A L*st at First Sight (Lily Futa) - Chapter 9

Yu Qianlin wiped her hands as she came out of the repair bay. Thinking of something, she asked Xiao Li, “Xiao C hasn’t come in yet today?”

“Mm. He asked for another full day off early this morning.”

Yu Qianlin pondered for a moment. “Did he say exactly where he wasn’t feeling well?”

“No. It’s already been two days. When I asked, he kept hemming and hawing and wouldn’t say.”

Yu Qianlin frowned and took out her phone to call him. It kept ringing busy with no one picking up.

Just as she was hesitating whether to go to his house to check on him, she received a message.

: Master, I was riding my bike and didn’t hear the call. I’m fine now. I’ll be at the shop soon.
: If you’re not feeling well, just rest.
: I’m really fine. Don’t worry.

Yu Qianlin felt relieved and headed toward the office. Halfway there, she turned back and said to Xiao Li, “Xiao C said he’ll be here soon. Let me know when he arrives.”

“Got it, Sister Lin.”

Half an hour later, the wind chime at the door rang. Xiao C walked in with his head lowered and headed straight for the men’s changing room. He wasn’t his usual lively and enthusiastic self. Xiao Li asked in confusion, “Xiao C, what’s wrong with you? Where did you feel unwell yesterday?”

“Nothing.”

Xiao C answered vaguely. Xiao Li sensed something was off. While calling Yu Qianlin’s office phone, she called out to him, “Stop right there. What’s going on today? You’re acting so weird. Stand there and don’t move.”

Xiao C didn’t leave, but he kept his back to her and raised his hand to pull his baseball cap lower. Before long, Yu Qianlin came out of the office. Seeing him like this, she had a familiar bad feeling. She said in a cold voice, “Xiao C, turn around.”

“Master, I’ll go work first.” He pressed down on his cap and tried to walk inside. Yu Qianlin put her hands on her hips. “Try taking one more step.”

Xiao C hunched his back and stood still, still refusing to turn around.

Xiao Li also realized the situation might be serious. She was so scared she didn’t dare breathe loudly. The atmosphere in the lobby froze. All three of them were tense, so much so that they didn’t even notice the wind chime when the door opened.

Liu Yuelan walked in and was about to greet everyone when she felt a heavy, low pressure swirling between Yu Qianlin and Xiao C. She gave Xiao Li a questioning look and secretly pointed at the two people standing in front.

Xiao Li waved her hand slightly below the counter and shook her head with an ugly expression, signaling her not to speak yet.

“Wang Xiao C.” Yu Qianlin’s face was grave as she called him by his full name in a low voice.

Xiao C gritted his teeth, gripped the strap of his backpack, and slowly turned around. His head hung very low, and the baseball cap blocked his face so completely that his features couldn’t be seen.

Yu Qianlin took a few steps forward and yanked the cap off his head. Xiao C shrank back and covered his face with his hands, but it was still enough for everyone to see his current appearance.

“Ah!” Xiao Li gasped in shock when she saw the injuries on his face. She wanted to ask something but held back.

Yu Qianlin threw the cap hard at him and said through gritted teeth, “You got mixed up with that group again, didn’t you?”

Xiao C’s already swollen and bruised face was hit again, making him grimace in pain. Still, he hurriedly explained, “I didn’t, Master! I haven’t seen them for a long time!”

“Then what’s this on your face? Don’t tell me you fell!” Yu Qianlin roared in anger, pointing at his face. “Wang Xiao C, what did you promise me back then?”

The other employees were drawn over by the commotion and gathered at the doorway, whispering among themselves.

Xiao C’s face turned red. He was so anxious he stuttered, “They came looking for me. I didn’t want to go. They said they just needed extra people for numbers, and once it was done they’d leave me alone. So I… Master, I didn’t do anything else. I swear they won’t come looking for me again, and I won’t see them anymore either!”

Yu Qianlin’s chest heaved violently. She shook her head and looked at him with disappointment. “There is no next time. Please leave immediately.”

“Master, don’t kick me out. I’m begging you,” Xiao C cried as he grabbed her arm. “I don’t know where else I can go besides here. Master, I was wrong. Please forgive me one more time, okay?”

Yu Qianlin pried his fingers off one by one. “You have ten minutes.”

With that, she turned and left.

