WRR – Chapter 23

Xu Shi was now staring at Yu Lingshan even more brazenly than she had at the computer earlier. It was as if, certain that Yu Lingshan was asleep and wouldn’t open her eyes, she could act without restraint.

She even used her hands.

At first, she only wanted to brush away the annoying stray hairs from Yu Lingshan’s forehead, but after doing so, she couldn’t pull her hand back.

Remembering how Yu Lingshan had touched the hair at her temples, Xu Shi decided to return the favor.

She touched her eyebrows back, brushed against her ear too. It seemed like she had gotten her revenge, but Xu Shi still wasn’t satisfied.

The next second, she pressed the pad of her thumb against Yu Lingshan’s lips. In that instant, her heart inexplicably started to beat faster, so fast that her eardrums could feel its vibration.

Startled, Xu Shi quickly pulled her hand back. Just then, Yu Lingshan suddenly twitched.

Xu Shi froze again. The next moment, Yu Lingshan opened her eyes.

Xu Shi felt as if she’d been caught red-handed, and her whole body flushed with heat.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Yu Lingshan asked, her eyes half-closed.

Xu Shi hid the hand that had just touched Yu Lingshan behind her back. “You go ahead.”

Yu Lingshan hummed with a heavy nasal tone and closed her eyes again.

Xu Shi truly couldn’t sleep. She tried closing her eyes, but as long as she was aware of Yu Lingshan beside her, her mind remained wide awake.

It’s not like I haven’t slept with Yu Lingshan before, she thought, so why is it like this today?

But then she remembered that the last time she’d slept with Yu Lingshan, she had been completely unconscious, so the situation was different.

Then she sighed. What was the point of analyzing all this? She just couldn’t fall asleep.

Later, Yu Lingshan fell into a deeper sleep, so deep that even when Xu Shi made a lot of noise, she didn’t stir.

Xu Shi picked up her phone. There was a message from Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu asked: Aren’t you coming back to A-City?

Xiao Yu: Why did you go back? Was it something urgent?

Xiao Yu: Very urgent? You seemed to be in a real hurry.

One of Xu Shi’s hands was pinned under Yu Lingshan, so she could only type with difficulty using one hand.

Xu Shi: I’m not coming back today, something came up here.

Xiao Yu was probably on her phone, as she replied quickly.

Xiao Yu: Is it about Yu Lingshan?

Xiao Yu: Did she ask you to go back?

Xu Shi thought for a moment and replied: Yeah.

Xiao Yu: What’s wrong with her?

Xiao Yu: Hey, there’s nothing fishy going on between you two, right? Huh? Huh? Huh?

Xu Shi: …Nothing like that.

Xiao Yu: Can I ask you a question?

Xu Shi: Go ahead.

Xiao Yu: Is Yu Lingshan really good at it?

Xu Shi: Good at what?

Xiao Yu: Hahahahahahaha never mind, never mind.

Xiao Yu: So can you make it back today? There’s a meeting this afternoon.

Xu Shi: Not sure, I’ll see. Probably not.

Xu Shi: I’ll ask the manager for leave.

Xiao Yu: Okay!

Xiao Yu: Hold strong, straight girl!

Xu Shi: ?

Xiao Yu: Nothing, nothing, hahaha.

After that, Xiao Yu didn’t send any more messages. But Xu Shi didn’t exit the chat. Instead, she scrolled up a little, stopping at Yu Lingshan’s name.

She wanted to know what Xiao Yu meant. She was a bit sensitive about Yu Lingshan right now.

So she took a screenshot of the sentence “Is Yu Lingshan really good at it?” and sent it to Weiwei.

It was just after eight o’clock, so Weiwei was probably still on her way to work and wouldn’t be able to reply immediately. After sending it, Xu Shi put her phone aside.

With nothing to do, she found herself, without even realizing it, looking at Yu Lingshan again.

After that slight movement earlier, the bangs on Yu Lingshan’s forehead had fallen down again. Now, the hair was like a transparent brown curtain, covering half her face.

But this time, Xu Shi didn’t fix Yu Lingshan’s hair. She thought Yu Lingshan looked quite beautiful this way too.

She suddenly remembered the scene of Yu Lingshan accepting her award on stage yesterday.

No, it was from the moment Yu Lingshan stood up from her seat, walked to the stage, accepted the award, and returned. In her red dress, even without a spotlight shining directly on her, she was the most dazzling person in the entire venue. Every gesture was both glamorous and commanding.

Xu Shi remembered again that when Yu Lingshan went up, her ears were filled with a mix of voices, all praising her—smart, capable, beautiful.

And now, this person was lying right beside her. It felt a little incredible.

Before long, Weiwei replied.

She asked Xu Shi: Really good at it?

Weiwei: What’s the context?

