Sweetheart, It's Time To Pay Your Debt - Chapter 14

The moment they crossed the finish line, the mascot costume fell to the ground, its center of gravity unstable. The feathers hanging from its chest scattered as cheers for their victory erupted from all around.

“LinaBell! LinaBell won!”

“I remember LinaBell is from Class 1, Grade 12. Winning the doubles earns them 20 points, their total score might catch up now!”

“I told you girls have the advantage in this game! To those who bet on Donald Duck, go buy me milk tea right now. I want the most expensive one!”

Inside the costume, Bo Liye was pinned firmly beneath Qin Mingyan. When they fell, Qin Mingyan had used her hand to cushion the back of Bo Liye’s head, but the sudden impact still left Bo Liye dizzy, especially with Qin Mingyan’s weight pressing down on her.

The two lay on the ground. Having just crossed the finish line after sprinting, both were breathing heavily. Qin Mingyan’s breath was unusually hot, each gasp scorching like a catalytic flame, causing the places where Bo Liye had been chafed on the track to burn incessantly.

The fire grew stronger, the itch became more intense.

Bo Liye panted, struggling to push Qin Mingyan off so they could stand back up.

But as soon as she moved, Qin Mingyan let out a small, muffled groan. Bo Liye froze instantly.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Qin Mingyan’s voice was noticeably strained: “My leg is cramping. I might have pulled something when we fell. I just need a moment.”

Her brow was furrowed tightly. From Bo Liye’s angle, she could see Qin Mingyan’s eyelashes trembling, she seemed to be in genuine pain.

Thinking of their victory, Bo Liye could only endure it, allowing Qin Mingyan to continue resting against her while silently bearing the heat of the other girl’s post-run breath.

Even without direct physical contact, Bo Liye’s nerves felt as though they were being constantly provoked, becoming more and more excited.

This sensation was foreign to her and filled her with shame, even the slightest breath felt magnified several times over.

Just then, students from their class gathered around the mascot, offering words of concern and even trying to pull the LinaBell costume up.

Bo Liye suppressed her trembling voice, forcing herself to sound calm: “Wait a second. Qin Mingyan’s leg is cramping. Let her rest for a bit.”

A voice from outside came through: “Okay. Do you want us to bring you some water or help you take off the headpiece?”

“No need.” Their current posture didn’t violate any rules, but it wasn’t something they wanted others to see.

“Alright, we’ll wait for you then.”

Then came Gu Baifan’s annoying voice: “Bo Liye, you didn’t fall so many times that your clothes got messed up, did you? Is that why you’re scared to show your face?”

“I even let everyone take photos of me covered in mud. Why don’t you sacrifice a little and let us see?”

“Yeah, don’t use our top student as an excuse. You just care too much about your image, don’t you?”

“Qin Mingyan, don’t spoil her. Say something!”

Qin Mingyan, having been called out, lifted her head.

In the narrow field of vision, Qin Mingyan’s eyes were dark, glowing with a heat as intense as her breathing. Bo Liye felt scorched by that gaze, when she looked closer, however, the intensity seemed to have vanished.

She only heard Qin Mingyan say in a low voice, “My leg cramped. I’m okay now. Thank you for your concern.”

“Good to hear. Do you want to change here or go to the restroom?”

Qin Mingyan glanced at Bo Liye and said, “The restroom.”

A wave of disappointed sighs echoed from outside.

With the help of the outsiders, Bo Liye was pulled up by Qin Mingyan.

On the way to the changing room, neither of them mentioned the posture they had used on the track. Bo Liye essentially stepped on Qin Mingyan’s feet, slowly moving backward.

It became exceptionally quiet inside the costume. The two felt like strangers, neither speaking a word.

What Bo Liye didn’t know was that Qin Mingyan’s hands, tucked into the LinaBell’s arms, were clenched tightly, desperately resisting her bodily instincts.

Like a fish out of water, she greedily tried to draw moisture from Bo Liye over and over again. Humans are greedy creatures, once they have had a taste, they want more and more. After crossing the finish line, she had selfishly fought to give herself those thirty seconds.

As the scent from Bo Liye’s hair wafted over, she could only bite her lip, trying to use the lingering sensation to briefly soothe her craving for Bo Liye. She didn’t even dare to breathe too heavily, for fear of startling her.

It wasn’t until they entered the restroom stall that Qin Mingyan finally regained control over her emotions and reached up to remove the heavy headpiece.

Once fresh air flooded the costume, it instantly dispelled the sweltering heat. White light hit her eyes, and before Qin Mingyan could recover from the discomfort, Bo Liye suddenly grabbed her by the neck and kissed her.

The sudden warmth and softness on her lips left Qin Mingyan stunned.

But only two seconds later, a sharp, stinging pain shot through her lips.

Salt-tasting blood bloomed from the broken skin. Bo Liye didn’t let go; instead, she gripped Qin Mingyan even tighter, feeling the other girl’s struggle and fear, fear that was several times greater than what she herself had felt on the track.

