Chapter 84
After the academic tests were completed, Mington School gave everyone a rare long holiday, and Yun Zhan went back the next afternoon.
The raindrops made the entire moon shine. Yun Zhan had just stepped out of the teaching building when his phone vibrated slightly in his pocket. The screen lit up, and a simple text message popped up:
Pei Yanxi: Are you free today? Let me explain that matter from last time in more detail. I also have some documents that you can take a look at.
Yun Zhan stood under the eaves, his fingertips pausing on the screen for two seconds.
The raindrops fell on the protective shed, the sound like a dense drumbeat, making her heartbeat slightly erratic.
To go or not to go?
Her original intention was to no longer get involved in school affairs and to live a peaceful and quiet life.
However, deep down, Yun Zhan had a feeling that if she didn't investigate this matter thoroughly... she would miss something.
Yun Zhan took a deep breath and replied with only one word:
Yun Zhan: Okay.
After sending the message, she put her phone back in her pocket, opened her umbrella, and walked into the rain.
Rainwater rolled down the umbrella ribs, as if coating this hasty decision with a layer of flowing light.
As dusk fell, the floor lamps of the rooftop restaurant by the river lit up.
On the obsidian-like facade, LED strips of light, like flowing golden threads, illuminate the entire city as a backdrop.
Pei Yanxi booked a private room by the window.
Tonight, she wore a black dress with a tight waistline and a slit at the hem that revealed glimpses of her straight calves. Her curly hair was styled into lazy waves by the stylist, and her red lips shone with a moist glow under the lights, like a ripe rose.
Seeing Yun Zhan push the door open and come in, Pei Yanxi raised her hand to signal him, her voice still indifferent: "I've already ordered the food, please have a seat."
As soon as Yun Zhan sat down, Pei Yanxi placed the file bag she was holding on the table, and with a light push of her fingertips, the brown paper bag slid softly across the linen tablecloth.
The restaurant's main entrance was opened by a waiter. Shi Mingyue was just passing by and visiting the restaurant today, so she didn't make a fuss or put on makeup.
She wore a misty blue knitted long coat over an ordinary white cotton long dress that reached her ankles. The night breeze gently lifted the dress, like ripples on a lake.
Her long hair was casually tied up with a hair tie, with a few stray strands falling to the side of her neck. When the light shone on it, it was velvety and gilded with a layer of soft gold.
The manager, with his sharp eyes, jogged over to greet her: "Ms. Shi, are you here for dinner? We've been saving a private room for you."
Shi Mingyue nodded politely, but her gaze unconsciously swept across the lobby. She rarely set foot in this store, but the moment she stepped in, her heart was inexplicably tugged by something, as if an invisible thread was pulling her gaze straight to the window.
In the light cast by the floor lamp, she saw Yun Zhan's back, his shoulders neatly defined, and the ends of his hair still damp with rain.
Opposite Yun Zhan, Pei Yanxi, dressed in a black dress, with red lips and curly hair, exuded a mature yet almost flamboyant air. She leaned forward slightly and spoke softly with Yun Zhan.
The scene, illuminated by the lamplight, resembled a close-up of a couple in a movie.
Shi Mingyue's breath hitched suddenly, her chest felt like it had been struck by a heavy hammer, and her eardrums were ringing.
The manager's pleasantries, the footsteps of the surrounding guests, and even the background music were all pulled away in that instant, leaving only those two closely pressed silhouettes in the world.
"What would you like to eat..."
Shi Mingyue took a deep breath, but couldn't stop the trembling of her fingertips. Things in front of her began to blur, and even the tablet report handed to her by the manager became a swaying blur.
Shi Mingyue stood there in a daze for a few seconds, and then she suddenly tasted a bitter, rusty flavor on her tongue. Only then did she realize that she had bitten her lower lip too hard.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to look away from the two close-up figures.
"I'm not going to eat, I have other things to do."
Shi Mingyue spoke softly to the manager, then turned and left, her steps hurried as if fleeing, her heels clicking erratically on the marble floor.
For someone as well-mannered as her, this was the first time she had ever fled in a panic while speaking to someone.
A night breeze swept over me, carrying the damp coolness of the river.
She wandered aimlessly across the small square in front of the restaurant, and only stopped in front of a quiet bench by the river nearby.
The lights were dim, the shadows of the trees swayed, and she slumped back in her chair as if falling, her hands gripping her handbag tightly, her knuckles turning white.
It felt like something was playing on repeat in my mind.
