Two Faced Lover - Chapter 23

23: Tug-of-War

Bo Mingyan had been dreaming all night.

From Bo Weize’s passing to Lin Huixin bringing her into the He family, she relived that night when she lost all protection – Lin Huixin’s cold rejection, He Chencheng tossing a basin of water that traced a winding arc through the air.

As that arc of water fell, Bo Mingyan felt herself plunging into deep ocean, sinking endlessly until a large curved hook appeared before her.

In the dream, Bo Mingyan instinctively grabbed the hook.

The moment she was pulled to the surface, something warm wrapped around her body.

Tighter and tighter, hotter and hotter. Bo Mingyan struggled but found her limbs pinned down.

She touched the thing coiled around her – it felt like skin, smooth and soft, warm to the touch.

What the hell is this? An octopus?

Bo Mingyan’s usually restrained sharpness surfaced upon waking – in other words, she had terrible morning temper. Feeling suffocated, she pushed away the mass clinging to her chest and pinched the “octopus.”

“Mmm… ngh…”

The “octopus” let out a sweet, pained whimper.

A drowsy, breathy sound tinged with tears, like a siren’s whisper curling around her ear before slipping inside as the pitch rose.

Her ears went weak.

All sleepiness was bitten away by that sound. Bo Mingyan’s eyes flew open.

Before her was a vision of black hair cascading over snow-white skin, like an ink painting.

Her gaze trailed downward – the slightly parted collar revealed a swath of porcelain skin, so pale it was almost blinding.

The sensation under her palm was… peculiar.

Bo Mingyan’s mind short-circuited.

So… what exactly did I just pinch?

The implications nearly set her on fire. Heat surged through her body, her cheeks burning, fingers stiffening.

“…Tch.”

The sound wasn’t loud, but it startled Bo Mingyan into yanking her hand back. She lifted her eyes, skimming over the pink lips mere inches away.

Further up, she met Meng Xuran’s gaze.

Meng Xuran’s brows were furrowed, her warm brown eyes like glass beads submerged in water – glistening, hazy with sleep, and brimming with stormy indignation.

The room was silent enough to hear a pin drop. The atmosphere was unbearably awkward.

Bo Mingyan calmly averted her eyes.

Outwardly composed, inwardly panicking.

What should I say? What did I actually pinch? Did I pinch her awake?

Meng Xuran studied her thoughtfully. “Did you have a wet dream?”

Like thunder out of nowhere.

Bo Mingyan froze, unsure she’d heard correctly. “What did you say?”

Her voice was low, slightly hoarse.

Meng Xuran’s eyes darkened. She glanced briefly at Bo Mingyan’s now-retracted hand. “Then why else would you pinch me… there?”

A deliberate pause, the last word drawn out lazily.

Holy—

Bo Mingyan nearly cursed aloud. Just when she thought that bombshell had sent her emotions into turmoil—

An even bigger one dropped.

Meng Xuran arched a brow, her languid gaze lifting to meet Bo Mingyan’s. Her peach-blossom eyes shimmered as she licked her lips and added lazily, “And you bit my mouth, and groped me.”

Her tone carried innocent accusation. Freshly woken, her voice held a nasal quality, making her sound even more like whining.

It made Bo Mingyan’s ears itch and burn.

Rubbing her earlobe, Bo Mingyan abruptly looked up.

Their eyes met—and just as quickly broke apart.

Bo Mingyan felt like a heating pad about to combust.

Pinched?! And groped?! And bit—not even kissed?! Had she been alone so long she’d turned into a starved wolf?!

She desperately sought rational explanation, but the shock left her mind reeling, her thoughts sluggish from sleep.

And Meng Xuran clearly had no intention of letting her recover.

“You really did have a wet dream,” Meng Xuran observed, voice light with amusement. “Your face is so red.”

“…” Bo Mingyan closed her eyes. She wanted to roll over but feared it’d look like guilt, so she settled for lying flat. “It’s hot.”

She turned the AC down two more degrees.

“Oh~” Meng Xuran drew out the syllable, clearly unconvinced.

“…You said I pinched you, bit you… and groped you…” Bo Mingyan steadied herself, her mind finally kicking into gear. Something didn’t add up. She softened her tone, analyzing, “Whether it was pinching, biting or groping first, you would’ve woken up and stopped the rest. If simultaneous… your lips would be redder, and when I woke up, we were facing each other—my hands were in front, not behind you.”

Meng Xuran: “So?”

Bo Mingyan: “So I think… I only pinched you?”

Anyone who got pinched and bitten awake would’ve shoved her away—someone as prideful as Meng Xuran definitely wouldn’t just lie there.

“Tch. So you think I’m lying.” Meng Xuran narrowed her eyes, propping herself up to lean closer. Her voice dropped to a whisper by Bo Mingyan’s ear. “Want me to reenact it for you?”

A shiver ran down Bo Mingyan’s spine.

Meng Xuran’s gaze drifted from beneath half-lidded eyes to Bo Mingyan’s lips. She twirled a lock of Bo Mingyan’s hair around her finger, lazily tracing circles in the air above her.

It was impossible to tell when her hand might descend for a pinch—

Or when she might lean in for a bite.

