After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 52.2

After a month confined to bed, her condition finally stabilized.

At first, she felt guilty watching Pei Ying tirelessly care for her without rest, and she was determined to recover quickly.

But as her health gradually improved, she found herself reluctant to let go of the tenderness Pei Ying had lavished upon her during this time.

Especially since, under the guise of being ill, she could get away with quite a few mischievous acts.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to get up and move around earlier?”

The sunlight was particularly lovely today, and Pei Ying had helped the homeowner dry some fish.

Returning inside, she found Ye Su still lying in bed and couldn’t help but worry, “Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Ye Su blinked, gazing at her, “I am a little uncomfortable.”

Pei Ying closed the door, walked over, and sat by the bed, reaching to feel her forehead.

But her hand was caught.

Ye Su’s voice was slightly hoarse as she whispered to her, “I want”

During this time, although they had shared some intimate moments, they had held back from going further out of concern for Ye Su’s health.

Pei Ying’s ears grew warm, and she was about to say something when Ye Su added, “But I don’t have the strength.”

Unsure whether to feel disappointed or relieved, Pei Ying replied, “Then rein in those thoughts and focus on recovering”

“Why don’t you take the lead?” Ye Su suggested, as if she had planned this all along, her gaze burning intently.

Pei Ying was momentarily stunned, then bit her lower lip, her eyes shifting uncomfortably away.

Ye Su had brought this up before, but Pei Ying, being shy, had always refused.

This time, however, Ye Su didn’t back down as she usually did when met with reluctance.

Once again, she played the pitiful card by feigning illness and weakness, then acted sweet and coquettish.

Later, Pei Ying didn’t know whether she had been bewitched by Ye Su or what, but she actually held her hand and straddled over.

Then, she remained completely still.

At this point, she had already done her best, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“A-Ying?” Ye Su looked up at the woman’s face, knowing she had likely reached her limit.

Ye Su had been sitting with her legs bent, Pei Ying leaning back against her thighs.

But with a mischievous intent, she straightened her legs. Pei Ying immediately lost her support, her body tilting, but she quickly regained her balance and adjusted to sit upright.

With that movement, an involuntary sigh of satisfaction escaped her throat.

After the sound escaped, Pei Ying herself felt her face grow warm, a wave of heat surging through her entire body.

“A-Ying, just move like this”

Ye Su gazed at her with deep, intense eyes, her whispers winding around Pei Ying’s ears.

It was a place of bliss that Pei Ying could not escape nor did she want to like a dream, ethereal and unreal.

After staying in the fishing village for a month and a half, they knew it was no place to settle permanently.

Ye Su and Pei Ying bid farewell to the woman and her daughter, choosing the right moment to leave the fishing village.

The journey should have felt like wandering, but because they had each other, it became a leisurely trip.

They eventually arrived at a coastal city in the east.

The city was extremely prosperous, with countless outsiders coming to seek their livelihoods. Amid the hustle and bustle, the sudden appearance of two women on a certain day stirred no ripples in anyone’s heart.

Thus, they were able to find their own tranquil space within the busy rhythm and begin a new life.

Pei Ying had a considerable amount of money, allowing them a comfortable start.

However, the high cost of living here still made it unsustainable in the long run.

After renting a place, Ye Su found a job as a piano teacher with a generous salary. Pei Ying, meanwhile, tried submitting scripts to a theater to earn royalties.

To avoid being tied down by her past, she dared not appear on stage to act. Fortunately, her years of performing in theaters had given her a deep understanding of what characters and stories resonated most with audiences.

The scripts she contributed were well-received by audiences and even became popular in neighboring cities. Later, the theater offered a high price and signed a contract with her for stable contributions.

Perhaps it was a case of hardship giving way to sweetness everything went smoothly. The two earned enough money to buy the house they had been renting, redesigning and decorating it to their liking.

In their cozy little home, they even held their own wedding.

The proposal, it must be said, was highly dramatic.

Ye Su had always felt that proposing with a grass ring that day was too hasty and unworthy of her A-Ying.

So, after earning money, she secretly went to buy an expensive ring.

