The Second Fall - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Desiring Sister’s Punishment

“Since it’s been canceled…” Tan Xiangming wanted to go home.

It wasn’t that she was thinking of Hao Liuhua. She was just thinking about the house she got for free. She wanted to check if the house Hao Liuhua gave her suited her tastes. If the renovation was bad, she’d have to trick Hao Liuhua into doing it over. Her standards were high; checking would take a long time, so she had to get home early.

It had absolutely nothing to do with a certain Hao Liuhua, who had been abandoned by her all morning, looking pitiful and guarding an empty house alone, eventually unable to bear it and coming to find her in person!

“Since it’s canceled, let’s go to a bar!” Lin Youchu was determined to observe Tan Xiangming. She carried the weight of the gossip of three other people on her shoulders; she couldn’t admit defeat.

“Ah?” Tan Xiangming had forgotten such things existed.

“Uh, I mean… my drama premieres tonight. I have to go back and help boost the data,” Tan Xiangming said, her tongue tripping as she spun a lie. Anyway, Lin Youchu didn’t know which drama it was.

“Is that so? Which one? Just play it at the bar. We’re all friends here. We’ll get a hundred people, give each of them three devices, and they’ll all boost the data for you.”

Having not been out with her “fair-weather friends” for a long time, Tan Xiangming had clearly forgotten Lin Youchu’s personality.

“…” Tan Xiangming stopped smiling and looked at the deliberately antagonistic Lin Youchu with a long face.

“I knew it,” Lin Youchu teased with a poke. The poke made Tan Xiangming’s ears turn red, and she immediately pinched Lin Youchu’s arm.

“Ow! I haven’t even said what I ‘knew’ yet. You’re just feeling guilty—you definitely want to go back and be with your wife!”

After saying this, Lin Youchu jumped to the side, preventing Tan Xiangming from grabbing her arm again. Infuriated, Tan Xiangming picked up a napkin and threw it at Lin Youchu.

“Tan Xiangming! She’s your own wife. What’s wrong with having feelings for her? There’s nothing embarrassing about it~” Lin Youchu could only run all over the private room.

Tan Xiangming threw napkins at her one by one. “I do not!”

Before Lin Youchu could say another word, Tan Xiangming explained three times:

“It’s not like I have! Feelings for her!”

“Absolutely not!”

Realizing the more she described it, the darker it became, Tan Xiangming simply stopped and took a deep breath. She picked up a cup of clear tea that had appeared by her hand at some point and swallowed it in one gulp.

Only after drinking it did she notice the taste was different—not like the tea brewed by the restaurant.

“Hey, Youzi,” a possibility surfaced in Tan Xiangming’s mind, and she immediately put on a fake smile.

Lin Youchu saw her “skin-deep” smile and got goosebumps.

“Did you specially brew tea for me?” She should have said so earlier; Tan Xiangming felt she had been angry for nothing.

“…How could that be? Isn’t this from the restaurant?” Lin Youchu’s attention was temporarily diverted. She glanced at the cup and suddenly understood everything.

This was clearly tea specially prepared for Tan Xiangming by her wife, perhaps even brewed by her own hands. It must have been brought to Tan Xiangming when she arrived earlier.

Lin Youchu was truly stuffed with public displays of affection and swore never to come out alone with this married woman again.

Tan Xiangming hadn’t realized it yet. After finishing, she studied the teacup, playing dumb.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Lin Youchu guessed she was going back to be intimate with Hao Liuhua, so she didn’t make things difficult for her or dwell on what just happened.

Tan Xiangming successfully returned to the large flat Hao Liuhua had prepared for her.

The developer of this flat wasn’t from the Shang family. Tan Xiangming rarely came to this district, but she knew how much it cost to own such a large apartment in a city center where land was worth its weight in gold. It wasn’t just about money; you needed connections. The people living in this community were either extremely wealthy or high-ranking.

Tan Xiangming spent a moment in the sightseeing elevator admiring the community’s greenery, barely giving it a passing grade of sixty, before stepping into the apartment.

Inside, there was a faint scent of incense, as if it had just finished burning, passing the most pungent stage. The decor was low-key, simple, and elegant, with accessories placed just right. However, not a single piece of equipment was cheap.

