Quenching My Thirst - Chapter 4

Even though Miss Bai repeated herself twice, You Ling still pinched herself hard.

The back of her hand turned red, and a sharp pain surged through her brain. Only then could she be sure these words weren’t a dream or a hallucination.

Marriage.

She had never imagined getting married right after graduation, or even getting married at all.

Before coming to this blind date, she had been strongly against it. That was until she saw Miss Bai’s true face.

When she realized this was the Elder Sister she had met once before, her heart skipped a beat, and all her reluctance vanished into thin air.

The photo of Bai Yiqing she had taken yesterday was still hidden in her private album.

She had selfishly wanted to keep it as a treasured memento.

Yet fate had brought her right before the very person.

Miss Bai’s words echoed in her mind, circling again and again until You Ling’s ears burned crimson.

She raised her eyes and mustered the courage to meet Bai Yiqing’s gaze.

Her voice remained soft, as if she feared shattering this beautiful, dreamlike moment.

“Miss Bai, do you really want to marry me?”

There was a hint of disbelief in You Ling’s voice. Despite her intelligent-looking face, she now appeared utterly dazed.

Bai Yiqing couldn’t help but smile, her usually cool expression softening slightly.

“You Ling,” she called the young woman by name.

You Ling responded, her fox-like eyes widening as she stared at Bai Yiqing, eagerly awaiting her next words.

Bai Yiqing obliged: “I’m asking if you want to marry me. How many times do I need to say it?”

She might not have been this patient with others, but the girl in front of her seemed so innocent, it made her heart soften.

You Ling’s throat felt dry, and she even held her breath.

The woman’s repeated assurances had finally given her confidence. Now she could be certain that Bai Yiqing’s words were genuine.

But how could someone like her ever catch Bai Yiqing’s eye?

You Ling couldn’t understand, and she didn’t know how to answer.

To say she wasn’t moved would be a lie. Bai Yiqing was nothing like the cold, unapproachable figure from the rumors; she was so gentle with her.

The cool, aloof aura Bai Yiqing usually exuded seemed to soften when she was with You Ling, making You Ling feel cherished by her.

But You Ling knew they were from completely different worlds.

One was a successful heiress from a wealthy family, the other a family’s discarded child, content to drift through life.

The gap between them was too vast.

Thinking of this, You Ling’s bright eyes dimmed slightly.

She looked at Bai Yiqing again, about to refuse, but the woman’s usually calm gaze had changed.

Bai Yiqing knew what You Ling was going to say before she could speak.

Her delicate eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly. Faced with a dog-like creature who refused to understand, she decided not to indulge her any further.

Her expression turned cold, her peach-blossom eyes narrowed, the corners of her eyes curving upward with a sharp, angry edge.

She stared directly at You Ling, her voice coated in a thin layer of frost, carrying a cool, detached warning.

“You Ling, think carefully before you speak.”

She was angry.

Realizing this, You Ling immediately dared not refuse.

Her long lashes drooped timidly, as she didn’t want to anger the woman with her words and was somewhat afraid of her current demeanor.

Perhaps it was the overwhelming aura Bai Yiqing exuded, or perhaps she clung to the sliver of favor the woman showed her.

Yielding to the deepest desire in her heart, You Ling softly replied, “Yes.”

Bai Yiqing lowered her gaze and leisurely put on the gloves she had set aside.

The black silk gloves complemented her fitted black dress perfectly, and as she pulled them on, the black lace at her wrists made her skin appear almost translucent.

You Ling quietly watched her movements, wondering why Bai Yiqing had fallen silent after she answered.

She grew nervous, her heart pounding faster and faster until it felt like it would burst from her chest.

Uncontrollably, her thoughts began to spiral.

Why did she suddenly go quiet? Does she regret it?

As she thought this, a hand covered her cheek, and the majority of her body was enveloped in the shadow cast by the woman.

The delicate fragrance nearly filled You Ling’s nostrils, and even through the silk cloth, she could feel the soft, cool palm against her cheek.

You Ling instinctively raised her head, meeting the woman’s eyes.

Her gaze was immediately drawn to Bai Yiqing’s rosy lips, as if stained with rosehip juice, and lingered there for a moment.

Almost involuntarily, she rubbed her cheek against the woman’s palm like a small animal, while Bai Yiqing’s clear voice reached her ears:

“What were you thinking? Finish your thought.”

Realizing what she had just done, the tips of You Ling’s ears burned.

She maintained her current position, but her eyes now held a trace of shyness.

She stammered, completing her earlier words: “I want to marry Miss Bai.”

You Ling’s voice, usually bright and clear, dropped to the lowest possible tone as she spoke, and she dared not meet Bai Yiqing’s gaze.

Bai Yiqing, however, noticed the pink tip of an ear peeking out from beneath You Ling’s dark hair and suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Her breath fell gently on You Ling’s face as her hand traced the smooth curve of the young man’s cheek, eventually reaching his ear. Through the glove, she pinched the young man’s earlobe, feeling a slight warmth.

“Then why still call me ‘Miss Bai’? What did I say earlier?”

You Ling blinked, suppressing the urge to steam.

“Elder Sister,” she said softly.

“Mm-hmm,” Bai Yiqing replied, patting the top of her head. “Good girl.”

She then straightened up, removed the hair tie from her wrist in front of You Ling, and casually tied her long hair back.

“I’ll take you home. Pack your things tonight, and I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

Before You Ling could even feel shy, she was instantly filled with panic.

