After Flirting with the Wrong Stand-in, I Overturned (GL) - Chapter 47

In the vast Ren family mansion, was it really impossible to find a single place to stay?

Regardless of what Ren Xuan was thinking, Butler Wang was performing his role to the absolute limit. In just a few sentences, he managed to shoot down several obviously viable solutions. In short, his message was simple: there wasn’t a single spare room left in this entire villa.

“Miss Lin,” Butler Wang rubbed the back of his hand, proposing the suggestion he had been plotting for a long time with a beaming smile, “Could I trouble you to make do and share with the Eldest Miss tonight?”

“It’s all due to my poor arrangements. I promise to have someone fix the air conditioning tomorrow.” As for whether anyone would actually stay there after it was fixed, that was none of his business, Butler Wang thought happily.

Lin Shuyan looked back at Ren Xuan; she had naturally seen through Butler Wang’s motive as well.

“Uncle Wang, go get some rest,” Ren Xuan nodded, indicating she would handle it. Having achieved his “scheme,” Butler Wang naturally didn’t stay a second longer. He was determined not to be the third wheel on the scene.

“I’ll go get another blanket,” Lin Shuyan said immediately after the butler left. To be fair, did she want to get closer to Ren Xuan? Of course she did, but she preferred it to be of Ren Xuan’s own volition.

“The AC is broken,” Ren Xuan shook her head. Uncle Wang would surely commit to the act; in such hot weather, on the second floor, it was impossible to sleep without air conditioning.

“I…” Lin Shuyan wanted to say she could go to a guest room and move back after the butler was asleep.

“Come to my room,” Ren Xuan said. Before Lin Shuyan could react, Ren Xuan took her hand. “Let’s go.”

Upon entering the room, Ren Xuan first picked out a set of new pajamas from the closet.

“This,” Lin Shuyan took the clothes and looked at Ren Xuan in surprise. The size was exactly hers, and even the color was one she usually wore.

Ren Xuan was silent for a moment. “Uncle Wang prepared them in advance.” He had indeed come prepared. Upon opening the closet, Ren Xuan noticed several new items of clothing. Likely, after today, Uncle Wang would move all of Lin Shuyan’s belongings over. They had only gone out for a single afternoon, yet the butler had thought of everything in such detail…

“Go shower first,” Ren Xuan said.

“Okay.” Having the clothes, Lin Shuyan stopped overthinking. By the time she had freshened up and emerged from the bathroom, half an hour had passed. Ren Xuan was sitting on the sofa.

“I can sleep on the sofa,” Lin Shuyan walked slowly to the door and gathered her courage to say.

“Don’t you want to sleep with me?” Ren Xuan put down her phone and looked up, making Lin Shuyan feel utterly flustered.

“I don’t snore, I don’t grind my teeth, and I don’t toss and turn,” Ren Xuan added in a playful tone.

I wasn’t worried about that, Shuyan shook her head.

“I…” Shuyan wanted to say more, but suddenly shrank back, feeling extremely shy. “A-Xuan, I… I’ve prepared the bathwater for you.”

As soon as she spoke, she ran straight into the bedroom. With a thud, the door was shut.

Ren Xuan blinked innocently, only then realizing that was actually her bedroom. Shaking her head lightly, she stepped into the bathroom. The steam was rising; the hot water was indeed ready. Ren Xuan undressed and took a comfortable bath.

On the other side, Lin Shuyan had dived into the bed and hadn’t come out. It wasn’t the first time she had slept in A-Xuan’s bed. The difference was that this time, she slowly shifted her head, rolled over, and realized the owner of the pillow next to her hadn’t arrived yet.

She would be here soon.

What should I say when she comes? Shuyan sat up abruptly, suddenly feeling it might not be right to just sprawl across the bed so boldly. Should she wait for A-Xuan to return before… but when A-Xuan returned, would the two of them… be even more awkward?

Shuyan pulled the duvet over her head, feeling dejected. Looking down, she realized there was only one blanket on the bed. It was summer; the owner only needed one thin cotton duvet. Furthermore, under Butler Wang’s arrangements, there was likely only this one blanket in the entire room.

Stepping onto the soft carpet, Shuyan carefully opened the closet—sure enough. There was a walk-in closet next to it, but there probably wouldn’t be anything there either.

“What are you looking for?” Ren Xuan pushed the door open to see Lin Shuyan standing barefoot in front of the closet.

Shuyan’s first instinct was to close the closet. She barely dared to look up at Ren Xuan, and after a long pause, she pointed her finger toward the bed.

Ren Xuan saw the problem with a single glance.

“Come here,” Ren Xuan called softly.

“Oh,” Lin Shuyan walked over obediently.

“Remember to wear shoes next time.” Ren Xuan pulled her to sit at the foot of the bed.

“Mhm.” Shuyan nodded. After this exchange, the atmosphere fell into silence. Shuyan looked down, twisting her fingers, suddenly finding the scene familiar. Wasn’t it just like this when she was filming The Princess of Qin?

In this situation, were they a couple in an arranged marriage? The night of a forced wedding?

“What are you thinking about?” Ren Xuan suddenly noticed Shuyan giving a faint smile.

“I just feel,” Shuyan thought for a bit, unable to stop a laugh, “we’re like a couple forced together by a feudal patriarch…” The word “couple” came to an abrupt halt. Shuyan cut herself off just in time—if she said that, wouldn’t she be implying that A-Xuan should propose?

“We are different from them,” Ren Xuan shook her head.

“Huh?”

