My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Ying Yuan felt a surge of nervousness.
Though she hadn’t done anything explicitly wrong, she felt as guilty as if she’d been caught red-handed.
“Ahem.”
Ying Yuan faked a cough and nudged Yi Shanshan, who was clinging to her and leaning against her, with her elbow, signaling her to stand up straight.
“What’s wrong~?” Yi Shanshan whined playfully, drawing out her words in a pout. “You said you were relying on me, but you can’t even let me lean on you for a minute?”
Ying Yuan lowered her voice: “The Team Leader is here…”
Yi Shanshan turned her head and saw Qi Hongyue, her lips jutting out in a dramatic pout. “So what if the Team Leader’s here? We’re out having fun today! Does she really care what position we’re in while we’re having fun?”
“There’s a team rule against…” Ying Yuan trailed off, her mind screeching to a halt.
Am I out of my mind?
The team rule forbade romance between members, but were they even dating? Did Yi Shanshan even know Ying Yuan wanted to date her?
How did I get so carried away, so reckless?
Ying Yuan was shocked by her own recklessness.
Yi Shanshan was still waiting for her to finish her sentence. “Against what? Against having sore legs? Against leaning on you? Qi Hongyue’s got so many petty rules…”
Ying Yuan snapped out of it, shaking her head vigorously. “No, no, no, there’s no rule like that. I just… subconsciously thought we were still in the Activity Room.”
Yi Shanshan straightened up slightly, but tightened her grip on Ying Yuan’s arm. “You’re turning a freshman into a shell-shocked corporate drone with PTSD already!”
Ying Yuan forced a wry smile. She glanced at Qi Hongyue, but Qi Hongyue’s gaze had already shifted away from them.
Ying Yuan stepped to the front of the group and counted heads. “Everyone’s here. If there are no objections, let’s get going.”
A chorus of enthusiastic agreement rose up. Suddenly, Yi Shanshan raised her hand. “Team Leader, I have a question.”
Ying Yuan: “???!”
Qi Hongyue: “…Go ahead.”
Yi Shanshan tilted her head back, tugging on Ying Yuan’s arm. “I want to know: are we treating this outing like a work event, with you as the boss and us as colleagues? Or can we ditch the formalities and just be classmates, good friends, letting loose and having fun without any constraints?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Ying Yuan stared at Yi Shanshan—what a vindictive, sharp-toothed little puppy!
Ying Yuan glanced at Qi Hongyue. “Senior, I’m sorry, I was wrong, but I couldn’t help it. I can’t control her. You’ll just have to bear with it, Senior.”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
Yi Shanshan had already laid it all out on the table. How could Qi Hongyue possibly maintain any pretense of authority?
She could only say, “Of course, let’s have fun. But we should still keep an eye on the time and stay safe. I’m essentially everyone’s tour guide today.”
“Woo-hoo! That’s great!” Yi Shanshan raised her arms and cheered, then turned to the crowd. “Everyone, today you can bully Senior Qi to your heart’s content! Settle old scores, right past wrongs—no holding back! This is your one chance, so seize the moment!”
Yi Shanshan’s candor and charm were like launching a game.
The crowd erupted into an even louder cheer than before. After all, college students thrive on moments when the world turns upside down.
“The day has finally come! I’m going to crack the Iceberg Team Leader’s frozen smile!”
“Hahaha! This is the will of the people! Deep down, I wanted to lock the Team Leader in a dark room and make her work all day, but that would be rewarding her!”
“So today, no mentioning games at all! Let’s choke the Team Leader to death with boredom!”
“Exactly! Otherwise, she’ll turn the team-building trip into a meeting!”
“I need to think up a good way to mess with her. Team Leader, prepare for my epic payback!”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
Qi Hongyue turned away, unable to bear the sight of the group. “The bus is here.”
“Hehe.” Yi Shanshan nudged Ying Yuan with her chin, whispering, “Aren’t I awesome?”
Ying Yuan: “Huh?”
Yi Shanshan clung to her arm, tilted her head back, and whispered in her ear, “This way, she won’t have time to focus on you. You won’t get so nervous around her anymore.”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Ying Yuan genuinely said, “6.”
The chartered bus arrived, and everyone piled in.
Despite plenty of empty seats, everyone instinctively crammed together.
Yi Shanshan naturally sat with Ying Yuan, having latched onto her arm and refused to let go since they first held hands.
Qi Hongyue was the last to board. When she stepped onto the bus and saw a sea of glittering eyes staring at her, she abruptly changed direction and sat in the empty seat at the very front.
Someone shouted, “Team Leader, you can’t sit there! You’re distancing yourself from the masses!”
