The Passerby Female Supporting Character – Chapter 76

Cold

“It’s me, Lin Qianqian.”

A familiar female voice came from outside, which allowed Song Linlin to breathe a sigh of relief, her whole body relaxing. However, she soon grew puzzled. What was the other person doing here in the dead of night?

            

“Song Linlin, are you asleep? Can I come in?” Chi Qianning continued from outside.

“No.”

Song Linlin hurriedly scrambled out of bed, hastily slipped on her shoes, and then trotted to the door. Along the way, her heels dragged across the floor, creating a series of dadada sounds.

            

“Wait a moment, I’ll come get the door for you!” Song Linlin said as she ran.

Reaching the door, Song Linlin unlocked it from the inside and, sure enough, saw Chi Qianning standing outside. The other woman was dressed in a thin, white nightgown, her long silver hair draped loosely over her shoulders and chest. In the dimness of the night, her skin appeared even fairer than the moonlight outside the window, like a piece of translucent jade, so white it seemed to glow.

Her clothes were white, and she was even whiter. Dressed in light clothing, her lips lacked much color, resembling a pure white epiphyllum​¹ blooming in the dead of night, exuding a beauty that was delicate and fragile​².

            

The moment Song Linlin saw Chi Qianning, her breath caught for an instant. Those bewitchingly red eyes seemed to draw people in, and Song Linlin just stared blankly at her.

Their gazes met. Chi Qianning looked at Song Linlin with an apologetic expression and said softly, “Did I wake you?”

Only then did Song Linlin snap back to her senses. Looking at the apologetic expression on the other person’s face, she immediately shook her head and waved her hands, saying, “No, no, I wasn’t actually asleep at all! You didn’t disturb me in the slightest!”

            

“Is that so? That’s good then,” Chi Qianning said with a faint smile.

It was only then that Song Linlin remembered the question she had originally intended to ask. The moment she saw Chi Qianning outside the door, she had forgotten all about it. So, she asked, “Oh, right, you came over so late, is something the matter?”

“You didn’t run into any trouble in your room, did you?” Song Linlin immediately started to imagine a whole host of scenarios​³.

            

After all, in Song Linlin’s eyes, Lin Qianqian was just a woman with no strength to even truss a chicken​⁴, and so beautiful at that. It would be terrible if she were targeted by some ill-intentioned ruffian.

Although their two rooms were separated by only a wall, both were Heaven-grade rooms in the inn. Who knew what special materials the inn had used in its construction, but the soundproofing of the rooms was unexpectedly good. As long as Song Linlin closed her door and windows, her room would become completely quiet, with most external noises blocked out.

Chi Qianning was unaware of Song Linlin’s many thoughts. She lowered her head slightly, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her sleeve, looking quite embarrassed.

            

“Song Linlin, um… can I sleep with you tonight?”

“Ah?” Song Linlin subconsciously blurted out.

“When I’m alone in the room, I always feel a bit scared. I’ve never slept alone in such a big room before…”

            

Song Linlin thought about it carefully. It seemed that young misses from prominent households were indeed like that. Even when they slept, they would have maidservants keeping watch by their bedside or outside the door, waiting for their orders. Some even had dedicated servants to warm their beds when the weather turned cold.

“So, can I come in?” Chi Qianning looked at Song Linlin, lightly biting her lower lip, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

Song Linlin nodded, agreeing readily, “Okay, then come on in!”

            

She was already a little worried about Lin Qianqian’s safety sleeping alone in her room. As a weak woman, she wouldn’t be able to resist if something really happened.

Besides, my bed is so big, what’s the problem with two people just innocently sleeping in the same bed for one night?

Thus, Song Linlin barely hesitated before agreeing to Chi Qianning’s request. She stepped aside to make room for Chi Qianning to enter easily, saying, “It’s gotten colder at night, and you’re wearing such thin clothes. Hurry and come in!”

            

“Thank you, then I’ll be intruding​⁵,” Chi Qianning said.

Chi Qianning walked past Song Linlin and entered her room. This was far smoother than Chi Qianning herself had anticipated. In her mind, she had expected to have to explain quite a bit more before Song Linlin might let her in.

As it turned out, Chi Qianning had only managed to utter two sentences of her prepared excuses when Song Linlin immediately nodded in agreement. Thinking about it this way, Chi Qianning’s mood suddenly soured a little; half the joy of successfully infiltrating Song Linlin’s room instantly vanished.

            

Wait, how did I get in so easily?

How could Song Linlin just let a woman she’s known for less than a day into her room so easily? This is too casual!

Chi Qianning inexplicably started to feel jealous of her own success​⁶, falling into a strange train of thought. Meanwhile, Song Linlin, behind her, had already re-locked the door. Seeing Chi Qianning still standing in place, Song Linlin thought she was just being shy and proactively said:

            

“Let’s go, it’s getting late. We should go to bed first and sleep early tonight.”

“En…”

Chi Qianning nodded. In any case, she had successfully gotten in. Might as well go to bed first.

            

The layout and furnishings of the inn rooms were basically identical. Without Song Linlin needing to show her the way, Chi Qianning knew where to go.

Chi Qianning sat on the bed a step ahead of Song Linlin, then quickly took off her shoes and climbed directly towards the inner side. Song Linlin watched from the side as Chi Qianning expertly climbed onto the bed, lay down on the other pillow, and even pulled the covers up snugly.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” After lying down, Chi Qianning turned her head and blinked at Song Linlin.