“It’s not forced,” Ren Xuan said. If she truly hadn’t been willing, Uncle Wang would never have come up with the idea, and even if he had, she wouldn’t have let him arrange it. Besides, there were so many empty rooms in the Ren mansion; finding one would have been easy.

“I’m not forced either.” Shuyan’s eyes lit up. How wonderful, A-Xuan feels the same.

“Can you lie down now?” Ren Xuan asked gently.

Of course. Shuyan lifted the corner of the duvet and quickly slipped in, leaving the left side for Ren Xuan. Lying stiffly on the bed, Shuyan didn’t even dare to breathe loudly, her eyes watching Ren Xuan get in without blinking.

“Very nervous?” Ren Xuan suddenly leaned in, moving closer.

“N-no,” Shuyan denied.

“Really no?”

“No.” Shuyan tucked the corner of the duvet in. Facing the exquisite face that was growing closer and closer, she suddenly turned away, taking the whole duvet with her.

“Does Shuyan want me to freeze all night?”

“I…” Shuyan hurriedly let go of the blanket.

As the duvet slid off her, Shuyan didn’t hear the sound of it being pulled back. She turned around cautiously, her breath catching—A-Xuan was lying on her side.

One hand was lazily propped under her chin, revealing only her stunning profile. A-Xuan was beautiful; Shuyan had always known that. But there was no time more moving than when a beauty had just emerged from the bath—especially when she was the only one allowed to see this beauty’s form.

Beauty is enough to drive one to crime.

Shuyan could even hear herself swallow. The next moment, hearing Ren Xuan’s light chuckle, Shuyan realized what was happening and wanted to wrap herself in the duvet and turn away again.

She was stopped by a swift hand.

“I’m very happy,” Ren Xuan said.

Happy about what? Is she as happy as I am that we can share a bed? Shuyan wondered privately.

“Is Shuyan satisfied with what she sees?” Ren Xuan asked suddenly.

Shuyan couldn’t turn her body away; her long eyelashes trembled incessantly.

Ren Xuan’s fingers toyed with Shuyan’s long lashes, and sure enough, the latter looked up at her.

“Shuyan,” Ren Xuan pulled both the duvet and the girl into her arms, gently closing her eyes. She couldn’t keep looking at Shuyan’s clear eyes; if she did, she didn’t know if she could maintain her resolve.

“Mhm,” Lin Shuyan responded. She felt that this call of her name was more beautiful than any before.

“Let me hold you for a while, okay?”

Whether she let her or not, Shuyan’s face was red—wasn’t she already in A-Xuan’s arms?

Time ticked by second by second. Shuyan didn’t dare move an inch, letting A-Xuan hold her. After about five minutes—or perhaps three—Ren Xuan gently released her.

“Let’s sleep.” Ren Xuan seemed to let out a sigh, reaching out to turn off the bedside lamp. The two of them lay side-by-side on the bed.

So… just sleep? The romantic atmosphere was instantly washed away. In the darkness, Shuyan blinked, her heart full of an indescribable conflict.

She both expected something to happen with A-Xuan, and yet if it actually did, it felt like…

No, no, how can I be so shameless? Lin Shuyan, what are you thinking?

This is your first relationship. Holding hands, kissing, sharing a bed—everything should go step-by-step. You can’t have such naughty thoughts.

“Can’t sleep?”

“No.” Shuyan was startled by Ren Xuan’s voice, answering almost instinctively.

“I,” the curtains were drawn tight, and not even moonlight could get in. In the darkness, A-Xuan shouldn’t be able to see, right? Shuyan turned quietly toward Ren Xuan. “How about A-Xuan talks to me for a bit?”

“What does Shuyan want to talk about?”

Shuyan hadn’t thought about it; she had no idea what to say. It was just that sharing a bed with A-Xuan for the first time was a bit exciting, and she really couldn’t sleep.

Ren Xuan spoke first. “Are you heading out to act again soon?”

“I’m not sure.” Shuyan was uncertain. Director Wu had called last time saying they found an investment and could finish filming the second part directly, because the investors loved the sample footage from the first part. Barring any surprises, the first part of The Princess of Qin would be aired soon.

“Does acting make you happy?”

“Yes.” Shuyan thought about her time with the crew. Of course she was happy, especially on the set of The Princess of Qin where she and Rong Yu had great chemistry; she was finding her “feel” for acting more and more.

“However,” Shuyan added, “A-Xuan isn’t with the crew.” Everything on set was fine, but she would constantly check her phone to see if A-Xuan had replied to her messages.

She would look forward to every call or video chat with Ren Xuan on the way back from work. She would be overjoyed when A-Xuan visited quietly.

Ren Xuan’s expression stiffened, and she suddenly clenched her fists.

“I…” Shuyan wanted to be bold for once. She slowly reached out, wrapping her arms directly around Ren Xuan’s neck, and shyly snuggled into her embrace. Seeing that the other person had no discomfort or intention of pushing her away, she pushed her luck and drew even closer.

Ren Xuan’s breathing grew shallow, and her fists tightened further. After a long while, she gradually calmed down, adapting to the “koala” clinging to her. Ren Xuan reached out; in the pitch-black night where she couldn’t see her own hand, she could only use her senses to find the small of Shuyan’s back.

Slowly, Ren Xuan patted Shuyan gently.

Shuyan enjoyed this moment of quiet, but every breath from the person beside her and every scent emanating from her seemed to bewitch her brain. The warm embrace was intoxicating.

Shuyan said uncontrollably, “A-Xuan, I love you.”