It was another bustling day in Liyue. The harbor was wide awake, the sun was out, and Xiangling had just finished making a hardy stew with an alluring aroma that had gently fading into faint deliciousness on the wind as it lost heat. This would typically be a problem for both a customer and a chef, however…
"Xiangling!" Called Chongyun as he approached Wamnin Restaurant at the usual time. "May I have-"
"Yep! Already cooled too." She placed his order in front of him, enjoying the sight of his shocked expression. "Hehe, Chongyun, you order this once a week."
"I could've felt daring today and wanted something else."
"You could've, but you weren't." She smiled. Xiangling watched him try to eat his embarrassment away. "How's training?"
"Auntie had to go meet her master so I've been doing meditation for the past few days. If I'm being honest though, I think Shenhe noticed how sore I was getting." He chuckled, "This might be her way of giving me a break. Anyways, how's work?"
"Pretty slow." Xiangling placed her chin in her hand as she leaned on the counter and watched the flow of people with decorations and construction equipment. "Lantern Rite preparation has a funny way of making everyone forget to eat. Eventually, stomachs will growl and I'd bet mora that Keqing will eventually see me with a late night order."
"Then you'll be busy when Lantern Rite starts and people won't leave."
"And I can't wait!" Xiangling gave a big grin and sprung up. "I have everything stocked and all knives sharpened! I may try new dishes too!"
Xiangling had cooked during many festivals. She understood her long term customers and was brilliant at reading new ones to give them an amazing experience. Chongyun knew this well about her, even so…
"You've had these new dishes approved, right?" He said with a deep and warranted concern. "How many people have tasted them?"
Xiangling couldn't help but giggle, knowing her reputation. "Relax, it's nothing unusual. Though there's a couple I still need tested. They're pretty hot unfortunately, so finding someone has been tough. I wanted to ask Xinyan but I'd feel awful if I somehow ruined her voice when she's putting so much effort into practicing."
"Yeah, she's been doing a lot lately…" he sighed.
It didn't go unnoticed, neither did his worried gaze. "Chongyun?"
"Uh ooohhh~" a familiar voice lulled across the street.
Chongyun put his head down automatically while Xiangling tried not to snicker as she waved hello to Xingqui. He sat his happy self right next to Chongyun as he closed his book and grabbed a fresh cup of tea placed before him.
He took a sip. "Oh? How'd you know I wanted Jasmine today?"
"The tea you had yesterday tasted the complete opposite. You always avoid having things that feel the same two days in a row."
"Repetition can be mundane, and you never cease to surprise me Xiangling. Glad to see one of my two favorite people here is sharper than ever! As for the dull blade…" he turned to Chongyun with a teasingly cheeky grin and put his hand on his friend's shoulder, who groaned on contact. "What troubles you? I sensed that distress from across the street.
"I think that's called eavesdropping."
"Talk quieter." Xingqui jokes, knowing full well he was eavesdropping the moment he saw them. How could he not!? "So, is there trouble in paradise with Liyue's rock n roll icon?"
"So you were eavesdropping!?" Chongyun said, oddly energized. Both his friends smiled. Getting out of this was impossible and he knew that. Might as well start talking. "No, it's nothing like that. With this time off I've had I tried seeing Xinyan to spend time together or help with anything. She's incredibly busy."
"Awww. Don't take it to heart." Xiangling said with care. "I'm sure Xinyan will find time to spend with you later."
"I can handle busy schedules. There's plenty of times I have my hands full. My concern is how stressful all this can be."
That was something Xiangling didn't think much about. Xinyan has done performances, even at Lantern Rite, but none this huge. "Oh. Does she look okay? Now that you mention it, I've only seen her going from place to place."
Xingqui nodded. "Indeed. It's normal seeing Xinyan running around with her guitar in hand but always with a smile. Yesterday was less smiles and more frantic. I assumed she overslept."
"I did catch her taking a nap in between rehearsals." Chongyun added. "During practices and working with others she's still positive and I can tell she's genuinely excited, but I do catch glimpses of frustration with her own progress. I get the same when I'm tirelessly practicing. I fear she could burn out at this rate. If only I was better at easing her mind. Like she is for me."
The exorcist began stewing in his own self proclaimed flaws. Xingqui and Xiangling looked at one another then back at Chongyun. The boy's heart was always so big, and it wasn't as his concerns weren't warranted. It was sweet how much he was thinking about his girlfriend, but helping her relax would be doomed if he was stressed too! Xiangling took a cup of tea and raised it near Chongyun's face, making him snap out of his head to react to the approaching heat.
"Hey!" He huffed.
"Sorry. Hehe, it was all I could think of. I know for a fact Xinyan thinks you're wonderful no matter what and thinks you're more than twice the guy you give yourself credit for."
Xingqui agreed, "We all do, so don't lose heart."
As usual, his friends were comforting and typically correct. "I guess I should try being a bit more positive. Still, I feel like there's something, anything I could do to help."
