That “Bad” Woman Next Door – Chapter 17

If You Touch, You Have to Be Responsible.

Yu Xi seemed to be delighted by her words and chuckled again, giving her directions over the phone: “After you exit the parking garage, turn right. Walk straight along the street for about two hundred meters, and you should be able to see it. I’ll wait for you at the entrance.”

Yuan Yue’s heart suddenly started beating a little fast, and she was a bit dazed.

“Can you find it? Do you want me to come get you?” Yu Xi asked when she didn’t hear a response.

Yuan Yue quickly said, “No, no, I know how to get there now. I’m hanging up. Wait for me, I’ll be there soon.”

Although this street wasn’t the most bustling one in the city center, there were quite a few pedestrians coming and going. Yuan Yue followed Yu Xi’s directions and, from a distance, saw the exceptionally beautiful Yu Xi with her figure that ignites fire¹, standing in front of a certain storefront.

Yu Xi saw her too and strode toward her on her long legs.

As she got closer, Yuan Yue could see clearly that she was dressed in workout shorts and a top. Her long hair was tied up, revealing the beautiful line of her shoulders and neck.

Still so captivating while dressed so simply. Yuan Yue was a bit dumbfounded.

Yu Xi waved a hand in front of her eyes. “Did you not see me?”

Yuan Yue blushed at her own lack of composure. She blinked, moved her gaze away from the patch of fair skin revealed on Yu Xi’s chest, and looked at the huge sign at the gym’s entrance, asking in surprise, “You work here?”

Yu Xi nodded.

Yuan Yue couldn’t help but scrutinize her outfit again. Her gaze passed over her slender collarbones and finally landed on the alluring vest line² on her lower abdomen. She unconsciously swallowed.

Yuan Yue remembered the first time she invited Yu Xi over for hot pot. The moment the door opened, she saw that what Yu Xi was wearing under her shirt seemed to be just like this. At the time, she had mistaken it for a small camisole. Connecting that to what Yu Xi had said when she left today, she had a guess: “Are you a fitness instructor?”

“Mhm.” Yu Xi nodded again. Seeing her gaping mouth, she felt a little like laughing. “Why so surprised?”

What surprised Yuan Yue wasn’t Yu Xi’s profession, but her physique. In her stereotype, all fitness instructors, regardless of gender, were the type with exaggerated muscles and sharp, defined lines. But looking at Yu Xi—slender arms, a slender waist, slender legs, every inch of muscle was just right, firm and captivating. No matter how she looked at her, she was completely different from the image of a fitness instructor she had in her mind.

Remembering Yu Xi’s vague answer this morning, Yuan Yue felt a bit resentful. “It’s just a fitness instructor, why didn’t you just tell me directly?”

Yu Xi shrugged and said with a smile, “It’s not too late for you to know now.”

Yuan Yue pouted, her eyes involuntarily glancing at Yu Xi’s waist. The comparison immediately made her feel deeply ashamed. They were both women, so why was Yu Xi’s waist so thin? And those two captivating vest line, they truly made one’s saliva flow straight down… Thinking of the flab on her own waist, Yuan Yue felt ashamed of her own form.

Yu Xi didn’t know what Yuan Yue was thinking at that moment, so she let her unrestrained gaze linger on her body without a word of interruption.

Yuan Yue coveted Yu Xi’s vest line for a long time. Just looking was no longer enough. “Can I touch it?”

Yu Xi crossed her arms, a playful look in her eyes. “You want to act like a hooligan on the street?”

Yuan Yue froze, only then remembering they were still outside. Yu Xi’s words made her face flush completely red. If it weren’t for the cold air from the gym blowing on her, she would have worried she might actually burn up.

“Cough—” Yuan Yue reined in her gaze and pretended to look elsewhere. “Coming out to see me, won’t it affect your work?”

“It’s fine.” Yu Xi checked the time. “The person I’m waiting for isn’t here yet. Let’s not stand outside, come in and sit.”

The gym was called Lü Dong³, and it was quite large. When Yuan Yue went inside, she saw many people exercising—some running, some stretching, some lifting dumbbells… There was also a lot of exercise equipment whose names she didn’t know.

Suddenly, a great shout that sounded like pain rang out. Yuan Yue looked over in horror and saw a muscular man doing push-ups with two ab rollers. The man’s muscles were bulging all over his body, his bronze skin had an oily sheen, and his face was contorted in a grimace.

Yuan Yue took one look and turned her head away. Her gaze sized up the slender, straight-postured Yu Xi beside her. She felt that looking at someone like Yu Xi was more pleasing to the heart and eye.

