Chapter 145: Smoother
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
After Ruan Yesheng finished speaking, the sofa area suddenly went quiet.
Xi Mo didn’t make a sound, only the background noise from the TV in the living room kept playing.
Ruan Yesheng noticed Xi Mo behind her had no reaction at all, no sound, and she couldn’t see her face. This kind of uncertainty made her heart suddenly feel a little empty.
She quickly turned her head and looked at Xi Mo.
And just happened to meet Xi Mo’s pitch-black eyes.
When those eyes looked at her, they were so direct, inside filled with pure ink color. It was as if Xi Mo had been staring at her from behind all along, otherwise she wouldn’t turn her head and just happen to meet them.
“I don’t know either. After all, I’ve never helped anyone massage their shoulders before.” Xi Mo stared at Ruan Yesheng’s eyes, then finally gave a late reply. “When I help you massage later, you can see if I’m good at it?”
Ruan Yesheng’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Then came the sound of her heartbeat beating uncontrollably, one beat after another.
The look on Xi Mo’s face was her usual seriousness. Yet at this moment, that seriousness became like a veil of cover, making Ruan Yesheng a little puzzled, unable to tell if Xi Mo’s words had another meaning.
She tried to guess the meaning Xi Mo hid in her words, but she couldn’t figure it out. She was excited, yet afraid she was overthinking.
“Can I start?” Xi Mo’s fingers rested on Ruan Yesheng’s shoulder, lifted, then fell lightly, touching her once.
Like pressing a piano key, it struck open Ruan Yesheng’s heart voice.
“Yes.” Ruan Yesheng moved her body a little, sat upright, then hugged the pillow and said: “You can rub.”
Xi Mo’s fingers pressed on Ruan Yesheng’s shoulder and began rubbing.
Even with a layer of clothing between, Ruan Yesheng still couldn’t bear the tease from Xi Mo’s fingers. With each rub, her skin seemed to gain more heat, as if tiny flames beneath were roasting her.
She had spent the whole afternoon looking for the letters, barely resting, her shoulders were indeed tired.
Xi Mo’s strength was just right, not too light to have no effect, not too heavy to cause pain, just enough to ease the sore tightness in her shoulders, and in it added a kind of tingling that she couldn’t stop wanting.
When Xi Mo was massaged earlier by Ruan Yesheng, because of not being used to it and because of the subtle nervousness, her shoulders had grown more stiff the more they were rubbed.
But this time, Xi Mo found Ruan Yesheng’s state was the complete opposite.
Ruan Yesheng’s shoulders were really soft.
It was also Xi Mo’s first time realizing that a woman’s shoulders could actually be this soft.
Ruan Yesheng’s shoulders were round, pressing close to Xi Mo’s fingers.
She could be described as soft and boneless, but the bones under her skin held up Ruan Yesheng’s pretty shoulders just right. Say she’s bony, but when Xi Mo rubbed her, her shoulders went soft like water, rising and falling lightly with Xi Mo’s touch.
Her shoulders were like ocean waves, curves rolling, stealing the soul.
From under her soft hair showed a swan neck, gently bent, moving along with her shoulders. Her skin was porcelain white, and with her hair against it, it looked even softer.
Xi Mo stared straight at the back of Ruan Yesheng’s neck.
Was her neck so pretty because she was good at dancing? After all, a dancer’s neck was often a joy to see.
But thinking of this, Xi Mo felt it wasn’t so.
Dance could shape a person’s body and grace. But Ruan Yesheng’s beauty was born with her. It wasn’t dance that made her beautiful, it was her who made her dance beautiful.
Wait.
What was she even thinking?
Xi Mo’s face went cold, and she pulled her thoughts back.
Why think such nonsense?
Xi Mo steadied her mind, with her eyes on her nose, nose on her heart*, face serious as she massaged Ruan Yesheng’s shoulders.
*1. The appearance of bowing one's head due to shyness or shame.
2. Concentrating one’s mind so as not to ve distracted.
Ruan Yesheng, taking advantage that Xi Mo couldn’t see, pressed her lips together, her eyes full of flowing spring water, secretly enjoying it.
It wasn’t quite that, but by now her heart was already swaying, and it was hard not to have fantasies.
It was just a shoulder rub, but deep down she only wished it was her whole body.
Once is never enough. She only hoped Xi Mo could do it over and over, again and again.
She was awake, yet she sat on the sofa, dreaming an unrealistic dream.
In that dream, she felt Xi Mo’s hand not only rubbing her shoulder, but moving all the way down.
Little by little, it lit her up.
Of course, Ruan Yesheng knew she was only dreaming.
Her lips bit deeper, her heart full of guilt.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
She felt ashamed of her fantasy, but she couldn’t wake up from this dream she was drowning in.
She herself was too disgraceful.
If Xi Mo knew, what would she think of her?
Ruan Yesheng was trapped in tangled feelings, when she suddenly felt Xi Mo’s hand shake, losing its strength. Because the inner clothes were soft and slippery, Xi Mo’s hand slid across the surface, then slipped onto Ruan Yesheng’s bare skin.
