Bullying The Sister-In-Law - Chapter 18

Snow-white and light, like cream, Liu Chengxu’s lips were scorching, almost melting on contact.

Those few words succeeded in making Su Zhiluo tremble. She covered her face with her hand and soon began to cry aloud.

Liu Chengxu gazed at her with a heavy heart, but never let go. When she lifted her head, her lips remained tightly pressed against Su Zhiluo’s. She gently placed her hand over her sister-in-law’s.

If you don’t want to see, then don’t.

Su Zhiluo tried to say that they shouldn’t do this. Liu Chengxu raised her head again and kissed Su Zhiluo’s lips, blocking the words in Su Zhiluo’s throat. Not wanting to hear her sister-in-law’s refusal, she kissed Su Zhiluo until she made no sound. Liu Chengxu, breathing heavily, continued to kiss along her skin.

Su Zhiluo’s body trembled slightly. Had it started that day when her legs were cold? If so… it was far too early.

She was enveloped by a suffocating despair, yet her body seemed to have already grown familiar with such a touch, shivering uncontrollably under Liu Chengxu’s teasing. As Liu Chengxu’s kiss reached Su Zhiluo’s seductive waist, Liu Chengxu’s hands cupped her sides, and she placed a kiss on the small of her back.

All the heat of summer seemed to converge here. The moment Liu Chengxu pressed her cheek against the skin, she felt a startling heat. The air was filled with their post-bath scent.

Su Zhiluo always selected her bath products with great care. She always felt that Liu Chengxu was overly frugal and never spent money on such things.

This familiar fragrance, mingled with their body heat, transformed into the most seductive aroma, silently spreading in the night.

Liu Chengxu’s pink fingernails glistened with moisture.

Liu Chengxu knew her sister-in-law was scared and struggling. She leaned over and lightly kissed the beautiful rose garden. The thorns were slightly messy, but the fine, soft down was particularly obedient, like a well-behaved cat.

With the lights off, many things were unclear, but Liu Chengxu’s eyesight was excellent. She could see that Su Zhiluo was clearly trembling.

She pushed that small item down to her knee crease and reached for her backpack.

Su Zhiluo heard the subtle crinkle of packaging being opened. She slightly raised her head, looking at her in shock. Liu Chengxu was currently tearing open an aluminum foil packet. Noticing her gaze, her actions paused slightly. The astonishment in Su Zhiluo’s eyes was too obvious; she was clearly seeing this for the first time too.

A strange thrill surged in Liu Chengxu’s heart, a certain excitement of a first-time exploration flowing through her veins. She carefully put it on and said in a trembling voice, “I’m putting on a c.”

“What?” Su Zhiluo was shocked. A degree of lucidity mixed with her fear.

Liu Chengxu lowered her head and kissed her again.

She knew her sister-in-law hated her, but she also knew her sister-in-law was enjoying it.

Her lips and tongue could feel the change.

Su Zhiluo began to resist her approach, twisting her body in struggle, curling up and resisting. Liu Chengxu took a deep breath, controlling her movements.

Liu Chengxu understood her well. Having spent so much time with her sister-in-law, she knew better than anyone how lonely her sister-in-law was. Her sister-in-law craved to be touched, which is why she would let Liu Chengxu “eat her” when drunk.

There was even one time when her sister-in-law guided her hand-by-hand.

She kissed her earnestly.

Liu Chengxu thought she could go through with it, the two of them breaking the metaphorical window pane. Su Zhiluo slapped her arm. Liu Chengxu looked up at her, and the next second, Su Zhiluo fiercely slapped her across the face.

Su Zhiluo’s chest heaved, and tears welled up in her eyes. “You… you need to clear your head. I am, I am your sister-in-law.”

Liu Chengxu looked at her with her eyes.

I am your sister-in-law, but can’t we be like this?

Liu Chengxu bit her lip hard, wincing in pain. Her aggrieved expression was starkly clear even in the dark. She let out a long sigh, “…Is it only I who can’t?”

Su Zhiluo hummed a faint “Yes.”

Liu Chengxu could have gone all the way, regardless of the consequences, but upon hearing the sound of crying, she stopped anyway. She lay on top of Su Zhiluo, her own tears silently falling. She was unwilling to give up. Su Zhiluo clearly wanted it, yet she always rejected her…

Su Zhiluo was still trembling. Almost. I was almost in bed with the younger sister of the man I once loved.

Liu Chengxu held her arm and said, “I won’t do anything to you. I’m sorry.”

Liu Chengxu turned over and lay beside Su Zhiluo. She said, “Don’t worry. I won’t come over for any holiday after this.”

Su Zhiluo was crying very softly, not responding to her words. Liu Chengxu looked at the ceiling. She said, “Your conscious and unconscious avoidance is really hurtful.”

Liu Chengxu then turned on her side and hugged her waist.

Su Zhiluo’s voice was terribly hoarse, and she was visibly trembling. “What we did before…”

Liu Chengxu whispered, “I secretly taught myself.”

