The Lost Lamb's Trap - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Stars

Duan Jiayang woke up next to Lin Ke. She had slept on the inside of the sofa all night, squeezed in tightly. Lin Ke’s arm was draped over her waist, completely trapping her. Sleeping on the couch was uncomfortable, and her arms and body were twisted and aching.

Lin Ke was still asleep, her breath warm on Jiayang’s neck. As Jiayang turned over, she propped herself up on her hands over Lin Ke. A blanket was draped over Lin Ke’s lower abdomen, and a lacy white thong was visible against her skin, a dark shadow peeking through. Jiayang’s gaze lingered, and she felt an urge to sit on Lin Ke’s waist. Whether she was fully awake or not, the desire was a painful, throbbing ache. She came to her senses and realized she was holding Lin Ke’s hand.

Lin Ke slept peacefully. The lashes on one eye curled slightly, while the other was pressed down by her cheek. Jiayang leaned closer, but just as she was about to touch her, she pulled back.

Transparent bags were scattered across the floor, some with things inside, some empty, a chaotic mess, a feeling of decadence and wild abandon. Jiayang felt a stir of desire again. She wanted to whisper in Lin Ke’s ear, to entwine with her like two snakes, to press close and cause ripples and splashes.

Jiayang squeezed her eyes shut. She went to pick up her clothes from the floor, but just as she was about to leave, Lin Ke turned over, her arm bumping Jiayang’s leg and grabbing the hem of her shirt. Jiayang turned to look at her. Lin Ke was lying on her stomach on the couch, her face pressed against the cushions, her hair a messy tangle hiding her face.

It had been so long, and her body was parched. Lin Ke squeezed the hem of Jiayang’s shirt, her eyelids fluttering open just a sliver. It was not yet dawn, and the lights were off. The room was dark. Jiayang stepped on the carpet near the door, and the rich scent of spilled vodka filled the air.

She returned home at six in the morning. Duan Litian was huffing and puffing, jogging around their big villa. “You’re back?” he said, looking at her. Feeling guilty, Jiayang ran straight past him without a word.

She went upstairs to wash her face and brush her teeth. She took off her clothes, then paused as she was about to throw them into the laundry hamper. She hadn’t worn her own clothes back home. Summer clothes were thin and easily lost their shape. The small top she had worn was now a wrinkled mess. She was wearing Lin Ke’s t-shirt and pants. If Lin Ke’s underwear had fit, Jiayang would have worn those too. She stood under the shower, rubbing her face. Lin Ke’s body appeared in her mind again. She had been lying on her side, revealing a glimpse of her br3asts. The loose fabric only barely covered the two white mounds, and with a slight lift of the finger, she could have seen everything. Lin Ke’s back was as pale and smooth as silk, her skin clinging to her bones. Her waist was slender, her hips tight and round. She should have just pulled everything off.

The misty steam enveloped Jiayang. She scrubbed herself again and again, using pomegranate-scented shower gel, but the scent wouldn’t sink into her skin. All she could smell was the faint scent of jasmine.

Her mood was a little low. She looked into her makeup mirror and carefully applied her makeup, putting on a wine-red camisole dress, a pair of ruby earrings, and a small white handbag. She packed two sets of clothes and a bag of skincare products into her backpack.

Lan Yao arrived early, waiting for her downstairs in her car. Jiayang grabbed her suitcase and waved goodbye to Duan Litian. She sat in the passenger seat, her hand hovering over the seat belt for a moment.

“Hm?” Lan Yao asked with a smile.

Jiayang’s hand fell, and she buckled herself in.

The car arrived at a seaside hotel. From her room, she could see the ocean and the pool below, which was currently empty. Lan Yao had arranged everything. Their rooms were next to each other. Lan Yao came into Jiayang’s room to check for hidden cameras, then returned with a bag full of snacks Jiayang loved, telling her to rest for half an hour.

“Okay,” Jiayang said. She lay on the bed, then sat up to glance at Lan Yao, who was wearing a black and blue outfit with a cropped top and long pants. The tailored, flowing fabric accentuated her slender waist and shapely hips, giving her a mature, elegant aura. Her face wasn’t one of pure gentleness; it had a cool, hardened quality from the workplace, but her demeanor was incredibly gentle. It was comfortable being around her; she felt like a mature, kind older sister who had been through a lot.

Jiayang got up and took a picture on her phone, then adjusted her hair. Lan Yao texted her, asking her to come down for a meal. Jiayang changed into a pair of beautiful red flip-flops that matched her dress. She glanced at her toes, realizing she had forgotten to paint her nails.

