My Ex Told Me She’s Still In Love With Me - Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The summer heat was so intense that even standing in an air-conditioned room, looking out at the golden glare of the world outside, felt suffocatingly restless. Downstairs at the hospital, few people ventured out for a stroll; only the cicadas chirped tirelessly, lending a sense of listless apathy to the air.

Cui Lanyu arrived with a fruit basket to visit. She circled Meng Qingwu’s injured leg several times, examining it with a worried frown. “You won’t end up with a limp, will you?”

Meng Qingwu: “…The bone wasn’t even touched.”

“That’s good then.” Cui Lanyu let out a light laugh, her gaze lingering on Meng Qingwu’s stunning face. “I can’t quite imagine what you’d be like with a limp.”

It felt as though Meng Qingwu was meant to be flawless; any imperfection on her would seem jarringly out of place.

“…Watch your words. Why on earth would I limp?”

If Meng Qingwu didn’t know her temperament so well, she would have suspected Cui Lanyu was there specifically to mock her.

Cui Lanyu’s eyes fell on the stack of documents by the bed. She shook her head. “You’re in the hospital; let yourself rest. Don’t push yourself so hard all the time.”

Often, even Cui Lanyu didn’t understand why Meng Qingwu worked so desperately. With her family background, looks, and capability—a perfect stack of “buffs”—she could easily live a much more comfortable life than others.

Meng Qingwu ignored her, keeping her head down to flip through the files. She found Cui Lanyu’s visit and her idle chatter rather pointless.

“If you have time to wander around here, you might as well spend it on Sister Jin.”

Cui Lanyu sat down, casually took a banana from the basket she’d brought, and began peeling it. She gave a helpless smile. “You think I don’t want to? But she simply doesn’t care for me.”

It seemed she was the only one interested in the pursuit.

Meng Qingwu glanced up at her. “Sister Jin doesn’t play games with feelings. She likes stability.”

The subtext was clear: You are too unstable.

Cui Lanyu: “…Do I really look that restless?”

Meng Qingwu nodded.

Cui Lanyu: “……”

She stood up abruptly, gathered her things, and marched toward the door with aggressive determination.

“Where are you going?” Meng Qingwu called out.

“To become a ‘house flower’ (a loyal partner)!”

Meng Qingwu: “……”

Once Cui Lanyu left, the room fell quiet again. Thinking of the phrase “house flower,” Meng Qingwu shook her head with a faint smile. Considering the situation between those two, she felt it wasn’t entirely impossible.

…

At eight in the evening, Cheng Yi arrived.

There was still a trace of lingering fatigue on her face, but the moment she saw Meng Qingwu, a gentle, soothing smile broke out—warm and comforting to look at.

“How are you feeling today?” Cheng Yi stepped forward to check on her.

“Fine,” Meng Qingwu said tonelessly. Noticing the slight wrinkles in Cheng Yi’s shirt, she figured the woman had rushed over the moment she finished work.

“Have you eaten?”

Cheng Yi looked at her and shook her head.

Meng Qingwu picked up a book her assistant had brought and said indifferently, “Go eat, then.”

Despite her cold attitude, Cheng Yi managed to extract a hint of sweetness from the words. She pursed her lips and smiled softly. “Okay.”

She went out for a quick bowl of noodles and returned within twenty minutes—so fast that Meng Qingwu couldn’t help but glance at her in surprise.

Cheng Yi walked over, gently took the book from her hands, and asked softly, “Is it okay to take a bath now?”

Meng Qingwu looked up and gave a slight “Mm.”

Cheng Yi smiled, handed her the crutches, and helped her into the bathroom.

Having once been the person closest to her, even seeing Meng Qingwu completely exposed now seemed to elicit no reaction from the latter.

Meng Qingwu lay in the bathtub with her eyes closed, letting Cheng Yi wash her. Even when Cheng Yi touched sensitive areas, Meng Qingwu remained motionless, as if it meant nothing.

She was as calm as if she were facing a robot.

No, perhaps even less than a robot.

Cheng Yi’s eyes dimmed. When facing her, she didn’t even dare to let her gaze linger for too long.

She was afraid her gaze would be too transparent.

Water splashed in the small bathroom. Neither spoke until the bath was nearly finished; the silence remained unbroken.

Cheng Yi stopped.

Sensing the lack of movement, Meng Qingwu opened her eyes.

Cheng Yi met her gaze and then stood up.

She unbuttoned her white shirt one by one, revealing the delicate collarbones beneath and the softness encased in black lace lingerie.

Meng Qingwu frowned.

Under Meng Qingwu’s gaze, Cheng Yi exposed herself completely and stepped into the bathtub.

Her entry caused the water to overflow, splashing onto the floor.

Meng Qingwu simply watched her quietly.

Cheng Yi looked awkward, seemingly ashamed of herself, yet she did not retreat. She slowly moved closer to Meng Qingwu.

To fit both of them in the narrow tub, Cheng Yi had to press herself against Meng Qingwu as much as possible, hooking her arms around Meng Qingwu’s neck.

“Are you satisfied with my body now?” Cheng Yi whispered in her ear.

Satisfied?

Meng Qingwu’s eyes shifted, landing on Cheng Yi’s elegant, refined face.

She had seen it just now; though Cheng Yi’s figure was as slender as ever, she had everything she should have.

Just like right now.

Her softness was pressed against Meng Qingwu’s chest. Meng Qingwu could acutely sense the fine texture of her skin and the two points that were gradually hardening.