Qi Hongyue: “I’m the tour guide. I need to keep an eye on the… road.”
Yi Shanshan opened her mouth. “That’s definitely the tour guide’s seat! It’s a long drive, Guide Qi. Remember to tell us about the sights, crack some jokes, and sing a few songs! That’s what tour guides are supposed to do!”
Her words sparked an instant chorus of agreement.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” “Ooo-ooh-ooh!” The voices erupted like a flock of clucking hens, leaving Qi Hongyue looking utterly helpless.
Yi Shanshan, having achieved her goal, retreated with a triumphant grin.
She slid down in her seat and leaned sideways, the armrest between the seats proving no obstacle. Half her body still pressed against Ying Yuan.
Once settled, she tilted her head back and gazed up at Ying Yuan, her large eyes fluttering expectantly, awaiting praise.
Ying Yuan lowered her gaze. Sunlight streamed through the car window, half-blocked by Ying Yuan’s body, leaving the remaining rays to bathe Yi Shanshan in a warm glow.
Yi Shanshan shimmered like a living jewel.
“You’re truly beautiful,” Ying Yuan murmured.
Yi Shanshan froze, a strange warmth climbing her cheeks.
She had been praised countless times by countless people, but Ying Yuan’s words felt different.
Perhaps it was the calm expression on Ying Yuan’s face, the sincerity in her eyes.
Or perhaps it was because Ying Yuan never offered empty flattery, making any compliment from her lips feel profoundly sincere.
Or perhaps… it was just the beautiful weather today. The sun warmed us, its golden rays bathing our skin.
Yi Shanshan squinted slightly. “Ying Yuan, are you saying I did a good job?”
Ying Yuan smiled—a subtle, all-encompassing smile. “Yes, you did a good job.”
“If I ever got into a fight with Qi Hongyue, whose side would you take?” Yi Shanshan asked.
Without hesitation, Ying Yuan replied, “Yours.”
“Why?”
“Because you wouldn’t stand a chance against her.”
“Hey!” Yi Shanshan protested, nudging Ying Yuan indignantly. “I may not be as tall as her, but I’m no pushover in a fight! You haven’t seen me in action—I’m really strong!”
Ying Yuan merely smiled, remaining silent.
Yi Shanshan reached over and pushed the armrest between them down completely. She rested her head on Ying Yuan’s shoulder, feeling utterly content.
“Besides, in this modern legal society, who even throws punches anymore? You just need to talk things out,” Yi Shanshan said lazily, her voice gradually fading as the car sped on. “And my words are far more lethal…”
“Getting sleepy?” Ying Yuan asked.
Yi Shanshan nodded.
Ying Yuan adjusted her posture to make Shanshan more comfortable. “The medicine you took this morning still has some sedative in it. Sleep now—it’s a long drive. You need to rest up so you’ll be ready to play when we get there.”
Yi Shanshan nuzzled against her, her eyes still open.
“Don’t worry,” Ying Yuan reassured her. “I’ll remember how they bullied Senior Qi for you.”
Yi Shanshan smiled, closing her eyes with a sense of peace.
The car swayed gently, the cabin filled with playful chatter that wasn’t too loud.
The sun felt warm and comforting, and occasional breezes drifted through the front windows, carrying a refreshing coolness.
Ying Yuan’s scent was intoxicating, and the hollow of her shoulder seemed custom-made for Yi Shanshan to rest against.
When the sun grew too harsh, Ying Yuan shielded Shanshan’s eyes. When the wind picked up, Ying Yuan blocked the gusts.
If the laughter grew too boisterous, Ying Yuan would make sure to remember it for Shanshan.
Ying Yuan wouldn’t let Yi Shanshan miss a single moment of joy, nor would she allow her to suffer even the slightest harm.
Yi Shanshan drifted into a safe harbor of tranquility, its waters a deep azure, its surface calm and serene.
The car left the city behind, crossing rivers and passing through fields of neatly planted wheat.
The road gradually narrowed, and the city’s stifling air gave way to the refreshing, verdant fragrance unique to nature.
Every window that could be opened was rolled down. The girls in the car leaned out, phones in hand, gasping in awe at the boundless expanse of sky and earth.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful…”
A majestic mountain range loomed ahead, its rugged silhouette etched sharply against the horizon.
As they approached the mountains, the mountains seemed to draw closer as well. Though the girls were tiny compared to the massive peaks, they felt no fear of being dwarfed.
Ying Yuan lowered her gaze to the head resting on her shoulder. Yi Shanshan’s eyelashes fluttered gently. Ying Yuan’s fingertips twitched, but she eventually lifted her hand and gently patted Yi Shanshan’s arm.