"Well you're in luck." Xingqui grabbed his book and handed it to Chongyun. "A Couple's Daily Life. It's a romantic piece of work. It should give you tons of ideas!"
"Why were you reading a romance novel?"
"Inspiration! You don't think all of my stories come strictly from my own thoughts? I wish that were the case, but writers block spares no one." Xingqui lamented.
Chongyun looked at the red and white book. He was skeptical, yet curious. It wasn't like he had any bright ideas. "Thank you. When do you need it back?"
"Don't worry about it. I know you're a slow reader."
That felt like a challenge. Chongyun quickly finished the rest of his food, paid for it, then went about his day with the book open to the first page. Xingqui couldn't help but laugh. As for Xiangling…
"Ummm Xingqui? Isn't that book a little…mature for his intent?" Her cheeks grew red.
Xingqui raised his eyebrows. "Well this is unexpected. You've read it?!" He smirked. "I never would've guessed you liked that kind of material."
"I didn't know what it was!" She desperately tried to defend herself. "People kept talking about it but never mentioned…certain chapters."
"Like the illustrations?"
"They definitely didn't mention that when I asked! I ended up buying a copy."
"Did you read all of it or stopped once you knew?" He could see the urge to lie written on her face as she thought long and hard about her choice."
"Reading is like cooking. Sometimes it's better to finish the dish despite an unseen hiccup. The end product might not be what you wanted, but that doesn't mean for sure that it won't be good."
"You can say you liked it. This is me you're talking to. I read plenty of crazy things!"
"We all can't be as shameless as you."
"Says the chef that mixes anything with everything at least once. Shameless? It's just my passion. Anyways, I wouldn't worry about Chongyun. The book is still filled with many tame and fluffy moments. Though he's easy to tease, he's sharp enough to take the entire book as some kind of guide to relationships. I bet mora he'll stop right before the home cooking segment."
Xingqui believed every word he said with absolute confidence. He did hang out with Chongyun regularly, knowing all his little quirks. Even so, it was moments like these Xiangling felt like she knew their friend the best, because she had no faith in what Xingqui said. 50/50 at best, and that was stretching it. That wasn't even considering the possibility of him getting heated for whatever reason.
"Ten thousand mora." She said directly. "Would you bet ten thousand mora on everything remaining within reason? I'd love to gift my dad a better stove."
"A wager? Sounds interesting. What do I get for winning?"
"I don't know. You're rich. A free meal doesn't really apply to you."
"You aren't wrong. Hmmm, we'll circle back to my reward later once I think about it. Frankly this entire idea is pretty amusing on its own. Very well, I accept the bet."
They both shook hands and nodded. Perhaps one too many interactions with Yelan had rubbed off on them.
"Thanks for the stove!"
"Heh, just you wait, chef of little faith. I'll reap satisfaction and a reward soon enough!"
Little did Xingqui know that Rex Lapis himself would not be able to prevent him from being comically wrong.
xxxxxx
Preparations and planning continued throughout the day. Crowds gathered, dispersed, brainstorming happened for many, and countless anxious citizens practiced with all their heart. Now it was time for many to go home in order to wake up tomorrow and do it all over again; a routine that Xinyan was no stranger to as a performer. The pyro rock star placed one foot in front of the other with her guitar still around her body and the slow beating of a drum on her back that matched her sluggish rhythm. Xinyan couldn't remember when she ran out the house for the life of her, but it had to be before the sun greeted the sailors. Now it was long gone again with the stars in its place and a crisp wind through the streets. Nighttime in Liyue was never truly dark however. Especially now with the glow of thousands of lanterns. Nights like these reminded her of summer when the fireflies came out, although these were clearly bigger and didn't try sneaking into her home. Well, that's what she'd typically think, except now that her long trek home has ended at the steps, she stands before her house with light coming through the window.
"Well that ain't normal. I didn't leave them on all day, did I?" She said aloud. It wasn't impossible to happen. She had been pretty busy. Xinyan doubted it was a thief. Half because her neighborhood was filled with delightful people. The other half was because she was confident nearly everything she owned was not worth taking for any financial gain. A thief would be better off taking the flowers that grew near the Pavilion. Thinking nothing else of it, Xinyan walked onto her porch and went through the door.
Upon entering, her senses were overloaded! A waft of something delicious and filled with spices attacked her nose while the crisp air from outside was literally blown away by a wave of cozy, inviting warmth that did actually remind her of the nights on the Golden Apple Archipelago. As nice as it was, now she knew someone was in her house! Fortunately it seems to be a pleasant surprise unless a thief wanted to cook her last meal before running off. Xinyan took off her shoes and looked next to the door to see another pair neatly placed already. Only two people still feel the need to remove their shoes despite her not getting bent out of shape over the etiquette; and they weren't the carefully designed purple boots of her favorite Opera singer, but were her favorite exorcist. A grin spread across her face.