For example, the shoe cabinet where Tan Xiangming was currently placing her shoes. With a quick glance, she saw a famous designer’s signature engraved on the side. A shoe cabinet like this would start at six figures even without a signature; with it, a seven-figure auction price wouldn’t be excessive.

As expected of her marriage partner—truly rich. In the future, it would all be hers.

Tan Xiangming nodded to herself and gave the signature a good rub. Her family’s field was different from this master’s field, and she didn’t have this master’s signature, so this felt like a new addition to her collection.

Walking further inside, Tan Xiangming admired the interior decoration again. Although the style was different from hers—Tan Xiangming was personally very high-profile, and her room at home screamed “rich” in every corner—Hao Liuhua’s taste was indeed high. So far, Tan Xiangming couldn’t find a single thing to be dissatisfied with.

But she couldn’t just let Hao Liuhua off the hook, could she?

Tan Xiangming rolled her eyes and decided to be even stricter. She planned to call Hao Liuhua, who hadn’t come home yet, to complain that the house didn’t suit her, and then act pitiful to Shang Lin’an.

After walking around for ten minutes, Tan Xiangming finally found a fault—Hao Liuhua’s wardrobe was too empty!

There wasn’t a single piece of clothing in it. Tan Xiangming couldn’t even find a chance to “borrow” an outfit. She couldn’t forgive Hao Liuhua and immediately took a photo of the empty wardrobe.

When the two photos were sent to Hao Liuhua’s phone, she was in the middle of a meeting. She unlocked the screen in front of everyone, her attitude somewhat nonchalant. Ignoring the subtle looks from the shareholders, Hao Liuhua curled her lips and typed a line of text:

“Open the door.”

Seeing this message, Tan Xiangming was bewildered. Hao Liuhua was home? So soon? She had a key, right? Why did she need Tan Xiangming to open the door? Was there a delivery?

As Tan Xiangming walked slowly toward the entrance, she dialed her dear older sister’s number.

“Sister Lin’an~” Tan Xiangming’s voice became sugary and whiny as she spoke.

Her sister was also in a meeting. She had just rejected a proposal, and the pressure in the conference room was quite low. Shang Lin’an taking the call gave everyone a chance to breathe.

“What is it? Speak quickly.” She knew from Tan Xiangming’s tone that the brat was up to no good.

“…Sister, you aren’t gentle at all. No wonder you’re still single!” Tan Xiangming stopped acting cute and stood in place, venting to Shang Lin’an.

“Yes, yes, yes, you just got married, you’re so capable. Just say it. If it’s not urgent, wait until I’m done with the meeting.” Shang Lin’an let out a sigh. She guessed that whatever her sister wanted to say was related to Hao Liuhua.

Sure enough, a second later, Tan Xiangming started shouting that it was urgent, and then vented a tiny, grain-of-rice-sized grievance.

“How can there be no clothes! This person isn’t sincere at all. She just, she just wants to see me streaking at home!”

Fortunately, the phone didn’t leak sound, otherwise, if her subordinates heard this… Shang Lin’an shuddered and silently walked out of the conference room.

“Do you know what you’re saying?” she asked, rubbing her brow in exasperation. Streaking…

Wasn’t this a business marriage? Weren’t there no feelings? Then where did Tan Xiangming get the confidence to think Hao Liuhua would want to see her streaking?

“I know. Anyway, Sister! She’s too much. It’s impossible for me to live alone and have no clothes, right?” Tan Xiangming finally revealed her fox tail.

“…Tell my assistant which ones you want. Limited to malls inside the capital. Ten outfits.” Shang Lin’an clearly understood Tan Xiangming and, considering they had successfully registered their marriage, she compromised.

“Fifteen outfits.”

“Seven outfits.”

“Tsk, stingy.” Tan Xiangming’s voice was very quiet, but hearing a grunt from Shang Lin’an, she immediately changed her tune.

“I said, Sister, you are beautiful, kind, generous, and tolerant! I love you the most. You’re ten thousand times better than that person surnamed Hao. Mwah mwah~” She hung up immediately after. Then, she sent the ten outfits she had scouted during the day to Shang Lin’an’s assistant.

The assistant sister was also very familiar with Tan Xiangming. Her reply was: [Only ten outfits?]

