Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 6

Yin Yunzhu felt like she was being toyed with. Her senses were overwhelmed by Jiang Menghe’s perfume, the couch dipping beneath her thighs as their bodies tangled in an ambiguous embrace.

The other woman’s teasing distance seemed only to prove that her charm was flawless, while Yin Yunzhu had made a complete fool of herself.

How pathetic.

When she didn’t respond, Jiang Menghe gently cupped her face, her touch devoid of mockery. “Is this okay?”

A question that appeared to offer a choice, but in reality, it was a perfect trap.

She was asking for Yin Yunzhu’s consent.

“Is this okay?” The woman repeated, leaning closer this time until their gazes locked, tension simmering beneath the surface.

Yin Yunzhu, single for over twenty years, had never experienced such stimulation. Her earlier resolve had long since evaporated, her mind hazy, cheeks flushed an unmistakable red.

The wind outside was strong, rattling the loosely shut glass door. A draft slipped through the gap, but the warmth inside diluted it completely.

She pressed her lips together, their breaths mingling, scorching hot and indistinguishable. Jiang Menghe lowered her head to kiss the corner of her mouth, her loose collar slipping to reveal delicate collarbones, the smooth lines beneath inviting wandering eyes.

Bruises bloomed across pale skin, stark against the jade-like complexion. Yin Yunzhu’s face burned crimson, wishing she could vanish into the ground.

These were all her doing.

Her face was lifted gently, Jiang Menghe’s fingers warm, their touch irresistible. Yin Yunzhu tilted her chin up, surrendering to the sensation.

A whimper escaped her throat as her vision blurred, the white ceiling spinning above her. The dimmed ceiling light was bathed in the golden hues of dusk, casting a rosy glow.

Soft strands of hair tickled her neck. Panting, Yin Yunzhu jolted when her fingers were grasped, trying to sit up, only to be held down by a hand on her abdomen.

“Trust me, just try it,” Jiang Menghe murmured, closing her eyes as their foreheads touched. “I don’t believe you feel nothing.”

Her voice was like plucked strings, trembling with restrained emotion, her actions not as composed as her words suggested.

She was nervous too.

Her wrist was caught, pressed against the warm, soft curve of Jiang Menghe’s stomach, feeling the rise and fall of each breath. Yin Yunzhu shut her eyes.

The resistance vanished abruptly. Without guidance, her fingers slipped effortlessly beneath the elastic waistband, meeting no obstruction.

When kissed, her lips parted helplessly, a silvery trail slipping down her chin, only to be tenderly wiped away by the woman above her with a thumb.

Like carefully nurturing a blooming flower in her palm, Yin Yunzhu wrapped an arm around Jiang Menghe’s waist, and they tumbled off the couch onto the floor mat. Jiang Menghe let out a muffled sound, about to tease her, but quickly lost the upper hand.

Sweat-damp hair was kissed, Yin Yunzhu’s consciousness drifting, driven purely by instinct as she rubbed skin raw, fingers sticky and tangled.

The setting sun slanted through the doorway, its multicolored halo slowly shifting over their entwined bodies before fading into the lingering clouds.

Dusk deepened, swallowing the room’s light. Yin Yunzhu wiped the sweat from her nose and collapsed onto the couch.

The sudden glare of the lights made her squint like a criminal awaiting judgment.

Clutching a now-cold paper cup, she bit its rim, damp lashes lowered, too afraid to look.

Silence filled the living room, broken only by the hum of the heater, fanning the embers of a fire that had nearly died out. Neither spoke, as if they were strangers who had merely brushed past each other.

Jiang Menghe’s legs trembled as she steadied herself against the coffee table. Bending down, she picked up the scattered bra and shirt, draping them carelessly over herself to cover her bare legs.

She reached for a tissue, carefully wiping away the traces that had dripped from the root down to her ankle, crumpled it, and tossed it into the trash.