Xu Shi thought for a moment: Yu Lingshan won two awards yesterday. Is Xiao Yu saying she’s really good at that?

Weiwei: Oh~ You mean like she’s really amazing?

Xu Shi tilted her head: I don’t know. It feels like it, but also not. That’s why I’m asking you.

Weiwei asked again: What were you talking about before that?

Xu Shi suddenly remembered something and replied to Weiwei: Xiao Yu thinks Yu Lingshan is gay.

Weiwei: ????!!!!?????

Weiwei: Yu Lingshan is gay?????

Xu Shi: That’s what Xiao Yu thinks, but I don’t think so.

Xu Shi: Yu Lingshan also told me she’s not.

Weiwei: ?????????

Weiwei: She told you? How did she tell you?

Xu Shi: It came up by accident. We talked about it twice. The first time she said she was straight, the second time she said she wasn’t a lesbian.

Weiwei: ????? Weren’t you there for work? How did all this other stuff happen????

Xu Shi: You seem very excited?

Weiwei: I’m so damn excited! Yu Lingshan is gay! Oh my god!

Xu Shi: What’s wrong with her being gay?

Xu Shi: You’re a little too excited, sis.

Weiwei, showing her even more excitement: Hahahahahahahahaha damn it.

Weiwei: Xiao Yu meant that Yu Lingshan is really good at flirting.

Weiwei: Did she flirt with you?

Weiwei: Did she!

Before Xu Shi could reply, Weiwei’s call came through. It seemed she couldn’t wait for Xu Shi to type; she wanted to hear it right now, this very second.

Xu Shi was about to answer, but just then, Yu Lingshan woke up again.

Xu Shi immediately hung up the voice call.

“What are you doing?” Yu Lingshan asked her.

Xu Shi’s heart sank. She moved her phone a little to the side. “Did I wake you?”

Yu Lingshan slowly closed her eyes, then slowly opened them. “You keep moving.”

Xu Shi: “I’m sorry.”

Yu Lingshan: “When I’m in a light sleep, I wake up as soon as the person next to me moves.”

Xu Shi pressed her lips together, a sense of grievance suddenly welling up inside her. You’re the one who asked me to stay, but now you won’t even let me move.

On the surface, however, she just murmured a soft “oh” and apologized again. “I’m sorry.”

Yu Lingshan looked at Xu Shi. “Think I’m hard to please?”

Xu Shi still kept her lips pressed together.

Yu Lingshan nodded. “No denial. Looks like you really do think so.”

Xu Shi didn’t dare to speak.

Yu Lingshan propped herself up a little. “Then continue to serve me. I want some water.”

Xu Shi immediately said okay and threw off the covers to get out of bed.

Yu Lingshan: “The water dispenser is on the TV cabinet. Pour two glasses, 150ml each. You have one too.”

Xu Shi: “Oh.”

Xu Shi immediately threw off the covers and got out of bed.

On her way to get the water, Xu Shi secretly glanced at her phone. Weiwei was still calling her. Xu Shi declined the current call.

The next second, Weiwei sent a message.

Weiwei: Why aren’t you answering? You’re not having sex, are you?

But Xu Shi had only just glanced at the message when Weiwei retracted it, almost instantly.

Nothing was more important than getting water for Yu Lingshan, so Xu Shi got the water first.

Following Yu Lingshan’s instructions, she poured two glasses, holding one for herself and giving the other to Yu Lingshan.

She drank her water quickly, finishing it in a couple of gulps. Then, while Yu Lingshan was drinking, she replied to Weiwei.

Xu Shi: She’s sick, I’m taking care of her.

Xu Shi: Sex your head.

Weiwei: Hahahahahahaha I saw it.

Xu Shi: …I know what you’re thinking. It’s not like that, don’t let your imagination run wild.

Weiwei: Hahahaha.

Weiwei: No, but didn’t you used to be clueless about this stuff? How come you suddenly get it this time?

Weiwei: Hmm? Hmm?

Xu Shi: I looked it up. It’s not that hard, okay?

Weiwei: But still, Yu Lingshan is pretty great hahaha.

Weiwei: If you ever have the chance to be gay, please go for her, I’m begging you.

Xu Shi: What are you talking about?

Xu Shi: I’m straight.

Xu Shi: Besides, how could I ever be worthy of her?

Xu Shi: I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy.

After sending this, Xu Shi started laughing to herself. Her laughter was so loud that it disturbed Yu Lingshan.

She looked up. Yu Lingshan had finished her water and was looking at her, holding the empty glass.

Xu Shi immediately swallowed her laughter and took the glass from her hand. “Do you want more?”

Yu Lingshan shook her head. “No, thanks. Give me the thermometer.”