Xiao C cried so hard he could barely breathe, still calling out “Master.” When he saw Liu Yuelan standing at the door, he sobbed and begged her to help persuade Yu Qianlin. Liu Yuelan looked worriedly at Yu Qianlin’s retreating back and sighed inwardly.

Yu Qianlin leaned against the back of the changing room door and closed her eyes. Many unpleasant memories surfaced one after another. Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She kicked the wall hard and walked toward her locker.

Liu Yuelan opened the door and poked her head in. Seeing her folding clothes, she walked in obediently with her hands behind her back. Before she could speak, Yu Qianlin spoke first.

“His dad is an alcoholic and his mom is a gambler. They fought every day. After they divorced, neither wanted to raise him, so they dumped him on his grandma. The old lady collected trash and worked as a sanitation worker to support his schooling. But he followed the school delinquents, fighting, stealing money, and robbing people. Even the juvenile detention center staff knew him. The old lady cried all her tears dry for him.”

Yu Qianlin spoke while slamming the folded clothes heavily into the locker. “Later, he tried to steal my car and I caught him. The old lady knelt down and begged me not to send him to the police station. I gave him a chance. After he found out what I did for work, he pestered me to teach him car repair. The old lady brought a bunch of small change and begged me to teach him. He promised repeatedly that he wouldn’t hang out with those people again, so I agreed.”

“I caught him a few more times in between. I saw that he was learning seriously and was filial to his grandma, so I turned a blind eye. Before the old lady passed away, she begged me to take care of her grandson. I promised. I told him that if he ever mixed with those people again, he shouldn’t follow me anymore. And it hasn’t even been a year yet.” Yu Qianlin slammed the locker door shut. “If you still want to plead for him after hearing all this, then pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“Uh… That’s between you two,” Liu Yuelan took out the box from behind her back. “I just wanted to ask if you’re hungry and if you want some dessert.”

Yu Qianlin turned her head to look at her with surprise. She looked at the pink box in her hand, and something stirred in her heart.

“I waited in line for half an hour to buy it. Want some?” Liu Yuelan smiled and shook the box at her.

Yu Qianlin was momentarily dazzled by her smile. She looked away, opened the locker again, took off her outer jacket and casually stuffed it inside, then gripped the hem of her T-shirt, ready to pull it up. She suddenly felt a burning gaze. Turning her head, she saw Liu Yuelan staring fixedly at her upper body.

“I’m changing clothes.”

“Go ahead.” Liu Yuelan answered instantly.

Yu Qianlin braced herself against the locker and looked at her. Only then did Liu Yuelan realize. “We’re both women. What are you afraid of? I can take mine off for you too, if you want.”

Yu Qianlin glared at her, took out the clothes she wanted to change into, and went to the shower stall. She locked the door behind her.

Liu Yuelan chuckled softly. She sat on the bench, opened the box, and scooped a bite of the small cake with a spoon.

“Mmm, so good. It was worth waiting that long. It’s really nice. I highly recommend it. I’ll send you the address later. They have many different kinds. I think next time I can get a membership.”

Liu Yuelan chattered on outside for a long time, but there was no sound from the shower stall. “Hey, Ah Yu, it’s just changing clothes. Why are you taking so long? If you don’t come out soon, I’ll finish eating everything. I don’t even hear water running — are you taking a shower?”

She bit the spoon and swung her legs leisurely. Thinking of something, she smiled mischievously and said, “Ah… You’re not masturbating in there, are you? So sneaky and quiet. Do you need me to set the mood for you? Like speaking in a low voice, using breathy sounds, like this — Ah Yu, mm…”

“Bang!”

Yu Qianlin kicked the door from inside. “Shut up!”

Liu Yuelan laughed without mercy. Before long, Yu Qianlin came out after changing out of her work uniform. She glared fiercely at her, put the work clothes back in the locker and locked it, then sat down to change her shoes.

Liu Yuelan scooped up a spoonful of cake and brought it to her mouth. “Here, have some cake.”

Yu Qianlin frowned and dodged it. She changed her shoes and walked out.

Liu Yuelan stayed inside, smiling as she finished the cake before slowly wandering out.

The moment Yu Qianlin appeared in the lobby, Xiao C, who had been waiting for a long time, rushed over and blocked her. “Master!”

