Gloves - Chapter 15

The sound of raindrops gently tapping woke the sleeping person. The air on a rainy day feels incredibly fresh. The not-too-wide bed softly cradled her body. The room was warm, and a pleasant scent filled the air. Shang Zhuoxi rarely slept this well, but what surprised her was that she was actually sleeping in An Chujie’s bed. It was her first time sleeping in someone else’s bed. Where was An Chujie?

By the time Shang Zhuoxi woke up, An Chujie had already left. There was a bowl of steaming congee on the dining table. Shang Zhuoxi could tell from the aroma that An Chujie had cooked it herself. It brought her joy. After finishing her morning routine, Shang Zhuoxi drank the congee and looked around the empty house. She started to feel uneasy again. An Chujie seemed to be treating her well, but if it were in the past, it would have been acceptable. At least she loved herself. But now, things were different. Could it be that An Chujie was only being nice to her out of obligation to “repay the debt”? Any trace of pity she had for An Chujie was swiftly erased from her thoughts. She decided to make the most of An Chujie’s role and not let her guard down, because An Chujie was only “repaying the debt” and didn’t love her at all.

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“Baby,” Yi Heng unexpectedly slipped into the umbrella and hugged the person in front of him from behind. An Chujie visibly trembled in fear.

“If you’re not using an umbrella, be careful not to catch a cold,” raindrops fell on Yi Heng’s joyful face, and An Chujie wiped them away.

“I have a strong body,” Yi Heng didn’t mention about taking An Chujie away anymore. He thought she might need some more time, and he would patiently wait.

Yi Heng brought An Chujie to a dilapidated factory building with an arched roof. Rainwater dripped along the edges. The graffiti on the walls had blurred and faded due to years of sun and rain. Yi Heng took out a key from his pocket and opened the rusty iron door, which creaked open, unlocking all of Yi Heng’s memories.

As they stepped inside, An Chujie immediately smelled the damp and musty odor. The graffiti inside the room stared menacingly at the two people by the door. The cement floor was cluttered with iron pieces, sticks, wood, and various other supports. An Chujie watched as Yi Heng picked up the dusty guitar leaning against the wall, tuning it with his head down. Then, he picked up a small piece of iron from the ground and stood there, playing the song he had written for her in high school.

This place held too many memories of Yi Heng. The chaotic red marks on the walls were not random graffiti; they were the blood they had shed in the past. The pieces of wood and iron lying on the ground were remnants of a fierce war that took place many years ago. Yi Heng vividly remembered the drummer, a short guy, breaking off a chair leg and grabbing his collar with red eyes, fiercely questioning whether he would choose them or the girl standing at the door. He couldn’t answer, and everything exploded in his silence, like a silent movie with flying keyboard keys, splashes of red, and the four of them wrestling and fighting… In short, it was a war that broke his heart.

The sound produced by the rusty steel strings was so dim, yet his singing was gentle and bright. Both the singer and the listener had tears in their eyes.

Yi Heng shared everything with An Chujie, and she saw herself reflected in him. The power of hope could withstand the weight of disappointment.

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“Smile a little, hold it closer. It’s a drink, not a hand grenade!” The photographer grew annoyed as the model seemed distracted. Yang Yiluo’s mind was solely focused on meeting Nian Zichun later, so she had no interest in appreciating the value of the beverage, especially since it was a soda she didn’t particularly like. But if she didn’t satisfy the photographer, she wouldn’t be able to finish early and go find Nian Zichun.

Nian Zichun was having dinner with Hua San at the dining table when the peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by the sound of a text message.

The words “Little Devil” caught Nian Zichun’s attention.

“Zichun, are you home? I’ll come see you later.”

“What’s wrong, honey?” Hua San had never seen her with such a frozen expression.

“Oh, it’s just a message from my assistant, work-related stuff, nothing important,” Nian Zichun casually put down her phone and showed a reassuring smile to the person across from her. It was the first time Nian Zichun hid something from Hu Xinghua.

If Yang Yiluo wanted to come, Nian Zichun wouldn’t stop her, but she had a faint feeling that this little devil’s presence wasn’t so simple.

“Okay, I’m home,” Nian Zichun replied to Yang Yiluo after finishing her meal. It was good that her husband was home. Maybe it would help Yang Yiluo understand that Nian Zichun had a family and wouldn’t be so bold anymore.

After finishing work, Yang Yiluo hurried straight to Nian Zichun’s house.

Oh, it seemed like her husband was home. Oh, her husband even came out. Standing across from the house, Yang Yiluo quickly took off her high heels and raised her hand as she swiftly made her way towards the bushes on the side of the house. She peeked her head out, ignoring the pain and coldness in her feet, as she watched Nian Zichun at the door, talking to her husband.

“Don’t stay out too late,” Nian Zichun touched Hua San’s face.

“It’s just some minor information. Honey, you should go back inside. It’s cold out here,” Hua San said with a touch of concern as he planted a kiss on Nian Zichun’s cheek.