Duan Jiayang came out of her room with a plum candy in her mouth. Lan Yao was waiting at the door. “Do you want seafood or something light?” she asked. They had driven for hours, and the journey had made Jiayang dizzy, but she was also hungry. “Can we have both?” Jiayang asked. “Sure,” Lan Yao replied.

When she was with Lan Yao, she didn’t have to worry about a thing. During their family trip in high school, Lan Yao had taken care of her the whole time. Back then, she was thoughtless and had completely forgotten about Lin Ke, the patient back home. And now, she was just as thoughtless. After being comforted by Lin Ke yesterday, she had left without even a goodbye. What a jerk.

After dinner, they went to the beach. The area was huge, with fishing boats and cruise ships anchored nearby. The sky wasn’t quite blue enough. It was a new scenic area that was very popular online, with many influencers posting photos of it. If they were lucky, they might even see a whale.

Lan Yao bought her a watermelon fruit tea and brought her camera to take pictures. Lan Yao was a good photographer. During that first family trip, her dad had kept the camera, so Lan Yao only got to use it a few times. Jiayang didn’t mind and just took selfies on her phone. After that, Lan Yao bought her own camera and practiced for a long time but never found a good chance to use it.

There was no need to question Jiayang’s looks; she looked good in every shot. She stood by the sea, exuding a certain vibe. Jiayang tilted her head, her expression a little dark, then smiled. Lan Yao captured every moment.

Lan Yao praised her with a smile. “Jiayang, you’re as good as those online influencers…”

“Take another picture for me like this,” Jiayang said, pulling up her skirt to reveal her sexy, pale legs, her fingers resting lightly on her thighs. After the photo, she went over to look, tucking her curls behind her ear. “I should have gotten my hair done before coming.”

“This is good too,” Lan Yao said, pointing to the left side of the screen. The wind was blowing, her hair a mix of blonde and wine-red. “I’m keeping this one, okay?”

“Sure.” Jiayang put down her milk tea and took the camera to snap a photo of Lan Yao. Lan Yao went to the same spot, crossed her arms, and closed her eyes slightly as the wind blew.

After dozens of photos, they decided to walk along the beach. A young man, probably in his early twenties, came up to them with his phone out. He was wearing a t-shirt and beach shorts and had his friend’s QR code open. He had just said “sisters” when Lan Yao waved him off, gesturing to both Jiayang and herself with a smile. “Do you understand?”

The guy looked at them in surprise. Jiayang lowered her head and took a sip from her drink, then smiled faintly at him. “Oh, sorry to bother you.”

“Wait,” Lan Yao called out, and the guy’s eyes widened. “Would you mind helping us take a picture?” she asked with a smile.

They took several photos together. They walked along the shore. The hem of Jiayang’s dress was soaked by the seawater, clinging to her legs, and her hair was a mess from the wind.

“Jiayang.”

The sea breeze messed up Lan Yao’s vision. Lan Yao handed her a hair clip. As Jiayang reached for it, Lan Yao held it tight, looking at Jiayang’s windswept hair by her ear. “Will you give me a chance?” she asked.

She took a step forward and clipped the red rose hair clip to the side of Jiayang’s head. It matched her dress perfectly. Her fingers brushed against Jiayang’s hair. Jiayang lowered her head, words stuck in her throat.

Lan Yao touched the corner of Jiayang’s eye. The red strawberry was striking and dazzling. Jiayang smiled at her and said thank you, her fingers gripping the hem of her wet red dress. Drops of water were wrung from the fabric, falling into the sand and disappearing instantly.

“Your phone’s been vibrating,” Lan Yao said.

Jiayang came to her senses. She looked down at the name on the screen and secretly let out a sigh of relief. “He Xiao,” she said. Lin Ke only knew she was at the beach; she didn’t know which one. “Your good friend,” Lan Yao said with a smile.

Jiayang absentmindedly tried to tuck her hair behind her ear but found there was none to tuck. She walked and read the messages.

He Xiao: Today, a woman came to get a cat checkup with a membership card. The name registered on the card was Lin Ke.

Lin Ke didn’t have a cat.

Jiayang sent a voice message: “Do you know the name of the woman who used the card?”

“Yu Anqing.”

Jiayang knew Lin Ke’s personality best. She was cold and apathetic, disliked interacting with people, and wouldn’t even look at, touch, or accept things from others, let alone give things to people. In all these years, Jiayang was the only person who had ever received a gift from Lin Ke.

Jiayang replied: Oh.

He Xiao’s reply was not immediate. When it came, it was in text: Was it today?

He Xiao’s first message was still on the screen, as if Jiayang hadn’t seen it.

