To Sweep Across Like Wildfire - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Meng Chi was staring so intently at her phone that she didn’t notice Shen Qingruo walking over.

The moment Shen Qingruo’s gaze swept over the screen and she read the first paragraph aloud, Meng Chi felt as if a sudden bolt of lightning had struck her. Her shoulders jerked violently, and she scrambled to hide the phone.

But since Shen Qingruo could read three lines at a glance, she had already seen what came next. Even though the phone had been snatched away, she was able to recite the following two paragraphs from memory. After savoring the title for two seconds, she read that out too.

The “kid” stared at her as if she had been struck by a divine thunderbolt.

The room fell silent for two seconds.

Meng Chi felt her soul leave her body and drift away—from the dawn of creation to Einstein’s theory of relativity. But soon, a powerful force of reality yanked her back into her physical shell. Lingering in her ears wasn’t a mythic epic or the mysteries of the universe, but the phrase: “My President is Too Ferocious (GL).”

Facing Shen Qingruo’s playful gaze, Meng Chi’s lower lip trembled. She wasn’t even sure what she was saying: “I’ve never read this kind of thing before… it feels… quite amazing.”

Truly, she had never seen a novel like this in her life.

The smile on Shen Qingruo’s face didn’t fade. She tapped Meng Chi’s finger with her glass, not immediately commenting on the book, only saying, “Drink some water.”

Meng Chi took the glass with both hands and lowered her head, taking small, cautious sips.

“Reading so intently that you don’t even get up to move or have a drink… that’s not a very good habit,” Shen Qingruo remarked.

Meng Chi couldn’t tell if it was intentional or if she was mishearing, but she felt the word “intently” carried an extra weight. Her cheeks burned, and she reflexively drank more water. She desperately wanted to defend herself—she hadn’t been reading the novel the whole time; before that, she had been looking at manga tutorials.

Shortly before, she had asked Jiang Sitian for recommendations and received a file titled “Fresh & Spicy.” Following Jiang Sitian’s explanation, she had opened the GL folder, and a swarm of shocking titles had rushed out. This “President” book was actually the most modest title among them. But the plot inside was anything but modest. Every chapter was filled with those scenes—either happening or about to happen—with a dizzying array of positions that made one’s face flush.

Jiang Sitian had said, “To be honest, some of these gems have been read by me until they have an ‘electronic patina.'”

Meng Chi had sent the screenshot of the book to her without saying much. Of course, Jiang Sitian sensed her shock and replied, “This one is actually okay. I’m numb to the explicit stuff now. It’s the ones where they blush just by touching hands that really get me going.”

This sentiment touched upon Meng Chi’s blind spot. Having never read web novels, she assumed this level of content was the ultimate limit of embarrassment.

A moment later, Shen Qingruo took the glass back. Before walking away, she didn’t forget to add: “Go ahead and keep reading.”

Meng Chi: “.”

How am I supposed to keep reading now?

She couldn’t bring herself to read that kind of literature right under Shen Qingruo’s nose. So, even though Shen Qingruo didn’t come back, she pretended to study the manga tutorials and eventually actually got absorbed in them.

…

Half an hour later, Shen Qingruo finished her work, and they turned off the lights.

As soon as Meng Chi lay down, she heard a rustling sound. Soon, her shoulder felt a slight heat as a soft body leaned in. The room was silent, save for their slow breathing.

A moment later, Meng Chi felt a tingle at her ear. Thin, soft lips brushed against her earlobe, and a gentle voice whispered, “You were reading so intently just now. Is it really that good?”

Meng Chi’s face heated up. “I wasn’t reading it anymore.”

Shen Qingruo raised a hand, her cool fingertips playing with Meng Chi’s ear. “I really didn’t expect you to like this kind of stuff.”

In truth, this genre wasn’t foreign to Shen Qingruo. Born in ’91, she remembered her middle school years when students would pass around all sorts of readings. She hadn’t read many, but a quick glance was enough for her to grasp the gist. Those unforgettable sentences triggered a Pavlovian response. She had assumed Meng Chi only read the classics or bestsellers.

Is there no way left for me to defend my honor? Meng Chi thought.

She turned her head slightly. A faint scent of perfume lingered at the tip of her nose. Shen Qingruo’s fingertips continued to caress the shell of her ear until it grew warm. Finally, she stopped her teasing and pressed her soft lips against it.

Meng Chi’s heart skipped in her chest. Amidst the ringing in her ears, she heard:

“If you liked this kind of thing, you should have said so earlier. Sister wouldn’t have had to hold back.”

