Forbidden Deep Affection (GL) - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The group partied past midnight before breaking up. Ye Ting Shuang went back to shower first, while Ming Shuang helped the others clean up the venue.

Back in the room, she saw Ye Ting Shuang in pajamas on the balcony, fiddling with her camera.

“Done shooting already?”

“Not shooting anymore.” Ye Ting Shuang packed up the camera and went inside to transfer photos.

Ming Shuang wiped her face, flopped onto the bed closer to the window, and yawned. “Not done yet?”

“Almost.”

Just then, Ming Shuang’s phone pinged once, then again.

She checked it and saw Ye Ting Shuang had sent her two photos. One was an incomplete star trail, the stars leaving short streaks like meteors. The other was a full sky of twinkling stars.

*

She blinked. “Pretty good shots, but… why send me these instead of my solo pics?”

“The solo pics are mine, but tonight’s stars are yours.” Ye Ting Shuang put down her phone and headed to the bathroom.

Ming Shuang stared at the photos, lost in thought, recalling their balcony talk and her grandma, holding her and her sister’s hands on a country path.

“Thanks,” she said softly, unsure if Ye Ting Shuang heard from inside.

She set the starry photo as her social media background and sent it to her sister.

Ming: [Remember the stars at Grandma’s?]

Mingyue: [&％￥）PV=Yes）]

Ming: [What are you babbling about?]

Mingyue: “Who are you? I’m hungry, hungry, hungry~”

The soft, childish voice made it clear her niece was playing with her mom’s phone again.

“Little Treasure, it’s your auntie. Say ‘Auntie’ and I’ll buy you ice cream,” Ming Shuang messaged.

“Auntie~ You’re Auntie? Mommy, Auntie’s calling!”

Ming Shuang laughed at the voice message.

“What’s so funny?” Ye Ting Shuang came out of the bathroom, seeing her grinning like a goof.

“Nothing.” Ming Shuang toned down her smile, waiting for Ye Ting Shuang to get into bed before turning off the light. “Good night.”

After a long pause, Ming Shuang spoke again. “You didn’t reply.”

“Reply to what?” Ye Ting Shuang opened her eyes in the dark.

“Good night.”

“…”

“No manners.”

“Good night, happy now?”

“You sound annoyed.”

Maybe it was the beer keeping her awake, but Ye Ting Shuang couldn’t keep up with her antics. She said, very patiently, “Good—night—then.”

Hearing the warmest words in the coldest tone, Ming Shuang burst out laughing.

*

With a whoosh sound, the curtains were yanked open, and the sunlight flooded in. Ming Shuang rolled over, mumbling, “What’s that for?”

“It’s late. Get up,” Ye Ting Shuang said.

Ming Shuang groped for her phone, squinting. “It’s barely past seven. How’s that late?”

“We’ve got to drive. Let’s try to reach Vegas before dark,” Ye Ting Shuang said, heading to wash up. When she came back, Ming Shuang was asleep again. She walked over and tapped her leg dangling off the bed.

“Early morning, don’t tease me,” Ming Shuang said haughtily, pulling her leg back, rolling on the bed, and sitting up slowly, hair a mess, staring blankly at her.

Ye Ting Shuang poked her forehead with one finger, pushing lightly. Ming Shuang flopped back with an “ow.”

Ye Ting Shuang chuckled.

Ming Shuang got up, washed, and packed. Ye Ting Shuang was already downstairs.

With minimal luggage, Ming Shuang carried her bag down, hearing Ye Ting Shuang chatting with the world-traveling couple in the courtyard, talkative as if they weren’t strangers.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Ming Shuang saw the couple wave to Ye Ting Shuang as they got into their car.

“What were you talking about?” Ming Shuang asked, walking up curiously.

Ye Ting Shuang waved back, heading to their car. “Their travels. They went skydiving yesterday.”

