The Second Fall - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Knowingly Wrong, Yet Unrepentant?

The single-unit shower was extremely narrow. After fitting in the water circulation system, the heater, and a small lamp, there was barely enough room for one person to stretch out.

Two people made it feel congested, like a subway car during the morning rush.

Arm pressed against arm. There was barely an inch of space between their bodies, but heat spontaneously spiraled from one skin to the other, slipping past collars and seeping inward. Lan Cixing, with her head tilted back and eyes lowered, was pinned against the doorframe of the cubicle by Rong Yushu, unable to move. She couldn’t lift a hand without touching Rong Yushu’s arm, let alone turn to escape.

In this excessively tiny space, the two stood face-to-face. A bead of sweat rolled down Lan Cixing’s temple, and her back was drenched—she truly did need a wash. And Rong Yushu gave her that “opportunity.”

At this moment, Rong Yushu’s fox-like eyes were curved in a smile, the faint glint within them full of craftiness. She truly looked like a fox leading her prey into a pit, crouching right above the trap, watching with leisurely interest as the dying prey struggled for life. Given how small the space was, Lan Cixing’s struggle seemed feeble, almost like a death throe. Her biggest movement was merely swallowing hard.

She had already been brought into a private space by Rong Yushu. To refuse now would make her look like she was playing hard to get. Lan Cixing averted her gaze, her breathing shaky.

Predictably, her bowtie was yanked off. Rong Yushu pulled Lan Cixing a step closer, inviting her into her embrace, and then slowly began to undo her buttons. Lan Cixing felt dizzy in her arms, not daring to let her breath grow heavy for fear that Rong Yushu might misunderstand the hot air hitting her neck. Rong Yushu was still wearing her nail extensions; with every movement, those sharp nails would graze Lan Cixing’s skin, stimulating her intentionally or otherwise.

A few minutes later, the shirt fell into the laundry basket. Lan Cixing had completely lowered her head, her ears burning red, burying her face in Rong Yushu’s embrace. She was at her mercy.

Rong Yushu took down the showerhead and was about to begin. Suddenly, her wrist was circled by Lan Cixing’s hand. Rong Yushu raised an eyebrow, ignored her, and twisted the switch. A wave of heat washed over Lan Cixing’s neck; she shuddered and, with quick reflexes, clicked the showerhead back off.

“What is it? Didn’t you say you knew you were wrong?” Rong Yushu’s voice was elegant, but her actions were domineering. She tapped the showerhead against Lan Cixing’s head—not gently.

“Or are you the type of kid who admits fault but remains unrepentant?” Anything said by Rong Yushu sounded like a compliment. However, Lan Cixing understood the meaning behind the words and collapsed into Rong Yushu’s arms with a shiver.

“I, I just… that is, Doctor Yan said I shouldn’t be… stimulated.” Lan Cixing found an excellent excuse for her sense of shame.

“Tsk.” Rong Yushu thought to herself that Yan Siyi was indeed a troublemaker. She was enjoying catching her “dumb fish,” but the fish had gone to fetch a helper.

“And if I don’t listen to her, what can you do?” Rong Yushu could easily disregard Yan Siyi’s instructions.

Lan Cixing’s waist was soft, and her legs felt weak. The only thing she could do was tilt her head up while clinging to Rong Yushu’s chest. Even so, she raised her eyes, looking at Rong Yushu with light-filled, pale blue eyes full of pleading. She knew that if Rong Yushu was determined to punish her, no medical advice would matter. This begging was a futile effort, at most ensuring that Rong Yushu wouldn’t be too harsh. Lan Cixing still instinctively played the part, pleading with her fickle sister. It was as if this were some kind of shared game.

“You.” Rong Yushu truly couldn’t withstand that look. Her gaze shifted slightly, her hand gripping Lan Cixing’s slouching back. “I bathed you every day when you were little, and I didn’t see you complain about ‘stimulation’ then. Now that you’re all grown up, you’ve developed a sense of shame? Is there anywhere on you I haven’t seen?”

Rong Yushu’s nail grazed the tip of Lan Cixing’s nose, making her momentarily close those pitiful eyes. Rong Yushu could feel Lan Cixing “wagging her tail.” Once the girl closed her eyes, her hands became restless, hugging her back. The earlier piteousness was just an act.

