PSMD – Chapter 34

Qiu Yang really wanted to pay off the debt quickly, but she wasn’t in a desperate hurry, and certainly not in the situation they were in now.

Hearing Shen Ningruo tease her like that, she didn’t retort, a hint of apology appearing on her face: “Sorry.”

She said this and was about to get up. This position, with her pressing down on Shen Ningruo, was uncomfortable for both of them.

But Shen Ningruo felt this was a rare opportunity and didn’t want Qiu Yang to leave. However, she also found it uncomfortable, so she simply wrapped her arms around Qiu Yang and rolled over, turning them both onto their sides, facing each other, eyes meeting.

Shen Ningruo’s sofa was very soft and large, more than enough space for two people lying flat, let alone both of them on their sides.

Qiu Yang pursed her lips: “I need to take a shower.”

“Doctors recommend waiting two hours after drinking before showering.”

“It hasn’t been two hours yet.”

Shen Ningruo’s lips parted and closed.

Her gaze traveled down from Qiu Yang’s forehead, past Qiu Yang’s clear eyes, over Qiu Yang’s delicate nose, and finally stopped on Qiu Yang’s pink lips.

Qiu Yang wasn’t wearing makeup today. Under the strong light, her fine skin was visible, and Shen Ningruo knew what it felt like.

Very soft and smooth, like a piece of tofu.

She wondered how Qiu Yang grew up like this.

Qiu Yang’s eyelashes fluttered under Shen Ningruo’s gaze.

Because she knew Shen Ningruo was right, she softly “oh’d”: “How much longer?”

“Maybe twenty minutes,” Shen Ningruo paused for a second, “or maybe half an hour.”

Her gaze dropped again, looking at Qiu Yang’s slender chin, her brows gradually furrowing, her tone somewhat concerned: “How did it get even sharper than when we were in Xicheng?”

She didn’t just say it; she even raised her hand and gently pinched it.

They were holding each other close, the distance between them only the thickness of their clothes. Shen Ningruo didn’t use much force, nor did she dare to.

Qiu Yang sometimes looked very fragile, especially when she showed sadness, as if she might break if squeezed.

And this gentle pinch easily parted Qiu Yang’s lips, revealing her clean white teeth and slightly pink tongue tip.

Shen Ningruo’s throat tightened, feeling a little dry.

But Shen Ningruo’s question was filled with too much concern, making Qiu Yang feel it crossed their boundary. She looked into Shen Ningruo’s eyes, unsure how to answer.

She and Shen Ningruo had done the most intimate things many times, yet their relationship wasn’t even friends.

Qiu Yang didn’t want too much entanglement with Shen Ningruo. Agreeing to let Shen Ningruo pick her up tonight was the same mindset as their previous encounters.

She had loved Tao Sixian so much, she couldn’t get over the pain of the breakup that quickly, and Shen Ningruo’s timely call had rescued her.

She and Shen Ningruo were still in this kind of mutually beneficial relationship.

She still didn’t want to cross the line they both should know.

But…

Qiu Yang wanted to answer this question now because she knew Shen Ningruo was being sincere.

No one could refuse someone’s sincerity unless they were crazy.

Qiu Yang was certainly not crazy, and answering wouldn’t cost her anything. Did she really have to be so overly sensitive?

“I don’t know.” Shen Ningruo’s fingertips were still on Qiu Yang’s chin. She didn’t struggle, letting Shen Ningruo hold it, as it didn’t feel uncomfortable anyway.

Shen Ningruo’s eyelashes lowered, watching Qiu Yang’s lips as she spoke. After speaking, Qiu Yang quietly poked out the tip of her tongue and licked her lips.

Undoubtedly, Shen Ningruo was hooked.

After their eyes met again, she didn’t see any resistance in Qiu Yang’s gaze, so she slowly leaned her head closer and pressed her lips, which she hadn’t tasted in two days, against Qiu Yang’s.

With the time, place, and people all aligned, it would be a shame not to kiss when they were this close.

Shen Ningruo’s right hand, which was holding Qiu Yang’s chin, moved down to the back of Qiu Yang’s head.

