Shen Ruxue took a deep breath, as if bracing herself for something monumental. She slowly lifted her head. “I… I want to…”
She trailed off, unable to help glancing at Chi Yingyu again, a shy stubbornness in her eyes. Seeing her sister watching with evident interest, her cheeks flushed even deeper, her voice dropping further.
“I want to fulfill the promise…”
Jiang Lai looked at the stubborn light in her eyes that refused to give up, feeling both exasperated and tender. She knew Shen Ruxue’s nature—once she set her mind on something, she wouldn’t let go easily, especially when it came to this, which she’d waited for so long.
Jiang Lai nodded gently, her voice low. “Alright, then we’ll be quiet. Don’t mind her. If she wants to watch, let her watch from the side.”
With Jiang Lai’s approval, Shen Ruxue seemed to gather tremendous courage. She slowly leaned toward Jiang Lai, her movements still careful, carrying a nervous hesitance, her fingertips trembling slightly.
She could feel Chi Yingyu’s gaze on her, the stare almost warm to the touch, making her cheeks burn hotter, her heartbeat quicker, her breathing unsteady.
Chi Yingyu sat at the edge of the bed, watching her sister inch closer to Jiang Lai. The amusement in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a subtle, almost imperceptible softness.
It wasn’t that she truly wanted to make things hard for her sister. She just wanted her to know that Jiang Lai’s world didn’t revolve around her alone. They would all be together from now on, no longer needing to hold on so tightly out of fear of loss.
And watching her sister look so shy yet so brave was rather endearing. She couldn’t resist wanting to watch a little longer, to tease her a bit. It was kind of fun sometimes. After all, as the younger sister, she’d always been the one toyed with by her sister. This was a first for her.
Shen Ruxue finally reached Jiang Lai, close enough to feel each other’s breath distinctly.
She could smell the familiar shower gel scent on Jiang Lai, and it helped her relax slightly. She slowly closed her eyes and pressed her lips softly against Jiang Lai’s.
The kiss was light, soft, carrying all the anticipation and shyness she’d held back all night. Like a feather settling gently on a heart, tender enough to make it tremble.
Jiang Lai could clearly feel Shen Ruxue’s nervousness and reverence. She responded gently, her fingertip tracing up her back, her movements tender like she was handling something fragile and precious.
Their lips pressed together softly, no excessive entanglement, but full of feeling, the air around them turning warm and sweet.
Chi Yingyu watched the scene before her, the corners of her mouth curving up as she quietly observed everything.
Shen Ruxue could still feel Chi Yingyu’s gaze locked on them, but at least she’d grown a little more used to it. That helped her relax further, and the kiss became softer than before, carrying a clinging quality, like she wanted to wrap herself in Jiang Lai’s very breath.
She knew her sister was still watching, but right now she only wanted to focus on the person before her, on this kiss that had been so long overdue, making up for all the tenderness they’d owed each other over the years, bit by bit.
Jiang Lai could feel Shen Ruxue relaxing, and she deepened the kiss slightly. Her movements remained gentle, no urgency, just a slow response, like she was savoring this rare moment.
She could hear Shen Ruxue’s heartbeat, gradually syncing with her own. The sound seemed to speak their feelings for each other, tender and steady.
After a moment, Shen Ruxue gently pulled back, her cheeks still flushed but her eyes bright as stars, full of satisfied joy. She leaned close to Jiang Lai’s ear, her voice barely above a whisper, carrying a shy rasp.
“Thank you, Jiang Lai…”
Jiang Lai smiled and pinched her cheek, her voice just as soft. “Why are you being so formal with me?”
Just as Jiang Lai finished speaking, a soft click echoed through the bedroom, and the dim space was flooded with warm yellow light. Chi Yingyu had reached over and switched on the bedside lamp.
The sudden brightness made both Jiang Lai and Shen Ruxue squint instinctively. Once their eyes adjusted, they saw Chi Yingyu sitting at the edge of the bed, arms crossed, a hint of indignant grievance in her eyes, along with a poorly concealed trace of jealousy.
“How can it end that fast?”
She pouted, her voice carrying a childish accusation. “I didn’t even get to enjoy watching yet. That was way too half-hearted, you two? After all that waiting, it was just a little kiss? Are you really that innocent?”
Shen Ruxue flinched at the sudden interruption, her cheeks instantly flushing deep enough to draw blood. She quickly shrank behind Jiang Lai, like she was trying to hide herself away.
Under the lamplight, her just-kissed lips and flustered gaze were on full display, even the red tips of her ears clearly visible, making her want to disappear into the floor.
Jiang Lai was taken aback too, then rubbed her forehead in exasperation. She really hadn’t expected Chi Yingyu to be this “direct,” even saying things like “enjoy watching.”
