Truth, Dare, and the Fog of Desire

The air between them seemed to crystallize as their faces drew close, their shared warmth mingling in the dim light. Lin Wanzhao’s skin glowed with a pale, pearlescent luster under the lamp, every inch of her radiating a deliberate beauty.

Yu Qingkong stared into those bedroom eyes and felt a dark, restless energy stirring deep within her—a force that clamored for her to abandon her principles and do exactly what she shouldn’t.

“Are you testing my limits?” Yu Qingkong braced one hand on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the woman’s lips.

– Limits?

Lin Wanzhao’s eyes swirled with a misty playfulness.

– All I know is that after a few drinks that night, you didn’t seem to have any limits at all.

Yu Qingkong had no rebuttal. A fine sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead as her body temperature climbed steadily.

– You took me so many times…

Lin Wanzhao lowered her gaze to Yu Qingkong’s neck.

– You were so passionate. Even now, I still remember the way it felt when you entered me… You say you were drunk, but how did you know exactly what to do? Was it practice on yourself? Or is it that you, a ‘straight’ girl, have studied lesbianism quite deeply…?

Her voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of an irresistible siren song.

“Stop it,” Yu Qingkong said, closing her eyes.

Lin Wanzhao ran the back of her hand slowly down Yu Qingkong’s arm.

– What, are you playing the cold, heartless gentleman now? Trying to act pure? Last time, you weren’t even drunk yet, and you still—

“CEO Lin, if we don’t eat, the food will get cold. Cold food doesn’t taste good.” Yu Qingkong grabbed the other woman’s wrist, forcing herself to reclaim some semblance of calm.

– Fine, let’s eat then.

Lin Wanzhao watched her struggle with great interest, then turned back to the table, picking up a slice of braised beef and chewing it slowly.

At 11:00 PM, after showering and washing her hair, Yu Qingkong lay in bed. She closed her eyes, but her hand reached for her phone of its own accord. She had intended to sleep, but her mind was elsewhere.

She found herself clicking on a link her friend Wang Min had sent her—a film featuring a lesbian romance. She had seen it once before but hadn’t felt anything. Now, she wanted to watch it again. However, when she clicked, she found the link had been taken down.

She lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling fan. Everything is a mess. My head is a total mess.

Closing her eyes again, she couldn’t help but recall the fragrance of Lin Wanzhao’s skin, the lines of her body, and the specific cadence of her voice. Her hand reached up to touch the spot on her neck where the mark had been. Some things, it seemed, only grew more persistent the more they were suppressed.

Bolting upright, she went to the bathroom and splashed her face with ice-cold water. The chill made her shiver, but it finally cleared the fog—at least for a moment.

*****************************************

The following days were a blur of professional efficiency. Lin Wanzhao proved to be a master of disguise. One moment she’d be exhausted, and the next—like a performer in a Sichuan face-changing opera—she’d be wearing a perfect professional mask, charming clients with elegant ease.

Yu Qingkong acted as her de facto secretary, taking meticulous notes. She realized the rumors about Lin Wanzhao’s incompetence were nothing but jealousy; the woman knew exactly how to strike at a competitor’s weakness.

Occasionally, their eyes would meet across a conference table. Yu Qingkong would immediately look down to continue her notes, but she found herself drifting—something that had never happened in her career before.

Finally, they reached Hua City for their scheduled rest day. Dinner was at an authentic Japanese restaurant, the atmosphere quiet and refined.

As Lin Wanzhao placed her chopsticks down, she looked at Yu Qingkong.

– Will you go to ‘Free Bar’ with me tonight? I’m meeting a few local friends.

“You certainly have friends everywhere,” Yu Qingkong remarked, raising an eyebrow.

– I’ll take that as a compliment.

Lin Wanzhao smiled.

“But isn’t it inappropriate for me to tag along to a social gathering with your friends?”

– They’re my friends, and you’re my employee.

Lin Wanzhao took a sip of tea.

– What’s inappropriate? Can’t I treat you to a drink on our day off?

