My Straight Girlfriend with Skin Hunger Syndrome - Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Your girlfriend.

Your girlfriend.

Those two words echoed endlessly in Yi Shanshan’s mind, playing in sync with the image of Ying Yuan’s expression when she spoke them.

It was almost expressionless, save for the slight lift of her eyebrows.

But it was precisely that calm, confident demeanor—that casual yet pointed emphasis on their relationship—that made Yi Shanshan’s heart bloom with joy.

So cool! So suave! So reliable!

I want to jump into the sandpit, rush into her arms, hug her tight, and give her two good kisses.

Or… have her hold me and kiss me properly~

Yi Shanshan grew more elated with each thought, a smile spreading uncontrollably across her face. Watching Ying Yuan turn away and begin searching earnestly for seashells, she couldn’t fathom why the couple earlier had been arguing during such a fun activity.

Pouting triumphantly, Yi Shanshan couldn’t resist glancing back at the bickering pair. Sand had gotten into their shoes, and they hadn’t even won their prize yet, now blaming each other as they rinsed their feet.

Oh, I get it now! she realized. Their romance is miserable because they don’t have a girlfriend like Ying Yuan!~

Yi Shanshan was so smug she could have burst into song.

Clutching the seashell pairs, she radiated natural ease and contentment. As she watched Ying Yuan’s retreating figure, she desperately wanted to shout to every passerby: Look, that’s my girlfriend! She’s brilliant and capable, thoughtful and meticulous, erudite and quick-witted, overflowing with talent, relentlessly determined, and stunningly beautiful!

Heh heh, heh heh heh.

Yi Shanshan’s eyes narrowed into crescent moons as she grinned.

Ying Yuan circled the beach, collecting only the matching shells.

The task was surprisingly easy. All the shells with writing were deliberately larger and meticulously cleaned, making them stand out even when buried in the sand.

She gathered all twelve pairs in half the allotted time.

Pausing briefly, Ying Yuan wondered if Yi Shanshan might suddenly want other prizes. She turned back and gathered a few extra shells.

When she returned to Yi Shanshan, Yi Shanshan’s eyes curved into crescent moons, her face lit with unadulterated joy. In a voice as soft and sweet as honey, she asked, “Did you find them all, Yuan-dear~?”

“Mm-hmm,” Ying Yuan replied, her heart swaying in sync with the melodic rise and fall of Yi Shanshan’s tone.

Yi Shanshan: “Are you hot, Yuan-dear~~?”

“It’s fine,” Ying Yuan said, stepping forward. “I grabbed a few extra—all pairs. If you wanted something else…”

Yi Shanshan, however, couldn’t care less about the gifts. She pulled out a tissue and leaned closer to Ying Yuan, scrutinizing her face. “Let me wipe your sweat~”

There was hardly any sweat.

But the way Yi Shanshan stared at her, her small hands busying themselves on Ying Yuan’s face, was so adorable.

Ying Yuan tilted her head and pressed a kiss to Yi Shanshan’s wrist, her eyes never leaving hers. Those deep-sea eyes churned with fathomless emotion.

Yi Shanshan’s hand froze mid-motion.

She stared blankly at Ying Yuan for a long moment. Beside them, a staff member cleared their throat, signaling, “Time’s up!”

“Oh,” Yi Shanshan said, withdrawing her hand.

“Come on, let’s cash out,” Yi Shanshan urged, her voice suddenly hurried.

“Mm-hmm,” Ying Yuan replied, stepping onto the platform and following her.

Yi Shanshan suddenly seemed frantic. She rushed to the prize redemption counter and blurted out to the staff, “Do we need to prove we’re a couple?”

The staff member froze, but quickly replied, “No, no need.”

Yi Shanshan frowned. “You can tell?”

The staff member blushed. “Yes, I can tell!”

Yi Shanshan turned to Ying Yuan, her expression a mix of contentment and… regret.

Ying Yuan instantly understood her thoughts.

Now that she was confident in claiming Yi Shanshan as her girlfriend, Yi Shanshan’s thoughts had become remarkably simple, no longer a complex puzzle.

Yi Shanshan cherished everything Ying Yuan did for her, and she loved their current relationship. Ying Yuan’s brief kiss on her wrist had stirred her longing for more intimacy.

Ying Yuan smiled, put down the seashells, and, under the staff member’s supervision, quickly sorted and matched them.

Yi Shanshan pressed close, her arm brushing Ying Yuan’s and her head leaning against her shoulder as she recited classic love verses:

“Though our bodies lack the phoenix’s wings to soar together, our hearts resonate with telepathic understanding.”

“To become mandarin fish together, we’d gladly embrace death; as mandarin ducks, we’d envy not the immortals’ domain.”

“A single encounter, fleeting as golden autumn’s dew, surpasses countless earthly pleasures.”