Yu Qianlin walked around him. Xiao C anxiously blocked her again and held up a piece of paper in front of her.

“Master, Sister Liu said that if you want others to believe you, you have to show actual action. So I wrote a guarantee and even put my fingerprint on it. If I see them again in the future, you don’t even have to kick me out — I’ll leave on my own.” Yu Qianlin stopped but turned her head away impatiently. Xiao C pushed the paper closer and added, “Also, I’ll definitely work hard to pass the two professional skill certificate exams this year. If I fail, you can kick me out!”

When Yu Qianlin heard this, she glanced at him. Seeing that she was listening, Xiao C quickly pointed out the conditions on the guarantee. “Look, I wrote everything down and put my fingerprint on it. Everyone here is a witness.”

Yu Qianlin lowered her head and looked at the guarantee he had written. Although the handwriting was ugly, it was clear he had put in effort. Some characters were written wrong and crossed out. Even so, Yu Qianlin could spot several misspelled words at a glance.

“Master, I really want to learn proper skills from you. In the future, I want to become someone as amazing as you. Please give me one more chance, okay? I’ll definitely work twice as hard and won’t let you down!”

Xiao Li also walked over. “Sister Lin, I think he’s very sincere this time. Why don’t you give him a few more months? If he doesn’t pass the exams, you can kick him out then.”

“Yeah, Xiao Yu. We can hang this guarantee on the changing room door so he sees it every time he comes in.”

“Right. If he doesn’t work hard, we’ll help you scold him.”

“……”

When Liu Yuelan came out, she saw everyone pleading on Xiao C’s behalf. She leaned against the wall and watched.

Yu Qianlin finally spoke. “After you get the certificates, sign up for the adult college entrance exam and get a bachelor’s degree in a related major.”

“Ah…”

Seeing his reluctance, Yu Qianlin looked up and said indifferently, “You can take it or not. It doesn’t affect me at all.”

Xiao C quickly waved his hands. “No, no, no, Master, I’ll listen to you. But I’m not smart. I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it.”

“Failing after trying and not trying at all are two different things.”

“Okay… but,” Xiao C looked at her timidly, “this point isn’t written on the guarantee. If I don’t succeed in the end, you can’t kick me out.”

Yu Qianlin laughed coldly. “You’re quite good at bargaining. Practice your handwriting first.” With that, she pushed the door open and left.

Xiao C scratched his head as he watched her back. He turned around in confusion and asked, “So… does that mean she agrees to let me stay or not?”

Liu Yuelan smiled as she walked over. “If she didn’t agree, the one walking out just now would have been you.”

After understanding what she meant, Xiao C jumped up happily a few times. His colleagues also came over to pat him on the shoulder and congratulate him, telling him to perform well.

“I’ll go find a prominent place to post your guarantee.”

They took the paper to the men’s changing room. Xiao C walked gratefully toward Liu Yuelan. “Sister Liu, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve been finished.”

“It has nothing to do with me. It was your own idea.”

“If you hadn’t reminded me, I never would’ve thought of it.”

Liu Yuelan smiled and reminded him, “This isn’t just a temporary measure to stay. If you don’t follow through, she will still kick you out without hesitation.”

“Mm, I know. Sister Liu, don’t worry. I’ll definitely work hard.”

Liu Yuelan patted his shoulder, then turned and walked toward Xiao Li. She handed her the dessert box. “Put the desserts in here in the fridge for now. When Ah Yu comes, give them to her. I ordered some more and had them delivered. Remember to receive them.”

“Miss Liu, how can we accept this!”

“It’s fine. Just think of it as me earning points at the dessert shop. I’m leaving now. Bye.”

“Goodbye, Miss Liu.”

Xiao Li watched her figure disappear through the door and sighed, “Miss Liu is really beautiful, kind-hearted, has high emotional intelligence, and is so smart.”

Xiao C nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I wonder if she’s single. But there must be a lot of people chasing her. Last time I saw a pretty boy being really close with her.”

Xiao Li stared at the box in her hands for a long while before saying something seemingly out of nowhere:

“Love for someone… cannot be hidden.”

After leaving the shop, Yu Qianlin went straight to the gym and worked out her negative emotions through sweating.

After eating dinner at home, she turned on the TV and flipped through channels but couldn’t find anything she wanted to watch, so she simply turned it off and went to the bedroom.

