That “Bad” Woman Next Door – Chapter 32

As You Command, My Queen.

“How could I ever hurt you? I’m here, don’t be afraid.” Yu Xi gave her a warm, confident smile. “No one is taking you from me.”

Yu Xi looked so stunningly cool when she said that. Yuan Yue nearly threw her arms around her, but she quickly remembered their current situation and bashfully changed the subject. “Let’s eat first.”

They returned to their seats one after another. Seeing how secretive the two of them were being, Yuan Xi couldn’t help his curiosity. “What were you two talking about? Why did you have to keep it from the rest of us?”

Yuan Yue gave him a playfully haughty look and tossed out a single word: “Secret!”

Yuan Xi scoffed. Striking while the iron was hot¹, he steered the conversation back to the previous topic. “In that case, make some time tomorrow. It’s the weekend. I’ll ask Xu Ming to come up, and you two can meet.”

“So soon?” Yuan Yue exclaimed.

Yuan Xi shot her a sideways glance, displeased. “You call this soon? Xu Ming was at our house last Mid-Autumn Festival.² If you’d had any interest, you could have met him then. He’s a high school teacher and he’s usually very busy, so just make do.”

Men and women are equal now, Yuan Yue thought. Why should I be the one to ‘just make do’?

Of course, to avoid a public lecture, Yuan Yue kept her dissatisfaction to herself. She cast a pleading look at Yu Xi, tossing the problem to her. “What do you think?”

Yu Xi thought for a moment. “I don’t have anything to do tomorrow.”

Nothing to do tomorrow meant she could be with her anytime. Yuan Yue understood the subtext. Deferring entirely to Yu Xi’s plan, she said to Yuan Xi, “Tomorrow it is, then!”

The matter that had everyone so worried was finally showing some progress. Jiang Yan couldn’t contain her joy. “That’s more like it,” she exclaimed. “When you get to a certain age, you should be dating seriously. When the time is right, you get married. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Yuan Yue had long since heard these arguments so many times her ears had grown calluses³. She gave a perfunctory nod in agreement, deciding not to argue back.

Yuan Xi eagerly picked up his phone. “I’ll call Xu Ming right now and have him come up first thing in the morning.”

Yuan Yue was growing impatient. “Why don’t you call after we finish eating?” she said, stopping him. “What’s the rush?”

Since she had already agreed to the meeting, Yuan Xi didn’t think she would back out, so he put his phone down.

The rest of the meal was a torment for Yuan Yue.

The moment everyone was finished, Yuan Xi immediately called Xu Ming to arrange a time. He hung up and turned to instruct Yuan Yue, “Xu Ming said he’ll definitely be here in the morning. I already gave him your number. He’ll contact you when he arrives.”

Yuan Yue was aghast. “Why would you just casually give my number to another man?” she scolded.

Yuan Xi looked even more surprised than she did. “You two are going on a date. If you don’t have each other’s numbers, how are you supposed to get in touch? Or do you expect us to go with you?” He paused, then reconsidered. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. How about Mom and I go with you tomorrow for moral support?”

Yuan Yue’s face paled in fright. She waved her hands frantically, refusing. “No, that’s okay! I can go by myself.”

The main reason Yuan Yue had agreed to meet Xu Ming was because of Yu Xi. They had both decided to play along and appease the family for now. If Jiang Yan and Yuan Xi tagged along, with one singing and the other echoing⁴, it would surely cause problems.

After all, it wasn’t right for others to meddle in matters of the heart. Yuan Yue agreeing to meet was already a huge step forward, so Yuan Xi didn’t push her. Instead, he asked, “Well, do you want his number?”

Without a second thought, Yuan Yue said, “Didn’t you say he’ll call me when he gets here? Once he calls, won’t I have his number then?”

Yuan Xi figured she had a point, so he dropped it.

Arranging this stupid meeting had taken up a lot of time. Jiang Yan played with her grandchildren for a little while longer, and around eight in the evening, she left with Yu Xi and Yuan Yue.

