Chapter 56

Lu Yan was wearing a cold-shoulder long shirt today, paired with denim shorts that left most of her legs exposed.

When the water first splashed onto her legs, it felt icy and refreshing, and Lu Yan didn’t react much. But as the small boat filled with water, soaking her shorts, a damp, sticky wave of discomfort traveled up from her skin to her mind.

The unpleasant sensation irritated her skin, causing Lu Yan to instinctively stand up. “Hiss, so cold—”

The very next second, the boat lurched. Lu Yan lost her footing, but luckily, Shen Su caught her just in time.

Lu Yan tumbled right into Shen Su’s arms, and this time, both of their bodies ended up half-soaked.

“It’s fine. There’s a bathhouse over there, and I brought a change of clothes,” Shen Su said gently as she released Lu Yan.

“Sugar always thinks of everything!” Lu Yan sat back down properly in the boat.

Once they cleared that narrow bottleneck, a flat, wide stretch of stream opened up before them. The other people in the same area had already begun rowing.

“Let’s row too. Onward to the next bottleneck!” Shen Su handed an oar to Lu Yan.

At first, their boat just spun around in circles on the spot.

But after a brief period of coordination, they quickly mastered the technique and caught up with the people ahead.

As they navigated the next bottleneck, the boat jolted over another bump. Lu Yan seized the opportunity to dive back into Shen Su’s arms, causing the boat to [unauthorized copy]instantly tilt toward Shen Su’s side.

Shen Su chuckled helplessly. “Sit properly, careful we don’t capsize.”

“Okay,” Lu Yan replied hastily, sitting up straight to resume rowing in sync with Shen Su.

After rowing for a while, the two grew tired. They set down their oars, letting the small boat drift and spin leisurely on the water.

Shen Su let out a long breath. Recalling something, she said, “Would you like to meet my parents tomorrow? They mentioned they want to discuss our engagement.”

Since Lu Yan’s parents were no longer around, they could only speak directly with Lu Yan herself.

“Is it happening that quickly?” Lu Yan felt a sense of unreality, as if she were stepping on a cloud.

“Are you unwilling? If so, we can wait a bit longer. It’s mostly just them rushing me. No worries, I can stall them,” Shen Su said with a beaming smile.

“It’s not that I’m unwilling. It just feels like a dream.” Lu Yan lifted her eyes to look at the green mountains on either side, momentarily dazed.

Shen Su smiled and extended her hand. “Then pinch me, and see if it’s a dream or not.”

Lu Yan caught Shen Su’s hand and leaned in to press a fleeting kiss against her lips. “It must be real; it feels soft. I’ll go home with you tomorrow!”

“Alright.” Shen Su picked up her oar again. “Come on, let’s keep rowing.”

Lu Yan gave an “mm” and rowed with renewed energy.

Upon reaching the finish line, they took off their soaked disposable raincoats. Carrying the clothes Shen Su had prepared in advance, they headed to the bathhouse to wash up and change.

Lu Yan and Shen Su went into separate changing areas.

As Lu Yan reached the entrance, she overheard voices speaking inside.

“Huh, I remember the bathhouses here didn’t used to have curtains for privacy.”

“Ah, then wouldn’t everything be completely exposed?”

“We’re all female Omegas, what’s there to be afraid of?”

Lu Yan remained silent, looking down at the water flowing across the floor. She walked to the innermost stall and drew the curtain shut.

Lu Yan finished changing quickly, and coincidentally, Shen Su emerged at just about the same time.

“Your hair looks a bit damp…” Shen Su led Lu Yan by the hand over to the hairdryers. “Let me dry it for you.”

“Okay.”

The whirring sound of the hairdryer filled the air as Shen Su ran her fingers through Lu Yan’s hair, her fingertips brushing gently against her scalp with utmost tenderness.

“All done.” Shen Su helped Lu Yan [read the original at bailiantales.com]comb through her hair again, pulling it up into a neat topknot.

Lu Yan took hold of Shen Su’s hand, interlocking their fingers tightly. “Let’s go!”

As the team-building event concluded, the two returned to the apartment. The moment they stepped through the door, the kitten bounded over to cling to them as usual.

Only then did Shen Su remember that this was a cat that had traveled across time and space.

She fell silent for a moment. Is it too late to take Lu Yan somewhere else to sleep tonight?

Just then, the System spoke up: Host, it really isn’t that important whether the Love-Struck Miss remembers or not. Even if she does remember, what could she possibly do to you?

True. The Lu Yan of this world doesn’t seem to have any actual leverage over me.

In an instant, she let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing Shen Su freeze at the entrance, Lu Yan called out softly, “Sugar—”

“I’m here!” Shen Su snapped out of her thoughts hastily. She scooped up the kitten and turned to Lu Yan. “What do you want to eat tonight?”

“Anything is fine.” Lu Yan reached out to scratch the kitten’s chin, saying with a smile, “I always feel like when you hold the kitten and stand with me, we look exactly like a family of three.”