Shi Mingyue couldn't help but recall the scene in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the restaurant, where Pei Yanxi, dressed in a black dress and with red lips, leaned forward while Yun Zhan sat with his back to her, his shoulders sharp and clean. The two of them were head to head, and the light cast an ambiguous warm hue over the scene.
Every frame is like a fine needle, gently piercing the heart; not fatal, but painful enough.
She lowered her head, her bangs obscuring her eyes, which were filled with darkness.
She knew very well that Yun Zhan wasn't that kind of person; they were probably discussing something. She told herself she shouldn't act impulsively or question him; she could ask Yun Zhan when she got home...
But emotions are like the tide; the more you try to block them, the higher they rise. She still feels sad, anxious, and can't help but think, "What if?"
The wind dappled the shadows of the trees, which fell at her feet. Shi Mingyue loosened the bag strap that she had been clutching so tightly that it was wrinkled, gently exhaled a puff of white mist, and looked up at the still brightly lit restaurant sign in the distance.
She didn't cry, but her eyes were a little red.
After seeing Pei Yanxi off, Yun Zhan walked through the side door of the restaurant and saw the bench by the river in the distance. The raindrops were like fine silver needles, falling one by one on Shi Mingyue's shoulder.
She lowered her head, her hair damp from the rain and mist, with stray strands clinging to her temples, like jasmine soaked in the night.
Shi Mingyue looked up, raindrops rolling down her eyelashes. She murmured to herself, "Is it already raining? I should have brought the driver along..."
"Never mind, let's ask Yun Zhan if she brought an umbrella. If not, I'll have the driver pick her up."
Shi Mingyue took out her phone and tapped the screen with her fingertip, wanting to call Yun Zhan, but before she could dial the number, the sky suddenly went dark.
A black umbrella hung in mid-air, instantly blocking out the sound of the rain.
Yun Zhan bent over, tilting the umbrella entirely towards her, leaving half of his shoulder exposed to the rain, with tiny water droplets still clinging to his eyelashes.
Yun Zhan blinked, his voice soft yet warm: "Why are you here alone? Didn't you bring a driver with you?"
Yun Zhan stretched out his hand, palm up, fingertips wet with rain, and with concern: "If there's no driver, let's go back together."
Shi Mingyue froze. Her phone screen was still lit, but there was no need to make that call again.
She looked up and gazed into Yun Zhan's eyes, which were bright and clear from the rain...
Shi Mingyue placed her hand in Yun Zhan's palm, her fingertips icy cold: "Okay, let's go home together."
Under the rain, the ribs of two umbrellas gently touched, the black umbrella and the white long dress overlapping to create a gentle watercolor painting.
The heater hummed, and the room temperature was set to the most comfortable 26°C.
Raindrops still clung to the French windows, and when the light shone on them, they looked like countless tiny diamonds.
Yun Zhan closed the door behind him, pressed his back against the door panel, and took a deep breath. The room was so warm that it instantly evaporated the damp chill brought in from outside into a thin mist.
Shi Mingyue stood in front of the dressing mirror with her back to her, and with a flick of her finger, her coat slid onto the carpet.
The wet ends of her hair curled and clung to her neck, like a winding stream in the night.
The transparent shoulder straps are almost invisible under the warm light, making the shoulder blades even more prominent. The two thin and upright curves are like the folded wings of a butterfly, ready to flutter away at the slightest movement.
Shi Mingyue raised her hand and brushed the ends of her hair aside, splashing water droplets at Yun Zhan's feet. Her voice was casual: "You... went out to eat with Pei Yanxi today?"
Yun Zhan's heart tightened suddenly, and his fingertips unconsciously gripped the hem of his clothes: "I...."
At this moment, Shi Mingyue turned around, her eyes still slightly red from the rain, like a jasmine flower that had been soaked and was about to fall, yet she tried her best to bloom with gentleness: "It's okay, baby, just tell me, I didn't mean to question you."
Yun Zhan replied immediately, his voice rising in panic: "I was talking to Pei Yanxi about school matters, I'm sorry... I didn't tell you beforehand."
She stared nervously at Shi Mingyue, her eyelashes trembling violently. "Are you angry?"
Shi Mingyue nodded honestly.
"Yes, I'm jealous."
The redness under her eyes became more and more obvious, as if she was about to overflow with grievances.
She took a step closer, the transparent bra strap gleaming softly under the warm light, her collarbone rising and falling gently with her breath.