[There’s no choice QAQ Sister won’t give more. Assistant sister, why don’t you help me~] Tan Xiangming started acting obedient.

The assistant sister was past the age of falling for her tricks and heartlessly sent a confirmation form, blocking Tan Xiangming’s last path.

By this point, fifteen minutes had passed. Tan Xiangming finally reached the entrance and opened the door.

Standing at the door was a middle-aged woman who looked like a steward. She was holding several bags. Seeing Tan Xiangming, she cut her headset and bowed to her.

“Miss Tan.”

Tan Xiangming didn’t recognize her. She glanced at the clothing bags, her eyes lighting up. “Were you sent by my sister?”

Was her sister that fast? Could she read minds and know she liked these specific outfits? That didn’t seem right. Tan Xiangming tilted her head but still invited the steward in.

“Yes, uh… I was sent by the Head of the House to deliver clothes to you and, by the way, to record your thoughts and renovation suggestions for this house.” The steward almost mistook the “sister” Tan Xiangming mentioned for Hao Liuhua.

Tan Xiangming only heard half of it, hummed perfunctorily, and grabbed the bags from the steward’s hands.

“Miss, you don’t need to do it yourself. I can help you put them away.” The steward prepared to take the items back. If she really let Tan Xiangming unpack them herself and she complained later, her job might be at risk.

“Oh, you must be new? Don’t you know I like unpacking things myself?” Tan Xiangming glanced at the steward, just as she was about to pull them back.

Then she froze. She suddenly realized—this was Hao Liuhua’s person.

“…Were you sent by Hao Liuhua?” Tan Xiangming’s hand stopped mid-unpacking.

“Yes.” The steward bowed her head. She thought she had made it very clear.

“Oh…” A breath got stuck in Tan Xiangming’s throat.

She immediately took out her phone, compared the items to the pictures she had sent the assistant, and started deleting them one by one, preparing to choose again. After quickly unpacking, she found that Hao Liuhua had almost bought out the entire store, taking everything she had liked today.

How was she supposed to scam her sister now? Hao Liuhua was too… too…

Tan Xiangming choked back a sob and finally admitted it. Hao Liuhua was too considerate. Was this her marriage partner? This was clearly a mind-reading black card. Oh, wait. A model wife of the highest order.

Tan Xiangming silently wiped away her tears, changed the ten outfits from her sister’s side into five sets of jewelry, and after shooing away the steward, she happily began trying on the new clothes.

After the steward left, she sent an audio clip to Hao Liuhua. Hearing Tan Xiangming praising Shang Lin’an in the audio, Hao Liuhua put down her phone.

There was nearly two minutes of silence in the office. The secretary standing at the desk didn’t dare breathe.

“Get off work.” Hao Liuhua closed her eyes, and the air in the office began to flow again. The secretary hurriedly left the office with the night’s documents.

Hao Liuhua slowly stood up and put on her bag; where she had squeezed it, a visible indentation remained. She was finished with her meeting; it was time to go home.

When Hao Liuhua returned home, the living room lights were already off. She stood still for a moment and faintly heard talking coming from the bedroom, so she hurried over. Reaching the door, she didn’t dare knock. She took a deep breath and leaned against the doorframe.

If nothing went wrong, they would be sleeping together tonight. She was a bit nervous. Hao Liuhua pinched her wrist to adjust her emotions. Before she could settle her mind, the door opened on its own.

Hao Liuhua nearly slipped. As she leaned back, Tan Xiangming instinctively caught her arm, grabbing her like she was hauling a piece of cannon fodder.

“Eh? When did you get back?” Tan Xiangming knew it was Hao Liuhua just by seeing the golden-brown hair. She could also smell the familiar perfume with a light sniff.

“…Just now.” Hao Liuhua steadied herself, ignoring the fact that she had just been lingering at the door without changing her expression.

“If you’re back, then come in. Why were you peeking at the door and eavesdropping?” Tan Xiangming’s guess was entirely correct, yet she couldn’t believe that the dignified Hao Liuhua would do such a thing, so she instinctively made an excuse for her.

“I wasn’t, I was just about to knock.” As Hao Liuhua spoke, she pulled Tan Xiangming’s hand off her arm. She naturally matched Tan Xiangming’s pace and interlaced their fingers.