Bo Mingyan’s heart pounded. She pushed Meng Xuran’s hand away, unconsciously biting her own lip. “No need.”

“Fine. Don’t believe me if you don’t want to.” Meng Xuran flopped onto her side, head propped on her hand, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her hair spilled over her shoulders, the picture of lazy grace.

Her tone made Bo Mingyan sound like some scoundrel who’d taken advantage and refused to admit it. The injustice left Bo Mingyan speechless.

She’d shared beds with friends like Lu Yo and even Meng Xuran’s sister Fu Junxue without incident. Why was it only with Meng Xuran that things got so… complicated?

Bo Mingyan sat up, explaining slowly, “Sorry, this has never happened when I’ve slept with others before. I just… couldn’t believe it at first. I apologize.”

Meng Xuran’s smile faded. Her eyes darkened as she murmured, “Then your sleeping habits really have gotten worse. Don’t share a bed with anyone else—spare them the trouble.”

“…” Bo Mingyan nodded meekly.

The mention of “sleeping habits” dredged up memories of last night. Bo Mingyan only recalled how Meng Xuran had been the restless one. She had zero memory of “groping” or “biting”—the “pinching” only happened because someone had been clinging to her like an octopus.

After some thought, Bo Mingyan decided this warning applied to more than just herself.

“You shouldn’t share a bed with others either.” she said, throwing off the covers.

Her robe had ridden up to her thighs. As she swung her legs over the edge, the fabric hitched higher, revealing a glimpse of light blue beneath.

Meng Xuran blinked, distracted. “Hmm?”

Oblivious, Bo Mingyan slipped on her slippers. Remembering how flustered Meng Xuran had made her earlier, she arched a brow and teased, “Weren’t you the one who claimed to sleep like Sleeping Beauty? ‘Perfectly still’?”

“Got a problem with that?”

Meng Xuran’s voice wavered slightly. She’d been a restless sleeper since childhood—falling out of bed was regular.

“Stealing blankets, using people as body pillows, crying in your sleep with incoherent mumbling…” Bo Mingyan circled to the foot of the bed, then glanced at Meng Xuran with a smirk. “What kind of Sleeping Beauty turns into an octopus?”

“…” Caught in her lie, Meng Xuran flushed and looked everywhere except at Bo Mingyan. She scratched her nose guiltily. “I talked in my sleep? What did I say?”

“Forgot.” Bo Mingyan drew the curtains open. “I remembered clearly last night, but it’s gone now.”

Warm sunlight streamed through the window, dust motes floating in the air.

Bo Mingyan turned slightly, catching the way Meng Xuran’s shoulders relaxed.

Meng Xuran let out a soft “Oh.”

Bathed in golden light, she looked soft and warm, like she’d been draped in a gentle filter.

Bo Mingyan asked, “What did you dream about?”

Meng Xuran’s lips parted, but the room fell silent again. She studied Bo Mingyan, but the backlight obscured her expression.

Just like in her dream—her first attempt to get close, discovering Bo Mingyan’s game through Weibo, creating an account to pester her with questions.

Separated by a screen, unable to see the person behind it, she could only guess the other’s mood through emotionless text.

Until even that chance was ripped away—cut clean with a single stroke.

A strange emotion welled up in Meng Xuran’s chest. So many attempts to bridge the gap, yet always separated by distance.

Never had she imagined she’d one day be here—face-to-face, engaged in this back-and-forth tug-of-war.

Just then, an alarm chimed.

Meng Xuran shook off her thoughts and silenced it. “Forgot. I remembered it during the dream, but it’s all gone now.”

“…”

With the interview scheduled, they didn’t linger. They took turns freshening up.

After breakfast, they checked out and found Uncle Cai’s car in the parking lot. He’d driven over from Nanquan early, bringing two sets of clothes Meng Xuran had designed and new heels.

Uncle Cai dropped them off at Huafeng Tower.

The interview included a photoshoot. Meng Xuran, naturally photogenic, required minimal makeup. Though not the most expressive in front of the camera, her aloof demeanor fit her persona perfectly—no forced poses needed. The shoot wrapped up quickly.

Bo Mingyan watched from outside the studio.

She thought Meng Xuran’s first look was particularly striking. If not for the no-photos rule, she’d have sneakily taken a picture.

Likely to prevent leaks, the actual interview was conducted privately.

Bo Mingyan waited in the lounge.

Forty minutes later, Meng Xuran returned.

Her first words: “You asked about my ideal type yesterday, right?”

Bo Mingyan blinked, then understood. “They asked you that in the interview?”

They stepped into the elevator.

“Mhm~” Meng Xuran dangled the bait. “Guess how I answered.”

Having been denied the answer yesterday, Bo Mingyan bit instantly. “How?”

The moment she asked, she realized her mistake.

Sure enough, Meng Xuran teased, “Want to know?”

The elevator reached the basement. Meng Xuran strode out first in her sky-high heels. Bo Mingyan followed, about to say “Never mind”—

When Meng Xuran suddenly turned around.

Bo Mingyan, distracted, crashed right into her.

Meng Xuran’s sweet, tantalizing voice murmured by her ear:

“When the magazine comes out, remember to buy a copy.”