Forbidden Deep Affection (GL) - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Early in the morning, Ye Ting Shuang got ready to go look at materials. After packing her things, she knocked on the next room’s door.

No response.

She tried the doorknob, and surprisingly, it opened.

The person in bed finally opened her eyes, her lashes fluttering a few times before she lazily rolled over. “What’s up?”

“You didn’t lock the door?” Ye Ting Shuang asked curiously.

“Can’t I? What, you planning to sneak in at night?” Ming Shuang teased.

Ye Ting Shuang shook her head and got to the point. “I’m heading out to take care of something. You’re free to do whatever today.”

“Oh, when’ll you be back?”

“Not sure. I’ll let you know.”

“Alright, I’ll go back to sleep then.” Ming Shuang closed her eyes, dozed off again, and only jumped out of bed when the alarm rang, rushing to school.

After finishing an exam, several classmates invited her to a party—a costume dance with lots of pretty girls. She agreed right away.

The group chatted and laughed as they left the school. Suddenly, someone called out, “Ming Shuang.”

Ming Shuang turned and saw a familiar girl jogging toward her.

“What a coincidence! I came to find a friend, but here, I’ll pay you back for last night,” Hou Ying said.

Ming Shuang remembered her and smiled. “No need, it’s just a small amount. Don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not? I—”

“Gotta run, we’re in a hurry. Catch up later!” Ming Shuang was pulled away by her classmates.

“You know her?” Hou Ying’s friend asked.

“Met her yesterday,” Hou Ying replied.

“I’ve heard of her. She’s the prettiest Chinese international student at our school, comes from a rich family, and…”

Seeing her friend hesitate, Hou Ying finished, “Yeah, she likes women.”

Her friend blushed and whispered, “Think I have a chance?”

Hou Ying patted the younger girl’s head. “Not to burst your bubble, but she’s only dated top-tier girls, and her relationships are super short. If you don’t want to taste love’s bitterness, steer clear.”

Her friend deflated.

“Minge, over here!”

It was Katherine’s birthday, so she was throwing a costume party. As Ming Shuang stepped into the yard, Katherine waved from the second-floor balcony, a girl standing beside her.

Ming Shuang wove through the colorful crowd downstairs and reached Katherine, who was dressed as a joker girl. She happily hooked an arm around Ming Shuang’s neck and whispered, “This is my old classmate. Like her?”

Ming Shuang glanced at the stranger across from her, dressed as Catwoman—tall, sexy, with striking eyes and a smug, confident smile.

Ming Shuang smirked. “Yeah, I like her.”

“Then you two chat.” Katherine gave a suggestive wink and went off to mingle.

Halfway through the party, while swaying in the dance floor, Ming Shuang felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out, sighed, and stepped aside to answer.

“I’m back,” Ye Ting Shuang said.

“Cool.”

Ye Ting Shuang heard the noisy background. “Where are you?”

“At a party!” It was so loud that Ming Shuang had to shout.

Ye Ting Shuang’s ears buzzed from the yell. She held the phone away for a moment, paused, and asked, “When are you coming back?”

“Dunno, still having fun. Wanna join?”

“Me?”

Ye Ting Shuang knew people loved inviting friends to parties, but they’d only known each other for a day, and she was already invited?

“Come on, there are tons of hot girls here!” Ming Shuang laughed.

“Alright, send me the address.”

“…”

What a player. So much for being prim!

Ming Shuang sent the address, mentioned it was a costume party, and told her to change before coming. Then she went back to flirting on the dance floor.

When Ye Ting Shuang arrived at the gate and saw the packed crowd, she started to regret it.

Forget finding beauty here—it was hard to even tell what characters people were dressed as. There were faceless guys, Iron Man, Spider-Man, their faces completely hidden.

A joker girl passed by, making a goofy face at her. Ye Ting Shuang stared back blankly.

“Hey, who are you?” Katherine’s eyes grew puzzled. This wasn’t someone she invited. “Whose friend are you?”

“Uh…” Ye Ting Shuang opened her mouth but couldn’t name anyone specific.

The two stared at each other, the moment growing awkward.

Katherine studied her East Asian features for a while and ventured, “Are you Ming’s friend?”

“Ming?” Could that really be her name?

Katherine pulled her into the dance floor.

The crowd jostled, lights flickered, and when Ye Ting Shuang finally steadied herself, she saw her—Ming Shuang in a vibrant cheongsam, swaying gracefully under dreamy lights, radiant in the roaring noise.

“Ming! Is this your friend?” Katherine shouted.

Ming Shuang turned, spotted Ye Ting Shuang, and her eyes lit up with slight surprise.

“Yeah.” She walked over, her gaze unapologetically fixed on Ye Ting Shuang.

Ye Ting Shuang wore a horse-face skirt, her hair pinned up, accentuating her sharp features. A pair of jade earrings added the perfect touch, elegant and refined.

“Why’d you wear this?” Ming Shuang asked.

“Not good?”

“Really good. Gives them a shock.” Ming Shuang grinned, reaching out to touch the jade earrings. “These are pretty unique. Where’d you get them?”

“Not bad, you’ve got taste.” Ye Ting Shuang smiled faintly. They were her own design.

Just then, “Catwoman” walked over, eyeing Ye Ting Shuang up and down before turning to Ming Shuang. “Wanna hang?”