It was still early and she couldn’t sleep. She lay against the headboard and played on her phone. First she read a few articles posted by industry public accounts in the past few days, shared a couple of them, then, feeling bored, she scrolled through Moments. She watched a few car repair videos posted by friends and left a few comments.

She also saw Xiao C posting a photo of his guarantee to show his determination. She liked it but didn’t comment.

Scrolling further down, she saw Liu Yuelan.

There was no text, only a moon emoji. The photo showed her lowering her head, resting her cheek on one hand, biting her pinky finger while smiling at the camera. Beside her was a glass of some unknown alcohol.

The lighting was very dim, making the entire photo look almost black and white. It might have been the filter that gave it a frosted feel. She looked at it for a while, then zoomed in. She could clearly see the look in Liu Yuelan’s eyes — half gentle, half teasing, exactly like the way she usually looked at her.

Yu Qianlin thought this as she stared, motionless for a long time.

The heart that had been restless all day finally calmed down enough to properly recall everything that had happened recently.

A few days ago, when the two of them were walking under the umbrella, she had advised her to smile more and said that happiness was actually very simple. No one had ever said such things to her before. She was used to coming and going alone. Occasionally a few people would appear in her heart, but they would leave in a hurry. She had already forgotten what it felt like to have a heart-to-heart talk with someone. She was used to keeping things bottled up inside. After a long time, she naturally digested them on her own.

This afternoon in the changing room, whether she had originally intended to plead for Xiao C or not, her approach had made her feel very measured and relaxed, even giving her a sense of being understood and touched.

But she also hadn’t completely ignored the situation or let things get too serious. Instead, she had used her own method to tactfully remind Xiao C. As for how to handle the follow-up, she had left it to her without any self-righteous interference or overstepping.

Thinking of this, Yu Qianlin felt a warmth in her heart. Suddenly, in her ears, she heard the soft, breathy voice from the changing room teasing her — “Ah Yu… mm…”

Combined with the photo on her phone, Yu Qianlin’s face slowly turned red. Before long, she felt movement stirring between her legs. She looked at the photo and stroked herself through her pants. Her cock began to harden, constrained painfully by her pants.

Yu Qianlin took out the masturbator she hadn’t used for a long time from deep in the cabinet. She released the aching, swollen thing from her pants, first stroking it a few times with her hand until the head started to swell and turn red. Panting, she slowly slid the masturbator onto it. This time, without the condom in the way, she clearly felt the shaft being squeezed and massaged by the round beads. Gritting her teeth to endure the pleasure, she finally pushed the entire thing in and took a moment to catch her breath with big gasps.

She picked up her phone and looked at the photo. In her ears echoed Liu Yuelan’s repeated soft calls. She gripped the masturbator and began moving it up and down. The top kept hitting the frontmost opening, each time feeling like it was being sucked. The wrinkles all around constantly stimulated her shaft.

“Ah… mm… Ah Lan… mm… ha… mm…”

Her legs tensed. She bit her lip to resist the building pleasure. Her gaze shifted from the photo to the time at the top of the phone screen. Her breathing grew rapid as she slowed her hand movements. She waited a full 5 minutes before speeding up again, slamming hard into the top each time. Before long, she let out a muffled groan and came.

“Mm… mm… Ah Lan… Ah Lan…”

She continued stimulating the still-spurting tip until nothing more came out. Only then did she let go. She watched a stream of thick white fluid flow from the masturbator down to the base of her cock and then into her ass crack.

Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of guilt washed over her. She closed her eyes and held her forehead, feeling irritated and restless, her brows tightly furrowed. She removed the toy and saw her still-hard cock, wet and covered in her own fluids, which only made her more annoyed.

She took off her pants and prepared to take a shower. After getting out of bed, she saw the photo still on her phone screen and felt another wave of self-loathing. She locked the screen and went to the bathroom.

After coming out, she thoroughly cleaned the masturbator, dried it, and stuffed it back deep into the cabinet. When she unlocked her phone again, the same photo appeared. With an expressionless face, she exited it, opened an audiobook she often listened to, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.

Just before falling asleep, in a drowsy haze, she sorted out this complicated feeling.

If at the very beginning it had been lust that made her unable to forget her, then now she was beginning to covet her soul.

This was very dangerous, Yu Qianlin.