She chose to lie. If Su Zhiluo knew that most of the intimate actions she was capable of stemmed from Su Zhiluo’s own guidance, Su Zhiluo would absolutely not be able to handle it.

Su Zhiluo wasn’t upholding worldly chastity; she just couldn’t accept that the person was her deceased wife’s sister, the blood relative of the person she had once loved.

Thinking of this, Liu Chengxu’s heart ached to the point of numbness. She couldn’t feel her own heartbeat anymore. Su Zhiluo had even tried to accept others in the middle, wanting to start a normal relationship, so why was she the only one who couldn’t?

All the consequences had to be borne by her alone. She felt like she was about to explode. She sobbed, saying, “That’s not fair…”

Su Zhiluo didn’t respond to her. She propped herself up and tried to climb out of bed. Liu Chengxu reached out, wanting to hug Su Zhiluo tightly, but was pushed away. Su Zhiluo scrambled up and knelt by the bed. The pink undergarment was still caught on her knee, hindering her movements. She frantically pulled it up, managing to barely cover one side of her hip.

Liu Chengxu saw everything clearly, including her legs. She felt uncomfortable, and her sister-in-law must have felt worse, but Su Zhiluo stubbornly refused to let her help.

Liu Chengxu went to fetch a new one and brought it over. As soon as she got close.

Su Zhiluo raised her hand and slapped her again.

A crisp “thwack” rang out, making Su Zhiluo’s wrist subtly tingle. Liu Chengxu painfully turned her head away. Su Zhiluo took the chance to struggle and stand up. The small space offered her nowhere to retreat, forcing her to stumble back to the other side of the bed.

Just as Liu Chengxu propped herself up, Su Zhiluo kicked out again, hitting her squarely in the abdomen. Liu Chengxu instantly curled up in pain, her hands pressed tightly against her lower stomach.

Su Zhiluo was also startled by her own kick and instinctively wanted to step forward to check on her.

Liu Chengxu, however, called out, “Don’t come near me.”

Su Zhiluo froze in place, merely panting. It was only now that she saw what Liu Chengxu was holding and realized what Liu Chengxu had been trying to do.

Liu Chengxu, still hunched over, pulled at her lips, forcing out a pained, “I’m fine” smile.

She gasped, “I won’t die.”

“Let me calm down.”

Liu Chengxu lay down, covering her stomach, her back to Su Zhiluo. She still felt something, like a glutton for punishment. Su Zhiluo’s beating, on the contrary, gave her a certain sense of reality, causing the long-standing emptiness to throb with excitement. She kept her legs together, curled up, savoring the lingering sensation.

Su Zhiluo was no better off. She lay on her side in bed, covering her face. All the weight seemed to be pressing on her slender spine. Her body’s reaction made her feel ashamed. That uncontrollable warmth felt as though it was wringing out her soul.

Unsatisfied, like a night of heavy rain.

The night enveloped everything. They both knew they shouldn’t, yet in that “shouldn’t,” they indulged in a condemning obsession.

They were like two wicked people, stealing forbidden pleasure amidst silent condemnation.

Fortunately, neither of them had any faith, so they didn’t have to worry about a deity inflicting punishment.

Afterward, it was as if nothing had happened. Liu Chengxu put the opened box back into her backpack and went back to the daily tasks of the store.

Liu Chengxu still went for her morning run. She would eat outside before returning and placing breakfast next to Su Zhiluo. Su Zhiluo’s eyes were always red. Liu Chengxu wanted to go over and comfort her, but she knew that saying nothing was better than saying anything. Not bringing it up was the rule for their survival.

The two slaps were so hard that Liu Chengxu’s face was swollen for three full days. Her cheek was still red the day she left.

Su Zhiluo was sleepless the night Liu Chengxu was due to leave. She lay in silence, knowing Liu Chengxu on the other side was equally awake. Around one or two in the morning, Liu Chengxu suddenly sat up, slid onto the floor, lowered her head, and kissed her lips.

Liu Chengxu might have been a woman of her word in other matters, but in the face of desire, her self-control was almost non-existent.

Su Zhiluo’s trust in her was utterly gone at this moment.

After a brief separation from the kiss, Liu Chengxu tucked her long hair behind her ear and knelt by the bed, leaning in again. Su Zhiluo kept her eyes closed, sinking continuously in the darkness, as if drowning in a bottomless sea. Liu Chengxu cupped her face with both hands, their soft lips meeting, moving and kissing delicately. The kiss lasted too long, and Su Zhiluo’s lips started to ache.

And this time, the warm sensation finally landed on her neck. Like a puppy, incessantly licking her neck, trying to please her, begging her not to abandon her.

It was a good thing Su Zhiluo wore a bra to sleep, or it would have been ridiculous.

After the kiss, Liu Chengxu went to get tissues. Su Zhiluo initially didn’t know what she was going to do, thinking she was going to wipe her mouth. Instead, Liu Chengxu took the tissues to her feet and helped her wipe away the wetness.

