The Seductive Pretender: Sister-in-Law is Turning Gay - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: She Was Savoring Lin Yuqing’s Lips.

The whisper from Zhong Manjing seemed to linger by her ear: “Boss Lin, I’m about to run out of breath. Give me a mouthful of air.”

Lin Yuqing was so angry she almost laughed.

Which TV drama had she learned this “underwater air-sharing” method from?

Lin Yuqing didn’t have time to be surprised about being kissed by a woman underwater. As the lifeguard on duty, her first priority was to confirm Zhong Manjing’s safety.

“Sister Manjing! Sister Manjing won!” The other children wanted to shed their swim rings and swarm over, but they froze at the sight of Lin Yuqing’s tense expression.

Lin Yuqing called over a coach to herd the children back to the shallow area and led Zhong Manjing to a chair to sit down.

“How are you feeling now?”

Zhong Manjing looked at her with a smile: “After borrowing that breath of air from Boss Lin just now, I’m doing wonderful.”

She pursed her lips and gave a playful wink. She didn’t seem to care at all that she had nearly drowned! Sinking to the bottom of a pool consumes the oxygen in one’s lungs rapidly; at that depth, if she had fainted, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Lin Yuqing said, “What were you doing, fooling around with children like that? Sharing air underwater is theoretically a misconception, and besides, you didn’t actually… suck any air from my mouth just now.”

Lin Yuqing’s words suddenly trailed off. She looked almost incredulous, unsure why the image of Zhong Manjing biting her lower lip kept flashing back.

She unconsciously pursed her own lips.

Zhong Manjing didn’t notice her abnormality and said with a laugh, “Was it because air couldn’t be shared, or because it was done wrong? If it was wrong, could Lifeguard Lin teach me the correct method? If I encounter this situation again, I’ll know what to do.”

Lin Yuqing stood up abruptly, her brow furrowed and her face cold as she prepared to leave.

Zhong Manjing had anticipated this. She softened her smile and caught Lin Yuqing’s hand from behind: “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

Lin Yuqing’s voice was stern: “Zhong Manjing, is this something you can joke about? I was able to find you in time this once, but there’s no guarantee for next time. If you’re going to treat your life like a dangerous game, I won’t play with you.”

Hearing her being called “Lifeguard Lin,” Lin Yuqing realized that Zhong Manjing had been lazily teasing her from the start, showing a complete lack of concern for the gravity of the situation.

Sudden emergencies happen easily underwater, even in a swimming pool.

She remembered Su Yun mentioning over breakfast that Zhong Manjing had stopped Su Xiaodong from playing in the water. She was so protective of others, yet so reckless with her own life.

Lin Yuqing thought of the sight of Zhong Manjing lying at the bottom of the pool so fragile and silent.

Her own breath had hitched at that moment, terrified that the girl was gone.

“I’m sorry, I was just…” Zhong Manjing held onto Lin Yuqing’s hand, refusing to let go. She knew Lin Yuqing was the type to have a cold exterior but a warm heart.

She stopped arguing and replied obediently, “I know. I won’t do it again, okay?”

Lin Yuqing didn’t stay. She returned to her post, her expression returning to its usual indifference. Zhong Manjing didn’t follow her this time.

Her hair tie had vanished at some point, leaving her wet hair draped over her shoulders. Zhong Manjing watched Lin Yuqing quietly from the poolside. Noticing the thermos by Lin Yuqing’s seat, she silently walked over, wanting to refill it with the last of the plum syrup for her.

Lin Yuqing: “No need.”

“Then I’m leaving.” Zhong Manjing didn’t push. She flashed a smile and waved at Lin Yuqing.

Only after she had turned the corner and disappeared did Lin Yuqing steal a long look back. Zhong Manjing hadn’t dried herself off, leaving a trail of water droplets behind her.

Back in the locker room, after Zhong Manjing had changed, her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

[It’s time to come home, isn’t it?]

Zhong Manjing’s expression turned cold. Time was running out.

She could hide in this small town for three months at most. After that, the upheavals in Yibei City would reach even here.

Don’t rush… don’t rush, she chanted in her mind, banishing the chaotic memories. She took one last look toward the pool and left early.