“That was when I was a kid.” Lan Cixing held Rong Yushu’s body, her hair falling loose and clinging to Rong Yushu’s arms.

“It was quite small back then,” Rong Yushu said pointedly, giving Lan Cixing a pinch. Her sharp nail dug in with the force of a needle. Lan Cixing’s eyes flew open to meet her mocking smile, and her face flushed deep red down to her neck. She didn’t dare look at Rong Yushu again, fearing she’d be devoured by those fox-eyes. She leaned back against the doorframe and looked down to confirm.

Compared to ten years ago, there should have been some growth, right? At least she was ten centimeters taller.

Having teased the girl into doing a self-check, Rong Yushu loosened her own collar. “Pick one,” she said, leaning lazily against the wall. Her gaze was unblinking, yet she didn’t pressure Lan Cixing. “Either you to me, or me to you. The space is only this big; it’s impossible for us to do it at the same time, and I won’t wait for you.”

She claimed to give Lan Cixing a choice, but it was really just about the order of events. Rong Yushu wasn’t kind enough to give her actual leeway. Lan Cixing didn’t realize this and actually began to think it over. She briefly fantasized about her doing it to Rong Yushu. A shiver ran down the back of her neck; pheromones tickled her heart, making her feel strange.

“You… you do it.” Lan Cixing truly didn’t dare move. She could only stiffen her limbs and leave it to Rong Yushu.

“Say it: ‘Sister, do it,'” Rong Yushu pressed closer and twisted the showerhead back on.

“Sister… Sister, do it.” Lan Cixing’s voice was tiny and trembling. She clung to Rong Yushu’s shoulders and refused to move.

“Good girl.”

A slippery, hazy sensation flooded Lan Cixing’s mind. She hadn’t expected that letting Rong Yushu take the lead would be this painful in its own way. She even closed her eyes, wanting to bite Rong Yushu. Ultimately, she felt it would be an offense, so she could only keep burying herself in Rong Yushu’s embrace, nuzzling her head like a cat.

Rong Yushu was quite serious about scrubbing her. Being nuzzled so much, she let out a light sneer from her nose. It gave Lan Cixing a fright; the puppy shrunk down and went back to playing piteous again.

“What? You chose this yourself.” Rong Yushu aimed the showerhead at Lan Cixing’s reddened ear. Lan Cixing was washed by the heat, feeling lightheaded as she held Rong Yushu with a blank stare. After a while, Rong Yushu was ready for the “main course.”

Lan Cixing finally snapped out of it and grabbed Rong Yushu’s hand. This time her strength increased, carrying a sense of being impossible to refuse. Rong Yushu narrowed her eyes. Her green pupils were ghostly, the light within them sharp.

Lan Cixing refused to back down again. “Too… stimulating…”

“You can’t take it?” Rong Yushu’s expression softened. She stood up a bit straighter, letting Lan Cixing hold her properly. Lan Cixing gave a small nod. “I’m sorry, Sister. I really feel a bit uncomfortable.” She apologized very seriously.

“You remember the doctor telling you not to be stimulated, but how come you don’t remember her saying you need to vent properly? You shouldn’t bottle it up in your condition.” Out of necessity, Rong Yushu could only guide Lan Cixing’s hand to land on her own body. She even taught her how to hold the showerhead and the soap.

Lan Cixing was dazed for a moment; Rong Yushu had already fallen into her embrace. Soft and enchanting, she whispered into the base of her ear. “You can use me well… to vent.”

Their lips met.

Lan Cixing kissed with great force, as if pushing all her breath into Rong Yushu. It was as if she wanted the person who had teased her so much to pay the price. Rong Yushu was more obedient than ever. This time, she truly let her kiss however she wanted. Anything was fine—biting her lip or reaching in… the usual guidance was gone. Rong Yushu was a woman of her word; she really let Lan Cixing use her…

Lan Cixing kissed until her glands no longer felt uncomfortable, then she took over the showerhead and got to work.