The person beside her lightly bit her ear tip and whispered, “…You’re quite ‘ferocious’ yourself.”

…

The next morning, at dawn, Meng Chi got up to dress. She heard a seductive, husky voice from behind: “Turn on the light.”

“Aren’t you going to sleep more?”

“No, I have things to do today.”

Meng Chi turned on the light. The bed was crumpled, with suspicious marks in several places. They had both been too exhausted last night to change the sheets.

Shen Qingruo sat up, her hair messy as she leaned against the headboard. Her chest, covered in red marks, was loosely veiled by a thin duvet. She was tapping away at her phone while the other hand held a slightly crumpled, unlit cigarette.

After Meng Chi finished dressing, she picked up a hotel lighter from the nightstand. With her long fingers, she nimbly spun the lighter twice like a pen. She knelt on the bed and leaned over toward Shen Qingruo.

Click. A small, pale blue flame flickered to life.

Shen Qingruo instinctively brought the cigarette to her lips and lowered her head to the flame, her other hand rising to shield it. She took a satisfying drag, her gaze moving from the slender hand holding the lighter to those familiar, burning eyes.

Smoke rose in curls.

Meng Chi caught a hint of mint. “Can I have a taste?”

Shen Qingruo turned her head, exhaling the smoke to the side. She slowly rolled away and got out of bed naked. Her movements were casual as she dressed, but her tone was firm: “What are you thinking? Of course not.”

“Why can you do it?”

“I’m using it to wake up,” Shen Qingruo said helplessly. She was bare below but wearing a white sleeveless shirt, her neck showing faint hickeys.

Meng Chi’s cheeks warmed. In the early hours, they had done everything. Just as they were about to take the final step, Shen Qingruo had begged for mercy, saying her legs were too weak and she had to work today. This woman was arrogant when she was arrogant, but very quick to admit defeat.

At that moment, Meng Chi had thought she was being teased again and—though gentler—hadn’t stopped. Eventually, she realized Shen Qingruo truly was at her limit.

Ten minutes later, Meng Chi took a quick shower and headed to the door. She checked her phone.

Roommate: “Meng Chi, we’re all at the studio. Where are you?”

“On my way…” Meng Chi typed.

The sound of splashing water came from the bathroom. Meng Chi said, “I have class, I’m heading out.”

The water stopped. A beautiful voice floated out: “Study hard. Don’t daydream in class. Though, you can think of me when class is over.”

“Who would think of you?” Meng Chi muttered.

“I heard that,” Shen Qingruo’s voice floated out lazily. “Why haven’t you left yet? Waiting for your ‘parent’ to give you a carton of milk? The parent is busy showering. Go grab one from the fridge yourself. Be good.”

“Childish,” Meng Chi thought. That woman always had to have the last word.

Shen Qingruo said, “Kid, there’s no food at home. Buy yourself something on the way to school.”

“Oh. You remember to eat breakfast too.”

“What ‘decent’ person eats breakfast?”

“Just kidding. I have to see a client in a bit. I’ll eat after I’m done.”

Meng Chi said “Oh” and left, closing the door.

Shen Qingruo thought: What is with this kid? Not even a ‘goodbye.’ I’ll have to teach her a lesson next time.

Ten minutes later, she finished her shower and rushed to the nightstand to grab her phone. Her gaze froze on the two bags of soy milk and fried dough sticks sitting next to her phone. They were still warm.

…

Xie Zhen had drunk a bit much last night. When the alarm went off, she didn’t register it until Shen Qingruo called her—calling her “Zhen-er” and saying things like “Did I tire you out last night?”—which disgusted Xie Zhen enough to snap wide awake.

She rushed to the parking lot and found Shen Qingruo sitting lazily in her red car, wearing sunglasses. Seeing her, Shen Qingruo tossed a bag of soy milk and fried dough sticks her way.

Xie Zhen bit into the food almost with tears in her eyes. “You actually went out to buy breakfast? You didn’t… buy this specifically for me, did you? You don’t have some unspeakable designs on me?”

Shen Qingruo elegantly wiped her mouth. “The kid bought it. She bought two portions.”

Xie Zhen felt relieved. Just as she was about to take another bite…

Shen Qingruo continued, “To be honest, your portion was earned through my hard work and sleepless night.”

Xie Zhen’s gaze involuntarily slid to the marks on Shen Qingruo’s neck. Her eyes felt like they had been poked. She couldn’t eat anymore. She only regretted her big mouth for asking.

Pah!