Chapter 42 - There’s… nothing underneath

After returning home from the gym, Lin Xian and Xiao Wanqing went to their respective rooms to shower, as was their usual routine.

In the bathroom, Lin Xian undressed and stepped under the showerhead, turning on the hot water. The stream of warmth flowed down her back, washing away the lingering chill on her body. She squeezed out a small amount of shower gel, rubbed it between her hands, and began to lather her skin—over her slender shoulders and down her body, until she reached her smooth, flat stomach…

Unbidden, her mind wandered to the playful exchange between Wen Tong and Xiao Wanqing at the gym earlier.

“Should I check if your abs are still there?”
“Aunt Xiao has abs...”

Lin Xian silently repeated those words again in her heart.

She had seen Xiao Wanqing’s bare arms in the summer—slim and toned, with elegant lines, but never overly muscular. Later, after Lin Xian got more familiar with fitness, she noticed that Xiao Wanqing didn’t particularly restrict her diet either. So, although she knew Aunt Xiao worked out, she’d always assumed it was just for general health.

She hadn’t expected that beneath that delicate and gentle exterior hid such stunning, powerful beauty.

Lin Xian stepped a little closer to the water, tilting her head back and closing her eyes, letting the stream hit her face.

In her mind, Xiao Wanqing’s graceful features came to life—elegant, refined, her tall slender figure bathed in a quiet softness that made one instinctively want to protect her.

And then, the scene in her mind shifted. She saw Xiao Wanqing at the gym again, in a cropped sports bra that could double as outerwear, gracefully warming up. Her waist was so slim it looked like it could be encircled with one hand. With her arms raised, her white, tight, defined stomach and visible abs were fully exposed. She turned slightly, revealing a seductive groove down her back and faint dimples on either side of her waist…

Lin Xian suddenly reached out and slapped the water off. A moment later, she turned the knob again—and this time, icy cold water poured down on her…

Xiao Wanqing had just finished drying her hair after her shower. Leaning casually against the headboard, she flipped through a magazine when she heard light footsteps approaching. Sure enough, a moment later, Lin Xian’s bright, clear smile appeared at the door.

She looked freshly showered, with damp hair clinging softly to her face. She wore a loose T-shirt and a pair of shorts, and poked her head in to ask, “Aunt Xiao, can I come in?”

Xiao Wanqing’s brows furrowed slightly as she set her magazine aside and sat up straight, concerned. “Why aren’t you wearing a jacket? Come in quickly, you’ll catch a cold.”

Getting her answer, Lin Xian bounced over happily to the bed, laughing as she said, “The windows are closed—it’s not cold at all!”

Still, Xiao Wanqing remained worried. As soon as Lin Xian reached the bed, she didn’t hesitate to pull her in, tucking her into the quilt. Then, she grabbed a blanket from the side and carefully draped it over Lin Xian’s shoulders. “You’re always making me worry,” she muttered helplessly.

Lin Xian felt the warmth wrap around her, and her heart softened even more. She rested her head on Xiao Wanqing’s shoulder and playfully said, “Otherwise, how would Aunt Xiao care about me this much?”

Xiao Wanqing tapped her on the nose with a smile. “Are you saying I don’t usually care about you enough?”

Lin Xian grinned but said nothing. Her eyes drifted to the belt tied around Xiao Wanqing’s robe, and once again, something stirred in her heart…

After a brief pause, she made up her mind. She lifted herself off Xiao Wanqing’s shoulder and sat up on her knees, her voice soft and sweet. “Aunt Xiao, I discovered something just now while showering… sob sob sob…”

Xiao Wanqing turned to look at her, puzzled but smiling. “Hm?”

Lin Xian gently lifted her thin pajama top, revealing her flat, fair belly. She pouted bashfully, “Aunt Xiao, do you think I’m getting a tummy?”

She half-knelt on Xiao Wanqing’s bed, the hem of her sleep shorts riding up, exposing her long, fair legs. Draped in Xiao Wanqing’s blanket, her shirt had lifted too high—lace from her bra peeking through. Her bare stomach was smooth and petite.

Her eyes shimmered as she looked at Xiao Wanqing, her cheeks rosy from the shower, a perfect mix of shyness and charm. Her long hair cascaded down her back, and with her movements, the blanket slipped off her shoulders, pulling her shirt slightly askew—revealing a delicate shoulder.

She was the very image of girlish innocence and blossoming youth.

