Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 105

“I’m sorry, I…” Faced with Si Xiaoxiao’s earth-shattering request—one laced with naked, seductive intent—Li Ting’s response was almost reflexive. The words of rejection were about to slip out before she even had time to think.

However, she had barely started speaking when Si Xiaoxiao anticipated her reaction.

Si Xiaoxiao took a sudden step forward, closing the distance between them until they could almost feel each other’s breath. She raised her hand, using a slender, slightly cool index finger to gently but firmly press against Li Ting’s lips, silencing the forthcoming excuses.

“Shh—” Si Xiaoxiao let out a soft breath. Her beautiful cat-like eyes shimmered with a cunning, bright light, making her look like a little fox whose scheme had just succeeded.

She tilted her head slightly, her face wearing a mixture of coquettishness, certainty, and a hint of playfulness. Her voice dropped to a low, bewitching register: “Sister… don’t reject me.”

The soft sensation of the fingertip against her lips sent a weak electric current through Li Ting’s limbs. All the rational, organized words of refusal she had prepared stuck in her throat, dissolving into nothingness.

Ambiguity began to ferment rapidly in the silence.

Of course, that wasn’t the end of it.

Si Xiaoxiao still had the final move of her “combo” to play. Seeing Li Ting’s sudden loss of words and flickering gaze, the cunning smile at the corners of her mouth deepened, revealing her sharp little canines.

Maintaining her finger against Li Ting’s lips, she leaned in close, almost brushing against Li Ting’s ear. In a low voice tinged with a playful threat, she whispered: “Sister, tell me… if I were in there showering by myself, and halfway through, I suddenly… let out a very loud scream…”

Si Xiaoxiao deliberately drew out her words, observing Li Ting’s instant tension, before following up with smug confidence: “Could you resist… not coming in to check on me?”

These words hit Li Ting’s heart with precision.

No matter what, she would never abandon Si Xiaoxiao; this was her Achilles’ heel.

Si Xiaoxiao knew her too well—knew the deep-seated worry and protective instinct that lived beneath her calm exterior, an instinct that had become a part of her very marrow.

At this, Li Ting finally surrendered.

Li Ting closed her eyes and let out a long, nearly silent sigh, finally yielding to the “little demon.” “Xiaoxiao, I really am a bit tired today…”

“Then let’s take a bath! It’s perfect for relieving physical fatigue,” Si Xiaoxiao countered immediately, offering a solution at lightning speed. She even promised solemnly, “Don’t get the wrong idea, Sister. I just want to soak with you; I don’t have any ulterior motives, I promise I won’t cause trouble.”

Don’t get the wrong idea? Faced with such an invitation, how could anyone not get the wrong idea?

Li Ting could only barely maintain her composure. In reality, her ears were hot enough to fry an egg, and a faint crimson flush had spread down to her neck.

What else could she say?

“…Just a bath… and then we go to sleep early, okay?” Li Ting’s voice carried an undetectable rasp. She looked at Si Xiaoxiao, her tone serious as if she were drawing a final line in the sand—or perhaps reminding herself of it.

Si Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up instantly, like a galaxy of stars. She nodded vigorously, like a puppy that had just received its favorite toy, her face blooming into a bright, satisfied smile. “Mm! Just a bath! I’ll go get the clothes, you go in first, Sister!!”

She agreed far too quickly. As for what she was actually plotting, only she knew.

Li Ting could only resign herself to being led along.

Inside the Bathroom

Inside, the warm yellow lighting cast a lazy, soft glow like the setting sun. In the massive whirlpool tub, water was rushing in, and the warm steam gradually began to fill the space like a thin, misty veil, blurring the mirrors and softening every hard line.

Li Ting knew how to enjoy life; she had never lacked for anything since childhood, so the bathtub was a high-end model.

The air was thick with the fresh scent of lavender body wash mixed with the distinct humidity of the steam, creating an atmosphere that was both deeply relaxing and intimately ambiguous.

While pouring in the bath products, Li Ting’s mind wandered for a moment. In that brief distraction, dense, white foam—resembling layers of clouds—piled up, eventually covering the entire surface of the water and making it impossible to see beneath.

A bit more foam is good… at least it provided a sense of security, masking any potentially straying gazes or thoughts that shouldn’t be there.

After undressing, she quickly sank into the water where the bubbles were thickest. The warm water and heavy white foam completely concealed her body from the collarbone down as she leaned against the edge of the tub.

The warmth enveloped her, indeed easing some of her exhaustion.

She had to admit, a bath was an excellent suggestion.

Li Ting hadn’t been lying about being tired; the warmth of the bathroom made her drowsy. She closed her eyes, leaving only her head floating above the surface. After some time, the bathroom door was pushed open softly, and Si Xiaoxiao, clutching folded pajamas and a towel, crept in quietly.