“Ying Yuan” she cooed sweetly, tugging on Ying Yuan’s sleeve. “These poems feel like they’re all about us”

Ying Yuan: “……”

The staff swiftly counted down, not wasting a single second on the lovey-dovey couple: “Five, six, seven, eight…”

Yi Shanshan got the keychains she wanted.

She hung the fox one on her own bag and the rabbit one on Ying Yuan’s bag.

They could have taken the other prizes, but they were too big and inconvenient. Yi Shanshan generously decided to leave them for the next couple, keeping only the winning sticker, which she carefully placed in its spot on her sticker collection page.

“I’m so happy~” she murmured, admiring her sticker collection page, her fingertip gliding over the raised icons. “They all have little red hearts~”

Ying Yuan felt obligated to make her girlfriend even happier.

She took Yi Shanshan’s hand and led her forward.

Yi Shanshan: “Are we heading to the next competition? Or should we eat first?”

Yi Shanshan: “Or we could just stick to your original plan~”

Yi Shanshan: “I just really wanted to collect this sticker. I have a collecting obsession, and this feels so meaningful~”

Yi Shanshan: “It’s Qixi, after all. Every sticker probably has a red heart. But I don’t like the Cowherd and Weaver Girl story. The Cowherd was basically a sleazy guy who kidnapped a celestial maiden. Qixi should be about us Weaver Girls celebrating together~ Hehe~”

“After all that, do you still think I’m straight?” Yi Shanshan teased. “We’re girlfriends now, aren’t we? Surely you don’t still see me as a straight girl…”

Ying Yuan found the perfect spot.

Leaving the crowds at the pier, they rounded a bend and entered a lush pine forest.

Towering black pines cast cool shadows over the damp earth, and they were completely alone.

Ying Yuan gripped Yi Shanshan’s hand, pulled her into her arms, and, without warning, silenced her endless playful chatter with a kiss.

Yi Shanshan fell instantly silent, accepting Ying Yuan’s kiss while still trying to keep her eyes open, peering at her face.

Her gaze was watery, like ripples on a pond or moonlight veiled in mist.

Ying Yuan deepened the kiss. She gripped the back of Yi Shanshan’s neck, kneading it firmly as her lips and tongue moved.

“Mmm…” Yi Shanshan’s thoughts finally dissolved. She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms tightly around Ying Yuan’s waist, and surrendered completely to the moment.

Ying Yuan no longer needed any prompting. She was an exceptional student, quick to grasp and master new skills.

Ying Yuan had mastered the art of kissing her just right—comforting yet intoxicating. Her body pressed against Shanshan’s, warming her to the core and leaving her weak with desire.

The desire simmering within her was finally quenched.

Any lingering regret from their couple’s activity had vanished without a trace.

“Is this what you’ve been thinking about?” Yi Shanshan whispered between kisses.

“More than that,” Ying Yuan replied, her voice husky.

“You can do it anytime you want~” Yi Shanshan insisted, afraid Ying Yuan might hesitate, handing her the token. “You’re my girlfriend…”

Ying Yuan pulled back slightly, gazing at her with hazy eyes and flushed cheeks. “I don’t want anyone else to see.”

Yi Shanshan blinked.

“To see you like this,” Ying Yuan finally admitted, feeling a wave of embarrassment.

Yi Shanshan’s heart pounded in her chest.

Ying Yuan’s possessiveness was rare and precious, like long-awaited rain after a drought.

Unable to contain her joy and exuberance, she gripped Ying Yuan’s clothes and blurted out daringly, “Seeing you like this… I just want to do it with you right now.”

The heat was stifling.

Their faces were flushed crimson, as if they’d been sitting by a roaring fire.

It was so unbearably hot that they had to separate their bodies, letting the breeze pass between them.

They entered hand in hand and left the same way.

Yi Shanshan lowered her gaze to the gravel path beneath her feet, but didn’t forget to emphasize, “I meant what I said earlier.”

Ying Yuan gripped her hand tightly and took a deep breath.

Yi Shanshan kicked a pebble, sending it rolling forward.

“If your girlfriend says something like that and you still won’t agree, Ying Yuan, are you… incapable? If you can’t handle it, let me take over. I definitely can~”

“I’m hungry,” Ying Yuan replied.

Yi Shanshan fell silent.

“I actually think this couple’s event is quite interesting,” Ying Yuan continued. “Now I want to collect all the stickers, just like you.”

Yi Shanshan remained silent.

Ying Yuan rubbed her nose and turned to look at the sea, her tone awkward. “Girlfriend, keep the lewd talk for after dark.”

The sun glittered across the waves, dancing in the light.

Yi Shanshan kicked Ying Yuan’s leg, shook off her hand, and stomped ahead.

Ying Yuan hurried after her, opening her parasol to shade her.

Yi Shanshan puffed out her cheeks. “Then I want something delicious! Expensive! You’re paying! I’ll eat you broke!”

Ying Yuan chuckled, replying, “Okay!”

Yi Shanshan: “You have to get first place in this competition! If you don’t, I’ll beat you up!”

