Flirting Under Favor (GL) - Chapter 30
Mu Fan pressed tightly against Wang Lin, burying her face against her lower abdomen. Before long, a damp patch soaked through Wang Lin’s thin clothes. For a moment, she felt a sense of reliance, that feeling of relief and security when one who has borne the weight alone for too long finally puts down their armor.
After a long time, she sat up, a little flustered: “Thank you.”
Wang Lin used her sleeve to wipe away the tear stains: “You look like a little dirty cat now.”
Mu Fan was slightly embarrassed. She cared a lot about her image, and losing her composure in front of Wang Lin made her lose a bit of face. Her cheeks were slightly red.
Wang Lin racked her brains, unable to find the right words to describe Mu Fan in front of her. Mu Fan was already strikingly beautiful, and because she had just cried, she was exceptionally pitiable. Her slightly flushed cheeks were also incredibly adorable.
I love her to death!
Wang Lin stared blankly. For the first time, she had the thought of wanting to “do” Mu Fan (in the past, all her thoughts were about Mu Fan “doing” her).
“Shouldn’t we eat? Are you hungry?” Mu Fan wanted to quickly skip past the awkward situation and switched to the topic of food.
“Oh, a little, actually.”
“Then do you want to go out to eat or order takeout?”
Wang Lin checked the time and said: “I already asked Si Qing and the others to order it. It’s for five o’clock. There’s still a little while.” Her mind shifted, and she added: “I’m going to wash my face.” Then she ran into the bathroom.
Mu Fan sat where she was, finally having time to gather her thoughts after crying. Although Wang Lin seemed pure and simple, she was very smart. Mu Fan smiled softly.
After Wang Lin came out having washed her face, Mu Fan, having composed herself, went into the bathroom. Her head felt cloudy, and her eyelids were stinging a little. She splashed some cool water on her face before feeling better. She had always been strong-willed, and the times she had cried in front of others were few and far between. She hadn’t expected to lose her dignity in front of Wang Lin today. Most importantly, how was she going to explain it?
She pushed open the bathroom door and came face-to-face with Wang Lin’s heavy gaze.
Mu Fan forced a smile: “What are you standing here for?”
“Aren’t you going to tell me?” Wang Lin asked.
“Oh, I was just a little stressed. It’s nothing.”
Wang Lin’s chest rose and fell as she spoke directly: “You don’t take me as a real friend at all! Is there anything we can’t talk about, figure out, and solve together?” She was a little angry. They had just been happily touring and watching movies together, so why would Mu Fan suddenly sneak away to cry? And it seemed she didn’t want to tell her. Seeing the person she liked cry, and being able to do nothing but offer some empty comfort, made her heart ache. If Mu Fan were willing to tell her, no matter what the difficulty, she would be willing to help her solve it. But Mu Fan wouldn’t say.
“Wang Lin.” Mu Fan gently called her name and softly placed a hand on her shoulder. The hand, recently washed, was cold, but it did nothing to ease Wang Lin’s displeasure. “I don’t think of you as anything other than a good friend. I just felt there was no need to mention it. You know, everyone needs their own personal space. Even the closest people don’t have to share everything with each other.”
“You’re right,” Wang Lin took two steps back. “But I think feelings should be reciprocal. I don’t hide anything from you. I,” she walked to the side, lowering her head and shaking her hand, “I’m unhappy.” Saying this, her nose began to sting, and she was about to cry. “I’ve been fooling myself.” It sounded like a statement, and yet also like a question.
Mu Fan didn’t know what to say for a moment. Her past was too tragic, and she didn’t want to bring it up again, but she also didn’t want Wang Lin to misunderstand.
“I’m sorry.” She walked closer and reached for her. “Let me calm down and think about how to tell you, okay?” She appeasingly smoothed Wang Lin’s stray hairs and continued: “People have different personalities. Some people need to talk about everything, or they feel uncomfortable. Others prefer to keep some things hidden. It’s as normal as some people liking durian and others avoiding it. Don’t overthink it. You’re not fooling yourself.”
Wang Lin seemed to understand a little. She met Mu Fan’s eyes: “Then are you willing to tell me whether you like to eat durian?”
