Mute Beauty

Chapter 96: Darkness

Yuting was Ran Ling's cat-wrangling assistant.

Once she got the cats, Ran Ling stopped paying attention to Yuting.

On the sofa, she held two cats in her arms—one spotted, one fluffy—a black and white pair of sisters. Both cats purred adorably, drawing all her attention.

With her head lowered, her expression was gentle and affectionate as she stroked one then the other, completely ignoring Yuting.

The sofa was soft, and the warmth of the heater filled the room. Ran Ling had shed her heavy outerwear, leaving only a thin white undergarment on. Yuting, sitting beside her, wore a black turtleneck, which didn't hinder their intimacy. Their thighs were pressed closely together, yet Ran Ling's gaze was entirely on the cats.

Under the soft white light, Yuting tucked her long hair behind her ear, her eyes fixed on Ran Ling. The woman looked charming and lively, with a string of white jade beads around her wrist and delicate, pale fingers that moved gracefully. Being touched by her was delightful, Yuting knew, and she envied the cats.

"Ran Ling," Yuting called her name rarely, causing Ran Ling to look up in confusion, her lips slightly parted, silently asking what was wrong.

Yuting wanted to kiss her; her eyes were filled with emotion as she slowly leaned down. Understanding her intent, Ran Ling didn't shy away and tilted her head slightly, as if to meet her halfway. The atmosphere was thick with intimacy.

Just as their noses touched, the cats in Ran Ling's arms suddenly spotted something interesting. The spotted cat leaped from her grasp, and the other followed suit like a rocket, causing Ran Ling to turn her head and hastily get up to see what was going on.

Yuting, leaning in, missed her chance to kiss her.

She paused for a moment, slowly coming to realize something.

Ran Ling had changed.

Ran Ling had truly changed...

She was no longer clingy; she had really become less dependent than before. If it were the past, she wouldn't care about cats at all. She would only focus on Yuting, nervously waiting for a kiss and engaging in sweet exchanges.

Not only that, Yuting slowly discovered that Ran Ling no longer relied on her as much as she used to. It was also apparent that Ran Ling didn't seem to be as anxious around her anymore. Furthermore, Yuting noticed that Ran Ling was no longer as fragile or tearful, her excessive clinginess and strong possessiveness had faded away...

Yuting wasn't completely oblivious; she quickly realized this was a form of psychological independence stemming from a loss of trust. The two months when she had been too preoccupied with work had transformed Ran Ling into this.

What to do? What to do...

Ran Ling was still gentle and gracious, still responsive to her, but no longer as clingy as before—this became increasingly evident in their interactions. This made Yuting feel uneasy, anxious, and insecure. She even began to wonder if, after everything they had been through, Ran Ling no longer loved her as much as she used to.

Though Ran Ling claimed to have forgiven her, she still wouldn't return the ring, which surely meant she hadn't completely forgiven her.

What would it take for Ran Ling to fully forgive her? They weren't remarried yet, and Yuting didn't dare to rashly bring it up. When would Ran Ling be willing to remarry her?

The sense of crisis left Yuting feeling discontent with the status quo. She needed to reclaim her original identity, the one that was inseparable from Ran Ling...