At a second-hand furniture store, Zhong Manjing saw several used air conditioning units at the entrance and asked, “Boss, are these new arrivals?”

“Yes, just got them today. Haven’t even cleaned them yet. They’re big-brand units; you can have one for a thousand yuan excellent value!” the boss said with a chuckle. “Do you need one, young lady?”

Zhong Manjing asked, “Do you have anything cheaper? It’s for a rental; I might not stay for long.”

“Actually, I do. I have some old window units left over. Cheap and energy-efficient, but they’re loud. No one wants them these days.” The boss led her to a corner. “This one’s been sitting here forever. If you’re serious, I’ll give it to you for six hundred. It’ll last through the summer no problem.”

Zhong Manjing beamed: “That’s perfect. Can I take a photo to ask? If it’s needed, I’ll have her come directly.”

“Sure, sure. You’re quite the helpful one, aren’t you?”

Finally back home, Zhong Manjing lay in her rocking chair by the window for a long time. she opened Lin Yuqing’s profile on her phone, then put it down, looked again, and put it down again.

When she heard Su Yun return, Zhong Manjing brought over a jar of pickled radishes. “Sister Su, I have something to ask you.”

Su Yun: “You could have just come over; why bring something? Though your pickles are so good… I even find myself craving them.” Zhong Manjing had given her a jar the week before, and it was the perfect accompaniment to morning congee or a late-night stir-fry. It was so refreshing in the summer heat that she had finished it in three days.

Zhong Manjing smiled: “I made plenty. If you like them, I’ll pack more. Didn’t you mention a second-hand group chat for the merchants? Did you add Boss Lin to it?”

Su Yun nodded: “I did, just last night. Do you want to buy something? I can add you too.”

“No need. I just heard from a boss on another street that he’s selling a window AC unit and asked me to help him out. I’ll forward the info to you; could you post it in the group?”

Su Yun laughed: “I thought it was something major! Sure, no problem.”

After finishing these tasks, it was time for dinner.

She didn’t go downstairs. The weather was still sweltering, but fortunately, her fridge was packed. She took out leftover carrots, minced meat, and sausage, added green beans and olive vegetable, and a generous amount of chili to fry up a savory dish.

The aroma of garlic and black bean sauce sizzled in lard—anyone could tell it would be delicious just by the smell.

Zhong Manjing had a great appetite. She scooped a mountain of rice into her bowl, drizzled it with the savory sauce, and ate it mixed with the olive vegetable and meat. Every bite made her want to sigh with pure satisfaction.

Looking at the sunset in the distance, she recalled the tension and anxiety in Lin Yuqing’s eyes when she opened hers in the water.

That look on Lin Yuqing’s face overlapped and merged with the memory of the woman who held her hand right before she died in her previous life.

And Lin Yuqing’s lips they were so soft.

This was what she had wanted to do in her past life, but she had been dying then, unable to even sit up.

Now, Lin Yuqing was being so fierce with her, but she loved it. Zhong Manjing took another bite, her nose wrinkling slightly from the spice, and then she smiled happily. Lin Yuqing cared about her; her first move was the right one.

After all, she had prepared herself to be slapped when she kissed her. She had seen Lin Yuqing hit people before it was painful. The fact that Lin Yuqing only scolded her made Zhong Manjing feel quite triumphant.

Contrary to what Lin Yuqing thought, she cherished this hard-won second life. But the prerequisite for this beautiful life was that the future Lin Yuqing would be willing to give her a way out.

Desperate times called for risky moves.

Zhong Manjing felt a bit like a deviant, savoring the memory of Lin Yuqing’s lips—so soft. She shouldn’t have just ground her teeth lightly; she should have used her sharp canines to give her a little bite, leaving a tiny wound that bled. That way, every time Lin Yuqing felt the sting, she would think of her.

Her green beans were pre-sautéed and fragrant. But she had cooked too much rice and had to put the leftovers in the fridge.

Business at “Whatever Noodle Shop” had likely started, but Zhong Manjing didn’t go out.

She wouldn’t go there for a while. In the art of the hunt, there is an easier tactic: waiting for the prey to come to you.

