Coaxing
Do you want to sleep with me?
Outside the window, the sound of fireworks and firecrackers filled the air. Lu Yinxi, having eaten and drunk to her heart’s content, took a bath and now nestled on the sofa, holding a bag of chips while watching a movie.
Jian Qing, having finished her shower, came out wrapped in a black bathrobe, drying her hair.
Lu Yinxi’s gaze shifted from the LCD screen to Jian Qing.
The bathrobe’s belt accentuated her graceful figure, and the hem barely reached her knees, revealing a large part of her lotus-white calves. Her legs were long and had smooth lines. Lu Yinxi stole a glance for three seconds before looking away.
The love of beauty is something everyone possesses.
But knowing that she had special feelings for her, if she didn’t restrain herself, it would be disrespectful, even if they were both women.
Among friends of the same sex, holding hands, hugging, and even kissing on the cheek is very common. In the past, Lu Yinxi would occasionally, like Wei Mingming, give a big hug when feeling excited. But now, aware of her own sexual orientation, she deliberately avoids physical contact with the same sex.
In fact, she had never seriously considered her sexual orientation. So far, she had only liked one person of the same sex, Jian Qing.
Whether in medical school or the entertainment industry, people are more tolerant of others’ sexual orientations. During her student days, she had classmates and friends who came out of the closet, and after starting work, many in the industry were bisexual. She had long been accustomed to it and hadn’t set any gender restrictions for her future partner.
After all, everyone is a combination of sperm and egg cells. She only hopes her other half will be kind, cheerful, optimistic, and upright.
——Now looking at Jian Qing, there wasn’t a trace of resemblance.
The fact proves that the stirrings of the heart have nothing to do with one’s preconceived ideal type.
The sound of fireworks and firecrackers outside, mixed with the indoor noise of the hairdryer, gradually drowned out the sound of the movie.
Lu Yinxi paused the movie.
Afraid of repeating the last mishap, this time the two only drank a few glasses of red wine before stopping, avoiding getting drunk.
Lu Yinxi crunched on chips, while Jian Qing dried her hair and turned to look at her.
She sensed the gaze and looked back.
Their gazes met in mid-air, sparking a few scattered flames of ambiguity.
Lu Yinxi tightened the collar of her robe and averted her gaze.
Jian Qing dried her hair to about seventy percent, walked over, and stood in front of Lu Yinxi, looking down at her.
Lu Yinxi hugged her knees, her body shrinking back slightly: “Don’t look at me like that…”
When she said nothing and looked at people with that downward gaze, she still appeared somewhat gloomy.
Her demeanor was quite improper, looking like someone about to do something bad.
Jian Qing lowered her eyes, took the chips from Lu Yinxi’s embrace with one hand, and picked up the remote with the other, pressing the play button. She then sat next to her to watch the movie together.
Just eating chips makes one’s mouth dry, so Lu Yinxi went to pour Jian Qing a glass of orange juice.
They sat down with a half-meter distance between them.
Usually, when Lu Yinxi watched art films, Jian Qing would be in the study writing papers, researching literature, or preparing presentation slides, rarely accompanying her to watch movies.
Lu Yinxi’s vision seemed to fail her, unable to focus on a single word, while her sense of smell became unusually sensitive. A clear, cold fragrance wafted into her nostrils, permeating her lungs.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose and sat a bit further away.
Jian Qing turned her head, her gaze sweeping over her before turning back to the movie, lightly mocking: “Am I going to eat you?”
You will.
In the original work, she had already been eaten several times by this stage.
Lu Yinxi still remembered the dangerous plot point in the original work tonight—this scoundrel pressed her against the floor-to-ceiling window, restrained her hands, blindfolded her eyes, and while watching the brilliant fireworks outside the window, she wantonly played with her.
The scoundrel to the utmost degree.
She should have gone back to her room earlier to avoid this plot.
But she just wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with her.
“How did they shoot this scene?” Jian Qing pointed to the male lead hugging a tiger on the screen, “Did they really use a real tiger?”