Su Zhiluo dared not move.

It felt… exactly like water torture.

Liu Chengxu was using wet wipes, which was agonizing for Su Zhiluo.

Afterward, Su Zhiluo fell asleep.

No wonder people say you fall asleep quickly after self-relief.

Su Zhiluo’s nerves, taut for several consecutive days, finally relaxed, and she slept soundly that night. She woke up at half-past nine to find that Liu Chengxu had not only processed all the orders accumulated from last night but had also washed the sheets and duvet covers and hung them on the windowsill to dry. On the cleared bed frame, an air cooler and a potted Venus flytrap were neatly placed.

Her flight was at three in the afternoon, which Su Zhiluo had bought for her, telling her to refund the ten-plus-hour train ticket.

When Liu Chengxu was around, Su Zhiluo didn’t have to worry about meals, laundry, or cleaning.

This feeling of being fully taken care of made Su Zhiluo momentarily feel as if she were being pampered by a cold-faced, young “wolf-dog” wife.

Su Zhiluo scratched her head, intending to tell her not to work on orders today, but she turned and met Liu Chengxu’s intense gaze.

Never mind.

She didn’t know what to say either.

Online sales had been good for the past two days, mostly sun-protective clothing and short T-shirts, with shipping addresses mostly being various schools. Su Zhiluo had originally wanted to sell some sun protection products as well, but unfortunately, she didn’t have a reliable source.

Liu Chengxu hadn’t expected Su Zhiluo to see her off. Her composure, which she had carefully put together, instantly broke. She hastily lowered her head to hide the rush of tears, forcing herself not to let Su Zhiluo see them. She didn’t want to seem too childish.

Su Zhiluo naturally reached for the bag in her hand, just as she had done before, and tried to help her with her backpack. Liu Chengxu held down the strap: “This is heavy, I’ll carry it myself.”

Guangzhou in late August was stiflingly hot. The scorching sun made the streets glare, and pedestrians were sparse. Su Zhiluo flagged a taxi and headed straight for the airport.

The air in the cab was thick with the driver’s cheap, irritating cigarette smoke, mixed with the moldy smell of the air conditioning. It was far from a pleasant farewell experience.

They went inside, looked at the large screen, and then found seats to wait for boarding.

Neither of them spoke. Liu Chengxu fiddled with her fingers. Her phone screen lit up. Meng Zhengyue and Zha Baomei asked her if she wanted to gather for a meal. Both wanted to thank her; they had earned some money working at Su Zhiluo’s shop, taking on several photography assignments.

Sitting in silence, time passed quickly.

The announcement came that it was time to check-in.

Liu Chengxu picked up the bag on the floor and walked through the first security check.

The airport was bustling with people. Su Zhiluo watched Liu Chengxu’s back as she went through security. Her lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. It wasn’t until the figure was about to disappear into the crowd that she softly called out.

Liu Chengxu seemed not to hear.

But just as Su Zhiluo sighed softly, the figure suddenly stopped.

Liu Chengxu turned around and raised her hand to put on that familiar denim hat. She was still wearing the Doraemon T-shirt, and the black backpack was bulging on her shoulder, just as it had been when she arrived.

“Take care of yourself,” Su Zhiluo said.

The sourness rising in her throat blocked the subsequent “Have a safe trip.”

Liu Chengxu stepped onto the escalator, her figure slowly descending, finally disappearing from sight.

Su Zhiluo stood in the terminal for a long time. Logically, after those boundary-crossing acts, she should have been angry. But deep down, there was an enduring, persistent concern.

She recalled something she had read online: People who lack love will be immensely grateful for even a little warmth. Wasn’t she the same? Craving Liu Chengxu’s meticulous care, drowning in those moments of being cherished.

If only it wasn’t love. If only it was just family.

The flight information on the electronic screen had already updated. Su Zhiluo slowly walked out of the airport. Looking up, she could only hear the buzzing of a plane taking off, but she couldn’t see its trajectory.

At six in the afternoon, Su Zhiluo dragged her tired body back home. The online store messages had been fully handed over to Meng Zhengyue and Zha Baomei to manage; she truly had no mind for it right now.

She sat down in front of the air cooler and found a note pressed beside it:

Can be set to time off

She plugged it in and tried it. A cool breeze gently blew. Her gaze inadvertently fell on the desk, where there was an extra sunflower and a photo frame.

It was a photo of them together by the Pearl River. At the time, she had only focused on dodging the camera. Looking closely now, Liu Chengxu in the photo was smiling with her eyes curved into crescents, her pupils filled with bright light.

Su Zhiluo could tell that Liu Chengxu had intentionally left the photo frame, wanting her to remember her, think of her, consider her, and invade her life.

Su Zhiluo felt a pang of sorrow in her heart, but she couldn’t explain the reason.

She raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had unknowingly rolled down her cheeks, but new tears quickly blurred the smiling faces in the photograph.