My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Yi Shanshan had been gone for about an hour.
When she returned, she looked crestfallen, all the lively energy she’d shown earlier while playing with Ying Yuan completely gone.
She collapsed onto the bed, her expression blank, lost in thought.
Ying Yuan sat beside her, observing her, keeping her company.
After a long while, Yi Shanshan turned to her and asked, “Ying Yuan, are you hungry? What do you want for breakfast?”
“I’m not picky. I don’t mind skipping it,” Ying Yuan replied.
“That won’t do. I can’t let you go hungry in my house,” Yi Shanshan insisted.
Ying Yuan got up, retrieved the cantaloupe they’d picked the night before, washed it, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and arranged them on a plate.
“I’ll have this,” she said, handing the plate over.
Seeing the fresh, juicy fruit and inhaling its sweet, refreshing aroma, Yi Shanshan’s lips began to quiver. She let out a soft whimper.
Ying Yuan speared a piece of cantaloupe with a small fork and held it to her lips.
Yi Shanshan opened her mouth and swallowed it.
Chewing heartily, the sweet juice flooded her mouth, and time seemed to rewind to the moment they’d shared in the melon field the night before. The suffocating tightness in Yi Shanshan’s chest suddenly found release, as if a cool breeze had rushed in, clearing her mind.
“Feed me another piece,” she said, leaning close to Ying Yuan.
Ying Yuan complied.
“Hug me,” Yi Shanshan said, opening her arms.
Ying Yuan took a step forward, complying again.
Yi Shanshan sat on the bed, wrapping her arms around Ying Yuan’s waist as the latter stood beside her. She pressed her head against Ying Yuan’s chest, savoring the sweet, fragrant taste in her mouth bite by bite.
Time flowed silently by, carrying away Yi Shanshan’s restlessness and restoring her joy.
Still hugging Ying Yuan, she tilted her head back to look up at her. “Ying Yuan, my promise to you still stands.”
Ying Yuan didn’t react immediately. “What?”
Yi Shanshan released her, turned around, and arched her back like a kitten, bending over on the bed with her rear in the air.
“Spank me~” she cooed, wagging her hips playfully.
Ying Yuan was speechless.
The scene was straight out of a… shameless fantasy.
One glance was enough to send Ying Yuan’s temperature soaring.
Heat surged through her body, flushing her skin. She turned away, feeling that familiar tickle in her nose, as if a nosebleed was imminent.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” she said.
Using this clumsy excuse, she made a swift and effective escape.
Ying Yuan stayed in the bathroom for quite some time.
By the time Yi Shanshan had forgotten about the minor detail and her attention was drawn elsewhere, she ran over and chatted with Ying Yuan through the door. “Ying Yuan, what kind of dress do you want to wear tonight?”
“Huh?” Ying Yuan sat blankly on the toilet seat. “Just… regular clothes won’t do?”
Yi Shanshan: “Absolutely not. Everyone will be dressed up. If you don’t wear a gown, all eyes will be on you.”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Yi Shanshan: “Don’t worry! I have tons of options here. You can pick whichever one you like~ And if we can’t find anything, we’ll go shopping for you!”
“No need,” Ying Yuan replied immediately, not wanting to trouble Yi Shanshan with the expense and effort. “I’m sure we’ll find something suitable here.”
“Alrighty~” Yi Shanshan’s voice faded as she moved away. “I’ll start looking right now.”
When Ying Yuan emerged from the bathroom, the walk-in closet door stood wide open, revealing piles of clothes Yi Shanshan had pulled out. Garments overflowed from the sofa and bed, spilling onto the floor in colorful disarray.
Various hues, styles, and brands—all sparkling like an endless, shimmering floral sea.
Ying Yuan stared in awe.
The walk-in closet at Yi Shanshan’s Faculty Residences had already left her stunned. Now, it seemed that was merely a drop in the bucket compared to the vast wardrobe before her.
“Come on, take your pick!” Yi Shanshan exclaimed excitedly. “I used to think you’d look amazing in a cool, edgy style, but now I think you could rock so many different looks! Something fresh and breezy, something sleek and modern, or maybe even neo-Chinese… Wow! I can’t wait to see you all dressed up!”
