My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Throughout Friday and Saturday, Yi Shanshan and Ying Yuan maintained close contact.
By early Sunday morning, Ying Yuan’s arrival at Yi Shanshan’s doorstep felt perfectly natural.
She knocked, even though she knew the keypad code.
No one answered, but a new message quickly popped up on her phone.
It was a voice message from Yi Shanshan: “Come on in! I’m brushing my teeth.”
Muffled and utterly endearing.
Ying Yuan opened the door, hesitated briefly, then slipped off her shoes and stepped inside.
Yi Shanshan emerged from the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth, grinning at her.
“You’re quick!” Ying Yuan set the breakfast she was carrying on the table. “We have plenty of time, so you can take your time.”
“Mm-hmm!” Yi Shanshan nodded, shuffled over in her slippers, and nuzzled her head into the crook of Ying Yuan’s arm to inspect the food.
“It’s all my favorites!” Yi Shanshan’s eyes crinkled with delight.
Ying Yuan lowered her gaze, watching Yi Shanshan’s messy, fluffy head nuzzle against her arm like a hungry puppy. She felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and stroke it.
But of course, she didn’t.
Her boundaries were clear. She would never exploit Yi Shanshan’s trust for personal gratification.
She merely glanced at it, her gaze lingering for a moment longer than necessary.
“Your pajamas are a bit thin,” Ying Yuan said. “Since you’ve just recovered from being sick, you should stay warm.”
“Okay~” Yi Shanshan suddenly tilted her head and nuzzled against Ying Yuan’s arm. “Mommy~ I’ll change later~”
Ying Yuan froze, her face flushing crimson.
She had no idea where Yi Shanshan had picked up all these strange endearments, let alone that she would actually use them in real life.
Just hearing them sent Ying Yuan’s embarrassment meter skyrocketing.
Yi Shanshan, however, remained calm and cheerful. After her affectionate nuzzle, she turned and resumed brushing her teeth.
Ying Yuan stood rooted to the spot, torn between relishing the strange “Mommy” or savoring the wish fulfillment of being nuzzled like a puppy.
Yi Shanshan returned after brushing her teeth and washing her face. She sat at the dining table and began eating with gusto.
Observing her complexion and movements, Ying Yuan confirmed that her illness had indeed passed without complications.
“Is there anything else you need to pack?” Ying Yuan asked.
“You’ve already brought everything,” Yi Shanshan replied. “I don’t have anything left to pack. I’ll be relying on you completely from now on. You’re my Doraemon~”
Ying Yuan readily agreed, nodding. “Just bring your personal items.”
Yi Shanshan gulped down two mouthfuls of juice, then, sandwich clamped between her teeth, stood up. “I have something very important to ask you.”
“Hmm?” Ying Yuan rose to her feet as well.
Yi Shanshan strode off, Ying Yuan hurrying after her. They headed to the walk-in closet. When the wardrobe door swung open, several neatly hung outfits were revealed.
“Should I wear this candy dopamine outfit today, or this mountain-core outdoor one?” Yi Shanshan frowned, looking genuinely troubled. “Playful and sweet is my comfort zone, but mountain-core would harmonize better with nature photos.”
Ying Yuan: “……”
What a truly crucial question.
What a truly difficult question to answer.
After a moment’s thought, Ying Yuan suggested, “Both look great. If you can’t decide, just wear one and bring the other.”
“But what about tomorrow’s outfit? Bringing too much will be heavy,” Yi Shanshan pouted.
“I’ll carry it for you,” Ying Yuan offered.
“I don’t want you to be weighed down either,” Yi Shanshan protested.
Ying Yuan looked at Yi Shanshan, whose big, bright eyes were clearly hinting at something else.
“So, what do you think would be best?” Ying Yuan asked.
“I think you should wear it for me!” Yi Shanshan blurted out immediately, as if she had just discovered a new continent. She grabbed the mountain-style outdoor outfit and held it up against Ying Yuan. “This would look amazing on you! You’re my walking mannequin!”
Ying Yuan hesitated. “Our heights and body types…”
“It’s a loose fit, so it won’t matter!” Yi Shanshan was already starting to pull off Ying Yuan’s clothes. “Just try it on! You’ll see!”
Back when their dorm had gone out together, her roommates had also dressed Ying Yuan up.