“Ow. I was playing a game. I’ve finished washing up; you can use the bathroom.”

When Tan Xiangming was washing up, she noticed that this flat had one very strange point: it only had one bedroom. The empty rooms were used for sofas, pianos, and fitness equipment rather than adding another bed. Thinking about it, this place was where Hao Liuhua lived alone before. She’d have her move another bed in later.

“Then I’ll go wash up too.” Hao Liuhua glanced at the sheets, which were already messy from Tan Xiangming rolling around, and felt very satisfied.

By the time she finished washing up and came out, Tan Xiangming was already lying on the bed with her tablet, watching a drama.

“Your drama?” Hao Liuhua pinched her palm and naturally walked over, lying down beside Tan Xiangming.

“Yes, the last two episodes. Do you want to watch too?” At this point, Tan Xiangming hadn’t realized anything yet and pushed the tablet toward Hao Liuhua.

“I’ll watch.” Hao Liuhua had seen it all; she even had the review version in her hands. This wasn’t the first time she had watched Tan Xiangming’s drama with her. However, being at such a close distance in her private space was a first. Especially…

Tan Xiangming turned her head slightly, wanting to see Hao Liuhua’s reaction, and only then realized that Hao Liuhua hadn’t changed into clothes yet. She was wearing a bathrobe, her body half-covered in water droplets.

The steam had turned her skin a faint pink, and the beads of water made her skin look plump and lustrous like pearls. Her hair also held a few drops of water, about to fall, which blurred the light in her forest-green eyes when she looked over.

Hao Liuhua was leaning very close. Just a bit more, and Tan Xiangming could almost glimpse the scenery below her collarbone. Steam was rising there; it must possess unimaginable color and soft warmth. The warm steam carried water and pulled the scent from Hao Liuhua’s body toward Tan Xiangming’s nose.

“A lotus rising from the water”—so this was the scene that phrase described.

Tan Xiangming nearly lost her composure. Her eyes darted away hurriedly, the movement of turning her face away obvious. She actually thought it looked a bit good.

In terms of face alone, Hao Liuhua wouldn’t lose to anyone. At thirty, she was in her prime; her charm and spirit were just right. Her figure was actually this good too… Tan Xiangming thought secretly; the boast she made to Lin Youchu was actually no exaggeration.

She actually felt a bit… weak in the legs.

“You, cough cough. Why didn’t you change?” However, it didn’t show on her face. Being an actress after all, she could hide this much emotion.

A flicker of light sparkled in Hao Liuhua’s eyes. Does she not like it? Why did she turn her face away? They were legal wives now; why couldn’t she look at her more?

“Does Jasmine want to help me?” Hao Liuhua sat up. Her bathrobe was intentionally not tied very tightly; with this movement, it became loose and was about to slide off. Just a little more. The fabric was caught by the woman’s natural curves and didn’t fall further.

Hao Liuhua seemed troubled and pinched the bathrobe, barely pressing it back. With this movement, the water droplets rolled together, sparkling with light.

“…Put it on yourself, you bought so many.” Tan Xiangming’s brain was heating up, her ears turning red involuntarily, and she casually tossed a set of clothes over.

“I, I, I… helping you change, what kind of talk is that? I’m going to the bathroom! You change quickly!” She ran off immediately after throwing the clothes. She was so fast that Hao Liuhua didn’t even have time to react.

Oh well. Hao Liuhua looked at the pajamas in her hand, which carried Tan Xiangming’s body fragrance, and a smile hooked the corner of her eye. She had given her the ones she had already worn. So, it wasn’t that she didn’t like it, but that she was shy?

Tan Xiangming, realizing what she had given Hao Liuhua, blushed with shame in the bathroom. She had seen that there were pajamas among the clothes Hao Liuhua bought, so she had changed out of her own set. Why did she just toss them to Hao Liuhua?

She wouldn’t be found out, would she! Tan Xiangming quickly turned on the cold water and splashed it on her face over and over, washing away the heat. She couldn’t show anything, otherwise, Hao Liuhua would find out and laugh at her.

After washing her face, Tan Xiangming accidentally caught her reflection in the mirror. Her face had cooled down, but her ears hadn’t. Dammit, what was wrong with her? Her earlobes were so hot. Tan Xiangming had no choice but to wash again.