Ying Yuan had never been particularly interested in fashion, but since Yi Shanshan loved it and it made her happy, Ying Yuan was willing to play along.
“Mm,” she replied, walking over to Yi Shanshan and placing herself entirely in her hands. “I’m open to trying anything.”
This proved to be a truly time-consuming and exhausting game.
Just trying on the endless parade of clothes and accessories devoured the entire morning.
Yi Shanshan, as the self-appointed commander-in-chief, seemed tireless. One moment she’d have Ying Yuan changing her top, the next her bottom, then a dress, then a hat.
Even Ying Yuan’s simple, long black hair, usually left plain, was alternately tied up, let down, braided, and coiled into an elaborate updo.
For each new look, Yi Shanshan meticulously photographed and recorded it, constantly researching online for inspiration.
At the same time, she was constantly communicating with her makeup artist, asking, “Does this makeup look right? Can we make this hairstyle work?”
Ying Yuan felt like she had become a doll.
A doll being dressed up by Yi Shanshan, a doll for playing house.
A doll doted on by Yi Shanshan, who thought she looked beautiful no matter what she wore.
A doll that Yi Shanshan would occasionally pull into her arms, pinching her cheeks and kneading her shoulders.
The two didn’t leave the room all day. Yi Shanshan had tea, snacks, and lunch brought in by phone. When they grew tired of playing, they’d sit on the carpet to rest, Yi Shanshan’s head nestled in Ying Yuan’s lap, her face lit with a mischievous grin as she declared, “I’m keeping my darling locked away in a golden cage.”
Who’s the most pampered one here?
Ying Yuan lowered her gaze to the woman in her arms. Yi Shanshan was as radiant as a peony in full bloom, its petals trembling with a delicate, dewy softness.
That afternoon, they finally ventured out of the room.
The house remained devoid of other occupants. Though filled with opulent furnishings, it still felt eerily vacant.
The makeup artist arrived to style them.
Ying Yuan and Yi Shanshan sat in a sunlit parlor, enduring the artist’s meticulous application of makeup, layer after layer.
Ying Yuan grew drowsy and closed her eyes to rest. It was only then that Yi Shanshan truly came alive, her phone buzzing incessantly with messages, and occasional voice chats punctuating the silence.
They sounded like friends who would all be attending the banquet tonight. When Yi Shanshan spoke, her voice was witty and humorous, full of warm, girlish enthusiasm. But the moment her fingers loosened their grip, her expression vanished, leaving behind a faint, bored, and faintly annoyed look.
Even with a pre-planned look, getting ready still took so much time.
Ying Yuan watched as the sunlight gradually slanted westward, casting a golden glow that painted the treetops in the garden.
Finally, she and Yi Shanshan were ready.
Yi Shanshan stepped back, silently observing her.
Suddenly, she smiled and asked, “Are you tired already?”
“A little,” Ying Yuan admitted honestly.
“And we haven’t even started yet,” Yi Shanshan said, stepping closer and taking Ying Yuan’s hand. “Just hang in there. It’ll be over soon.”
Ying Yuan wondered if these were the words Yi Shanshan often repeated to herself in such moments.
The car was waiting outside.
Dressed in extravagant gowns and meticulously styled, the two women couldn’t sit as close as they used to, even in the back seat of the same car.
Sitting too close would wrinkle their skirts; leaning against each other would smudge their makeup.
The car glided smoothly forward, leaving the quiet residential area behind and gradually entering the bustling streets.
As night fell, Ying Yuan and Yi Shanshan arrived at their destination: a place of dazzling lights, opulent halls, impeccable service, and guests as meticulously groomed as they were, down to the last strand of hair.
Here, one couldn’t help but straighten their posture.
One learned to control the arc of their limbs, to wear an elegant, courteous smile, to bury true thoughts deep within their heart and speak only the most appropriate, dignified words.
As soon as Yi Shanshan entered, people rushed over to greet her.
Even the youngest members of the crowd spoke with a distinctive rhythm suited to the occasion.
