Chapter 26: Why?
Mrs. Xu and A'Sen stood there, stunned, staring at each other with wide eyes, not knowing what to say. They heard Xiao Moyan's mischievous laughter and her arrogant, provocative words.
"If you're not confident, you can come together," she said.
A'Sen's dark face instantly turned purple, and he glanced awkwardly at Mrs. Xu, then quickly dashed out as if fleeing for his life. Mrs. Xu reached up, rubbed the white hair on her head, took a small step forward, and bit her lower lip, but couldn't say a word. Her body remained stiff in place. She sighed deeply, silently praying for Xia Lingying's safety.
Xiao Moyan had been with her since she was young, understanding her contradictory nature inside out. Though she cared deeply, she clenched her heart tightly, maintaining her venomous tongue. Because of this, she had unknowingly hurt many people's hearts. Mrs. Xu shook her head, took small steps, and walked towards her own bedroom.
Miss, love alone is not enough; you still need to learn how to express it.
With the disappearance of the two's noise and the strange glances, Xiao Moyan smiled satisfactorily, holding Xia Lingying's soft body as they slowly approached the bathroom. The lingering scent of her faint mint after bathing still filled the bathroom, spreading with the misty steam, making it indescribably pleasant to inhale. The orange light gently sprinkled on Xia Lingying's slightly flushed cheeks. Xiao Moyan lowered her head, affectionately glanced at her, walked forward slowly, and carefully placed her on the soft steam chair on the right side. Instead of immediately undressing Xia Lingying for bathing, Xiao Moyan took two steps back and sat on the edge of the pure white bathtub, quietly watching Xia Lingying.
Her gaze was pure, devoid of any desire, lingering with steadfast affection on the slender figure of the person before her.
Her black, cascading hair enveloped Xia Lingying's frail shoulders, reaching down to her waist. Her skin was flawless and snow-white, illuminated by the light, emitting a faint glow like sheep fat. As the mist surrounded her, a light vanilla scent lingered in the air, intertwining with the mint fragrance, blending until you couldn't distinguish between them.
A warm flow filled her heart, a sudden sense of happiness flooding her body, only to disappear in the next moment, replaced by the unshakeable sadness in Xiao Moyan's eyes. The person before her was Xiao Moyan's beloved, a woman she held in her heart but could never fully understand, an adversary whose enmity transcended generations despite her devoted love.
Staring blankly at her, Xiao Moyan's chest suddenly felt tight. Throughout her life, she never failed to obtain what she desired, yet with Xia Lingying, she found herself unconsciously panicking. Xia Lingying was beyond her control, her stubbornness, dominance, and coldness pushing her to the brink of collapse. She cared not for her pride, desperately wanting to shield Xia Lingying under her wings, only to cling to the bittersweet turmoil in her heart. But this person... all she harbored was deep-seated hatred, and everything she desired was merely a means to undermine her, to reclaim what rightfully belonged to her. Xiao Moyan was aware of Xia Lingying's connection to Xia Ran, but she chose not to believe it, refusing to acknowledge it. She knew she had no place in Xia Lingying's heart, and all her love seemed disingenuous in her eyes. Yet she couldn't let go.
Xiao Moyan fell silent. Xia Lingying, why can't you understand my heart... If only... I would rather not have all of this, I would give it all back to you, just to return to the beginning, to the harmony between our families, without all the so-called entanglements. Perhaps then Xiao Nian wouldn't have stopped us from having the destiny we should have had long ago, perhaps we could have had a love as steadfast as childhood sweethearts...
"For you, I can let go of all the hatred. Why can't you just love me?"
Xiao Moyan gazed at Xia Lingying's peaceful sleeping profile, murmuring softly. Tears inexplicably trickled down her fair cheeks, carrying a mix of grievance, reluctance, and sorrow, stirring an unexpected restlessness within her. Xiao Moyan knew that to Xia Lingying, she was like a child craving candy, constantly trying to be near her, yearning only for those sweet moments. She had once thought it was just a fleeting infatuation, but as time passed, her gaze couldn't detach from Xia Lingying. Unconsciously, she had already fallen deeper, while Xia Lingying remained aloof, perpetually cold and distant, keeping her at arm's length.
After a long gaze, Xiao Moyan grasped Xia Lingying's right hand, lifted it, and pressed her cheek against it, using Xia Lingying's hand to wipe away her own tears. The cool skin against her delicate cheeks made Xiao Moyan let out a soft sigh of contentment, cherishing the sensation of their closeness. She gently caressed Xia Lingying's skin, tireless in her ministrations. After a moment, Xiao Moyan leaned back slightly, no longer hesitating, and reached for the neckline of Xia Lingying's clothes, deftly unbuttoning her buttons.