She let out a light laugh. “Teacher Cheng actually has moments of insecurity?”

A faint blush crept onto Cheng Yi’s pale, jade-like face. She whispered, “I just want to show you the best version of me.”

Meng Qingwu remained noncommittal.

Cheng Yi’s gaze fell on her lips, and she leaned in to kiss her.

Meng Qingwu turned her head away and said coolly, “I’m tired. Let’s finish up and sleep.”

Cheng Yi’s movements froze. She lowered her eyes to hide the gloom within and forced a smile. “Okay.”

After they both finished and came out, Meng Qingwu acted as if she were truly exhausted, closing her eyes the moment she hit the bed and ignoring Cheng Yi beside her.

By ten o’clock, the hospital was completely silent. Cheng Yi climbed into bed. Originally wanting to hug her from behind, she ultimately decided to turn over and face away from her.

She probably wouldn’t like me holding her.

With neither of them speaking, the room was eerily quiet. Even the passage of time seemed to lose its meaning.

Cheng Yi didn’t know if Meng Qingwu was asleep. She lay on her side with her arm in front of her, feeling a sense of aimless loss.

What could she do to make Meng Qingwu truly accept her again?

The sound of rustling fabric came—it sounded like Meng Qingwu had turned over.

“Ngh—”

Her sensitive spot was suddenly seized. Cheng Yi instinctively arched her body, her back pressing against a warm, soft form.

“Qingwu—” Cheng Yi called out softly. Her chest was being kneaded, carrying the heat of Meng Qingwu’s touch.

“Mm,” Meng Qingwu responded coldly, continuing her actions as she pleased.

In the darkness, the senses became increasingly sharp. Cheng Yi endured it, letting the other woman indulge herself wantonly.

In the end, when Cheng Yi turned, wanting to touch Meng Qingwu, she was pushed away.

“I don’t want to.”

Cheng Yi’s body, which had been burning with passion, went cold instantly. She suppressed the bitterness rising from her heart. Even as her body vibrated with the afterglow of what Meng Qingwu had done, she felt as if they were worlds apart.

“Clean up.” With that, Meng Qingwu held out the hand that carried Cheng Yi’s scent.

Cheng Yi got up. Her clothes hung messily on her, and her pajama bottoms were already on the floor.

When her feet touched the ground, her legs felt weak and trembling. She first found some tissues to wipe Meng Qingwu’s fingers clean, then grabbed her change of clothes and walked into the bathroom.

Lying in bed, Meng Qingwu listened to the sounds from the bathroom, her mind lingering on the sensations from before.

Cheng Yi’s temperature, Cheng Yi’s voice.

She suddenly took a deep breath, suppressing the agitation in her heart, and licked her lips.

When Cheng Yi came out, her expression was unreadable in the dark, but based on memories of past passion, Meng Qingwu guessed the corners of her eyes must be damp with a seductive, lingering heat.

A refined charm that made one want to devour her.

“Do you need me to help you change your underwear?” Her voice was still husky.

Meng Qingwu looked over. In the dark, she could only see a blurred silhouette. She gave a faint “Mm.”

Cheng Yi chuckled softly, not daring to make a sound.

After helping Meng Qingwu clean up and change into dry underwear, she climbed back into bed and held her from behind.

All the loss and emptiness seemed to be filled in that moment, making her want to press closer, to merge with her.

Her body, still reacting to the intense stimulation, craved her. This embrace became a small solace; she wanted more.

“Qingwu, I want to kiss you,” she requested in a low voice.

Meng Qingwu didn’t make a sound. It wasn’t a refusal; it was because that sentence reminded her of the past.

In the past, Cheng Yi usually took the lead, but whenever the roles were reversed, Cheng Yi would become like this.

After the passion, she would cling to Meng Qingwu, begging for kisses and hugs, like someone with skin hunger.

In the past, Meng Qingwu never refused Cheng Yi’s post-coital intimacy.

This time, she didn’t refuse either.

She turned and kissed Cheng Yi’s thin lips. The lips she had tasted before felt even more intense this time.

“Qingwu—”

She murmured the name, her grip on Meng Qingwu’s pajama fabric tightening.

She wanted to wrap herself around the other woman like an octopus.

The corners of her eyes grew wet with unsatisfied longing, and even her voice took on a whimpering tone.

She wanted to entwine, to embrace, to be embedded into her very bones and blood.

Meng Qingwu let go of her lips, her chest heaving from the fierce kiss.

She turned her back to her.

She couldn’t continue. If she did, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from pitying her.

There was no need for more in a “bed partner” relationship; it was just mutual need.

And now, she had already taken what she wanted.

Given the chance to breathe deeply after Meng Qingwu’s withdrawal, the frantic beating of Cheng Yi’s heart seemed to bring a faint ache.

Yet, Cheng Yi would have preferred the intimacy to continue over this emptiness.

Without Meng Qingwu’s comfort, Cheng Yi felt like an abandoned puppy, shivering in the cold wind with nowhere to go.

“Qingwu—”

“Qingwu—”

She called out again and again, but the deity who ruled her world gave no response.

A giant hole remained in her heart. Cheng Yi realized once again, with painful clarity:

They could never go back to how they were.

She curled her body up, the moisture at the corners of her eyes beginning to fall.

It was she who had betrayed her own deity.

Meng Qingwu lay on her side, back to Cheng Yi. Hearing the tiny sounds from behind, she felt no sense of satisfaction.

Tormenting Cheng Yi did not make her feel any better.

She turned back toward Cheng Yi.

“Come here.”