The Creator's Grace - Chapter 16

Ran Jin, who had just recently made a pact with herself to try and appropriately refuse Chi Yu, found herself in a dilemma when she heard the invitation to stay overnight. Despite her internal struggle, she eventually agreed.

Following Chi Yu toward the third floor, Ran Jin kept her brow furrowed the entire time, frustrated by her own lack of resolve.

Just as Chi Yu rarely visited the second-floor bedroom shared by her sister and Ran Jin, Ran Jin seldom approached Chi Yu’s bedroom on the third floor. Chi Yu’s room wasn’t large, but it was packed with things: countless books, awards, games, and various figurines collected since childhood, along with stacks of science magazines taller than a person.

The last time Ran Jin had been in this room was to help the household servants dust, making sure every piece of furniture was spotless and ready for its owner’s return.

“I’m going to shower, Sister Ran. Wait for me a bit.”

After entering the room, Chi Yu switched on the floor lamp, and the bedroom was immediately filled with her presence. She spoke casually while her back was turned to Ran Jin, unfastening her belt.

Ran Jin didn’t enter immediately; she stood at the doorway. Hearing Chi Yu’s words, she turned her head away instantly and said:

“I’ll go shower downstairs as well.”

Chi Yu noticed her tone was a bit tight and rushed. She looked back and asked, “Your pajamas are still here, right?”

Ran Jin gave a vague “Mhm,” already heading for the stairs.

Chi Yu watched from the doorway, a bit puzzled. A blurry thought formed in her mind, but she dismissed it as thinking too much.

While showering, Chi Yu took off the iris-scanning device, putting it back on after she finished and changed into her nightgown. While waiting for Ran Jin to return, she adjusted the lighting in the room, moving the floor lamp further away.

Everything was ready.

Ran Jin arrived.

Ran Jin had showered, and her long black hair was blown about ninety percent dry. Because of its density, it looked somewhat fluffy. Her right-leaning bangs were slightly frizzy; it was clear she had rushed up immediately after washing without taking time for hair care.

She wore a two-piece cotton pajama set in dark gray—long sleeves and long pants—looking somewhat masculine. Chi Yu hadn’t paid much attention to her pajamas before; Ran Jin only wore them in her own bedroom. Whenever she stepped out, even just to the living room, she would at least throw on a coat. Most of the time, she was seen only in stiff business suits.

A “domesticated,” soft version of Ran Jin felt somewhat foreign to Chi Yu. She even had a ridiculous thought: Was it her sister’s preference for a girlfriend to wear such a non-sexy pajama set?

Chi Yu got into bed first, leaving the left side open. She leaned against the headboard, naturally waiting for Ran Jin to join her. Ran Jin, however, did not move immediately.

“What is it?” Chi Yu asked.

Ran Jin looked at the chair by the bed as if the chair were Chi Yu herself and said, “I’ll sit here with you. Once you’re asleep, I’ll leave.”

Chi Yu couldn’t help but laugh. “I sleep while you sit? How can anyone sleep like that? Even if I did fall asleep, if I woke up and saw someone sitting by the bed, wouldn’t I be scared into insomnia?”

Ran Jin: “…”

Chi Yu suddenly asked, “Is Sister Ran really afraid of me? You were the same at the restaurant last time, acting like you wanted to stay eight miles away. Or is it that because you broke up with Sister, you hate me now?”

Ran Jin stood at the junction of shadow and light. The arc of the glow only illuminated her delicate chin and her lips, which were perpetually tight.

“I don’t hate you.”

Ran Jin’s voice wasn’t loud, remaining as cold as winter water, but it was certain.

Chi Yu let out a soft laugh and pulled back the covers, inviting Ran Jin in. “That’s good then. Sister Ran, tell me about Sister’s life over these past few years. I was abroad and rarely got to be by her side. Most of the scenes I remember are from New Year’s or when you both came to see me at school. I know almost nothing about her life back home.”

Fearing Ran Jin would refuse again, Chi Yu rolled over closer to the edge of the bed. Her slender arm reached out, grasping Ran Jin’s wrist as she pleaded softly: “Please?”

Ran Jin’s soul seemed to be pulled first; only then did she realize she had been led by Chi Yu to sit on the bed.

“…Your sister was always busy with work. The rest of her time was spent talking about you. No matter how busy she was, she would set aside a fixed time to video call you—you know that. She was always busiest right before your birthday because she wanted to settle everything so she could fly to your side and spend it with you.”

Ran Jin’s words were no different from the electronic voice in the office elevator that announced the weather: mechanical, but a bit more strained.

Chi Yu propped her head up with one hand on the pillow; the other hand hadn’t let go of Ran Jin’s wrist since she got onto the bed.

“And you?” Chi Yu asked. “What have you been doing all these years?”

“The same as before you left—working for your sister.”

The hand held by Chi Yu was unnaturally stiff. Chi Yu’s fingertips seemed to crawl up inadvertently, probing into Ran Jin’s palm, only to find it was sweating.

Because of Chi Yu’s “guileless” closeness, Ran Jin was forced to keep shifting her body backward to maintain distance. Originally sitting in the middle of the bed, her back was now pressed against the headboard.

Chi Yu kept looking for topics, wanting Ran Jin to turn and meet her eyes. But whether Ran Jin had sensed the plan or it was for another reason, she either looked at the floor lamp in the corner or at her own hands. Just like during dinner, she refused to look at Chi Yu.

Chi Yu asked a few more questions she already knew the answers to. Ran Jin answered them seriously, but their gazes never met.

A bit anxious, Chi Yu sat up straight and turned her torso directly to face Ran Jin. The sudden narrowing of distance caught Ran Jin off guard. She tilted her neck back, her head hitting the headboard.

