MTMIO Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Coward

The cheongsam for the birthday banquet was brought to Yue Yunxi’s house along with the piano that day, placed on the island counter in the dressing room.

Before showering that night, Lu You carried the brocade box into the shower room.

Every time she glanced at the cyan brocade box, she would remember the conversation she had with Yue Yunxi that night when she picked it up from the brocade shop.

It was just like Pandora’s box, the memories it evoked were filled with ambiguous elements, always tempting her to open it.

Now that she had truly opened it, it made her feel uneasy.

After changing into the cheongsam, Lu You dawdled for a long time before finally going out.

The floor lamp in the bedroom was on, and Yue Yunxi was nestled in the cream-colored armchair under the lamp, a pair of glasses perched on her nose, staring expressionlessly at the computer on the armrest of the sofa, typing on the keyboard.

Hearing the sound, Yue Yunxi stopped typing, looked up, her gaze sweeping over through the lenses.

Lu You had only seen her wear glasses a handful of times, it gave her a very different impression than usual, and the aloofness in her temperament deepened a bit.

Because of this, she felt that the gaze directed at her seemed to be tempered by the lenses, a mixture of scorching heat and calm restraint, complex and contradictory, and a little unfamiliar.

Lu You couldn’t help but lose herself for a moment.

For a brief ten seconds or so, Yue Yunxi’s gaze remained fixed on her, scrutinizing her carefully.

The soft, orange-brown satin cheongsam, thanks to the skillful craftsmanship, fitted her figure perfectly without being too revealing, her curves subtle, making her look like a white magnolia blooming in a meticulous painting.

“Come here, Yoyo.”

Hearing this, Lu You glared at her, “Are you calling a puppy?”

Wearing this cheongsam, she cast a reproachful glance, not very threatening, but rather showing a bit of coquettishness.

Yue Yunxi was taken aback for a moment, then curved her lips into an innocent expression.

Lu You didn’t really care, and took a few steps towards her.

Her heart rate accelerated for no reason, and she slowed down her pace, stopping when she was two or three meters away from Yue Yunxi.

“A little closer.” Yue Yunxi beckoned to coax her, “Come here.”

Through the lenses, Lu You met her gaze, and for some reason, even though the tone was gentle, it gave her a very subtle feeling of being ordered.

Not so obvious, making it impossible to refuse.

Lu You slowly closed the distance, muttering to herself that she was clearly being treated like a puppy.

Close enough to be only half a meter away from the armchair.

Yue Yunxi, who had been sitting upright, leaned forward, reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her another step forward.

Not using much force, more like guiding her.

Lu You couldn’t help but hold her breath, heard Yue Yunxi’s voice, but didn’t pay attention to what she was saying.

She only saw the silver-rimmed square frame with slightly yellowed lenses, whether it was blue light glasses or illuminated by the lamp, she could vaguely see long and dense eyelashes behind the lenses, like small fans, suddenly lifting up.

Looking at each other through the lenses, Lu You finally calmed down and asked, “What did you just say? I didn’t hear.”

Yue Yunxi said slowly, “I said, it looks very good, but it feels like something is missing on your hand.”

Lu You realized belatedly that her left hand was still being held by the other woman.

Lowering her head and eyes, she happened to see Yue Yunxi’s thumb gently caressing her pinky ring, the fair fingertips and the white ring almost indistinguishable.

Lu You’s fingertips curled slightly, not actively pulling away, unconsciously picking up the conversation and saying, “Missing what? A watch?”

Yue Yunxi stared at her for a few seconds, then chuckled.

Lu You was a little puzzled, her gaze rising from her wrist back to Yue Yunxi’s face, “What are you laughing at?”

“Usually jade bracelets or pearl bracelets are used to match cheongsams, how could you think of a watch?” Yue Yunxi looked into her eyes, the curve of her lips meaningfully pulled by the question.

As if she was not only amused by her thought process.

But more like, she was delighted to have captured the secrets exposed in her subconscious answer.

Lu You’s long eyelashes fluttered, drooping down, concealing most of her eyes, and she teased with a bit of temper, “I’ve been brainwashed by your vigorous salesmanship before.”