He Xiao: Yeah.

As they walked, Lan Yao reached out to steady her. Jiayang had almost bumped into a child. Before she could apologize, the child ran off with a small bucket and shovel. They continued their walk, talking about many things. The humid, fishy-smelling air blew around them. Lan Yao was a great conversationalist. They talked about their childhoods and growing up, sighing one moment and laughing the next, with no awkward silences.

It was too hot in the afternoon. The sun beat down on the beach, making the sand bright, hot, and blinding. The UV rays were too intense. Jiayang took a photo by a boat on the beach. There was a sign next to it: The wind that misses you has reached the silver sea.

Back in her room, Jiayang scrolled through her phone, looking at the pictures she had taken. Lan Yao knocked on her door twice to bring her some shaved ice. Jiayang set an alarm and sighed as she looked at her photos.

At 3 p.m., they went for a swim. They stored their belongings in the changing room. Jiayang could swim, but the water wasn’t very deep, and she wasn’t very interested. She swam a little further out, with waves crashing over her, drowning out all other sounds.

Finally, she came out of the ocean, dripping wet. Lan Yao took her to a shower to change. The two of them went for a seafood barbecue. Jiayang put on her backpack and sent a few voice messages to He Xiao. When they sat down, she kept looking behind her.

“What’s wrong?” Lan Yao asked.

“Nothing.”

Lan Yao rubbed her head, sighing gently. “You’re always sighing. A little lamb with a wrinkled face isn’t cute.”

People had always called her “Jiayang,” but if Lin Ke hadn’t called her “little lamb,” she wouldn’t have known what “Duan Jiayang” had to do with “lamb.” Besides, Lin Ke was the only one who ever called her that.

Jiayang thought for a moment. “A wrinkled lamb’s face looks like a llama, doesn’t it? You know, those popular ones online.”

Lan Yao flicked her forehead with a finger. “What are you talking about, Duan Jiayang?”

That night, they walked around the local market, buying many small trinkets. They returned to the hotel at ten, with bags full of stuff.

When Jiayang got to her room, Lan Yao reminded her to close the door tightly and lock the deadbolt. After Lan Yao left, Jiayang put on some music, then went to wash her hair and shower. As she was putting on her pajamas, her phone on the bed rang nonstop with a video call from her dad.

Jiayang’s hair was still wet, and she didn’t want to get her clothes wet, so she draped a towel over her shoulder and answered the call. It was late, and her dad’s face was flushed and he was out of breath. Looking at his face, Jiayang sometimes didn’t want to admit that Duan Litian was her father.

Duan Litian had just finished his nightly run and was waiting by the front gate to catch his breath. He asked, “How’s your trip?”

“It’s good,” Jiayang said truthfully. “Lan Yao-jie is great. I don’t have to worry about anything. She’s so thoughtful and gentle.”

Duan Litian asked directly, “Are you feeling the love?”

Jiayang’s movements slowed. “The atmosphere is good.”

Duan Litian frowned. “What do you mean, ‘the atmosphere is good’? Has anything happened yet?” His face was too close to the screen, and Jiayang only saw a fat, blurry face. “What do you want to happen? Good means good.”

Jiayang closed her eyes. She was tired. She leaned back, finding a comfortable position, and looked at random news on Weibo. Her answers to her dad were vague. When she got thirsty, she put a piece of shaved ice in her mouth.

Duan Litian asked one thing, and she answered another. She saw an ad for “Xuetang Cars” and asked, “Has our car line been released yet?”

Duan Litian glared at her. Jiayang thought he was going to scold her for being useless again. Instead, she asked, “How many women have you had in your life?”

Duan Litian didn’t even have to think. “I can’t count.”

“Was there anyone you were truly in love with?” Jiayang knew it couldn’t be her mother. His bond with her was built on the moment her mother, once a pristine high-heeled woman, humbled herself. Her disability and depression were probably her mother’s worst moments. Jiayang didn’t want to talk about his relationships. She just wanted to know if a person like him had ever truly loved anyone. “In a way, we’ve depended on each other for a long time.”

Duan Litian looked at her suspiciously. “Are you getting sentimental, or tired, or is your mind not working right? Are you depressed?”

“No, I just want to know if you feel guilty.”

The video call ended instantly. Jiayang looked at her phone and didn’t call back to avoid a fight.

Jiayang used a towel to dry her hair until it was half-dry, then tossed the towel aside. Less than ten minutes later, her phone rang again. She lunged for it, saw the name, and frowned, rubbing her forehead. It was Gu Siyu. They rarely called each other. Jiayang was a little older than Gu Siyu, but she always felt flustered answering her calls, afraid of being seen through.

