After Marrying the Aloof Beauty, I Totally Fell for Her - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Not Painful at All 

“Ning Ning…”

Was Teacher Mu calling the person she used to be?

An Ning could only feel the bitter aftertaste of the coffee in her mouth becoming stronger.

She should be reminding Mu Yan right now.

But she didn’t want to say anything.

Even if it was stolen—this moment—she had begged for it.

She remained silent, but the woman on the sofa gradually regained clarity in her eyes.

Then that soft hand shrank back, as if it had touched a burning hot iron.

A rare panic flickered across the woman’s usually calm face. Her lips trembled, as if wanting to say something but unable to find the words.

An Ning took a quiet breath, then put on her usual easygoing smile, as if nothing had happened. “Teacher Mu, it’s already nine o’clock. Go to bed. Good night.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and quickly walked toward the bedroom.

She was afraid that if she stayed even a second longer, she’d do something that would make Teacher Mu feel awkward or angry.

Mu Yan silently watched the girl’s flustered back retreating until An Ning closed the bedroom door. Only then did she raise a hand and tug at her own hair.

What on earth am I doing…

That night, An Ning didn’t sleep well. It was probably the caffeine and her restless mind. She tossed and turned throughout the first half of the night. When she finally drifted off in the second half, her sleep was filled with strange, chaotic dreams.

By the time she woke up, she had already forgotten most of them, except for a few that involved Mu Yan. The most vivid one was of Teacher Mu lifting her chin with an expressionless face and kissing her.

But a dream is a dream. No matter how sweet and intoxicating that kiss had felt, it couldn’t cover up the helplessness of reality.

An Ning thought, if Teacher Mu really wanted to kiss someone, it would probably still be the version of her from the past.

“You didn’t sleep well last night?” When they were both done getting ready and sitting down for breakfast, Mu Yan noticed the bloodshot look in An Ning’s eyes and her tired expression.

“Mhm,” An Ning swallowed a mouthful of milk and nodded, a little embarrassed. She didn’t dare meet Mu Yan’s gaze. Her feelings were complicated right now—half grievance, half guilt. “Maybe I had too much coffee yesterday.”

“Then just rest at home today,” Mu Yan suggested. She wasn’t too enthusiastic about outings anyway, and seeing An Ning like this, she figured it’d be better to take another day off.

“No, no, no,” An Ning quickly shook her head. It was rare to be out with Mu Yan—she didn’t want to waste the day because of a sleepless night. “I feel fine now. Besides, if I nap during the day, I won’t be able to sleep again tonight.”

Mu Yan saw how determined she was and didn’t insist further. After breakfast, the two changed into lightweight winter gear and headed out.

The snow had stopped. The sun hung lazily in the sky, giving just enough light but not an ounce of warmth. Purity blanketed the world in white.

The path to the amusement area was also covered in thick snow—not cleared like in the city. Probably to give tourists a more authentic snowy experience.

Their snow boots made crunching sounds against the powdery snow—an oddly satisfying sensation.

The amusement area wasn’t far from the lodging. After about five minutes, they could hear the faint sounds of people cheering.

People in various outfits bustled around the different attractions, bringing color and movement to the icy landscape.

In the distance, An Ning spotted a steep slope that looked like a slide, where colorful snow sleds raced down with excited screams—looked fun.

Closer by was a wide ice skating rink, currently the most crowded attraction, filled mostly with children and middle-aged folks.

Compared to skiing, which was hard to pick up, or the thrilling snow sleds, skating seemed to suit all ages better.

They had a week here—plenty of time to try everything more than once. So An Ning wasn’t in a rush and suggested to Mu Yan they start at the rink.

“Hello, do you need a coach?” While they were changing into skates, a female voice suddenly came from above.

An Ning looked up and saw a tall, beautiful woman who looked to be in her early thirties. She wore a light gray snowsuit and had a sharp, capable vibe.

Seeing An Ning’s puzzled expression, the woman smiled and pointed at An Ning’s awkwardly tied skate laces. “You don’t seem very experienced. It’s not too hard, but for beginners, it’s easy to fall.”

An Ning: “…”

She realized why the coach had approached her. The laces and straps on the skates were a bit complicated. With no experience, she had struggled with them for a while, while Mu Yan had already finished and a little girl beside them was already on her second lap around the rink.

An Ning was about to refuse. She was confident in her athleticism—even without lessons, she probably wouldn’t fall too badly.

But what about Teacher Mu?

Just as she was about to speak, she instinctively turned to look at Mu Yan.

“What are you looking at me for?” Mu Yan, caught by her worried glance, reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She grabbed the rail and stood up. “I don’t need it.”

It might’ve sounded more convincing if she hadn’t wobbled as soon as she stood.

“Teacher Mu, sit down first…” An Ning worried she might fall and was about to get up too.

But Mu Yan, irritated by the concern in her voice, seemed even more determined to prove herself. She pushed forward to glide.

“Teacher Mu!” An Ning saw her slender figure stumble and nearly fall.

She panicked and lunged to help—only to slip and land flat on her backside herself.

“Ow!” As she came back to her senses, she realized Mu Yan hadn’t fallen after all.

The coach had stepped in just in time and gracefully caught Mu Yan by the waist, helping her regain balance.