Shen Su looked at Lu Yan with mock solemnity, then looked down at the kitten. “We really do. Besides, the cat looks quite a bit like you.”

“Of course it does.” Lu Yan’s eyebrows curved. “I’ll go take a shower first. I only gave myself a quick [Read on BaiLianTales]wipe-down back at that bathhouse.”

“Go ahead.” Shen Su placed the kitten onto the cat tree. Turning back, she saw that Lu Yan had already entered the bathroom.

Did she forget to take her clothes?

Shen Su raised an eyebrow, deliberately choosing not to remind her.

She prepared a clay pot rice dish. Just as she pressed the timer button, Lu Yan’s voice drifted out from the bathroom: “Sugar, I think I forgot to bring my clothes. Can you hand them to me?”

“Coming right up.” Shen Su gathered the pajamas and walked over to the bathroom door. Seeing a glimpse of a pale, slender forearm peeking out from the gap in the door, her gaze gradually locked on it.

Lu Yan took the pajamas from Shen Su’s hands, her fingertips lightly grazing across Shen Su’s palm. A crisp, tingling sensation rippled through, like a feather brushing against her heart.

Shen Su suddenly encircled Lu Yan’s wrist, leaning in to catch a faint whiff. It was the scent of body wash, underlaid by a subtle fragrance of iris pheromones.

It’s been a long time since I tasted anything.

Just a small taste, without marking her, shouldn’t cause any issues.

Our compatibility is so low anyway; I can definitely control myself and avoid marking her.

At the thought, Shen Su stepped into the bathroom, tossing the pajamas into a clean storage basket.

“Sugar, why did you come in?” Lu Yan looked at her with feigned surprise.

Shen Su pinned Lu Yan’s hands over her head, their foreheads pressing together without a single inch of distance. “Didn’t you want me to come in?”

Warm breath mingled with the humid air of the bathroom, settling over Lu Yan’s lips. The next second, their soft lips pressed firmly together.

Unlike the fleeting kiss from noon today, Shen Su parted Lu Yan’s lips and teeth, their burning breaths intertwining tightly, deep and inseparable.

Shen Su’s fingers slowly stroked her smooth, slightly damp skin, tracing upward inch by inch from Lu Yan’s lower spine.

“I just finished washing…” Catching a brief moment to breathe, Lu Yan’s eyes grew misty, making her look incredibly endearing.

Shen Su’s fingers brushed across Lu Yan’s slightly swollen lips as she let out a soft laugh. “It’s fine. I’ll wash with you one more time.”

A dense rain of kisses began to fall.

Lu Yan wrapped her arms around Shen Su’s neck, pulling herself even closer. Through the thin fabric of her shirt, she could almost feel the intense pounding of her heart.

It’s real. It’s not a dream.

“Ah—”

Suddenly, Shen Su scooped her up in a bridal carry.

As Shen Su sat sideways on the edge of the sink, Lu Yan could unauthorized copyclearly see her own reflection in the mirror, causing her face to flush an even deeper crimson.

She buried her head into the crook of Shen Su’s neck, hearing a soft chuckle echo beside her ear.

“Why are you still so shy?” Shen Su gently brushed back Lu Yan’s slightly disheveled hair, tucking a few loose strands behind her ear.

“Am I not allowed to be?” Lu Yan put on a fierce face, baring her teeth at Shen Su to show off her little canines.

Shen Su’s gaze darkened as she silenced Lu Yan’s mouth once more.

Amidst their tangled breaths, Lu Yan’s hands weren’t idle either, undoing the buttons from bottom to top. With all barriers removed, every inch of their skin came into intimate contact.

Shen Su reached out to turn on the showerhead, letting warm water fill the bathtub. Once the water level was high enough, she carried Lu Yan into the tub.

“Let’s wash together.” She looked at Lu Yan, a tempest of emotion rising in her eyes.

Lu Yan hooked her arms around Shen Su’s neck, panting softly. “Sugar, mark me.”

Shen Su’s eyes flickered as she replied, “Let’s wait until after our engagement.”

“It doesn’t matter, I don’t mind,” Lu Yan murmured, lowering her head to trail her lips along Shen Su’s collarbone.

“I mind.” Shen Su held her even tighter. “Just wait a little longer, alright?”

She tilted Lu Yan’s chin up, kissing her moist lips.

Lu Yan felt a vague sense that something wasn’t quite right, but she quickly succumbed to the tender wave of affection, tossing her hesitation to the back of her mind.

It wasn’t until the water began to cool that Shen Su lifted Lu Yan out of the bathtub. Lu Yan clung tightly to Shen Su like a little bear hugging a tree.

“Let’s get down first so I can dry you off,” Shen Su said gently, holding a bath towel.