Chi Yu instinctively reached out to block the impact, her hand coming between the headboard and Ran Jin’s head. This gesture effectively cradled Ran Jin’s head in her palm.

Due to the momentum, Chi Yu had shifted from a semi-reclined position to an upright one, creating a height difference. When they finally locked eyes, she was looking down at Ran Jin. She blocked the light source behind her, casting a shadow over Ran Jin’s face.

In Ran Jin’s eyes at that moment, there was only Chi Yu’s face.

A silent flame flickered into Ran Jin’s heart, burning wildly. She immediately wanted to turn her face away.

Chi Yu, who had been counting in her head, had reached the sixth second. She only needed four more seconds of eye contact to successfully replicate the iris. She couldn’t let it fail now.

“Sister Ran…”

The moment Ran Jin tried to turn away, Chi Yu cupped her face with both hands. Their noses brushed together; the soft, tender warmth felt like an electric current, making Ran Jin go limp. She was easily pinned in place by Chi Yu’s hands, which weren’t even using much force.

“Sister Ran…” Chi Yu stared into her eyes, drawing out her tone, trying to make her voice sound like the beginning of a question.

The distance was too close. Ran Jin’s heart could hardly bear the pressure. Fearing her state would reveal something, she wanted to push Chi Yu away. Just as she raised her arm to create space, Chi Yu let go.

Time was up.

Only Chi Yu could see the small red text prompt: “Target Iris Successfully Replicated.”

She had succeeded.

“Sister Ran, I’m a bit curious.”

Even though she had succeeded, the uncontrollable slight trembling Ran Jin had shown in her hands caused the absurd thought Chi Yu had earlier to sprout again.

“Why is your face so red?”

Chi Yu braced herself with her hands on either side of Ran Jin, leaning forward. She observed Ran Jin with the curiosity of someone investigating the most minute change in an orbital simulator.

“Because you are too close to me.”

Ran Jin’s response was quick; the somber, slightly hoarse voice gave Chi Yu a start. Ran Jin closed her eyes and placed her fingertip against Chi Yu’s chest, gently pushing her back.

Chi Yu clearly saw her brow furrow into a tiny mountain.

“Even though I watched you grow up, you are an adult now. If you can’t sleep and want me to stay with you, that’s fine. But I have one condition: you cannot be this close to me.”

Chi Yu didn’t blink. Her previous softness vanished, replaced by a dark, brooding expression: “Why?”

“Because I am a lesbian,” Ran Jin said, her eyes cold as frost when she opened them again. “If you do this, our relationship will be misunderstood.”

Chi Yu found it amusing. “There’s no one else here.”

Ran Jin didn’t respond to that. She stood up and said, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

As the bathroom door closed, Chi Yu withdrew her gaze. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and opened the app. The iris was successfully replicated; her goal was achieved.

Inside the bathroom, Ran Jin stood before the sink. She turned the water to the coldest setting, scooped up a handful of ice-cold water, and splashed it on her face. After several handfuls, she finally suppressed her burning face and her racing heart.

Calm down.

Ran Jin urged herself internally: Be calmer. Those words just now were too impulsive. Xiao Yu used to tease me occasionally; making a big deal out of it now only makes things more confusing.

But her body was acting on its own. Ran Jin pressed her fist against her chest, telling herself: You can’t. You mustn’t. You aren’t worthy.

Ran Jin stayed in the bathroom for nearly half an hour before coming out. When she emerged, Chi Yu had her back turned to her; it was unclear if she was asleep. Quietly lying back down, Ran Jin lay flat on her back, hands placed below her chest. She stared at the ceiling until dawn.

Chi Yu didn’t remember when she fell asleep. By the time she woke, Ran Jin was gone.

Chi Yu quickly headed to Qi Tong’s studio, announcing that the replication of Ran Jin’s iris was a success.

“Really? Our Sisters Yu is truly legendary!”

“Cut the crap. Have you hacked Ran Jin’s group account yet?”

“Don’t rush, let’s look at this iris first. With her iris, we can do a lot of things. We can even forge the group account access.”

“Oh?”

Chi Yu sat to the side, watching Qi Tong busy herself at the computer.

“Wait, something’s wrong,” Qi Tong muttered, rubbing her chin.

“What is it?”

“This isn’t Ran Jin’s iris.”

Chi Yu frowned. “How is that possible? I stared into her eyes for ten seconds and replicated it myself.”

Qi Tong turned the computer screen around for Chi Yu to see. “It says the iris doesn’t match. Wait, I know. Point your eyes here.”

Chi Yu leaned in. After the app captured her iris and overlaid it with the one on the screen, it showed a 100% match.

Chi Yu: “…”

Qi Tong sighed. “Look! That’s your iris!”

“Why would that happen?”

“Your former sister-in-law is incredibly guarded. If I’m not mistaken, she must be wearing a pupil device that blocks iris replication. If anyone tries to scan her, it performs a reverse operation. You didn’t capture her iris; instead, you just replicated your own.”

Chi Yu was a bit shocked. If that were the case, Ran Jin was indeed extremely cautious. She had come over after a shower last night—did she not even take off the blocker while sleeping?

Had she anticipated that someone would trip her up regarding the lunar mining rights and remained on high alert twenty-four hours a day?

Chi Yu tapped her fingertip against her lip. Ran Jin was harder to break than she had imagined.

Was there any other way?

Chi Yu shifted her posture, suddenly remembering the night Ran Jin was drunk—the way she rubbed her face against Chi Yu’s hand with a willing, sweet smile. Her fingertips twitched as she recalled Ran Jin’s shoulders trembling slightly at her touch last night.

Chi Yu’s eyes darkened.

Words can be polished, but the body’s instinctive reactions cannot lie.