            

Song Linlin dismissed the thought of asking why the other was so proficient, then nodded and lifted a corner of the quilt. “I am, I’ll lie down right now.”

Lying down again, because she hadn’t been away for long, Song Linlin’s side of the bed was still warm. The biggest impact of having an extra person on the bed was merely that Song Linlin’s sleeping posture was no longer so free. At this moment, she lay properly flat on her back. When she slept alone previously, Song Linlin had changed sleeping positions countless times, rolling all over the bed.

Song Linlin closed her eyes. In the darkness, her other senses were heightened. She could hear a very light breathing sound beside her; it was Chi Qianning.

            

With someone lying next to her, her mood gradually calmed down, no longer as restless as before. Song Linlin’s breathing slowly evened out, and a hint of drowsiness crept in.

The room was quiet, with only the faint sound of breathing echoing. Just as Song Linlin’s drowsiness deepened, she suddenly sensed the person beside her shift a little closer.

Startled awake by the movement, Song Linlin opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Chi Qianning.

            

Before Song Linlin could say anything, Chi Qianning spoke first, “It’s a bit cold. It’s warmer on your side.”

“Cold?”

The quilt they were both under was a thin summer one, not as thick and soft as a winter cotton-padded quilt. Song Linlin was even only covering her upper body, not needing to cover herself completely.

            

Song Linlin couldn’t think of any way to get warmer, so she could only say, “Oh, is that so. Then just move a bit closer.”

“Okay.” Chi Qianning replied, and indeed, she scooted closer to Song Linlin’s side. Now, the distance between the two of them shrank again, their shoulders touching, a partial physical contact established.

Song Linlin only felt a wave of cold air approach her, making even her warm spot under the covers feel much cooler. The sensation on her shoulder was also cold.

            

Is Lin Qianqian really that cold?

As Song Linlin wondered, Chi Qianning suddenly reached out, her hands wrapping around Song Linlin’s arm, holding it to her chest.

An icy temperature enveloped her arm. Song Linlin was startled, all her sleepiness vanishing in an instant. She turned her head to look at Chi Qianning in shock, asking doubtfully, “Why are you so cold? Are you very cold?”

            

Logically, it shouldn’t be this cold in this weather!

Saying this, Song Linlin extended her free hand and reached towards where Chi Qianning was lying. Sure enough, she touched an ice-cold arm.

The fabric of the clothes was thin, and through this layer, Song Linlin could accurately feel the other’s body temperature. It was chilly, making her feel like a ball of fire in comparison.

            

Song Linlin had never encountered such a situation before and couldn’t help but wonder if this was a normal human temperature. This body heat was just too off.

“Lin Qianqian, are you sick? Or is there some other reason?” Song Linlin pressed.

Chi Qianning wasn’t human at all, and furthermore, the cultivation method she practiced was of a predominantly yin attribute​⁷, so naturally, she couldn’t have a normal human’s body temperature. She took the opportunity to lean closer to Song Linlin, tightening her grip on the other’s arm a bit more, then shook her head and lied without batting an eyelid​⁸:

            

“It’s okay, I was born with a lower body temperature than normal people, so I get cold more easily. But I won’t be cold if I hug you.”

After hearing this explanation, Song Linlin believed her. However, Chi Qianning’s icy body temperature still made her worry; it was simply too low.

Coincidentally, she herself was feeling a bit hot from sleeping. Song Linlin shifted to lie on her side, facing Chi Qianning. She wanted to open her arms but couldn’t pull her own arm free, so she said, “Forget it, then you might as well just hug me.”

            

“Can I?” Chi Qianning was lying slightly lower and looked up at Song Linlin.

Although she asked symbolically, as she spoke, Chi Qianning released Song Linlin’s arm, extended both her hands forward, and switched to fully embracing Song Linlin.

Feeling a fluffy head burrow into her embrace, Chi Qianning didn’t hold back at all, hugging her tightly. Song Linlin looked down and could only see the other’s long silver hair. For a moment, she was at a loss, unsure where to put her arms.

            

Finally, Song Linlin chose the most comfortable position for herself, draping her arm over Chi Qianning’s body, lightly holding her soft waist.

The distance between the two of them was now incredibly close, especially with the person in her arms hugging so tightly. Song Linlin didn’t even dare to take deep breaths, only managing small, shallow ones.

It was the first time Song Linlin had been this close to someone, especially such a beautiful woman, which made her even more nervous. She lay there, absolutely daring not to move a muscle.

            

At the same time, her heart began to race. Chi Qianning’s head was resting against Song Linlin’s chest, and these changes did not escape her ears at all.

Where Song Linlin couldn’t see, Chi Qianning’s lips curved into a smile. Then, she looked up, her expression already switched to one of innocent confusion, completely devoid of her earlier slyness. “Your heartbeat is so fast, what’s wrong?”

The more she said this, the more nervous Song Linlin became, her heart immediately speeding up a few more beats. Pretending to be calm, she said, “N-nothing!”

            

“Wu… it seems to be beating even faster,” Chi Qianning said.

Song Linlin couldn’t bear it anymore. She reached out and clamped a hand over Chi Qianning’s mouth, her palm pressing against the other’s soft, moist lips, her face flushed red. “Alright, it’s very late, stop talking! Let’s sleep!”

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