Two Faced Lover - Chapter 27

27: Jiaojiao

Bo Mingyan lowered her gaze, her eyes slowly drifting from Meng Xuran’s glistening eyes, past the teardrop mole at the corner, and settling on the soft pink lips that had just spoken such flattering words.

Meng Xuran’s lips were beautifully shaped—neither too thick nor too thin, with a slightly pronounced lip bead and an elegant M-curve along the edges. Today, she wore a grapefruit-colored lipstick, giving her lips a tender, playful hue. When she applied makeup more heavily, the sharp peaks of her lips added an extra touch of authority.

And they felt incredibly soft and supple to the touch.

Under Bo Mingyan’s lingering gaze, Meng Xuran’s thick lashes fluttered twice. Unconsciously, she swallowed, her fingertips damp with a thin layer of sweat.

If I tilt my head up just a little more… would it seem like an accident if—

The thought sprouted like a seedling breaking through soil, growing wildly out of control.

Meng Xuran lifted her chin slightly.

At the same time, the subway doors emitted a creaking noise, reopening after failing to close properly. The sound acted like a switch, amplifying the surrounding clamor until it surged like a tidal wave, drowning out all else.

Bo Mingyan snapped out of her daze and turned her head slightly, putting a small distance between them. Her lashes lowered, and her gaze fell on Meng Xuran’s collarbone, where a tiny mole rested.

Meng Xuran curled her fingers and let out an almost inaudible sigh.

“My eye color is different from most people’s, and so is my appearance. If I don’t wear glasses, I always get stared at. Sometimes people even ask to take photos together or for my contact info,” Bo Mingyan returned to the earlier topic, her voice low and cool. “It’s annoying.”

Meng Xuran nodded, frowning in agreement. “Yeah, it really is.”

From the moment they boarded the train, several older men and the young girl seated to their left had been practically glued to them with their stares—especially the girl, whose gaze at Bo Mingyan seemed ready to pounce at any moment with a “Sister, please dominate me!” Meng Xuran knew the girl was just captivated by Bo Mingyan’s striking looks, but it still made her uncomfortable.

First men, now little girls too?

So damn irritating.

Bo Mingyan had expected Meng Xuran to respond like most people—explaining that others only stared because she was beautiful, that they couldn’t help but look or approach.

She understood their reasoning, but she disliked being scrutinized and hated being hit on.

For a moment, Bo Mingyan had even prepared herself to brush off Meng Xuran the same way she did with others.

But Meng Xuran wasn’t like the rest.

She was the only one who had ever considered things from Bo Mingyan’s perspective.

“Then at home, you don’t have to wear glasses if you don’t want to.” Meng Xuran said softly.

This time, Bo Mingyan didn’t argue. She simply replied, “Mm.”

The subway started moving again, and the slight inertia made Bo Mingyan sway backward—right toward the man behind her who had been staring at them since they boarded. He took the opportunity to inch closer. Bo Mingyan’s brows knitted tightly. She wanted to move aside, but the crowd was too dense.

The only way to avoid him was to press even closer to Meng Xuran.

Suddenly, a pale arm wrapped around her waist from the side, pulling her firmly forward. Bo Mingyan’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively raised a hand to push away—only to freeze mid-motion.

“Stop wobbling around.” Meng Xuran’s sweet voice murmured beside her ear, her warm breath brushing against Bo Mingyan’s cheek. The heat from her palm seemed to seep through fabric and skin, straight into Bo Mingyan’s chest.

It coiled around her heart, sending tingles down her spine.

Bo Mingyan’s fingers curled, then relaxed. Slowly, she lowered her hand and gripped the railing beside the seat.

Meng Xuran shot a fierce glare at the man behind Bo Mingyan before glancing at the two excited girls in the seats, then at Bo Mingyan’s pale hand.

She withdrew her arm, maintaining just enough distance to grip the fabric at Bo Mingyan’s waist instead. Pouting, she grumbled under her breath, “Why’s it so crowded? So annoying.”

Her expression and tone were equal parts haughty and petulant.

Bo Mingyan suddenly recalled the popular “Sun Wukong is fed up” meme online. She couldn’t help but turn her face away, momentarily forgetting how close they were.

Meng Xuran immediately looked at her. “You’re laughing at me.”

The two girls in the seats swiveled their heads, hoping to catch a glimpse of the usually icy elder sister smiling—but all they saw was the back of her head.

“I’m about to get subway-sick.” Meng Xuran muttered pitifully.

“Have you ever even ridden the subway before?” Bo Mingyan asked skeptically. She’d never heard of anyone getting motion sickness from a subway.

Meng Xuran hesitated.

Bo Mingyan took one look at her and guessed the answer. It wasn’t entirely surprising, but it was still a little unexpected. Deliberately fishing for confirmation, she said, “You seemed pretty familiar with the card-swipe process, though.”

“That’s because I looked up a tutorial. I couldn’t just embarrass myself—”

Meng Xuran cut herself off, realizing she’d given herself away, and pressed her lips together.

Bo Mingyan turned her head away again.

