A L*st at First Sight (Lily Futa) - Chapter 20

Liu Yuelan had been extremely busy lately, almost single-handedly handling every part of a painting transaction. Amid her subordinates’ astonishment, she worked herself into a daze from dawn till dusk.

Finally, holding the signed contract, she walked out of the transaction venue. As she stepped down the stairs and lowered her head, her vision went black. Fortunately, the colleague beside her reacted quickly and caught her. “Yuelan, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Liu Yuelan steadied herself, touched the back of her heavy head, and shook it. In a weak voice she said, “I’m fine. I didn’t eat breakfast this morning. Probably low blood sugar.”

“This isn’t just low blood sugar. Look at how busy you’ve been lately. Is it really worth pushing yourself this hard?” Her colleague, who had worked with her for many years, scolded her without holding back. “Last time you handled a transaction worth millions with ease. This one is just a fraction of that. I don’t understand what you’re so nervous about.”

Liu Yuelan rubbed her brow. “This buyer has a lot of influence. After this success—”

“Enough. Don’t waste your breath explaining to me. What you need to do right now is rest properly.” Her colleague pushed her into the back seat of the car, got into the driver’s seat, and turned to say, “I’ll drive you home. Get a good night’s sleep today. Stop finding excuses to torture yourself. Look at how old you are now — you still think you’re a twenty-year-old kid!”

Liu Yuelan’s already exhausted heart was stabbed hard again. The words she had wanted to retort died in her throat. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, comforting her wounded heart.

When she got home, she thought she would still have insomnia lying in bed, but her body had probably reached its limit. She fell asleep quickly. When she woke up, her first thought was that this body really couldn’t handle her pushing it like this. Back in the day…

Liu Yuelan slapped her forehead hard. Fine, a true hero doesn’t boast about past glories. After showering, she lay on the sofa and browsed food delivery apps. She had no appetite and scrolled for a long time without knowing what to eat. She simply called her usual restaurant and asked if they had any recommendations. She listened with lowered eyes for a while. When she didn’t speak, the other party politely asked, “Miss Liu, last time you ordered our new deep-sea set. Did it suit your taste?”

After hearing that, Liu Yuelan’s breathing hitched. Something came to mind, and her already small appetite vanished instantly. She quickly ended the call, sat up, and felt her mind in chaos. She stared at the carpet for a while, stood up to go back to the bedroom, and then saw the sun umbrella that hadn’t been put away by the door.

She was clearly in her own home, yet she felt like there was nowhere to escape.

Suddenly angry at her own timid self — she had actually turned into the kind of person she hated most!

Liu Yuelan sat directly on the floor, propped her chin on her right hand, and forced herself not to escape anymore. She had to face the problem head-on and come up with a solution today.

She took a deep breath and first recalled everything that had happened after meeting Yu Qianlin. She discovered that all her previous doubts could now be resolved. The mysterious aura that had surrounded Yu Qianlin and blocked others’ sight slowly dissipated.

Why Yu Qianlin was sometimes close and sometimes distant with her, why she clearly liked her but never expressed it, why her relationship with her family was so bad, why she said she believed in not getting married, why… she would say such cruel words to drive her away.

When she said those words, she must have been very hurt too.

Because of her physical condition, she couldn’t have a normal romantic life or family. It must have been very hard. But the other party hadn’t given up on herself. Instead, she was even more outstanding than most normal people.

As for the possibilities Little Q had mentioned at the time, Liu Yuelan only wanted to say that the Yu Qianlin she saw was meticulous, calm and composed, kind and gentle.

Even when angry and embarrassed, she was unwilling to dirty her clothes. When drunk, the hand that had gently held her, the restrained kiss that landed on her hair, and the sad tears.

Liu Yuelan opened her eyes, placed her hand over her heart, and asked herself honestly: What exactly do I like about Yu Qianlin?

If the first glance was attracted by her appearance, then what she fell in love with afterward was her personal charm. As for everything else, as long as it was Yu Qianlin herself, her physical defect couldn’t change her soul. Or rather, it was precisely those special past experiences that shaped the person she is now.

Besides, is it really a defect?

In the past, she had used plenty of toys for sex. Now it had become a real thing, but it belonged to Yu Qianlin…

The more Liu Yuelan thought about it, the more her face reddened. She clenched her fists and firmed up the thoughts in her heart.