Many girls really care about these things—wanting to dress beautifully, dress for fun, and create a harmonious, coordinated look. Ying Yuan understood the sentiment, though she didn’t personally share it.
Most importantly, Yi Shanshan was so excited, and Ying Yuan didn’t want to spoil her fun.
“Okay,” Ying Yuan agreed, taking the clothes.
Yi Shanshan began stuffing items into her arms. “Wear this T-shirt underneath! And you have to match it with this hat. Let your hair down! This belt is just for decoration, but the decoration is important…”
Ying Yuan’s arms were overflowing, leaving no room for resistance.
Yi Shanshan, having crammed everything in, stepped back and slammed the walk-in closet door shut with a clang.
“Change. Change and show me.”
Her tone was sharp, like a master issuing a command.
Ying Yuan could only obediently begin battling the mountain of clothes in her arms.
She remembered every detail of Yi Shanshan’s instructions.
By the time she had followed them all, she was completely transformed from head to toe.
The door opened, and Ying Yuan asked Yi Shanshan, “Is this right?”
Yi Shanshan turned to look at her and let out a soft “Wow.”
Her eyes sparkled with crystalline light, her gaze sliding from Ying Yuan’s neck to her waist, then down her legs before rising to her face.
“Absolutely perfect!” Yi Shanshan exclaimed.
She rushed forward, closing the distance to Ying Yuan in a single stride, and reached out to adjust a stray strand of hair and tighten the hat’s ribbons. Her fingers then tugged at the collar of Ying Yuan’s inner shirt, pulling it lower.
Ying Yuan’s gaze dropped to the delicate curve of Yi Shanshan’s nose. Yi Shanshan’s skin was fair with a rosy undertone, a faint blush coloring her cheeks and the tip of her nose.
Yi Shanshan was so close, her fingers rustling softly against Ying Yuan’s clothes as she scrutinized her appearance.
Ying Yuan felt a faint electric current surge through her body, involuntarily responding to Yi Shanshan’s movements.
Yi Shanshan suddenly froze, her hand still gripping Ying Yuan’s belt, her gaze fixed rigidly on Ying Yuan’s abdomen.
What is she thinking? Ying Yuan’s mind raced, searching for an answer that seemed both elusive and familiar.
Her memories surged forward, settling on a specific moment.
That moment, as Yi Shanshan withdrew from their embrace, her hand brushed Ying Yuan’s waist before suddenly gripping it tightly.
She looked up at Ying Yuan with a smile. “Ying Yuan, don’t tremble,” she said. “Your waist feels so firm and… so nice to hold.”
Ying Yuan swallowed, her abdomen rising and falling gently with each breath.
“This belt doesn’t quite match,” Yi Shanshan suddenly snapped out of her reverie. With a swift motion, she pulled the belt free and reached for another one hanging nearby.
The slender brown leather belt coiled once around her palm. Without looking up at Ying Yuan, she reached out and wrapped both arms around Ying Yuan’s waist.
A phantom embrace.
Only a few unavoidable touches, barely grazing each other.
More often, it was the rustle of fabric, like subtle whispers revealing secrets unspoken aloud.
“This one’s better,” Yi Shanshan murmured, her gaze lowered.
Her fingertips glided over one delicate loop after another, applying gentle pressure through the fabric.
Ying Yuan held her breath for a long moment. Finally, Yi Shanshan said, “Done.”
She finally looked up at Ying Yuan. There was still a glint in her eyes, but it no longer blazed like a dazzling star.
It was moonlight reflected on a night lake, stirred into delicate ripples by a gentle breeze.
“Don’t take it off,” Yi Shanshan whispered. “Wear it just like that.”
Ying Yuan had no reason to refuse.
What she could do for her roommate, she could certainly do for Yi Shanshan.
After breakfast, Yi Shanshan changed into her own clothes—a dopamine-boosting outfit subtly different from the one Ying Yuan had seen earlier.
“A little coordination,” Yi Shanshan said, twirling to show Ying Yuan. Ying Yuan didn’t quite grasp the principles of fashion, but she could intuitively feel that the two of them standing together now looked more harmonious.
“Let’s go,” Yi Shanshan said, clearly pleased.
She put on her sunglasses and turned to smile at Ying Yuan, looking as radiant as a large-format poster in a department store.
Ying Yuan, pulling her suitcase, smiled back. “Let’s go!”