She racked her brains, unsure where to hide it to create a surprise. Worried that Pei Ying might accidentally discover it, she always carried it in her bag when going out.

That afternoon, she originally had a class, but her student had an unexpected matter, so she returned home halfway through the lesson.

They had stayed up late the night before, and she was concerned that Pei Ying might need to catch up on sleep in the afternoon, so she entered as quietly as possible.

Thus, Pei Ying, who was engrossed in trying on the ring, remained completely unaware.

Ye Su stared blankly at Pei Ying, watching as the woman cherished the ring, carefully put it on, then cautiously removed it and replaced it with the grass ring. Her heart ached with emotion.

Had A-Ying bought herself a beautiful ring because she longed for one?

Feeling guilty for not giving Pei Ying the best in time, she immediately and urgently pulled the ring from her bag. As Pei Ying turned around in surprise at the sound, Ye Su stepped forward.

She removed the grass ring and slipped the newly purchased engagement ring onto Pei Ying’s finger.

“Ah Ying.” Forgetting the countless drafts of the proposal she had memorized, forgetting the romantic gesture of kneeling on one knee, Ye Su effortlessly turned what should have been a lifelong memory into the silliest moment of her life.

She confiscated the ring Pei Ying had just tried on and said childishly and pitifully, “Just wear the ring I bought, okay?”

Feeling too selfish, she quickly added a compromise, “If you like this one, you can wear it on your right hand.”

It took Pei Ying a moment to process what was happening.

She stared at Ye Su and burst into laughter.

She laughed so hard her body trembled, unable to calm down for a long time.

Under Ye Su’s innocent gaze, she finally found her voice and explained, “This is the wedding ring I bought.”

Instead of taking back the ring Ye Su was clutching in her hand, she took out an exquisite box from the drawer, which held the matching ring of the pair.

“You gave me a proposal ring before, so I wanted to prepare a pair of wedding rings,” Pei Ying said softly. “Even though we can’t get a marriage certificate, I hope we have everything we should.”

She smiled helplessly, “I was actually planning to propose again.”

Ye Su: “…”

Well, her momentary impulse had ruined two upcoming proposals.

Observing Ye Su’s utterly defeated expression, Pei Ying held back her laughter, took her hand, and pulled her into an embrace.

Ye Su heard the woman’s gentle, melodious voice whisper in her ear, “Ye Su, you would be willing to marry Pei Ying, right?”

Ye Su had run away from the arranged marriage at home twice, nearly losing her life in the process.

But this marriage before her was the longing of the rest of her life.

Ye Su’s eyes misted over as she held her tightly in return.

“Nothing would make me happier.”

Amidst the tides of society, their love was intense yet hidden.

Thus, the wedding was attended only by the two of them. Fortunately, this love needed no blessings or elaborate ceremonies, their mutual affection was enough to fill the void.

A double happiness character was pasted on the window, and the wedding dress was a vibrant red. They exchanged rings, shared the ceremonial wine, pledged their hearts and souls to one another, vowing to grow old together.

That wedding dress was carefully put on Pei Ying by Ye Su, and it was also Ye Su who gently removed it for her.

The red dress lay scattered, and the night was endless.

Later, Ye Su gazed at Pei Ying, whose eyes were tinged with a seductive springtime allure, her watery gaze holding only Ye Su.

She leaned down reverently and kissed Pei Ying’s lips, murmuring:

“Ah Ying, if there is a next life, will you promise yourself to me again?”

Her words deepened the moisture in Pei Ying’s eyes.

Pei Ying caressed her face and asked, “If there is a next life, will you still have the instinct to chase after me?”

“Yes,” Ye Su said. “As long as it’s Ah Ying.”

Pei Ying smiled softly and whispered:

“I believe you.”

The story of Ye Su and Pei Ying ends here. They will spend the rest of their lives together in happiness and peace.

As for whether they made a promise for the next life? Even the editor is curious (Jiang & Qi: …Pretentious).

All parts about Ye and Pei were written while looping this song on repeat: Lana Del Rey/Father John Misty’s “Let The Light In.”