As Qin Yu gripped the doorknob, ready to turn it, she suddenly thought: Isn't it wrong to sneak into Shenhe's room at night like this?
Though they usually entered each other's rooms freely—both her own and Shenhe's—this was bedtime.
This really isn't right.
It's a bit awkward... and a bit creepy. Qin Yu withdrew her hand.
But she still wanted to see Shenhe.
Just one look! Qin Yu reached out again, gripped the doorknob, and gently pushed the door open.
Peering inside, she saw the room was dark, with only a faint moonlight spilling across the floor.
She could sense Shenhe's presence.
A quick glance revealed Shenhe's silhouette on the bed.
She's really asleep.
...At least let me see her face before I go back. Qin Yu followed the impulse rising in her heart, approaching the bed cautiously, her nerves on edge.
As she drew closer to Shenhe, the tension brought on by the darkness vanished completely.
Qin Yu sighed in relief and gazed down at Shenhe's face.
Shenhe had always been a sound sleeper, and tonight was no exception. Her tranquil expression and steady breathing assured Qin Yu that Shenhe was sleeping deeply.
When they slept in inns or tents, Shenhe would often wake easily. But here, in this room she considered home, she slept more soundly.
Just as Qin Yu considered this room her sanctuary, Shenhe regarded it as home.
As Qin Yu realized this once more, a warmth spread through her body.
Unable to resist, she sat on the edge of the bed and gently brushed Shenhe's hair aside, watching for any reaction.
Still asleep. Good.
If Shenhe woke up and found me here... I doubt she'd react much, Qin Yu thought.
"Want to sleep together?"She might even ask that, even though we agreed to separate rooms tonight.
But even so, it was best if Shenhe didn't wake up.
Even if Shenhe didn't mind, Qin Yu would still feel awkward—it was a matter of her own emotions.
Of course, if she didn't do it, she wouldn't have to worry about anything. Qin Yu mentally chided herself, her gaze drifting down Shenhe's face.
The Red String was there.
"After all, it's only untied occasionally..." Qin Yu murmured to herself, her voice barely audible, but the thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.
The Red String restrained Shenhe's emotions, suppressing that fiery passion capable of completely melting a person's heart and mind.
Having once experienced that fervent emotion, Qin Yu now felt a sense of anxious yearning whenever she saw the Red String, as if it weren't just binding Shenhe's emotions, but also coiled around her own fingers, influencing her.
Qin Yu couldn't help glancing at her own fingers.
Never mind, she thought. This isn't really important anyway.
Even without untying the Red String, Qin Yu understood Shenhe's feelings.
And once it's unlocked, it will...
Qin Yu's face flushed. She had been trying to bury this memory, yet it kept resurfacing at the most unexpected moments.
The only difference between this memory and a dark history was that while a dark history would leap out and slap her in the face, this memory would whisper into her ear with warm breath.
One was painful, the other... equally unsettling.
"We should probably head back soon," Qin Yu murmured.
If they stayed any longer, Shenhe might wake up.
Aside from not wanting Shenhe to know she had secretly come to her room, Qin Yu also didn't want to disturb her sleep.
But.
Qin Yu's gaze drifted to Shenhe's lips. Since they were sleeping in separate rooms tonight, their usual goodnight kiss was out of the question.
Shenhe likely hadn't forgotten about it, but perhaps because Qin Yu had mentioned earlier about avoiding "high-temperature situations" and crossing that line again, emphasizing the need for restraint, Shenhe had refrained from initiating it and hadn't even brought it up.
Qin Yu disliked the feeling of suddenly losing something she had already obtained, something that had become a familiar routine.
And now was the perfect opportunity.
Just one quick kiss. With this thought in mind, Qin Yu leaned closer to Shenhe, gently pressing her lips against hers.
"Shenhe..." Qin Yu murmured, wondering if Shenhe was dreaming of her right now.
At this thought, she felt a lingering dissatisfaction, an unfulfilled desire.
A quick glance confirmed Shenhe was still asleep.
One last time.
"Shenhe..."
The very last time...
But soon, her insatiable craving overwhelmed her reason, and she succumbed to the moment. Hearing Qin Yu's voice and sensing her presence, Shenhe slowly opened her eyes.