“It doesn’t feel uncomfortable anymore? It was clearly no different from just now…”

“It’s different, mmm…”

“Then, do you want…?” Rong Yushu lowered her voice. She didn’t explicitly say what “it” was. Lan Cixing remained silent and truly switched hands to hold the soap.

When they stepped out, Rong Yushu was still drying Lan Cixing’s hair. The drones couldn’t exactly circle the shower unit and wait, but they caught one scene from a distance. Rong Yushu stayed at the door until she had rubbed Lan Cixing into a daze before putting the hair tie on for her, hiding her dyed red hair. The red hair was a bit conspicuous. Lan Cixing thought that once the color faded this time, she probably wouldn’t dye it again.

In a backlit corner, Lan Cixing’s earlobe was pinched by Rong Yushu once more. Then, the two walked back to the center of the camp, to the cooking area.

Yu Mingsong had almost waited long enough to turn into a statue. Seeing the two arrive one after the other, holding hands, she was no longer surprised. Whatever she wanted to complain about had already been said to the drones. These two had showered for nearly an hour; who knew what they were doing in there? She couldn’t say it out loud, so she could only make faces at the drones for comfort.

The production crew had sent her a small note to comfort her, saying that if it really didn’t work out, they’d change her partner next time. Yu Mingsong, of course, refused. She changed her tune, saying it was fine to watch them play around—she’d just treat it like watching a “CP” (couple). The crew silently imagined a melodramatic story of two Alphas fighting, where the loser was deeply affectionate and loyal, choosing to protect in silence. Yu Mingsong didn’t know; her resentful gaze toward the two made it look like that melodramatic story was actually true.

“I ate your portion of the boxed meal,” she told Lan Cixing, delivering a piece of bad news. Lan Cixing remained silent, seemingly having no objection. Yu Mingsong was quite self-aware; this way, she wouldn’t be stealing the food Lan Cixing made specifically for Rong Yushu.

“Perfect, you go wash up then. It’s quite useful,” Rong Yushu said indifferently, having guessed that Lan Cixing had exchanged for that meal for Yu Mingsong. She sat back in her lounge chair and picked up a fan. Night had fully fallen, and the temperature had dropped. Rong Yushu had acquired a fur shawl from somewhere; she threw it over herself, fluttering her fan, looking utterly leisurely—truly like she was on vacation.

Lan Cixing started stir-frying again by the fire. The drone accurately captured her fingers, which were a bit wrinkled from being soaked. There was no white at the edge of her nails; they were trimmed round and neat.

The studio fell into silence. The director didn’t even dare to have an opinion on Lan Cixing anymore. She looked at the planner. “Did the little ancestor mention having a partner before she came?”

“No, no.” The planner was sweating as she flipped through the records Rong Yushu had left. “Truly no, look. She said her family was pushing her hard and she wanted to try the show…”

The director looked at it and fell silent. She used the rolled-up script to hit the planner’s head.

“Sister?” The planner covered her head, looking innocent.

The director almost couldn’t catch her breath. “She’s being pushed by her family? Could she possibly lack blind date partners?! Use your brain. Who is Rong Yushu? Anyone could lack partners except her!”

“Moreover, her sister keeps such a close eye on her. How could she be in such a hurry to find her a partner?”

The director was now almost certain. Rong Yushu had planned this, wanting to show off her love with her little bodyguard lover on this dating show, or rather, go on a honeymoon. After all, Rong Yushu usually had a busy schedule; if she wanted to play, she had to find a variety show. While she didn’t know Rong Yushu’s exact thoughts, it was certain that her relationship with the bodyguard was unusual.

“Ah.” The planner finally understood after being hit. To put it bluntly, it would be more reasonable if Rong Yushu said she signed up because she wanted to make money than because she wanted to find a partner.

“Then, then, what do we do?” The planner was close to tears. Originally, twelve people were perfectly paired. Now, Rong Yushu had brought her own lover; didn’t that leave Yu Mingsong as the odd one out? How was the show plan supposed to move forward?

“Hurry up and change the script for the next episode. Making it three people is fine; I’ll ask Yu Mingsong what she thinks. Treat that bodyguard as a guest and let her participate. I think she has good ‘variety show effects.'” The director exhaled a cloud of smoke, her headache worsening the more she thought about it.

