“Mmph! Mmm—”

Tang Coco hit her limit. Meng Yuting’s force pressed like a mountain; Coco couldn’t move a finger. Still, she twisted like a trapped fish in a net, tried every way to fight back—except biting. Deep down, she didn’t want to hurt Meng Yuting.

“Mmm— mmh—”

Her lashes drooped like wet reeds. The struggle ebbed, a tide pulling back.

“Already giving up?”

Meng Yuting lifted her head, voice soft as night rain.

“Haa— Yu… Yuting…”

Coco’s breath ran in ragged waves; words broke on the shore of her lips.

“Know what? The moment I learned you transformed, I felt angry— and a flicker of joy.”

Meng Yuting smiled, lantern-light in her eyes.

“Huh?”

Coco peered through a haze, like looking through misted glass.

“Know why I accepted Xin and me loving you together?”

“Know why I had you wear that maid outfit?”

Meng’s smile curved like a crescent moon. Coco stared straight at her, silent.

“Because… I really like girls.”

She said it with a bright smile, then brushed a light kiss on Coco’s nose, a dragonfly skimming water.

“Only… you idiot managed to draw me in, made me accept you.”

“So, seeing you this cute— I’m happy.”

“Yu… Yuting…”

Coco stared, stunned, as if thunder had rolled across clear sky. She hadn’t expected her girlfriend to be a lily bloom.

“So you can’t run. I’ll let you taste what we felt back then.”

Her tone turned honey-sweet and dangerous. Her hand rested on Coco’s belly, then slid down like rain seeking a stream.

“Don’t—”

“No… no way…”

Coco caught the drift like a deer scenting a tiger. She shook her head, tried to fight— but her body went soft, cotton under summer sun.

“Mm—”

A tiny spark shot through her nerves, lightning pricking the mind. Coco’s mouth slipped free of control.

“Wow. You’re too tempting.”

Meng Yuting’s surprise was a flare in the dark.

“Meng… Meng Yuting… move your hand…”

Coco tried to sound angry, a paper tiger baring its teeth.

“What did you call me?”

Meng teased, fingers shifting like silk.

“Mm—”

Coco lost control again, then forced out words between tides. “Meng Yuting… I… I’m mad.”

“Heh. Still don’t see where you stand?”

Meng’s laugh carried frost.

“I…”

“You’re without Anomaly Power right now. It’s only for a while— but how will you cross that bridge?”

“You…”

Coco gathered her last embers, glared— a firefly against night. It had no bite. Meng answered with a small revenge; Coco’s voice spilled, “Mm—”

“I’ll ask you— what’s your plan from here?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Mm?”

Her brows drew together, two ink strokes.

“Ah—”

Coco winced as deft fingers found fault lines.

“Do you still love us?”

“…”

Coco steadied her heartbeat, then spoke like placing a pebble in a stream. “I love you… but…”

“No buts.”

Meng’s temper flashed like a snapped bowstring. “We can accept you’ve become a girl. What are you tangled on?”

“I…”

The shout struck like a drumbeat; Coco flinched.

“Do I have to go further for you to realize you’re completely, utterly a girl now?”

“…”

Silence fell. Coco turned her burning face away, a peony hiding in shade.

“Look at you. Where’s the man? Fine. One last chance. Two choices.”

“One, I break you. We’re square. You can roll wherever you like.”

Anger edged her words like steel.

“Two…”

She paused; anger ebbed like tide. Her eyes warmed, spring in winter. “We go back to what we were… even if you’re a girl.”

“…”

Coco closed her eyes, thoughts like birds circling.

“I…”

Her voice trembled like a taut string. “Can we really go back?”

She opened her eyes. Tears pooled, bright as dew.

“As long as you accept it, we can.”

Meng’s tone turned gentle, a hand smoothing silk.

“…”

Coco’s eyes fell shut again, sinking into quiet water.

“I… I accept.”

“Not lying to me?”

“No… If you can still accept me… then I’ll… accept it too.”

“Mm. Of course.”

Meng smiled and sat on Coco’s thighs, a willow settling.

“Haa— the main thing’s done. Now we can play as we please.”

She combed her long hair, black water flowing through fingers.

“Huh? You—”

Coco felt danger coil like incense smoke.

“What? We haven’t met in ages. We’ve got to deepen our bond, right, wife?”

She licked her lips, red fruit gleaming.

“!!!”

Coco’s eyes flew wide, stars startled from a pond. “You… I… I’m tired… let me go first…”

“No. You’re perfect right now. Don’t fool me. I know a woman’s body better than you.”

She waved lazily, then lowered onto Coco, hands gliding— one up, one down, like wind over wheat.

“No… no!”

A last flare before dusk.

“Don’t thrash. I don’t want to break you yet. Xin would kill me.”

She laughed, bells in the dark.

“You— no!”

“Ah—”

————————————

At noon, Gu Xin laid out a table of dishes, steam rising like mountain mist— all the foods Tang Ke used to love.

Click.

The upstairs door opened. Meng Yuting stepped out, smoothing her hair like silk, and drifted down the stairs.

“Wow, everything’s ready? Perfect. I’m starving.”

“How did it go?”

Gu Xin asked, voice a calm river.

“Hehe. Xin, you already know, right? Look— these dishes are that guy’s favorites.”

Meng grinned, peach-blossom smug.

“…”

Gu Xin’s cheeks tinted, dawn on snow.