Yu Xi led her to the rest area and said she was going to get her a glass of water, but Yuan Yue stopped her. “No need, I’m not thirsty.”

Sizing up the interior, she realized that besides herself and Yu Xi, she couldn’t see any other women. Yuan Yue asked curiously, “How many female instructors does this gym have in total?”

“Right now, just me.”

“One?” Yuan Yue cried out. Looking at Yu Xi’s small frame, she couldn’t help but worry. “Then do you usually have to train men too?”

Yu Xi gave a faint smile and said, “I only train women.”

Women…

That’s even worse than training men.

The thought of Yu Xi interacting with all sorts of women every day made Yuan Yue feel a bit sour inside. She said tartly, “Then those female clients you train, are all of their figures better than mine?”

Yu Xi didn’t understand the intention behind her question. She looked her over from head to toe, smiled, and said, “Not at all. Most of them don’t have as good a figure as you.”

Yuan Yue was flabbergasted.

Yu Xi continued on her own, “I used to be really into bodybuilding and developed a lot of muscle. I even found it awkward to look at myself. Later, I gradually stopped training so much. Now, I mainly help people who need it with body sculpting.”

“Helping people lose weight?”

Yu Xi thought for a moment and said, “Something like that.”

Yuan Yue had a sudden realization. No wonder Yu Xi sounded so clear and logical when she talked about losing weight. She pinched the flab on her waist and remembered Yu Xi saying she could find her if she needed help. Hesitating slightly, she asked shyly, “If I were to hire you to help me lose weight, how would the price be calculated?”

Yu Xi raised an eyebrow and said, “For free.”

“That would be so embarrassing.” Yuan Yue was delighted inside, but she lowered her head and pretended to be shy. Seeing the captivating vest line on Yu Xi’s stomach, she had another wicked thought. There was no one else in the rest area. Yuan Yue licked her lips and, getting an inch to advance a foot⁴, said, “Just one little touch, can I?”

Yu Xi had long seen that she was harboring ill intentions. She didn’t agree right away, just looked at her with a smile and said, “If you touch, you have to be responsible.”

Yuan Yue looked up at her, surprised by her pettiness. “You’ve already touched me several times!”

After saying it, she realized she’d been too loud and her words were a bit suggestive. Yuan Yue quickly pressed her lips together, her face turning slightly red.

Yu Xi revealed a meaningful smile, leaned closer to her, and whispered, “Don’t worry, I will be responsible for you.”

Yuan Yue: “…” This person is flirting recklessly again.

“Still want to touch?” Yu Xi straightened up, waiting for her to make a decision.

Yuan Yue looked at her captivatingly slender waist, her heart fluttering, but her expression was very conflicted.

Just as she was hesitating, a man with a powerful build walked over and said to Yu Xi, “Nina, someone’s looking for you.”

“I’ll be right there.” Yu Xi responded to the man, then turned to Yuan Yue and said, not without a hint of regret, “You’ve lost your chance.”

“…” Yuan Yue was filled with regret, but she put on an indifferent expression and asked, “What did that guy just call you?”

“Nina. It’s my German name.”

Yuan Yue repeated the name to herself silently a few times before concluding, “Yu Xi still sounds better.”

Yu Xi smiled, not minding at all. “Sorry, I probably have to get busy now. Do you want to stay here and hang out, or go home?”

There wasn’t much to do by herself, and Yuan Yue didn’t want to disturb her at work, so she had no choice but to stand up. “I’ll just go home.” She paused, then asked, “What time do you get off work?”

“Five o’clock.”

“Then I’ll wait for you at home.”

“Okay.”

After saying goodbye to Yu Xi, Yuan Yue drove home alone.

She became listless as soon as she got home. It was the first day of her great aunt⁵, and her body couldn’t quite take having wandered around outside. She lay on the sofa, too lazy to move.

Remembering that tomorrow was Mid-Autumn Festival⁶, Yuan Yue called home. Her mom was very excited. “Come back early tomorrow, I’ll make you guys something delicious.”

Her family lived very close to City A, less than a two-hour drive away. But given that the holiday started tomorrow, the roads would definitely be congested. After finishing the call with her family, Yuan Yue remembered Yuan Xi’s earlier reminder and slowly walked into the bedroom to pack her luggage.

After packing, she suddenly thought of Yu Xi.

Everyone was off for Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow. What would Yu Xi do, all alone in the country?

At five-thirty, Yu Xi still hadn’t returned. Yuan Yue couldn’t resist sending her a WeChat⁷ message.