Ruan Yesheng’s shoulder trembled with it.
Xi Mo quickly pulled her hand back.
From the front, Ruan Yesheng laughed: “Is it because my inner clothes are slippery? If you rub through them, it’s hard to control the strength. Then you… go in.”
Xi Mo: “…”
Ruan Yesheng also felt her words sounded too ambiguous. She explained: “I mean, you can put your hand directly into my inner clothes, press on my shoulder, and rub me.”
“Can I?” Xi Mo asked.
“Of course.” Ruan Yesheng said, “I think it’ll feel even more comfortable this way.”
“More comfortable?” Xi Mo’s brain always found a different logic point. She said, “So just now when I rubbed you… rubbed your shoulders, you felt comfortable, right?”
Ruan Yesheng laughed: “Yes, very comfortable.”
“Does that mean I’m good at it?”
Ruan Yesheng’s shoulders shook with laughter: “Of course, that means you’re very good.”
Xi Mo: “…”
Xi Mo was teased into silence, but her fingers, following Ruan Yesheng’s suggestion, slipped into the innermost layer of clothing.
This time Xi Mo’s fingers touched Ruan Yesheng’s skin with no barrier.
As Xi Mo gently rubbed a few times, Ruan Yesheng only felt her shoulder pores filled with the tenderness Xi Mo gave her. Her breath grew heavier, her head leaning, and she didn’t speak.
Then she suddenly heard Xi Mo say: “You said the clothes are slippery and told me to go in, but your shoulder skin is actually even more… smooth.”
The last word “smooth” was said with some difficulty, like squeezed out.
Ruan Yesheng: “…”
She didn’t understand why Xi Mo would say that. But without a doubt, the moment she heard it, her heart skipped.
“You really think it’s smooth?” Ruan Yesheng’s lips trembled slightly as she spoke.
“…Mm.” Xi Mo answered seriously, “From the touch comparison, it’s indeed your skin that’s smoother.”
Ruan Yesheng: “…”
At first the words stirred her heart, but later they sounded oddly proper and stiff.
Why could Xi Mo talk about skin texture comparisons so seriously?
“Why do I feel like your tone sounds like reading a report?” Ruan Yesheng said. “Through comparison, the conclusion is that my skin is smoother than my innerwear, is that it?”
“I’m not reading a report.” Xi Mo, strangely a little urgent, said, “I’m saying your skin is good, can’t you feel it?”
Ruan Yesheng let out a light laugh: “Alright, I feel it.”
Xi Mo grew even more uneasy, as if she didn’t know what to say, and blurted out: “What brand of shower gel and body lotion do you use?”
Ruan Yesheng almost spat out.
Alright then, no doubt, the universe’s straight girl.
And also a block of wood.
If she got sick and Xi Mo told her to drink more hot water, she wouldn’t be surprised.
“You used my body before, we just switched back a few days ago. Of course I’m still using the shower gel and body lotion you bought.” Ruan Yesheng laughed and scolded: “Aren’t you the one with a weird logic? You can’t even deduce something this obvious?”
“I’m asking about before.” Xi Mo explained clearly: “After all, skin care isn’t something you achieve in a short time. Back when we just switched bodies, when I showered I could already feel your skin was especially good. This skin quality must be there from the start. It came from the way you cared for your skin before. Compared with that, the care I gave after switching back isn’t much. My logic isn’t wrong.”
Ruan Yesheng listened to her talk on and on, a little stunned. She turned her head, looked at Xi Mo, and hesitated: “You said when you showered…”
Xi Mo’s cheeks instantly flushed red, and her hands stopped moving. She said: “At that time I was using your body. I had to take a bath, of course I’d touch your skin. I could close my eyes, but my hands couldn’t avoid it…”
She paused, then said: “…Anyway, I still had to bathe, right.”
Ruan Yesheng’s face also carried a faint blush: “I know, you don’t need to explain so fast.”
For a moment, the two faced each other in silence.
Xi Mo massaged Ruan Yesheng for a while longer. Ruan Yesheng worried her hands would get tired, so after a bit she said it was fine, no need to continue. Xi Mo then withdrew her hands, stood up, and said: “I’m going to shower and sleep.”
“So early?” Ruan Yesheng looked at the clock.
“I’m a little tired today, I’ll sleep earlier.” Xi Mo said.
Ruan Yesheng understood and nodded.
“You should also sleep early.” Xi Mo stood by the sofa, staring at Ruan Yesheng.
“Okay, don’t worry.” Ruan Yesheng smiled.
Xi Mo went upstairs to shower. Left alone in the living room, Ruan Yesheng felt bored. She turned off the TV, then followed upstairs toward the bathroom. When she finished washing and came out, she walked to Xi Mo’s room and knocked. Xi Mo opened the door, already changed into pajamas, looking like she was really ready to rest.
Ruan Yesheng didn’t want to disturb her, so she smiled and said: “Good night.”
“Good night.” Xi Mo stood under the soft light of the room, quietly gazing at Ruan Yesheng.
After saying good night to each other, Ruan Yesheng returned to her own room.