Yue Yunxi didn’t mind at all, and even cooperated with the act, smiling and asking, “Then, Miss Lu, would you like to consider it again in light of my vigorous efforts?”

Lu You also laughed, raised her eyes to look at her, “I have to wear it early tomorrow morning, can you deliver it to me in time?”

The physical stores were closed at night, and she didn’t have time to buy it tomorrow either. She felt like a difficult customer deliberately making things difficult for the salesperson.

“… Too late.” Yue Yunxi shook her head, regretfully letting go of her hand.

Lu You was stunned, her hand naturally drooping to her side after losing support.

Then, she saw Yue Yunxi slowly and deliberately taking off the watch on her wrist and handing it to her.

“Can this be used in a pinch?”

The floor lamp shone with warm white light, illuminating the day and night display area on the dial, like lighting up a crescent moon, flickering with subtle light into her eyes, Lu You paused for a moment before reaching out to take it.

“It’s barely acceptable.” She said, biting back her modesty, deliberately pretending to be embarrassed, but she couldn’t maintain it to the end, the ending sound rising involuntarily.

Yue Yunxi’s shoulders sank down, as if a taut string was slowly being loosened, and behind the lenses, her eyes curved into crescent moons.

“I wanted to ask before, do these glasses have a prescription?”

“Guess.” Yue Yunxi leaned back, leaning against the armrest of the armchair, her back of hand supporting her chin, slightly raised, making it easier for her to observe.

Lu You took a few steps back, sat sideways on the chair in front of the dressing table, recalled several times she had seen Yue Yunxi wearing glasses, not at night, but when she was looking at electronic devices, she analyzed and said, “I rarely see you wearing glasses, if they have a prescription, it shouldn’t be very high.”

Yue Yunxi didn’t speak, her expression a little intriguing.

“Or are they flat lenses to prevent blue light?” Lu You continued to guess.

Yue Yunxi still remained noncommittal, but this time, the eyebrow on her right side raised slightly.

Lu You took it as a correct guess this time, hesitantly asking, “No prescription, why did you wear them the day Yunzhu treated us to dinner, was it to match your clothes that day?”

“If I said yes, would you believe it?”

“No.”

Lu You remembered that it was the first gathering after she refused, Yue Yunxi’s makeup that day was very light, so light that you could tell at a glance that she had only applied a little lipstick to improve her complexion.

“When I don’t wear makeup, wearing glasses prevents me from looking too haggard.” Yue Yunxi smiled, “I didn’t care about what to wear back then.”

Lu You felt that her heart was softened by her deliberately relaxed words, “You’re doing it on purpose, you’re making me feel sorry for you.”

“So, do you feel sorry for me?”

Lu You’s gaze in response seemed to be defeated, drooping down unconsciously, she caressed the watch in her hand, pursing her lips in silence.

Hearing Yue Yunxi’s unique gentle tone, reminding her, “If you don’t speak, I’ll take it as a default.”

Lu You paused her hand, but still responded with silence.

“What’s the old saying…” Yue Yunxi’s voice stalled, as if thinking back.

Lu You raised her face and looked at her.

At the moment her gaze was captured, Yue Yunxi said softly, “Feeling sorry is the beginning of being moved.”

Lu You didn’t know when and where this “old saying” spread, but she inexplicably thought of another sentence –

Older sisters are at the top of the food chain.

At this moment, she could be said to have learned the weight of it. Her every move, every little thought, seemed to be accurately grasped by the other person.

Lu You coughed twice, paused for a moment, she suddenly thought and said, “Wait, I just realized, you don’t seem to have answered me all this time, do the glasses really have no prescription?”

Yue Yunxi chuckled, laughing at her slow response, and laughing at her always stiffly changing the subject at this time.

“Why don’t you try wearing them yourself?”

Yue Yunxi suggested this, but sat there without moving, not making any moves to take off her glasses.

Just looking at her quietly, that look seemed to be saying, if you want to try, take them off yourself.

Calm and composed, as if certain that she didn’t dare to go over.

Lu You raised an eyebrow, put down the watch, got up and walked over, closer than before.