Having worked hard all day, Jiang Yan started yawning the moment she got in the car. Yuan Yue, sitting beside her, said with concern, “Mom, why don’t you get some sleep? I’ll wake you when we get there.”

Jiang Yan was truly exhausted. She let out another huge yawn and mumbled, “Okay, I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit. Yu Xi, drive safe. If you get tired, let Yuan Yue take over.”

Yu Xi glanced at the two in the back seat via the rearview mirror and smiled. “It’s fine, Mom, I’m not tired. You get some rest.”

Only then did Jiang Yan allow herself to close her eyes.

She must have been worn out, because the sound of her snoring soon filled the car. A sudden wave of guilt washed over Yuan Yue. Gazing at Jiang Yan’s no-longer-youthful face, she murmured to herself, “Am I being too inconsiderate? I’m a grown woman, but I still make you worry all the time.”

Jiang Yan was fast asleep and couldn’t hear a thing, so she couldn’t answer.

But Yu Xi heard every word. Her expression darkened, and she said in a low voice, “I’m the one who’s letting our mom down.”

Yuan Yue didn’t reply. She carefully guided Jiang Yan’s head onto her shoulder and let out a nearly inaudible sigh.

It was late by the time they got back to Yuan Yue’s place. Yuan Yue helped Jiang Yan inside. “Mom, you should take a shower before you sleep.”

Jiang Yan was too drained to argue and headed straight for the bathroom.

Yuan Yue found a new towel and a change of clothes to give to her. As she was walking back from the bathroom, she saw Yu Xi looking at her with a woeful expression. “Does this mean I have to sleep on the sofa tonight?” she asked pitifully.

Yuan Yue froze, only just remembering this important detail.

Ever since returning from the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yu Xi had been living and sleeping with Yuan Yue. With Jiang Yan’s sudden arrival, Yuan Yue couldn’t possibly make her own mother sleep on the sofa.

Yuan Yue’s eyes lit up. “Have you gotten so used to living here you’ve forgotten about your own place?” she said cheerfully. “We can just sleep next door for a night!”

No matter how happy she was, so much so that she forgot about Shu⁵, Yu Xi couldn’t possibly have forgotten her own apartment. She had just thought of that, too, but then she considered Jiang Yan staying the night. If Yuan Yue ran off with her, what if Jiang Yan got suspicious or upset?

Yu Xi voiced her concern, but Yuan Yue brushed it off. “She won’t. My mom’s not that petty.”

“Our mom,” Yu Xi corrected her.

Yuan Yue was surprised at how quickly Yu Xi was adapting to her new role. She grinned foolishly. “Right. Our mom.”

As soon as Jiang Yan came out of the shower, Yuan Yue told her about the plan she and Yu Xi had discussed. Jiang Yan had no objections. “You two just go sleep next door,” she said readily. “I snore at night anyway, and I was worried I’d bother you.”

Yuan Yue was secretly delighted. She winked at Yu Xi before following Jiang Yan into the bedroom.

Jiang Yan was puzzled. “What are you coming in here for?”

“I need to shower, too,” Yuan Yue said with a grin. “I have to get my change of clothes!”

Not suspecting a thing, Jiang Yan took off her slippers, got into bed, and pushed the air-conditioner quilt⁶ aside. Suddenly, she saw a bra hidden under the covers. She picked it up casually, about to hand it to Yuan Yue to put away, when her gaze froze.

Jiang Yan held up the two bras and compared them. “That’s odd,” she said. “Why are these two different sizes? Why is one bigger than the other?”

Yuan Yue looked, and her heart sank.

In her mother’s hands were her and Yu Xi’s bras. Yu Xi had taken them out that morning, intending for them to change, but Yuan Yue, still half-asleep, had drowsily rolled over, accidentally tangling the freshly chosen lingerie in the air-conditioner quilt with her.

