The key turned in the lock, opening the gate.
"Take me."
"Huh?" Long Aotian thought he’d misheard—how could Ah Ying want this now?
Suddenly, her cool palms cupped his face, and soft lips pressed against his...
"Take me."
Her whisper sent a shiver down his spine.
Long Aotian wrapped his arms gently around her.
He cherished her—so, so much. Like a treasure lost and found, his every touch was tender.
The shimmer in her clear, beautiful eyes made his heart ache.
"Don’t cry..." His fingers brushed carefully at the corners of her eyes, his voice low with guilt.
Hu Yuying clung to him as he hovered above her. "Take me."
......
Outside, the sounds from the room reached Lin Wanning.
Her heartbeat raced uncontrollably.
The unmistakable, intimate noises filled her ears.
She knew this was Hu Yuying’s way of punishing her.
But she had wronged her first.
She deserved all of this.
The sounds grew louder. Lin Wanning leaned against the wall, closing her eyes as her breathing turned ragged.
Yet Hu Yuying seemed determined not to let her off—her moans grew fiercer, more urgent, impossible to ignore...
Lin Wanning slid down the wall, a wave of defeat washing over her.
Listening to the intermittent sounds, she sniffled and stared up at the sky.
......
Hu Yuying finally loosened her grip. "Stop."
At her words, Long Aotian clenched his fists, trembling as he fought to rein in his desire.
Looking down, he saw tears streaking her face. His breath heavy, he rasped, "I’m sorry," over and over.
Hu Yuying weakly thumped his chest. "You’re such a jerk, Long-ge. You know how much I love you, and you take advantage of it."
"We’ve known each other the longest. You like me too, don’t you? I was your first..."
"Haven’t I given myself to you whenever you wanted?"
"Or have you already grown tired of me?"
Long Aotian’s heart twisted at her tears. "No, no. I love you—more than just a little. I’m not tired of you. I love being close to you."
"You were my first. No one could ever replace you."
Hu Yuying studied him, fresh tears spilling.
Long Aotian panicked, unsure what to do.
He meant to pull away—
But her legs wrapped around his waist. "Long-ge, I really, really love you."
"What’s done is done. I don’t care about right or wrong anymore."
"You said you wanted to give me a home. Then in this home, you’ll listen to me. No more reckless behavior unless I allow it."
"I’ll obey you. From now on, you come first."
With his promise, she thumped his chest again—then kissed him fiercely.
This time, there was no gentleness. Every move was possessive, demanding.
How could she accept it? She couldn’t bear to let go, yet Lin Wanning had taken what was hers.
Two hours slipped by.
The door opened.
Hu Yuying stepped out and looked at Lin Wanning, still curled against the wall. Her voice was calm. "Come in."
Lin Wanning didn’t dare meet her eyes. She nodded faintly and tried to stand—
But her legs, numb from crouching too long, gave out. She nearly collapsed.
Hu Yuying clicked her tongue in frustration but caught her anyway.
Long-ge had taken all the blame, but after knowing him for so long, she knew the truth better than anyone...
"Thank you," Lin Wanning murmured.
Inside, Hu Yuying guided her to a chair, then turned to Long Aotian. "Long-ge, leave."
He glanced at Lin Wanning.
She shook her head slightly, signaling for him to go.
Once the door closed, Hu Yuying faced Lin Wanning again. "Explain."
"I’m sorry. It’s all my fault."
"Don’t apologize to me. What you did is unforgivable."
"Do you love Long-ge? Since when?"
Lin Wanning twisted her hands nervously. "A long time ago. I’m sorry, Ah Ying... I love him so much. I’m a terrible homewrecker. I was too greedy..."
"I wanted him, and I wanted our friendship too..."
"Ah Ying, it’s all on me. Hate me, curse me—it’s fine. Long-ge was coerced. I blackmailed him with a video. He never stopped worrying about you..."
Hu Yuying watched her silently. Under that gaze, Lin Wanning kept her head bowed.
Just last night, they’d bathed together, shared a room, laughed and talked. Now, everything had changed.
After a long pause, Hu Yuying spoke softly. "As a friend, you call me Ah Ying. I won’t fault you for that. But in this home, what should you call me?"
Lin Wanning looked up, her eyes red and swollen.
"...Sister."