My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 79
Chapter 79
Ying Yuan returned to Yi Shanshan’s house by car.
She desperately needed to remove the elaborate makeup and shed the tight-fitting gown.
The array of bottles and jars on the vanity was unfamiliar. Using image recognition, she found a large jar of makeup remover, carelessly smeared it across her face, and rubbed vigorously, not bothering to check what part of her face it was meant for.
Fortunately, destruction is always easier than creation. After a couple more tries, her face was clean.
The gown’s high-end fabric clearly couldn’t be washed carelessly. A quick online search revealed it likely couldn’t be dry-cleaned either.
How on earth am I supposed to clean this? Ying Yuan was stumped when the housekeeper passed by and took the garment from her hands.
Without elaborating, he simply asked, “Miss Ying, would you like noodles for dinner? Southern or Northern style?”
Ying Yuan felt deeply uncomfortable being addressed as “Miss” and with this level of polite service. Flustered and awkward, she rubbed her hands together and replied, “I don’t need dinner. I’m heading out soon.”
The housekeeper offered no suggestions or advice, merely stating, “I’ll have a car arranged for you.”
“No, no need!” Ying Yuan waved her hands frantically. “I can go out on my own.”
The Yi family’s cars all came with their own drivers. Ying Yuan didn’t feel entitled to such a luxury.
The housekeeper nodded and stepped aside.
As Ying Yuan turned to leave, she asked, “Did Shanshan tell you I wanted noodles?”
“Yes, Miss Shanshan mentioned it.”
“If she gets home before I do, please tell her a friend from out of town is visiting B City, and I’ve gone to pick her up. Tell her not to worry.”
“Understood.”
Having someone at home did have its advantages.
Ying Yuan didn’t want to disturb Yi Shanshan’s social life, but she also didn’t want her to worry if she came home and couldn’t find her. Having someone at home to relay the message seemed like the best solution.
Ying Yuan stepped outside.
She had walked quite a distance before it hit her:
Just getting from Yi Shanshan’s front door to the main gate of this sprawling villa complex took a surprisingly long time. The drive in and out hadn’t seemed so far, but now, baked by the hot wind, the exquisitely paved floral-patterned road seemed to stretch on endlessly.
But if she tried to call a taxi, no outside vehicle could enter the gated community.
Ying Yuan: “……”
It finally dawned on her why she hadn’t seen a soul on the roads these past few days, despite the vast grounds and lush greenery.
When she refused the housekeeper’s offer of a car, did he assume she had her own plans?
Ying Yuan smiled helplessly.
Since things had come to this, she had no other choice. She stretched her limbs and started running.
It looked like she was just exercising after dinner.
She ran all the way to the main gate, panting heavily.
She quickly hailed a taxi and headed for the high-speed rail station.
Under normal circumstances, Ying Yuan wouldn’t have worried about Qi Hongyue’s business trips. But Qi Hongyue was clearly acting very strangely. The fact that she had even suggested a late-night conversation was already odd, and then she’d added “something even more enjoyable” afterward, which was downright bizarre.
It seems emotions can drive any machine to lose control.
By the time Ying Yuan reached the station lobby, Qi Hongyue’s train had just arrived.
She stood at the exit, smoothing her hair, hoping she no longer carried the lingering scent of the extravagant banquet.
Soon, she spotted Qi Hongyue.
Tall, towering half a head above the crowd, Qi Hongyue strode forward with purposeful strides, making her instantly conspicuous.
Ying Yuan waved. Qi Hongyue’s gaze landed on her, her brow furrowed briefly before she broke into a smile.
Qi Hongyue strode forward even faster, bursting through the gate like a gust of wind and stopping right in front of Ying Yuan.
“Hi, Senior,” Ying Yuan said. “Welcome to B City.”
Qi Hongyue draped an arm casually around Ying Yuan’s shoulders, her voice losing its usual cold composure, slurring slightly as if she were tipsy.
“You’re B City’s ambassador, huh? Do you have to greet everyone who comes here?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Ying Yuan wriggled out from under Qi Hongyue’s arm and looked at her earnestly. “Not everyone. I’m still pretty selective.”
Qi Hongyue chuckled. “Too busy keeping your princess company these days?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Ying Yuan decided it was time to clarify her arrangements. “Senior, I’ll take you to your hotel. Let me know if you need anything—I know my way around here. But I can’t stay up all night chatting tonight. I promised Shanshan I’d spend the next few days with her.”
Qi Hongyue stopped walking, leaned down, and stared into Ying Yuan’s eyes, enunciating each word slowly: “The next few days… so that means… you’re staying up all night with her?”
Ying Yuan: “…… Senior, it’s not what you think…”
Qi Hongyue: “Then what is it?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Qi Hongyue: “Is there something you can’t say? Is it even more scandalous than my story?”
Ying Yuan swallowed hard. Remembering what Qi Hongyue had been through to stand before her now, she realized her own secret emotions didn’t seem so difficult to confess after all.
“I’m just keeping her company as a good friend,” Ying Yuan said. “She’s been incredibly busy, even these past few days since she got back. But she needs me, so I have to be by her side.”
Qi Hongyue’s entire face contorted into a furious, incredulous expression. “Needs you for what? What kind of ‘good friend’ makes someone stay with them from morning till night? Did you sign a lifetime servitude contract? Even those contracts have a price, right? What’s your price? What are you getting out of this? Money? Love?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
What a venomous tongue.
Like a poisoned needle, piercing her heart.