“Hmm?” Mu Fan pretended to think and said: “If the person I care about really likes it, I’d be willing to try it with them.”
The person I care about.
Mu Fan had compromised for her and said such ambiguous words. Wang Lin suppressed a smile and said: “I don’t like to eat it.”
“I don’t like it either.”
“Speaking of food, I’m a little hungry.”
“When did you ask Si Qing to send the food?”
“Six o’clock.”
Mu Fan went to the bed, picked up her phone to check the time—five thirty—and said: “Ask her to send it earlier.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” Wang Lin giggled, threw herself onto the bed, reached for her phone, and called Si Qing.
“I’m a little hungry. Send the food earlier.”
“Ten minutes,” Si Qing replied.
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Si Qing brought the food, so punctual it made Mu Fan sigh.
After taking out and arranging the food, Wang Lin seemed to have little appetite, puffing out her cheeks.
“It doesn’t taste good.” After finally swallowing the food in her mouth, Wang Lin dug out the order from the trash can, pouting: “This taste can sell for over a hundred yuan?”
Mu Fan seized the chance to say: “If this food you don’t like costs over a hundred, is it okay if I charge you two hundred for the food I make?”
“Huh?” Wang Lin was startled. Although Mu Fan was just joking, she took it seriously: “You’re right. I can’t just eat your food for free. You work so hard to earn money.”
Seeing how serious Wang Lin was, Mu Fan became anxious: “I was joking!” How could she possibly let Wang Lin pay for the food? She was very happy that Wang Lin liked her cooking. “You can eat whatever you want when we go back. I can still afford a few dozen dollars for groceries.”
The mention of going back made Wang Lin deflate: “When are you going back?”
Mu Fan couldn’t give a definite answer, only saying: “In about half a month.”
Wang Lin couldn’t hide her disappointment. The food she didn’t like lost all appeal: “I’m not eating anymore.”
“Don’t complain about being hungry tonight.”
“I’ll just have Si Qing buy more.”
Mu Fan said: “You’re just going to make them run around like that.”
Wang Lin was a little embarrassed to be called out. She didn’t want to be a demanding lady, but she still stubbornly insisted on acting spoiled.
Helplessly, Mu Fan picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and held it near Wang Lin’s mouth.
Wang Lin looked slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected Mu Fan to feed her. If that’s the case… She opened her mouth and ate it. However, she wouldn’t let Mu Fan feed her for the entire meal—she wasn’t that childish. After eating the meat Mu Fan fed her, she continued to eat her own.
“It’s not that bad, actually,” Wang Lin muttered, “But I just want to eat the food you make.”
Mu Fan looked down at the food in front of her. She poked it with her chopsticks, then looked up and said: “The project progress here is good. Maybe I can go back earlier.”
Wang Lin stretched her neck over, asking delightedly: “Really?”
“Maybe.”
“Sigh.” Wang Lin propped her head up with her hand, thinking it would be great if she could just sugar-baby Mu Fan. But it was just a thought. Given Mu Fan’s personality, and the fact that their relationship was currently just friends, it was unlikely even if they were truly together.
After finishing the meal, Wang Lin urged them to shower and get to bed early. The two watched two movies together.
After lying down.
Mu Fan: “Wang Lin.”
It was that gentle call again. Wang Lin knew that whenever Mu Fan called her full name like this, she was about to say something serious.
Wang Lin turned to her side. The bedside lamp was still on, casting a warm light on Mu Fan’s face, highlighting each individual eyelash.
Mu Fan began to speak slowly: “My father accumulated a lot of debt before he passed away, and I have to repay all of it. This afternoon, when you were asleep, I received a collection call, so I got up to answer it. Don’t worry, my mother left some insurance money when she died, so I can handle the debts for now.” She lay flat, staring at the ceiling, motionless. “But it’s only for now. Of course, I’m used to debt collectors. I wasn’t crying purely because of that. I was thinking of people my age. They attend classes without worry, participate in various club activities, date, or chase their dreams. They all have a home to return to and someone to lean on.” At this point, Mu Fan’s emotions became slightly agitated again. She took a long breath, trying to speak calmly: “As for me, I had no choice but to start working early. I have to budget carefully every month, worrying about how to manage next month’s living expenses. To be honest, it’s a little tiring. Maybe some people think I’m brave, strong, and capable, but who knows? I’m just forced to compromise and get by.”