After solving the problem that had troubled her for so long, she felt relaxed in body and mind. Her stomach growled a few times, and hunger hit her full force. She redialed the restaurant’s number and ordered the same set as that day.

Yu Qianlin, not being able to eat this delicious food is your loss. Hmph.

In the auto repair shop, several people gathered at the front desk. In the middle, sweat beaded on Yu Qianlin’s forehead. Little Li held her arm and used a cotton swab to apply iodine. As soon as it touched the wound, her arm trembled. Little Li quickly pulled her hand back, her heart aching.

The moment Liu Yuelan walked in, she smelled the strong medicinal scent. She hurried over and saw a glaring patch of red swelling and abrasions on Yu Qianlin’s arm.

“What happened?” Her voice trembled in a way she herself didn’t notice.

“Miss Liu, why are you here?”

Little Li looked at Liu Yuelan in surprise. She had a lot she wanted to ask her, but now wasn’t the time. At the same time, Little Li felt Yu Qianlin’s arm muscles tense up and reminded her, “Sister Lin, relax a little. I’ll be gentle.” Then she continued applying the medicine.

Yu Qianlin turned her head to look at the wall and didn’t move again.

Looking at Yu Qianlin now, Liu Yuelan felt something strange. Her eyes unconsciously drifted toward her crotch. After realizing she was being inappropriate, she quickly looked away. “What exactly happened? Why is the injury so bad?”

“Master was working and got hit by a tool on her arm. It even bled.” Xiao C’s voice carried a crying tone.

“Is treating the wound like this okay? The arm is swollen. She should go to the hospital. What if the bone is injured?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too, but Sister Lin insists it’s nothing and doesn’t need to go.” Little Li took the blood-activating and stasis-removing spray from the first-aid kit and sprayed it generously on the wound.

Yu Qianlin remained silent and stubborn even after hearing this.

Little Li helplessly shook her head at Liu Yuelan. But Liu Yuelan was looking at the hand gripping Yu Qianlin’s arm.

At this moment, Yu Qianlin had only half her jacket on, with a T-shirt underneath. For convenience in applying medicine, she had placed her hand on Little Li’s knee. Although it was in a fist, Liu Yuelan still felt a little uncomfortable.

This sudden possessiveness.

She was thinking about how to separate the two when Yu Qianlin withdrew her hand first. “That’s enough. No need to do any more.”

Enduring the pain, Yu Qianlin took off the other sleeve as well, grabbed her jacket, squeezed out from behind Little Li’s chair, and headed to the changing room.

Liu Yuelan noticed there were still bloodstains on her jacket sleeve and felt another pang of heartache.

Little Li sighed. She was about to speak to Liu Yuelan when she caught sight of Xiao C beside her. Unable to hold back, she pinched him. “You were right next to Sister Lin. Your reaction was so slow. If you had seen it earlier and pulled her away, it would have been fine.”

“I…” Xiao C wanted to explain but finally drooped his shoulders and apologized. “Sorry. I haven’t been in a good state lately and got a bit distracted.”

Little Li scolded him with disappointment, “It’s just a gold-digging woman who plays with people’s feelings. Breaking up is a good thing. Is it worth being like this? If I were you, I would have set off firecrackers to celebrate my freedom.”

Liu Yuelan’s heart stirred. “You broke up with your girlfriend?”

“Mm. She dumped me.” Xiao C said dejectedly.

“Did she tell you why?”

After hesitating for a long time, Xiao C finally told the truth. “She said she was just playing with me, that she never liked me. I have no money and no ability, and she doesn’t want to suffer with me.”

Little Li cursed. “She’s really heartless. What kind of taste do you have? You weren’t even a backup plan.”

Seeing Xiao C’s devastated look, Liu Yuelan comforted him gently. “A normal intimate relationship should involve mutual support and joint effort to maintain it. Ending an unhealthy relationship early is cutting losses in time. You don’t need to belittle yourself. Face reality, work hard to improve yourself, and you will eventually meet someone who truly likes you.”

After listening carefully, Xiao C thought for a moment and nodded. “Sister Liu, you’re right. Actually, our relationship was quite abnormal. I was always the one giving, she was always the one enjoying, and she kept hitting me where it hurt.”

