After Confessing To My Childhood Friend - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Taking Photos

◎ Mengyin, look at the camera ◎

That travel plan never got finished that night.

After Xie Zhirou said “No refunds,” Chen Mengyin lightly pinched her waist and growled, “Who said anything about returning it? You’re already mine and you think you can run? No way!”

Xie Zhirou didn’t feel threatened at all. Instead, it felt like a newly weaned little puppy biting at her pant leg, barking relentlessly, unwilling to let her go—ready to sink its tiny teeth into her if she tried.
Utterly terrifying.

Xie Zhirou raised her hands in mock surrender, then reached to turn on the lights in the room.

The sudden brightness made both of them squint. After about three or five seconds, Chen Mengyin opened her eyes, finally adjusting to the light.

“Alright, stop being mad. Let’s shower first. Maybe we can still finish the travel plan before midnight.” Xie Zhirou started undoing her hairstyle. Whoever did her hair had used tons of clips to pin everything to the back of her head. After a whole day, her scalp ached from the tension.

Seeing her about to undo her elaborate hair, Chen Mengyin immediately stopped her. “Wait! Don’t touch it yet!”

She quickly stepped over, grabbed Xie Zhirou’s hand just as it touched a hairpin, and said, “It took so much effort to do your hair—let me take a few more pictures to remember it!”

Xie Zhirou let go of her hair and allowed herself to be led to the bed. Chen Mengyin opened a drawer, pulled out a lipstick she’d bought on a whim, checked the expiration date, and, satisfied it hadn’t expired, opened it. She lifted Xie Zhirou’s chin and clumsily applied the lipstick.

“It’s such a shame I didn’t get to see you wear lipstick tonight. I’m making up for it now—I’m going to take it all in at once.”

Chen Mengyin had never applied lipstick before. At such close distance, with Xie Zhirou’s beautiful face right in front of her and those foxy eyes smiling at her, she got nervous. Her hand trembled, and she smudged the lipstick beyond her lips.

In an instant, the cold fairy turned into a deadly temptress.

Chen Mengyin swallowed hard and subconsciously licked her own lips.

Having a girlfriend this good-looking was a sweet kind of trouble—especially when Xie Zhirou, smiling, asked if she wanted a kiss. Chen Mengyin couldn’t resist, threw away the lipstick, and pounced.

She pinned Xie Zhirou to the bed and kissed her lips like a clumsy puppy, licking messily. The freshly applied lipstick was completely licked off—she didn’t leave a trace.

Even after several kisses, Chen Mengyin hadn’t quite learned how to kiss properly. She only knew to use her tongue to lick. Eventually, tired, she propped herself above Xie Zhirou’s head, panting heavily.

Xie Zhirou’s hair was a mess by now. Several black clips had fallen onto the bed, and her lips were slick with Chen Mengyin’s saliva.

She teased her: “Is this how the great photographer takes pictures?”

Chen Mengyin barked back, “That was prep work!”

Straddling Xie Zhirou, she pulled her camera out from her still-worn shoulder bag and aimed the lens at her girlfriend’s half-smiling face.

“Model, please smile,” the “photographer” instructed.

From above, the camera captured Xie Zhirou’s tousled hair as she lay on the bed. A smear of lipstick lingered at the corner of her upturned lips like a blooming, seductive flower.

Chen Mengyin clicked the shutter and captured the scene.

But she didn’t get a chance to take a second one.

Because the model had run out of patience—she yanked the camera away and tossed it aside, then flipped the photographer onto her back.

“Roles have reversed, dear photographer,” the model whispered.

Kneeling on the bed, one of Xie Zhirou’s legs wedged between Chen Mengyin’s. She pinned the photographer’s wrists above her head.

Chen Mengyin blushed at the sudden and daring position. She tried to pull her hands free, but Xie Zhirou was strong and held them tight.

“What… are you doing?” Chen Mengyin asked.

Xie Zhirou chuckled and brushed the hair off her girlfriend’s cheek. “Collecting my modeling fee.”

She leaned down. Their soft bodies pressed together, and when their breath mingled, so did their lips—this time in a passionate, fiery kiss.

This kiss was different from Chen Mengyin’s puppy-licking attempts. Xie Zhirou’s kiss was slow-burning, starting as a spark and eventually engulfing every shred of Mengyin’s self-control.

It felt like falling into the ocean—Chen Mengyin could only cling to Xie Zhirou and let herself drown in her presence.

When the kiss finally ended, both were breathless and sweating.

Still dazed from the pleasure, Chen Mengyin stared blankly at the ceiling, chest heaving.

Xie Zhirou, a bit steadier, sat up and retrieved the camera she’d thrown aside.

“Mengyin, look at the camera.”

Instinctively, Chen Mengyin lifted her gaze, meeting the dark lens.

