My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Isn’t this exactly what Ying Yuan wanted?

No excessive physical contact that could lead to serious consequences later, and no harm to Yi Shanshan, nor animosity between them.

The two women were peaceful, even happy.

No one objected; everyone seemed pleased with the outcome.

This is the best possible outcome, Ying Yuan thought.

If she and Yi Shanshan were to have any kind of conclusion, this would inevitably be the best one.

She couldn’t ask for more, nor did she need to.

The night air was cool as water. After delivering her long, self-revealing speech, Yi Shanshan fell silent, gazing intently at Ying Yuan.

Ying Yuan felt she should offer a response—a detailed, earnest, and sincere reply.

But many of her emotions remained unspoken; she could only offer a simple promise:

“Okay.”

Okay.

I acknowledge all your expressions and agree to all your arrangements.

A faint smile curled Yi Shanshan’s lips as she continued to gaze intently at Ying Yuan. Softly, she said, “Sometimes I really want to crack open your skull and see exactly how your mind is structured and wired.”

“No need to take it apart,” Ying Yuan said. “If you have any questions, just ask me.”

“Do you like Qi Hongyue more, or me?” Yi Shanshan asked earnestly.

If Yi Shanshan had asked this question with such earnestness before Ying Yuan’s heartfelt confession, Ying Yuan would have inevitably felt flustered.

But now, everything had been laid bare. Yi Shanshan was composed, and Ying Yuan had begun to understand many of her peculiar little moods.

Friendship, too, can be possessive.

Especially in its nascent stages, when you’re drawn to someone and cherish them, you naturally yearn for their reciprocation—to be seen as their most important friend, the one they hold above all others.

Yi Shanshan’s inexplicable hostility toward Qi Hongyue likely stemmed from this very sentiment.

She always felt that Ying Yuan liked Qi Hongyue more, treated her as someone special, and was closer to her.

“You,” Ying Yuan replied truthfully, without hesitation.

Yi Shanshan’s eyes widened. Abandoning her previous posture, she crawled forward like a puppy, propping herself up on the bed with both hands.

“Don’t you think you should explain yourself? Shouldn’t you break it down by situation? Would you answer the same way if Qi Hongyue were here?”

Ying Yuan considered this. “If Senior Qi were here, I’d consider her feelings and explain myself.”

Yi Shanshan: “Tell me.”

Ying Yuan: “Senior Qi and I have similar personalities. She’s exceptionally capable and has often been my role model. I respect her, admire her, and want to be close to her. But you…”

Ying Yuan paused, looking at Yi Shanshan. “You’re completely different from me. I can never predict your actions; your world is something I need to explore. You’re lively, adorable, and charismatic, and you bring me so many unprecedented new experiences. Being with you makes me happy, and you possess qualities I’ll never have.”

Yi Shanshan smiled brightly.

Ying Yuan concluded: “That’s why I like you more.”

Yi Shanshan’s smile grew even more radiant. Her good mood soared to new heights.

She gazed at Ying Yuan, glancing left and right, unsure how to express her overwhelming joy.

“Now that we’ve come this far, and the atmosphere is so perfect,” she said, “don’t you think you should give me a warm hug, born of beautiful friendship?”

Ying Yuan felt she had a point.

Hugs were originally very simple things, meant to express genuine emotions.

“Hmm, okay,” she replied.

Yi Shanshan opened her arms.

Ying Yuan leaned forward, raised her hands, and gently draped them over Yi Shanshan’s shoulders.

There was still a considerable gap between their chests.

Yi Shanshan’s voice whispered near Ying Yuan’s ear, “So light? Not even a little squeeze?”

Ying Yuan’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she answered sincerely, “This is already quite intimate. I don’t usually… hug my friends like this.”

“Ooh~~~” Yi Shanshan drawled, dragging out the sound. “So your friends are just as reserved as you are, huh?”

Ying Yuan nodded. “Mhm.”

“Alright then, I’ll learn to adjust to having a reserved friend.” Yi Shanshan patted her shoulder and ended the hug.

The room fell silent. The turbulent emotions had subsided, and it seemed everything that needed to be said had been spoken.

They had let go of the past and were ready to move forward.

Yi Shanshan blinked at Ying Yuan. “Are you going to sleep already? It feels a bit early to me.”

For Ying Yuan, it was also a bit early.

