Her Pheromones Smell Like Sparkling Water (GL) - Chapter 26

Shen Tingjun’s calm and composed expression cracked ever so slightly. A flicker of surprise lit up in her eyes.
“You? Why are you here?”

Shang Ranzhu snapped out of her thoughts and quickly lifted the box in her hands. “I came to thank you.”

Shen Tingjun nodded. “Mn. Then come in.”

With that, she stepped to the side, holding the door open for Shang Ranzhu to enter.

The hotel’s entryway was narrow—just wide enough for two people to stand face-to-face. Shang Ranzhu found herself standing very close to Shen Tingjun, close enough that a few strands of her long hair brushed against Shang Ranzhu’s shoulder.

A light breeze drifted through, carrying the subtle scent of Shen Tingjun’s fake pheromones. Maybe it was because she now knew Shen Tingjun was an Omega, but Shang Ranzhu could detect a faint, sparkling soda scent hidden within the blandness—a familiar note that stirred something deep inside her.

Shen Tingjun didn’t seem to notice. She crouched down and opened the shoe cabinet, asking offhandedly, “What size are you?”

Shang Ranzhu’s throat tightened. She stammered, “Thir… thirty-eight.”

Shen Tingjun nodded and pulled out a brand-new pair of slippers. “Same size as Xiao Nian. Wear these.”

“Okay.”

Shang Ranzhu set the cake box down on the cabinet and sat down swiftly, slipping her feet into the pink-and-white striped slippers.

She glanced up to see Shen Tingjun walking into the living room in her own slippers—same design, but in blue and white.

They looked like… a matching set.

The thought made Shang Ranzhu giddy. She wiggled her toes in delight.

Noticing that Shang Ranzhu hadn’t followed her, Shen Tingjun looked back toward the entryway. The girl was standing there grinning at her feet for some reason.

“What are you doing just sitting there? Come in already.”

“Oh!” Shang Ranzhu snapped to attention, grabbed the cake, and obediently followed her inside.

Shen Tingjun’s suite was the same size and layout as Shang Ranzhu’s, but for some reason—perhaps the lighting or orientation—it felt much brighter and more refined.

There were fresh flowers placed throughout the room, clearly prepared to welcome her back. Their soft, warm tones added a gentle touch to the otherwise stark, white-dominated space.

“Want something to drink?” Shen Tingjun asked, standing behind the bar counter and setting a kettle of hot water onto the base.

Shang Ranzhu looked around at the elegant decor and swallowed the words “cola” and “milk tea.” She cleared her throat and said in a proper tone, “Black tea?”

A faint smile played on Shen Tingjun’s lips. “Little one doesn’t drink milk tea?”

Hearing those two words—little one—only made Shang Ranzhu more determined to hold her ground. She looked Shen Tingjun in the eye. “Black tea.”

“But I want milk tea,” Shen Tingjun said, pulling out a carton of fresh milk from the fridge. Her usually cool, distant eyes lowered slightly, tinged with a rare softness—almost like she was pouting.

It was the first time Shang Ranzhu had seen her like this, so different from her usual self. It was like strolling through a serene bamboo forest and unexpectedly encountering a vibrant little rabbit—astonishing yet captivating.

There was no way Shang Ranzhu could say no. She caved instantly. “Then… milk tea it is.”

Satisfied, Shen Tingjun nodded and reached up to take a box of black tea from the upper cabinet.

Even in the dead of winter, the midday sun shone warmly through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the room in light.

The sun poured across Shen Tingjun’s back as she stood at the bar. Her white T-shirt was thin enough for the sunlight to trace the shape of her graceful shoulder blades and the smooth curve of her waist.

Her spine stood out faintly beneath her skin, forming a delicate line that ran from her nape—partially hidden beneath her hair—down to her slender waist, disappearing just above the hem of her pants.

Shang Ranzhu swallowed hard.

She was pretty sure Shen Tingjun wasn’t wearing a bra.

“Sweet or not?” Shen Tingjun asked casually, turning back with a box of tea in hand, completely unaware of the intense stare burning into her back.

Shang Ranzhu opened her mouth but found her throat blocked. She cleared it awkwardly. “…Either is fine.”

Propping one arm on the counter, Shen Tingjun’s neckline dipped slightly, revealing a hint of her fair collarbone. Her eyes narrowed a playful touch as she looked at Shang Ranzhu.

“Then forget it. The cake’s already sweet.”

“Mm.” Shang Ranzhu nodded blankly. Her ears turned red before she realized it.

“Come put the cake on a plate,” Shen Tingjun said while gently stirring the tea over a low flame.

“Okay.”

Shang Ranzhu stood up at once and headed for the kitchen, already planning in her head to plate the cake and sit down at the bar to chat for as long as she could.

The kitchen was far roomier than the entryway. As she walked past the counter toward the cabinets, she half-heartedly searched for a plate while sneaking glances at Shen Tingjun.

But the lighting in the kitchen was dim, and Shen Tingjun blocked most of the sunlight. Her white T-shirt returned to its modest, opaque state, and the glimpse of beauty that had just stirred Shang Ranzhu’s heart was completely gone.

To make things worse, Shen Tingjun had somehow put on a pair of wide, loose-legged pants—completely covering up her long, fair legs.

It felt like she’d done it on purpose.

Shen Tingjun… You stingy tease.

Shang Ranzhu pouted at the plate in her hands, unaware that Shen Tingjun was now watching her from behind.

