“Rej… reject!?”
Qing Xinxue, who had been brimming with excitement, was instantly doused by Lan Yucheng’s words.
She couldn’t understand why Lan Yucheng would disagree, especially when she had already dismissed it as a minor matter.
Watching Qing Xinxue’s face fall, Lan Yucheng said nothing, yet found it rather amusing.
In her opinion, Qing Xinxue shouldn’t possess such boldness.
“Yes, I refuse.”
She stood up, picked up the bowl Qing Xinxue had finished eating from, and headed towards the kitchen.
“Sister Cheng~”
Qing Xinxue attempted a playful, coquettish attack.
“It’s no use.”
Lan Yucheng glanced back, giving her a pointed look.
“Could it be that Sister Cheng still hasn’t forgiven me?”
Qing Xinxue lowered her head, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her clothes as she spoke in a hushed tone.
Lan Yucheng’s steps faltered. ‘Why bring that up now?’ she thought.
She didn’t even know what had happened.
“Why dwell on such a thing!”
Lan Yucheng’s answer was somewhat vague. Not forgiving her was certainly not an option; while her favorability might not drop, a rift would surely form between them.
How could she rapidly increase favorability with a rift? How could she achieve a “perfect conquest” without increasing favorability?
And what was the point of going home if she couldn’t achieve a perfect conquest?
Although this place was pleasant, it was not her reality.
Since not forgiving wasn’t an option, what about forgiving?
Lan Yucheng pondered for a moment.
‘If I forgive her, what if Qing Xinxue presses for details?’
It was better to give an answer that Qing Xinxue couldn’t quite decipher.
“Does that mean Sister Cheng hasn’t taken it to heart?”
Indeed, Qing Xinxue couldn’t quite grasp Lan Yucheng’s meaning.
She didn’t delve deeper, merely watching Lan Yucheng’s back as she washed dishes in the kitchen. Silently, she went to Lan Yucheng’s bedroom wardrobe and retrieved a set of pajamas.
She even sniffed them deliberately, confirming which pair Lan Yucheng had worn last night.
Hearing the sound of water from the bathroom, Lan Yucheng, having finished the dishes, sank into the sofa, relaxing her body and recuperating.
She had expended too much energy on Qing Xinxue today, constantly having to consider how to speak without dropping her favorability.
This was far more exhausting than being a typical playboy or player; if they made a mistake, they could usually smooth things over. She, however, didn’t even have the chance to cajole, simply because Qing Xinxue was so innocent and easily fooled.
With a typical girl, it would have been even more tiring.
Not to mention someone as sensitive as Su Yiyi.
‘Tsk, I hope the remaining conquest targets aren’t this type.’
“Sister Cheng, could you come help me blow-dry my hair?”
Qing Xinxue’s voice pulled Lan Yucheng out of her thoughts.
“Alright.”
Lan Yucheng stretched her arms, changed into a pair of slides, and walked straight into the bathroom.
As soon as she opened the door, Qing Xinxue handed her the hairdryer.
Lan Yucheng took the hairdryer, which still held a trace of body heat. Her fingertips inadvertently brushed Qing Xinxue’s palm, sensing the other girl subtly flinch.
“Sit down,” she said softly, her voice still carrying the languor from her recent contemplation.
Qing Xinxue obediently sat on the small stool in the bathroom, her back to Lan Yucheng.
Wet hair tips clung to her fair nape, and droplets of water quietly traced the lines of her skin, slipping into her collar.
Lan Yucheng plugged in the hairdryer, flipped the switch, and a warm breeze accompanied by a low hum slowly began to flow.
Her fingers gently threaded through Qing Xinxue’s hair, and the warm air moved softly with her motions.
The only sounds in the bathroom were the hum of the hairdryer and their almost imperceptible breaths.
“Is the temperature alright?”
Lan Yucheng slightly reduced the airflow, her fingertips delicately combing through the semi-dry long hair.
