My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Under a sparse, starry sky, Ying Yuan led Yi Shanshan by the hand along the ridge of the field, back to the car.
They settled into the back seats, and the car gradually eased onto the main road. Yi Shanshan admired the honeydew melon cradled in Ying Yuan’s lap one by one, turning each over in her hands, pressing them to her nose to inhale their fragrance, then flashing Ying Yuan a childlike smile.
She looked utterly foolish.
Even a shrewd little fox could become like this… a child, utterly foolish.
Ying Yuan stayed by her side, accompanying her in everything she did, responding to everything she said.
Until Yi Shanshan finally grew sleepy, her head lolling sideways to rest against Ying Yuan.
Soft music drifted through the car, the windows framing only the night sky, the moon, and occasional flashes of passing lights.
Ying Yuan lowered her gaze, watching Yi Shanshan’s closed eyelashes flutter occasionally, feeling her warm breath brush her skin with each inhale and exhale… Ying Yuan was truly happy.
After an hour and a half, the car returned to the city.
Ying Yuan had initially considered asking Yi Shanshan to drop her off at her own home to rest, but Yi Shanshan had clung to her arm the entire journey, sleeping soundly and leaning heavily against her.
Ying Yuan self-consciously abandoned the idea, honoring her promise to Yi Shanshan.
Yi Shanshan had insisted that Ying Yuan be with her, from morning till night, for the next few days.
The car glided through familiar streets, gradually entering an area Ying Yuan had never visited before.
Though close to the city center, the neighborhood lacked the usual towering skyscrapers. Wide roads lined with lush greenery stretched on either side, their orderly streetlights shining brightly and quietly.
The residential area was a villa district, with each house nestled among towering trees. An artificial lake encircled by a ring of lights shimmered like stars dancing on the water’s surface.
Yi Shanshan woke up, stretched languidly, and squeezed Ying Yuan’s arm, murmuring softly, “Are we there already?”
“I think so?” Ying Yuan replied.
Yi Shanshan glanced out the window. “Yep, we’re here. Should I tell you my building number so it’s easier to find next time?”
“Hmm?” Ying Yuan responded.
“You know, for when you come over again,” Yi Shanshan explained, always assuming there would be a next time, and a next after that, just like Ying Yuan had said, “there’s plenty of time.”
Ying Yuan nodded. “But their security is really strict. They check both the license plate and the driver at the gate. It’ll be hard for me to get in alone.”
“Just call me,” Yi Shanshan said. “I’ll have someone come get you.”
Yet she still gave Ying Yuan her exact building number, as if it were a fair exchange. Now that she knew where Ying Yuan lived, Ying Yuan had to know where she lived too.
“Got it,” Ying Yuan typed into her phone’s notepad.
“Mmm~” Yi Shanshan smiled sweetly at her.
The car stopped at the garage entrance. Yi Shanshan led Ying Yuan out.
It was a beautiful little villa with a meticulously manicured garden and a spotless path leading to the front door.
As they stood before the main entrance, Ying Yuan felt a pang of nervousness and straightened her clothes.
Yi Shanshan, however, remained completely relaxed. She opened the door and casually said, “Don’t worry, I asked earlier. My dad won’t be home tonight.”
“Oh,” Ying Yuan replied.
“My brother doesn’t live here often, so it’ll just be us two tonight, besides the housekeeper.”
As they spoke, a woman in a neat uniform approached them, her demeanor both gentle and proper.
“Welcome back, Miss Yi,” she said. “You must be tired from the journey. Have you had dinner yet? I’ll ask Wang Ma to prepare some sweet soup.”
“Don’t bother with us. You can go rest now,” Yi Shanshan said.
The woman turned to Ying Yuan. “Will the guest be staying overnight? I’ll prepare the guest room on the third floor…”
Yi Shanshan interrupted her. “She’s my classmate. We’ll be staying together.”
The woman hesitated. “President Yi instructed us to treat guests with the utmost care…”
Yi Shanshan slammed her bag onto the foyer console with a loud thud. “How is living with me considered neglecting you? Am I some kind of failure? Can’t I even take care of my own people?”
The woman immediately lowered her head. “I apologize, Miss. Please do as you wish.”
“You’ve been working here for quite a while now, haven’t you?” Yi Shanshan asked.
“Nine months, Miss.”
“Hmm.” Yi Shanshan ignored her, leading Ying Yuan further inside. “That’s about enough time.”
Ying Yuan observed everything silently, without interrupting or even betraying any particular expression. Everything was unfamiliar to her; she was still cautiously taking in her surroundings.
