Rose Lock - Chapter 71

Where is this? Mmm… Come, drink some more, Godmother Gong’s wine is really good…”

Her vision was somewhat blurry. Outside the car window, the dazzling neon lights turned into illusory colored light spots, reflected on the profile of the woman next to her, patchy and shifting. The only constants were the familiar, glowing red cigarette tip and those faint wisps of white smoke.

“Godmother Gong… I’m hot…” She nestled over, rubbing against Gong Yan’s neck. Although her mouth said she was hot, her fingers restlessly played with the embroidered knot buttons on Gong Yan’s dress. Playing with them, she accidentally undid them.

One, two…

“Hua Manyi, you just came from the banquet, settle down…” Gong Yan caught her delicate hand and helped pull up the shawl that had slipped from her shoulder.

She wasn’t satisfied, so she took off her high heels and leaned over, straddling Gong Yan, sticky and provocative, “But my chest hurts…”

Gong Yan: “Where does it hurt?”

Hua Manyi furrowed her willow-like brows, with a pitiful touch of pain: “…My chest.”

Gong Yan was skeptical of the truth in her words, but seeing her genuine expression, she reached out and covered the area, “…Here?”

Hua Manyi shook her head. Gong Yan had no choice but to shift her hand again. Through the thin fabric of the cheongsam, Hua Manyi remained silent, lowering her gaze and giving a soft ‘hmm.’

Her hands rested on Gong Yan’s slender, tall, swan-like neck. They were probably too close; their breaths intertwined instantly, with a faint smell of smoke lingering and diffusing between them.

Hua Manyi stared intently at those thin lips, which had been stained with vermilion lipstick and rouge, exuding a faint misty feel that made it impossible to look away. She also focused on the curve of the woman’s jawline as she raised her chin and quietly looked at her, an infinitely charming sight. She couldn’t describe this look, only knowing that this was the most beautiful and charismatic woman she had seen in the 18 years since her birth.

Time had never left its mark on her; what increased was only her grace and charm.

Hua Manyi swallowed hard, lowering her head and kissing her, driven by lust. That was when things spiraled out of control.

That day, Old Fu, who had originally gone out to run an errand, didn’t return for a long time. Under the reflection of the neon lights, they spent a wild night in the car.

The scene shifts to the familiar stage of Fenghai. She was drinking alone in a corner. That day, she seemed quite cold towards Gong Yan, turning her face away when she saw her approach, not wanting to see her.

“What are you doing here?” Her tone was also stiff and heavy.

Gong Yan lit a cigarette, took her bottle of red wine, and poured herself a glass, calm and casual, “I came to see if my girlfriend had turned into a little drunkard again.”

“Who’s your girlfriend? Don’t talk nonsense, and don’t come closer, you old woman.” Hua Manyi, her face clouded with alcohol fumes, frowned and moved to the side.

“I’m old?” Gong Yan seemed to strongly dislike that word. “Then who is young? I’m only 12 years older than you.”

Hua Manyi snorted and drank the red wine in one gulp. “A 12-year difference… you could have a child running errands. Kou Qian’er is one year younger than me… Lu Nian is 6 years older than me. Hmm… Ian, Ian seems to be… 9 years older than me. Look… which one of them is older than you—”

The rest of her words came to an abrupt halt, the words on her lips turning into soft gasps.

They were in an inconspicuous corner. It was pouring rain outside, and after ten o’clock at night, there were hardly any customers. Ah Qiang was wiping bottles at the distant bar, and a lead singer on the stage was performing sweet, melodious songs.

Under the tablecloth curtain, a slender hand was slipped into the already-slit cheongsam, pinching soft flesh. Hua Manyi nearly melted into a puddle of water. Fortunately, she maintained the last shred of her sanity, reminding herself that they were below the stage, and one cry would certainly attract attention.

“Still mentioning Ian?”

“No… not anymore.”

“What about Lu Nian?”

“…Not mentioning her either. Can we go back to the room, please? Not here…” Her voice involuntarily turned into a pleading whimper at the end.

Gong Yan raised an eyebrow, looking at her flushed face—she didn’t know if it was from drinking or something else. She put out her cigarette, opened her red lips, and cleanly pulled her hand out. “Fine.”

“Wait—” Hua Manyi was about to tell her to take it out slowly, but she was too late. She looked at Gong Yan’s deliberate expression, so angry that she reached over and pinched the back of her hand. “You did that on purpose!”

“Yes, I did it on purpose.” Gong Yan, that ‘old woman,’ actually admitted it.

After returning to the room, she was treated the same way, which infuriated Hua Manyi. She bit Gong Yan’s collarbone and lower lip until they bled and fiercely laid down a threat, “Godmother Gong, do you know that if a woman is not satisfied, she will go outside—”

“Go outside and do what? Huh?” Gong Yan’s face darkened, interrupting her. “Find other women for pleasure? Or fool around?”

“Why are you so fierce… I was just kidding…”

“That’s not funny at all,” Gong Yan stood up, her eyes coldly fixed on the woman on the bed, her shoulder half-exposed. “Hua Manyi, is it true that in your eyes, affection is not as important as a moment of pleasure?”