The detour through Faculty Residences had delayed them, and most of the Project Team members had already gathered at the meeting point.
They were clustered in a circle, and as soon as one person spotted Ying Yuan and Yi Shanshan, everyone else noticed too.
“Hi!” someone called out, waving enthusiastically.
“Hi!” Yi Shanshan waved back, raising her hand high.
The moment she moved, every gaze in the vicinity converged on them.
The gazes of passersby were casual, brushing over them intermittently like a brush.
But the Project Team’s attention was laser-focused, so many pairs of bright, intent eyes converging on them.
Scrutiny, surprise, envy, excitement.
They stared intently while whispering actively among themselves.
Ying Yuan knew they were undoubtedly discussing her and Yi Shanshan.
The thought made her feel self-conscious, unsure how to move her legs or position her hands.
She lowered her gaze, staring at a patch of gray-white road ahead.
The distance was short, yet felt agonizingly long.
Even after finally reaching the crowd, the torment didn’t end.
The whispers, no longer muffled, swelled into a chorus of voices swirling around them.
“Ying Yuan! I almost didn’t recognize you! You look so incredibly handsome today!”
“Seriously! I thought you were just one of Shanshan’s other friends. My nearsightedness is such a waste of good looks!”
“Ying Yuan, your hair looks so good down! I’m starting a petition: please never tie it up again! The hair tie seals your beauty like the glasses that hide the genius in anime characters.”
“Second signature!”
“Add mine!”
“+10086!”
Ying Yuan had no choice but to speak up. “These are Shanshan’s clothes,” she said. “I… I was helping her get dressed…”
“Ah—!” Someone shrieked. “Helping her get dressed? What does that even mean?!”
“She wanted to bring more clothes but didn’t want them to be too heavy, so…” Ying Yuan trailed off.
“Ah—!” Another scream cut through the air.
Ying Yuan fell silent. In moments like these, she always felt like she couldn’t quite keep up with the way modern college students thought.
The murmurs around them didn’t stop with her explanation; instead, they grew even louder.
“It’s Shanshan’s handiwork, I knew it!”
“They actually look pretty… good together.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! This style is something only a true expert could pull off.”
“I’d call it magical makeover-level magic.”
“Actually, Ying Yuan has real potential! I bet a transformation video would go viral.”
Ying Yuan gave a wry smile and shifted slightly to the side, avoiding the full glare of the crowd’s attention.
Yi Shanshan, who had been grinning ear-to-ear while listening to the commotion, noticed her movement and sidled closer. They resembled two inseparable little quail chicks, huddled together even within the larger quail flock.
“Getting shy?” Yi Shanshan tilted her head to look at Ying Yuan, her voice soft and gentle.
Ying Yuan struggled to describe her feelings in that moment. If she were to simply call it shyness, it would be a crude but effective explanation.
She nodded.
Yi Shanshan replied quickly, “You’ll get used to it if you try it more often. You’re already so beautiful.”
Yi Shanshan was wearing sunglasses, so Ying Yuan couldn’t see her eyes. Instead, she saw her own reflection in the lenses—a face that usually appeared cold and indifferent due to its minimal expressiveness. But reflected in Yi Shanshan’s face, with its petal-like lips and upturned corners, her features suddenly seemed vibrant and lovely.
“It’s all because of you,” Ying Yuan murmured.
“Huh?” Yi Shanshan didn’t understand.
“I’m prettier because of you,” Ying Yuan murmured, glancing briefly at Yi Shanshan before looking away.
Yi Shanshan stood frozen, dazed, for a long moment. Gradually, the murmurs around them about the two girls faded.
She edged closer to Ying Yuan, gently tugged on her sleeve, and muttered, “Ying Yuan, how much longer do we have to wait? My legs are getting sore from standing.”
Just as Ying Yuan was about to reply, she noticed Yi Shanshan’s fingers had crept beyond the sleeve, surreptitiously climbing her elbow like a slender vine.
Without looking at Ying Yuan, she looped her arm through Ying Yuan’s.
Once their arms were linked, Yi Shanshan leaned her full weight against Ying Yuan—soft, pliant, solid, and undeniably heavy.
Ying Yuan’s lips moved slightly, but no words came out.
When she finally looked up, she saw Qi Hongyue approaching. Her gaze, sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, focused precisely on where their bodies intertwined.