“Shanshan, look at the mountains,” she whispered.
“Mmm…” Yi Shanshan murmured drowsily, her head nuzzling against Ying Yuan’s shoulder like a soft, clingy kitten. She finally blinked open her eyes, her vision still hazy.
“Wow…” Yi Shanshan exclaimed in delight.
Ying Yuan sat by the window, so her silhouette framed the mountain view.
In the dimness, up close, Ying Yuan’s serene and gentle profile resembled the silhouette of a mountain.
Yi Shanshan stared at the scene before her, then abruptly ducked her head to find her phone.
She pulled out her phone with lightning speed, swiping directly to camera mode without unlocking the screen. Before Ying Yuan could react, click-click-click, Ying Yuan was captured in Yi Shanshan’s lens.
Ying Yuan leaned back. “Come closer,” she said, “get a better shot.”
But Yi Shanshan had already put her phone away, her gaze fixed intently on the screen. “Got it already.”
“Hm?” Ying Yuan asked. “Was I in the way?”
“Hmm…” Yi Shanshan drawled, her expression focused, clearly oblivious to what Ying Yuan was saying. “Perfect.”
Ying Yuan: “Oh…”
I woke her up specifically to see the view, and she just glanced at it and was done.
Ying Yuan had no idea what Yi Shanshan was doing, but she could tell it was something very important.
Yi Shanshan’s eyes remained fixed on her phone screen, unblinking, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Ying Yuan waited for her.
As the car drew closer to the mountains, the distant peaks transformed into colossal giants. They were now traveling through the belly of these behemoths.
Yi Shanshan finally let out a long exhale and looked up.
She smiled at Ying Yuan, her expression brimming with the delight of holding a precious treasure.
“What is it?” Ying Yuan asked.
Yi Shanshan flipped her phone screen around to show her. “Feast your eyes on this cinematic masterpiece!”
Ying Yuan saw it.
She saw herself in Yi Shanshan’s hand.
It wasn’t at all what she had imagined herself to be—a distant, seemingly refined soul.
The mountains outside the car window, the person inside, the streaks blurred by the car’s speed—it all looked like it had emerged from the seams of time itself, carrying a deeply moving story.
“Holy shit,” Ying Yuan blurted out, her most basic exclamation.
Hearing this, Yi Shanshan grinned smugly, twisting in her seat to ask repeatedly, “Amazing, right? I’m totally amazing, aren’t I? Life-changing photo, huh?!”
“Mm-hmm,” Ying Yuan nodded. “Your photography skills are truly alchemy, turning the mundane into the extraordinary.”
“Rotten? Please, I’m turning magic into even more magic,” Yi Shanshan said, tapping her phone. “Since the subject has consented, let’s let everyone admire this masterpiece!”
No sooner had she spoken than Ying Yuan’s phone vibrated.
As Ying Yuan checked her phone, everyone in the car turned to stare at them.
Yi Shanshan had posted the photo in their project group chat.
“Aaaaaah, it’s gorgeous!!!” Screams erupted.
“Shanshan! Did you take this?! Oh my god!!!”
“I told you we should’ve let an art student handle the photos! All mine came out as total trash.”
“Shanshan! Shanshan! Teach me! Teach me!”
“Shanshan! Shanshan! Take one of me! Take one of me!”
Qi Hongyue’s voice cut through the clamor. “We’re entering the mountain pass. Everyone settle down and fasten your seatbelts.”
“Alright, I’ll take photos for everyone when we arrive,” Yi Shanshan replied.
She leaned forward to peek at Qi Hongyue. “Team Leader, did you see it? Isn’t Ying Yuan gorgeous?”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
Qi Hongyue glanced at her phone. “The photos turned out great.”
Someone immediately chimed in:
“Great doesn’t even begin to cover it! The composition, the atmosphere… Yuan’er, is your face really this stunning? Yuan’er, I’m about to fall for you…”
“No falling allowed! She’s mine!” Yi Shanshan retorted even faster, her smile as bright as the sun, her possessiveness utterly unrestrained. “I discovered this gem—only I get to love her!”
Ying Yuan was already drowning in the cacophony of the entire carriage.
Yi Shanshan’s relentless gaze had brought her thoughts to a standstill.
The whole scene felt like a dream. And then she remembered—she had dreamt this before. Yi Shanshan, hand in hand with her, flaunting their intimacy to the world.
After shouting her claim to the others, leaving a trail of cheers and shrieks in her wake, Yi Shanshan comfortably settled back down, turning to Ying Yuan and gripping her arms with both hands.
Tilting her innocent, exuberant, and unrestrained face upward, she demanded an answer:
“Isn’t it only mine?”