Drain dredging

·

Two days have passed since I last set foot in the garden of Lanyue Bay.

Two days, forty-eight hours, two thousand eight hundred and eighty minutes.

Wen Lingyi never contacted her once.

The phone screen was eerily quiet, with no new message alerts and no familiar ringtone.

The silence was like a heavy stone pressing on Zhou Jianxing's heart, making her distracted while working these past two days.

When repairing electrical appliances, the screwdriver would inexplicably slip from my fingers; when installing lamps for customers, my eyes would always unconsciously drift out the window, as if I could penetrate the concrete jungle of the city and see the courtyard with white columns and thriving gardens.

Whether I open my eyes or close them, all I see is Wen Lingyi's face.

It was the curve of her lips that seemed to be half-smiled as she leaned lazily against the door frame, her peach blossom eyes that narrowed slightly in the sunlight, the subtle warmth when she spoke close to me, and the teasing words "empty, lonely, and cold"...

"Bang!"

A crisp sound brought Zhou Jianxing back from his confused thoughts.

She looked down and saw that the wrench in her hand had slipped and hit the metal toolbox under the workbench, making a harsh noise.

"Ouch!" Zhou Jianjun, who was sorting old parts nearby, was startled and looked up at his daughter. "Xingxing, what's wrong with you these past few days? You seem to have lost your soul."

He put down what he was holding and walked over to the workbench. Looking at the appliances that had been disassembled and scattered with their parts, he frowned slightly. "Look at your workbench, it's a mess, just like your heart, it's all up and down and you don't know what to do."

"Old Zhou, don't you understand? Our daughter is probably in love! Her heart is completely taken away!" Zhou Shufen poked her head out from the kitchen. "I saw her on the balcony not long ago, grinning foolishly at those pots of flowers and plants! She looked like she'd drunk honey."

"Are you in a relationship? That's great! Whose kid is it? Bring him home to meet your parents when you have time!" Zhou Jianjun patted his daughter's shoulder. "Young people, it's normal to feel agitated when you're in a relationship. Don't stress yourself out. But you still have to focus on your work. Safety comes first."

Zhou Jianxing's cheeks flushed instantly. She frantically bent down to pick up the wrench and replied vaguely, "No, Mom and Dad, don't guess... It's just... I just didn't sleep well these past two days."

She was in a state of confusion. A romantic relationship? With Mrs. Wen? This was more absurd than science fiction.

But the feeling that made her restless and lingering was so real and burning that she could only bury her head in the work at hand, trying to use mechanical movements to dispel the lingering figure in her mind.

·

That afternoon, the phone rang suddenly, shattering Zhou Jianxing's forced concentration. On the screen flashed the name that had made her heart stop—Wen Lingyi.

"Hello? Mrs. Wen?" Zhou Jianxing's voice trembled unconsciously.

"Master Zhou," Wen Lingyi's emotionless voice came from the other end of the line, "I'm sorry to bother you. The sewer in my bathroom is clogged, and water is flooding everywhere. Could you please come over as soon as possible to help clear it?"

Unclog the sewer?

"Okay... I'll be there right away..." Zhou Jianxing responded slowly, hung up the phone, let out a long sigh, and his heart was lifted again.

She...she finally contacted herself. But now Zhou Jianxing's mind was filled with the "enlightenment teaching materials" that Feng Xin Suo Ai had sent her. She simply couldn't imagine seeing Wen Lingyi again.

But Zhou Jianxing seemed to have his own thoughts and instinctively agreed to Wen Lingyi.

With a tragic mood as if he was going to the execution ground, Zhou Jianxing came to Lanyue Bay again.

Wen Lingyi opened the door for her personally. She was wearing a black lace low-cut halter dress, her hair slightly damp. "Thank you for your help, Master Zhou."

The bathroom was a mess, waterlogged and the blockage was obvious: a ball of water-swollen toilet paper stuck in the pipe.