The interior was exquisitely decorated, exuding a luxurious yet refined vintage charm.
In the side hall stood a grand piano with its lid propped open. Several meticulously maintained orchids surrounded the instrument, their delicate fragrance permeating the air.
Yi Shanshan didn’t linger on the ground floor, leading Ying Yuan up to the second floor. The double doors on the right opened to reveal a hidden paradise—a princess-themed suite created by connecting several rooms.
“This is my home~” Yi Shanshan settled onto the sofa, crossing her legs. “This whole area is my territory. The bathroom’s over there, the living room’s there, and the walk-in closet’s there. There’s only one bed, but the living room has a plush daybed. If you really don’t want to share, you can sleep there. Either way, I won’t let you stay in the guest room on the third floor.”
The room was quiet, undisturbed. Ying Yuan approached Yi Shanshan and asked, “Why?”
Yi Shanshan pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then replied, “My dad’s study is also on the third floor. Whenever he’s home, he loves calling me up to ask questions, only to make me wait outside afterward. It’s so annoying. I’ve grown to hate it completely.
“Plus, his friends stay on the third floor when they visit. Anyone and everyone has stayed in those rooms, and I can smell a musty stench.”
Ying Yuan frowned slightly, already sensing the tension.
Most people relax and unwind when they return home, but Yi Shanshan’s mood clearly swung in the opposite direction.
She seemed desperate to confront others, even asking, “Am I a useless failure?”—a question completely out of character for such an accomplished girl.
When she mentioned the third floor, where her father often stayed, she repeatedly used negative terms like “annoying,” “hate,” and “musty stench.”
Concerned about Yi Shanshan’s state of mind, Ying Yuan bypassed all the other seats and walked straight to her side, settling on the sofa and reaching out her arm.
Cool and soft, her bare arm exposed by her short-sleeved shirt—Yi Shanshan’s greatest comfort.
“Hey!” Yi Shanshan perked up immediately, hugging Ying Yuan’s arm and kneading it playfully.
Ying Yuan: “Was that the housekeeper downstairs just now?”
Yi Shanshan: “More or less. Anyway, she’s just someone my dad hired.”
Ying Yuan: “You don’t get along with her very well?”
Yi Shanshan clutched Ying Yuan’s arm, pressing it against her cheek. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care if we get along.”
Ying Yuan: “Time’s almost up. What time are we talking about?”
Yi Shanshan: “The time she’s been here.”
Ying Yuan: “You don’t like her, so you don’t want her to keep working here?”
As Yi Shanshan nuzzled closer, she suddenly felt the urge to bite Ying Yuan’s arm. Staring at it intently, she asked, “If I answer your question, will you grant me a request?”
Ying Yuan hadn’t even heard the request before replying, “Agreed.”
Yi Shanshan grinned. “It doesn’t matter whether I like her or not. No one who comes here stays longer than a year. My dad’s paranoid; he suspects everyone of being up to something.”
This was truly odd.
People prone to suspicion usually stick with trusted, long-serving employees, not constantly cycle through new ones like Yi Shanshan’s father.
As Ying Yuan pondered this contradiction, Yi Shanshan had already lost interest.
Yi Shanshan opened her mouth and chomp! sank her teeth into Ying Yuan’s forearm, targeting the thickest muscle. The soft yet sharp teeth pierced the flesh, sending a sharp sting through Ying Yuan.
“Mmm…” Ying Yuan groaned softly.
Yi Shanshan glanced up to observe her expression, but didn’t loosen her grip.
Ying Yuan smiled at her, and Yi Shanshan bit down harder.
Little puppy.
It’s normal for puppies to bite when they’re upset.
The little puppy, teeth clamped on Ying Yuan’s flesh, tried to speak through the muffled whimpers. Ying Yuan understood perfectly.
“Do you have any more questions?” Yi Shanshan asked.
Ying Yuan shook her head. “Not for now.”
“You can ask more,” Yi Shanshan insisted.
Ying Yuan considered it, but shook her head again.
Yi Shanshan paused her biting, released her grip, and looked at her. “Why don’t you ask about my mom?”
“You’ve never mentioned her,” Ying Yuan said. “I… didn’t want to pry…”
“Oh,” Yi Shanshan replied. “Ying Yuan, you’re too smart. If anyone ever calls you emotionally stunted again, I’ll be the first to disagree.”
“Mm-hmm.” Ying Yuan offered her other arm. “Want more?”