Their voices might be a touch louder, their expressions more enthusiastic. But in the end, they always furrowed their brows, leaned in, and whispered a seemingly confidential remark, thereby signaling intimacy.
Yi Shanshan handled it all with effortless grace, blending seamlessly into the scene. She mingled with the crowd without a hint of awkwardness.
As if she had been born for this.
Given the Yi family’s long history of prosperity, that was, in fact, the truth.
Ying Yuan stayed by Yi Shanshan’s side, rarely needing to do anything.
Holding a drink, she would simply raise her glass and smile if someone asked Yi Shanshan about her.
“She’s a dear friend, just visiting,” Yi Shanshan would say.
This was how Yi Shanshan introduced her, deliberately avoiding mentioning her name. This would at most draw some curious glances, preventing further questions.
After circling half the venue, those who knew Yi Shanshan and those who wanted to meet her had already engaged in conversation.
Yi Shanshan set down her wine glass and led Ying Yuan to the dessert table in the corner.
“Isn’t it dreadfully boring?” she asked with a smile.
“It’s alright,” Ying Yuan replied. “It’s my first time at an event like this.”
Yi Shanshan scrutinized the lavish and beautiful spread before them. “What do you think?”
Ying Yuan looked around, puzzled. “I’m not sure what the theme is supposed to be?”
“Theme?” Yi Shanshan laughed suddenly, raising her eyes to meet Ying Yuan’s. “Wasn’t it on the invitation?”
Ying Yuan: “That’s just a decorative name, not a functional description.”
Yi Shanshan: “Exactly! These parties are purely ornamental—they serve no real purpose… for us, anyway.”
Ying Yuan: “So… it’s just for socializing?”
“Oh… you put it that way,” Yi Shanshan paused, feigning thoughtfulness. “Now I remember. Today’s event is probably a subtle demonstration of the alliance between the Fangs and the Yangs.”
“Hmm?” Ying Yuan asked.
Yi Shanshan leaned closer, drawing Ying Yuan’s gaze with her. “Over there, see? The girl in the yellow dress? That’s the second daughter of the Fang family. And over there, the man with the slicked-back hair and shiny red tie? He’s the nephew of the Yang family. They’re probably getting engaged soon.”
Ying Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Exactly as you’re thinking,” Yi Shanshan confirmed. “It’s 5202 now, but many corporations still use arranged marriages to maintain their business ties.”
Ying Yuan stared at Yi Shanshan, who in turn gazed at the opulent surroundings.
“Every single person here—everyone you’ve seen, men and women alike—can date whoever they want, party as wildly as they please. But when it comes to marriage, it’s all about profit.
“Love and affection don’t matter. They’re easily obtainable. If you’re ugly, get plastic surgery. If you have a bad personality, just act nice. But once money’s gone, it’s gone for good.
“Break one link in the chain, and the entire edifice collapses. The larger the empire, the greater the risk. Once you’ve grasped it, you can’t bear to let go, and no amount is ever enough.
“You can’t walk by the river every day without getting your shoes wet. That’s why the more connections you have, the better. Get everyone tangled in the same web, live together, die together.
“No one can escape, and very few truly want to.”
“So what’s the theme of this banquet?” Yi Shanshan tilted her head, smiling. “You can think of it as a massive human trafficking and financial transaction. Everyone here has a price tag on their back, buying and selling, growing bigger and stronger.”
Ying Yuan stood frozen.
The music in the banquet hall shifted as someone took the stage—another CEO, someone’s father, no doubt.
They rattled off some hollow words, their mouth full of gratitude that sounded more like a mouth full of calculation.
Yi Shanshan didn’t touch any of the food. Her tight-fitting gown constricted her waist, stifling her appetite.
She held a straw between her fingers, twirling it back and forth.
“Ying Yuan, there’s something I haven’t told you,” Yi Shanshan said, her gaze fixed on the hall—the blurred lights, the indistinct figures. “I’m performing later.”
Ying Yuan’s brow furrowed.
“Bump up the price on my back,” Yi Shanshan scoffed, her voice dripping with mockery. “Isn’t it embarrassing?”