The Lingering Scent

“Senior?” Zhuang Xun set the prize bags—the exact contents of which were still a mystery—on the floor before swiftly taking Shen Xian’s hands in hers.

Shen Xian’s fingertips were burning hot, and the air in the room grew heavy and sweet. Zhuang Xun felt a surge of anxiety. “Senior, how are you feeling now?”

Shen Xian offered a faint, weary smile. “It’s nothing, really. It seems I overused my magic. I’ve had moments like this before…” Her voice was weak, yet she forced a tone of strength, clearly not wanting Zhuang Xun to worry.

“Senior, you really are…” Zhuang Xun held Shen Xian’s hands tightly, pressing them against her own cheek in a moment of desperation.

Shen Xian used her free arm to shield her eyes from the bright ceiling light, then tilted her head slightly to look at her junior. Zhuang Xun couldn’t quite discern her expression, only hearing her soft whisper a moment later: “Little Zhuang Xun, you feel so comfortable.”

“Senior…?”

No sooner had Zhuang Xun spoken than a familiar, intoxicating scent—the sharp tang of lime—erupted, filling every corner of the room. Zhuang Xun’s eyes widened. Her hands were now firmly clasped by Shen Xian’s, and she found she couldn’t move.

This scent… it was Senior’s pheromones!

“Senior… please, loosen your grip,” Zhuang Xun gritted her teeth, her voice strained yet gentle.

“Mmm… no,” Shen Xian murmured. Her breathing grew heavier, and her hand moved unconsciously to tug at the collar of her own shirt, seeking air. Then, she pulled Zhuang Xun’s hand toward her collarbone. “Little Zhuang Xun, your body feels so good… so cool.”

Zhuang Xun tried to withdraw her hand, but to her surprise, Shen Xian’s strength was extraordinary in this state. The moment she tried to pull away, Shen Xian’s grip only tightened. A deep blush crept onto Zhuang Xun’s otherwise expressionless face.

“Senior, this isn’t right.”

If this continued, Zhuang Xun knew her own body would become uncontrollable. She was barely maintaining her self-control, struggling to keep her mind clear against the overwhelming fragrance. Shen Xian’s gaze was unfocused, her voice softening into a plea. “Just a little more. Please, Little Zhuang Xun.”

Zhuang Xun instinctively stood up, leaning over the bed to look down at Shen Xian. Her senior looked back at her, utterly defenseless and vulnerable.

“Senior, who am I?”

“Little Zhuang Xun, of course…” Shen Xian rubbed her face against her pillow, her eyes filled with a hazy desire. “Little Zhuang Xun, my body is so hot.”

The instant Zhuang Xun leaned closer, the ceiling light reflected off the surface of her watch and into her eyes. The glare snapped her back to her senses.

Almost… something almost happened!

Headquarters had very little information regarding these pheromones. The last time they had acted up was half a month ago, but Shen Xian had shown no adverse reactions then. Instead, it was Zhuang Xun who had nearly lost her mind. Back then… how had Senior suppressed them?

More importantly… she had to get free and put the detection watch on her senior.

During her brief moment of lucidity, Zhuang Xun took a quick, deep breath and bit down hard on her lip until the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. The sharp pain provided the clarity she needed. A few drops of fresh blood from her lip fell onto Shen Xian’s flushed face.

The shock seemed to work. Shen Xian’s eyes instantly regained a flash of their usual clarity. She released Zhuang Xun’s hand and reached up to touch her junior’s bleeding lip, her tone turning anxious. “Little Zhuang Xun, what happened? Why are you bleeding? Are you hurt?”

Seizing this fleeting moment, Zhuang Xun swiftly fastened the pheromone-detection watch onto Shen Xian’s wrist.

“I’m sorry, Senior.”

“Wh—?”

Before Shen Xian could react, Zhuang Xun grabbed the red ribbon she had retrieved from the tree earlier and used it to tie Shen Xian’s hands to the headboard. It all happened in a matter of seconds. The watch began to hum the instant it was fastened, detecting the surge.

Zhuang Xun wiped the blood from Shen Xian’s face, then tapped the watch to silence the alarm. She turned away and slumped onto the floor, leaning her back against the side of the bed. She covered her face with her hands. The taste of blood lingered in her mouth, mingling with the heavy scent of lime. She wondered how long the pain would keep her sane.

