onto the sofa, sat beside her on a small stool, and began applying antiseptic to her wound with a cotton swab.
Liu Shuhan watched as Cheng Qiuyi applied medicine to her. She initially felt a bit resistant, as the memory of the hydrogen peroxide incident in the hospital was still fresh in her mind, making her feel uneasy. However, this time Cheng Qiuyi's movements were unexpectedly gentle. Liu Shuhan didn't feel any pain; the cotton swab brushed over her ankle, leaving only a slight tingling sensation that traveled along her nerves to her spine, causing her to shiver and instinctively pull her foot back.
"Don't move," Cheng Qiuyi said, holding onto Liu Shuhan's calf.
"It tickles..."
"Choose one: ticklish or painful."
Liu Shuhan obediently closed her mouth.
Liu Shuhan preferred wearing long pants throughout the year; her legs were fair and delicate. Cheng Qiuyi's hand gripped her soft calf, and for a moment, she felt a rush of emotions.
Cheng Qiuyi's hand subtly moved upward, gliding past Liu Shuhan's knee and onto her smooth thigh. Then she bent down, pressing her lips against the top of Liu Shuhan's thigh.
Liu Shuhan realized what Cheng Qiuyi was doing and froze like a block of wood.
What was happening? Although Cheng Qiuyi often teased her, this time it felt like the joke had gone too far.
The spot where Cheng Qiuyi's lips had touched felt as if it were on fire. Liu Shuhan cleared her throat deliberately and stammered, "Qiu Yi... is it done... is it done yet... it's getting late..."
Cheng Qiuyi straightened up and casually organized the first aid kit. "All done," she replied to Liu Shuhan.
Liu Shuhan dared not look at her and hurriedly got up. "Then I'll go to bed first; you should rest early too." With that, she headed toward the guest room.
"Shu Han," Cheng Qiuyi called out to her.
Liu Shuhan's face flushed; she didn't dare turn around and stopped in place. "W-what is it?"
Cheng Qiuyi walked over, wrapping her arms around Liu Shuhan's waist from behind, and whispered near her ear, "Be with me."
She deliberately lowered her voice, the warm breath passing through Liu Shuhan's eardrum. Liu Shuhan was enveloped in the pleasant fragrance of Cheng Qiuyi, feeling as if she were floating on a cloud, her legs turning to jelly.
When Cheng Qiuyi said she wanted to be with her, it wasn't an illusion or a dream. The person holding her waist was Cheng Qiuyi.
Liu Shuhan almost agreed, the word "yes" danced on the tip of her tongue but wouldn't come out.
In the end, Liu Shuhan pushed away Cheng Qiuyi's hands from her waist and fled back to her room.
She threw herself onto the bed, wishing she could slap herself a few times.
What a coward! What a coward! Was it really that hard to say one simple word? Why did she freeze at such a critical moment?
Liu Shuhan knew exactly why she was being a coward; she was afraid that Cheng Qiuyi was just curious, that it was merely a fleeting whim to try something new with a woman.
Liu Shuhan was certain that Cheng Qiuyi wasn't gay, at least not like herself who could only accept women. Cheng Qiuyi had several boyfriends in high school, though none of those relationships lasted. At least it proved that Cheng Qiuyi could accept men.
Moreover, the path of same-sex love was too difficult. Liu Shuhan didn't want someone as outstanding as Cheng Qiuyi to be subjected to judgment from others. She hoped that Cheng Qiuyi could be proud and open about her feelings, unlike herself who felt ashamed.
What is this? Liu Shuhan buried her head in the pillow, feeling frustrated. After such an awkward incident, she feared that she and Cheng Qiuyi might not even remain friends in the future.
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