“Ying Yu…”
Jiang Lai’s tone was caught between laughter and tears. “This kind of thing isn’t meant to be watched. What else do you want to see?”
“But I didn’t get my fill!”
Chi Yingyu pouted, the grievance in her eyes deepening. “You two were sneaking around in the bedroom earlier, and I didn’t get a good look. Now that we’re finally out in the open, you’re done after two seconds. That’s so unfair!”
She even shot a quick glance at Shen Ruxue, a subtle edge of rivalry in her gaze.
Shen Ruxue hid behind Jiang Lai, listening to Chi Yingyu’s words, feeling flustered and embarrassed, but also a pang of guilt. In every other setting, she could carry herself as the older sister, but she truly didn’t have Chi Yingyu’s thick skin when it came to something like this.
“Sister, isn’t it true that you haven’t seen Jiang Jiang in so long? With that much longing, can a tiny little kiss really be enough?”
Chi Yingyu was like a devil now, slowly peeling back Shen Ruxue’s layers and coaxing her to do what she truly wanted.
Chi Yingyu’s words were like a fine needle, pricking gently at Shen Ruxue’s heart. She stayed hidden behind Jiang Lai, her fingertip clutching Jiang Lai’s hem so tightly her knuckles went white.
It wasn’t that she didn’t miss her—she missed her so much that even getting close felt nerve-wracking, let alone doing something more intimate under her sister’s watchful eye.
But Chi Yingyu’s words also carried a hook, tugging at her heart with an itch and a flutter. The longing she’d suppressed for so long seeped out through that crack.
“I… I do…”
Shen Ruxue’s voice was as thin as a mosquito’s buzz, her cheeks hot enough to fry an egg. She peeked out from behind Jiang Lai, her gaze darting away, not daring to meet Chi Yingyu’s eyes.
“It’s just… I’m a little embarrassed.”
Chi Yingyu watched her sister’s shy demeanor, a sly smile curling at her lips. She deliberately leaned in closer, her tone almost “coaxing.”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Jiang Jiang isn’t a stranger, and neither am I. We’re all family. Do whatever you want.”
As she spoke, she shot Jiang Lai a look, like she was encouraging the two of them.
Jiang Lai naturally understood what Chi Yingyu was doing—pure thrill-seeking, no chaos too big. But it was also the fastest way to help Shen Ruxue truly settle in.
Shen Ruxue could feel the warmth of Jiang Lai’s palm, that warmth like a current slowly dissolving her panic.
She took a deep breath and slowly stepped out from behind Jiang Lai, a shy determination in her eyes. She really did miss Jiang Lai, missed her enough that the brief kiss just now wasn’t nearly enough. But under her sister’s gaze, she still couldn’t help feeling nervous, her steps faltering.
Chi Yingyu saw her step out, and the smile in her eyes deepened. She didn’t say anything more, just shifted to the edge of the bed to give them more room, her gaze full of “I’m here for the show” anticipation.
Shen Ruxue stood before Jiang Lai, barely half a meter apart. She could smell that familiar shower gel scent, and the pent-up longing surged up all at once.
She slowly raised her hand, her fingertip gently brushing Jiang Lai’s cheek, like she was confirming this person was real. Then she slowly rose onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to Jiang Lai’s again.
This kiss was softer than before, and longer. Shen Ruxue’s fingertip rested lightly on Jiang Lai’s shoulder, her body trembling slightly—not from fear, but from nervousness laced with pure joy.
She could feel Jiang Lai’s hand gently encircling her waist, drawing her closer. The pressure was so tender it put her instantly at ease, her breathing evening out.
In the lamplight, their shadows fell against the wall, softly overlapping, the air thick with sweet warmth.
Chi Yingyu sat nearby, watching the scene unfold. The corners of her mouth curved, the teasing in her eyes fading into nothing but gentleness.
She just wanted her sister to know there was no need for fear, no need for restraint. Here, she could freely be herself, freely express her feelings.
Shen Ruxue slowly pulled back from Jiang Lai, her cheeks still flushed but her eyes shining like stars. She leaned softly into Jiang Lai’s embrace, her voice carrying a shy rasp.
“I… I just missed you a little…”
Jiang Lai gently ruffled her hair, her fingertip tracing tenderly over her reddened earlobe, her voice full of affection. “I know. I missed you too.”
Chi Yingyu watched the two of them nestled together, and she felt her own heart itch. Watching her sister get close with her beloved Jiang Jiang, she found the jealousy and envy far less than she’d imagined. Instead, a playful competitive spark was rising in her chest.
She really was a “pervert.” Not suppressing it, Chi Yingyu followed her impulses and lightly patted Shen Ruxue’s shoulder, with a slight hint of wanting to get close. “Sister, are you done kissing? If you’re done, isn’t it my turn now?”