Xiao Wanqing’s heart skipped a beat for reasons she couldn’t quite explain…

She instinctively turned her face away, not daring to meet Lin Xian’s gaze. Shifting slightly away, she stammered, “No… You look just fine…”

But Lin Xian, as if unaware, crept a little closer on her knees, pressing up beside Xiao Wanqing’s ear. Her voice was soft and teasing. “Aunt Xiao, can I see your little abs?”

Her breath, warm and gentle, brushed against Xiao Wanqing’s already crimson ear…

After Lin Xian’s birthday weekend, the following Friday evening—during periods 7 and 8—marked the first major exam of their freshman year: the midterm for Calculus.

Lin Xian, Chen Zhi, Tang Mo, and Shi Man had planned ahead of time to review together at the library every free moment they had outside of regular classes that week.

However, Shi Man started acting very strangely—totally out of character. Early Monday morning, she didn’t show up for morning self-study. Lin Xian, puzzled, asked the vice class rep, who said they hadn’t received any leave notice from Shi Man.

Worried, Lin Xian sent her a text asking why she hadn’t come. But the message went unanswered.

Shiman was nowhere to be seen even after the second class ended. Lin Xian couldn’t help calling her, only to realize that Shiman’s phone had been switched off. Uneasy, her thoughts drifted back to that game they played the other day, and to the strange undercurrent in the air when she walked Shiman downstairs—the atmosphere between Shiman and Xia Zhijin had seemed calm on the surface, but there was something quietly turbulent underneath.

Could something… have happened?

Lin Xian abruptly shot up from her seat and strode out of the classroom. Tang Mo, sitting nearby, looked at her in confusion and called out, “Lin Xian, where are you going? Class is about to start!” But Lin Xian didn’t respond at all.

She had barely sprinted out of the classroom and down the hallway when Xia Zhijin’s tall and slender figure suddenly appeared in her field of view.

Lin Xian skidded to a stop, and Xia Zhijin also paused. They exchanged a glance, then wordlessly made their way together to a quiet corner of the balcony at the end of the corridor.

Lin Xian had come out intending to find Xia Zhijin anyway. She turned to look at her and immediately noticed that something seemed off. Xia Zhijin looked utterly exhausted, and her usual cool composure was clouded by a sorrow that refused to be hidden. Lin Xian hesitated, then asked anxiously, “Sister Zhijin, why didn’t Manman come to class today? I texted her and she didn’t reply. I called her, but her phone’s off.”

Xia Zhijin’s hand tightened slightly on the railing. Her voice was low and hoarse as she said, “I don’t know either.” Lin Xian saw her already pale lips, now bitten raw with hints of red showing through. After a long pause, she spoke with difficulty, “On Sunday morning, Shiman got a call from her mom. They had a fight, and she stormed out… and never came back that night. I haven’t been able to reach her since.”

“I came to campus a little after five this morning. I waited outside the department building until now, but I didn’t see her at all. That’s when I realized—she didn’t come to class either…” Turning her head, her eyes sorrowful, she pleaded softly, “I came to find you because… if she reaches out to you, please let me know. I’m… really worried about her.”

Lin Xian nodded immediately. Without thinking, she agreed. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Did… something happen between you and Manman?” Shiman cared so much about Xia Zhijin—it didn’t make sense that she would just leave without saying a word.

Xia Zhijin let out a bitter smile and said quietly, “Nothing happened.” And that was precisely the problem—nothing had happened, nothing could happen… sigh.

Seeing how much pain Xia Zhijin was in, Lin Xian didn’t dare probe any further.

Luckily, during the third period, Shiman finally replied to her text:
“I’m fine. I’ve just been in a bad mood lately and didn’t feel like going to class. Let me know the time and place for rehearsal—I’ll meet you guys there directly.”
Shiman was playing the lead role in the campus mental health play.

Originally, Lin Xian had only jokingly asked her to try reading the lines to see if it felt awkward. But Shiman’s performance was surprisingly good—so good that Lin Xian had slammed the table on the spot and insisted she take the lead. Even Shiman had laughed at herself, saying, “Who would’ve thought a girl who never had a dad could play a loving father-daughter scene so convincingly? I wonder what my mom would think if she saw it.”

Still worried, Lin Xian, after reading the message, texted the male classmate who was playing the father character and asked if he was free at noon to rehearse one-on-one with Shiman. Once he said yes, she arranged it:
“Let’s rehearse at 12:30 in the courtyard.”