The next day at 4:00 AM, Lin Yuqing woke up on time. After washing her face, her eyes fell on a colorful, thin hair tie next to the sink.

She had found it while changing the water yesterday, right where Zhong Manjing had been sitting. It must be hers.

Meng Luo, unaware of the tension between them, had handed it to her before work.

“Anyway, Manjing will definitely go to your shop for breakfast tomorrow. You can give it to her then.”

Lin Yuqing recalled what Zhong Manjing had said earlier: I want to come and eat every day!

Today, she had prepared six types of toppings, with plenty of rich tomato soup. She remembered Zhong Manjing saying she’d come every day, and the last portion that day had gone to Su Xiaodong while she looked on so longingly.

By 6:30 AM, it was fully light. Lin Yuqing finished the shop preparations. Xiao Ying arrived for work, but behind her was a familiar small tricycle. Li Dahai brought down two barrels of pickles one of cabbage and one of ginger.

“Morning, Boss Lin! Sister Zhong asked me to bring these over. She made these pickles herself; they’re delicious.” Li Dahai, assuming Lin Yuqing was Zhong Manjing’s friend, spoke to her with a warm tone.

Lin Yuqing said: “I didn’t order these.”

Li Dahai repeated what Zhong Manjing had instructed: “Sister Zhong said your shop would definitely need these. If you keep them, remember that you owe her a bowl of your handmade soup noodles. If you don’t want them, she told me to just dump them at the trash station nearby.”

He added regretfully: “The pickles Sister Zhong makes are amazing. Do you really have the heart to toss them? Even Boss Li, who sells pickles at the market, is a fan of hers.”

Xiao Ying opened a jar and sniffed: “My mouth is watering already!”

Lin Yuqing caught the familiar scent. It was similar to the three pounds of pickles she had bought from Li Sheng yesterday.

“Then I’ll trouble you. I’ll thank her when she comes today.” Lin Yuqing nodded, giving Li Dahai a cigarette and water. After seeing him out, she quickly returned to help Xiao Ying set out the pickles.

The taste was exactly the same, but these were even crunchier and fresher.

Lin Yuqing was silent for a moment. She hadn’t known Zhong Manjing had such skill; she had assumed she was a pampered young lady who never lifted a finger… She pursed her lips and returned to the kitchen to prepare a fresh batch of rich tomato soup, packing it into a thermos in the fridge.

With plenty of pickles today, the breakfast crowd was delighted. Business was booming. Lin Yuqing stayed busy, glancing outside from time to time, but by the time the shop closed at 10:30, Zhong Manjing hadn’t appeared.

In the afternoon, during her part-time shift at the pool, the girl was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe she was busy with something?

The pickle barrels Zhong Manjing sent were huge twenty-pounders. But because they were so good, the cabbage and spicy ginger decreased day by day. Yet, Zhong Manjing never returned for breakfast.

By the fourth day, Lin Yuqing began to wonder: Was I too harsh that day?

Zhong Manjing was younger and got along with the kids; perhaps she was just being playful. She probably only dove down because she knew there was a lifeguard nearby.

On the fifth day, the pickle jars were empty. Lin Yuqing fiddled with her phone in the dim morning light, wanting to call. But at 6:30, Li Dahai arrived again with two more barrels this time cabbage, pickled radishes, radish peels, and cucumber strips.

“So many varieties! This Sister Zhong is something else!” Li Dahai praised. “The people who come to Boss Lin’s for breakfast are lucky.”

Lin Yuqing spoke up: “Brother Li, is Zhong Manjing up? Did she say she was coming for breakfast today?”

“She’s up; I got the pickles from her house. But Xiao Zhong said she isn’t feeling well and wants to sleep in, so she probably won’t be coming for breakfast,” Li Dahai said. “Her voice sounded a bit raspy; might be a cold. Young girls don’t usually pay attention to that they love sleeping in and skipping breakfast.”

Hearing this, Lin Yuqing couldn’t sit still.

Sick, and skipping breakfast? That wouldn’t do. She thought about calling via WeChat, but after a moment, she tucked her phone away. “Brother Li, can you tell me where she lives?”

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