The rustling sounds brushed against Yin Yunzhu’s ears. She covered her face, overwhelmed with regret.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

Things had gone too far off track. She had come today to untangle the mistake from that night, to sever ties with Jiang Menghe completely.

A tangle of emotions churned inside her. Yin Yunzhu clasped her hands together while the other woman shook out her shirt, covering her back.

“Last time was because of alcohol. And this time?” The woman adjusted her collar, turning with a teasing glint in her eyes.

Her gaze was hazy and unfathomable, impossible to decipher.

This time…

This time, she was sober.

Yin Yunzhu had no words. She opened her mouth but remained silent, rubbing her flushed cheeks in quiet frustration. The dull ache from where her temples had been pressed still lingered, and the memory of ragged breaths echoed faintly in her ears.

“So… what do you want to do?” She quickly gathered her thoughts, placing her hands on her knees, docile as a student.

There was a hint of evasion in her words. In truth, Yin Yunzhu was just throwing the question back. She wasn’t good at making demands, “whatever” had long become her default response.

Whatever Jiang Menghe wanted, so be it.

Hearing the sticky, lingering tone in her voice, soft as cotton, Jiang Menghe stood on the other side of the coffee table, lips curving slightly.

“We’re a good match. We should meet more often.”

The last four words were deliberately emphasized, carrying an air of mischief.

“What do you mean?” Yin Yunzhu was baffled. She looked up, trying to read the intention behind those words on the woman’s face.

Jiang Menghe hid it well. Perhaps years in the entertainment industry had taught her to keep emotions subdued, as detached as a glass of plain water, her expression a mix of aloofness and admiration.

“Exactly what I said,” she replied. “I’m happy. Aren’t you?”

Yin Yunzhu fell silent, remembering how the other woman had given her the choice earlier. It was true, she had been the one unable to resist. She bit her lip, wanting to argue but holding back.

An ambiguous yet palpable tension flowed between them. After what felt like an eternity of hesitation, Jiang Menghe leaned in, coaxing in a bewitching tone, “Without alcohol or pheromones, we fit together so well. Isn’t that something to celebrate?”

Countless Betas spent their lives envying the natural pull between Alphas and Omegas the dizzying euphoria of entanglement, the instinctive release of glandular urges, no matter how reserved they tried to be.

She waited quietly for Yin Yunzhu’s decision, staring absently at the fluttering lashes on her profile.

Her cheeks were soft to the touch, and when pinched, she’d suck in a sharp breath, shooting reproachful glances but never voicing her complaints, swallowing her grievances instead.

Jiang Menghe didn’t know Yin Yunzhu’s age, her job, her address, she hadn’t even considered delving deeper into who this person was.

Just as Yin Yunzhu wrestled with her thoughts, the ringtone from her phone in her jacket pocket shattered the charged atmosphere like breaking glass.

As if grasping at a lifeline, she scrambled to her feet without even glancing at the screen, stammering, “I have to go.”

She just wanted to leave. Distance would help her make the right decision. Staying any longer with Jiang Menghe would only lead to being sweet-talked into submission.

She couldn’t lose her head.

“Mm.” Seeing neither refusal nor agreement, Jiang Menghe acknowledged her response and stood as well.

Tactfully, she didn’t press further, simply walking her to the door.

She must have pressed some key by accident, as the dial tone stopped abruptly. Yin Yunzhu slowly pulled on her hat, covering her flushed cheeks like a clumsy little penguin.

Jiang Menghe watched quietly until the draft from the open door snapped her back to reality. Softly, she reminded, “Be careful on your way back. Message me when you get home.”

She had reverted to her usual gentle and amiable self, hard to imagine she was the same person who had desperately clung to Yin Yunzhu’s neck moments ago, with a grip so tight it felt like she wanted to fuse them together.

Yin Yunzhu didn’t respond, burying half her face into the upturned collar of her coat. Just as she was about to close the door, she heard a voice from behind.

