To Sink Into You - Chapter 37

Twenty minutes later, Xia Lin arrived.

Entering the private room, she closed the door, removed her hat, mask, and scarf that had completely covered her head, and rushed to embrace Wen Qingcheng, her adorable dimples deepening. “I’ve missed you so much! How did you manage to sneak out of the house?”

When Xia Lin accidentally bumped Wen Qingcheng’s injured back, Wen Qingcheng’s entire body stiffened in pain, but she stubbornly endured it, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s waist and kissing her cheek. “I’ve cut ties with my family.”

Xia Lin’s eyes widened in shock. “Why?”

“It’s a long story,” Wen Qingcheng said, unsure how to explain. “Let’s eat first.”

Xia Lin promptly straddled Wen Qingcheng’s lap, clinging to her and cooing, “Sister, it’s been so long since we’ve cuddled.”

Wen Qingcheng had to lean back against the chair, the pressure on her bruises sending cold sweat streaming down her body. She gasped for breath. “Linlin, I…”

“Ahem!” Wen Yuxi coughed loudly, fearing her cousin might die from the pain. “I’m still here, you know. Keep it PG-13, please.”

Only then did Xia Lin realize there was a third person in the room. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she scrambled off Wen Qingcheng’s lap and sat up properly, blushing. “Xixi, why didn’t you say anything?”

Wen Yuxi’s face darkened. “You really need to work on your arrogance.”

Wen Qingcheng rolled her eyes. “That’s not how the idiom is used!”

When Xia Lin focused intently on someone or something, she unconsciously blocked out her surroundings, as if her brain had activated an automatic filter. It was quite remarkable.

Wen Yuxi chuckled lazily. “Close enough.”

The dishes arrived one after another. The three ordered drinks and began eating.

As Xia Lin reached for a dish, she noticed the medicine bag beside Wen Yuxi’s hand. “Xixi, what’s this medicine for? Are you sick?”

Wen Qingcheng, who was sipping her lemon tea, nearly choked.

How could I forget to put the medicine away?!

Wen Yuxi lied without a flicker of hesitation. “My wife and I have been a bit too enthusiastic lately and strained our backs. I went to the hospital for an X-ray and got this prescription.”

Xia Lin believed her instantly, saying with concern, “Oh, you should be careful.”

“I will.”

Wen Qingcheng: “……”

Fine.

Xia Lin helped Wen Qingcheng serve herself, then asked, “Sister, what exactly happened with your family?”

There was no avoiding the truth forever. Wen Qingcheng gave a half-true explanation. “Grandfather disapproves of our relationship. We had a terrible argument—a really bad one—and I cut ties in a fit of anger.”

Xia Lin said, her voice full of concern, “We could take things slowly. This is hurting your family so much.”

Wen Qingcheng shook her head. “They’re hopelessly old-fashioned. Even if we took it slow, they’d never budge. It’s better to cut the Gordian knot quickly.”

Wen Yuxi explained, “That’s the situation. Grandfather will definitely blacklist Qingcheng. So I wanted to discuss with you whether you’d consider moving to Mingwei Media.”

Xia Lin seized on the key point. “Mingwei Media? Us?”

“Yes, both of you,” Wen Yuxi confirmed. “Ming Qian said she’d think about it. If you both agree, I’ll talk to her directly. But let’s be clear, it’s not guaranteed to work out.”

Xia Lin politely declined. “I’m fine. I still have several years left on my contract with Shancheng Entertainment, and I can take on smaller roles to make ends meet. It’s not that bad.”

Wen Yuxi glanced at her. “Are you sure? An actress’s prime years are limited. Can you afford to waste them?”

Xia Lin hesitated. “But…”

Wen Qingcheng took the girl’s hand. “But what?”

Xia Lin met her gaze, her tone strange. “Isn’t the owner of Mingwei Group your fiancée?”

“Be precise,” Wen Yuxi said, tapping her bowl to assert her dominance. “She’s my former fiancée. Ming Qian is my wife now.”

Xia Lin’s tone grew even stranger. “That’s exactly the problem. Our relationships are too abstract. It just feels… uncomfortable.”

Wen Yuxi couldn’t understand. “Is this really more important than your career?”

Xia Lin hesitated. “Sister, what do you think?”

“I have no other choice but to owe Sister Ming Qian a favor,” Wen Qingcheng said confidently. After a pause, she added, “Of course, with my abilities, I’ll quickly repay the breach of contract fee and make her a fortune. It’ll be a win-win.”

Wen Yuxi said considerately, “Take your time. Just give me your answer by tomorrow.”

Xia Lin pressed her lips together. “I’ll decide as soon as possible.”

After dinner, the three parted ways at the restaurant entrance. Xia Lin had made her decision: she wanted to sign with Mingwei Media.

“Great!” Wen Yuxi smiled, pleased. “I’ll let Ming Qian know. I’ll contact you again when there’s any progress.”

“Okay.”

“Bye!” With that, Wen Yuxi turned to leave.

Xia Lin called after her, “Hey, Xixi, your medicine is still with Qingcheng!”

Wen Yuxi couldn’t help but laugh. Without turning around, she waved her hand. “My back’s already healed. Just give the medicine to my dear cousin.”

Xia Lin: “Huh?”

Wen Qingcheng: “……”

Xia Lin looked puzzled. “What does Xixi mean by that?”

Wen Qingcheng, feeling guilty, put her arm around Xia Lin’s shoulder. “Let’s talk about it when we get home.”

Xia Lin’s ancestral home wasn’t in the Imperial Capital. To make it easier for school and work, she rented a small apartment within the second ring road, about thirty square meters. Though not spacious, it was sufficient for living alone.

Wen Qingcheng had visited several times and knew her way around. She slipped off her shoes and entered the apartment, her mind racing with how to confess without making Xia Lin cry. She was deeply troubled.

From the kitchen, Xia Lin called out, “Sister, do you want an orange?”

Wen Qingcheng walked over, wrapped her arms around Xia Lin’s waist, and purred seductively, “I want lemon tea.”

A blush crept up Xia Lin’s ears as she obediently exposed the gland on her neck. The lemon tea pheromones filled the air, their refreshing scent both alluring and comforting.

As fellow Omegas, Wen Qingcheng couldn’t mark Xia Lin. Instead, she tenderly licked and kissed Xia Lin’s delicate glands, their rose and lemon tea scents intertwining, indistinguishable from one another.

“Linlin, there’s something I need to tell you,” Wen Qingcheng said, her voice slightly hoarse.

“Hmm?” Xia Lin’s eyes, flushed with desire, lingered between kisses. “What is it?”

Wen Qingcheng held her close, her voice muffled. “Actually, my dad gave me a beating. It was pretty bad. Xixi’s medicine was originally for me.”

Xia Lin’s expression instantly changed. “Where did he hit you?”

“My back,” Wen Qingcheng mumbled. “You should prepare yourself. It might be shocking.”

Xia Lin bit her lip, wordlessly moving to strip off Wen Qingcheng’s clothes.

Wen Qingcheng stopped her. “Let’s go back to the room first.”

In the bedroom, Wen Qingcheng took off her sweater, revealing the horrifying bruises on her back. She quickly reassured Xia Lin, “It looks worse than it feels. It doesn’t hurt much.”

Xia Lin’s pupils constricted sharply, her voice trembling. “Do you really think I’d believe that?”

“It’s really okay,” Wen Qingcheng turned around and patted her head. “Don’t cry. Just help me apply the compress, and it’ll heal faster.”

Wiping away her tears, Xia Lin silently went to the kitchen for ice, returned with a basin of water, and began applying cold compresses to Wen Qingcheng’s back.