There had always been a tacit understanding between them.

Qiu Yang didn’t show any resistance, or rather, she had never resisted kissing Shen Ningruo.

The moment Shen Ningruo leaned in, she cooperatively parted her lips, letting Shen Ningruo’s tongue enter and intertwine with hers.

Their breaths mingled, both gentle and enjoying the moment.

But the room light was too bright. Even with her eyes closed, Qiu Yang felt uncomfortable being illuminated, and her mind wandered slightly.

Shen Ningruo noticed. She lifted her head and saw Qiu Yang’s eyelashes fluttering occasionally, so she placed the hand on the back of Qiu Yang’s head over Qiu Yang’s eyes.

Qiu Yang’s eyelashes fluttered again. Shen Ningruo felt a tickle, but her heart also felt scratched.

She stared at Qiu Yang’s lips, which were even more tempting after a moment of kissing, then lowered her head and gently bit them, calling out Qiu Yang’s name involuntarily: “Xiao Yang…”

Qiu Yang didn’t respond, but Shen Ningruo didn’t feel annoyed. Instead, she chuckled softly, pulled out Qiu Yang’s tongue, and bit it as a punishment.

The kiss was exceptionally long. Qiu Yang’s arms wrapped around Shen Ningruo’s neck again.

However, because she hadn’t showered, they both remained relatively clear-headed. But towards the end, their eyes were both a little hazy.

“Go take a shower,” Shen Ningruo’s voice was slightly hoarse, the four words almost squeezed out. After saying them, she kissed Qiu Yang again.

“Okay.”

Qiu Yang stood up, her heart rate erratic again, making her wonder if her heart was about to jump out.

Shen Ningruo sat on the sofa, lifting her eyelids to look at Qiu Yang. Then, she said to Qiu Yang’s back, who had just taken two steps: “You don’t need to pay back the debt tonight.”

This was Shen Ningruo’s intention for the night. When she heard the nasal sound in Qiu Yang’s voice on the phone, she just wanted to give her a good hug.

She hadn’t even thought about kissing; she just wanted to be there for Qiu Yang, nothing more.

Qiu Yang paused at her words, “Mm’d,” and walked to open her suitcase, took out her pajamas, pants, and bath towel, and went to the bathroom.

Shen Ningruo withdrew her gaze and looked at the rattle drum on the coffee table.

She wasn’t sure why she kept the rattle drum, but it was probably to…

Leave a little something to remember between her and Qiu Yang?

Qiu Yang had a little lamb plushie, so she couldn’t have nothing, right?

Although the rattle drum wasn’t given by Qiu Yang, it was something they got together.

Qiu Yang showered and dried her hair. Shen Ningruo kept her word.

When they got to the bedroom, the scented candle had burned down quite a bit. Qiu Yang felt sleepy, and Shen Ningruo, just holding her from behind, also gradually fell asleep.

This position made them both feel inexplicably secure.

The weekend was a rare day off. Neither set an alarm, and they slept until past ten. Qiu Yang woke up first.

She was a little groggy when she first woke up, but seeing Shen Ningruo beside her, all the memories from last night came back.

Shen Ningruo’s bedroom was also like a hotel room, with no signs of anyone having stayed there for long. The scented candle on the table had burned out, a little wax having flowed to the side and solidified in the cup.

Getting up, washing up.

Qiu Yang kept her movements very light.

But just as she was pulling her suitcase, preparing to leave, Shen Ningruo came out of the bedroom, leaning against the doorway, looking at her lazily: “Going back already?”

“Yes.” Qiu Yang was caught red-handed. She found an excuse for leaving without saying goodbye: “I saw you were still asleep, so I didn’t call you, and… “

“And the cat is waiting for you to go back, right?” Shen Ningruo finished her sentence for her.

Qiu Yang was startled, then nodded: “Yes.”

Yuncheng had a rare sunny day today. The sunlight was streaming in through the window, illuminating the living room brightly. The clean wooden floor was stained with a layer of orange.

“Then wait for me.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Qiu Yang refused: “No need, I’ll go back myself.”