Hao Liuhua waited until the water on her body was dry before Tan Xiangming came out. She was walking on tiptoe, looking like a weasel who had done something guilty. Her fox tail was hooked behind her, drooping, trying to sneak back in while Hao Liuhua wasn’t paying attention.

Hao Liuhua was currently lying in bed reading a book, her posture natural, without the slightest self-consciousness about wearing someone else’s clothes. Tan Xiangming breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing that all her reactions were being seen by Hao Liuhua.

“Took quite a while.” Hao Liuhua acted as if she had just seen Tan Xiangming and moved to the side a bit.

Having adjusted herself, Tan Xiangming didn’t act polite with her; she didn’t feel guilty at all anymore. “What’s with that? You invited me here, so you aren’t allowed to have complaints.”

“I don’t. I was worried about you.” Hao Liuhua reached out her hand, and Tan Xiangming involuntarily pinched it.

After pinching, Tan Xiangming felt something was wrong. How did Hao Liuhua know she liked pinching people? Tan Xiangming gave her a suspicious look. However, at this moment, Hao Liuhua was wearing rimless glasses, her posture was lazy, and her expression was focused—there were no flaws.

Tan Xiangming snorted in her mind, gave it another pinch to finish, and started making the bed. On a large bed that could fit four people, she was naturally going to take up space for three. Leaving space for one person for Hao Liuhua was generous enough.

“You aren’t allowed to cross the line.” After making the bed, Tan Xiangming self-righteously marked a boundary for Hao Liuhua.

“What happens if I cross?” Hao Liuhua had just been admiring a hard-working little fox building its nest through her glasses, and she was in a good mood.

“If you cross, I’ll kick you down.” The little fox bared its teeth.

“Just kidding. Seeing as you’re so serious, it’s impossible for you to harass me anyway. Goodnight. Remember to set up another bedroom later. I want it exactly like the one in my house…”

Tan Xiangming fell asleep before she could finish speaking, the speed nearly like she had fainted.

“…” Hao Liuhua had nothing to say. Looking at the girl who hadn’t even covered herself properly with the quilt, she let out a light sigh.

Fortunately, they had already registered their marriage. They were legal wives. There was plenty of time to make Tan Xiangming develop an interest in her and realize that they were meant to sleep together for a lifetime. This “sleeping” could have other meanings as well.

Since it was a rare chance to sleep together, Hao Liuhua barely slept all night. Near dawn, she closed her eyes to maintain appearances. Tan Xiangming’s sleeping posture was very well-behaved; she had watched it all night.

But in just that short time, when Hao Liuhua opened her eyes again, the person beside her had vanished without a trace. Hao Liuhua sat up and looked at the message on her phone, feeling slightly speechless.

“Dear Sister Hao~~~ I’m out playing with friends! Love you, mwah mwah mwah”

Seeing that completely insincere “Love you,” Hao Liuhua pressed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache. She had said she would take it slow. But how could her heart not be patient?

Two of Tan Xiangming’s remaining three friends were returning today. They were a couple and had lived together for several years. They had previously moved abroad for their careers, and since they were attending a friend’s wedding, they naturally returned to the capital together.

The two owned several bars in China, so they naturally dragged Tan Xiangming to a bar.

“Do you have a photo? I want to see the ‘super beauty’ Youzi was talking about.” Ning Lin sat down and leaned toward Tan Xiangming, trying to grab her phone.

“I didn’t take any. At most, I can show you her ID photo.” Tan Xiangming dodged to the side and looked at Yu Buci, who was following behind, giving frantic hints.

Yu Buci pulled Ning Lin over. “Ningning, wanting to see other people so much, are you losing interest in me?”

“How could I? I just won’t look. I’m just curious. Our Jasmine got married without ever dating; what kind of person must her wife be for her to agree?” Ning Lin hurriedly went to coax her wife, leaving Tan Xiangming with a moment of peace.

“What else could she be like? Isn’t it just a business marriage,” Tan Xiangming said sourly from the side.

Ning Lin’s family had industries, and logically she should have had a business marriage too. Her mother had found ten blind date candidates for her, and she actually went. In the end, Ning Lin chose a partner she had feelings for, and because of that, she fought with her family for a long time.