Zhou Jianxing could tell at a glance that this didn't look like a natural blockage, but more like... man-made.

His heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously looked at Wen Lingyi who was leaning against the door frame, but then he looked away. Mrs. Wen was dressed so sexy.

The sensuality always overlapped with certain colored images in her mind, making her feel a sense of shame on the verge of suffocation, and a desire that grew like a vine...

Wen Lingyi met her gaze, not feeling the slightest bit embarrassed. Instead, a hint of amusement flashed across her beautiful peach blossom eyes. She watched Zhou Jianxing put on gloves, take out professional tools, and squat down to begin cleaning.

"Alas, this pipe," Wen Lingyi's voice sounded faintly, "it looked fine at ordinary times, but who knew when it would get blocked? The water flow is not smooth, and it has been stagnant for a long time, so it needs to be unblocked."

She paused, her eyes falling on Zhou Jianxing's busy back: "Is that right, Master Zhou?"

Zhou Jianxing's hand shook violently, and the unclogging spring in his hand almost fell out of his hand.

She understood. This time, she clearly understood the naked metaphor of "unblocking" in Wen Lingyi's words. Her cheeks instantly burned hot, and her heart was beating so wildly that it almost jumped out of her throat.

She lowered her head tightly, not daring to look at Wen Lingyi. The description in the novel and the blushing graphic tutorials in the compressed package flashed through her mind uncontrollably.

"Master Zhou?" Wen Lingyi's voice came closer, with a hint of inquiry, "Why aren't you talking? Do you think I'm wrong?"

She clearly captured the stiffness of Zhou Jianxing's body and the instant redness of his ears.

Sure enough… that set of “enlightenment textbooks” had paid off. This little fool had finally gotten the message? Although this response… was far more intense than she had anticipated.

Wen Lingyi's tentative interest grew even stronger. She decided to add fuel to the fire.

Zhou Jianxing tried desperately to suppress the turmoil in her heart, forcing herself to focus on the tools in her hands, and responded in a dry voice: "No... Mrs. Wen is right... the pipes... need to be unclogged regularly..." She tried to bring the topic back to a purely technical level.

However, Wen Lingyi obviously had no intention of letting her go.

Just as Zhou Jianxing was tightening a key screw on the pipe joint, Wen Lingyi leaned closer as if to see Zhou Jianxing's movements clearly.

A warm breath, tinged with a unique perfume, suddenly sprayed onto Zhou Jianxing's sensitive ears and the back of his neck. The breath was so close, carrying an aggression that could not be ignored.

Zhou Jianxing's hair stood on end instantly, he shuddered violently, and the tool in his hand almost fell out of his hand.

"Master Zhou, here... do you need to use a little more 'harder'?" Wen Lingyi lowered her voice so low that it sounded almost close to Zhou Jianxing's ear. The word "harder" was pronounced lightly and slowly by her, with an abrasive and ambiguous texture.

At the same time, a slightly cool and soft fingertip, as if inadvertently, gently stroked Zhou Jianxing's forearm muscles, which were slightly tense due to the force.

"boom--!"

Zhou Jianxing's brain went blank in an instant, all the blood rushed to his cheeks and ears, and all the senses in his body seemed to be concentrated on the arm that was touched.

The cool and soft touch, like sparks splashing on the dry grassland, instantly ignited the strange and surging fire lurking in her body, awakened by those "textbooks" and novels.

She could even clearly feel the slight tremors in her body, a contradictory feeling of wanting to escape but also...craving for that touch gripping her.

This is not the end yet.

Wen Lingyi seemed very satisfied with her intense reaction. Instead of retreating, she took a step forward. Her body was almost pressed against Zhou Jianxing's back. Through the thin work clothes, Zhou Jianxing could feel the warmth coming from her body.

Wen Lingyi turned her head slightly, her gaze no longer concealed, wrapping around Zhou Jianxing's lowered profile like a spider silk.