At school, she usually didn’t start winding down until after lights-out.

When they were out having fun, darkness seemed like the end of the day, but there was actually half the night left to use.

“I usually read for a while at this time,” Ying Yuan said, “but I didn’t bring a book.”

“I usually play on my phone at this hour,” Yi Shanshan shrugged helplessly, “but my phone’s completely busted.”

“Oh, the phone.” Ying Yuan remembered and got out of bed to retrieve it. “I’ve cleaned it thoroughly and disinfected it. But it seems like the fall broke it—it won’t turn on anymore.”

“Then I don’t want it, I don’t want it, I don’t want it!” Yi Shanshan waved her hands frantically. “Since I can’t use it anyway, I don’t need it.”

Ying Yuan paused, then smiled wryly. “Actually, if we opened it up and got it repaired, it would probably still work. But you’re already traumatized by it, so you probably won’t use it.”

Yi Shanshan readily agreed. “Yeah.”

Ying Yuan: “Then I’ll take the SIM card out and give it to you later.”

“Okay, that works,” Yi Shanshan said.

“So what are you doing right now…?” Ying Yuan asked.

“Don’t you have any games on your phone? Can I play for a bit? Or you could play and I’ll watch—anything to kill the boredom!”

Ying Yuan retrieved her phone and returned to Yi Shanshan. “What do you want to play? We can download it now.”

“Woah!” Yi Shanshan pounced forward. “Ying Yuan, you’re the best!!!”

Is doing something this small really such a big deal? Ying Yuan felt a bit embarrassed by her enthusiastic reaction.

Since there was nothing on her phone she minded sharing, she handed it over directly.

Yi Shanshan didn’t take it. Instead, she turned around, propped her pillow against the headboard, and draped the blanket over her legs. She patted the spot beside her, gesturing for Ying Yuan to sit down.

“Let’s play together! I know a game we can play two-player on one screen,” Yi Shanshan grinned brightly. “That way, neither of us will be bored!”

That’s actually a good idea.

Ying Yuan sat down where Yi Shanshan had patted. To see the phone screen clearly, Yi Shanshan pressed close to her, just like they had on the bus.

Gradually, Yi Shanshan began to shift her weight onto Ying Yuan, resting her head on Ying Yuan’s shoulder whenever her neck grew tired.

The sounds of their game shattered the room’s silence.

Yi Shanshan would slam her fist on the blanket when she lost, but burst into raucous laughter when she won. Throughout their game, she peppered the air with witty remarks that made Ying Yuan laugh so hard her cheeks ached.

Just the two of them could create such lively fun.

Their shared joy rivaled the energy of a whole group together.

Time no longer felt monotonous, and the nights no longer seemed dull.

They played until the school’s curfew, but since the hotel didn’t restrict power usage at that hour, they kept playing.

Before they knew it, it was nearly one in the morning.

“No more,” Ying Yuan declared, ending the game and tucking the phone behind her. “We have a busy schedule tomorrow, and your cold isn’t completely gone. You need to rest properly.”

Yi Shanshan grumbled, but ultimately complied. She flopped dramatically onto Ying Yuan, wriggling like a giant caterpillar and messing up her hair completely. After thoroughly indulging her playfulness, she finally crawled off Ying Yuan’s bed and back to her own.

Yi Shanshan burrowed under the covers, her eyes hazy as she murmured, “Good night~ Yuanyuan~”

“Good night,” Ying Yuan replied softly. She got out of bed, checked the door’s lock, and turned off the light.

In the darkness, only the rhythmic rise and fall of their breathing filled the silence.

Outside the window, the moon, veiled by shifting clouds, flickered between brightness and shadow, its glow waxing and waning.

The next morning, there was no need to wake up early.

Knowing everyone loved to sleep in, Qi Hongyue had thoughtfully pushed back the assembly time.

But around 6 a.m., Ying Yuan’s phone began to vibrate incessantly—a call from Qi Hongyue.

Ying Yuan glanced at Yi Shanshan, who was still sound asleep, clutching the blanket.

She quietly retrieved her phone, tiptoed to the bathroom, closed the door, and answered the call.

“Senior, what’s wrong?”

Qi Hongyue’s response caught her off guard: “Where’s Yi Shanshan?”