“What are you thinking about?”

Shen Tingjun leaned in very close. Her warm breath brushed directly against Shang Ranzhu’s exposed ear, heating it to a rosy red in an instant.

A jolt ran through Shang Ranzhu’s entire body—like an electric current zapping through her limbs—leaving her tingling and unable to stop the shiver that followed.

“T-This… this plate is ugly,” she stammered, scrambling for words.

“You don’t like plain colors, little one?” she asked.

Thump thump. Thump, thump.

Shang Ranzhu’s heart was beating so wildly that it felt like it might leap out of her chest and spill out of her mouth.

She didn’t know whether she liked the plate—but she was absolutely certain she liked being this close to Shen Tingjun.

She couldn’t help but glance down at Shen Tingjun’s fingers, which were paler and more delicate than the porcelain plate. Almost without thinking, she edged her finger forward, trying to “accidentally” touch hers.

However, the fleeting moment quickly faded away.

Before Shang Ranzhu could reach her, Shen Tingjun smoothly took the two small plates from her hands and turned back to the counter, offering no chance for their fingers to linger. “These two will do,” she said simply.

The warmth behind Shang Ranzhu disappeared all at once.

Her heart, still pounding from that fleeting contact, began to settle—slowly, reluctantly.

She really wished she could stretch that one second just a bit longer and replay it again and again.

Shang Ranzhu clenched her fists and nodded, her voice carrying a hint of disappointment. “Okay.”

“Have you ever had homemade milk tea like this before?” Shen Tingjun asked as she poured fresh milk into the pot, which had just come back to a boil.

“No.”

Shang Ranzhu quickly sat down across from her, resting her chin in her palm and leaning forward to watch the small pot and the woman beside it.

The reddish hue of the tea slowly lightened with the milk, turning into a soft caramel color topped with a gentle froth. As it simmered, the liquid began to rise. Shen Tingjun calmly stirred the tea with a silver spoon, preventing it from boiling over.

Her fingers were long and clean, bones well-defined. In the sunlight, her skin glowed almost translucent. A few strands of hair fell past her cheek, and her lashes fluttered faintly as she focused on her task.

This side of her—the quietly relaxed one—was something no one else ever got to see. It had a softness that made people want to keep her all to themselves.

“Want to try it?”

Shen Tingjun looked up—and their eyes met.

Both of them froze for a second.

Their hearts seemed to skip in perfect sync, then sped up together.

Shang Ranzhu had been staring without thinking, and now she got caught. Embarrassed and flustered, she quickly looked away and took the spoon from Shen Tingjun’s hand. “Sure,” she mumbled.

Leaning her hands on the counter, Shen Tingjun watched Shang Ranzhu’s shaky movements and teased, “Someone’s a little distracted, hmm?”

“I—I’m not!” Shang Ranzhu’s voice cracked. She stirred the tea more quickly to cover her nervousness.

But she was inexperienced, and it showed. She was stirring the milk tea, which was at a full boil, and of course it would splash.

Sure enough, a splash of hot milk tea flew up and landed squarely on her chest, soaking her clothes.

Shen Tingjun reacted instantly. She turned off the heat, grabbed a few tissues, and pulled Shang Ranzhu toward her, fussing as she dabbed at the mess.

“Did it burn you?” she asked, clearly concerned.

Shang Ranzhu raised her hand, which still had a giant white bandage across the palm. Luckily, the tea had only hit the bandage, not her skin. She was perfectly fine.

“Do you want a fresh bandage?” Shen Tingjun asked.

Shang Ranzhu originally meant to shake her head—she didn’t care about something so small. But then she remembered it would be Shen Tingjun changing the bandage for her.

So she changed her mind immediately. “Sure.”

“Then come with me.” Shen Tingjun’s voice was calm as always.

Shang Ranzhu’s eyes lit up. She knew that direction—the bedroom.

Shen Tingjun’s bedroom! What if there was something private out in the open? Would it be too much if she just walked in like that?

Despite the drama playing out in her head, she still followed Shen Tingjun in.

The room was just as tidy and clean as the living room. The bed was neatly made—nothing like the mess she had in her own place. A tasteful bouquet sat on the windowsill, and the breeze carried a soft, natural floral scent that was far more pleasant than any perfume.

“Hand,” Shen Tingjun said, completely unbothered by the guest who was clearly snooping around.

“Ah—okay.” Shang Ranzhu quickly turned and offered her hand.

Shen Tingjun’s touch was a little cool, but her gentle grip added a touch of warmth.

Shang Ranzhu took a deep breath. The air was filled with that same sweet scent—floral, with just a faint hint of sparkling soda.

It felt like she was wrapped up in Shen Tingjun’s scent.

*****

“Jiejie, I knocked for so long; why didn’t you open the door? And why are there two pieces of cake on the counter? You even made milk tea? Since when do you go through all that trouble for milk tea? Is it because I’m that special? Jiejie—”

A figure suddenly appeared in the open doorway.

Shen Nianlan burst in excitedly, heading straight to Shen Tingjun’s room—until she stopped. Her cheerful expression crumbled in real time.

Her favorite big sister…

With the woman she hated most.

And they were holding hands.

What kind of world-ending disaster was this?!

Shen Nianlan couldn’t hold it in. She let out a shriek so loud it made the closed windows shake.

“AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

Outside, a flock of sparrows that had just landed instantly flapped their wings in terror and scattered into the sky.