【Yuan Yue: Where are you?】

Yu Xi didn’t reply, so she could only wait.

She waited until after eight o’clock at night, when her doorbell rang.

Yuan Yue shot up from the sofa with a whoosh and ran out without even bothering to put on her shoes.

Perhaps because she pulled the door open too abruptly, Yu Xi outside was startled. Seeing Yuan Yue’s pale face from waiting, Yu Xi couldn’t help but blame herself. “I’m sorry, there was traffic, so I’m back late. I was going to call and let you know, but my phone died.”

“Phone died again.” Yuan Yue frowned. “Do you normally not carry a charger?”

The question made Yu Xi pause for a moment. “I’m not in the habit of it.” She didn’t have any friends in the country, and she didn’t need her phone for work. If the battery died, she just put up with it. It wasn’t like anyone was looking for her anyway. When she needed it, she’d just find a place to charge it.

“You should carry one from now on. Your phone is always dead. I can’t even find you when I want to,” Yuan Yue muttered.

It was a seemingly casual sentence, but it made Yu Xi fall into deep thought. She really hadn’t had many concerns before, always used to being alone. Now, to suddenly be on someone else’s mind… although it was a bit hard to get used to, a place deep in her heart was still touched.

Yu Xi looked at Yuan Yue’s small face, which showed a mix of worry and complaint, and her heart warmed slightly. “I promise I’ll charge my phone in time from now on and keep it with me at all times. I won’t let you be unable to find me again.”

Being looked at so directly by Yu Xi, Yuan Yue started to feel embarrassed. She moved her neck and stiffly changed the subject. “Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. Do you guys get a holiday?”

Yu Xi: “A three-day holiday.”

Yuan Yue took the opportunity to ask, “Do you have any plans for these three days?”

Yu Xi hadn’t thought about it. She smiled and said, “Probably just stay home and sleep a lot.”

Yuan Yue had guessed as much, but hearing her say it herself still felt a bit desolate. Everyone else was reuniting with their families, yet Yu Xi was all alone abroad.

How pitiful.

“You must be going home to reunite with your family, right?” Yu Xi added.

Yuan Yue was just wondering how to bring it up. Since Yu Xi had started the topic, she boldly followed her lead. “I’m going back to my hometown in the county town tomorrow. Do you want to come back with me for the festival?”

Yu Xi didn’t answer. The look she gave her became strange, the emotions in her deep eyes unreadable.

Yuan Yue felt a little intimidated by her gaze. She thought maybe it was inappropriate and was about to take back her words when Yu Xi spoke: “You want me to go home with you?”

“If you don’t want to, then forget it…” Yuan Yue first found herself a way out.

But Yu Xi broke into a grin, a very relaxed and pleased smile. Her voice was soft and slow. “I’d love to. But first, you have to make it clear—exactly in what capacity would I be going to your home?”

“As a friend, of course!” Yuan Yue said without thinking. “I just see that you’re all alone in the country with no one to rely on, so I wanted to take you home for the festival. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

“Mhm, it’s not too much.” Yu Xi leaned forward slightly, bringing her eyes level with hers, so she could clearly see the light glittering in the depths of her pupils. Yu Xi pondered for a moment, then said, “It’s just this habit you have of your mouth being one thing and your heart another⁸—that’s going a bit too far.”

“I… When have I ever had my mouth be one thing and my heart another?” Yuan Yue was eager to argue, but her stammering betrayed her guilty conscience.

Yu Xi knew she was playing dumb again, so she didn’t expose her. She hooked her lips into a smile and copied her by changing the subject. “The traffic today made me a bit tired. I’m going back to shower and rest first. I need to recharge my spirit so I can be a good driver for you tomorrow.”

Yuan Yue was still stuck on the previous question and didn’t notice what else Yu Xi had said for a moment. A patch of warmth landed on her forehead, and she froze.

By the time she realized she’d had a kiss stolen from her, Yu Xi had already pulled away.

Yuan Yue stared at her with wide eyes, forgetting to make an accusation.

Seeing her dumbstruck expression, Yu Xi’s hands itched. She couldn’t resist pinching her cheek and said softly, “You get some sleep early too. Good night.”

“…” Yuan Yue seemed to have been struck dumb. As she lowered her head, her face flushed red with a whoosh.

Yu Xi turned and left with light, brisk steps. Remembering Yuan Yue’s stunned and incredibly shy expression, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

What a woman whose mouth is one thing and heart another. Her heart clearly fell long ago, but her mouth still refuses to admit it.

---

---