Click.

Xie Zhirou saved the photo, then helped the limp Chen Mengyin sit up and rubbed her back to steady her breathing.

“I’ll shower first. You think about where you want to go the day after tomorrow.” She kissed Chen Mengyin on the forehead before grabbing her change of clothes and heading to the bathroom.

After the door closed, Chen Mengyin slowly recovered.

Remembering the kiss, she let out a small squeal and rolled into the bed, hugging the blanket and flailing around.

She was way too easily seduced by Xie Zhirou’s face. All it took was a word, and she obeyed like a fool.

She started to worry—did Zhirou think she was too pervy? Always wanting kisses?

But… wanting to kiss your girlfriend was natural, right?
“It’d be weird not to want to kiss her,” Chen Mengyin reasoned, cheeks puffed.

In the end, she reached a conclusion: “She’s my girlfriend. If I want to kiss her, I will. No one can stop me!”

Unless Xie Zhirou didn’t want her to… she added silently.

Xie Zhirou’s shower was quick. Most of the time was spent removing all the clips and pearl chains from her hair.

It was late, so she showered quickly and called out, “Mengyin, I’m done! Your turn!”

She patted the still-lounging Chen Mengyin on the butt to wake her up. Mengyin scrambled up and rushed to the bathroom, face red.

Zhirou, smirking, plugged in the hair dryer and deliberately didn’t remind her girlfriend she’d forgotten a change of clothes.

Halfway through blow-drying, a soft voice called from the bathroom.

Chen Mengyin peeked out through a sliver in the door, her voice sheepish: “Zhirou, could you get my pajamas? And that… you know…”

Zhirou put down the dryer. “Sure.”

She found her girlfriend’s pajamas and underwear, then walked to the bathroom door.

“This the one?” she asked.

Mengyin nodded vigorously from behind the door: “Yes yes yes!”

Zhirou stood just out of reach and teased, “Here you go.”

No matter how far Chen Mengyin stretched, her fingers couldn’t quite reach.

After several failed attempts, she realized Zhirou was doing it on purpose.

She pouted and glared. “You’re such a jerk!”

Satisfied with being called a jerk, Zhirou finally stepped closer and handed her the clothes.

Mengyin snatched them and slammed the door shut with a loud “hmph,” sulking as she got dressed.

When she came out, Zhirou was at the desk working on the travel plan.

“All done? Dry your hair, then come help me.” Zhirou said.

Mengyin stuck her tongue out. “I’m still mad at you!”

Zhirou feigned surprise. “Why?”

“You totally did that on purpose earlier!” Mengyin accused.

Zhirou looked innocent. “No way. You misunderstood me.”

Mengyin wasn’t buying it. She dried her hair and sat on the bed with her back to Zhirou, ignoring her.

She was really mad. No amount of coaxing would work!

Seeing her girlfriend’s fluffy back sulkily turn away, Zhirou dropped the teasing and hugged her from behind.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong.” She kissed Mengyin behind the ear. “I just wanted to tease you. I didn’t mean to upset you. Please forgive me, okay?”

The ear she kissed turned bright red. Chen Mengyin cursed her own weakness—Zhirou barely had to say a few words and she’d melted.

She wanted to stay mad longer, but Zhirou didn’t play fair. After kissing her ear, she started kissing her shoulder—light, feather-like kisses that made Mengyin shiver and scrunch her neck.

After the third kiss, Mengyin finally turned to look at her.

Zhirou pouted, brows furrowed, eyes full of pitiful innocence.

How could Mengyin stay mad? She cupped Zhirou’s face and laughed. “You’re cheating! That’s no way to apologize!”

Zhirou didn’t resist, letting her face be squished.

She blinked. “Not mad anymore?”

Mengyin smiled. “How could I be mad when you’re looking like you’re about to cry?”

Zhirou snuggled up. “Mengyin, you’re the best.”

Mengyin tackled her. “You’re breaking character!”

Zhirou took her hand and looked into her eyes seriously. “This is the real me—who I am when I’m with you. Will you regret being with someone like me?”

“I’ll get jealous, possessive. I don’t want you to get too close to others. I want to hold you all the time, kiss you, and have you only look at me.”

“Is that okay?”

She stared, waiting for an answer.

If not for feeling her trembling hand, Mengyin would’ve believed she was calm.

But her shaky grip betrayed her nerves.

Chen Mengyin didn’t answer with words. She squeezed Zhirou’s hand and gently kissed her.

“I’d love that.”

She didn’t regret confessing to Zhirou. Whether she was cold and aloof or clingy and affectionate, it didn’t matter. Zhirou was Zhirou—irreplaceable.

If Zhirou wanted to hold her, kiss her—she’d gladly give it all, as long as they could be together forever.