Lu Yinxi pulled her attention back to the movie: “Usually, they have someone hold a prop, and later use computer-generated effects to create the tiger.”
“And this part?”
“Using wirework to fly.” (refers to an East Asian film technique where actors are suspended by wires to perform stunts or simulate flight)
“What about people who are afraid of heights?”
“Big stars have stunt doubles, but for lesser-known actors, they have to harden their scalp and go up.”
The two exchanged questions and answers, and Lu Yinxi’s tense nerves gradually relaxed. She opened up and started chatting, leaning in to share with Jian Qing the small details of filming and the behind-the-scenes production processes of movies and TV shows.
Jian Qing listened attentively, occasionally meeting her gaze, and when their eyes met, she felt her heart soften.
She wanted to reach out and ruffle her hair but was afraid of startling her, interrupting her flow of speech, and being misunderstood as having ill intentions.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
So she grabbed a plush toy from the sofa, tugged at the fluffy toy, and let her chatter away beside her ear.
Midnight.
The sound of fireworks and firecrackers echoed in their ears.
The sky outside was as bright as day. Lu Yinxi pulled Jian Qing up from the sofa and dragged her to the balcony to watch the New Year’s fireworks.
She had a deep impression of these fireworks, as the original work spent a significant amount of time describing her and Jian Qing’s… joy under the fireworks.
The length of the text, the romantic writing style, it didn’t seem like it was written by her anti-fans. Instead, it was like those fans who loved to pair her up in CP (couple pairing) and write small R-rated fanfictions.
Standing side by side, Lu Yinxi’s left hand hooked onto Jian Qing’s pinky finger. She looked up at the fireworks, but her attention was entirely focused on her left hand.
Silent ambiguity floated in the air.
It must be the effect of the plot.
In normal interactions, she wouldn’t always have such random, messy, and amorous thoughts.
As soon as midnight passed, Lu Yinxi released Jian Qing’s pinky finger, gently pinched her palm, then let go, and said, “It’s time to say goodnight. Goodnight, Teacher Jian.”
She had many names for her, the ones she didn’t say out loud were all derogatory: Block of Ice, Scum, Bastard, Paper Man; the ones she said out loud were all respectful, Teacher Jian, Doctor Jian.
Jian Qing did not respond to her goodnight. She looked up at the fireworks and asked softly, “Sleep together?”
Lu Yinxi froze, a million cursing words ready to go.
“Don’t curse.” Jian Qing turned her head, her expression cool, her eyes calm, “I won’t do anything to you, just sleep, so I can have a good night’s sleep.”
Lu Yinxi wanted to refuse, but after hearing the latter part of the sentence, she remembered the first night they met, the knife by her bedside. A feeling of pity arose, and she couldn’t bear to say no.
“Alright, just for this one night, one yuan.”
Jian Qing smiled faintly and transferred one yuan to Lu Yinxi.
This time, it was Jian Qing who came to her bedroom with a pillow.
Sharing the same bed, but not the same pillow or quilt.
Her head sank into the soft pillow, and Lu Yinxi’s big eyes were wide open, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling. Her senses were more acute than ever; she heard every rustle of the person beside her, smelled her cool, clear fragrance, and even the mattress beneath her seemed softer than usual, making her feel dizzy.
Lu Yinxi could only control her gaze, not turning to look.
But her mind automatically replayed memories: the ambiguity under the moonlight, the kiss after getting drunk.
Her heartbeat remained at a fast pace, and Lu Yinxi sat up, leaning against the headboard.
“The light is too bright. I can’t sleep. Let’s have a chat.”
Jian Qing closed her eyes to rest: “Talk.”
Lu Yinxi asked, “Did you ever stay in a dormitory when you were in school? I mean, the school’s dormitory, or did you always live alone?”
She always had to sleep with the light on, and roommates with no familial ties wouldn’t likely accommodate that.
Indeed.
“No, I rented a place off-campus.”
“You… when you were studying, did you have someone you liked?”
Jian Qing opened her eyes and looked at Lu Yinxi.