It was very clear what Rong Yushu was thinking. The key was, what did her sister think? Rong Yushu hadn’t had many scandals in her years in the industry. To have a secret lover exposed on a dating show… the director was afraid she’d be torn apart by Rong Jinhuai. Could this show really be launched smoothly?

Halfway through Lan Cixing’s cooking, the drone floated over again with a note. She wanted to ignore it, but the note looked like it was going to fall into the pot. Lan Cixing sighed and reached out to catch it.

“Good girl, what is it?” Rong Yushu was as comfortable as if she were in her own home, completely unaware of the crew’s headache in the studio. She even called Lan Cixing “good girl.” Since they had showered together, she stopped pretending and became increasingly bold.

“I don’t know what it is.” Lan Cixing gave the note to Rong Yushu. Presumably, the crew wouldn’t be looking for her; she wasn’t a guest.

Rong Yushu rose lazily and took the paper. Opening it, her narrowed eyes flashed with a cold light toward the drone. “Isn’t this a dating show? How can this count as an ‘affair’? We are clearly doing this in the light of day.” Rong Yushu started talking back to the director through the note’s content.

“So what if she’s not a guest? She’s my person.”

“Furthermore,” Rong Yushu stood up and pinched the tip of Lan Cixing’s ear, instantly making it red. “This is my little cutie, my clingy puppy. She just wants to follow her Master. Is that wrong?” She patted Lan Cixing’s head.

Hearing the word “puppy,” the director finally realized who had placed the supplies when Rong Yushu was looking for the camp during the day. Daring to be angry but not daring to speak, she decided to double the difficulty for the two of them in the next episode.

Lan Cixing’s stir-frying slowed down. She could guess what the note had asked Rong Yushu. As expected, they were being too obvious… she didn’t know how the crew would edit it or what the situation would be when it aired. But regardless, it wouldn’t be good. Lan Cixing was afraid the netizens would dig up her identity. No, it wasn’t a “probability.” With so many netizens, someone was bound to find out, especially those watching Rong Yushu. Once it aired, her identity would be exposed. Masks and hats were useless; they would only become signs of a guilty conscience.

Lan Cixing’s heart sank; for a moment, she didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t afraid of being insulted. She was afraid Rong Yushu would discard her because of it. Lan Cixing looked sideways at Rong Yushu, only to have her face touched again. The variety show wouldn’t be online for at least two or three months, and Lan Cixing craved this bit of tenderness. She lowered her eyes and hid her emotions.

When they were sharing dinner, Yu Mingsong finally finished her wash and came out. Smelling the aroma of the food, Yu Mingsong immediately regretted eating the boxed meal. She sidled up to Lan Cixing, looking at the last remaining bit, hesitant to speak. Lan Cixing scooped it into Rong Yushu’s insulated container, not giving Yu Mingsong a single glance.

“This is too much, friends,” Yu Mingsong complained to the drone. “These two are on a desert island vacation and won’t include me.”

“Wasn’t it because you couldn’t wait to eat the boxed meal yourself?” Rong Yushu ate slowly, and after a while, Lan Cixing snatched the container back to reheat it.

“I didn’t know your bodyguard was so capable.” Yu Mingsong had thought Lan Cixing only had good combat skills. She didn’t expect her to remember routes, do housework, and cook.

“She is quite capable,” Rong Yushu agreed with Yu Mingsong’s thought. Whether the two meant the same thing was hard to say.

The original plan for the evening was to call the two guests to the studio to explain their tasks and film those “behind-the-scenes thoughts.” Seeing the three of them like this, the director gave up on the idea and called the other groups instead, leaving Rong Yushu’s situation alone.

Lan Cixing looked at the sky, estimated the time was about right, and urged Rong Yushu to wash up, apply a face mask, and go to bed.

“You two aren’t going to sleep together, are you?” Yu Mingsong said pointedly. She had something she wanted to ask Rong Yushu alone. Lan Cixing’s original identity was security; she could go sleep in the crew’s rest area.

Lan Cixing only thought for a second. “I’ll stay in the camp to stand guard.” The single tent was so small; how could she squeeze in with Rong Yushu?

“Stand… guard?” Rong Yushu narrowed her fox-eyes.

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