28 Shaoyan and Ling

"Tell it to me straight, Shaoyan, why have you been avoiding me?"

The serious look on the blue haired woman's eyes demanded answers. Clothed in an elegant yellow tunic, its price in spirit stones should be nothing less than exorbitant.

"No particular reason. I just…I was feeling a bit sick lately."

Shaoyan's voice was meek, she did her best to avoid Ling's gaze. Is that all that Ling wanted to ask her? If so, there was no need for Ling to send her men so she could 'summon' Shaoyan into Ling's lavish room. They could have had a simple conversation like this out in the street!

Ling's eyes narrowed at the woman before him wearing standard brown robes. Shaoyan was hiding something, she could sense it.

"Is that so? Then why did my men report to me that they caught you trying to leave the city? After everything we've been through, you're planning to leave without even saying goodbye? Tell me, why are you willing to toss away years of our friendship?"

The barrage of questions from Ling started to infuriate Shaoyan, her avoidant eyes locked straight into Ling's. Does Ling think that they could forget all the memories that they shared? Their late night talks at Ling's balcony, under the moonlit night. The times when they would both run away to hide from Ling's bodyguards so they could travel places unbothered. The serenity that came with combing each other's hair.

"What's it to you if I leave!? Just leave me alone!"

Planning to walk out that instant, Shaoyan hasn't even taken a single step when Lin retorted. Ling's words carried the content of her heart, "It's everything to me, Shaoyan."

"What did you mean by that?"

To further confuse Shaoyan, Ling didn't answer and instead chose to ask a question of her own.

"It's about my arranged marriage, isn't it?"

Shaoyan gasped. Ling grinned as she hit the nail on the head. That reaction was the only thing Ling needed to confirm her suspicions.

That Shaoyan was also into her.

Ling stood and stopped at a hair's breadth before Shaoyan.

"What are you doing?" There was a hint of panic in Shaoyan's tone.

"Being true to myself."

Without warning, Ling's lips touched Shaoyan's. It was only momentary but Shaoyan felt that her whole world had stopped, and that their kiss would last for an eternity.

Just as she initiated it, it was Ling that broke their eternal standstill. With gusto, Ling undid Shaoyan's robes before dragging and throwing her into the bed.

Doubt swirled within Shaoyan, she's about to do it with a fellow woman, and one that's about to get married soon!

Ling was busy diving into Shaoyan's neck, her kisses making their mark, until she heard Shaoyan's plea.

"Ling, stop, you're about to get married soon!"

Ling heeded, and resurfaced to face Shaoyan.

"Since I don't want you acting jealous, I will break off my engagement. Is that good enough, can we please continue?"

For her? Shaoyan doesn't even know what they are right now. The only thing she was sure of is that they're more than friends as it's not normal friend behavior to lay in your friend's bed naked while being kissed on the neck.

"Why!? Your family is not going to be happy about this, especially your fiance!"

"To hell with them. Don't worry, I'll deal with them all for you, I'll deal with them for us. As long as you promise to be there by my side"

Ling's longing gaze pierced Shaoyan. After that confession, how could Shaoyan deny Ling when she herself harbored feelings for the young mistress?

Shaoyan caressed Ling's cheek.

With a smile, Shaoyan said, "It's my first time, be gentle."

"Don't worry, I will be." Ling reassured.

What started in Shaoyan's stomach, bit by bit, Ling's lips trailed all the way down to devour Shaoyan's cherry.

[END OF VOLUME 1]

+++

Xiao screamed, part giddiness and part outrage. How could this son of a bitch author cut things short when something was finally about to happen to Ling and Shaoyan!?

Rising from her bed, it was then that Xiao realized that the sun was now starting to rise. Crap. She just stayed up all night reading a lesbian romance novel!

Her stomach called for breakfast, as soon as she headed down she heard a knock on her front door.

As soon as Xiao opened the door for Lin, the blue haired woman immediately beelined for the sofa.

"Xiao, have you seen my book?"

"I have, it's in my room upstairs."

The nonchalance that Xiao exhibited was in stark contrast to the bashful expression on Ling's face.

"What the hell, did you read it!?" Lin's tone bordered on shouting.

"I have, why are you so surprised? It's a good book. Although the author is a major dick for that cliffhanger."

Lin was confused, why was Xiao taking it all in stride? Here was Lin, all bothered that Xiao might find her weird for reading such literature.

"Y-yeah. It is a good book." Lin sighed in relief, the last thing that she wanted was for their friendship to be dented because Xiao might think that she's into the taboo. "Just so you know, I'm not into women, I just read it for the story."

"I know, I'm not naive enough to think that what you read equates to your sexuality…" Xiao let out a chuckle. "...But what's wrong with it if you are? There's really nothing wrong being with the person that makes you happy."

Now Lin was even more confused. Was Xiao hinting at something? No, it couldn't be. Maybe she was just overthinking things? Yeah, that was probably it. Lin shrugged off the gay thoughts aside.

Then, Xiao immediately followed up, "By the way, I'm making breakfast, you want some?"

The moment that Lin remembered about her book this morning, she immediately rushed towards Xiao's dwelling, leaving no room for breakfast.

"What's on the menu?"

With a patronizing tone, Xiao teased, "Would fish and egg rolls suffice as the young mistress' first meal of the day?"

"Okay, Xiao, leave the teasing AFTER we ate. I might snap at you since I'm fucking starving."

Although Lin's words were threatening, they parted from her lips with a smile.

The two shared a giggle before proceeding to spend the rest of their day together.