This time, the two girls caught it—Bo Mingyan’s shoulders were trembling slightly. But they still couldn’t see her face.

Meng Xuran, however, saw it all clearly. When Bo Mingyan smiled, her sharp features softened like ice melting into spring, revealing a rose in full bloom.

Stunningly beautiful. Breathtakingly so.

“Stop laughing,” Meng Xuran lowered her head, staring at their tangled legs as she grumbled, “I have some dignity, you know.”

Bo Mingyan finally voiced the thought she’d held back the night they slept together: “Little liar.”

The low, amused whisper breezed into Meng Xuran’s ear like a teasing gust of wind.

It made her ear itch.

Meng Xuran swallowed, feeling an itch in her chest, too.

About ten minutes later, the subway arrived at their stop. After swiping out and riding the escalator up to street level, they finally escaped the suffocating crowd.

As they approached the intersection before the stadium, Bo Mingyan slowed her steps and pulled out her phone. “I’ll check if Lu Yo and the others are here yet.”

Meng Xuran walked beside her, keeping an eye on the road. Curious, she asked, “Your friend’s name is Lu Yo? Not Youyou Luming?”

What a strange name.

“When I met her, her grandmother called her Lu Yo, and that’s what’s on her ID too. Maybe she wanted something unique.” Bo Mingyan glanced at Lu Yo’s message and put her phone away. “They’re already here.”

“Oh.” Meng Xuran feigned nonchalance. “She calls you Manman—is that your nickname?”

Bo Mingyan thought of the cat at home and paused before replying, “Mm.”

“That’s the same as Xiaoman’s name. Xiaoman was born on the Xiaoman solar term, so I named her that.” Meng Xuran smoothly segued into her next question. “What about you? Were you also born on Xiaoman?”

“…Mm.” Not wanting to be lumped in with the cat, Bo Mingyan added, “Xiaoman symbolizes happiness and fulfillment, so they called me Manman.”

“Then can I call you that too?” Meng Xuran had finally circled back to her main point.

“…” Bo Mingyan sighed inwardly. Haven’t you been calling me that already?

“If you don’t answer, I’ll take it as a yes.” Meng Xuran declared.

“…” Bo Mingyan turned her head. “What’s your nickname?”

Meng Xuran gave her a long look.

Maybe Bo Mingyan just wanted to exchange nicknames out of fairness. Maybe she was just asking casually. But regardless of her reason, the fact that she’d asked at all meant she was starting to grow curious about Meng Xuran.

A sly glint flashed in Meng Xuran’s eyes before she sighed dramatically. “My nickname isn’t very nice.”

Bo Mingyan nodded. “So what is it?”

“So what is it? I’m not telling you.” Meng Xuran’s eyes curved into crescents. “Manman~”

“Manman!”

Two voices called out in quick succession.

At the stadium entrance, Lu Yo waved at them. Beside her stood a beautiful woman with delicate brows and eyes like autumn water—Tao Xin’s older sister, Yue Yunxi.

It wasn’t until they entered the ice rink that Bo Mingyan understood what Lu Yo meant by “a battlefield.” Tao Xin was there too.

Lu Yo didn’t know how to skate, and Yue Yunxi had offered to teach her. But Tao Xin had tagged along, despite also being a beginner. Yue Yunxi couldn’t handle both at once, leaving the three of them locked in an awkward, tense standoff. Lu Yo had anticipated this, which was why she’d invited Bo Mingyan.

But she hadn’t expected Meng Xuran to be a beginner too—one who was terrified of falling. From the moment she put on her skates, she clung to Bo Mingyan like a lifeline.

Bo Mingyan was surprised, “Seeing how eager you are, I thought you could skate.”

Meng Xueran pouted, “It’s precisely because I can’t that I want to try.”

Bo Mingyan nodded—fair enough.

Tao Xin couldn’t care less whether Meng Xuran could skate or if Bo Mingyan could handle teaching both. She said to Lu Yo, “Since your friend is here, why don’t you ask her to teach you?”

What kind of logic is that?!

Meng Xuran rolled her eyes discreetly and said coolly, “Why bother? Just hire a coach.”

Bo Mingyan caught the eye-roll and smirked.

Tao Xin blinked. She’d assumed Meng Xuran, with her gentle features, would be a pushover. Instead, the first words out of her mouth shut people down.

“Ah! Genius!” Lu Yo shot Tao Xin a sidelong glance. “Unlike some people, whose heads are just there to compensate for their height.”

Tao Xin bristled. “Coaches charge 300 for half an hour. Are you paying?”

The remark was both cheap and manipulative. If Lu Yo replied, “We’re not close enough for me to pay for you.” Tao Xin could smoothly suggest Lu Yo hire her own coach while Yue Yunxi taught her. If Lu Yo agreed, she’d have to grit her teeth and pay for Tao Xin too.

Bo Mingyan frowned slightly. Meng Xuran was her guest, and she was Lu Yo’s friend. To save face for Lu Yo, she’d have to agree.

Meng Xuran tsked. “Split it, then. Aren’t you old enough to be financially independent?”

Tao Xin was speechless.

Lu Yo burst out laughing and whispered to Bo Mingyan, “Thank you for bringing this treasure along.”