It was still too early. She wasn’t sleepy at all, so she sat in her room playing on her phone to pass the time.
She wandered online at ease, sometimes chatting with the “Shanghai sisters who love each other.” Lin Tingshuang and Lin Tingyu had posted selfies again. In the photo, Lin Tingshuang’s complexion looked better than before, no longer sickly. Cui Jiayu also posted a photo, showing a steaming bowl of instant noodles with two sausages on top and a can of coffee beside it.
Lin Tingshuang worried: “Jiajia, is this your dinner? Why are you only eating now.”
Lin Tingyu: “Don’t let your brother see, otherwise he’ll scold you.”
Cui Jiayu said angrily: “You think I want to eat this? I’m working overtime right now, trying to catch bad guys. Where do I have time to eat? I serve the people. Unlike you, lying at home so comfortable.”
Ruan Yesheng: “Order some takeout. It’s a bit better than instant noodles.”
Cui Jiayu: “I’m too lazy to wait. By the time I notice, I’m starving. I just have to make do.”
Ruan Yesheng didn’t know how far Cui Jiayu had gotten in investigating Yang Zhen. She only knew Yang Zhen was already in Shanghai, and Cui Jiayu would also be transferred to Shanghai. Right now she couldn’t ask about the case, so she just chatted idly with her.
Cui Jiayu: “Why isn’t Xi Mo saying anything?”
As a crazy fan, she really wanted to see her goddess show up. But Xi Mo rarely joined chats, and tonight she hadn’t appeared at all.
Ruan Yesheng: “She’s already asleep.”
Lin Tingshuang: “This early? That’s a retiree’s schedule.”
Cui Jiayu complained: “A’Shuang, how can you talk like that? What do you mean retiree? Xi Mo is very young, okay? This is a very healthy schedule.”
Lin Tingshuang sent a wronged emoticon: “Jiajia, I was just making an example. That’s how people say it online.”
Cui Jiayu: “Even as an example, not allowed.”
Lin Tingyu: “Then can I beat you up?”
Cui Jiayu: “Lin Tingyu, go die right now.”
Lin Tingyu: “As a servant of the people, you actually curse the people. Is this the collapse of morality, or the shame of human nature?”
Cui Jiayu: “…”
Ruan Yesheng smiled at their noisy chatter. She held her phone and stood up, walking to the window.
Outside was a cold winter night of rain. The drizzle floated onto the glass, covering it with a layer of white mist. The room was warm, and water drops gathered on the inside of the glass.
Ruan Yesheng gently wiped open a patch of mist and looked outside. Her gaze went across the courtyard and landed on the building next door. She saw that the two rooms on the third floor, where the gifts and letters were kept, still had their lights on.
Who was inside?
Wasn’t it said they wouldn’t search tonight?
Ruan Yesheng’s thoughts turned. Putting it together with Xi Mo going to bed unusually early tonight, she guessed something, quickly put on her clothes, and went out. She came to Xi Mo’s door, pressed her ear against it, and listened. There was no sound inside.
But she didn’t knock.
Even though she had a guess that was almost certain, it was still just a guess. If she knocked now and Xi Mo was really asleep, she would disturb her.
Thinking this, Ruan Yesheng went downstairs to the living room, opened the door, and walked out with an umbrella toward the building next door. If her guess was right, when she reached the third floor next door, the truth would be clear.
Ruan Yesheng walked quickly this time. Soon she arrived at the building next door. The downstairs door was open. She quietly went up to the third floor and heard sounds of rummaging inside the gift room.
Then she heard Zhou Wenxu’s voice: “Xi Mo, don’t be sad.”
Xi Mo really was here.
Ruan Yesheng’s heart skipped. She hurried to the gift room door. The bright light inside shone out into the hallway. Ruan Yesheng stood in that light at the doorway and looked inside.
Xi Mo leaned against the gift shelf, head lowered, face heavy.
At her feet lay a pile of scattered gift boxes.
“Xi Mo.” Seeing this, Ruan Yesheng’s eyes stung for no reason. Not sleeping like she should, she really snuck out to search for gifts.
Hearing her voice, Xi Mo jolted, turned her face, and looked over.
Ruan Yesheng scolded softly: “And who was the liar that said she’s going to bed early?”
Xi Mo: “…”
She shook off her gloom in an instant and straightened up. In front of Ruan Yesheng, she always showed her most proper manners, her best self.
“Mr. Two, what’s wrong with her?” Ruan Yesheng sensed something off and asked Zhou Wenxu.
Zhou Wenxu always knew everything and still dared to say it. Sometimes asking him was better than asking this block of wood directly.
Zhou Wenxu sighed: “Miss Ruan, just now Xi Mo and I searched through all the remaining gifts in this room that hadn’t been checked. We didn’t find any gift of yours. Your gifts aren’t here.”
Author's Note:
Ruanruan, Xi Mo only gave you a shoulder rub, look where your mind went, directly launch a rocket[.
Ruanruan’s gifts aren't here, Xi Mo’s bound to lose, Ohmph
Eat cherries next chapter, ratings and comments mwah mwah give me a full set~