“I told you beginners fall easily,” the coach even joked, continuing her pitch.

An Ning was just starting to feel relieved—only to see the coach gently supporting Mu Yan by the arm, smiling as she said, “I thought you actually knew how to skate. Someone as pretty as you should be extra careful—not worth getting hurt.”

Mu Yan didn’t seem to pull away—whether from embarrassment or lingering fear from nearly falling. Her petite figure, standing next to the tall coach, gave off an oddly delicate, almost clingy impression.

An Ning: “…”

What’s so great about her?

She got up from the ground, slid over, and took Mu Yan’s arm from the coach, helping her to a nearby seat. “Teacher Mu, I’ll go learn first. I’ll teach you once I’ve got it.”

Mu Yan looked at the ice stuck to An Ning’s clothes from her fall, lowered her gaze, and nodded without protest.

An Ning began her lesson with the coach. She really was far more athletic than Mu Yan—though a beginner, she wasn’t wobbly like others. She probably wouldn’t have fallen earlier if she hadn’t rushed over to help.

“You’re picking this up really quickly. You must work out a lot,” the coach praised after a few laps, visibly impressed. “Give it a few more days and you’ll be better than me.”

“Mm.” An Ning brushed off the compliment. “I think I’ve got it. You can take a break—I’ll keep practicing on my own.”

She didn’t wait for the coach’s reply before skating off on her own.

The coach watched her go, puzzled.

Did I do something to offend her?

Though An Ning had told her to rest, Mu Yan had paid quite generously. And the coach had a good impression of the elegant, beautiful woman. So, for professionalism’s sake, she returned to Mu Yan and smiled, “She’s got the hang of it. Want to give it a try?”

She thought Mu Yan would say yes—after all, who comes to a skating rink just to sit?

Unexpectedly, the woman shook her head and didn’t even look at her, eyes fixed on An Ning, who was gliding further and faster on the ice.

The wind from her motion blew back the girl’s bangs, revealing her bright forehead. Her eyes, always full of laughter, now focused seriously ahead. Her tall figure moved like a swift swallow through the skating crowd.

The coach scratched her nose awkwardly, about to try again when Mu Yan suddenly asked, “Does falling on ice hurt a lot?”

“…Huh?” The coach was a bit thrown. What kind of question was that?

Still, she answered, “It definitely hurts more than falling in snow. But everyone’s wearing thick clothes, so unless you land on your head, it’s usually fine.”

“Mm.”

Mu Yan responded vaguely, not looking very pleased, and said nothing more.

An Ning, done with a few laps, skated back over to Mu Yan—only to find the coach still there chatting.

Didn’t I tell her to take a break?

Suppressing her annoyance, An Ning came to a smooth stop in front of Mu Yan and offered her hand with a smile. “Teacher Mu, come on. I’ll teach you.”

The coach watched in surprise as the woman, who had ignored all her invitations, immediately took the girl’s hand without hesitation.

The tall girl pulled the slender woman into her arms, naturally supporting her by the waist. Her tone was gentle, “Don’t be afraid—just glide slowly. I’m right here. You won’t fall.”

“I’m not afraid,” the woman muttered softly, but still held tightly to An Ning’s arm for balance.

It was practically like she was acting spoiled.

Watching the two of them slowly skate into the rink, the coach finally realized why the seemingly sweet girl hadn’t liked her.

These two didn’t look like sisters—they looked like a couple.

She’d just been an unwelcome third wheel.

The cold wind and flecks of snow brushed against their cheeks. An Ning kept her eyes on Mu Yan’s feet, ready to adjust her body to help at any moment.

From her angle, she could see the woman’s trembling lashes and tightened jaw.

Even if she said she wasn’t afraid, suddenly leaving firm ground for slippery ice would make anyone nervous.

So Mu Yan leaned in close, gripping An Ning’s arm tightly—like a child learning to walk while clutching an adult’s hand.

The faint, sweet scent from Mu Yan’s body filled An Ning’s nose, giving her a strange sense of satisfaction.

Though it felt a little wrong to think this way, she secretly wished that Teacher Mu would learn slowly.

So she could lean on her just a little longer.

Gradually, Mu Yan no longer needed to hold An Ning’s arm, just her hand, to skate steadily.

Just when An Ning was hesitating whether to let go or not, Mu Yan suddenly spoke quietly, still keeping her head down, “I was wrong earlier. Did… you hurt yourself when you fell?”

“Huh?” An Ning looked at her in surprise, but Mu Yan didn’t meet her eyes—only the soft crown of her head was visible.

Was she asking about the fall from before?

Warmth and softness spread in An Ning’s heart. She wanted to say something, but words felt too small for her feelings.

So she acted instead—tightening her grip and pulling Mu Yan into her arms.

“You—!”

Startled, Mu Yan instinctively wrapped her arms around the girl’s solid waist.

She frowned and looked up, ready to scold her.

What if I pulled you down with me?

But she was met with a dazzling smile so close she forgot what she was about to say.

In this white snowy world, the girl’s hair flew in the wind, and her eyes curved into little crescents—warmer than the half-dead sun above them.

“Not painful at all.”

An Ning’s heart pounded as she felt the woman hugging her back tightly. She swallowed the rest of her words.

Even if it had hurt—just hearing those words from you made it all worth it.