Lu Yan looked down, her voice slightly raspy. “Where are the slippers? The floor is cold…”

Shen Su glanced around, spotting the slippers in a corner. She dropped a towel onto the floor. “Step on the towel first, I’ll go grab your slippers.”

“Okay.” Lu Yan let go of Shen Su somewhat reluctantly.

Shen Su walked over to the corner, picked up the slippers, and set them down by Lu Yan’s feet.

Lu Yan slipped into them and took the towel from Shen Su’s hands. “I’ll do it myself.”

“Alright,” Shen Su said with a laugh.

“You go out first!” For some reason, Lu Yan’s eyes rimmed with red. She lowered her head to wrap herself in the towel, but tears began to fall uncontrollably.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Su stepped forward anxiously.

“It’s just… it overlapped a bit with my dream…” Lu Yan turned stolen contenther head away, sobbing.

“How did it overlap?” Shen Su asked tentatively. She needed to find out exactly what Lu Yan was dreaming about so she could avoid those triggers.

Lu Yan’s voice carried a distinct sob. “During those days of your rut, I had a nightmare. I dreamt that the plane you were on crashed. But when I woke up, you weren’t by my side, and I was just so terrified…”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Shen Su held Lu Yan close, repeating the words over and over.

“Forget it, dreams are all fake anyway.” Lu Yan released her hold on Shen Su proactively. “Go check outside first. I think I heard the kitten meow a few times.”

“Alright.” Shen Su tidied herself up and left the bathroom. Sure enough, the kitten was squatting right outside the door.

Shen Su let out a soft sigh and walked toward the kitchen, the kitten trotting close behind. She paused, turning around to crouch down. Staring into the kitten’s round eyes, she murmured under her breath, “What am I going to do with you?”

“Meow—”

Shen Su entered the kitchen and opened the rice cooker, the savory aroma of the food instantly washing over her. She scooped the clay pot rice into bowls and brought them to the table.

Lu Yan walked in. Glancing at the bowl placed across from Shen Su, she huffed softly and slid the bowl and chopsticks right next to Shen Su’s, sitting side by side with her.

“Have you been wanting to do this for a long time?” Shen Su placed her hand onto Lu Yan’s leg as it edged closer.

“I should be asking you that! During the barbecue today, you said you liked me a long time ago. Why didn’t you say anything?” Lu Yan leaned in close, biting her lip. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“What could I possibly hide from you?” Shen Su’s eyes flickered bailiantales.com slightly, her tone remaining completely gentle.

Lu Yan fell silent for a moment, taking a few bites of the rice before asking, “Did you secretly run a compatibility test on us?”

Shen Su’s movements froze, but she let out a silent breath of relief internally. “I’m sorry. Because my family was pressuring me so heavily back then, I ran a compatibility test first to set their minds at ease.”

“What was our compatibility score? Was it enough to put them at ease?” Lu Yan asked curiously. She had always felt that an ordinary, family-less orphan who was only a C-rank Omega shouldn’t be able to enter the prestigious Shen family so easily.

“I forged the compatibility report,” Shen Su said softly, her gaze locking onto Lu Yan.

Lu Yan’s pupils shrank, her lips trembling slightly. “So… what is it really?”

“In reality, it’s only 40%.” Shen Su withdrew her gaze and resumed eating.

“40%…” Lu Yan suddenly felt the food lose its flavor. “Is that why you didn’t dare mark me casually?”

“Yes.” For this answer, Shen Su was entirely sincere. In the last world, she had marked Lu Yan without investigating thoroughly, only to endure the agony of removing her own gland later on. She wouldn’t repeat that mistake this time.

Lu Yan’s hand holding the spoon trembled, her voice shaking slightly as well. “So, it’s very difficult for me to be induced into a heat by you, and it’s also very difficult for me to help you through a rut, right?”

Shen Su remained quiet for a moment before saying, “It doesn’t matter. Technology is highly advanced now, and there are many scholars in society who belong to the emotional-priority school. They dedicate themselves to overcoming the barriers of pheromone compatibility. Compatibility is not an obstacle for us.”

Only life and death are.

“I hope so,” Lu Yan murmured, eating her food in small bites, her brow still tightly knit with anxiety.

“Don’t dwell on it. The present moment is what matters most,” Shen Su said with a lighter, cheerful tone.

Lu Yan nodded. “Yes, the present moment is what matters most.”

But now that I’ve finally plucked the moon from the sky, how could I ever bear to let her go?

She lowered her head, quietly eating the meal Shen Su had prepared with her own hands. She would have to work harder. There had to be some way to keep the moon by her side forever…

That night, the two slept in each other’s arms.

On the surface, it appeared peaceful, but in reality, they shared the same bed while harboring completely different thoughts—one planning how to leave, the other calculating how to keep her forever.

In the dead of night, Shen Su was fast asleep. Lu Yan rose from the bed with silent, stealthy movements. Bathed in the moonlight, she looked down at Shen Su, her expression dark and unreadable.

She had just had another dream—