“Alright.” Shen Ningruo didn’t insist. Since Qiu Yang didn’t want her to drive, she wouldn’t. However, she also knew why Qiu Yang didn’t want her to drive.

It was nothing more than the fact that after a night of being completely sober, she felt a bit awkward now, and continuing to be alone together would make Qiu Yang feel even more uncomfortable.

She understood, so she let Qiu Yang leave.

Qiu Yang did think that way. Nothing happened with Shen Ningruo last night, but recalling that kiss, which seemed even more intoxicating than wine, made her mind a little chaotic.

Qiu Yang arrived home shortly. She put her suitcase in the room, looking at it and feeling somewhat comical.

Bringing it every time she saw Shen Ningruo, perhaps it was a kind of ritual.

Miao Yi was afraid Pingzi might accidentally eat something on the coffee table last night, so she tidied up a bit before leaving. But because she was also a little groggy, the tidying was simple, leaving only things Pingzi would definitely not try to eat.

Pingzi saw Qiu Yang and immediately went over to rub against her. After Qiu Yang changed her shoes, the cat sniffed them and then looked at her with a suspicious expression.

Qiu Yang: “Uh.”

“I went to a friend’s place.”

The little cat was smart; it could smell even a slight difference in scent. After Qiu Yang finished speaking, it wagged its tail and walked inside.

Qiu Yang couldn’t help but laugh. Sometimes she felt Pingzi was unbelievably smart. After laughing, she started tidying up the room herself.

Miao Yi messaged Qiu Yang at 12:30 PM, saying she had woken up and her eyes were very swollen, but she also told Qiu Yang that if there was another drinking session like that, she must be invited.

Drinking with friends was an extremely happy thing.

Drinking to drown sorrows did exist.

Qiu Yang replied: “Okay, no problem.”

She also invited Miao Yi over to eat takeout together.

Soon, Miao Yi washed up and knocked on the door. Qiu Yang was heartbroken, so whether it was drinking or eating, she would certainly accompany her.

After all, she knew how much Qiu Yang had liked Tao Sixian before.

After the meal, they cleaned up the takeout. Only then did Miao Yi suddenly remember something: “Oh, Yangyang, do you know Senior Yue Chu is back?”

Qiu Yang was stunned, looking at Miao Yi with a confused expression: “I didn’t know.”

“Ah…” Miao Yi felt a little awkward, “I thought she would have contacted you if she was back.”

Qiu Yang pursed her lips, holding Pingzi in her arms. She rubbed Pingzi’s head, then pretended to ask casually: “Did she contact you?”

“No.”

“I saw someone post a photo on Moments of having dinner with her. I asked a friend and found out Senior Yue Chu has been back from Beijing for two days.”

Miao Yi and Qiu Yang were in the same year, but Yue Chu was three years older. When they were freshmen, Yue Chu was a senior.

However, Yue Chu was very nice and knew many people. Back then, among their year, only Qiu Yang had the best relationship with Yue Chu. But after Yue Chu graduated in her senior year, she went to Beijing for graduate school and later stayed in Beijing for work.

Qiu Yang wasn’t completely out of touch with her during that time, but later they barely had contact. It was normal that she didn’t know Yue Chu was back now.

So many years had passed in a flash. Friendship needed to be maintained; otherwise, it couldn’t be sustained by memories alone for long.

Moreover, there were other things between her and Yue Chu.

What Qiu Yang didn’t expect was that right after Miao Yi left, she received a call from Yue Chu.

Yue Chu’s number hadn’t changed and was still in Qiu Yang’s contacts. She stared at the caller ID for a long time before taking a breath and answering, calling out hesitantly: “Senior Yue?”

“I’m back in Yuncheng.”

Qiu Yang feigned surprise: “Really?”

“Are you on vacation?” she quickly followed up.

“No.” Yue Chu was a radio host, and she spoke with a slight broadcasting tone, not heavy, very pleasant to listen to. But Qiu Yang hadn’t heard her speak in a long time, so it inevitably felt a little unfamiliar.

“I quit my job and plan to work in Yuncheng.”

“Will you… not welcome me?”

“Yangyang.”

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