Lu Yinxi met her gaze for half a second before hurriedly looking away: “Sorry, I asked a personal question. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to…”
Although she really wanted to know…
She wanted to know about her parents, her family, her past experiences, who she liked, who she wanted to be with… Even if she had liked someone before, it didn’t matter, as long as she didn’t like them now, she wouldn’t feel particularly upset.
Uncontrollable curiosity and the desire to spy.
Jian Qing said lightly, “No, they are very boring, like background boards.”
Lu Yinxi thought to herself, indeed, they are all background boards… Named characters are always there to push the plot forward…
This block of ice is somewhat arrogant, so it’s normal for her to be picky.
Lu Yinxi coughed and probed, “I heard that Chu Yan is your university classmate. He looks quite good, has decent medical skills, and a good personality. Is he also very boring?”
Jian Qing’s expression changed slightly, and she said coldly, “He has a fiancée.”
It had been a long time since she had heard her use such a cold tone towards her. Lu Yinxi was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved her hands to explain, “No, no, I don’t mean it that way, I don’t like his type…”
Jian Qing didn’t say anything, nor did she look at her, and continued to rest with her eyes closed.
Afraid of being misunderstood, Lu Yinxi added, “You are so beautiful; you must have encountered many outstanding suitors. I was just using him as an example.”
Jian Qing still rested with her eyes closed, unwilling to pay any attention.
Lu Yinxi reached out and poked her shoulder, speaking softly, “Please pay attention to me.”
Jian Qing didn’t say a word, her face covered in a layer of frost.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Hurt by her cold demeanor, Lu Yinxi became annoyed, “If you don’t pay attention to people, I won’t talk to you!”
She slid down from the head of the bed, buried herself in the quilt, and turned her back to Jian Qing.
At this point, any lingering affectionate feelings dissipated.
There was only a slight anger in her heart. How could someone have such a bad temper, refusing to speak at the slightest disagreement?
And she felt very wronged.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, just used him as an example. She didn’t actually have feelings for anyone else. How could she refuse to talk to people just because of a slight disagreement?
She began to recall old grievances in her heart, starting to be extremely resentful towards Jian Qing.
Resenting that she never said anything soft to make people happy, resenting her gloomy and silent nature, resenting that she never shared anything with her… Clearly, she had shared many things with Jian Qing, but Jian Qing never opened her heart.
She fundamentally did not trust herself.
Stung by this realization, Lu Yinxi couldn’t help but have her eyes well up with tears.
She didn’t want to like this person anymore.
Like a piece of oceanic ice that could never melt, you think you have melted her, but in reality, you have only melted the tip of the iceberg above the ocean surface, while the depths below remain forever unknown.
Jian Qing opened her eyes and looked at the warm bundle beside her, then turned over, also with her back to her.
In the silent gap, time seemed to slow down, and seconds felt like years.
Jian Qing turned back around, softened her voice, and poked at the soft, warm dumpling in front of her, “Are you mad at me?”
Lu Yinxi, with her back to her, snorted coldly.
Jian Qing didn’t say anything more, her gaze somewhat bewildered and confused.
She hadn’t even gotten angry yet, so why was the other one already mad…
Why does this child get angry so easily?
After a moment of confusion, Jian Qing took out her phone and searched for relevant information.
Lu Yinxi turned around and secretly glanced at Jian Qing, seeing her expressionless while playing with her phone, her anger flared up even more, and she just wanted to kick her off the bed.
She turned away again and snorted heavily.
Jian Qing heard her cold snort and put down her phone.
Searching for the term “how to appease an angry girl,” Jian Qing felt that none of the answers were quite suitable.
Apologize, call her “baby”, too cheesy, she couldn’t say it out loud; hug her and not let go, might get slapped; give a gift, in the middle of the night, where to find a gift…
Jian Qing looked at the bulging quilt, without saying a word.
She didn’t have much experience in coaxing others, only felt that today’s young girls really couldn’t be scolded, just a bit of scolding would make them show their grievance.