Yi Shanshan’s questions were just a pretext to bite Ying Yuan a few more times.
Ying Yuan knew Yi Shanshan didn’t want to bring up sad memories, so she skipped that step and immediately granted her request.
“Hmph hmph~” Yi Shanshan giggled like a little pig, gazing at Ying Yuan. She wrapped both her arms around Ying Yuan, looked into her eyes, and said, “Yuan-dear~ You’re truly wonderful~”
“I know,” Ying Yuan replied this time. “But I’m not this good to everyone.”
Yi Shanshan’s eyes sparkled, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. She quickly buried her face against the treasure in her arms and planted several more fervent kisses.
After a long, exhausting day, Yi Shanshan was exhausted that night.
After washing up, she didn’t ask Ying Yuan for anything more. She simply collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
Ying Yuan stood by her bedside, watching her for a long while.
In the quiet of the night, Ying Yuan bent down and gently tucked the blanket around Yi Shanshan, then went to rest on the soft chaise lounge.
She slept soundly until morning.
As dawn’s light streamed onto the chaise lounge, Ying Yuan groggily opened her eyes, hearing faint sounds from the courtyard below.
There was the sound of a car driving in, the thud of rubber boots on stone pavement, the spritz of garden sprinklers watering the lawn, and the crisp snap of pruning shears snipping branches…
Ying Yuan rose and carefully closed the sliding door to the living room balcony.
She tiptoed into the bedroom to check on Yi Shanshan, who was sound asleep, her leg draped over the quilt.
Ying Yuan returned to the living room, intending to doze off again.
But it wasn’t long before someone knocked on the door.
It was the housekeeper she had spoken with the night before. Without entering, she stood outside and announced loudly, “Miss, President Yi has returned and instructed the kitchen to prepare your favorite breakfast. He will be joining you.”
Ying Yuan stared blankly.
She sat up but remained motionless.
There was no sound from the bedroom. After a dozen seconds, the housekeeper knocked again, repeating her previous announcement verbatim—her tone and phrasing identical, almost robotic, as if programmed. It seemed she would continue shouting indefinitely unless Yi Shanshan responded.
On the third repetition, Ying Yuan heard an irritated “Ah ya!” from the bedroom.
She swiftly slid off the chaise lounge and rushed over. Just as she entered the bedroom, she met Yi Shanshan’s bleary yet furious gaze.
“What should I say?” Ying Yuan asked. “You don’t need to get up. I’ll handle it.”
Yi Shanshan gritted her teeth, her voice still hoarse from not having spoken all morning. “They said I’ll go down before I die.”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Suddenly feeling superstitious, Ying Yuan walked over and gently patted Yi Shanshan’s back. “Shanshan, don’t say such inauspicious things about yourself.”
Yi Shanshan tilted her head to look at her, as if only now truly seeing her. With a soft whimper, she buried herself in Ying Yuan’s arms.
“I’m so sleepy, waaaah, I didn’t get enough sleep…” Yi Shanshan clung to Ying Yuan’s clothes, looking utterly pitiful. “I was having such a good dream too… We were planting rice together. You were in front, bending over to plant the seedlings, and I came up and smacked you on the butt…”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Yi Shanshan: “Give me my butt back~~”
Ying Yuan: “…… There are people waiting outside.”
Yi Shanshan: “Let them wait. I’ll go down eventually.”
Ying Yuan: “If you don’t want to go down… can’t you just refuse?”
Yi Shanshan shook her head, smiling at Ying Yuan. “Ying Yuan, you don’t understand. If I don’t comply with even this small request, things will only get worse later.”
Ying Yuan fell silent.
Suddenly, Yi Shanshan raised her hand and gave Ying Yuan a genuine slap on the rear. “I’ll go endure this ordeal. You just stay here and get some more sleep.”
The slap wasn’t particularly hard, but its suddenness made Ying Yuan’s entire thigh tingle with a strange numbness.
She stood frozen, momentarily at a loss for how to resolve the deeply entrenched customs of another family.
All she could manage was, “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
Yi Shanshan seemed very pleased with her reaction. She gazed at Ying Yuan, studying her quietly for a long moment.
As their eyes met, the plain face, the sleep-tousled hair, the crooked collar of her pajamas, and the many unspoken words hanging in the air… all coalesced into a strange, unspoken intimacy.
Only you understand me.
Only you are by my side.
“Good girl,” Yi Shanshan murmured, reaching out to caress Ying Yuan’s cheek. “When I get back, you can slap my butt too~”