Forbidden Deep Affection (GL) - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After finishing her last exam, Ming Shuang stepped out of the classroom and stretched.

A hand suddenly reached from behind, hooking around her neck.

“Hey, what’s your deal? I went out of my way to set you up with Katie, and now she’s dating some other girl!” Katherine grumbled, frustrated.

Katie was last night’s Catwoman.

“Congrats to her,” Ming Shuang said with a smile.

“You’re not even a little bummed?” Katherine pressed.

Ming Shuang shrugged, giving a carefree smile. “Connections between people are pretty short-lived.”

She’d learned that lesson early.

In her first year of high school, her sister married a man against their family’s wishes, cutting ties with them. That same year, her mother passed away from illness. It took Ming Shuang a year to come to terms with it. Then, one late night, she saw her father bring home a woman, announcing she’d be the new lady of the house.

The woman was only four years older than her.

Ming Shuang threw a fit, trying to stop the woman from moving in, but her father packed her off to study abroad.

She didn’t even get to say goodbye to her classmates or friends.

By the time they reconnected, conversations felt stiff and awkward.

And her sister, who’d given up everything for love, was now preparing for a divorce.

If even family ties were so fleeting, what could you expect from friends or lovers?

“Connections are short. Just enjoy the moment,” Ming Shuang said, patting Katherine’s shoulder.

“Fair enough. Where are we going tonight? Bring your friend along,” Katherine said, quickly moving on to live in the now.

“We’ve got plans tonight. Another time.”

Back at the hotel, Ming Shuang told Ye Ting Shuang about Katherine’s invite.

Ye Ting Shuang was watching a jewelry video, paused it, and said, “You guys go have fun. I don’t have time, and besides, I’m not your friend.”

Ming Shuang’s hand froze mid-bag-drop, glancing at her before plopping onto the couch with a shrug. “True, we’re not even friends.”

Ye Ting Shuang nodded, checked the time, and stood. “It’s getting dark. Let’s head out.”

Ming Shuang followed her out reluctantly, regretting why she’d agreed to this errand last night.

When she saw Ye Ting Shuang heading for the subway, she stepped forward and grabbed her collar. “Wrong way. You can take a cab from over there.”

Ye Ting Shuang calmly brushed her hand off, fixed her collar, and said, “It’s rush hour. Traffic’s a mess. The subway’s faster and cheaper.”

Ming Shuang frowned, eyeing her skeptically. “You’re willing to spend 180,000 to keep me, but you’re too cheap for a cab?”

Ye Ting Shuang replied, “Exactly because I’m keeping you, I’ve got to save money elsewhere. Frugality’s a virtue.”

“…”

Ming Shuang didn’t want to talk to this cheapskate anymore and strode toward the subway.

The train car was crowded, and to their bad luck, it was packed with a weird smell wafting from somewhere.

Ming Shuang covered her nose, glancing at Ye Ting Shuang, who seemed unfazed. “Don’t you smell that? It stinks.”

Ye Ting Shuang looked at her, saw her scrunched-up face, and grabbed her wrist.

Ming Shuang blinked, confused, as Ye Ting Shuang pulled her through the crowd to another car.

To avoid bumping into others, Ming Shuang ducked low, staying close behind Ye Ting Shuang until they reached a corner in the next car.

Ming Shuang straightened up, looking around. It was still crowded, but the spot was roomier, and the bad smell was gone.

Ye Ting Shuang let go of her hand.

Ming Shuang absentmindedly rubbed her wrist and asked, “Do you take the subway a lot?”

“Depends,” Ye Ting Shuang said, then turned the question back. “You’ve never ridden it?”

Ming Shuang didn’t answer, worried she’d ask why.

Her dad wasn’t good for much, but he was generous with money. No need to share that with someone who wasn’t even a friend.

Seeing her silence, Ye Ting Shuang didn’t press.

They stayed quiet until they reached their stop.

As the crowd surged toward the exit, Ming Shuang noticed Ye Ting Shuang was gone. Looking back, she saw her standing in front of a billboard.

“What’re you looking at?” Ming Shuang walked back.

Ye Ting Shuang nodded at the billboard’s female model. “Pretty?”

“Of course, she’s a Hollywood star,” Ming Shuang said.

“I meant the diamond necklace she’s wearing.”

“She’s the spokesperson, so they’d put something nice on her,” Ming Shuang replied.

Ye Ting Shuang stared at the sparkling necklace, lost in thought, then followed Ming Shuang’s urging out of the station.

At the market, Ye Ting Shuang realized it wasn’t what she’d expected.

It was mostly finished jewelry, not the raw materials she wanted.

“There are a few buildings here selling jewelry, all sorts of categories. What kind do you want?” Ming Shuang asked.

“Just browsing.” Since they were there, might as well look.

Ming Shuang played on her phone while tagging along, noticing Ye Ting Shuang had good taste.

Ye Ting Shuang only stopped at certain counters, and every piece she admired made Ming Shuang’s heart skip. She’d tell the clerk to wrap it up.

