Chapter 50
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"You're wearing too little." Qin Wanshu noticed that Zuo Qinghuan only had on a thin shirt and hurried out, fearing she might catch a cold.
"Wait for me here, I'll be right out." Zuo Qinghuan quickly ran back to the coffee shop, gave some instructions to the waiter, grabbed her bag and coat, then hurried back out.
“Don't rush." Qin Wanshu reached out to help Zuo Qinghuan spread her coat, letting her slip into it.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Zuo Qinghuan asked while extending her arm, smoothly putting on her own coat.
"Something simple is fine." Qin Wanshu isn't very picky about food.
….
Zuo Qinghuan embraced Qin Wanshu from behind, who was washing dishes. Since the last time Qin Wanshu washed dishes, she had wanted to do this, and now she could finally do it without reservation.
Qin Wanshu suddenly embraced, and paused in her dishwashing, clearly feeling that Zuo Qinghuan loved clinging to her.
"Why are you so clingy?" Qin Wanshu asked softly.
"Because it's you, I want to cling to you. I wouldn't do this with anyone else," Zuo Qinghuan said with a hint of pride.
"Go back to the living room first; I can't wash dishes with you hugging me so tightly." Qin Wanshu noticed she was held tightly by Zuo Qinghuan.
"I'll wash them; your hands aren't suitable for washing dishes." Qin Wanshu's fingers are precious, and more importantly, she has exceptionally beautiful hands. It would be a waste to use them for washing dishes.
"There's nothing unsuitable about them." Qin Wanshu continued washing dishes.
"Your fingers are incredibly attractive, and I like them a lot. I'll take good care of them," Zuo Qinghuan snatched the dishes from Qin Wanshu. She didn't want to mistreat Qin Wanshu's beautiful hands; otherwise, she would feel guilty. Last time, she shouldn't have let Qin Wanshu wash dishes, and she hadn't fallen so deep into this situation as now.
"Aren't these just superficial appearances?" Qin Wanshu remarked dismissively.
"Qin Wanshu, do you like my superficial appearance?" Zuo Qinghuan brought her face close to Qin Wanshu, allowing her to carefully examine herself.
Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan's face, very close to hers. Zuo Qinghuan's appearance had an ethereal quality, indeed quite likable. Qin Wanshu couldn't deny it and nodded.
"When you spend time with someone, you'll know if your personalities match. But at the beginning, it does rely on looks. At first sight, I liked your appearance, and the good impression prompted me to approach you. Later, everything about Qin Wanshu attracted me." The more time Zuo Qinghuan spent with Qin Wanshu, the more captivating she found her.
Qin Wanshu didn't deny Zuo Qinghuan's words. Initially, during their first two encounters, she didn't like Zuo Qinghuan's behavior. Yet, she felt some fondness due to Zuo Qinghuan's deceivingly appealing appearance. Qin Wanshu believed that appearance reflects the inner self.
"No matter how beautiful the appearance, it will age someday," Qin Wanshu sighed softly.
"Qin Wanshu, are you worried you'll age faster than me?" Zuo Qinghuan asked. For the first time, she realized that her only advantage over Qin Wanshu was being a few years younger. In the face of a woman as outstanding in every aspect as Qin Wanshu, this advantage was almost negligible.
Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan and didn't answer. She didn't engage in an age contest. She accepted what couldn't be changed. Since the dishes had been taken by Zuo Qinghuan, Qin Wanshu just followed her and waited on the side.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"Qin Wanshu, even if one day you become an old lady, you'll undoubtedly be the most graceful and beautiful among them all," Zuo Qinghuan said sincerely, truly feeling that way.
Qin Wanshu smiled at the words but remained silent. She had never thought that far ahead. With Zuo Qinghuan mentioned becoming an old lady, even if Zuo Qinghuan, who was six years younger, would also be an old lady by then, growing old together with Zuo Qinghuan might be a nice thought. However, it seemed like thinking too far ahead.
"Qin Wanshu, your personality is a bit reserved. You hardly respond to me. I say three sentences, and you reply with just one," Zuo Qinghuan protested, discontented.
"I enjoy listening to you," Qin Wanshu said gently.
"It's strange; I don't have this much to say to others," Zuo Qinghuan felt that Qin Wanshu was making her behave unlike herself.
Because that person allows her to let down all her guard, so she is willing to say everything to that person. That's why she has more to say to that person.