“So?” Ming Shuang buckled her seatbelt, about to set the GPS, when Ye Ting Shuang beat her to it, entering the address.

“So, let’s do it too,” Ye Ting Shuang said.

“What?!” Ming Shuang looked at her, shocked. “Just like that? No Vegas?”

“We’re still going. The skydiving place is in the next city. We’re here, so why not?”

“We’re here” was a powerful phrase.

“Let’s do it!” Ming Shuang felt a thrill of excitement. “You ever been skydiving?”

“Nope.”

“Me neither. Only bungee jumped.”

Last time she bungee jumped, it took days to psych herself up. This decision was sudden, but the longer you delay thrilling stuff, the harder it gets. Better to just dive in.

They reached the skydiving city near noon, grabbed a quick meal at a random restaurant, and headed to the skydiving base.

The staff ran them through a quick health check, confirming they were good to go before taking payment.

“Boss, it’s on you~” Ming Shuang winked.

“…” Ye Ting Shuang couldn’t even look.

She paid for both, listened to the instructor’s briefing, and soon they were boarding a helicopter.

As it climbed, the roaring noise grew, and Ming Shuang’s heart raced. She grabbed Ye Ting Shuang’s hand, shouting, “Nervous? Scared?”

Ye Ting Shuang held her hand. “It’s fine. We’ve got instructors. No accidents.”

“Even with instructors, it’s not 100% safe! So scary!”

“If you want to back out, do it. Don’t risk your life,” Ye Ting Shuang said.

“No way I’m quitting.” The cabin door opened, wind rushing in. Ming Shuang didn’t bother fixing her hair, pointing outside with the instructor. “Let’s go!”

Ye Ting Shuang watched, amused. One second she was terrified, the next she jumped bravely.

“Ah—!!!”

The moment Ming Shuang leaped, her brain blanked, her scream lagging behind her pounding heart, legs like jelly. When the parachute opened, she calmed down, finally taking in the view below.

After landing, still buzzing with adrenaline, she unhooked her gear and saw Ye Ting Shuang touch down safely. High on the thrill, she ran over, throwing her arms around her.

“How was it? Awesome, right?” Ming Shuang asked, excited.

“It was okay.”

“You look so chill. Impressive,” Ming Shuang said, staring at her face.

“Mm.” Ye Ting Shuang bent to unfasten her gear.

The instructor handed them each a water bottle. Ming Shuang sipped, then noticed Ye Ting Shuang’s sweaty palm as she took hers.

Realizing Ye Ting Shuang was faking her calm, Ming Shuang laughed, nearly choking on her water, coughing a few times.

Ye Ting Shuang gave her a slightly disgusted look.

As they walked back to the base, Ming Shuang suddenly grabbed her hand.

Ye Ting Shuang shook her off, speeding up.

“What’s the rush? Let me hold it,” Ming Shuang said, catching up leisurely, rubbing her slightly damp palm and smiling as they discussed the jump’s emotional rollercoaster.

“Did you think about writing a will before jumping?”

“Nope.”

“Any regrets that flashed in your mind?”

Ye Ting Shuang paused. “Yeah.”

“What?”

“I haven’t paid you the final amount. If something happened to you, it’d be a hassle.”

“?” Ming Shuang blinked, stunned that was her concern, then laughed, holding out her hand. “Pay me now, then.”

“You’re safe now. I’ll pay when the term’s up.”

“Fine… let’s go jump again.” Ming Shuang grabbed her, ready to run.

“No way.” Ye Ting Shuang couldn’t shake her off. Passing a tree, she grabbed it with her other hand, clinging tight. “Go by yourself.”

“You’re adorable,” Ming Shuang said, laughing, letting go and pinching her cheek, only to get a kick in the shin.

“Ow—!”

“Sorry, reflex,” Ye Ting Shuang said.

“Can’t pinch your face?”

“It’s not that. I can’t stand being called cute,” Ye Ting Shuang said seriously.

“…”