The Reward of Study

Luo Xuan finally stirred from her sleep that afternoon.

Seeing Luo Xuan’s weary expression, Bai Jingjing hesitated to speak further, especially since she had mostly managed to calm herself.

After their meal, the topic of the test papers arose.

“So Liu Wanqing gave you a test paper,” Luo Xuan remarked, her curiosity piqued. “Are the questions particularly difficult? Let me have a look.”

The paper itself was not extensive, primarily consisting of questions one might expect in a single entrance examination. Luo Xuan quickly scanned through it, a soft murmur of surprise escaping her lips.

“What did you discover?” Bai Jingjing inquired, noticing her expression.

From Luo Xuan’s demeanor, it appeared she had discerned something significant.

“The question types are remarkably distinct,” Luo Xuan explained. “There’s almost no repetition. If these truly represent the format of the entrance exam, you’ll save yourself a tremendous amount of effort. All you’d need to do is master these specific questions.”

Bai Jingjing blinked, a look of partial comprehension on her face.

Luo Xuan rephrased her explanation. “When Liu Wanqing first met us, she mentioned knowing the teacher who designs the entrance exam, so it’s highly probable she’s privy to its contents. However, directly providing the original questions would be out of the question. Instead, she meticulously analyzed the exam and crafted a parallel question type for each one, presenting them to you in this format.”

Bai Jingjing paused, a slight startle crossing her features. “That must have consumed a considerable amount of her time.”

“Precisely! That’s why I’m so amazed,” Luo Xuan said, propping her chin in her hand as she gazed at Bai Jingjing, a thought catching in her throat. “Such an act, where I come from, would be termed…”

“Termed what?” Bai Jingjing asked, puzzled.

‘Absolute secret crush.’

‘Or, perhaps, an absolute desire for you.’

“Let’s focus on the test paper for now,” Luo Xuan quickly shifted the topic. “While the number of questions isn’t overwhelming, your current knowledge base is quite limited. We’ll take it slowly, tackling one question at a time.”

The hours spent studying invariably felt both tedious and interminable. Despite Bai Jingjing’s diligent efforts, her progress remained stubbornly slow.

Yet, an unforeseen benefit emerged: the intense focus required by her prolonged studies caused Bai Jingjing to completely forget those ‘lustful’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to erotic or suggestive thoughts/feelings) thoughts that had plagued her.

Even her physical urges had settled.

While studying might not bring joy, it certainly had a way of fostering purity.

Luo Xuan, too, found herself in good spirits. Being idle anyway, she rather enjoyed accompanying Bai Jingjing through her high school revisions. It evoked a nostalgic feeling, as if she were back in her own middle school days, poring over books alongside a beautiful female deskmate.

It was a uniquely delightful experience.

After five days of diligent effort, and aided by the fact that Bai Jingjing wasn’t entirely without a foundation, they managed to complete approximately one-third of the required studies.

“Alright, that’s enough for now,” Luo Xuan said, exhaling a breath of relief. “For anything you don’t understand, let Liu Wanqing teach you thoroughly; she is a professional, after all.”

While studying with Bai Jingjing brought a certain joy, it was undeniably exhausting.

“Okay.”

Bai Jingjing dutifully gathered the test papers, then tidied her small satchel, making ready for her visit to Liu Wanqing’s home the following day.

In the blink of an eye, the second week of June was already half over. The leisurely pace of time, once so unhurried, was now beginning to feel increasingly pressing.

At the very least, the day of enrollment was drawing near.

Having packed her schoolbag, Bai Jingjing pondered what other preparations she ought to make.

Recalling her previous experience at Liu Wanqing’s home, she couldn’t help but regard it as a cautionary tale.

‘How to put it? While I had initially perceived Teacher Qing’s (TL Note: ‘Teacher Qing’ is a familiar way to refer to Liu Wanqing, combining her surname ‘Liu’ with ‘Qing’ from her given name ‘Wanqing’) home as fraught with peril, even suspecting a simple cup of black tea, a closer reflection revealed those to be merely speculative, not necessarily accurate, conjectures. The most crucial issue, I realized, still lay within myself.’

‘Damn it, why is this body so lustful?’

‘Upon further contemplation, I wondered how I had managed to suppress so many lustful thoughts on Sunday. Part of the reason, I concluded, was my complete immersion in studying; the other part, however, was…’

‘…because I had already indulged those desires on Thursday night.’

In a flash of sudden insight, Bai Jingjing understood everything.

Meanwhile, Luo Xuan had just finished her shower and was looking forward to a comfortable night’s sleep. However, the moment she stepped out, she found Bai Jingjing standing there, awaiting her.

“Wh-what is it?”