“Siyu? What’s up?”

Gu Siyu’s tone was impatient. “Where are you? Come outside.”

Jiayang hadn’t expected her to come all this way. She rushed downstairs. Gu Siyu was at the main entrance, straddling her motorcycle, in a blue riding suit. She hadn’t taken off her helmet and was looking at Jiayang with a cool, sidelong glance. Jiayang suddenly understood why He Xiao loved riding on her bike so much. Gu Siyu had an absolutely beautiful kind of coolness, an aura of carefree freedom. Yet, she unintentionally gave people a sense of security.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Why do you look so glum?”

Jiayang rubbed her face. “What are you doing here?”

Gu Siyu lifted her visor. She got off her bike and leaned against it. “He Xiao made it sound like you were miserable. I thought you’d been kidnapped.”

“No,” Jiayang said, unable to form a coherent sentence in front of her.

Gu Siyu looked at the hotel, then back at Jiayang. “If you’re fine, I’m leaving.”

Jiayang nodded. Gu Siyu got back on the motorcycle. Only then did Jiayang snap to attention. “Wait, I’ll take you to dinner. Are you free tomorrow? I’ll get you a room. You can stay and play for a day?”

Gu Siyu said it wasn’t necessary. Jiayang pulled her off the bike. “You came all this way; it must have taken you hours. Come rest. Don’t drive when you’re tired.”

Gu Siyu was pulled up the steps. She said she needed to find a place to park her bike. Gu Siyu walked into the hotel, holding her helmet. “I’ve never been to this place before,” she said, looking around.

Jiayang hadn’t brought her room key, so she had the hotel open the door. She paid with her phone. Her floor was full, so she took Gu Siyu upstairs, ordered her a meal, and even arranged for her clothes to be taken care of so she would have something to wear at the beach tomorrow.

Gu Siyu twirled her motorcycle key. “Do you have a clean swimsuit? I saw a pool down there.”

Jiayang had brought two clean ones she hadn’t worn yet. She handed them to Gu Siyu, thinking she would go swimming with her. She went back to her room to change into her own swimsuit and put on a gauzy cover-up. She sat on the edge of the bed and started to text Lan Yao, but before she could finish, a video call came in. So many people were calling her today. She almost answered it. The call ended on its own.

But half a minute later, another call came in. The caller’s profile picture, a white hand-drawn little lamb, filled the screen.

Jiayang licked her lips. Her body was hot and sticky. She looked down and saw a small blister on her toe, but it didn’t hurt. She sat on the bed with her legs crossed, leaning back, staring at the light on the ceiling. She then covered her eyes with her arm. Jiayang bit her lip. Her phone lay beside her. She didn’t want to answer it, but Lin Ke rarely called her at night… to be precise, she never did. Jiayang had never asked why. She didn’t want to think about it because she didn’t want to get a call from Lin Ke at night. She didn’t want to hear her breath.

When her finger slid over to answer, she couldn’t stop herself. She couldn’t suppress the caged beast wanting to get out. She held the pose for a long time, her back arched, her hands on her legs.

Lin Ke’s voice came through faintly. “Isn’t it enough that you go out and fool around with others? Do you have to have a secret lover too… Duan Jiayang, you’re amazing.”

Jiayang knew she had misunderstood, but how did she know Gu Siyu was here? She held her breath. Sometimes, hearing a person’s voice could make her so emotional she would tear up, and her body would heat up with their every breath.

Jiayang rubbed her face, a fierce expression on it. “What does that have to do with you?”

Then, Lin Ke’s voice turned raw and unrefined. “When you were playing with my hand this morning, I should have stopped you right then. Now, does it have something to do with me?”

Perhaps because she was alone in her room, the space was empty and quiet. An ice cube melted in her throat, and she swallowed, recalling the state of things before dawn. Her fingers felt hot. Jiayang was incredibly ashamed. In that moment of madness, she had guided Lin Ke’s hand lower, but she had stopped. How could this still be so… embarrassing? She stuffed her phone under the thin blanket and pressed a pillow on top of it. The other side fell silent.

After a long time, Jiayang took out her phone. It was as if she had stuffed Lin Ke under the blanket too, muffling her mouth and nose. Lin Ke wasn’t talking… so she had killed her with her own hands.

Then, there was a knock on the door. Jiayang’s heart jumped. “Are you ready yet?” Gu Siyu asked from outside.

On the phone, Lin Ke said, “I want to see you.”

Jiayang couldn’t say “yes,” but she couldn’t say “okay” either.