“What time, and when are we coming back?”

– We’ll go right after dinner. I’m not sure when we’ll finish. We’ll just stay until we’ve had enough.

“Fine.”

Yu Qingkong agreed, but the thought of a bar brought back memories of Snake. I can’t make the same mistake twice, she told herself. I’ll keep the drinking to a minimum and stay sober.

**************************************

Hua City at night was a neon-lit metropolis. At Free Bar, a group of fashionable women waved them over to a booth. “Hey! Wanzhao! Over here!”

“This is Yu Qingkong, she works at my company,” Lin Wanzhao introduced her. “Hello, everyone.”

The group welcomed them warmly. Lin Wanzhao was soon deep in conversation, while Yu Qingkong, unfamiliar with the others, stayed quiet and watched the crowd. Eventually, Lin Wanzhao tapped her shoulder.

– They want to play a game. You in?

“What kind of game?”

– Dice. Lowest roller is the loser and has to answer a question from the highest roller.

“I’ll pass,” Yu Qingkong said.

Lin Wanzhao laughed.

– Are you afraid of losing? Coward. I’m going to play then.

“Wait.” Yu Qingkong stopped her.

– Yes?

“I’ll play.” Losing? Back in the day, she was a legend at dice games.

Lin Wanzhao arched an eyebrow. – Good.

In the first round, Yu Qingkong stared at the dice in disbelief. She had rolled the lowest. The girl with the highest roll clapped her hands. “When was your first kiss?”

Yu Qingkong froze. She glanced at Lin Wanzhao, who was watching her with a playful smirk. “Can I change the question?”

“No!” the group shouted in unison.

Yu Qingkong gripped the dice cup. After a long pause, she muttered, “Recently.”

The booth erupted in cheers. Lin Wanzhao took a quiet sip of her drink. Recently… with me?

“Again,” Yu Qingkong said, annoyed.

She lost again. Is this a curse?

“When was the first time you slept with someone?”

Yu Qingkong’s gaze drifted to Lin Wanzhao’s hand resting on the sofa. Her throat bobbed. “Also… recently.”

The excitement in the booth reached a fever pitch.

“Again.” Yu Qingkong downed her drink. Surely her luck had to turn.

But she lost a third time. And this time, the winner was Lin Wanzhao. The group egged Lin Wanzhao on to ask the question.

Lin Wanzhao smiled at her.

– So… how did the kiss and the s*x feel?

Yu Qingkong tugged at her collar. “I forgot.”

Forgot? Liar. Every detail of that night was etched into her mind, a recurring reminder of how exquisite it had felt.

By midnight, Yu Qingkong had lost enough times that she was feeling a significant buzz. She rubbed her temples, trying to sober up. Suddenly, a pale hand reached through the crook of her arm. She turned and saw Lin Wanzhao’s face inches away.

– I’m a bit dizzy. Can I borrow your shoulder?

Lin Wanzhao whispered.

The bar lights danced in her eyes, making her look devastatingly beautiful. Yu Qingkong’s brain was clouded. “Go ahead,” she murmured.

Lin Wanzhao rested her head on Yu Qingkong’s shoulder. The heat of her body radiated through the fabric, making Yu Qingkong stiffen. Then, Lin Wanzhao tilted her face up, her voice intended only for Yu Qingkong’s ears.

– The way you smell…

The fragrant breath ghosted over her neck. It tickled. Yu Qingkong turned to her with glazed eyes. “What?”

– It smells so good.

The words were like a hook, scratching at her heart.

Yu Qingkong closed her eyes and gripped Lin Wanzhao’s wrist tightly. She couldn’t think.

– Do you want to go back to the hotel?

Lin Wanzhao asked. Her own breathing had become heavy and thick with the alcohol.

“If we go back…” Yu Qingkong stared at her, her grip tightening, “What are we going to do?”

Lin Wanzhao heard the underlying meaning. She felt her body flush.

– Well… what do you want to do?

Their breathing turned hot. Yu Qingkong looked at those misty eyes, then at those lips. Her throat was bone-dry.