Yang Yiluo was stunned witnessing this scene. She covered her mouth, preventing herself from making any noise. After the man drove away, Nian Zichun didn’t go back inside. Instead, she helplessly whispered towards the nearby bushes and flowers, “Come out.”

What? Nian Zichun knew she was there? Yang Yiluo felt like a misbehaving child caught in the act, carrying her high heels as she reluctantly walked out. Nian Zichun looked at the slightly disheveled person in silence. Fortunately, Hua San suddenly had something to attend to today; otherwise, Yang Yiluo wouldn’t have known how long she would have to hide.

Yang Yiluo walked forward and opened her oversized denim jacket, wrapping the slender figure in her arms, and playfully said, “Zichun, I miss you so much. What should I do?”

Instantly, the body felt warm. Nian Zichun didn’t particularly like this kind of behavior, but she didn’t dislike it either.

“Alright, come inside,” she said.

“Oh!” Yang Yiluo exclaimed in pain as her bare feet stepped on some stray pebbles she hadn’t noticed before.

“…How careless,” Nian Zichun muttered.

“Ah, it hurts, it hurts…” Hearing her cry, Nian Zichun adjusted her position and lowered Yang Yiluo’s foot. Yang Yiluo curled up in the corner of the couch, although she had stopped feeling pain a while ago. Watching Nian Zichun carefully apply medicine to her, her heart felt warm, but she couldn’t resist teasing Nian Zichun.

“Zichun, can’t you be more gentle? It hurts so much,” Yang Yiluo frowned, pretending to be in discomfort. Nian Zichun’s actions couldn’t get any lighter. Nian Zichun looked at Yang Yiluo’s fair legs. Although her feet were not as smooth and even as those of an ordinary girl due to years of walking in fashion shows, they still had a delicate charm. It would indeed be a bit painful to have scratches from rough stones, but it wasn’t necessary to start screaming from the moment she entered the house. Seeing Nian Zichun’s puzzled expression, Yang Yiluo couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Did you do it on purpose?” Nian Zichun finally realized. She immediately threw away the cotton swab in her hand, closed the medicine bottle, and stood up. Yang Yiluo’s foot suddenly fell onto the sofa, causing vibrations on the wound. This time, it really hurt.

“Ow, it really hurts! Zichun, you’re so mean. You’re not gentle at all. It hurts…” Yang Yiluo’s expression was filled with pain.

“Yiluo, stop screaming. It was my carelessness,” Nian Zichun said helplessly as she sat back down and lifted Yang Yiluo’s foot, placing it back on her lap. “By screaming like that, it makes it seem like I’ve done something to you.”

Yang Yiluo quickly moved her body closer to Nian Zichun’s side and exhaled, saying, “Done something to me? Zichun, do you know there’s another way to silence someone’s mouth?”

“Yiluo, you… mmm…” Nian Zichun’s practical action made it clear to her what that other way was. Yang Yiluo gently wrapped her hand around Nian Zichun’s slender waist, causing Nian Zichun to freeze. Her momentary lack of resistance became permission in the eyes of the intruder. Yang Yiluo boldly pried open Nian Zichun’s teeth and pressed her soft and fragrant tongue against hers. Nian Zichun, filled with fear, tried to retreat, but the invader continued to explore.

Yang Yiluo truly lived up to her reputation in this area, with such rich experience. She understood Nian Zichun’s mindset at this moment – the fear mixed with curiosity. Yang Yiluo slowly “guided” Nian Zichun, feeling her breath quicken…

“How was it?” Yang Yiluo blushed, looking up at Nian Zichun. She felt a suppressed excitement inside her. Finally, she had kissed this restrained lawyer. Although Nian Zichun hadn’t responded yet, at least she didn’t reject her, which was a good start. A faint blush appeared on Nian Zichun’s face. She gently released Yang Yiluo’s foot. Being kissed by her felt like an electric current passing through her, and her heart rate began to accelerate. Why was it like this, especially since the other person was a girl?

“Next time, I’ll teach you how to respond, and then you’ll enjoy it even more,” Yang Yiluo said. If it weren’t for her foot getting accidentally injured and the awkward positioning, she would have already straddled Nian Zichun by now.

Nian Zichun’s mind was in turmoil. She had somehow allowed and accepted Yang Yiluo’s actions, which seemed to have gone beyond her control. Why was there a next time? Nian Zichun didn’t want to continue this topic anymore. She looked at the red-haired girl on the couch, her eyes filled with innocent joy, completely unaware that her actions had violated someone’s rights. Nian Zichun felt a sense of reproach, but seeing how Yang Yiluo had injured her foot for her sake, she couldn’t bear to be too harsh. Ultimately, she couldn’t do anything about her.

“Yiluo, have you had dinner yet?” Nian Zichun changed the subject.

“No, would you make something for me to eat?” Yang Yiluo pouted. It seemed that kissing Nian Zichun had triggered her appetite.