His gaze was like a physical object, starting from Zhou Jianxing's smooth forehead, gradually sliding across her long eyelashes that trembled slightly with nervousness, briefly lingering on her tightly pursed, watery lips, then slowly moving down, passing over her slender neck, and finally landing on her waistline, which was slightly tense due to her squatting posture...

Undisguised admiration and... possessiveness, as if he was carefully describing a treasure that belonged to him with his eyes.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment, leaving only the mingling sounds of their breathing and the faint dripping of water in the sewer. A silent tug-of-war unfolded in the narrow space.

Zhou Jianxing felt like she was suffocating. Every breath, every glance, every subtle touch from Wen Lingyi seemed to be precisely plucking the fragile string in her mind that had just been awakened.

What should she do?

Surrender to this overwhelming, paralyzing desire?

Or... push it away?

On one side was the fatal temptation and her deepest desires, on the other was her deep-seated moral sense and fear of unknown consequences. This intense conflict brought about shame, embarrassment, and self-loathing... and eventually, like a flood that broke through a dam, it broke through her last line of defense.

As if sensing Zhou Jianxing's hesitation, Wen Lingyi decided to add a little more stimulation and gently pressed her fingertips on the small, blood-red mole behind Zhou Jianxing's ear: "So beautiful... Master Zhou, this spot always turns especially red when you're shy."

"Woo..." A suppressed, nasal sob escaped Zhou Jianxing's throat without warning. Then, like beads from a broken string, scalding tears fell onto her stained gloves, leaving dark stains.

She could no longer control herself, her shoulders began to shake violently, and she cried helplessly like a lost child.

It's not grievance, nor anger, but a collapse caused by being forced into a desperate situation and unable to withstand the tremendous psychological pressure.

The sudden tears instantly froze the playfulness and amusement on Wen Lingyi's face.

The smile on Wen Lingyi's face disappeared, and her expression became flustered. She just wanted to tease her and see her shy and flustered look, which she thought was part of the fun of hunting.

She anticipated that Zhou Jianxing might run away with a red face like before, might stutter and refuse, or even... might respond clumsily under great stimulation.

But she never expected that it would be... crying?

The tears came so violently, so real, filled with pain and confusion, completely beyond Wen Lingyi's control and expectation. Those eyes, always clear and innocent, were now soaked with tears, filled with a fragility and helplessness that pierced her heart.

The fire in Wen Lingyi's eyes instantly died. Almost subconsciously, she straightened up a bit hastily and distanced herself. Her aggressive aura instantly subsided, leaving only a subtle awkwardness and... a hint of softness that she herself hadn't even noticed.

"Master Zhou... Master Zhou?" Wen Lingyi's voice was unusually uncertain. "What's wrong with you?"

Zhou Jianxing cried even harder when she heard that. She shook her head desperately and couldn't speak. She could only apologize intermittently: "I'm... I'm sorry... Mrs. Wen... I... I didn't mean it... I... I fixed it..." She hurriedly cleaned up the last bit of blockage, packed up the tools in a hurry, and didn't even dare to look at Wen Lingyi again, and fled again.

"Zhou..." Wen Lingyi stretched out her hand to call her, but swallowed the words back when they reached her lips.

She watched Zhou Jianxing stumble down the stairs and disappear out the door, her brows furrowed.

What is this doing?

·

At night, on the rooftop terrace, Wen Lingyi held her wine glass, gazing at the twinkling lights of the city in the distance, only to feel distraught. The image of Zhou Jianxing's tear-stained face and eyes filled with pain and confusion from the daytime kept replaying in her mind.

Why?

Zhou Jianxing had clearly stated on the blue app, using the username "Xingxing," that he liked her. Wen Lingyi had heard and seen that cautious yet incredibly sincere confession firsthand. If he liked her, why did he react so violently to her teasing and approaching, even...breaking down in tears?

Wen Lingyi couldn't understand. This feeling of being out of control made her very uncomfortable. She picked up her phone and clicked on the blue app.

