My Unconventional Online Dating - Chapter 49

“What are you doing?” Xiao Nianyuan leaned back slightly, putting some distance between them.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Lian Qiushui sounded aggrieved. Xiao Nianyuan had never shied away from her before.

Why was she avoiding her? Xiao Nianyuan froze. She just felt a little awkward, that was all.

But awkwardness was unusual for her—normally, she loved being close to Lian Qiushui.

Moving back inconspicuously, Xiao Nianyuan said softly, “I don’t know. I’m not avoiding you.”

She wasn’t avoiding Lian Qiushui—she was avoiding an indescribable feeling.

Lian Qiushui didn’t press the issue. Xiao Nianyuan had already moved closer again—what more could she ask for?

“Will you still pay attention to me when the others come back?”

“When have I ever ignored you?” Xiao Nianyuan laughed.

“Just now. You were talking to them the whole time.”

Xiao Nianyuan leaned in a little more and whispered, “Come closer. I’ll tell you why.”

Lian Qiushui had expected an explanation, an excuse, or even a half-hearted reply—but not this.

She obediently tilted her head closer. Xiao Nianyuan instinctively grasped Lian Qiushui’s wrist and sighed. “When they’re around, I can’t stay too close to you. They’d think it’s strange—why I’m not interacting with you.”

Xiao Nianyuan chuckled. “I had to force myself to stay away from you.”

If not for her roommates being there, Xiao Nianyuan might have stayed glued to Lian Qiushui’s side, just like usual.

But they were her friends—the few she had at school—and she didn’t want them to think she was odd.

Having friends meant weighing pros and cons, and the trade-offs were clear.

Lian Qiushui’s eyes glistened with moisture as she asked, delighted, “You like being close to me?”

Xiao Nianyuan nodded. Meeting her sparkling gaze, she didn’t mind saying something sweet. “They’re my friends. You’re my master.”

Friends could be many, but a master could only be one. Lian Qiushui was overjoyed—she held a more important place in Xiao Nianyuan’s heart than they did!

“Fine, I’ll reluctantly let you play with them,” Lian Qiushui said, clearing her throat to mask her happiness.

A small wooden bucket floated on the hot spring’s surface, holding towels and tea. Lian Qiushui pulled it over, took out a towel, and said, “Let me scrub your back.”

Xiao Nianyuan clutched her bath towel and refused. “No, thanks.”

“I’m really good at it. You’ll love it.”

“I’m not used to it.” This time, Xiao Nianyuan didn’t care how Lian Qiushui might feel—she quickly put distance between them.

She never needed anyone to scrub her back in her life. It was just too weird.

Lian Qiushui laughed and followed her. “It’s really comfortable. You’ll definitely like it.”

“No.”

No matter how nice it was, Xiao Nianyuan would refuse. Instead, she asked, “Do you like it? I’ll do it for you.”

Lian Qiushui paused, then turned around generously. “Go ahead, then.”

Xiao Nianyuan: “…?”

Xiao Nianyuan hesitated. Was it really that pleasant? Why wasn’t Lian Qiushui resisting at all? She even seemed perfectly comfortable letting Xiao Nianyuan tend to her.

“If you won’t let me scrub your back, can’t you at least do mine?” Lian Qiushui turned her head, looking puzzled.

“Fine.”

Xiao Nianyuan sighed and took the towel. She just didn’t know how to do it.

She had never scrubbed anyone’s back before—she had never even been this physically close to anyone.

The dorm had a private bathroom, so they didn’t have to shower together with a crowd in the public bathhouse.

Holding a towel, Xiao Nianyuan carefully scrubbed Lian Qiushui’s arm. Lian Qiushui sighed and said, “You need to use more force for it to work.”

“Won’t it hurt?” Xiao Nianyuan hesitated.

“I’ll tell you if it does,” Lian Qiushui said with a smile. “No need to go easy on me.”

Xiao Nianyuan: “…”

Something about that sounded strange, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what exactly was off.

Since Lian Qiushui had said so, Xiao Nianyuan applied more pressure. Seeing that Lian Qiushui didn’t complain, she gradually increased her strength until she was practically using all her might—yet Lian Qiushui still didn’t ask her to stop.

Xiao Nianyuan paused and asked uncertainly, “Can you not feel pain?”

Lian Qiushui shook her head. Xiao Nianyuan frowned. “Then why didn’t you say it hurt?”