Ying Yuan: “Okay!”

Yi Shanshan: “When will it get dark already…?”

It would get dark when it was supposed to, but for now, they still had to do what needed doing during the day.

The two went to eat, conveniently choosing the restaurant designated for the competition, killing two birds with one stone.

The competition required couples to collaborate on a Qixi Festival dish. This once again played to Ying Yuan’s strengths.

Yi Shanshan didn’t need to do anything, but to comply with the rules, she found a task she could handle: snapping green beans.

The washed long beans were snapped into segments, making crisp sounds and releasing a fresh, pleasant aroma.

As for the other ingredients and tasks, she couldn’t touch the spiky seafood, the scallions, ginger, and garlic would sting her hands and eyes, using a knife was too dangerous, and she was to stay far away when the stove was lit.

Clutching a basin of snapped green beans, Yi Shanshan sat in the open space outside the restaurant’s small kitchen, chatting with other participating couples while enjoying the sea breeze.

“She won’t let me help! I think I could do it, but she just thinks I’m completely useless~”

“It’s not that I can’t do it—I’ve just never tried! Practice makes perfect, right? I’m so afraid of getting splattered when I chop garlic that I can’t even get the hang of it! How am I supposed to improve like this?”

“Exactly! Other couples at least take turns—you cook, I’ll wash the dishes. But she won’t even let me wash the dishes! After meals, she’s lightning-fast, cleaning everything up in a flash.”

“She doesn’t procrastinate, not at all. If she says she’ll do something, she does it right away. And if she doesn’t say anything, she’ll just sneak off and do it.”

“Well, we never run out of things to talk about. I’m a chatterbox, and she always listens so attentively. Plus, she’s incredibly smart—national scholarship material every year. Whenever I mention something, she’ll research it, so next time we talk, we’ll have even more to discuss.”

“Oh, come on, what’s there to envy? It’s just fate, you know? When the time’s right, you meet the right person. Look at you two—you’re great together too!”

Yi Shanshan was having the time of her life, hamming it up for her audience.

Across from her, the girl’s face crumpled into a frown, her spirits sinking with each word. “We’re not great,” she muttered. “We fight all the time. He doesn’t understand me at all, and doesn’t even try to. He’d rather play video games than spend the time.”

“That’s definitely not right,” Yi Shanshan agreed.

Yi Shanshan sighed. “But you can’t really expect men to understand us women. Different genders, different upbringing, different societal expectations—there’s no real empathy possible.”

Yi Shanshan: “Huh? You’re considering dating girls?”

The girl: “!!!!”

Yi Shanshan: “Let me tell you, dating girls is seriously amazing. You haven’t tried it, have you?”

The girl shook her head violently.

Yi Shanshan smiled, the corners of her lips curling upward. “How can you know if you like it if you haven’t tried it? Maybe you’ll discover a whole new world after giving it a shot.”

The girl blushed crimson. “Sometimes… I do find girls quite alluring…”

Yi Shanshan leaned closer, her eyes twinkling. “See? Just think… dating me wouldn’t be so bad, right?”

The girl’s face flushed scarlet; she looked like she was about to burst into flames.

Yi Shanshan snatched the ingredients the girl was preparing. “Why bother making Qixi dishes for him? You’ll get to taste what my girlfriend makes later!”

The small kitchen’s large window faced the open-plan living area.

Ying Yuan paused her work, washed her hands thoroughly, and picked out the largest, juiciest cherries from the hotel’s delivery. After washing them, she arranged them artfully on a plate.

She emerged from the kitchen and strode toward Yi Shanshan.

Her figure was tall and graceful, the brown plaid apron fitting her neatly and elegantly.

Yi Shanshan turned her head and couldn’t tear her eyes away.

Even the strands of hair the sea breeze teased across Ying Yuan’s cheek seemed to possess a unique charm.

By the time Ying Yuan reached her, Yi Shanshan’s eyes had already curved into crescent moons.

“What’s up~?” she asked sweetly. “Why’d you come out~? I haven’t finished snapping my green beans yet~”

Ying Yuan placed the plate of cherries on the small table between them.

“The hotel sent these over,” she said. “They’re island specialties and taste amazing. Try some.”

The girl beside Yi Shanshan gazed at Ying Yuan with deep admiration.

Yi Shanshan tilted her smiling face upward, acting terribly spoiled. “My hands are busy! You feed me~”

She opened her mouth wide. Ying Yuan picked up a cherry, recalling the delicate fragrance of lychees from a certain evening.

Leaning down, Ying Yuan gently kissed Yi Shanshan’s upturned lips before popping the cherry into her mouth.

“Mmm…” Yi Shanshan purred with delight.

“Mmm…” The girl beside her covered her mouth, nearly crying.

Author’s Note:

The author gestures pointedly: “I’m so done with you lovebirds.”

P.S. Why aren’t you all commenting on the sweet stuff? Don’t you like it? 😠 (Pouts coquettishly)