She needed to call Senior Meng while she still had her senses.

“Little Zhuang Xun…” Shen Xian’s voice came from above, sounding tearful and small.

Zhuang Xun looked back at her. Seeing Shen Xian with her hands bound above her head by the red ribbon triggered a conflicting surge of protective instinct and a dark, confusing desire to tease her.

“I’m sorry, Senior.” Even in this situation, I still want to touch her. I really am losing my mind.

“Why did you bite your lip?” Shen Xian’s question caught her off guard.

Zhuang Xun’s gaze, which had been trying to evade her senior, was forced back by the question. Shen Xian’s face was still flushed, her eyes wavering between dazed and aware. The question seemed to have been uttered without thought, simple and direct.

Before Zhuang Xun could reply, Shen Xian spoke again: “Was it because of me?”

Zhuang Xun didn’t hesitate. “No, it wasn’t.” It was because I almost let my own desires take over. I almost crossed a line.

“But your mouth is full of blood.”

“My lips were just dry. They cracked,” Zhuang Xun lied, turning her head away.

“You’re lying.”

Zhuang Xun didn’t answer. She didn’t know how to.

Just then, she was suddenly hoisted up from the floor and tossed onto the bed. Before Zhuang Xun could process how Shen Xian had freed herself, her senior was hovering over her, bracing her hands on either side of Zhuang Xun’s body. Her gaze was burning.

“Senior…?” Zhuang Xun looked up, swallowing hard.

Shen Xian offered a small, knowing smile. “If you’re going to tie someone up, you should do it properly, shouldn’t you?”

“……” How did she get out? I thought I tied her loosely so I wouldn’t hurt her… wait, did she let me tie her up on purpose?

Zhuang Xun felt Shen Xian’s warm fingers caress her lips. The vivid red blood stained her fingertips, a striking contrast against her pale skin. Zhuang Xun sensed the surrounding pheromones beginning to fade slightly, but the proximity was still enough to make her head spin.

“Little Zhuang Xun, I’m sorry.”

Before Zhuang Xun could ask what she meant, the world went dark as Shen Xian’s gentle hand covered her eyes. The sudden loss of vision made her other senses skyrocket. Then, she felt an incredibly soft, lingering touch against her lips.

This was…

Shen Xian’s voice then whispered into her ear, soft and laced with a seductive, magical allure: “Go to sleep now.”

Zhuang Xun’s nerves instantly relaxed. Under the weight of the suggestion, her consciousness slipped away, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

Zhuang Xun slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the sight of a familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling. This is the villa…!

She abruptly sat up, and a soft groan came from beside her. Zhuang Xun stiffly turned her head, her heart hammering. It couldn’t be…

Shen Xian rubbed her eyes and sat up next to her, yawning lazily. “Is something wrong?”

“Senior, why are you… here?”

Before she could finish, the fragmented memories of the previous night—the blood, the ribbon, the touch on her lips—flooded back into her mind.

Moments later, Zhuang Xun was kneeling on the floor, looking as if she were awaiting execution. “I’m sorry for what I did to you yesterday, Senior.”

“Hmm… by the way, why are you kneeling?”

“……” Zhuang Xun didn’t reply, her face buried in her hands.

Shen Xian sighed and waved her hand from the bed. “It’s not your fault, Little Zhuang Xun. I didn’t realize the pheromones could affect me like that. It was my problem to begin with. I just wonder if you’ll think I was being selfish…”

“I tied you up with the red ribbon without your permission, Senior,” Zhuang Xun blurted out. “Are your wrists okay? Are there any marks?”

Both girls spoke at the same time, their voices overlapping.

“Hmm?”

“…Eh?”

Zhuang Xun was confused. “What did you mean by ‘selfish,’ Senior?”

Before she could finish, Shen Xian suddenly interrupted, her face turning a suspicious shade of pink. “Ah! That! My wrists are fine. You didn’t tie them tightly at all! Anyway!”

Right then, Shen Xian’s phone rang. She glanced at it and immediately stood up. “It’s getting late! Little Zhuang Xun, let’s get ready and go downstairs to eat.”

Zhuang Xun nodded, watching Shen Xian’s hurried, slightly flustered retreat. “Okay.”