Seeing the tub almost entirely covered in bubbles, she paused for a second before the corners of her mouth curled into a mischievous arc. “Sister, you made so many bubbles!”

Her voice sounded exceptionally crisp amidst the swirling steam.

Li Ting didn’t open her eyes, offering only a muffled “Mm” in response.

“Is Sister so tired from waiting that she’s falling asleep?” Si Xiaoxiao asked as she watched Li Ting leaning against the edge of the tub with her eyes shut, all while nonchalantly starting to undress herself.

Li Ting was, of course, not asleep. She kept her eyes closed, merely shifting her body upward slightly to vacate as much space as possible.

The rustling sound of clothes rubbing together was infinitely magnified in the quiet bathroom, where only the faint surge of water could be heard, drumming clearly against Li Ting’s eardrums.

Based on the sound alone, she could visualize the scene in her mind… which made her even more afraid to open her eyes. She could only remain stiffly in her original position, like a statue nailed into the bathtub.

A soft plop followed, accompanied by a tiny splash of water.

Si Xiaoxiao had slid into the water, right across from Li Ting.

While the bathtub was considered quite large for a single person, it felt somewhat cramped for two.

Li Ting pressed herself against the wall of the tub as much as possible to maintain a small gap between them, but the water was a shared medium. That invisible sense of connection was more unnerving than direct physical touch.

She could feel the ripples in the water and hear Si Xiaoxiao’s satisfied sigh as she entered the bath.

All traces of drowsiness vanished; her mind became incredibly sharp at that moment. Though her eyes remained closed, all her senses seemed focused entirely on the person opposite her.

“Sister, the water temperature is perfect. It’s so comfortable…” Si Xiaoxiao’s voice carried a lazy contentment, like a cat being stroked.

“Mm,” Li Ting’s response remained brief, colored with a deliberate blandness.

“Sister?” Si Xiaoxiao’s voice sounded almost right at her ear, accompanied by warm, moist breath. She asked, knowing full well the answer: “Are you closing your eyes to hide from me? Why are you afraid to open them and look at me?”

Li Ting’s heart gave a violent thud. Her long lashes fluttered; she could no longer pretend nothing was happening. She slowly opened her eyes and met a pair of bright eyes shimmering with mist and laughter, just inches away.

Si Xiaoxiao was facing her, separated by a hair’s breadth. The thick foam still dutifully concealed everything beneath the surface, but her smooth, rounded shoulders, her exquisite jade-like collarbones, and that face—made even more radiant and enchanting by the rising steam—were presented to Li Ting without reservation.

Droplets of water rolled down her damp hair, sliding over her delicate skin before disappearing beneath the foam, inviting endless flights of fancy.

“I’m not,” Li Ting heard her own voice sounding a bit dry. She asked back with feigned composure, “There’s nothing to hide from. It’s just a bath.”

Seeing her say this, Si Xiaoxiao intentionally nudged her foot through the water toward Li Ting, gently touching Li Ting’s calf. “Cuddles!”

Li Ting’s breath hitched almost imperceptibly. Immediately, she caught Si Xiaoxiao’s wandering foot, but feeling as though she had grabbed a hot potato, she gave it a somewhat punitive squeeze and said, “Behave yourself.”

Si Xiaoxiao pouted her lips aggrievedly. To her credit, she didn’t try any more tricks. Instead, she adopted the air of someone settling in for a deep late-night heart-to-heart, suddenly asking: “Was Sister happy today?”

The question came abruptly, carrying a pure, unadulterated concern. It was as if all the previous testing, seduction, and minor “threats” were merely to confirm this simplest of facts.

Thus, Li Ting answered frankly: “I was.”

Upon hearing the affirmative, Si Xiaoxiao’s eyes instantly curved into crescents. She shook her head with satisfaction like a puppy that had been properly petted. However, she didn’t press her advantage by asking “why” or “what was the best part.” Instead, the topic took a sharp, unrelated turn:

“Then, what does Sister want to eat tomorrow?”

“Anything is fine, maybe something light,” Li Ting said, momentarily stunned by the girl’s jumping train of thought before a trace of helpless indulgence flickered in her eyes. She continued her movements, patiently providing an answer, her voice sounding exceptionally soft in the quiet night.

However, by the third topic, Si Xiaoxiao finally showed her hand. Her voice was very light, yet it carried a strange piercing quality.

“Then Sister, can you tell me… why are you unwilling to act in a movie with me?”

Li Ting fell silent.

To be honest, she didn’t want to answer this question—because the question itself was special, and the person asking it was even more so.

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