With her clothes partially undone, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin on her chest, Xia Lingying's breasts were outlined perfectly by the purple bra, showcasing her proud curves. As her chest rose and fell with each breath, Xiao Moyan's eyes gradually changed color, her breathing became heavier. Her hands, now freed from Xia Lingying's clothes, moved even more slowly, lightly caressing the soft skin as delicate as a baby's, sending shivers of electricity wherever they touched, occasionally stimulating Xia Lingying's inexperienced body. Even though she was asleep, she still felt the seductive caress, her brows furrowing slightly as she unconsciously uttered,
"Mm..."
At this moment, all pretense and concealment completely vanished. Xiao Moyan took a deep breath, her slender fingers slowly tracing the delicate contours of Xia Lingying's face, outlining her features. Then, she moved along her slender and beautiful eyebrows, eyelids, and nose, gently stroking downward until she reached her plump yet slightly pale lips, softly caressing them...
After a moment, unable to resist the tumult in her heart any longer, Xiao Moyan lowered her head and, following the red lips gently kissed them. Her movements were still cautious, afraid that this newly obtained sweetness would vanish in an instant. The soft touch of lips against lips carried a slight chill, but the warmth between their tightly pressed young bodies began to rise. Through the thin layer of clothing, their heat circulated between each other. In Xia Lingying's hazy consciousness, she faintly felt a warmth on her lips that didn't belong to her, accompanied by an inexplicable ambiguity that spread between their lips...
As if awakened by the caresses on her lips, Xia Lingying murmured softly, slowly awakening with closed beautiful eyes, carrying a dazed expression of just waking up...
Her confused eyes subconsciously looked towards Xiao Moyan who was leaning over, pressing her down. Unintentionally, their eyes met as Xiao Moyan's gaze fell on her lips. Inadvertently, she caught sight of the deep, bottomless ink color in her profound eyes. Her face flushed involuntarily, her delicate lips pursed, feeling embarrassed, she turned her head away, only to see her disheveled self in the reflection of the tub, she exclaimed in shock. Xia Lingying reached out and pushed Xiao Moyan, who was still leaning over her, suddenly.
Xiao Moyan staggered backward, her back hitting the wall heavily. At that moment, she felt no physical pain, only the bitterness in her heart.
"You──"
Xia Lingying hastily grabbed her clothes to cover her exposed body, her eyes still carrying a hint of confusion, but more of panic and helplessness. Her body trembled lightly, staring at Xiao Moyan in disbelief. Xiao Moyan's hair was slightly damp, her cheeks tinged with a faint pink, and her lips stained with the color of her lipstick. Her loose sleepwear hung off her body, revealing her sexy collarbones and even the two plump areas. Xia Lingying blushed, hugging her arms tightly and instinctively shrinking into the chair. Looking up again, she was swallowed by the unfathomable coldness in Xiao Moyan's eyes...
Suddenly, her hand was grabbed by an icy grip, the cold sensation spreading from her wrist...
Xiao Moyan glared at her, almost gritting her teeth. Why? Why did Xia Lingying always trample on her pride without hesitation, disregarding her feelings? When she held her in her arms in front of everyone at the hotel, why didn't she act like this? Does she only see her as a tool for her own use?
"It hurts── Let go──"
Xia Lingying waved her wrist, trying to break free from Xiao Moyan's grasp, only fueling her anger. Xiao Moyan tightened her grip, glaring at Xia Lingying with resentment.
"At the hotel, weren't you happily drinking with those old bald donkeys? Now, why do you act so self-righteous towards me?"
"You──"
Xia Lingying looked up at Xiao Moyan incredulously, forcefully pulling her hand towards herself, feeling a fiery pain in her wrist. Xiao Moyan gritted her teeth, stubbornly holding onto Xia Lingying's hand, refusing to let go. I've had enough! Enough of this pointless compromise. If you don't value me, if you don't care about my feelings, why should I be so careful with you? Today, I will make you, Xia Lingying, mine!
In the tug-of-war between them, Xia Lingying's already loose top was completely removed. Her eyes reddened, and she suddenly stopped her movements, gritting her teeth, lifting her head, glaring at Xiao Moyan.
"Yes, I dislike you! So what if I don't like you? Xiao Moyan, you don't even give me the basic respect lately. Why should I love you?"
Xiao Moyan's chest heaved with anger, her face flushed, her beautiful eyes filled with fury as she stared at Xia Lingying.
"And what about you, Xia Lingying? Have you ever truly respected me? Have you ever truly thought about me?"
Remembering Xia Lingying's worried and frightened look when she was dragged away to accompany drinks, Xiao Moyan's anger surged. The grip of her right hand, holding Xia Lingying's wrist, tightened even more, no longer caring if she was hurting her.
"Xia Lingying, do you have any brains? Don't you know why Director Lin asked you to go to Wanfeng? Or──are you willingly selling yourself to please those people?"
Author's Note:
Well, that's it. One more thing, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone!