The villa was constantly maintained, and all daily necessities were readily available.
The housekeeper brought towels and ice, prepared some snacks, and brewed a pot of rock tea before taking their leave. Yao Chiyue wrapped small ice cubes in a towel, preparing to apply a cold compress to Qiao Mengdi’s injury.
Beside her, Qiao Mengdi, whose bridge of her nose was bright red, watched her silently. Being with Yao Chiyue made her inexplicably happy, even though she knew the other woman didn’t like her. Just seeing her was enough.
Initially, Qiao Mengdi had looked forward to Yao Chiyue helping her with the ice, but as the other woman approached, her heart began to race uncontrollably. She really didn’t want Yao Chiyue to comment on her blushing again, so she blurted out, “It’s more convenient if I do it myself.”
“Are you shy?”
Good heavens! Why must she say it out loud?
Qiao Mengdi felt her face burning. “Do I need to be shy?” she countered stubbornly. She wasn’t exactly “shy”—her heart was just beating faster and faster.
“Your face is terrifyingly red.”
Seriously, sister, could you please stop flirting with me with such a serious face? Even if she couldn’t say it, Qiao Mengdi protested in her head. Yao Chiyue gently pressed the towel against the bridge of her nose. The icy sensation was incredibly soothing. Qiao Mengdi wanted to close her eyes and soak in the moment, but she didn’t want to miss the chance to see Yao Chiyue from such a close distance.
Meeting Yao Chiyue’s phoenix eyes, which held a faint trace of a smile, Qiao Mengdi felt that her cheeks needed an ice compress as well. Despite the heat in her face, her happiness grew.
The woman in front of her supposedly didn’t like women, yet this scene felt like a blooming romance. Hearts aren’t set in stone, Qiao Mengdi began to brainwash herself. Who knows how she might change in the future?
“What are you laughing at?”
“I’m not laughing!” Qiao Mengdi refused to admit it.
“You are.”
“Well, receiving service from CEO Sister makes me happy.”
“Fine, do it yourself then.” Yao Chiyue stopped her movements.
Joy turns to sorrow. Qiao Mengdi hadn’t expected the happiness to be so fleeting; the sister was truly proud and aloof.
As she took the towel, their fingers brushed against each other. Yao Chiyue’s hand retracted noticeably faster. Though her expression remained calm, Qiao Mengdi felt a flicker of emotion—was it panic?
“Sister Yao, can I ask you a question?” Qiao Mengdi asked, her voice muffled by the towel.
“Ask,” Yao Chiyue replied while pouring tea.
“You said before that you don’t like women,” Qiao Mengdi decided to start her “conquest” plan. “Does that mean you actually like men?”
“Cough, cough—” Yao Chiyue turned her head away. “I don’t like men.”
Her answer was dry.
My god, she doesn’t like men or women? Is she the ‘abstinent’ type? Looking at her usual cold demeanor, Qiao Mengdi thought it was possible, but she wasn’t satisfied. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“You have to like one of them.”
“I like neither. I don’t believe in love.”
Doesn’t believe in love. At this moment, the big sister’s expression looked like a stubborn high schooler! Qiao Mengdi found it funny but also slightly sad; usually, such a lack of faith stems from bad past experiences.
“Why don’t you believe in love?”
“Various reasons.”
Is “various reasons” your universal answer for everything? Qiao Mengdi was annoyed that she gave permission to ask but refused to answer properly.
“Actually, you only need to answer one question for me.”
Yao Chiyue narrowed her eyes slightly but didn’t object.
“Sister, may I ask… is the object of your sexual fantasies male or female?”
“Cough, cough, cough—” This time, Yao Chiyue’s cough was even more intense. “How many questions are you going to ask?”
What kind of bold woman was Qiao Mengdi? She could ask such a scandalous question without blinking, yet she blushed like a peach just from an ice compress?
“Huh?” Qiao Mengdi played dumb. “So, what’s the answer?”
“I don’t have fantasies.”
This time, Yao Chiyue’s face was visibly reddening.
Aha! I’m certain you aren’t the ‘abstinent’ type, Qiao Mengdi concluded.
“If there’s no fantasy, just the act… wouldn’t that be quite boring?” Qiao Mengdi was as frank and open as could be.
“Drink your tea.” Yao Chiyue wanted her to shut up, looking determined to never answer another question.
“As for me—”
“I don’t want to know.” Yao Chiyue cut her off.
Fine then. Just wait until we’re married, let’s see if I let you off so easily then! Qiao Mengdi felt the unpleasantness from the earlier encounter with Yi Hongzhou had finally dissipated.
“Why aren’t you home yet?” Qiao Chengrong’s voice boomed through the phone, sounding incredibly urgent.
Qiao Mengdi figured he knew she had left the old lady’s house. As the election drew nearer, this man became increasingly sensitive.
“I’m at Luling with Sister Yao. I’ll be home a bit later.” She didn’t want to provoke him further; she just wanted him to focus on his career. Qiao Chengrong failed as a parent, but his professional reputation and public service were highly regarded.
“Yao Chiyue?”
“Yes. Who else would it be?”
“Behave yourself, do you hear me?”
“Am I not behaving enough?” Qiao Mengdi couldn’t help but retort sarcastically. “What else do you want? To not show my teeth when I smile and never leave the house?”
“You—”
She hung up before he could finish. A few minutes later, as expected, Qiao Mengyang called. “I’ll pick you up tonight. Send me the address.”
“Can you stop listening to that hypocritical father of ours?” Qiao Mengdi was fuming. They were still worried she would run away!
“Cut the crap.”
“You don’t need to come. I’ll send the address and a photo to Dad.” She hung up crossly.
Just then, Yao Chiyue came out of the bathroom. Qiao Mengdi planned to take a selfie with Yao Chiyue in the background to send to her father, just to stop him from tormenting his poor son. But Yao Chiyue kept moving, making it hard to get the shot.
“Are you taking a picture of me?” Yao Chiyue noticed her awkward movements and suddenly stepped behind her.
“Ah? Oh… yes.” Qiao Mengdi wanted to vanish. She was pretending to use her phone as a mirror; how did Yao Chiyue notice?
“What for?”
“My dad doesn’t believe I’m with you.” The truth slipped out, making Qiao Mengdi feel even more pathetic.
“Then take it.”
Yao Chiyue’s cooperation shocked Qiao Mengdi. “Wh-why?”
“So he believes you are with me.”
Qiao Mengdi was stunned. Yao Chiyue took the phone from her hand, leaned in slightly, raised the phone, and snapped a photo.
In those few seconds, Qiao Mengdi’s heart raced again. It wasn’t until the phone was tucked back into her hand that she snapped out of it.
“Sister Yao, I wasn’t ready!”
“Do you need to be ready for this?” Yao Chiyue crossed her arms, looking calm.
“Candid shots look ugly.”
“It’s not ugly. See for yourself.”
Damn, her serious tone and expression are so sexy! Qiao Mengdi looked at the photo. It wasn’t ugly at all. Qiao Mengdi’s face was tilted slightly toward Yao Chiyue, and Yao Chiyue’s left hand was naturally resting on Qiao Mengdi’s shoulder. They looked as close as lovers.
Everything had happened so fast. If not for the photo, Qiao Mengdi wouldn’t even have realized Yao Chiyue had touched her shoulder. She sent the location and the photo to her father, finally gaining some peace.
“Your father said your marriage is entirely up to your parents’ arrangement… that’s a lie, isn’t it?”
Now it was Qiao Mengdi’s turn to cough. She didn’t understand how Yao Chiyue could switch topics so aggressively.
“Is that what he said?” she asked, playing dumb.
The original host of this body had been a puppet for Qiao Chengrong her whole life—the schools she attended, the friends she made, even staying home after graduation. Because she was so compliant, Qiao Chengrong took it for granted that he could manipulate her life and choose a marriage that benefited the family.
“More or less,” Qiao Mengdi said. “Letting parents decide is fine. Being able to marry someone as excellent as Sister Yao… I feel very lucky.”
She had to say that. She knew how she felt about Yao Chiyue, and she suspected Yao Chiyue knew too, especially after Yi Hongzhou had stripped away her mask. Though she preferred being direct, now wasn’t the time for a confession, especially since the other woman just said she didn’t believe in love.
“Meeting you, I also feel…” Yao Chiyue looked slightly embarrassed. “…lucky.”
Qiao Mengdi was puzzled. What did Yao Chiyue mean by “lucky”? For Qiao Mengdi, it was because she only liked women and Yao Chiyue was her type.
“I think feeling lucky in a marriage is better than most people have it,” Qiao Mengdi mused.
“Don’t expect too much.” Yao Chiyue suddenly turned cold again.
So, is this her response to my one-sided feelings? Qiao Mengdi felt a sting in her chest. Right, it’s better to be clear from the start to avoid falling deeper.
“What about you, Sister?” Qiao Mengdi’s heart trembled. “If you don’t like women, why are you marrying me?”
“Various reasons.”
The heart was closed again. “Various reasons”—that annoying, evasive answer.
“Oh. Various reasons,” Qiao Mengdi repeated softly. She didn’t press further. The answer would only hurt. Besides, she had no choice but to marry to survive. She would just have to wait and see.
“If I told you, you might find it ridiculous.”
Eh? Is she going to tell me now? Qiao Mengdi quickly said, “I promise I won’t laugh.”
Yao Chiyue said indifferently, “My grandmother said you can ward off misfortune for me.”
Qiao Mengdi wanted to laugh but couldn’t. “And you believed her?”
This is absurd. A CEO believing in superstitions?
Yao Chiyue remained noncommittal. “To put it plainly, like you, I am following my elders’ arrangements.”
Qiao Mengdi was impressed by the logic. She realized she hadn’t seen Yao Chiyue’s parents at the family meetings; it seemed only her grandmother remained.
“We…” Qiao Mengdi smiled self-deprecatingly, “really are two of a kind.”
“One more thing. Even though I don’t believe in love, I still want to get married. I believe in contracts and the protections of the law. And compared to a man, I would rather marry a woman.”
Yao Chiyue rarely spoke so much of her mind. Though the words weren’t exactly romantic, her honesty made Qiao Mengdi feel strangely at peace.
“Compared to a man, I would rather marry a woman.” Could that be interpreted as “I like women more than men”?
The small flame in Qiao Mengdi’s heart flared up again. “I see! In that case, I’m relieved.”
“What were you worried about before?”
“Eh?” Qiao Mengdi realized she had stumbled into another hole. “Just that… during our first meeting, you said you didn’t like women.”
“I was telling the truth.”
“Oh.” Too honest. But looking at her beautiful face, Qiao Mengdi decided not to hold it against her. “By the way, what did your grandmother mean by saying I can ‘ward off misfortune’ for you?”