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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Shuhan's home was not far from the hotel where they were staying, just a five-minute drive. Cheng Qiuyi kept her word and parked the car by the entrance of the community. "Make sure to spend some time with your uncle and aunt."
"My dad's arthritis is an old issue; it won't get better anytime soon. I might..."
"I know. I have some things to take care of these couple of days too, so you don't need to worry about me," Cheng Qiuyi said, trying to sound relaxed.
"You..."
"Alright, you should head up now. Just let me know when you get home safely," Cheng Qiuyi said as she leaned over to unbuckle Liu Shuhan's seatbelt.
Liu Shuhan wrapped her arms around Cheng Qiuyi's neck and kissed her lips suddenly. The movement was unexpected, and their teeth clashed together, causing both of them to wince in pain, yet neither let go of the other.
The space inside the car was very cramped. Cheng Qiuyi used one hand to brace herself against the window, trapping Liu Shuhan in the small seat, taking control of the kiss.
This kiss was anything but gentle; their tongues brushed against each other, bringing a sharp sting. It was unclear whose blood had first spread across their tongues. Cheng Qiuyi's last shred of rationality snapped at the hint of blood, and her hand slid up Liu Shuhan's thigh, slipping under her short skirt.
Liu Shuhan gasped for breath, pressing down on Cheng Qiuyi's wandering hand and pushing her away with a distressed expression. "Cheng Qiuyi..."
"Hmm?" Cheng Qiuyi felt ignited by Liu Shuhan's actions but was abruptly interrupted, her tone slightly displeased.
Liu Shuhan mumbled like a mosquito, "I... I... am..."
"What?" Cheng Qiuyi didn't catch that.
"I said I'm wet! It's all your fault! It's all because of you!" Liu Shuhan said, awkwardly closing her legs, feeling both embarrassed and angry.
Cheng Qiuyi chuckled softly. "You deserve it; who told you to tease me?" She leaned closer to Liu Shuhan's ear and gently licked her delicate earlobe. "It's okay; we're both the same. Why don't you touch?"
"……"
After much effort to create a somewhat melancholic atmosphere, it was all ruined by Cheng Qiuyi's playful remarks.
"Shu Han," Cheng Qiuyi said seriously, "this is our first separation since we got together, and I will miss you."
Liu Shuhan couldn't bear the thought of being apart from Cheng Qiuyi, and her lips pouted. "Qiu Yi, what should I do? I'm already starting to miss you..."
Cheng Qiuyi raised her hand and playfully tapped the back of her head. "Alright, alright. If you keep delaying, your parents will need to rest. Let's go, call me tonight." With that, she firmly urged Liu Shuhan out of the car.
"The wind is strong at night; hurry back so you don't catch a cold," Cheng Qiuyi said as she rolled up the car window and drove away.
Liu Shuhan stood by the roadside for a long time, waiting until she was sure Cheng Qiuyi had really left before turning to walk into the neighborhood.
Cheng Qiuyi hadn't gone far; her car stopped just after turning a corner, out of Liu Shuhan's sight. Liu Shuhan was indecisive, so Cheng Qiuyi had to make a decision for her.
When Cheng Qiuyi was young, her mother was busy with work, and her father rarely paid attention to her. The time her parents spent with her didn't even add up to the time she spent with her master. Moreover, her master was more strict than loving. For over twenty years, Cheng Qiuyi had hardly experienced the blood ties described in books; she was even unclear about the concept of familial love.
Cheng Qiuyi scoffed at familial bonds, but she could feel Liu Shuhan's urgency when she learned about her father's serious illness—a desperate wish to return to him immediately. Such urgency couldn't be faked. For Liu Shuhan to choose between Cheng Qiuyi and her parents would leave her feeling guilty no matter what choice she made; thus, Cheng Qiuyi had to choose for her.
This was just the beginning. If one day Liu Shuhan truly had to choose between herself and her parents, what would she decide? Cheng Qiuyi wasn't sure; she could only hold onto Liu Shuhan as tightly as possible.
Liu Shuhan's parents lived in an old-style apartment complex on the fifth floor without an elevator. Worried about her father's condition, she hurried up several steps and was out of breath by the time she reached home. She wondered how her mother managed to help her sturdy father down from such a high building.
It was just before nine o'clock; Liu Father and Liu Mu were watching a drama on television. The show had reached an exciting point, and Liu Mu was engrossed in it. Reluctantly getting up when someone knocked on the door, she muttered, "Who is it at this hour?" as she turned the doorknob while still keeping her eyes on the screen.
"Mom..."
As soon as the old security door opened, Liu Shuhan stood at the entrance.
"Hey." Liu Mu was still distracted by the television, responding absentmindedly. When he finally looked up and saw who it was, he was taken aback. "Shu Han? Aren't you in C City? Why are you back?"
"Mom, why didn't you tell me Dad's old issue flared up again? What's the situation now?" Liu Shuhan walked into the living room and saw her father, Liu Sen, happily watching a drama, grinning so widely that his gums were showing. Liu Sen was equally surprised to see his daughter return. "Shu Han? Your mother and I were just thinking of visiting you soon, but here you are back already."
"Dad, the Boss Lady at the noodle shop said your arthritis acted up again. What’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me?" Liu Shuhan plopped down next to Liu Sen.
"It's nothing. Don't listen to the Boss Lady making a big deal out of it. I'm almost fine now."