Shiman replied quickly: “Sure.”

Lin Xian hesitated, then messaged Xia Zhijin:
“Manman will be rehearsing in the courtyard around 12:30. Sister Zhijin, you can come around 1. I’ll try to keep her around after practice.”
She was a little nervous—would Shiman be angry at her for leaking the info? But remembering how sad and broken Xia Zhijin had looked, Lin Xian couldn’t bear it. Manman liked her so much. Surely… she wouldn’t have the heart to hurt her.

At exactly 12:30, Shiman showed up right on time. She wore a high-neck sweater that was very unlike her usual style, layered under a knee-length wool coat, with slender heels to match. Her makeup was heavier than usual, too—glamorous instead of soft. In an instant, she looked years older, exuding a whole new aura… almost like a cold beauty. Thankfully, she seemed fine—more serious than usual, sure, but at least she looked well-rested and alert.

Lin Xian teased, “Whose birthday is it on Friday—mine or yours? Why do you look like you just aged five years overnight?”

Shiman, lips previously pursed in irritation, suddenly broke into a smile. “That doesn’t sound like a compliment,” she said. Spinning around with arms outstretched, she asked, “Don’t I look good? These are my bar-owner cousin’s clothes. I thought it’d be fun to change things up for once.”

Lin Xian quipped back, “Just how many older sisters do you have anyway?”

But the moment she said that, the smile vanished from Shiman’s lips. Lin Xian realized too late—she had accidentally hit a nerve…

Thankfully, just then, the guy playing the father role arrived. Lin Xian quickly handed Shiman the revised script. “Sun Qi’s here. Take a look—some of the lines have been updated.”

Shiman gave a soft “Mm” in reply and didn’t protest.

Twenty minutes later, after running the scene several times, their performance had become much more in sync. Satisfied, Lin Xian let Sun Qi go for lunch.

She and Shiman sat on a stone bench beside the courtyard’s stone table, soaking up the warm noon sun. Shiman lazily leaned forward on the table and casually asked, “So… any progress with Auntie Xiao?”

Lin Xian choked on her water and coughed so hard her face turned beet red.

Shiman, utterly unsympathetic, snorted with laughter. “Come on. You can think it but can’t handle me bringing it up?”

Blushing furiously, Lin Xian shoved her away. “Shoo! What progress could there possibly be?”

Shiman squinted up at the glittering sunlight and said lightly, “You know… holding hands, wrapping an arm around her waist, sneaking a little ki—”

Before she could finish, Lin Xian cut her off in a panic. “You have a filthy mind!! You’re supposed to be the future of socialism!! Pervert! Creeper!”

Shiman gave her a sideways glance, full of disdain. “What, you’ve never thought about it? Tsk. That’s just sad.”

Lin Xian immediately felt guilty.

Because honestly? She had thought about it.

That night, Xiao Wanqing almost let her see her secret identity.

She had nearly succeeded. Wanqing had already lowered her gaze, eyes cast down, as her fingers gently tugged open the sash of her robe. She even parted the collar ever so slightly. But at the last moment, she suddenly changed her mind.

“There’s… nothing underneath,” she had said, abruptly hugging the robe tightly to herself, as if she'd just snapped out of some daze and finally returned to her senses. Her cheeks flushed a brilliant pink in an instant.

Watching Wanqing’s shy expression, Lin Xian felt like a tiny little version of herself inside was screaming uncontrollably, “So cute! Ahhh, how can she be this cute!”

That night, she had replayed that exact moment over and over in her mind—Wanqing loosening the sash, her bashful charm—until she got so excited she clutched her pillow and gave it several happy kisses. And even now, just recalling it made her cheeks heat up and an involuntary grin tug at her lips.

Shi Man noticed her looking all dazed and dreamy, snapped her fingers right in front of her face, and said with curiosity, “Lin Xian, hold up. What are you thinking about? Why’s your face so red?”

Lin Xian instantly wiped the lovestruck smile off her face. She had just opened her mouth to deny it when she caught Shi Man’s expression suddenly shift—her face froze, and her whole demeanor darkened in an instant.

Lin Xian followed her line of sight and saw Xia Zhijin walking over, calm and composed, not a hint of rush in his pace.

Without missing a beat, Lin Xian deployed her patented escape move—the classic bathroom excuse—and tossed out a quick “I’m gonna go to the restroom real quick,” then wisely slipped away to leave the two of them some space.