Yu Xi had searched everywhere for them earlier. Who knew they would be discovered by Jiang Yan now?

Yuan Yue quickly snatched the bras from her mother’s hands. “I bought the wrong size for the other one,” she explained awkwardly. “I tried it on and it didn’t fit. I was going to return it.”

Jiang Yan didn’t press the issue. As she was about to lie down, she felt like she was lying on something. Reaching underneath, she pulled out two nearly identical silk slip nightgowns.

Feigning composure, Yuan Yue grabbed the nightgowns. This time, before Jiang Yan could ask, she said guiltily, “I bought an extra one of these, too. I was also going to return it…”⁷

Jiang Yan gave her a look. “You must have money to burn, huh?” she grumbled.

Yuan Yue forced a smile. “Mom, you should get some rest. Good night!”

Her conscience pricked by all the lies, Yuan Yue knew she couldn’t stay any longer. She quickly backed out of the room, closing the door and letting out a huge sigh of relief. The moment she turned around, her expression changed to a bright smile. She linked arms with Yu Xi and said happily, “Let’s go! Time for us to shower and go to bed, too!”

Yu Xi knew her own home like the back of her hand. The second they were inside, before she even had a chance to turn on the lights, she pushed Yuan Yue against the wall, her lips finding hers in a flurry of soft kisses.

In the dark, unfamiliar environment, Yuan Yue felt a flicker of fear, but it was quickly replaced by the thrill of a secret tryst. She threw her arms around Yu Xi, responding with equal fervor.

Yu Xi was her lighthouse, guiding her slowly through the darkness, her kisses never losing their tenderness and delicacy.

Yuan Yue felt herself melting under those lips, her body going weak. Her back was against the wall again. This time the surface was cool and smooth, and an involuntary shiver ran through her.

As they kissed, it was hard to say who started it, but soon the clothes were coming off. Just then, Yu Xi suddenly flipped on the light.

Yuan Yue was startled to find herself in the bathroom. The change of clothes she’d been holding was long gone, but neither of them cared.

All of Yuan Yue’s attention was now on the equally naked Yu Xi before her. She shamelessly drank in the sight of this body that belonged only to her. Her fingers traced the alluring vest lines⁸ of Yu Xi’s abdomen, and in that instant, her breath and heartbeat stopped.

Yu Xi caught her wandering hand, forcing Yuan Yue to look up at her.

In the suddenly bright room, Yu Xi saw that Yuan Yue’s eyes shone even brighter than the lights. She steadied her breath and leaned in close. “This is my turf,” she whispered seductively. “You have to do as I say.”

Yuan Yue lifted her chin to gaze up at her, full of cautious anticipation, as if utterly bewitched. “As you command, my queen.”

The unconventional title made Yu Xi’s breathing grow heavier. She took a deep breath and slowly lay back. Her porcelain-like skin, set against the clean, white tiles, looked almost translucent. Yu Xi raised her arms, her eyes locked on Yuan Yue as she called to her softly, “Come. Come here.”

Yuan Yue didn’t know what she was planning but obediently moved closer. Spreading her legs, she hovered over her, looking at Yu Xi in confusion. “And then?”

Yu Xi lifted her upper body slightly to give her a kiss, then smiled. “Not like that. You’re facing the wrong way. Turn around now.”

A thousand questions swirled in Yuan Yue’s mind, but she let Yu Xi help her turn her body around completely. As her arms came to rest awkwardly on Yu Xi’s legs, a sudden rush went to her head. She vaguely understood, but said anxiously, “I don’t know how…”

Because she was facing away, Yuan Yue couldn’t see Yu Xi’s face, so Yu Xi used her voice, encouraging her with immense patience. “You’re so smart. How could you not know how?”

Yu Xi’s hand slowly caressed her back, then suddenly pressed her body forward. She continued to beguile her with her voice, “Don’t be afraid. Just do whatever comes to mind. Come on. Give it a try.”

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