“Thank you for being willing to stay with me.”

She instinctively turned, but all she caught was the sight of the door shutting.

Streetlights flickered on along the roadside, casting uneven shadows on the ground. The surrounding banks and offices had long closed, their shutters drawn. Instead of calling a cab, Yin Yunzhu chose to walk home.

Maybe the evening breeze would cool her overheated mind. Hands tucked in her pockets, she mulled over Jiang Menghe’s earlier words.

We can meet more often in the future.

Was that what she thought it meant?

Before, she had despised such behavior, and her impression of Jiang Menghe had soured because of it. Yet now, after just a few kisses and embraces, that resentment had faded.

Was it really just the illusion of intimacy that made souls feel connected?

Yin Yunzhu had never felt such self-loathing before. On one hand, she scorned their fleeting, clandestine relationship. On the other,  she craved the other woman’s tenderness.

The way Jiang Menghe would smile at her in the heat of the moment, smooth the hair stuck to her temples with a thumb, or pat her back soothingly when things went too far.

Setting aside the circumstances, Jiang Menghe was like a lighthouse to her.

Reason told her she should refuse outright, yet her emotions kept pulling her back. It’s not like I’m losing anything. If I’ve already slipped up once or twice, what’s stopping me from doing it again?

She wasn’t sure how she’d arrived at that conclusion. Shaking off the chaotic thoughts, she remembered the call that had been cut off earlier.

It had been from her family. Yin Yunzhu redialed, and the line connected after just a few rings.

“Yunyun, why didn’t you pick up?” Shan Songyue’s voice came through, laced with concern.

The background noise was a mix of chatter and cartoon sounds. Standing under a tree, Yin Yunzhu watched as the bare branches failed to hold back the night, letting shadows spill onto her shoulders.

She kicked at a fallen leaf and lied casually, “I was showering. Didn’t see the message.”

“Alright. Are you coming home this weekend?” Shan Songyue paused, likely busy with something. “Xiao Xuan’s been throwing a tantrum to see you. And since it’s been getting cold, I bought you a down jacket. Come pick it up?”

“Got it. I’ll see when I’m free,” Yin Yunzhu replied.

“How can your job keep you that busy? You’re practically idle all day.” Shan Songyue scoffed. In the eyes of the older generation, freelancing, no matter how lucrative could never compare to the security of a stable, benefits-laden corporate job.

While they talked, the little girl on the other end, hearing her mom speaking to her sister, abandoned her cartoon and came running, clamoring to take the phone. Shan Songyue scolded her sharply, sending her off to do homework instead.

Yin Yunzhu stifled a laugh. Thinking about it, it really had been a while since she’d gone home.

“I’ll come back this weekend, then. Maybe take Xiao Xuan out somewhere too.”

“Good. Come early, don’t make us wait like last time when the food went cold.”

“Understood.”

The moment she hung up, a friend request popped up on WeChat.

Jianghe: [You home yet?]

Yin Yunzhu turned off her screen, deciding to pretend she hadn’t seen it.

She tucked her phone into her pocket to warm it for a while before pulling it out and swiping to answer immediately.

She admitted she had no self-restraint just a beckoning finger from the other person, and she was already scrambling over. After what had just happened, her heart was filled with insecurity. Only through mutual communication could she feel at ease, unbetrayed and not betraying in turn.

Xiao Zhu: 【Still on the way】

The residual glow of the ceiling light lingered, while neon signs in the distance reflected off the mirror-like artificial lake. Beside the island counter stood a half-glass wall, offering a panoramic view of most of Quancheng.

A mellow blues tune played from the tablet as the woman cradled a glass of homemade sparkling wine in both hands. Her profile was half-hidden in the dimness, her expression unreadable as she glanced at the reply she had received.

Her social media feed was flooded with recent updates from peers, meticulously edited nine-grid photos paired with artsy captions, creating a stark sense of dissonance.

Jiang Menghe let out a long sigh.

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