She repeated again: “It’s a little tiring.”
A sound of sobbing came, but it wasn’t from Mu Fan.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t know you were going through such hardship. Woo-woo,” Wang Lin was flustered, her voice very soft and thin, full of sadness, “But I always threw tantrums at you and constantly needed you to comfort and coax me. I, woo-woo, I haven’t been good at all. I won’t bother you anymore.”
“Pffft, you fool.” Realizing Wang Lin was getting emotional, Mu Fan quickly turned to her side, rubbed her head, “It’s different.”
Wang Lin sniffled and asked: “What’s different?”
“I don’t mind you. You are different from life’s hardships.”
“Huh?”
“You haven’t caused me any trouble.”
Wang Lin tentatively asked: “What about in the future? Will I cause you trouble in the future?”
“Mhm. I won’t mind.” Mu Fan wanted to completely put her worries to rest: “Don’t blame yourself. Your little actions and little tempers are quite cute. Hmm, it’s like… you’re mischievous, but your mother doesn’t mind you being mischievous. She might say something, but deep down, she likes children acting that way. It’s natural for children.”
Wang Lin was displeased and said coquettishly: “You’re taking advantage of me!”
“How so?”
“You just are!” She started pouting again.
“Are you mischievous?”
“I’ve been a good girl since I was little.”
“Mhm, I like good girls.”
The second half of that sentence—good girls are easier to bully—Mu Fan only thought but didn’t say aloud. She was letting her mind wander again.
“Do you like it?” she asked without context.
“Mhm,” Wang Lin answered casually.
Wang Lin’s lips gently touched Mu Fan’s: “Do you like it?”
Mu Fan completely froze. The soft sensation lingering on her lips was clearly perceptible. What did this girl just do?
Do you like it? Do you like it? Do you like it? The three words echoed in her mind.
Do you like it?
She even asked out loud. Mu Fan’s brain crashed. She felt like her soul had left her body.
Realizing that her face was turning red at an extremely fast pace, Mu Fan reached out and turned off the bedside lamp as if she were a dying person suddenly sitting up in shock.
The complete darkness gave Mu Fan a sense of security. Her heart was still pounding rapidly.
The complete darkness also gave Wang Lin a sense of security, so much so that she had the courage or boldness to continue asking: “Don’t you like it?”
Her tone was cautious, like a child who had done something wrong, and also a little disappointed, like a child wanting praise and affirmation but not receiving it.
Mu Fan’s mouth was dry. Like a person on the verge of drowning, she used her last ounce of strength to call for help: “Wang Lin.” She asked with a trembling voice, “Can I kiss you?” Though it was a question, she didn’t need an answer.
“Nngh—”
Her lips were suddenly blocked. Wang Lin let out a soft “nngh nngh” from her nose.
The long-suppressed desire was suddenly released. The little deer in Mu Fan’s heart joyfully soared through the heavens and earth, and she gradually lost her mind.
She couldn’t help but seek further, to invade.
Gentle, lingering.
Wang Lin’s mind was completely blank. Her body froze, motionless. Her eyes were wide open in the darkness, filled only with shock and disbelief. She accepted Mu Fan’s kiss, completely passive, offering no resistance. Mu Fan advanced, and she retreated. Mu Fan easily took over a large area of her territory, until she nudged open Wang Lin’s pearly white teeth, completely occupying her.
Mu Fan was still very restrained, keeping the kiss from being too aggressive. It was only a tiny, careful, gentle invasion.
She was kissed into a daze, finding it hard to breathe. She could only make soft “woo woo woo” sounds through her nose, sounds that were both uncomfortable and pleasurable, delicate and seductive, provoking a crime.
Little by little, Wang Lin finally figured out some of the techniques for kissing. Just as she finally started to clumsily respond to Mu Fan, Mu Fan pulled away from her lips. Wang Lin reached out, hooked her arms around Mu Fan’s neck, pulled her back, and kissed her again.
The last thread of sanity Mu Fan possessed finally vanished without a trace.