Xu Shi went to the bedside table, got the thermometer, and took Yu Lingshan’s temperature with a quick beep on her forehead. Compared to the temperature Tingting had sent her this morning, it had gone down a little.

Xu Shi showed the number to Yu Lingshan and said, “You should sleep some more. Do you have anything to do later?”

Yu Lingshan’s head felt heavy. “Nothing. But I don’t want to sleep either.”

Xu Shi: “Then what do you want to do?”

Yu Lingshan looked up at Xu Shi. “Do you really want to go back to A-City?”

Xu Shi felt that she probably did, but she knew she couldn’t say it.

Xu Shi shook her head. “No.”

Yu Lingshan raised an eyebrow. “Hmm~ You’ve learned to lie.”

Xu Shi swallowed.

Yu Lingshan spoke again. “My flight is tomorrow morning. Are you leaving with me, or should I have Tingting book you a ticket for this afternoon?”

Xu Shi waved her hand. “No need, I’ll buy it myself. The company will reimburse me.”

Yu Lingshan asked her again, “This afternoon or tomorrow morning?”

Although Yu Lingshan looked weak, her aura hadn’t diminished at all. Xu Shi felt as if, were she to answer “this afternoon,” Yu Lingshan would immediately pull a knife out from under the covers and say, “I’ll kill you right now.”

Just kidding.

Haha, not funny.

Xu Shi thought for a moment and asked, “Do you need me to stay for anything?”

At Xu Shi’s words, Yu Lingshan’s heavy eyelids closed.

“No,” Yu Lingshan said.

Xu Shi knew that her not-so-subtle attempt at being indirect had been seen through by Yu Lingshan. She felt she might as well have just told Yu Lingshan directly that she wanted to go back sooner.

The air was still for a few seconds before Yu Lingshan spoke, asking her, “I really don’t understand. Why are you so afraid of me?”

Xu Shi immediately shook her head and said softly, “I’m not afraid of you.”

Yu Lingshan looked unconvinced.

Xu Shi explained, “It’s not that. I’ve already taken leave for this afternoon. If I take leave tomorrow too, I’ll lose my perfect attendance bonus for the month.”

“Perfect attendance bonus?” Yu Lingshan repeated.

Xu Shi: “Yeah.”

Yu Lingshan smiled slightly and nodded. “That’s good. Not bad. An outstanding employee.”

Xu Shi could hear the sarcasm in her voice.

Yu Lingshan rubbed her head and got out of bed. Xu Shi asked her, “What do you need? I’ll help you.”

Yu Lingshan looked down as she put on her slippers. “I’m going to take a shower. Are you going to help me?”

Xu Shi choked for a moment. “Why are you suddenly taking a shower? You should still be lying down.”

Yu Lingshan: “I sweated a little. It’s uncomfortable.”

Xu Shi said, “Oh.”

For the next few moments, Xu Shi watched as Yu Lingshan dragged her heavy body to the closet to get her pajamas, then dragged her heavy body into the bathroom.

Xu Shi stared blankly by the bed for a few seconds before picking up her phone.

She looked at the screen, at the two flights—one for this afternoon and one for tomorrow morning—and fell into deep thought.

On one hand, she couldn’t understand why she should stay. On the other hand, when she thought of Yu Lingshan, she felt she probably should stay.

But what would she do if she stayed? It didn’t seem like there was anything to do.

But if she left, Yu Lingshan might get angry.

Xu Shi didn’t know why Yu Lingshan had suddenly become so attached to her. It was as if one second they were strangers, and the next they were the best of friends. She had no idea what Yu Lingshan was thinking.

She was grateful to Yu Lingshan for giving her a push. When she had the chance, she would definitely repay her properly, treat her to a meal, or anything else.

But she didn’t seem to want to get too close to Yu Lingshan.

She could tell that she easily became unnatural around Yu Lingshan, that she wasn’t herself. There were also strange emotions at play, making her do odd things.

She wasn’t afraid of Yu Lingshan; she was afraid of herself.

With these thoughts, Xu Shi gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and bought the ticket for the afternoon flight.

The moment she bought it, she became nervous and started thinking about how she would explain it to Yu Lingshan.

Then she opened WeChat.

Weiwei had replied to her. She said: Don’t sell yourself short.

Weiwei: You’re amazing.

Weiwei: Our Xu Shi is the bestest best.

Weiwei: I love you I love you I love you.

Xu Shi smiled. “Thanks.”

Figuring Weiwei was probably at work by now, Xu Shi decided not to say more. Just then, she saw a red dot appear on her Moments.

She tapped on it and was surprised to see that the update was from Yu Lingshan’s profile picture.

Xu Shi first glanced toward the bathroom before opening Moments.

Posted one minute ago.

It read: “Walls of bronze and iron.”

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