“We’re getting married that soon?” she stammered.

With her hair tied back and the wisps around her temples gone, Bai Yiqing’s striking beauty seemed even more dazzling.

Bai Yiqing countered, “What else?”

Seeing the blush spreading across You Ling’s cheeks and the way she was practically melting, Bai Yiqing relented.

“Alright, I’m not teasing you anymore. We’ll go to my place first. We need to prepare for the wedding together, and we’ll fly abroad to register the marriage in a week.”

Knowing they weren’t going to the registry office tomorrow, You Ling breathed a sigh of relief.

Still, she didn’t dare meet Bai Yiqing’s eyes. As Bai Yiqing walked out of the private room, You Ling followed behind, carrying her bag.

Being tall and sticking close behind Bai Yiqing, she looked like a bodyguard—if she hadn’t been so slender.

The You Family’s spy, tasked with following You Ling, his eyes lit up as he saw them emerge. He was about to follow when he was shoved aside by two bodyguards, forced to watch helplessly as Bai Yiqing and You Ling got into the all-black Cayenne one after the other.

They’re getting somewhere!

His eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled out his phone to relay the good news to You Wei and the others.

The car’s interior felt more cramped than the private room, and the pleasant, cool fragrance emanating from Bai Yiqing became even more intoxicating.

You Ling felt completely enveloped by this scent, as if a woman were holding her tightly.

It’s like a woman is hugging me tightly, she thought secretly, growing even more afraid to look at the person beside her. She turned her head to gaze at the flowing night scenery outside the window.

Jiang City was a city that never slept, its vibrant development and thriving entertainment and tourism industries making the nights even livelier than the days. Skyscrapers crisscrossed with neon lights, creating a dazzling spectacle of light and color.

Yet You Ling had always felt like an outsider to this liveliness.

During her four years of university, her evenings were spent either accompanying film crews shooting night scenes, holed up in her rented room editing photos, or scrolling through her phone and sketching.

Few people go through four years of university without traveling.

But You Ling was like this: she disliked going out alone and hated being lonely, yet she kept to herself and had no friends.

Watching couples holding hands outside the window, You Ling slowly turned her head, wanting to steal a glance at Bai Yiqing.

She had worried Bai Yiqing might notice, but when she looked over, she saw that Bai Yiqing was already engrossed in work on her tablet.

Her head was bowed, long lashes hanging down, revealing only a pale, side-profile face as she focused intently on the screen.

You Ling secretly watched her, feeling both relieved and a little disappointed.

The gap between them felt so vast.

But knowing she could easily avoid being noticed by someone working diligently, the young woman continued to stare at Bai Yiqing throughout the drive.

They drove into a narrow alley and finally stopped in front of You Ling’s apartment building.

She was still lost in thought when they arrived.

Bai Yiqing set down her tablet and gave You Ling a slightly exasperated look, her eyes shimmering with a hint of water.

“You’ve been staring at me the whole way. Haven’t you seen enough?”

The woman smiled, and perhaps due to the dim car light, the curve of her lowered lashes seemed unusually gentle.

You Ling met her gaze for a moment before flinching as if burned, lowering her head, unable to meet her eyes again.

She hadn’t expected Bai Yiqing to notice the way she’d been watching her all along.

Bai Yiqing’s gaze fell on You Ling’s slender, delicate ankles. You Ling clasped her hands together, feeling flustered.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Am I that scary?”

Bai Yiqing had noticed that the young woman was quick to apologize and still seemed shy, avoiding eye contact even when they looked at each other.

Hearing this, You Ling immediately shook her head.

“No, Bai—Elder Sister is very kind and good.”

She was just embarrassed at being caught staring.

Bai Yiqing hummed, her expression unreadable.

“We’re here. Go on inside.”

The driver got out and opened the door for You Ling. After stepping out, she turned back to look at the woman in the car.

“Goodnight, Elder Sister,” she murmured softly.

She didn’t dare say anything more and was about to head upstairs when Bai Yiqing called out, “Wait.”

Hearing the voice, You Ling took a few steps back toward the car in her low-heeled shoes.

The woman held out the palm of her gloved hand. “Give me your phone.”

You Ling obediently took out her phone. Looking at its slightly worn case, she suddenly regretted not changing it before leaving the house.

After unlocking it, she handed it to Bai Yiqing.

The woman’s slender fingers tapped quickly on the screen before returning the phone to You Ling.

“I’ve saved my WeChat and phone number. Message me if you need anything.”

She then handed You Ling a thermos she had prepared earlier.

“Chicken noodle soup. Have some if you get hungry later, but don’t eat too much, okay?”

You Ling took the thermos.

The streetlights in the old neighborhood were out, and the bright moonlight fell on her face.

For the first time that day, she smiled. Her pink lips curved upward, and her foxy eyes crinkled, sparkling with light.

“I know. Thank you, Elder Sister.”

It was then that Bai Yiqing noticed You Ling had dimples.

They were faint, but quite cute.

After watching You Ling go upstairs, Bai Yiqing’s rigid posture suddenly softened as she leaned back in her seat.

Just being in the same car with You Ling, feeling her overwhelming presence and the weight of her gaze, had made her.

Wet.

After a few seconds, she smoothed her skirt and steadied her voice as she spoke to the driver. “Let’s go back.”

The shyer the younger one is now, the more wicked she’ll be in bed later.

Especially if the Elder Sister is willing to spoil her [three-leaf clover cat head].

And, Elder Sister, you’re way too sensitive [three-leaf clover cat head].

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