Sealing Heart and Locking Love: "Little Star? Are you there?"

Feng Xin Suo Ai: "Why haven't you been in touch these past two days? How are things going with the person you like?"

After a long time, so long that Wen Lingyi thought the other party would not reply, the message box finally lit up.

Xingxing: (a crying emoticon)

Xingxing: "I don't know... I'm in so much pain... so confused..."

Xingxing: "I don't know what she wants to do... I... I'm so scared..."

Wen Lingyi's heart sank as she read these words. Scared?

Did she really scare that little fool like that during the day?

Her fingertips hovered over the screen, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

She had anticipated many reactions, but fear and pain were not among them.

This seemed to be heading in a completely different direction from the hunting game she had expected, which was full of ambiguous tension.

She was silent for a long time before she typed carefully.

Seal the Heart and Lock the Love: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Feng Xin Suo Ai: "Since she is interested in you and you like her, isn't this a mutual affection? Just follow your heart."

She tried to comfort and guide by using her identity of "sealing the heart and locking the love".

Xingxing: “No…”

Xingxing: "It's not that I don't like it... but... it's wrong... it's weird..."

Xingxing: "I'm filled with fear..."

Fear? Wen Lingyi frowned. Fear of what? Fear of her? Fear of the intimacy itself? Or fear of... her married status?

Feng Xin Suo Ai: "(smirking expression) By the way, how's your preparation for the "study materials" my sister sent you?"

Xingxing: "...(an embarrassed expression)"

Xingxing: "I watched a little bit... it was... too explicit... I didn't finish it..."

Wen Lingyi raised an eyebrow. This was expected. She continued to encourage him.

Feng Xin Suo Ai: "No matter how much theoretical knowledge you have, it's not as good as true knowledge gained through practice!"

Feng Xin Suo Ai: "Don't overthink it, just get straight to the actual practice! I guarantee you'll get the taste!"

She spoke with her usual half-hearted, seductive tone.

However, this time, Zhou Jianxing's response was unusually firm.

Star: "No!"

Xingxing: "I don't like uncertainty..."

Xingxing: "If...if something really happened between me and her...I feel like my future life...will become so uncertain...so complicated..."

Xingxing: "I'll be very stressed..."

Wen Lingyi looked at the words "very stressed" and was about to type to ask the other party "Why are you under so much pressure" when Zhou Jianxing's next message popped up.

Xingxing: "Because..."

Xingxing: "What I want...is a relationship with a future."

Wen Lingyi's fingers, which were about to type, froze in mid-air.

The dim light of the screen reflected her suddenly frozen expression. All the careless teasing, effortless inducements, and hunting game excitement were shattered at this moment by these simple, straightforward, yet weighty words.

She looked at the sentence for a long time without moving.

The night breeze blew across the terrace, bringing a hint of coolness.

future?

Wen Lingyi had never thought about this question.

Wen Lingyi enjoys the pleasure of pulling at the moment, the pleasure of being in control, and the warm sunshine that fills the emptiness.

She sent Zhou Jianxing the teaching materials and encouraged her to practice, but it was just a step in the hunting process, a means to make the prey more addicted. She had never truly considered the weight of the word "future".

And Zhou Jianxing, this little fool who looks ignorant, clumsy and is always amused by her, deep down desires exactly what she is unable to give and most unwilling to touch - the future.

He felt a mixture of emotions. There was anger at having his hunting plans disrupted, a sense of the absurdity of Zhou Jianxing's "dreamy dreams," but more than that... a deep, cold, as if seen through... a loss of words.

For the first time in this game she had carefully designed, she felt truly out of control, and a sense of powerlessness... which she herself was unwilling to admit.

The light on the screen dimmed, reflecting Wen Lingyi's silent profile.

In the end, she didn't say a word in reply. She simply drank the rest of the wine in the glass. The cold liquid slid down her throat, but it couldn't quench the icy waves surging in her heart.