Ha, Karma! – Chapter 43

Haven’t eaten, currently preparing to starve to death.

The room’s door was bolted shut, the moonlight soft and quiet.

They looked into each other’s eyes, undisturbed.

One, bewitchingly beautiful and composed; the other, completely flustered.

Amidst the thump-thump of her heartbeat, Chu Zhaoqiu forced herself to maintain a sliver of composure.

She lifted her eyelids, looking again at the enchanting demon on top of her.

“What did you say?” she asked hesitantly.

What did she just say she was going to do?

Kiss her? Would she really do that?

Fu Lianxue took in her reaction, a knowing smile spreading across her face.

She shifted her position, straddling Chu Zhaoqiu with her legs spread, facing her completely, leaving her no escape.

She gently caressed her face, tracing her lips, each movement a seduction.

“I said, I want to kiss you.”

Her reply was soft and gentle, like a whispered secret.

Only Chu Zhaoqiu could hear it, an intimacy belonging solely to them.

“Is that not allowed?”

She lowered her posture, feigning a pitiful appearance, yet her eyes continued to entice, causing Chu Zhaoqiu’s throat to tighten, her heart pounding like a drum.

She was right, she was her weakness—her desire.

Chu Zhaoqiu was momentarily speechless.

If she agreed, would she really kiss her?

If she disagreed, her heart wouldn’t accept it, it would be dishonest.

She hoped for greater intimacy with her, yet also feared being toyed with.

This was probably the price of falling for an enchanting demon…

Seeing Chu Zhaoqiu’s silence, Fu Lianxue asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t want to?

“What are you afraid of? We’ve kissed so many times before—I’ve kissed every inch of your body!”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s ears instantly flushed crimson. She frowned at her. “What are you talking about…”

Did they have such a past?

Fu Lianxue smiled tenderly, gently stroking her face. “I’m teasing you.”

The Chu Zhaoqiu of that time was far too proper and conventional, how could they have possibly reached that stage—she wouldn’t even take off her clothes in front of her.

But the current Chu Zhaoqiu… was much more agreeable and pleasing to the eye.

Fu Lianxue’s provocative gaze fell upon Chu Zhaoqiu. Her pale fingertips slowly traced the collarbone peeking out from her neckline, then followed the buttons down, inch by inch.

“But if our Young Master Chu wants…”

She glanced towards the bed, then back at Chu Zhaoqiu, her gaze so direct it made one blush.

“It’s not impossible, is it?”

The presumptuous, teasing hand was caught and stopped.

Chu Zhaoqiu moved it from her chest, holding it in her palm.

Her face flushed slightly.

“Stop messing around.”

Fu Lianxue blinked.

Chu Zhaoqiu avoided her gaze, her eyes alluring and flirtatious.

Fu Lianxue’s eyes curved into a smile.

“Get down and sit properly. Eat your food.”

“I don’t want to. I haven’t kissed you yet!”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s face was suddenly cupped in Fu Lianxue’s hands again. She instinctively looked up, just in time to see Fu Lianxue bend down, her eyes lowered as she leaned in.

Her lips landed on Chu Zhaoqiu’s face.

Chu Zhaoqiu froze.

Then those lips began to wander—eyes, the spot between her eyebrows, the other cheek… They simply refused to grace her lips.

It was both thrilling and secretly disappointing.

And yet, Fu Lianxue’s fingers lingered on Chu Zhaoqiu’s lips, tracing them over and over again, as if preparing for a proper kiss.

But it never came.

Even when she finally pulled away, she hadn’t kissed her lips.

Expectation was ignited, only to be left unfulfilled, leaving a hollow ache in Chu Zhaoqiu’s chest.

Ashamed of her uncontrollable anticipation, Chu Zhaoqiu’s face burned with a blush.

They gazed at each other, eyes locked, as if they were the only two people left in the world.

Fu Lianxue saw a flicker of dejection in Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes.

She curled her lip, everything under her control.

“You’re still as innocent as ever,” Fu Lianxue commented, stroking Chu Zhaoqiu’s cheek. “Just a kiss on the face and you’re blushing. So cute.”

Chu Zhaoqiu was at a loss for words.

“But you’ve improved. Before, you’d explode if I kissed you. Now that you’re older, you don’t bristle, but you freeze completely, hahaha—”

While she was kissing her, Chu Zhaoqiu’s hands hadn’t moved an inch, as if frozen, unable to react, just obediently staying put and letting her do as she pleased.

Rather adorable.

Her laughter was arrogant and mischievous. Chu Zhaoqiu opened her lips to say, with a hint of exasperation, “You really are…”

She didn’t finish her sentence.

She had truly been thoroughly teased today.

“Alright, I’ve received your thanks. Now sit down.”

Although her appetite had been whetted without the kiss on the lips, even just the kisses on her face were enough to send her heart racing.

This was, after all, the Fu Lianxue she loved.

Fu Lianxue didn’t move. Instead, she cupped Chu Zhaoqiu’s face again, her voice seductive. “Our Zhaoqiu was really looking forward to it, weren’t you?”

Chu Zhaoqiu looked up in response.

Fu Lianxue’s thumb gently brushed Chu Zhaoqiu’s cheek. Leaning in, she slowly brought her lips closer to Chu Zhaoqiu’s. “I know what you want…”

Chu Zhaoqiu froze again, staring blankly as Fu Lianxue approached.

Their lips drew closer and closer.

The sound of their breaths mingled, drawing them even nearer.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s nose was filled with the scent of Fu Lianxue’s perfume, a seemingly ambiguous fragrance.

A soft chuckle reached her ear.

Looking again at the charm demon before her, Chu Zhaoqiu saw her eyes crinkling with a sly smile.

Their lips were almost touching.