“Huh? She’s still asleep,” Ying Yuan replied, puzzled. “Is there something urgent? I can head over now if needed.”

Qi Hongyue: “We can’t reach her by phone.”

Ying Yuan: “Right, her phone broke yesterday when she dropped it.”

Qi Hongyue: “Her friends couldn’t reach her either and came looking for her.”

Ying Yuan: “!!!!”

This was truly shocking.

Yi Shanshan had only been out of contact for a dozen hours.

Before that, she had even posted on her social media, sharing photos of scenic landscapes and group shots.

Logically, there shouldn’t have been any reason to assume she was in danger.

“What do you mean by ‘they came looking’? Did they call you, Team Leader?” Ying Yuan asked.

“No, they came in person,” Qi Hongyue replied, her tone sharp. “And not just one person. They demanded I hand her over.”

Ying Yuan’s brow furrowed.

Ordinary friends, even if genuinely concerned for her safety, wouldn’t go to such lengths.

“Where are you now? I’ll come over,” Ying Yuan said. “Shanshan slept late last night. I won’t wake her just yet.”

“Alright, come to the south parking lot first,” Qi Hongyue said.

The call ended. Ying Yuan quickly washed up and dressed, ready in just a few minutes.

She left her phone on the bedside table next to Yi Shanshan’s bed, so they could contact each other later.

The mountain morning was cool. Mist swirled around the peaks, and most of the day’s work hadn’t yet begun, creating a tranquility that felt like being in the wilderness.

Ying Yuan arrived at the south parking lot, the first one they’d passed after entering the resort area along the main road.

She didn’t need to look hard—the person she was looking for was unmistakable.

Lin Feng stood leaning against a tall, rugged off-road vehicle, dressed in a jacket and leather boots.

A group of people, men and women, stood around her. Their attire and apparent ages suggested they weren’t students, exuding a rough, confrontational energy as if they were ready to brawl at any moment.

Qi Hongyue wasn’t with them; she stood at the parking lot entrance, her expression stormy.

Ying Yuan approached her. “I’ll go explain.”

“You know them?” Qi Hongyue asked.

“Yeah, I recognize one—Shanshan’s childhood friend.”

“Childhood friend, huh?” Qi Hongyue sneered. “I thought it was her dad.”

Clearly, their earlier interaction had been unpleasant.

“I’m sorry, Senior Qi, for causing you trouble,” Ying Yuan said.

“Why are you apologizing to me?” Qi Hongyue raised her chin. “Go try talking to them. I don’t think it’ll be that simple.”

Ying Yuan walked toward Lin Feng.

Lin Feng saw her but didn’t move.

Ying Yuan approached the group and gave them a quick once-over, her gaze finally settling on Lin Feng.

“Shanshan’s fine,” Ying Yuan said. “Her phone broke, and she’s sleeping now. If you want to see her, you’ll have to wait a while. There’s a breakfast place nearby; you could grab something to eat while you wait.”

“I rushed back from B City overnight and drove three hours to this mountain dump—just to eat breakfast?” Lin Feng glared at her, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You all keep saying she’s fine, but I’ll decide if she’s fine after I see her with my own eyes!”

“She went to bed late last night. Right now…” Ying Yuan began.

“What, you can’t get up when you’re asleep? Can’t even answer a phone call?” Lin Feng’s expression turned volatile. “Am I trying to hurt her? She’s barely been in your crappy club for how long? And you’ve already dragged her to this godforsaken place? Don’t you even know she’s still recovering from her illness? Oh, wait, I remember now—you do know. You put on that whole phony show of concern a few days ago. And now, just days later, you’re already restricting her freedom? Are you waiting for me to call the police?”

Ying Yuan fell silent.

This could have been a simple matter—a quick explanation, a phone call, and if Lin Feng was truly worried, Ying Yuan could take her to the hotel to see Yi Shanshan right now.

But Lin Feng’s attitude was unbearable. Ying Yuan genuinely despised Yi Shanshan’s friends and refused to grant them even a shred of trust.

This made Ying Yuan feel that Lin Feng utterly disrespected Yi Shanshan. By ignoring Yi Shanshan’s wishes and imposing excessive concern and control on her, Lin Feng had completely overstepped the bounds of ordinary friendship.

Ying Yuan was seething. The last vestiges of polite civility vanished from her face, and she said coldly, “Then go ahead and call the police.”