The Villainess’s Darling [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 19

“Ning Xiao? It’s been over twenty minutes. Are you finished? I’m a bit frightened being out here by myself,” Yun Can’er called out, her voice soft and tinged with a subtle, nervous tremor.

Ning Xiao’s eyes lit up. A lifesaver!

“I’m coming out now! It’s just. Ahem, I forgot to grab a bathrobe. Could you check the cabinet by the door for a fresh one and bring it to me?” Ning Xiao tried her best to sound composed.

Forgetting her own bathrobe sounded a bit daft, especially since she’d been thoughtful enough to prepare one for Yun Can’er just moments before. To anyone else, it might look like a deliberate ploy, the sort of thing a man with impure motives would do.

Fortunately, she was a woman. Surely Yun Can’er wouldn’t misunderstand,  right? Ning Xiao thought, feeling a flutter of uncertainty. Back in the taxi, her casual teasing had already sent the “Blackening Level” ticking upward; she was terrified of another spike.

A few seconds of silence followed. “I’ll go look for you.”

The realization that the person on the other side of the frosted glass was currently unclothed made Yun Can’er’s face burn. She walked unsteadily to the cabinet Ning Xiao had mentioned and began pulling open the drawers one by one, starting from the bottom. To her dismay, they were all empty.

Returning to the bathroom door, she knocked gently. Once she heard Ning Xiao acknowledge her, she whispered, “Ning Xiao, there’s nothing in the cabinet. Do you keep them anywhere else?”

This was Ning Xiao’s first time back at the Ning villa since “transmigrating.” She had only been able to find the previous items because System 13579 had given her the general locations. She hadn’t realized that the robe she’d given Yun Can’er was actually the last one in that particular spot.

To make matters worse, the System had a privacy protection protocol; during “intimate” moments like bathing, it was automatically shielded. It wouldn’t reconnect until she was dressed. She was completely cut off.

After a moment of silence, a thought struck her. Her eyes sparkled. “Can’er, I’ve got it! Give me the bathrobe you’re wearing!”

“The one. I’m wearing?” Yun Can’er repeated blankly, as if struggling to process the request.

“Yes,” Ning Xiao called from behind the door. “The pyjamas I set out for you are on the bed. Put those on, then give me the robe.”

“But” Yun Can’er whispered, her voice thick with embarrassment. “…the inside is a bit damp from my skin.” The thought of Ning Xiao wearing something she had just taken off made her feel as though she were catching fire. A flush of pink spread all the way to her collarbone.

Ning Xiao, focused only on getting dressed and exiting the bathroom, missed the girl’s bashfulness entirely. “That doesn’t matter. I’ll just wear it inside out if I have to.”

“Alright. I’ll go change now.” Yun Can’er scurried over to the bed and changed into the pink lace, long-sleeved pyjama set Ning Xiao had prepared. She walked back to the door, heart racing, and knocked. “Ning Xiao, I’m ready.”

Click!

The door creaked open just a fraction. A slender, pale arm reached through the gap. Yun Can’er didn’t dare look; she squeezed her eyes shut and thrust the robe into Ning Xiao’s hand.

“Cheers,” Ning Xiao said, pulling the robe inside and clicking the door shut.

Outside, Yun Can’er opened her eyes and stared at the opaque glass, taking a long, slow breath to steady herself. She’s going to be wearing my robe, she thought. Get a grip.

Despite her mental preparations, Yun Can’er still lost her breath the moment Ning Xiao stepped out.

Ning Xiao emerged amidst a swirl of lingering steam. Her skin looked supple and dewy, as if it might bruise at the slightest touch. With her elegant brows and luminous eyes, she looked like a proud princess stepping out of a mountain mist.

Yun Can’er stared, forgetting to breathe as her face grew deeper and deeper red.

Sensing something was wrong, Ning Xiao approached. Seeing the girl holding her breath, she frowned and gave Yun Can’er’s nose a sharp, playful pinch. “Breathe!” she commanded.

The sound made Yun Can’er jump. Snapping out of her trance, she realized her lungs were nearly bursting.

“Easy does it, take it slow,” Ning Xiao said, patting her gently just below the collarbone. Gradually, Yun Can’er’s breathing steadied.

Clutching her chest, Yun Can’er looked up to find Ning Xiao’s stern, disapproving gaze. She looked away, her fingers curling nervously. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have held my breath.”

Seeing her like that, Ning Xiao didn’t have the heart to scold her further. She sighed. “It’s a good thing I’m here today. If I weren’t, were you planning to actually suffocate yourself?”

Yun Can’er glanced at her, then lowered her eyes again. “No.”

If you weren’t here, I wouldn’t have forgotten how to breathe in the first place. There was only one Ning Xiao in the world who could make her lose her senses with a single look.

Unaware that she was the culprit, Ning Xiao asked seriously, “Why did you suddenly zone out like that?”

What am I supposed to say? That I was mesmerized by you?

It was the truth, but Yun Can’er didn’t dare speak it. If Ning Xiao sensed her true feelings, they might not be able to remain friends.

“It was probably the steam. You brought so much out from the bathroom, and I think I subconsciously didn’t want to inhale it, so I just.”

” Ning Xiao blinked. “Right. So it’s my fault then. My apologies. I’ll make sure to shut the door immediately from now on so the steam doesn’t follow me out.”

Yun Can’er felt a twinge of guilt for lying. “Ning Xiao, why don’t you sit down? I’ll dry your hair for you.” She wanted to do something to alleviate her conscience.

Ning Xiao let herself be led to the edge of the bed. Soon, the hum of the hair dryer filled the room. Slender fingers threaded through her damp locks, shaking them gently. The occasional brush of Yun Can’er’s slightly calloused fingertips against her scalp sent tiny sparks of electricity through Ning Xiao. Her scalp felt tingly, and a wave of comfort washed over her—she almost let out a soft moan of contentment.

When the job was done, Yun Can’er switched off the dryer. She looked down at Ning Xiao’s face and her heart gave a violent thud.

For the first time, she truly understood the meaning of “enchanting.” Ning Xiao’s eyes were half-lidded and bedroom-soft; she looked utterly relaxed and breathtakingly beautiful.

“All done?” Ning Xiao asked. She raised a hand, pressing her delicate fingertips to her red lips as she let out a tiny yawn.

“Yes, all done,” Yun Can’er replied, her gaze fixed intently on Ning Xiao.

Ning Xiao leaned back on her hands, her head tilting back slightly to expose her long, elegant neck. She closed her eyes, savouring the lingering sensation of the scalp massage.

Ding! Heroine’s Blackening Level: 60%!

Ning Xiao’s eyes snapped open.

You have got to be joking! The Blackening Level goes up just from drying my hair?!

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