In the next second, Fu Lianxue’s lips, so close they were practically brushing against hers, parted slightly. “But I’m not going to let you have it so easily.”

She smoothly pulled away, turning back to her seat to eat her fruit, the corners of her eyes crinkled with mischievous amusement, seemingly quite pleased with her prank.

Chu Zhaoqiu, regaining her senses, wanted to speak but stopped herself. A thousand words finally transformed into a helpless smile.

She was the one who had hoped for something unattainable, so what could she do?

Fu Lianxue, without turning her gaze, observed every single one of her reactions.

The calm and collected Young Master Chu, rendered immobile by a few kisses. How cute, how amusing.

Fu Lianxue poked a piece of watermelon and offered it to Chu Zhaoqiu with a sweet smile. “Here, have some watermelon. Remember to come over and help me take care of my flowers tomorrow, okay~?”

Chu Zhaoqiu obligingly opened her mouth and took a bite, watching Fu Lianxue’s beaming smile. Her heart felt increasingly relieved and at peace.

Compared to Fu Lianxue’s furious appearance on the first day of their reunion, being able to sit together so harmoniously was already good enough. She shouldn’t ask for too much.

The next day at noon, after finishing her meal, Chu Zhaoqiu went out with cat food, as promised, to be a free caretaker for Blue Star.

They had agreed to meet at noon.

However, when she arrived at Fu Lianxue’s home, the other woman had just gotten out of bed.

The door opened to reveal Fu Lianxue in rumpled pajamas, her hair a mess, sleep still clinging to her face, looking completely unpresentable.

A curious short-legged kitten trailed at her feet.

She yawned. “Come in.”

—As if she didn’t consider Chu Zhaoqiu an outsider at all.

Chu Zhaoqiu changed her shoes and followed Fu Lianxue inside, watching as she collapsed onto the sofa with another yawn.

She couldn’t help but ask, “What time did you go to sleep last night?”

Fu Lianxue had left her place quite early last night, yet she was only waking up now. She had obviously stayed up late.

Yawning, Fu Lianxue replied, “Three or four AM…”

“Three or four AM? What were you doing?”

Chu Zhaoqiu was even more puzzled.

Could it be that she also loved staying up late scrolling through her phone like her younger sister?

“Nothing much, just some work stuff, preparing for a new song and all that. I lost track of time…”

As she spoke, Fu Lianxue realized—wait a minute, why was she explaining herself so much!

“Mind your own business!”

“Meow—” Baobao jumped onto the sofa and meowed in agreement.

Chu Zhaoqiu looked at the adorable, milky-white kitten, then at its listless owner.

“Haven’t you eaten yet either?”

“Nope, currently preparing to starve to death.”

Fu Lianxue had barely finished her dramatic statement when she heard the sound of a bag being placed on the floor.

It sounded a bit heavy, probably filled with quite a few snacks for her Baobao—Young Master Chu truly kept her word.

Next, a hand landed on her head, gently stroking it twice.

“Don’t say things like that. You won’t die.”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s voice was earnest.

Fu Lianxue opened her eyes.

Chu Zhaoqiu seemed rather sensitive about this sort of thing.

She turned to look at Chu Zhaoqiu.

Chu Zhaoqiu was looking at her kitchen, as if searching for traces of something.

After a moment, not finding what she was looking for, she turned back, meeting Fu Lianxue’s gaze. “You don’t have any food at home?”

Fu Lianxue retorted, “Why? Are you hungry? Didn’t you eat before coming over?”

She pointed to Baobao’s automatic feeder by the wall. “I still have plenty of cat food at home. It’s not very tasty, but if you’re hungry, don’t be picky. Make do for now.”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “……?”

Fu Lianxue’s voice was lazy. “Remember to ask my cat before you eat. Taking without asking is stealing, and that’s very rude…”

Chu Zhaoqiu, thinking of something, couldn’t help but smile.

She chuckled. “What I meant was, haven’t you asked anyone to prepare lunch for you?”

Fu Lianxue turned her head away dismissively. “I wanted to sleep today, didn’t want to be disturbed, so I gave Ayi [阿姨 | Āyí | auntie; term of address for a domestic helper or middle-aged woman] the day off.”

Chu Zhaoqiu fell silent at her words.

What a capricious charm demon.

But this wasn’t good for her health.

Even an all-powerful charm demon was still flesh and blood, needing to eat to replenish their energy.

Chu Zhaoqiu sighed, patting Fu Lianxue’s back, her voice incredibly gentle. “Don’t stay hungry. Wake up and go brush your teeth and eat. You can sleep after you’ve eaten.”

Fu Lianxue was unwilling, whining as she lay on the sofa.

Baobao jumped next to her head, nuzzling against her as if also trying to get her to wake up and eat.

She scooped the cat into her arms and stroked its head, saying as she did, “Eat what? There’s no food…”

“I’ll prepare something,” Chu Zhaoqiu said.

These words reached Fu Lianxue’s ears, causing her to abruptly open her eyes.

She turned to look at Chu Zhaoqiu with interest.

“Oh? Our Miss Chu knows how to cook?”

The Chu Zhaoqiu of millennia past was a pampered young mistress, her ten fingers never touching spring water. [十指不沾陽春水 | shí zhǐ bù zhān yángchūnshuǐ | idiom meaning delicate and pampered, never having done manual labor] She had never eaten anything Chu Zhaoqiu had made.

Millennia later, Chu Zhaoqiu was still a precious young mistress, but she actually knew how to cook now?

She was intrigued.

Then she saw Chu Zhaoqiu pull out her phone.

“I can order takeout.”

Fu Lianxue: “…”

I was thinking too much.

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The author has something to say:

Kissed, really kissed. OvO

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