Bo Mingyan’s lips quirked but she said nothing.

“I’ll pay.” Yue Yunxi said gently before gliding off toward the service desk. Neither Lu Yo nor Tao Xin could skate well enough to catch up, leaving them no choice but to watch helplessly.

Meng Xuran tugged Bo Mingyan’s sleeve and whispered, “Go tell her we don’t need her to pay. Teach me in secret.”

Bo Mingyan glanced at her and, for a fleeting moment, thought Meng Xuran was truly a fox.

Cunning as can be.

Bao Mingyan made an excuse: “I’ll go help her pick a coach” then turned and hurried after Yue Yunxi.

The remaining three who couldn’t skate stood rooted in place, exchanging bewildered looks.

“I’ll practice on my own first.” Meng Xuran said, sidestepping a couple of steps to send Bo Mingyan a message.

Difficult to Handle: I’ll skate by myself first. You can come find me after you’ve done a lap—that way, we won’t get caught~

Untamed: Okay.

About twenty minutes passed.

Meng Xuran clung to the rink’s edge, inching forward step by step. When she reached a corner, she checked her watch, then turned to scan the ice for Bo Mingyan.

She should’ve done several laps by now.

“Hey, beautiful—here alone? You can’t skate, huh?” A young man slid up beside her, skating backward to leer at her. “Need me to teach you?”

Meng Xuran shot him a frosty glare. “No.”

“She doesn’t need it.”

Two voices overlapped.

The guy faltered. From her profile, he’d assumed Meng Xuran was sweet and docile—not this sharp-tongued. And now this even fiercer-looking woman, who clearly knew how to skate, had shown up. He forced a chuckle and skated away.

“You said you’d come find me after one lap,” Meng Xuran muttered without turning around. “Liar.”

“Who are you calling a liar, little liar?” Bo Mingyan said with a smile.

Meng Xuran, having waited too long, huffed. “Whoever asked is the liar. I’ve practically taught myself by now.”

Bo Mingyan tsked. She clasped her hands behind her back and followed Meng Xuran at a leisurely pace, watching her “self-teaching” in action.

What she saw was a crab-walking mess.

Bo Mingyan laughed outright. “Want me to teach you or not? If not, I’ll go skate by myself.”

Meng Xuran grumbled silently: Go ahead, then. Stupid blockhead, zero emotional intelligence. With that attitude, who’d even like you?

Once she’d vented enough, she turned to look—and nearly jumped.

The two girls who’d been sneaking glances at them on the subway were here too, skating straight toward them. Bo Mingyan almost got hit but sidestepped just in time.

The taller girl, unabashedly outgoing, struck up a conversation. “Sister, you skate so well! Can you teach us?”

“And… can we get your contact info?” the other added.

Meng Xuran gritted her teeth. First I say no one would like her, and now two show up at once? Talk about bad timing!

Bo Mingyan frowned slightly. Skating recklessly against the flow was dangerous, and her already cool demeanor turned frostier.

The girls faltered but didn’t leave.

“No.” Meng Xuran cut in, skating over. In her haste, she nearly did the splits and had to grab Bo Mingyan’s arm to steady herself. As she did, she caught sight of the pink turtle-shaped knee pads in Bo Mingyan’s hands. Her lashes fluttered before she turned to the girls and said firmly,

“She’s teaching me. No extra energy to spare. And adding contacts just to sit in your list is pointless.”

Bo Mingyan glanced at the arm looped through hers, her brow lifting slightly. Strangely, she didn’t mind Meng Xuran’s possessiveness.

In fact, she was starting to get used to Meng Xuran’s touch.

The two girls exchanged glances before slinking away, disappointed and embarrassed.

Meng Xuran reached for the turtle pads. “Are these for me?”

“Who said that?” Bo Mingyan held them just out of reach. “These are for me.”

“You’re already so good. Why would you need these?” Meng Xuran wasn’t fooled. She stretched further. “Only beginners like me who are scared of falling need these.”

“If you’re scared of falling, you’ll never learn.” Bo Mingyan turned smoothly on her skates, though her hands hovered protectively in case Meng Xuran lost balance.

Meng Xuran steadied herself and bit her lower lip. “I’m not scared of falling—I’m scared of pain.”

Is there a difference?

Bo Mingyan chuckled under her breath and stopped teasing, handing over the pads.

Meng Xuran clutched them and ordered, “Help me.”

“…” Bo Mingyan obediently stepped closer to steady her.

But the princess didn’t mean that kind of help: “Help me put them on.”

“…”

Bo Mingyan took the pads back without complaint, bending to fasten them around Meng Xuran’s knees. As she straightened, she said, “Meng Xuran.”

Meng Xuran, busy adjusting the butt pad, answered absently, “Hm?”

“Is your nickname Jiaojiao?” Bo Mingyan asked.

“Ha?” Meng Xuran finished tightening the waist strap and looked up, baffled. “Why would you think my nickname is… Jiaojiao?”

What kind of nonsense—

Bo Mingyan paused before replying lazily, “Because you’re both tsundere and spoiled.”