For some inexplicable reason, the blonde beauty felt a pang of nervousness.

“Nothing, just that,” Bai Jingjing began, subtly hooking her collar as her ‘Tuan Tuan’ (TL Note: A euphemism for breasts, often used playfully or suggestively in Chinese web novels, meaning ’round-round’ or ‘balls’) subtly shifted. “Sister Luo, haven’t you had quite a few days of rest already?”

Luo Xuan felt an instinctive thrill, but her rationality urged caution. “But Bai Jingjing, haven’t you been utterly exhausted from all that studying these past few days? Shouldn’t you be getting proper rest?”

‘Learning new skills is also a form of study,’ Luo Xuan mused.

‘It’s both enjoyable and incredibly tiring, precisely the same, completely identical.’

Yet, Bai Jingjing set her pretty face in a serious expression. “Precisely because I’ve been studying for such a long time, I need to properly reward myself… and Sister Luo deserves a reward too.”

Luo Xuan paused, slightly stunned, then considered it carefully, finding a certain logic in Bai Jingjing’s words.

‘After so many days of toil, of ‘cold window study’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning to study diligently in harsh conditions), leading a life akin to an ascetic, wasn’t a proper reward truly deserved?’

“Alright!” Luo Xuan declared, raising a hand to release her golden hair. “Come on! Let’s go inside!”

Her tone was utterly commanding.

Regrettably, the past few days had involved an excessive amount of mental exertion, leaving Luo Xuan temporarily bereft of new ‘skills’ (TL Note: A euphemism, likely referring to new sexual techniques or creative ways to engage in intimacy). She would probably need to consult her friends for more ‘materials’ (TL Note: A euphemism, likely referring to erotic content or advice) later to find fresh inspiration.

For now, however, she could only rely on her ‘three signature moves’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to one’s most practiced or only few skills, often used humorously), which were ‘Tuan Tuan Yuan Yuan’ (TL Note: Literally ’round-round, complete-complete,’ a playful euphemism for breast play), ‘Meng Hu Pao Xiao’ (TL Note: Literally ‘cute tiger roar,’ a playful euphemism for oral s*x), and ‘Jiu Chan Gen Xu’ (TL Note: Literally ‘entangled roots/tendrils,’ a playful euphemism for leg wrapping or scissoring).

Bai Jingjing, familiar with these three techniques, readily acquiesced.

In ‘Tuan Tuan Yuan Yuan,’ Bai Jingjing’s own ‘Tuan Tuan’ (TL Note: Her breasts) held an overwhelming advantage.

During ‘Meng Hu Pao Xiao,’ Luo Xuan, relying on her spirited ‘little brain-axe’ (TL Note: A playful euphemism, likely referring to a specific part of the female anatomy used in oral s*x), initially held a slight edge. However, as the encounter devolved into a protracted battle, her stamina gradually waned.

In ‘Jiu Chan Gen Xu,’ both women’s long, fair legs tangled, each entwining the other. This mutual restraint, ironically, became a cage for their ‘little brain-axes’ (TL Note: Referring back to the euphemism from ‘Meng Hu Pao Xiao’), preventing any pulling or separation, forcing them to grind and battle until the very end.

The entire scene was laid bare, clear as day.

“Huff, huff, I can’t go on,” Luo Xuan gasped, releasing her hands and legs, then closing her eyes. “I’m going to sleep.”

Fortunately, this was her own home, her own bed, and she had no work the following day. Being exhausted from their play, she could simply drift off to sleep without a single worry.

“Alright, good night.”

Bai Jingjing bid her a gentle good night, then rose, quietly changing the bedsheets before gracefully settling back down.

The following morning, she awoke feeling utterly refreshed, her back free of aches, her legs unburdened, capable of ascending five flights of stairs without a hint of strain.

Bai Jingjing felt her body was in excellent condition, primarily experiencing a sense of ‘clarity’ (TL Note: ‘Tong tou,’ referring to a feeling of mental and physical purity or transparency, often after intense physical or emotional release). Even if she were to see Liu Wanqing dressed provocatively again and experience some lustful urges, she felt confident she could control them.

[Xiaobai: Teacher Qing, are you free right now? I can come in… over in a bit.]

Her finger had slipped, nearly typing “come inside.”

Bai Jingjing paused for a moment of self-reflection. ‘How could I be so forward? I should be inviting *her* in, not the other way around.’

‘…Wait, something feels off. My self-correction was wrong.’

[Qing Qing: Come on over, I just woke up myself.]

‘Alright!’

Just two days prior, Luo Xuan had purchased a small schoolbag for her, suggesting it would help evoke the feeling of studying in middle school. With her belongings carefully packed, Bai Jingjing once again set off on the path leading to her teacher’s home.

****