Ming Shuang looked to Ye Ting Shuang. “Want to dance?”

“Nah, you guys go. I’ll look around.”

“Alright.”

Ming Shuang went back to dancing with Catwoman but couldn’t help glancing back at Ye Ting Shuang’s direction.

Ye Ting Shuang climbed the stairs and stood in the second-floor hallway, overlooking the party. After scanning the scene, her eyes settled on the center of the dance floor.

Ming Shuang looked up, their eyes meeting briefly before she turned back to Catwoman, laughing and chatting.

A bit later, she looked up again and saw Ye Ting Shuang leaning against the railing, talking to a tall guy who was grinning widely, showing his teeth.

Curious, Ming Shuang kept glancing over.

After the guy left, a few girls crowded around Ye Ting Shuang, pointing at her skirt and asking questions.

Ming Shuang saw her pull out her phone, seemingly exchanging contacts with them.

“You like her?” Catwoman’s voice suddenly cut in.

“What? No way.” Ming Shuang looked away, smiling as she slid an arm around Catwoman’s waist. “I like your type.”

Catwoman smiled. “Wanna date me then?”

“Nah, I’m kinda busy lately. Let’s talk about it when I’m free.” Ming Shuang grinned.

Catwoman glanced up. “Your friend’s gone.”

Ming Shuang looked up and, sure enough, Ye Ting Shuang was nowhere in sight. She stood on her toes, scanning around. “Sorry, I’m gonna find my friend.”

She’d invited her, so if anything happened, it’d be on her.

Ming Shuang searched everywhere, growing anxious. Just as she pulled out her phone to call, a calm voice came from behind. “Looking for me?”

Ming Shuang spun around, relieved. “Where’d you go?”

“Bathroom. Why were you looking for me?”

“Who said I was looking for you? Don’t flatter yourself.” Ming Shuang pouted.

Ye Ting Shuang didn’t press further or mention that after returning from the bathroom, she’d noticed Ming Shuang was gone, asked Catwoman, and learned she was looking for her.

They stood silently in a corner. Ye Ting Shuang asked, “Not dancing anymore?”

“Nah, I’m tired.” Ming Shuang walked to the nearby balcony to catch a breeze.

Someone approached, and she glanced at Ye Ting Shuang’s profile. “You don’t like parties?”

“I do.”

“…” Ming Shuang looked at her blank expression, struggling to see any sign of enjoyment.

“You don’t believe me?” Ye Ting Shuang met her skeptical gaze.

“Nope.”

“Doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. That’s your deal.” Ye Ting Shuang shrugged.

“Are you always this chill about things you like?” Ming Shuang asked, puzzled.

“Chill?” Ye Ting Shuang thought for a moment. “I’m happy inside. That’s enough.”

Ming Shuang had no comeback and changed the subject. “What’d you do today?”

“Picked out gems.”

Ming Shuang looked at her, surprised. “Shopping?”

“Sort of.”

“You’re into that stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Find anything good?”

Ye Ting Shuang glanced at her, her eyes drifting from her face to her neck, and shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Going again tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a gem market nearby. Been there?” Ming Shuang gave an address.

Ye Ting Shuang shook her head. “Take me there.”

Ming Shuang had an exam tomorrow and refused. “No time.”

“It’s for you. If you come, it’ll help me choose.”

Ming Shuang’s eyes widened again.

“What’s with that look?”

“You, stingy as hell, buying me gems?!” Ming Shuang said in disbelief.

Ye Ting Shuang frowned, annoyed. “Who’s stingy? You free tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, I’ll go then!”

“Good.” Ye Ting Shuang nodded and turned to leave.

“Where you going? Stick with me, or you might get lost, and I won’t necessarily find you,” Ming Shuang warned.

“You’re the one who should worry about that.” Ye Ting Shuang turned back. “Looked like you were about to go home with that Catwoman tonight.”

“Not tonight, but who knows later.” Ming Shuang studied her expression with interest.

Ye Ting Shuang’s face stayed blank. “Understandable. She’s definitely a beauty.”

Ming Shuang hooked an arm around her neck, whispering, “Hey, little flirt, got your eye on anyone? Like that Catwoman?”

“Who’re you calling a flirt?” Ye Ting Shuang shot her a slight glare.

Ming Shuang burst into laughter. “So you can make other expressions! Come on, give me another glare.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Ye Ting Shuang concluded.

Ming Shuang laughed so hard her head rested on Ye Ting Shuang’s shoulder.

No idea what was so funny. Ye Ting Shuang gave the giggling girl an exasperated look and answered her earlier question. “I looked around, and you’re still the one who catches my eye.”

Ming Shuang’s laughter paused. She lifted her gaze, her dark eyes reflecting Ye Ting Shuang’s serious profile. A moment later, she burst into wild laughter again.

“…” Curious stares came from all around. Ye Ting Shuang didn’t want to be their entertainment and covered Ming Shuang’s mouth. “Stop laughing.”

“Mmph.” Ming Shuang opened her mouth and bit her hand.

“You actually bit me? No manners.” Ye Ting Shuang yanked her hand back. “Careful, I might dock your pay.”

“Pfft, haha! Dock my pay?” Ming Shuang found it hilarious, laughing so hard she crouched down, holding her stomach.

“Whatever. You’ve got issues.” Ye Ting Shuang decided not to bother with her and quickly walked away from the embarrassing scene.