Transmigrated Into the Stand-In of the Tragic Novel’s Heroine - Chapter 54

Time seemed to stand still at this moment; the wind no longer blew across their cheeks, and the clamorous noise in the air vanished instantly.

Chang Yishao’s heartbeat gradually calmed down. She gazed at Xie Qingtang’s smiling eyes, moving her steps to stand a little closer to her.

Xie Qingtang seemed unaware of the suddenly closed distance. Her palms were faintly sweaty, and she belatedly realized the sudden tension she had felt. Was it because of that sentence? She felt somewhat confused, yet she didn’t know the true source of her feelings.

“We—” Xie Qingtang opened her mouth, sensing the intimacy of these two words for the first time. When Chang Yishao turned to look at her, she paused for a moment, then finished her sentence, “We should take a taxi back.”

Chang Yishao looked at Xie Qingtang in surprise. Compared to being in a confined and narrow space, she clearly preferred strolling with Xie Qingtang under the moonlight. She lowered her eyes and said softly, “The distance isn’t far.”

Xie Qingtang noticed a hint of reluctance on her face, and a touch of astonishment flashed in her eyes. But she didn’t comply with Chang Yishao; instead, she raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Yes, it’s not far, but I need something to calm my nerves.”

This strange reason couldn’t convince Chang Yishao, nor could it even convince Xie Qingtang herself. However, Chang Yishao finally discerned a different meaning from that statement: Xie Qingtang was insistent and wouldn’t back down. After saying, “Alright then,” she fell silent, allowing Xie Qingtang to arrange this short journey back.

The taxi took the longer main road, yet it still reached the destination in five minutes. Time passed quickly, like a gust of wind, leaving no trace.

The lights flickered, illuminating the black tiles and white walls, half in the bright light, and half hidden in the shadows. Unnamed flower branches swayed in the wind, and subtle whiffs of fragrance passed their noses, peaceful and beautiful. People were sitting in the small courtyard, enjoying the cool air—they still maintained the habit from decades ago, chatting under the trellis.

After Xie Qingtang and Chang Yishao greeted them, they walked toward the house, faintly hearing someone remark, “Young people nowadays, they just stay indoors whenever they have time.” She deliberately slowed her steps and glanced back at Chang Yishao. The word “indoors” seemed to be fully embodied by both her and Chang Yishao.

No one brought up the events of the evening.

A little tacit understanding had subtly developed between them.

Xie Qingtang took out bath towels and a change of clothes, folding them like blocks of tofu onto the bathroom shelf. She turned around, her gaze slowly scanning downward from Chang Yishao’s face, stopping at the swaying shadow cast on the floor. “You go first. Call me if you need anything.”

Chang Yishao pursed her lips. She subtly glanced at Xie Qingtang, clearly sensing that this night was somewhat different from usual. What would she possibly need to call her for? Xie Qingtang spoke openly, yet an inexplicable feeling started to surge, weaving strands of sensuous thought that gradually outlined a vivid, alluring image.

She dared not think any further and quickly avoided Xie Qingtang’s gaze.

Only when the rushing sound of water echoed from the bathroom did Xie Qingtang sink into the wicker chair. After a long sigh, she couldn’t sort out her thoughts, but then suddenly jumped up and started rummaging to find the things she needed—her medicine kit was significantly more extensive here than usual.

Mist-laden steam filled the small bathroom. Water droplets slid down the dark tiles, leaving deep streaks. Chang Yishao’s heartbeat was hidden by the splashing water, but when she touched her chest with her hand, she could still feel the drum-like rhythm.

When the feared scenario played out, her mind was in chaos. Disordered thoughts rolled over her brain like wheels, and an indescribable pain stimulated her swollen head. The only shred of clarity was like a tiny fish swimming cautiously in the dark, deep sea of her thoughts, afraid of being swallowed by the pain. It wasn’t until she saw Xie Qingtang standing steadily in front of her that a beam of sunlight seemed to illuminate the profound ocean.

Such an event could not withstand recollection; the more it replayed in her mind, the more fearful she became.

The more she desired, the less she could bear bad outcomes.

A knock on the door penetrated the glass and reached her ears.

Chang Yishao’s voice was mixed with the hot steam, sounding somewhat husky.

She realized she had been in there for a long time and, fearing Xie Qingtang might break in, replied, “Almost done.”

Xie Qingtang finally sighed in relief. She slowly leaned against the wall next to the door, having almost thought that the Eldest Miss had fainted in the bathroom. That image—

Stop thinking.

Xie Qingtang’s heart skipped a beat. She patiently counted in her mind, and on the umpteenth time of starting from “0,” she heard the doorknob turning. Winding water mist rushed out of the gap, followed by Chang Yishao’s face, which was flushed with a rosy hue from the steam.

