Rose in No-Man's Land

35 Secretly

That night, Tao Ye specially prepared a large table of delicious food for Xia Xingmian to help her recover after just being discharged from the hospital.

After so long, Xia Xingmian had gotten used to eating the meals that Tao Ye prepared. They were simple, yet they carried a familiar taste of "home."

"Um, I..."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you..." Xia Xingmian held the bowl of congee, and as she expressed her gratitude, her face nearly sank into the bowl.

Tao Ye smiled and stood up to clear the dishes. When she walked to Xia Xingmian's right side, she seemed to say something, but due to temporary hearing loss in Xia Xingmian's right ear, she didn't catch it.

"What did you say?" She lifted her head, looking a bit confused.

"If you didn't hear it, it's nothing." Tao Ye carried the plates and bowls to the kitchen to wash, telling Xia Xingmian to tidy up her things first.

Xia Xingmian asked twice what Tao Ye had just said, but she received no answer.

As the night deepened, they finished packing and washed up separately.

Tao Ye was the last to wash up. When she returned to the bedroom after her shower, she saw Xia Xingmian sitting upright on the bed, staring intently in her direction.

If one were to assume she had any impure thoughts, the buttons of her pajamas were fastened tightly to the top. Yet, if one claimed she had no ill intentions, her expression, caught between wanting to say something and holding back, and her overly conflicted gaze hinted at something else.

"Should we start now?"

Tao Ye stood at the foot of the bed, her gaze slightly curved, lifting her chin gracefully, as her slender fingers began to unbutton her pajamas.

Xia Xingmian rose from under the covers, knee-walking over to grasp Tao Ye's wrist.

"Sister..." She stopped Tao Ye's unbuttoning motion, her brows furrowed. "Don't... you want to ask me something?"

Tao Ye was puzzled. "Like what?"

With great determination, Xia Xingmian's fingers tightened around Tao Ye's wrist as she asked, "Don't you want to know what happened that night when I was with Lu Qiurui?"

"..." Tao Ye fell silent for a moment before giving a faint smile. "That's between you two."

Xia Xingmian's tone became heavier. "How can it only be between me and her? I'm yours now, and I spent a night with someone else. Don't you care at all?"

The air fell silent.

After a long time...

Finally, Tao Ye gently looked at Xia Xingmian and, with a slightly hoarse voice, asked, "So what did you and she do?"

Xia Xingmian didn't answer directly; instead, she asked in return, "Do you care?"

Tao Ye nodded calmly. "Yes, I care."

Xia Xingmian's mind became a whirlwind, she couldn't tell if Tao Ye was speaking the truth or just placating her.

A thought suddenly surfaced: Should she confess to Tao Ye now, directly telling her "I like you"?

This wasn't her first time thinking this way. Yet, just like countless times before, when the words were on her lips, she hesitated.

Perhaps... she should test the waters again?

She always thought that she should wait until Tao Ye showed some affection for her before confessing, thinking it would be more appropriate then.

Otherwise, she feared scaring Tao Ye away and ruining this hard-earned relationship they had built.