“If you’ve figured it out, that’s good. Forget about that kind of woman soon and live your own life well. Aren’t you about to take an exam soon? Don’t forget your guarantee letter.” Little Li reminded him.

“Mm, I know.” Xiao C perked up a little. “Then I’ll go get busy.”

After he left, only then did Little Li dare to quietly approach Liu Yuelan and ask, “Miss Liu, that person not only resigned but also broke up with Xiao C. Are these things related to you?”

Liu Yuelan tucked her hair behind her ear. “I said I would take care of it.”

Little Li said happily, “I guessed it was you. Miss Liu, you’re really amazing. But how exactly did you do it? That person has no bottom line, no morals, and a face thicker than the corner of the Great Wall.”

“Know what she truly wants, offer an enticing chip, and prescribe the right medicine.”

While Little Li was still puzzled, Liu Yuelan looked toward the small fridge in the rest area, took out an ice cream from it, and walked toward the changing room.

The door was open. Liu Yuelan didn’t go in immediately. She stood at the entrance and looked at the back sitting on the long bench.

Yu Qianlin was biting one end of the gauze with her teeth while awkwardly wrapping the other end around her arm with her free hand. Her arm trembled uncontrollably from the pain. She didn’t dare press too hard, so the wrapping was loose and uneven. Before long, she broke out in another sweat. She had only wrapped a few layers when a shadow fell over her eyes. Just as she was about to look up, the person had already squatted down in front of her.

Liu Yuelan removed her hand, which was stained with iodine, took scissors from the first-aid kit, cut the gauze, and unwound the crooked wrapping layer by layer. The other end was still being bitten by teeth. Liu Yuelan looked up and met her eyes directly. Without speaking, she gently tugged the gauze. Yu Qianlin obediently loosened her mouth a little. Liu Yuelan rolled up the gauze and threw it into the trash, then started bandaging again.

Yu Qianlin’s body was tense. She smelled the familiar fragrance, saw the hair so close, and felt the occasional physical contact. Her brain moved very slowly.

Liu Yuelan’s technique was skilled and her movements gentle. She quickly finished bandaging the wound and even tied a pretty butterfly knot. After finishing, she took the nearby ice cream and pressed it against the swollen arm, holding it there. A few minutes later she said, “Why didn’t you ask for help? Doing it alone is so inconvenient.”

Yu Qianlin pursed her lips and didn’t speak. Liu Yuelan hadn’t expected her to answer anyway. She moved the ice cream to another spot for cold compress. Squatting was getting a bit tiring, so her gaze wandered casually and landed on a place she shouldn’t look at again. Once she looked, she couldn’t stop. She started glancing there absentmindedly, secretly pondering.

Although she didn’t doubt Little Q’s words, without seeing it with her own eyes she always felt it wasn’t real. Last time when Yu Qianlin wore jeans it was very obvious, but now in loose work pants, it didn’t seem unusual.

While she was deeply absorbed in thought, Yu Qianlin withdrew her arm, stood up, and started tidying things. Only then did Liu Yuelan realize how rude she had been earlier. Embarrassed, she lowered her head and helped tidy up. After Yu Qianlin put the first-aid kit back in its place and was about to leave, Liu Yuelan called out in time, “Yu Qianlin.”

It was the first time Yu Qianlin heard her call her full name. She felt something subtle in her heart. Her right hand picked at the iodine stains on the fingers of her left hand. She kept her head down and didn’t speak, but she didn’t leave either.

Liu Yuelan walked around from the other side to face her and said seriously, “Ah Yu, can we talk?”

Yu Qianlin looked up at her impatiently. “I have nothing I want to talk about with you. I already said everything I needed to say last time.”

The person in front of her didn’t show the expected anger or rage. Instead, she smiled slightly. Yu Qianlin found it strange and had a bad premonition.

Liu Yuelan looked into her eyes and said gently, “Ah Yu, stop talking to me like this, deliberately pushing me away, deliberately acting very annoyed. I will also feel hurt and sad.”

Yu Qianlin’s heart clenched. She didn’t dare meet her eyes anymore.

Liu Yuelan added another sentence, “Just like you.”