“Haha. I’m hitting the bathroom. You go upstairs and tidy that one up. First time, huh? The scene’s a bit tragic.”

She waved and vanished, a swish of water sleeve.

“…”

A black line fell across Gu Xin’s face; clearly, Tang Coco had it rough.

She went upstairs, pushed the door open, and stopped— lake ice at first sight.

Tang Coco lay on her side, still bound. Sweat beaded like rain on leaves. The thin nightdress clung, soaked; her hair was damp, tangled like wild grass on the pillow.

“Go… away…”

Coco turned her head aside, a wounded fox seeking shade.

“…”

Gu Xin paused, then said, gentle as warm tea, “Why shy with me? Yuting went a bit overboard.”

She slipped into the bathroom, then returned, a quiet rhythm. She came to the bed and set a hand on Coco.

“You…”

Coco tensed, a bird flutter under palm.

“Don’t move. I’ll undo it.”

At that, Coco stilled, a reef under tide.

Gu Xin, cheeks flushed like cherry skins, loosened the ropes— red marks ringing like pale vines. Then her hand moved to the nightdress.

“Hey!?”

Coco resisted, mustering the last spark to press the hem.

“You agreed to Yuting, didn’t you?”

Gu Xin’s gaze turned, steady as a needle.

“Mm…”

A small sound, soft as moss.

“Then what are we now?”

“Uh…”

The word faltered. She didn’t know how to name a bridge she’d just crossed.

“You don’t need to say it. If you really accepted it, this little thing shouldn’t bother you.”

Gu Xin cut the knot cleanly. She slipped off the nightdress and the underlayers, moonlight on white porcelain.

“…”

Coco’s face flushed, sunset spilling.

“Don’t fidget. I’ll wash you.”

She lifted Coco, a cradle of arms.

“Oh…”

Head down, Coco answered, a ripple in the tub.

Gu Xin carried her into the bathroom. The tub steamed with warm water, a small spring. She lowered Coco in, set her against the smooth wall. Then she stepped back, undressed, and slid in too— two lotus in one pond.

“Uh…”

Coco watched, cheeks like fireflies. They hadn’t been this close in ages.

“I’ll rub the marks.”

Gu Xin drew Coco’s arm, where faint rope prints circled like mist rings.

“Xin…”

Coco spoke lightly, a feather on air.

“What is it?”

Surprise brushed Coco’s heart— Gu Xin hadn’t called her a jerk.

“Do you… really not mind that I became like this?”

Gu Xin asked back, voice steady as stone, “Tell me— do you still love me?”

“Mm.”

A nod, seed and soil meeting.

“Then it’s fine. I won’t change either. Even if you’re a girl.”

Relief flowed through Coco, warm soup after winter wind.

“Honestly… you’re pretty good like this.”

Gu Xin smiled, small sun breaking cloud.

“Ah?”

“Look at you. You’re too beautiful now— makes people want to protect you. Truthfully, even without our past, I might still fall for you.”

“Uh…”

Coco’s thoughts flickered— then why last night…

“And what about Ye Yiyi and Li Muyan, hmm?”

Gu Xin’s grin tilted, a fan hiding half a smile.

“…”

Coco’s heart jumped, a drum hit once.

“Alright, I know what’s between you and them. I won’t meddle. As long as I still live in your heart, it’s enough.”

“Xin…”

“But don’t get happy too soon. I’ll collect some debts, slowly. You can’t run now.”

Coco’s rising gratitude folded like a paper crane.

“Hey! I’m eating first! I’m starving!”

Suddenly, Meng Yuting’s voice drifted in from outside the bathroom, like steam sliding under the door.

“That rascal Yuting... such a little ghost.”

Gu Xin muttered, her words sinking like a pebble into a pond.

“...”

Tang Coco lowered her head; then she lunged into Gu Xin’s arms, clinging like ivy to a wall.

“Whoosh—”

Water leapt from the tub like scattered pearls.

“...”

Gu Xin kept quiet, still as moonlight on water.

“Thank you... I... actually... missed you... so much... it felt like winter.”

Tang Coco sobbed as she spoke, the long‑stifled hurt breaking like a thawed river.

“...”

“And that’s all because you’re such a dummy.”

Gu Xin scolded with a smile, light as spring rain and sharp as bamboo.

“Boo‑hoo— boo‑hoo—”

Tang Coco cried hard, tears drumming like summer rain on eaves.

Ten minutes later, Tang Coco’s tears eased, like a squall rolling past.

“Hey, that’s enough, right? How long are you going to keep hugging me, vines to a tree?”

Gu Xin said helplessly, her sigh brushing the air like wind through bamboo.

“Just a bit longer. You held me so long last night~”

Tang Coco cooed, soft as a kitten purring against a stove.

“Figures, a perv stays a perv—the little fox tail’s showing.”

“But from now on, we won’t let you push us around; it’s you, little girl, who’ll be kept in line.”

As she spoke, Gu Xin tapped Tang Coco’s forehead, a playful peck like a woodpecker.

“Uh...”

“Hey! I’m your husband.”

“Oooh, hubby’s skin is smoother than mine—like warm jade.”

Gu Xin chuckled, then tapped Tang Coco’s chest, as light as a finger on a flower bud.

“And this—not small at all.”

“You—!”

Tang Coco’s face flushed in a blink, pink as peach petals at dawn.

“Alright, I’ll spare you today. Wipe off and let’s eat; the rice is calling like rising steam.”

Gu Xin said with a smile, her voice easy as a spring breeze.