Close enough that the tips of their giraffe slippers were almost kissing.

Close enough that she could clearly see the design details at the joint between the temple and the frame, and the small, inconspicuous mole under the corner of Yue Yunxi’s eye.

Yue Yunxi wearing glasses not only deepened her aloofness, but also added a bit of intellectualism.

This sense of intellectualism added a bit of unapproachable abstinence to her.

Lu You paused, raised her hand, and reached towards the temples on both sides.

Yue Yunxi didn’t move, reflexively fanning her eyelashes lightly.

As if driven by slowed breathing, like a butterfly flapping its wings, even the surrounding airflow changed, colliding in the space between the two to create an ambiguous atmosphere, compressing the air so thin.

When her fingertips touched the ear as she pinched the temples, the cool touch made Lu You realize that she had stepped into the other person’s safe range step by step.

The other person’s aura, the slightly cool-toned fragrance warmed by body temperature, gently lingered at her nose, entwining and permeating her breathing.

Her gaze fell down, but through the thin lenses, she crashed into Yue Yunxi’s eyes without defense, those dark, glassy eyes containing inexplicable emotions.

It made her heart beat erratically, and she continued to look down, lost.

She only saw that Yue Yunxi’s upturned neck skin was very white, like a stretched white satin, and she could vaguely catch the traces of her throat rolling.

Further down, in the open collar, was a stretch of undulating white.

Lu You closed her eyes, moved her gaze away, and inhaled silently, “… Never mind.”

Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, her left hand was grabbed.

Caught off guard, her heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat, she couldn’t stand still, and her body leaned forward uncontrollably. Fortunately, her right hand supported her on the armrest in time, and Yue Yunxi held her waist, so she didn’t fall down.

Their breaths collided in the narrow space.

The warmth constantly sensed on her waist, like burning charcoal in a stove, boiled her heartbeat.

Lu You moved her lips, wanting to ask Yue Yunxi what she was doing by pulling her hand, but her heart was beating too fast, as if it was about to jump out, blocking her throat and making her unable to make a sound.

“Slow down.” Yue Yunxi spoke first.

Lu You: “…”

Slow down what slow down, if you hadn’t pulled me, would I have fallen?

She blankly opened a pair of innocent eyes, staring straight at the other person.

Yue Yunxi’s eyes trembled lightly, her gaze falling down, skimming lightly over the pomegranate flower knot on the cheongsam, then she let go of her hand and turned her head away, saying, “I’m going to take a shower.”

Lu You was slightly stunned, and stepped back.

Before getting up to leave, Yue Yunxi took off her glasses and handed them to her.

Lu You grabbed the temples and stood there, until she heard the sound of water coming from the shower room, then she moved to sit in the armchair.

There was not much warmth left on the soft cushion, and the fragrance in the air was also a bit fainter.

Her heartbeat slowly calmed down, and she put on the glasses.

There was no dizziness, and everything in her field of vision was no different from usual except that the warm light emitted by the floor lamp was deepened a bit.

They really had no prescription.

That day, Yue Yunxi wore them, really so she wouldn’t look too haggard.

Is feeling sorry the beginning of being moved?

She has felt sorry more than just this once.

Lu You took off her glasses, clenched them in her hand, and caressed the slender temples absentmindedly.

Her thoughts suddenly split, thinking of the scene just now.

Was it because she lost her composure and didn’t stand still, or did Yue Yunxi pull her?

Yue Yunxi reminded her to take it easy.

Shouldn’t it have been that she didn’t stand still?

Lu You tilted her head, looking thoughtfully at the sliding door of the shower room.

Inside the door, heat was permeating the frosted glass, the showerhead was spraying hot water downwards, sliding down the soft white skin, and the wet hand was raised in front of her eyes.

Her grabbing Lu You’s hand was to tease her with a “coward, how can you not even dare to take off your glasses.”

Unconscious pulling.

She was a bit regretful, maybe, she should have been intentional.

However, if it was intentional, she would have been discovered, right?

Yue Yunxi lowered her hand, pressed the faucet to turn off the water, and smiled silently.

She was the coward.