Liu Mu came over with a plate of sliced watermelon and huffed, "You don't even remember who was in agony last month. Now that you're fine, you're trying to act tough in front of your daughter."
"Xu Ruyun, you talk too much!"
Liu Mu's maiden name is Xu, and her given name is Ruyun. When Liu Sen was courting her, he called her Xiaoxu, and after all these years, it never changed. When he got really annoyed, he would call her by her full name, just like now.
Liu Shuhan couldn't help but feel exasperated with her parents; she was already unreliable enough on her own, but they were even worse. "You two really know how to handle things. Is being sick a small matter? You kept this from me for so long!"
After thoroughly questioning Liu Sen about his health and confirming that he was genuinely fine now, she finally relaxed.
"I have to ask, when are you planning to start dating?" Xu Ruyun suddenly asked.
Liu Shuhan was taken aback. "Mom, why are you asking this out of the blue?"
"I have an old colleague whose son is a year older than you. He’s a teacher at a middle school now. They were high school classmates. I ran into him a few days ago—what a spirited young man! Tall and handsome, very polite..."
"Mom, I’m not looking to date right now."
Liu Shuhan had anticipated that her mother would bring this up before returning home; it had been the same for years. Ever since Liu Shuhan turned twenty, her mother had never stopped mentioning it.
"It doesn't matter whether you want to date or not; at least meet him! I've already set it up!"
Liu Shuhan stood up irritably, "I just came to see how Dad is doing. Since both of you are fine, I'll leave now. I have to work tomorrow."
Xu Ruyun grabbed her, "Shu Han, you're not a child anymore. You should find someone to take care of you; your dad and I would feel more at ease."
She gave Liu Sen a look, and Liu Sen immediately chimed in, "That's right, Shu Han. Seeing how your mom and I are getting older, you're almost thirty now. The daughter of Old Zhang's Family next door is the same age as you, and her child is already three years old!"
Liu Shuhan pretended to head for the door, "If you keep saying this, I'm really leaving! I won't come back for the New Year this year!"
The two elders finally fell silent.
That night, Liu Shuhan tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She called Cheng Qiuyi, and just after one ring, Cheng Qiuyi picked up. Her pleasant voice came through the receiver, "Is Uncle doing okay?" Her voice was a bit hoarse and sounded tired.
"He should be fine. I'll accompany him to the hospital tomorrow to check again."
"Okay."
"Qiu Yi..." Liu Shuhan wanted to tell Cheng Qiuyi about her mother's insistence on setting her up for blind dates, but she changed her mind at the last moment, "What should I do? I miss you so much."
Cheng Qiuyi laughed on the other end, "I miss you too."
Cheng Qiuyi's car had been parked at the intersection without moving. A car honked as it passed by, and Liu Shuhan quickly noticed it. "Where are you now?"
"Of course I'm in the hotel room. I've been driving all day; I'm exhausted." Cheng Qiuyi held a cigarette in her left hand and reached out the window, lightly tapping her index finger to shake off the burnt ash at the tip with an expressionless face.
"Why do I hear honking?"
"I'm on the balcony getting some fresh air." Cheng Qiuyi took a deep drag from her cigarette, letting the nicotine swirl in her lungs before exhaling it out. It was unclear how many cigarettes she had smoked; the entire driver's seat seemed shrouded in a haze. She hadn't turned on any lights; the faint glow from the streetlights filtered through the smoke and illuminated her face dimly.
"It's getting late; you should sleep. I'm going to sleep too." Cheng Qiuyi hung up first, worried that Liu Shuhan might notice something unusual.
Liu Shuhan lay on the bed, disappointed, burying her head into the pillow.
Cheng Qiuyi was probably really angry; her tone sounded so cold. It was no wonder she was upset. Cheng Qiuyi had the courage to face everything, while Liu Shuhan didn't even dare to bring her home to meet her parents.
No, that honking sound was too close to Cheng Qiuyi; it couldn't have come from the balcony.
Liu Shuhan quickly threw on a coat and rushed out.
Cheng Qiuyi had a cigarette burning down to her fingers, and she pinched it out with her thumb and index finger before tossing it out of the car window. She tapped her cigarette case lightly, and another cigarette popped out just enough for her to grab. Cheng Qiuyi tilted her head, bit down on the cigarette, pulled out a lighter, and lit it in one smooth motion.
Cheng Qiuyi had quit smoking for many years, but now that she had picked it up again, she realized that the craving for cigarettes lasts a lifetime. You think it's far away from you, but that's just an illusion. Liu Shuhan was like a craving for her—no, even stronger than that. The urge for cigarettes could be suppressed by Cheng Qiuyi, but her desire for Liu Shuhan only intensified with time.
Cheng Qiuyi was confident she could compete with any rival for Liu Shuhan's affection, but she lacked confidence in winning over Liu Shuhan's parents. In her mind, there were a hundred scenarios about Liu Shuhan's parents, none of which favored her. After all, how many ordinary families could accept that their child is a lesbian?
Liu Shuhan ran to the entrance of the community in slippers. The entire street was empty; not a single figure was in sight. She walked in the direction Cheng Qiuyi had left, and just as she turned the corner, Cheng Qiuyi's black car came into view.
The car happened to be parked under a streetlight, its surface reflecting the light while the interior remained pitch black. Only a faintly flickering red dot and Cheng Qiuyi's silhouette could be seen inside.
Liu Shuhan's eyes instantly turned red.
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