Ye Ting Shuang eyed the seven or eight bags in Ming Shuang’s hands. “Can you afford all that?”

“No big deal.”

Well, she must’ve made a lot of money, then. Ye Ting Shuang ignored her spending spree.

After over three hours of shopping, Ming Shuang was exhausted and sat on a couch, watching Ye Ting Shuang buy a men’s ring, young and stylish.

When she came over, Ming Shuang couldn’t help asking, “Who’s that for? Not a boyfriend, right?”

“No, for family.”

“Oh, brother or younger brother?”

Ye Ting Shuang didn’t answer and kept shopping.

Ming Shuang watched her pick out a pair of cufflinks, a diamond necklace identical to the one on the billboard, and, at another counter, she hesitated, looking conflicted, before buying a pair of unique earrings.

Those must be for a girl. Who? Girlfriend? Ex?

“Who’re those for?” Ming Shuang asked directly.

“Why do you care?”

“No reason, just think the earrings are pretty.”

Ye Ting Shuang told the clerk to grab another identical pair and handed them to Ming Shuang.

Ming Shuang stared, stunned.

“Two pairs for a discount. Perfect.”

“Oh, wow, thanks, Boss!” Ming Shuang laughed brightly.

“That sounds awful.”

“Thanks, Big Boss!”

“Better.”

They left the building late, but Ming Shuang was hungry and pointed at a bakery across the street. “I’m gonna grab something to eat.”

“Alright.”

Ming Shuang took a few steps, then turned back to see Ye Ting Shuang following. “It’s late, subway’s probably done. Take a cab!”

“Got it.” Ye Ting Shuang smirked.

Ming Shuang caught her slight smile, feeling her mood lift, and pushed open the bakery door.

At checkout, she glanced outside. Ye Ting Shuang stood by the road, waiting for a cab. A little girl selling flowers was trying to get her to buy, but she firmly shook her head.

Ming Shuang hurried to pay, hoping the girl hadn’t left yet.

Pushing open the door, she saw the girl was gone. As she approached to ask which way she went, she noticed Ye Ting Shuang holding a bunch of flowers.

Colorful daisies were bunched together, like all four seasons squeezed into one.

Ming Shuang pointed at the flowers, too shocked to know where to start.

Ye Ting Shuang handed them to her, flagged down a cab, opened the door, and looked up. “What’re you standing there for? Get in.”

“Huh? Oh, coming!” Ming Shuang, clutching the messy bouquet, got in, feeling oddly flustered.

The dim street lights flickered across her face. She glanced at Ye Ting Shuang, who was looking out the window.

“Why’d you get me flowers?” Ming Shuang couldn’t hold back.

“I don’t like flowers. Didn’t want them to go to waste.”

“If you don’t like them, why buy them?”

Ye Ting Shuang lowered her eyes, picturing the girl’s pitiful, hopeful face and her scarred hand.

“Just felt like it.”

Ming Shuang laughed suddenly. “You’re something else. Pinching pennies on the subway, but giving me earrings. Saying we’re not friends, but buying me flowers.”

Wasn’t this playing hard to get?

So sneaky!

“The earrings were for the discount, the flowers were because—”

“Alright, alright, I get it. No need to explain.” Ming Shuang cut off her flimsy excuse.

Even with a discount, those earrings weren’t cheap.

Late at night, Ye Ting Shuang came out of the shower and saw a white bucket in the living room, filled with daisies.

“Where’d this bucket come from?” she asked.

“From the balcony. No vase here, so I made do. Why’s there a bucket on your balcony anyway?”

“…”

It was for washing paintbrushes, left out because she forgot to bring it in!

“It’s kinda fun using it for flowers, don’t you think? Looks good, right?” Ming Shuang asked, grinning.

“…” Ye Ting Shuang, expressionless, went back to her room.

Seeing her speechless look, Ming Shuang figured she probably didn’t like it.

But the next morning, opening the door, she saw Ye Ting Shuang in a beam of morning light, watering the daisies.

With a paintbrush.

She held another small bucket, dipping the brush in water and flicking it onto the flowers. The petals trembled, catching the droplets.

“Awake?” Ye Ting Shuang looked up.

“Yeah.” Ming Shuang stood beside her, watching her water the flowers, and couldn’t help laughing. “I thought you really didn’t like them.”

“I don’t. But their owner was taking forever to get up.” Ye Ting Shuang handed her the bucket and brush. “You take over.”

Ming Shuang sprinkled some water, looking at her in the morning light. With a soft filter, she suddenly seemed very beautiful.

So, a subtle kind of beauty.

“Hey, you really not gonna tell me your name?” Ming Shuang leaned in, whispering by her ear.

Ye Ting Shuang, arms crossed, watched her work. Hearing this, she met her eyes. “What’s the benefit of knowing my name?”

“No benefit. Just satisfying my curiosity.”

“And what’s the benefit for me?”

“…”

Ming Shuang decided to retract one compliment.

What kind of beauty is this? She is obviously just a person who is more attractive than others!