Qing Xinxue softly hummed, her voice as faint as a dream.
Her body unconsciously leaned back slightly, as if seeking the warmth of those hands.
Lan Yucheng couldn’t help but slow her movements.
In Qing Xinxue’s memories, such intimacy hadn’t occurred in a long time. When they were little, they often blew each other’s hair, sitting on the stone steps in the courtyard. The summer breeze carried the scent of jasmine, stirring their damp hair tips. Back then, her own hair wasn’t so long, just past her shoulders, and tiny water droplets would splash onto her face in the wind, feeling cool and refreshing.
Lan Yucheng could feel Qing Xinxue’s slightly tensed shoulders and neck gradually relax under her gentle ministrations.
For a moment, her fingertips accidentally touched the skin behind the other girl’s ear, and Qing Xinxue visibly shivered.
“Sorry, is the air too hot?” Lan Yucheng asked, puzzled.
“No… no,” Qing Xinxue’s voice grew even softer, with a subtle tremor that was hard to detect.
Lan Yucheng said nothing more, concentrating solely on combing each strand of hair.
She noticed Qing Xinxue’s earlobes were slightly flushed, a blush that was particularly noticeable under the bathroom light.
When the last trace of dampness was carried away by the warm air, Lan Yucheng switched off the hairdryer.
The sudden silence made both of them pause.
“Done,” she said, her fingers still lingering in Qing Xinxue’s hair, not pulling away immediately.
Qing Xinxue slowly turned her head, looking up at her.
The bathroom light reflected in her eyes, making them sparkle.
“Thank you, Sister Cheng.”
“Mm.”
Lan Yucheng released her hand, subconsciously looking at Qing Xinxue’s hair, finding its texture quite pleasant.
“Then… then I’ll go to sleep first.”
“Alright.”
Lan Yucheng first yawned, then pointed at the old clothes Qing Xinxue had changed out of in the laundry basket.
“Remember to wash them yourself.”
“Got it!”
Qing Xinxue grabbed the clothes from the basket and walked towards the balcony.
“I should wash mine today too,” Lan Yucheng murmured to herself. She locked the door, took off her clothes, and paused, slightly stunned, as she looked down.
“Hiss… my figure looks pretty good, doesn’t it?”
She even went to the mirror to admire herself for a while.
“Hmm… I really am beautiful!”
It wasn’t that Lan Yucheng was narcissistic; it was simply that, in this form, she truly possessed a certain charm.
After admiring her own beauty, Lan Yucheng looked at her hair and fell into thought again.
She had never washed such long hair before. It must be quite troublesome, she mused.
“Tsk.”
Lan Yucheng was somewhat displeased.
“Xiao Xue.”
Qing Xinxue, still washing clothes, heard Lan Yucheng call her name and immediately stopped what she was doing. She quickly walked to the bathroom door and gently knocked.
“Do you need me to do something?”
“Could you help me wash my hair?”
Lan Yucheng unlocked the door, then sat on the stool with her back to Qing Xinxue.
“Okay!”
Qing Xinxue instantly brightened up. She shook the water from her hands, pushed the door open a crack, and quickly slipped inside.
Seeing Lan Yucheng’s beautiful back, Qing Xinxue stood frozen for a long moment.
She swallowed, then glanced sideways at the clothes in the basket.
“What are you spacing out for? Are you going to wash it or not?”
Lan Yucheng couldn’t turn her head, but the prolonged silence made her suspect Qing Xinxue might be doing something inappropriate.
“Oh, oh!”
Qing Xinxue slapped her cheeks with both hands, trying to clear her mind.
“Um, Sister Cheng, you can’t turn around!”
Fearing her pajamas would get wet, Qing Xinxue quickly stripped them off.
Hearing the rustling of fabric behind her, Lan Yucheng was about to turn and look when Qing Xinxue, quick as a flash, covered her head with a towel.
“I told you not to turn around!”