Why is Qin Yu here? Weren't we supposed to sleep in separate rooms? Shenhe wondered, confused.
However, she quickly brushed aside her doubts, embraced Qin Yu, and closed her eyes to reciprocate this sudden expression of affection.
Regaining her senses, Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Shenhe still had her eyes closed.
She's still asleep, thank goodness... Huh?
Feeling Shenhe's embrace, Qin Yu froze, utterly bewildered as to why she was being held.
Could it be...?
"Qin Yu, let's sleep together after all?" Shenhe opened her eyes and asked.
Uwaaaah?! Qin Yu's mind erupted into chaos. "W-when did you wake up?"
"Just now."
Of course!
You didn't even want her to wake up, you idiot!
Qin Yu cursed herself inwardly, her face burning with embarrassment. At a loss, she stammered out a defense:
"I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to see you for a moment."
Shenhe considered this thoughtfully. "Lonely?"
"Who's lonely?!" Qin Yu retorted, as if her foot had been stepped on.
"Me."
"Huh?"
Shenhe wrapped her arms tightly around Qin Yu and confessed, "I'm a little lonely. Even just one night... it's hard to bear. I want to sleep with you."
Her unvarnished feelings poured out through her voice.
Qin Yu pressed her lips together. Though she desperately didn't want to admit she felt the same, since Shenhe had expressed her feelings so openly, she could only whisper in response, "I... I'm a little too."
Just a little, Qin Yu silently added to herself, before relaxing her body.
"Then?" Shenhe pressed.
"...Mm, let's sleep together."
Tonight's agreement to sleep separately... let's forget about it.
Returning to Qin Yu's bedroom with Shenhe, Qin Yu turned off the lights and lay down on the bed with her.
This is the feeling... this is how it should be. A smile unconsciously crept across Qin Yu's face.
"Then let's sleep," she said.
"Mm."
Hearing Shenhe's reply, Qin Yu closed her eyes.
This time, I should be able to fall asleep.
But after a while, Qin Yu still couldn't drift off. The closer she felt Shenhe, within arm's reach, the more restless her chest grew.
She glanced at Shenhe, who was lying with her eyes closed.
Is she asleep?
Gazing at Shenhe's profile, Qin Yu's restlessness intensified. She couldn't help but sit up slightly, drawn by the inexplicable agitation in her heart, and lean closer to Shenhe's face.
Memories of Shenhe flashed through her mind.
What's wrong with me? Qin Yu felt disoriented, bewildered by her own behavior. Yet she couldn't resist lowering her head further, drawn to Shenhe like a moth to a flame.
Shenhe opened her eyes, her voice tinged with confusion. "Qin Yu?"
"Ah, Shenhe... I'm sorry, I woke you again."
Shenhe shook her head.
"Actually, I wasn't asleep yet. You've been tossing and turning. Can't you fall asleep?" she asked with concern.
Shenhe's concern flowed into Qin Yu's heart, radiating through her body.
"Ah-hmm... I... I can't sleep."
"Why? Is something troubling you?"
Qin Yu turned her face away. "I don't know."
She truly didn't know. She didn't know where this tormenting restlessness came from, how to dispel it, or what was wrong with her.
"I just... want to do it," Qin Yu murmured, sealing Shenhe's words with her lips once more.
After what felt like an eternity, Qin Yu's restless heart reached its peak, her consciousness growing hazy. Yet, in that haze, a sliver of truth pierced through.
The reason for this overwhelming restlessness was...
Her eyes glistening, Qin Yu whispered, "Shenhe, I want... to do that with you again..."
She couldn't care less about the nonsensical things she was saying anymore.
All she saw was Shenhe.
Even with the Red String binding her, Shenhe now felt the same yearning as before, her heart pounding, desire surging through her like a relentless tide.
"Mm, I want to too."
"Then... let me take the lead this time?"
A mischievous glint sparked in Qin Yu's eyes. She wanted to see how Shenhe would react, even with the Red String tethering her.
Shenhe softly replied, "Okay."
She grasped Qin Yu's hand.
"As long as we can feel each other, that's all that matters."
