To Sweep Across Like Wildfire - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The alley Meng Chi walked through wasn’t long, and she reached the exit in no time. Yet, the moment she saw Shen Qingruo, she felt the same sense of relief as a traveler adrift at sea finally spotting a lighthouse; her lingering hesitation vanished instantly.

Shen Qingruo held a slender cigarette between her fingers, exhaling a slow cloud of smoke from her red lips. Against the backdrop of the night, her exquisite features looked particularly ethereal. She seemed to hear footsteps; her gaze flickered over, her lips curling into a provocative smile. As a wisp of smoke drifted past her face, she spoke a few teasing words.

A single word flashed through Meng Chi’s mind: Vixen.

Shen Qingruo looked like an enchantress from an old ghost story—possessing a flawless skin to bewitch scholars traveling for the imperial exams, only to devour their hearts. The crimson of her lipstick was so vivid it looked like blood staining her lips, eerily beautiful. Against the rustic alley, she resembled a “Jinling Girl” from a century ago—eyes full of hidden meaning, a figure so alluring it would haunt one’s dreams.

Maintaining her composure, Meng Chi casually replied, “Thinking what about me?”

On the surface, she sounded as natural as if they were just making small talk.

“Thinking it’s late, and whether I should go pick you up.” Shen Qingruo moved the cigarette to her side, seemingly wanting to keep the smoke away from Meng Chi.

Earlier, Xie Zhen had messaged Meng Chi, casually suggesting they hang out sometime. To her surprise, Meng Chi had actually responded, asking if she was free tonight. Xie Zhen hadn’t overthought it; she said she was at a bar and politely invited her along, not expecting the girl to actually agree. Once she sent the location, Xie Zhen told Shen Qingruo.

Noticing Shen Qingruo’s gesture with the cigarette, Meng Chi said, “I didn’t know you smoked.”

“A bad habit,” Shen Qingruo said. “I don’t do it much. Just one or two occasionally.”

Meng Chi paused, then asked, “Can I try?”

Shen Qingruo arched a fine eyebrow in surprise. Realizing she was setting a poor example, she immediately snuffed out the cigarette, tossed it into a nearby bin, and pushed open the wooden door beside her. Half-turning to look at Meng Chi, she tilted her head toward the interior, signaling her to enter. Her tone took on a slightly maternal, lecturing quality: “Kids shouldn’t smoke.”

Meng Chi realized there was a door right there. She followed behind, muttering softly, “I’m not a kid.”

The door led to the back of the bar; a few steps later, they were in the main hall. On the dance floor, people were packed tightly, flailing their limbs to the thundering music in a way that defied any specific dance style—it was mostly about venting energy.

Meng Chi navigated around the dance floor, following Shen Qingruo to a table on the right. In the dim light, she could only see a blurry silhouette on a leather sofa. The figure stood up and approached them. Because the music was so loud it drowned out everything else, the person had to shout at the top of their lungs: “Welcome! Come, sit!”

As the rotating overhead lights swept past, Meng Chi saw her face. As expected, it was Xie Zhen.

Feeling responsible for inviting Meng Chi, Xie Zhen was more enthusiastic than before. After settling Meng Chi into a seat, she asked Shen Qingruo, who sat down next to them, “Did you go pick up Little Meng? How did you two come in together?”

“Met at the back door,” Shen Qingruo said.

“What a coincidence.”

A moment later, the beat grew stronger. Xie Zhen, easily influenced by the atmosphere and already a few drinks in, felt the buzz. She set down her glass and headed for the dance floor. Passing Meng Chi, she suddenly remembered something and shouted, “Little Meng, draw a portrait for me when you have time! Only if you want to, though.”

It was a bit random, and Meng Chi was slightly confused, but she replied, “Okay.”

Soon, Xie Zhen was fully immersed in the music and dragged Shen Qingruo onto the dance floor with her.

Having seen Xie Zhen’s Moments in the studio, Meng Chi had come here on a whim, carrying her tablet in her bag. Now, feeling a bit idle, she pulled it out and watched Shen Qingruo’s moving silhouette in the distance, tightening her grip on the stylus.

Half an hour later, the music died down and the two women returned, both lightly sweating. Shen Qingruo’s breathing was steady, her cheeks faintly flushed, but Xie Zhen was much more affected. She jogged back, gulped down half a glass of water, and collapsed onto the sofa. Resting for a moment, she grabbed her phone, still panting. “Let me calculate… how many calories I just burned…”

Suddenly, she let out a surprised “Oh!” and turned to Meng Chi with delight. “You drew us just now!”

She had intended to log her workout in a fitness app, only to find a sketch sent to her by Meng Chi on WeChat. It captured her and Shen Qingruo dancing together perfectly.

“This is amazing! The composition is incredible,” Xie Zhen praised. “It’s just that this person next to me is an eyesore. I’m going to crop her out.”

The “eyesore,” naturally, referred to a certain Shen. Meng Chi was already used to their bickering dynamic.

Shen Qingruo, possessing excellent stamina, didn’t look tired at all. She sat down slowly and took a sip of water. Hearing the comment, she glanced at Meng Chi’s tablet, then turned to Xie Zhen with a mock-innocent face and a high-pitched, sugary voice: “Sister, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to outshine you with my beauty. Please, crop me out, don’t let me ruin your photo.”

Shen Qingruo’s voice was naturally beautiful, but her deliberate “sweet girl” act made her sound hilariously pathetic. Xie Zhen wanted to give her the middle finger several times, but restrained herself for the sake of manners in front of Meng Chi.

A moment later, Meng Chi received two red envelopes on WeChat. One was titled “The drawing is beautiful.” Is this payment? Meng Chi wondered.

She didn’t accept them, replying: “Thanks, but the red envelopes aren’t necessary. I didn’t do much, and I needed the practice anyway.”

Xie Zhen didn’t message back; she spoke directly to her: “Just take the money. It’s not much. It’s not easy being a student.”

Shen Qingruo sipped her water silently, thinking: Old Xie, give it a rest. Her New Year’s allowance is probably more than your entire net worth. She hadn’t actually told Xie Zhen much about Meng Chi’s background.

Meng Chi truly didn’t want the money—firstly because it was just a sketch, secondly because she had never taken a commission before, and thirdly—most importantly—because Xie Zhen was Shen Qingruo’s friend.

Meng Chi paused, then said, “How about this? I’ll take one thing as payment. Can I upload this drawing to Weibo? I won’t use it for commercial purposes.”

Xie Zhen: “That’s nothing! Upload it whenever you want.” She didn’t want to take advantage of a student, but seeing Meng Chi’s insistence, she let it go.

Just then, the music spiked in volume again. Unless they were pressed together, they couldn’t hear a word.

Shen Qingruo leaned in close to Meng Chi. “I’m in that drawing. Shouldn’t you ask for my permission before uploading it? What kind of benefit are you planning to give me?”

They were so close they could feel each other’s hot breath. Shen Qingruo’s lips curved slightly, her thick lashes fluttering. “How about… you give me a kiss?”

“Now?” Meng Chi asked, her voice tight.

Shen Qingruo didn’t say a word, but the mirth in her eyes deepened, seemingly asking: Why not?

Meng Chi lowered her gaze. Seeing her discomfort, Shen Qingruo felt she had achieved the goal of her prank and started to pull back. She knew the girl was introverted and wouldn’t be comfortable in public; she had just been teasing.

Two seconds later, Shen Qingruo’s pupils contracted. The face beside her suddenly loomed closer. Meng Chi leaned in quickly, her cool lips brushing against Shen Qingruo’s cheek like a dragonfly skimming water. A breath of warm air swept past.

Meng Chi retreated instantly, her eyes burning as she looked at her, nervously biting her lip. The bar music dipped for a second, and the sharp “clack” of a glass hitting the table sounded from across them.

Xie Zhen had accidentally caught the scene. Shocked, she lost her grip on her glass, which slipped and hit the table. Her voice trembled: “What are you two doing?!”

The shame finally hit Meng Chi. She raised a hand to cover her face.

Shen Qingruo looked at Meng Chi without blinking, then tossed her phone to Xie Zhen. “Go to the bar and order something. Anything you want.”

“There’s a QR code on the table, why should I go to the bar?”

“I can guarantee that you really won’t want to see what happens next.”

Seeing the two of them acting as if the bar were a hotel room, Xie Zhen’s face turned white, then green, then white again. “…” Before leaving, she finally couldn’t resist and held up a polite middle finger.

Meng Chi wanted to bury her head under the table, but she didn’t get the chance. As soon as Xie Zhen left, the “composed” Shen Qingruo leaned in and pressed her against the sofa’s backrest.

It was an excruciatingly long kiss.

Meng Chi tasted the faint hint of mint tobacco in Shen Qingruo’s mouth. Usually, the smell of smoke made her uncomfortable, but now, she didn’t mind it at all. Her lips felt numb, the air was sucked out of her lungs, and the ceiling seemed to spin along with the rotating lights. It was her first time kissing someone so boldly in public—and it was a woman just like her.

Shen Qingruo’s lips brushed against the corner of her mouth. “Don’t be shy. No one’s looking. This is our secret.”

The word “secret,” spoken in her slightly husky voice, was incredibly heart-stirring. Strangely, for a long while afterward, it felt as though the whole world consisted only of the two of them, with the noise and chaos partitioned off far away.

Eventually, Shen Qingruo leaned back against the sofa, facing Meng Chi. Her eyes were misty, the corners slightly red. She licked her damp lips and said, “Alright. I give you permission to upload it.”

Meng Chi turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the woman’s face. Her brain was still foggy from the kiss. A moment later, as if possessed, Meng Chi leaned in and kissed those soft lips again. Retreating, she whispered:

“Will you be my model?”