In the past, it was also her who got slapped and cut with a knife, yet the young girl would shrink in the corner of the sofa, with a face full of grievance and sadness, making one afraid to say anything, and even had to coax her to watch the stars and the moon.
After a long silence, Jian Qing picked up a strand of hair from beside Lu Yinxi’s pillow, plucked a strand of her own hair, and with the two fine long hairs, tied a surgeon’s knot by hand.
She dangled the knotted strands of hair in front of Lu Yinxi’s eyes, shaking them twice, trying to make her happy.
Seeing the knotted hair, Lu Yinxi hurriedly tossed her hair from her back to her chest.
Had she been neglecting her hair care recently, causing her hair to split and tangle?
Jian Qing spoke in a calm voice, “I tied a surgeon’s knot using our hair.”
Lu Yinxi was stunned by Jian Qing’s unusual behavior.
The surgeon’s knot is a type of knot often used in suturing, which involves an extra loop around the base compared to a regular knot.
Sterilized strands of hair can also be used to suture small wounds.
Some medical students, in their youthful ignorance of the value of hair, would pluck their own hair and practice suturing on orange peels and grapefruit peels.
If she didn’t have a medical background, Lu Yinxi would naturally think of the saying “bound by hair as husband and wife, love and trust without doubt” (an ancient Chinese custom where newlyweds bind strands of their hair together as a symbol of their union). But knowing the other uses of hair, and considering that Jian Qing didn’t seem like someone versed in literature or poetry, her binding of the hair was likely just a simple surgeon’s knot to amuse her, rather than an attempt at poetic expression…
Jian Qing mimicked Lu Yinxi’s earlier actions and gently poked her shoulder.
Without hearing the soft words “Please pay attention to me” from her, Lu Yinxi instantly abandoned her grievances against Jian Qing.
She gathered the fragments in her heart, pieced them together, and felt she could continue to like Jian Qing.
At that moment, she also realized that liking someone made her emotions like a roller coaster, with a hundred twists and turns in her soft heart, sometimes happy, sometimes resentful, and hard to control.
Lu Yinxi put the strands of hair aside and smiled faintly, “Let’s not fuss anymore. Let’s go to sleep. We still have to make dumplings tomorrow.”
Jian Qing responded with a hum, lifted the quilt, and got out of bed, “I’m going to get something.”
She brought her star projector from her bedroom.
Lu Yinxi was about to put on her sleep mask when she saw Jian Qing holding the star projector and asked, “Are you used to using it?”
Jian Qing replied calmly, “It’s okay.”
She turned on the star projector, turned off the bedroom light, and walked to the bedside step by step under the starlight.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Under the starlight, her figure was cold and desolate, like a solitary ghost in the wilderness.
She lifted the quilt and lay down, her gaze wandering as she glanced at Lu Yinxi beside her.
Lu Yinxi tightened the collar of her nightgown, feeling dazed, as if she were the Tang Monk (a reference to the monk in the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West”) being forced to marry by a demon.
But unlike the enchanting demons on TV, this block of ice was dressed in funeral-like black, cold and capable of freezing someone to death.
Lu Yinxi shrank her body back a little to avoid getting frostbite.
Jian Qing leaned forward and moved closer to her.
Lu Yinxi retreated further back.
That block of ice shamelessly continued to inch forward, her dark jade-like eyes staring fixedly at her, like a beast eyeing its prey.
Lu Yinxi reached back—
—the edge of the bed was right behind her; if she moved back any further, she would fall off.
Being so close, the cold fragrance lingered around her nose, and Lu Yinxi pulled the quilt up to cover her chest, her heart beating uncontrollably.
She opened her lips, wanting to ask something, hesitated for a moment, then swallowed her words and changed the topic: “Are you looking at me like this because you want to sleep with me?”
The author has something to say:
Lu Yinxi: She can’t possibly be using objects to express emotions.
Jian Qing: I am.
Lu Yinxi: Is she looking at me like that because she wants to sleep with me?
Jian Qing: I am not.