"I don't mind your chatter," Qin Wanshu said with a teasing tone. Being with Zuo Qinghuan made her feel relaxed.
"I'm not chatty!" Zuo Qinghuan protested.
Zuo Qinghuan quickly finished washing the dishes and then returned to the living room with Qin Wanshu.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" Zuo Qinghuan felt there was still plenty of time for other activities.
“Okay," Qin Wanshu didn't refuse. In reality, she rarely watched movies. Occasionally, she opted for somewhat dull documentaries. She hardly watched soap operas or dramas.
Zuo Qinghuan's cabinet had a variety of movies, including horror, soap operas, and science fiction. There was even one featuring different positions for women. At one point, Li Xin tried her best to bend her, picking a supposedly high-quality action movie for them to watch together. However, Zuo Qinghuan wasn't interested, and Li Xin had to choose another movie.
After rummaging through the DVDs for a while, Zuo Qinghuan finally found the movie featuring women in various actions. She inserted the disc and went back to the sofa, sitting next to Qin Wanshu. Mischievously, she whispered something into Qin Wanshu's ear.
"Qin Wanshu, let's watch erotic films!"
Qin Wanshu's expression froze. Zuo Qinghuan's current remark bore a striking resemblance to the one from the past, "Qin Wanshu, let's have sex." It felt oddly similar.
"Can we pick something else?" Qin Wanshu asked, feeling a bit awkward.
“No, Qin Wanshu. You can't reject these things; they're all part of human nature. Freud said, 'Sex is the first instinct of humans,'" Zuo Qinghuan lectured earnestly to a somewhat ignorant woman.
"But..." Qin Wanshu found it peculiar.
"Qin Wanshu, have you watched one before?" Zuo Qinghuan curiously asked.
Qin Wanshu shook her head. The education she received was quite traditional, predominantly rooted in Chinese classical studies, including the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. Many of these studies were foundational for appreciating ancient artifacts. Thus, she had a solid understanding of these fundamentals. Even though Shi Yunyang had tried to introduce her to these miscellaneous things, she always consciously avoided them.
"Aren't you curious at all?" Zuo Qinghuan continued to ask, Qin Wanshu was really good to the core.
Qin Wanshu shook her head, she was never curious.
"You are such a good woman, but you seem to have no objection to me seducing you, who is also a woman, from the beginning. Why is that?" Zuo Qinghuan already found it amazing that this woman accepted the love between women without any rejection…
"In ancient times, things like ‘habit of cutting sleeves’, ‘Lord Longyang's addiction’, or 'dividing peaches' * were not uncommon. Emperors even cut their sleeves for male favorites, indicating genuine affection irrespective of gender. Moreover, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a custom in the Shunde area of Guangdong where many silk-reeling girls chose not to marry, pledging to remain virgins for life. These girls formed alliances, swore oaths with their blood, never marrying outsiders. They became sworn sisters, as close as a married couple, sharing joy and sorrow, unwavering throughout life. I believe that kind of affection is very sincere," Qin Wanshu felt that emotions were unrelated to gender, emphasizing the importance of standing by each other's side.
*euphemisms for male homosexual relationships that originated from ancient anecdotes about Emperors or Duke and their male favorites
Sure enough, Qin Wanshu actually hoped to maintain a pure relationship with herself, to become sworn sisters like those silk-reeling girls. However, she had no desire to keep such a pure relationship with Qin Wanshu all the time.
"Qin Wanshu, you don't want to be sworn sisters with me, do you?" Zuo Qinghuan asked uncertainly.
Qin Wanshu shook her head. She had a younger sister, and she wouldn't desire overly affectionate gestures with her sister. Perhaps, she wanted a kind of relationship that fell between familial love and romantic love – one that could be as intimate as a lover yet as familial as kin.
"That's good then," Zuo Qinghuan felt relieved. If Qin Wanshu only wanted to be sworn sisters with her, she might as well go hit a wall and die, considering the immoral and impure thoughts she harbored towards Qin Wanshu.
"Are those things important?" Qin Wanshu questioned, in her view, emotions were higher than anything else.
"Emotional pleasure is very important, and physical pleasure can also be very enjoyable. Since the two can be integrated into one, why should we give up one of the benefits?" Zuo Qinghuan asked.
Qin Wanshu pondered for a moment and found some logic in it.
Author's Note:
Phew, Qin Wanshu seems to be loosening up…
Evil little comrade Zuo…
I felt so sleepy when I was typing just now…
Member
Member