Shi Mingyue's voice was low and husky, with a slight nasal tone: "I'm angry because I ran out in the rain and saw you sitting together... like on a date."
As she finished speaking, her voice choked with sobs, and as she looked at Yun Zhan, her eyes were like those of a cat drenched in rain, so pitiful that it made one's heart tremble.
Yun Zhan panicked instantly and rushed forward, his fingertips carefully touching Shi Mingyue's damp hair: "I'm sorry, I made you sad."
"This was my fault, you can punish me however you like."
As soon as Yun Zhan finished speaking, a faint glimmer appeared in the moist mist in Shi Mingyue's eyes, like a candle wick being flicked in the night, casting a warm light.
"Really...anything is fine?"
Shi Mingyue asked softly, the last syllable of her voice lingering, yet revealing a stubbornness that left no room for refusal.
Yun Zhan nodded, but before he could speak, Shi Mingyue turned and walked towards the door. With a "click," the latch closed, and the room instantly became a closed little world.
She turned back, took Yun Zhan's wrist, and pressed him down onto the soft stool. She exerted force with her palm, but her movements were trembling with restraint.
"Be good, don't move."
Then, she lifted her leg, straddled Yun Zhan's lap, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and neck, and buried her whole body in his arms.
The warm light cast their shadows into a closed circle.
No one can escape, and no one wants to escape.
Shi Mingyue raised her head, her eyes still tinged with the red of the rain, but now burning with a stubborn light.
She leaned close to Yun Zhan's earlobe, her teeth gently clenched, and bit down. The force wasn't strong, but it was enough to make Yun Zhan gasp and hiss softly.
"Does it hurt?" Shi Mingyue asked in a low voice, her breath hot, her lips pressed against the tiny teeth mark: "Baby, when you apologize to a girl, you can't just say it..."
As she finished speaking, she buried her face in Yun Zhan's shoulder again, like a cat finding its safest nest: "Do you know what I want?"
"What do you want...?" Yun Zhan looked up and met Shi Mingyue's gaze.
"I want you to take the initiative. Yun Zhan... The first two times, I was the one who took the initiative. I also like it when you take the initiative to possess me, to want me... Even if you bully me, it's okay, even if it hurts..."
Yun Zhan suddenly stood up, grabbed Shi Mingyue's shoulder, and pressed her back onto the stool. His voice was low and hoarse: "Then finish doing what you said you would bully last time."
Shi Mingyue didn't say anything, only nodded slightly, her ear tips were so red they were almost bleeding.
Yun Zhan bent down, picked the person up in his arms, and walked a few steps to the wall.
Shi Mingyue's back trembled slightly as the cool wallpaper pressed against her back, and she was flipped over the next second.
She was facing the wall, breathing rapidly, her fingers unconsciously digging into the wall.
"Yun Zhan?... " Shi Mingyue panicked a little. She subconsciously tried to turn around, but her neck was grabbed.
Yun Zhan didn't use much force; he was just trying to control her.
The skirt slid down, bunching up at her ankles; the neckline was pulled askew; and the buttons popped open silently, falling to the side.
Yun Zhan wrapped one arm around her knees and the other hand slipped along her waistline. The warmth of his palm spread like wildfire. Shi Mingyue bit her lip, but still let out soft sobs. As if struck by an electric current, her legs went weak and she could barely stand.
The lamplight flickered, and a barely audible thud came from the wall, mixed with suppressed gasps and increasingly heavy breathing.
The overlapping shadows on the floor resembled two elongated lines that eventually tangled into a knot.
After a long while, the commotion gradually subsided.
Shi Mingyue was practically hanging in Yun Zhan's arms, her skirt bunched up at her waist in a mess, and her neckline was open down to her collarbone, revealing mottled red marks.
Her undergarments were tossed aside, leaving her only in Yun Zhan's shirt, which hung loosely on her arm.
Shi Mingyue's legs were so weak she couldn't straighten them at all; her toes trembled as soon as they touched the ground. She could only press her forehead against the wall, breathing softly, her voice still trembling with sobs.
"...I can't stand up anymore."
Yun Zhan wrapped his arms around her from behind, his palms pressed against her sweaty chest, his voice low and gentle: "Then lean on me, okay?"
Shi Mingyue nodded gently, tears mingling with sweat as they rolled down her cheeks, but with a satisfied smile on her face.
On the floor, water stains intertwined with the folds of their skirts, like a newly completed, secret painting that belonged only to them.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