Hearing Shenhe's words and sensing her genuine feelings in the shimmering depths of her eyes, Qin Yu's playful teasing, along with any other lingering thoughts, vanished completely, leaving only pure, unadulterated desire.
I wanted to make Shenhe happy.
Evaluation: SSS
Evaluation: SSS+
I keep telling myself to control myself, but I'm the one who loses control first.
Qin Yu sighed inwardly, her heart heavy with complex emotions. But when Shenhe gently stroked her hair, her expression softened, becoming quite relaxed.
"I'm sorry, Shenhe."
"Hmm? Why are you apologizing?" Shenhe asked, puzzled.
Qin Yu ducked her head awkwardly. "I was the one who said we should control ourselves, but I couldn't hold back."
"Mm, that's true."
She's so direct!
"But I don't think it's a bad thing," Shenhe said softly. "So you don't need to apologize."
"...Just to clarify," Qin Yu felt compelled to clarify.
"I'm not the kind of person with a strong libido. This was just an exception!" she insisted earnestly, desperate to avoid giving Shenhe the impression that she actually wanted to do that kind of thing.
I may be that kind of woman, but I don't have "strong desires" as a prefix!
Shenhe nodded thoughtfully. "I understand."
Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
"But... I think I might have a stronger libido," Shenhe said tentatively.
Qin Yu's face flushed. She muttered, "I know, you've already made that clear."
"Is that so? Just as I thought. I want to have a relationship with you that transcends all others, to be with you forever, to experience you more deeply, to listen to your heart's voice, to share our innermost selves, to accept every part of each other, and so on."
"...Even when I find peace in your presence, I can't suppress these desires."
Shenhe's words filled Qin Yu with a deep sense of reassurance.
This is how it should be.
To be desired meant she truly resided in Shenhe's heart.
"What about you, Qin Yu?"
Qin Yu replied frankly, "Of course, it's the same for me. Though I don't constantly crave what we just did, everything else is exactly the same."
Shenhe didn't understand why Qin Yu kept emphasizing this point, but after a moment's thought, she decided it didn't matter.
The incident just now didn't really matter—it was neither necessary nor irrelevant. What truly mattered was being able to stay together, forever.
Hearing Qin Yu acknowledge this was enough. Shenhe's face naturally softened into a tender smile as she thought this.
"Mm, I'm very happy."
Qin Yu paused, captivated by Shenhe's radiant smile, and returned the smile with genuine warmth.
"Me too."
Her gaze drifted unintentionally to the framed photo on the cabinet.
It was one she had bought at noon, embedding Shenhe's chosen picture inside and placing it there.
Though Shenhe's selections had been subtly suggestive, each time Qin Yu caught sight of it, she felt a surge of warmth.
She yearned to add more such mementos to their collection in the future.
An idea suddenly struck Qin Yu, and she leaned closer to Shenhe with eager anticipation.
"Shenhe, let's take another photo tomorrow, okay?"
"A photo?"
"Yeah! To put in the living room. What do you think?" Qin Yu nodded emphatically.
That way, the house would hold even more shared memories. Shenhe, thinking this, agreed:
"I think that's wonderful. I want this house to be filled with more of our shared memories too."
Qin Yu smiled. "We're on the same page! It's a promise then."
The next morning, bright and early:
"Over here, and get a little closer... perfect."
They chose the angle and posed carefully.
"Ready to shoot."
Then...
Shenhe glanced at Qin Yu, who was pressed close beside her, beaming. Feeling a surge of joy and happiness, she quietly took Qin Yu's hand, turned toward the camera, and smiled softly.
Click.
Qin Yu framed the photo, gazing at their smiling faces. She nodded in satisfaction.
Carefully placing the framed photo on the living room cabinet, Qin Yu couldn't help but chuckle.
Perfect.
"Qin Yu, it's time to go," Shenhe said, approaching her.
"Mm-hmm."
Time for work again... Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
The Lantern Rite was drawing near.
"The Lantern Rite is almost here," Qin Yu sighed.
Shenhe murmured in agreement, "Mm, it's very close."
What kind of Lantern Rite will we have this year?
Qin Yu smiled at Shenhe, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"I can't wait."