Tan Xiangming felt a bit sentimental. Why didn’t she have someone she liked to help her solve the trouble of the marriage? On second thought, what she truly liked was probably clothes and money. Hao Liuhua could provide both. So, she might as well like Hao Liuhua.

After eating and chatting for a while, it was time for the bar to open.

“Ordering? I hired two newcomers here; they’re the style you used to like.” All three had had a bit to drink. Ning Lin had drunk the most, and a blush had risen on her face. She leaned into Yu Buci’s arms, picking songs, and asked Tan Xiangming, who was sipping a drink.

“Newcomers? Then I’ll have to take a look.” Tan Xiangming had chatted all afternoon and had forgotten Hao Liuhua on some distant shore. Her spirits rose, and she didn’t notice a familiar figure in the corner.

“Xiao Zhi, you and those two girls perform a song. My sister wants to see.” Ning Lin spoke while winking in that direction.

In the past, Tan Xiangming was very generous in this regard. She didn’t mess around and only maintained a “look-and-see” relationship; everyone liked a benefactor like that. Ning Lin was also thinking of the girls in her shop.

With a beat of the drum, the venue instantly went dark. Then the music started, and the lights, like flowers, swept across the entire venue. Tan Xiangming was tipsy and getting into the mood, leaning back on the sofa, preparing to enjoy the show.

Suddenly, someone appeared beside her.

“Jasmine…” The familiar voice made Tan Xiangming suddenly sober. The moment she saw the person’s face, she couldn’t even hear the music of the bar.

“I think I’m a bit dizzy…” Hao Liuhua said. She swept her gaze over the people on stage and fell decisively onto Tan Xiangming. Her hair covered her eyes, blocking her view.

“Wait, why are you here… no, how did you get drunk?” Tan Xiangming was too startled to watch the performance. She couldn’t even get the question out; she could feel that Hao Liuhua’s body was heating up.

Ning Lin, who was also a bit drunk nearby, was startled sober by this turn of events. She shrank back, leaning into Yu Buci’s arms, looking at the person who had suddenly leaned on Tan Xiangming.

“I don’t know, Jasmine, I’m so dizzy.” Hao Liuhua’s acting wasn’t superb, but she really had been drinking, and quite a lot. Tan Xiangming could smell the alcohol on her.

“I just finished a business social… was very close to you…” The sentence was vague, but Tan Xiangming understood.

“Tsk, I’ll take you to a private room to sober up.” Tan Xiangming finally remembered she had a wife and put her arm around Hao Liuhua. “Ningning, a private room upstairs—mine is still there, right?”

“Mhm, go quickly.” Ning Lin was already watching the excitement, exchanging glances with Yu Buci for a long time.

“Let’s go, Sister Hao… Hao Liuhua, there’s hangover soup over there.” Tan Xiangming wanted to drag Hao Liuhua up or call a couple of people.

Hao Liuhua put her hand out and directly hooked it around Tan Xiangming’s neck.

“Eh…” This posture was a bit ambiguous. Hao Liuhua was almost pressed against Tan Xiangming’s chest. Her face was flushed with the alcohol, and her eyes were blurry. When they swept over Tan Xiangming, a hint of ambiguity was added to those quiet green eyes.

“Carry her, carry her up.” Ning Lin couldn’t watch any longer. She had emotional experience and understood at a glance. Hao Liuhua’s trick only worked on their pure Jasmine.

“Oh, oh…” Tan Xiangming frantically picked up Hao Liuhua; it was unexpectedly smooth. She was very light. While carrying her, Tan Xiangming thought she hadn’t expected such a good figure to be so easy to lift.

“Alright, you have a good rest. I’ll go brew some hangover soup.” Locking the private room, Tan Xiangming breathed a sigh of relief.

But her hem was grabbed by Hao Liuhua. The drunk Hao Liuhua’s hand was unexpectedly strong; Tan Xiangming couldn’t move.

“Why did you abandon me?” Hao Liuhua’s eyes were no longer clear; a trace of tears welled up.

“Ah?” Tan Xiangming was questioned and stood there stunned. When had she ever abandoned Hao Liuhua? Five years ago?

“Don’t leave me…” Hao Liuhua suddenly lunged toward Tan Xiangming.

Support The Second Fall