Yu Qianlin froze. Looking at the ground, she murmured, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Liu Yuelan patiently moved closer, cupped her face. Yu Qianlin panicked and grabbed her wrists with both hands, trying to pull them away. She didn’t even care about the pain in her arm anymore, but she heard Liu Yuelan ask softly, “Ah Yu, do you like me?”

Yu Qianlin subconsciously said, “No—”

The rest of her words were blocked by Liu Yuelan’s lips.

Yu Qianlin’s whole body stiffened. Her eyes widened as she felt the familiar fragrance at the tip of her nose and the softness on her lips. Her heart beat very fast. Liu Yuelan even sucked lightly on her lip. It felt like an electric current ran through her, making her tremble slightly. When her consciousness returned, she bent her arms to push her away, but then she felt Liu Yuelan’s nimble tongue lick her lip. Her body instantly went weak. She didn’t dare breathe loudly, and her face turned beet red.

Liu Yuelan slowly pulled away from her lips, staying very close. Seeing Yu Qianlin’s lips stained with her own color, she felt very satisfied. Seeing her flushed face, rapid breathing, and reluctant expression, her heart felt even sweeter. She wrapped her arms around Yu Qianlin’s neck and smiled charmingly. “Ah Yu, you like me.”

“I don’t.” As soon as Yu Qianlin spoke, her voice was breathless and hoarse. She quickly swallowed.

Liu Yuelan laughed out loud. “Just now I clearly didn’t use any force, yet you didn’t push me away.”

“My hands were dirty. I was afraid of dirtying your clothes. I can’t afford to compensate.”

Liu Yuelan clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. She remembered the scene that day when Yu Qianlin had grabbed Little Q’s arm mercilessly despite her dirty hands to block her. Her smile became brilliant. “Ah Yu, why do you like me but still want to reject me? Tell me the reason, okay? Mm?”

Yu Qianlin was about to frown and pretend to be impatient again, but then she remembered what she had just said. She hesitated and withdrew the expression, not knowing how to send her away.

Liu Yuelan took in all her expressions. Realizing she felt heartache for her, her heart warmed. Perhaps she should take the first step herself, break through that layer of window paper. She couldn’t keep waiting for Yu Qianlin anymore.

“Ah Yu, do you have some hidden difficulties or unspeakable secrets? You can tell me. Don’t be afraid.”

Yu Qianlin’s pupils shook violently. She looked at her in shock, but within a few seconds she recovered and firmly denied it. “No.”

Liu Yuelan sighed, moved closer, and while she wasn’t paying attention, reached straight between her legs. When she touched a distinct bulge of flesh, Yu Qianlin’s body trembled. She arched her body backward to dodge, her eyes full of disbelief.

“Ah Yu, is it because of this?” Liu Yuelan asked softly, trying her best to appear very gentle. “If I say I don’t mind, can you give me a chance — and give yourself a chance too?”

As she spoke, she gently rubbed it again. She felt the bulge starting to harden and found it somewhat novel. From there, she felt a more real Yu Qianlin — a Yu Qianlin who couldn’t lie.

“Sister Lin, someone’s looking for you at the front!”

Little Li’s voice grew closer from outside. Yu Qianlin woke up as if from a dream and retreated several steps, escaping her restraint. Liu Yuelan subconsciously looked toward her crotch. Yu Qianlin yanked her T-shirt down hard to cover it and quickly walked around her to leave, her posture a little strange.

Liu Yuelan couldn’t help laughing out loud. In response, she heard the heavy sound of a door slamming.

Liu Yuelan sat on the long bench in a great mood. She unwrapped the nearby ice cream and took a bite. It was sweet. Looking at the hand she had used for the sneak attack, she recalled that touch. Her mind began to fill with yellow waste. When her thoughts grew more and more outrageous, she cleared her throat, pinched her fingertips, ate the ice cream while picking up her phone to send a message.

: It’s pretty big.

The smile on her lips grew deeper. She added another sentence.

: Will it get even bigger? [curious]

Next to that message was a red exclamation mark. She sent a string of question marks, but the result was the same.

She had been blocked.

Liu Yuelan laughed uncontrollably in the changing room. She shook her leg as she finished the ice cream, then went out. She found that the person was missing again. After asking Little Li, she learned that Yu Qianlin had gone out with someone on business earlier. Liu Yuelan checked the time, thought for a moment, and in the end left first.

Ah Yu, you can’t escape.