Chang Yishao was startled by Xie Qingtang.

She couldn’t see a shadow on the door and had assumed Xie Qingtang would be sitting at the desk or standing by the window, not guarding the door. After stabilizing herself, she quietly tightened the belt of her bathrobe, and a subtle sense of panic and… expectation suddenly spread in her heart.

“To the bed.” Xie Qingtang’s tone was inexplicably stern. She pursed her lips and shifted her gaze. The moment the words left her mouth, she realized this, and then, as if by a sudden impulse, she added the word “then”.

Chang Yishao chuckled softly.

Xie Qingtang gave her an annoyed glare. She walked to the bed, picked up the bath towel and clothes she had prepared earlier, and stepped into the bathroom where the steam hadn’t completely dissipated. The door, shutting abruptly, also blocked Chang Yishao’s view.

Chang Yishao slowly walked to the bedside, her gaze catching sight of a spray bottle on the table, and her eyelids fluttered suddenly. She lowered her eyes to look at her ankle. The smile on her face had not faded but grew even wider. The blush on her cheeks remained, and her eyes held a light that completely swept away her usual cold detachment.

Xie Qingtang’s movements were swift. When she came out, Chang Yishao was sitting on the edge of the bed, fiddling with her half-dry long hair. The hairdryer hummed in her ears, drowning out the sounds of the insects outside the window. Xie Qingtang raised her head; her damp hair was wrapped in a white towel, resting neatly on her head. She was wearing a thin silk nightgown, and a few drops of water slowly trickled down her collarbone, staining the fabric with a wet patch.

Xie Qingtang paid no mind to Chang Yishao’s gaze. She walked to the table and picked up the spray bottle—on the way to the police station, she had noticed Chang Yishao’s walking was slightly awkward, as if she were deliberately trying to hide something. “Foot,” she said concisely, looking at Chang Yishao.

Chang Yishao, however, slowly turned off the hairdryer and stared intently at Xie Qingtang, asking, “What did you say?” The suddenly close distance seemed to make their gazes scorching. Chang Yishao’s focused look finally unsettled Xie Qingtang. She lowered her eyes for a moment, first feeling embarrassed and angry, then forcing herself to be calm. She glared at Chang Yishao, determined to speak with a hint of provocation. She said, “Teacher Chang, I told you to get on the bed, and you actually did. How obedient.”

Chang Yishao nodded and earnestly agreed, “Mhm.”

Xie Qingtang was instantly silenced; the strange emotion came and went quickly. “Let me see your foot,” Xie Qingtang repeated before the noisy sound of the hairdryer could restart. She crouched down at Chang Yishao’s feet. The light shone on her, casting a dark shadow that obscured the jade-like surface before her.

She reached out and gently grasped Chang Yishao’s ankle. Her fingertips felt as if they were burned. She abruptly stood up, as if suddenly realizing something, frowning as she looked at Chang Yishao.

Chang Yishao lowered her head, hiding the smile in her eyes. She whispered, “I can do it myself.”

Xie Qingtang’s hand, holding the spray bottle, tightened slightly. She cleared her throat to cover her embarrassment, forcing herself to say, “It’s fine. Let me try a different angle; it was too dark just now.” The feeling just now was too strange, and she could only attribute it to the “first intimate touch.” This mental self-counseling made Xie Qingtang much more composed in her subsequent actions.

It was indeed an injury to her foot from that incident. It wasn’t too serious, but if Chang Yishao had insisted on walking back with her usual gait, aggravating the injury, the situation would be different.

“You need to take care of your body, too. Don’t push yourself too hard,” Xie Qingtang said seriously, looking up at Chang Yishao.

Chang Yishao paused for a moment and replied, “Okay.” Her gaze never left Xie Qingtang, and from her angle, looking down, she could see a corner of the hair-wrapped towel coming loose. She leaned her upper body forward, as if to stand up, and Xie Qingtang moved simultaneously.

The towel finally couldn’t bear the weight of the hair any longer and slid down halfway. Chang Yishao naturally reached out, untied the towel, and let her cascading long hair fall free. “I’ll help you,” a bright light sparkled in her eyes. If Xie Qingtang had refused, she already had other excuses prepared.

Xie Qingtang nodded without hesitation.

It was certainly better to have someone else take care of this bothersome task. For a moment, she seemed to wonder if she would become “disabled” by being so pampered, but the buzzing sound interrupted her thoughts. The fingers running through her hair massaged her scalp, and the comfortable, soothing feeling made her speechless, leaving only a sense of languor.

If one couldn’t enjoy life, what was the point of a retirement life? She miraculously convinced herself.

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