“She… has some psychological issues,” Ying Yuan said. “She needs me to hug her, to help her calm down.”
Qi Hongyue: “Damn, playing the Skin Hunger Syndrome card, huh?”
Ying Yuan: “!!!!”
How did she jump to that? Is this condition so common? Does our special relationship seem so ordinary to Qi Hongyue?
Ying Yuan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Qi Hongyue stared back, both faces reflecting equal astonishment.
Qi Hongyue: “You just believe whatever she says?”
Ying Yuan: “But she has the symptoms…”
Qi Hongyue: “If I told you I have Bank Account Balance Hunger Syndrome, with symptoms like being desperately broke, working non-stop from dawn till dusk, feeling anxious and miserable—would you wire me some cash?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
I still prefer the old Qi Hongyue—the rational, professional one who kept things strictly business.
Qi Hongyue: “When did this start? You two and your ‘symptoms’?”
She’s acting like I’m sick too.
Ying Yuan: “……A long time ago, right after freshman year started…”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
Qi Hongyue: “Almost a year now, and you haven’t even tried to treat it? You’re just letting her sink deeper.”
Mocked to the point of embarrassment, Ying Yuan finally lifted her head, her voice regaining its righteous tone. “At first, I didn’t think it was a big deal! I didn’t even care! Besides, she’s so beautiful, and her personality is so adorable. What’s wrong with her hugging me? If she hugs me, am I the one losing out?”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
Qi Hongyue stopped fussing with her luggage and clapped for Ying Yuan with both hands.
Ying Yuan stiffened her neck, her face flushing crimson. “Just tell me—isn’t she beautiful?”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
“She’s not just beautiful,” Ying Yuan insisted, “she’s also incredibly talented!”
Qi Hongyue: “……”
“And not only is she talented, she’s also exceptionally good at… speaking… so charismatic…”
Qi Hongyue: “What did she even say to turn you into such a complete idiot?”
Ying Yuan: “……”
Brainless? Ying Yuan couldn’t tolerate that.
She was determined to rationalize the situation to Qi Hongyue, to make her understand that she had no choice—that anyone in her position would have handled it no better.
“There’s so much more,” Ying Yuan said.
“Tell me slowly,” Qi Hongyue replied.
“I can’t just stand here and explain. Which hotel are you staying at?”
“I haven’t booked one yet,” Qi Hongyue said. “It’s not like I need to stay right by the scenic area. I’ll just find a place as I go.”
Remembering Qi Hongyue’s earlier comment about her “bank balance hunger syndrome,” Ying Yuan couldn’t shake the feeling it might be genuine. Embracing the principle of saving every penny, she suggested, “Why don’t you stay at my place?”
“Huh?” Qi Hongyue responded, startled.
“My parents aren’t home,” Ying Yuan explained. “The house is empty.”
“If I stay at your place, will you be staying at Yi Shanshan’s?”
“I don’t plan to stay at Shanshan’s forever!” Ying Yuan protested.
“Then prove it by not staying there tonight,” Qi Hongyue challenged. “Don’t come running back at the first phone call. Staying in your own home is natural. Are you going to live in a princess’s house and be her maid?”
“……”
“The unobtainable stirs the soul. What’s too easy is never cherished.”
“Senior, did you drink fake alcohol?” Ying Yuan asked.
“I had a little before getting in the car,” Qi Hongyue admitted.
Ying Yuan: “!!!!”
Qi Hongyue tapped her head with a curled finger. “You should have some too later. After all, ‘酒后吐真言’—people speak their true feelings after drinking. Alcohol makes you bold; you might do all sorts of crazy things…”
Though Qi Hongyue kept jabbing her with barbs, Ying Yuan was already riddled with holes from head to toe tonight.
Compared to the pain caused by Yi Shanshan’s situation and attitude at the banquet, Qi Hongyue’s words were nothing—a mere drop in the ocean.
In fact, talking so frankly and directly about Yi Shanshan, about their long-hidden past, and having Qi Hongyue expose her own pettiness, cowardice, and foolishness gave Ying Yuan a strangely liberating feeling—like tearing open a wound and letting the blood flow freely.
Fighting poison with poison turned out to be quite satisfying.
“Let’s go,” Ying Yuan said.
She picked up Qi Hongyue’s suitcase. “What else do you want to drink? There’s a 24-hour supermarket near my place. We can grab some there.”
Qi Hongyue caught up with her, tilting her head to look at her. “You’re drinking too?”
“Yes,” Ying Yuan replied.
“Shall we talk all night?” Qi Hongyue asked.
“Let’s talk,” Ying Yuan agreed.
“You’re really staying with me tonight? What about your princess?”
“If she contacts me, I’ll tell her I’m going home tonight.”
“Just that?”
Ying Yuan looked at her. “What else do you want me to do?”
Qi Hongyue raised her phone, the screen showing their faces.
“Lean in closer. Get cozy. Smile.”
Ying Yuan tugged at the corners of her lips. Click! Qi Hongyue snapped the photo.
“We’ll take two more at your place later, and another two while we’re drinking,” Qi Hongyue said gleefully. “That’ll make a nine-grid post for WeChat. I’ll post it at 2 AM: Kindred spirits reunited, drunk on conversation until dawn.”
Ying Yuan: “????”
Qi Hongyue: “Those bitches hurt us so deeply. Making them lose sleep tonight isn’t excessive, is it? Two birds with one stone—you’re welcome.”