Only after fully venting the frustration in her heart did Bo Liye push Qin Mingyan away, like discarding a trivial toy.

Then, she roughly wiped her lips with the back of her hand while violently pulling off the LinaBell suit.

Once she was completely out of the costume, Bo Liye kicked Qin Mingyan’s shin: “What are you looking at? Hurry up!”

Qin Mingyan’s lip was bitten in two places, stained red with blood, looking both vivid and pathetic. She could only whisper: “I’m sorry. I was too anxious on the track. I shouldn’t have held you.”

Bo Liye hadn’t bitten Qin Mingyan for that reason, but she couldn’t speak the real truth. She grabbed her school jacket from the hook and slammed the door as she walked out.

At the sink, cold water rinsed Bo Liye’s hand, gradually washing away the bloodstains. The strange sensation in her chest was also fading, turning from a weird tingle into a slight sting.

She raised her left hand and pressed her arm against her chest; the stinging pain became more obvious.

She had probably really chafed her skin.

Bo Liye’s jaw tightened, and she turned off the faucet, intending to leave.

Just then, her phone screen lit up.

It was that voyeur who was obsessed with her. Having watched her complete the double play with Qin Mingyan, they were acting crazy again:

[Sweetheart, did you and Qin Mingyan do anything bad inside that mascot suit?]

[I really want that damn Qin Mingyan to disappear. She doesn’t know how to do anything, how could she ever satisfy you?]

[My sweetheart is the best at everything, so you deserve the best person.]

[Shall I come find you? I’ll erase all her traces and cover your whole body in my scent, okay? Okay? Okay?]

Bo Liye’s footsteps stopped abruptly as she left the restroom. She rushed back, found the stall where they had changed, and pounded on the door: “Qin Mingyan? Qin Mingyan!”

Qin Mingyan responded from behind the door: “What is it?”

Like a stabilizing pill, the voice calmed Bo Liye down. She replied to the voyeur: [You sewer rat, you wouldn’t dare come.]

The reply came quickly: [Sweetheart, are you trying to provoke me? We’ve been in an online relationship for so long, you actually like me, don’t you?]

Bo Liye felt like vomiting. She urged Qin Mingyan: “They’re about to announce the total scores for the sports meet. Hurry up.”

Qin Mingyan said, “Okay.”

Half a minute later, Qin Mingyan finally walked out. She was already wearing her school jacket, her hair neatly tied back, and she held the folded mascot costume in her arms.

The blood on her lips had been wiped clean, but her slender neck still bore traces of un-wiped sweat, glistening against her pale skin like white roses after a rainy night, pure, clean, and inviting.

She was nothing like that disgusting voyeur. Bo Liye suddenly didn’t want to bring this version of Qin Mingyan in front of that creep.

Bo Liye raised her hand and beckoned to Qin Mingyan: “Come here.”

Qin Mingyan walked over, but when she was half a meter away, she seemed to remember something and took a fearful step back. “Aren’t we leaving?”

Seeing the movement, Bo Liye narrowed her eyes in annoyance and reached out to grab her.

Qin Mingyan took another step back, causing Bo Liye to miss.

Bo Liye stared expressionlessly at Qin Mingyan’s shoes, a sign she was about to get angry.

Qin Mingyan lowered her head and took a small half-step forward. Her fair fingertips lightly brushed Bo Liye’s palm. Her voice was very, very soft: “Is there anything else?”

Bo Liye was instantly appeased. She didn’t even care about the lingering pain in her chest anymore. She took Qin Mingyan’s hand, her tone softening: “Scared I’ll bite you again?”

“We have to see people soon. How about after school?”

“Anything is okay after school?”

Qin Mingyan shook her head: “…No.”

She should have kept being difficult, but looking at Qin Mingyan, Bo Liye felt her heart sink slightly, and her lips curled up involuntarily.

She tapped her own lips with her other hand and said leisurely: “If you please me a little, I won’t hold it against you for… tripping me so many times just now.”

Qin Mingyan’s eyelashes fluttered violently, her gaze scattered.

Bo Liye stood there waiting for her, as if she would punish her immediately if she didn’t comply.

Qin Mingyan finally moved. Slowly, helplessly, and tremblingly, she lightly kissed Bo Liye’s lips like a dragonfly skimming the water and quickly pulled away.

After the kiss, she even closed her eyes, looking incredibly innocent.

She had kissed her so aggressively back at Huashui Alley, and she had dared to pick her up so boldly on the track, yet now when she kissed her, she looked like a girl in the throes of first love…

Wait.

Bo Liye re-evaluated Qin Mingyan. From that slightly trembling breath, an absurd yet logical thought gradually surfaced.

She leaned into Qin Mingyan’s ear and smiled triumphantly: “Qin Mingyan, have you fallen in love with me?”