Golden Temptation – A Yuri Story - Chapter 67

“Xuan! Where are you hurt?”

“Stop moving around. I’m fine!”

“Xuan! Let me see!”

Despite her own injured fingers, Qiao Fei insisted on checking Jing Xuan’s wounds. Jing Xuan, helpless in the face of her persistence, set aside the cotton swab in her hand.

“Do you really want to see? I told you, I’m fine.”

Qiao Fei didn’t reply. Instead, she frowned and nodded firmly.

Jing Xuan’s expression froze briefly, but then she stood up and, without a word, began loosening the sash of her bathrobe.

“X-Xuan… What… what are you doing?”

Seeing Jing Xuan undress, Qiao Fei grew nervous and instinctively backed away, as if she feared something inappropriate was about to happen.

“You wanted to see the wound, didn’t you? So here—take a look.”

“Oh…”

Jing Xuan opened her bathrobe. Her fair, unblemished body was laid bare before Qiao Fei, whose face instantly flushed red. Wow… She’s really bold, Qiao Fei thought.

Near Jing Xuan’s lower abdomen, just above her pelvic bone, was a large purplish bruise. Besides that, there were no other visible wounds.

“How did this happen?” Qiao Fei gently touched the bruised area.

“I hit a tree root when I jumped out of the car,” Jing Xuan answered casually.

Though it was only a bruise, its location made movement difficult. Qiao Fei’s heart ached just looking at it.

“Is this the only injury?”

“Yes.”

“Does it… still hurt?”

“Compared to the wounds I’ve suffered in the past, this is nothing.”

“You’ve been… injured before?”

Jing Xuan simply shrugged off her robe and began dressing in front of Qiao Fei. Only then did Qiao Fei notice the faint scars that lined her seemingly flawless skin—silent remnants of once horrifying wounds.

“Those injuries… could’ve been fatal. But now… it’s my heart that’s hurting.”

After dressing, Jing Xuan looked coldly at Qiao Fei. Qiao Fei lowered her head in guilt, unable to meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry…”

“Your hand is fine now. If there’s nothing else… you should leave.”

“Xuan, are you kicking me out? Do I disgust you that much? I’ve already apologized again and again! I—”

“Get out!”

“Jing Xuan, you—”

“What are you two arguing about?”

Lan Qing walked in carrying a glass of milk. “Xuan, here’s your milk.”

“Thank you.”

“You… you’re hurt?” Lan Qing asked worriedly, glancing toward the bathroom.

“It’s nothing. Just an aromatherapy oil burn,” Qiao Fei answered quickly.

Watching them interact so intimately, Qiao Fei felt even more bitter. She stepped closer to Jing Xuan and locked eyes with her, leaving her with one resolute declaration:

“Jing Xuan, don’t think you can just push me away. I’m not giving up!”

Qiao Fei stormed off. Jing Xuan collapsed into a chair like a deflated balloon. Only she knew how much resolve it had taken to drive Qiao Fei away just now.

“What’s going on with you two?” Lan Qing picked up a towel and gently dried Jing Xuan’s still-damp hair, only to be pulled into a tight embrace.

“What is it?”

“Nothing…”

“Really? You never say anything. You keep it all bottled up inside. Look—your brows are permanently furrowed.”

“Qing… When did you become so naggy?”

“Getting annoyed?”

“Of course not. I love you even more now, my little housekeeper.”

“Such a sweet talker! Xuan, you really scared me today. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you…”

Jing Xuan tightened her hold around Lan Qing and kissed her deeply on the forehead. “You won’t. I’m never leaving you again.”

“Xuan… do you still hate Fei’er?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Fei’er loves you. And you… you love her too, don’t you? I think—”

“Hey! Are you trying to give your wife away?”

“I’m not that foolish!”

“No, you’re even more foolish. And I love you all the more for it.”

Jing Xuan sealed Lan Qing’s lips with a kiss, silencing any further words between them. What followed was only tenderness and intimacy.

________________________________________

Qiao Fei stormed into the garden, finally breaking down into sobs.

“Jerk! Jerk! Jerk! Jing Xuan, you absolute jerk… wuwuwu…”

She squatted down and buried her face in her arms.

“I’ve already apologized so many times… Why won’t you forgive me…”

Suddenly, a jacket was draped over her shoulders.

“Careful—you’ll catch a cold,” came a voice.