Hua Manyi quickly denied it: “I didn’t mean that.”

Clearly, Gong Yan was still angry. She picked up the clothes on the floor and put them on. Seeing this, Hua Manyi panicked. She stumbled out of bed, her bare feet stepping on the cold floor, and sobbed as she hugged her from behind. “Godmother Gong, I was wrong. Please don’t go. I’ve only ever loved you. I never thought about fooling around outside… Trust me! Will you trust me?”

“You had better keep your word. If I find out…”

“I won’t… The person I admire has always been you, Godmother Gong.” Hua Manyi quickly expressed her sincerity, wrapping her arms around Gong Yan from the front.

…

The scene in her mind instantly traced back to her eighteenth birthday. She clung to Gong Yan, who had come to take care of her, asking her to bathe her, sticking to her naked.

“Godmother Gong, I know you like women. I’ve seen you kiss a singing girl… hiccup… haven’t I?”

“There was a time when you were very sad because she died, right? She was your confidante, your beloved. You must have been very sad…”

“Hua Manyi! Who gave you the right to talk about these things? Remember your place!” A coldness permeated the woman’s languid voice.

However, Hua Manyi gave a desolate smile, took her hand, and actively placed it on her chest. “Godmother Gong, I have actually always admired you… It’s past midnight. Today I’m an adult. Stop treating me like an ignorant little girl.”

“Hua Manyi, you’re crazy…”

“Godmother Gong… I feel uncomfortable…”

“Godmother Gong… I can’t stand it anymore…”

—

Familiar yet unfamiliar gasping sounds pierced her eardrums, as if it were yesterday. Hua Manyi suddenly opened her eyes, seeing the white ceiling. The two embedded glass lamps on the headboard of the Simmons bed were a little dazzling. She closed her eyes to relax for a moment before opening them again.

Just as she was about to get up, she felt a throbbing pain in her head, which felt tight, as if something was wrapped around it.

Hua Manyi struggled to get out of bed and surveyed the room. It seemed to be Gong Yan’s bedroom. After taking a couple of steps, she saw herself in the mirror: her head was wrapped around and around with gauze. She froze in place, desperately trying to remember what had happened.

She remembered coming here to find Gong Yan for the deed of sale, being severely humiliated by her, and right, that woman had called Boss Sun to tell him to stay out of her business and stop her from entering the Paramount. Finally…

Finally, she lost her footing and rolled down the stairs.

“Godmother Gong, you rolled down the stairs. Is your foot feeling better? The doctor said you should have more soup to recuperate.” Lin Wanyi’s voice came from outside the door, full of warm concern. “This is the chicken soup I stewed. Have some.”

“Thank you for your trouble. Wheel me over.” The usual languid voice held a hint of tenderness.

When Hua Manyi heard that voice again, those fragmented memories immediately flooded her mind. It was difficult for her to connect the current Gong Yan with the Gong Yan in her memories, but logic told her that no one would suddenly gain such a memory out of nowhere, unless she had truly forgotten it before.

She also recalled the day she broke up with Gong Yan, when Gong Yan was furious and claimed that Hua Manyi had actively seduced her…

It turned out that it was really she who had stripped naked and climbed into her bed.

Realizing this truth, Hua Manyi swayed. Where had she found the courage that day to throw all the blame onto Gong Yan and call her a pervert…

“How is it? Is the soup good?” Lin Wanyi looked at Gong Yan with anticipation outside the door.

Gong Yan: “It’s good. Your cooking has improved.”

Receiving the compliment, Lin Wanyi’s eyes curved like crescent moons. “Then Godmother Gong, drink a little more. I’ll massage your legs.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Wanyi saw the bedroom door open, revealing a pale Hua Manyi standing there. She paused, then quickly reacted and asked, “Uh, Miss Manyi, is your head feeling better?”

Gong Yan looked over at the sound, her expression indifferent, and she did not speak.

Hua Manyi stood quietly at the doorway, watching the woman in the wheelchair and Lin Wanyi next to her, massaging her legs and shoulders. This scene was so harmonious and warm, completely different from the Gong Yan in her memory who called her ‘girlfriend,’ teased her as a ‘little drunkard,’ pampered her… and slept with her.

The thought that this woman might transfer all that affection to someone else…

Hua Manyi suddenly felt this scene was glaringly painful, and her chest felt suffocatingly tight.

“Miss Manyi?” Lin Wanyi reminded her, confused.

Hua Manyi came back to her senses. “…It’s better.”

Gong Yan put down the bowl. “If you’re better, then go back. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

“Okay… I understand.” The tip of her nose inexplicably felt sore. Hua Manyi suppressed the emotion and nodded. “I’ll go back now.”

Lin Wanyi spoke up again, “Why don’t I see Miss Manyi out?”

“No need. She can walk by herself.”

After only two steps down the stairs, she heard the woman’s cold reply. Hua Manyi paused, her hand gripping the railing slowly tightening. Finally, she left the place in a state of utter disarray.

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