Mute Beauty

Chapter 42: The Ring

In the afternoon, a sweltering rain fell over the city of Yun. The rain quickly slipped away, leaving behind the fragrant scent of wet earth, mingling with the rich aroma of flowers, creating an illusion of falling into a sea of blossoms after the rain, trapped in a cave filled with flowers, drenched in perspiration.

Ran Ling's damp appearance was even more captivating than Yu Ting had imagined. Her flushed skin was covered with a soft sheen of water, making it hard to resist the urge to touch.

The texture was moist and soft, yet not sticky; fingertips gliding over her skin elicited a delightful shiver, addictive in its allure.

Ran Ling snuggled against Yu Ting's neck, the two sweaty women kissed again and again, only stopping when Ran Ling could hardly catch her breath. Her eyes welled up again, and Yu Ting held her close to help her calm down. Time seemed to drift by, and it was a long while before they finally got up from the bed, showered, and went downstairs to eat the long-missed lunch.

Before long, thunder rumbled outside, and a real cool breeze swept in. Yu Ting closed the room's windows, not wanting the frail woman to catch a chill.

Thus, the heavy rain and lightning imprisoned them in the fragrant room, preventing anyone from stepping outside.

When Yu Ting reminisced about that day, her memories always felt hazy. It was like a rollercoaster of a dream, where she could never quite distinguish which moments were dreamlike and which were reality.

She drifted into the next day in a daze.

At nine o'clock, Yu Ting was awakened by the alarm. Opening her eyes, she found herself in the familiar bedroom, the sheets and covers freshly changed, and the air filled with the lingering scent of the night. She paused for a moment, turned to turn off the alarm, and the woman in her arms stirred slightly, nestled deeper into her embrace and murmured softly, instinctively tightening her grip around Yu Ting's waist as if afraid she would slip away with the morning alarm.

Yu Ting lowered her head, the woman's head nestled against her, still not looking up.

"Did I wake you?"

Ran Ling sleepily shook her head, nuzzling closer, clearly wanting Yu Ting to stay and let her continue sleeping. She let out a couple of soft sounds, carrying a hint of a command that lacked any real authority.

Ling Ling shouldn't get up yet.

The half-awake, languid woman, the soft and warm bed, and the fragrance wafting from the bedding evoked a charm that was both alluring and vaguely dangerous.

In truth, Ran Ling's hold wasn't tight, but there was a certain persistence about her, like being caught in a trap, where one could easily lose their willpower and become ensnared by her tendrils.

Yu Ting, unsure if she was battling with herself, remained silent for a while. Seeing the time slip away, she finally reached out and gently touched the nape of the still-drowsy woman. "I need to go to the office. I have a meeting."

"You need to get up; otherwise, you'll be late." Her tone was resigned, her voice slightly hoarse yet light and gentle, making it sound particularly indulgent on such a morning.

Sister Ling was considerate of her; how could she let her be late? Yu Ting sensed the woman clinging to her loosen a bit. She sat up, adjusting the blanket over her.

Ran Ling was far too sleepy and lazily remained where she was, not opening her eyes.

The alarm was set later than usual, and after being entangled with Ran Ling for a while, time had run out for Yu Ting to go to the gym. She quickly washed up, picked out an outfit from the wardrobe, and returned to the bedside to grab her fully charged phone, ready to head downstairs.