Qiao Fei turned around to see Yan Junye crouched beside her in the same posture. “Hi,” she greeted awkwardly.

Sniffling, Qiao Fei wiped away her tears and quickly straightened her makeup like nothing had happened. She stood up with composure, removed Junye’s jacket, and handed it back.

“Thank you.”

“Heh… sure.”

“Junye, do you like me?”

Qiao Fei raised an elegant eyebrow and looked at her expectantly.

Junye froze for a second, then smiled openly.

“Yes. I like you.”

Qiao Fei didn’t expect such a direct confession. She was momentarily speechless.

“But I’m not delusional. I know you don’t like women. I’m a woman, just like Jing Xuan.”

“Junye, the reason I don’t accept you isn’t because of that…”

“Oh? Then what is it?” Junye shoved her hands into her pockets, pacing slowly.

“Ajing has always loved you. But you pushed her away because she’s a woman, didn’t you?”

“I—… I get it now. You’re here to defend Jing Xuan, aren’t you?”

“Wrong. I think, Miss Qiao, you should leave. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?”

“Otherwise it’ll be hard on all of us.”

“So, Jing Xuan sent you to talk me into leaving? I’m not going anywhere! And you can tell her this from me—I love her, no matter if she’s good or bad, man or woman. As long as she’s Jing Xuan, I’ll love her!”

“Looks like you’re serious.”

“Hmph!”

Qiao Fei shot Junye a glare and marched back toward the house.

“Stupid Jing Xuan, think you can get rid of me that easily? Ha—ah!”

Suddenly, Junye grabbed her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Junye, what are you doing?! Let go of me!”

“Fei’er, don’t leave me.”

“What are you saying?! Let go!”

“Let’s be together, Fei’er…”

“You’ve gone mad, Junye!”

Qiao Fei struggled, but the more she resisted, the tighter Junye held her—so tight her bones ached. Junye’s face drew closer and closer. Qiao Fei’s heart pounded—not from excitement, but fear.

Junye cupped Qiao Fei’s chin gently, her lips inches away.

“Don’t be afraid… I’m helping you.”

Just as their noses nearly touched, Junye whispered the words and stopped moving. Qiao Fei looked up to see a figure standing on the balcony—unmistakably Jing Xuan.

The moment their eyes met, Jing Xuan turned and walked back inside.

“Helping me? You’ve ruined everything!”

Qiao Fei shoved Junye away and ran to Jing Xuan’s room, knocking frantically.

“Xuan, please open the door! Let me explain!”

But it was Lan Qing who opened it.

“Fei’er, Xuan is asleep. Whatever it is, talk about it tomorrow.”

“Lan Qing, please let me in. I need to explain!”

“She’s asleep. Tomorrow, okay?”

“No! I won’t leave unless she sees me!”

Lan Qing was about to say something when Jing Xuan walked over. Qiao Fei lit up with hope—only for Jing Xuan to glance at her briefly, then coldly shut the door.

Bang!

The sound echoed through the long corridor.

“Xuan, Fei’er says she won’t leave unless she sees you.”

“Let her stay, then.”

Jing Xuan returned to bed in silence.

Lan Qing sighed, adjusted her blanket, and quietly left the room.

________________________________________

“Fei’er, are you really going to wait here all night?”

“Lan Qing, I mean what I say. If Jing Xuan won’t see me or listen to my explanation, I’ll wait here until she does.”

“She’s asleep. You’ve had a long day. Why not rest and come back in the morning?”

“No, I won’t leave!”

Two equally stubborn hearts reached an impasse. Lan Qing, unsure how to help, could only wish her luck and walk away.

Around the corner, Gao Zhe clapped Junye on the shoulder, smirking.

“Didn’t expect your acting skills to be that convincing.”

“Haha. Thanks. Truth or illusion—it’s all a blur.”

“Oh? Getting philosophical now?”

“I’ll be waiting for Ajing to thank me.”

“You’re getting harder and harder to read. I can’t tell what’s real with you anymore. You sure you’re not addicted to acting?”

“Even if it’s a performance, it’s not all fake.”

“So, some of it’s real, huh? Makes sense—art imitates life. As your bro, care to spill which part was real?”

Junye looked at Qiao Fei’s delicate silhouette in the corridor and replied seriously:

“I really do like Qiao Fei. That part… is true.”