"Chongyun?" Her voice echoed with optimism, along with the sounds of pots and pans.
He slid unexpectedly into view from the kitchen wearing her black and red apron. An interesting yet amusing sight to witness. It was also surprisingly eye-catching, because the boy wasn't wearing his typical white hood and shirt. He had removed it, leaving only the form fitting dark blue undershirt and his removable sleeves that only went up to his biceps. Xinyan didn't know what training Shenhe was giving him, now Xinyan knew it involved shoulder strength.
"Welcome home." He smiled.
His voice snapped her out of that intriguing observation. "H-Heya! Fancy seeing you here!" She finally walked further into her home and gave Chongyun a big hug. Yeah, Shenhe was definitely making his training worthwhile. "Question, did I leave the door unlocked?"
"No, you told me what pot the key was under. When you told me all about your island adventure. A bit dangerous don't you think?"
"Really? I don't think so. Neighbors are great, I can fight, and clearly telling you has led to a wonderful surprise." Xinyan hummed the last part, a bit drained. Happy all the same however.
Chongyun looked at her joyous face. It wasn't hard to hear that her voice was tired. Anyone's voice would be. He could also tell faint dark circles under her eyes. Still, she smiled and tilted her head to the side with a brow raised.
"Something on my face? You're staring mighty har-" a gentle kiss to her forehead brought her brain to a hard stop. Her cheeks grew warm and she was left to gather her thoughts as Chongyun went back to the kitchen.
A stronger wave of the mouth watering aroma graced Xinyan's nose again. Only this time it was clear as day what it was. "Jeuyen Chilli Chicken!?" She said in disbelief.
"Mmmhmm. It's your favorite, right? Although I can't say I'm as talented as you are with cooking. Especially when it comes to your signature dish."
"I reckon it'll taste perfectly fine, but Chongyun, you handled Jeuyen Chilies!?" Xinyan couldn't believe she didn't find him on the floor completely out of it.
"Hehe, I've been careful. It's not as if I've eaten any or carelessly gotten any of the oils in my eyes. That would be awful for completely separate reasons." He shuttered. Chongyun has witnessed Xiangling make that mistake before and he didn't want to learn that seeing it all happen was actually the least painful part.
"Careful or not, I'm completely bewildered. It feels like a summer night up in here and spices have been tickling my nose since I opened the door. I get why you must've removed one of your shirts, but was all it took to-" Xinyan turned towards the counter and saw the absurd amount of popsicle sticks that were stacked up like a tiny bonfire! "How is your mouth not numb or your teeth chattering!?"
"Cryo vision?" He chuckled, "And like you said, it's like a summer night. It's alright though. I've been holding up remarkably well. Once the food is done then the room will cool off a bit anyways."
"Gee, a warm greeting and a hot meal. Next thing I know I'm a full blown princess because you drew me a bath." Xinyan jokes, yet seeing all of this effort pampering out of seemingly nowhere made her heart rate pick up. "I…Is today an anniversary? Because Sweetheart if it is then I'm sorry but…"
"It's a regular day."
"Oh thank Rex Lapis!" Xinyan put her hand on her chest in immense relief. "Chongyun you have no clue how bad I was about to feel if I forgot something important! Phew! That's a weight gone."
"You've been working hard and tirelessly. I want to help lighten the load."
He didn't turn around but Xinyan could see his ears turn red. She was certain hers were turning as well. "Thanks. That's really sweet of you Chongyun." Xinyan swore her heart was beating faster than any drum tempo could manage. "Can't wait to try your cooking."
"Well you still have some time before it's done. I'm sure you're tired. Why not wash up and get comfortable?"
"Way ahead of ya." She stretched her arms above her head and let out a groan. A bath was definitely in order. Xinyan put all her instruments down then headed off towards her bathroom.
"So far so good." Chongyun said to himself with quiet vigor. "Don't lose focus. Steel yourself!"
While he was hyping himself up, Xinyan stood in complete disbelief as she stared down at her bathtub; it was already full with warm water.
"Well I'll be darn…" Xinyan's blush grew darker. "Guess I really am a princess tonight." If Xinyan wasn't currently experiencing such loving gestures, she wouldn't believe it. She felt as if she somehow fell right into a love novel!
xxxxxx
Time breezed by in the cozy house as both went about their business. The food was finally ready and all that was left was for Xinyan to enjoy it once she got out of the bath. Chongyun hoped he did a good job. Taste testing it was sadly out of the question. The entire night would quickly backfire if Xinyan walked out to seem passed out on the floor or getting wild.
"Should've asked Xiangling if I could borrow Guoba." He muttered. His thought was short lived once he heard the twist of a doorknob down the hall. "How was the bath?"
"Heavenly~" she sang as she walked out. "Steam has my voice feeling right as rain again!"
"That's good to hear. Your food is-"
Chongyun's words suddenly became caught in his throat as Xinyan came into view. The songstress wore only a black bathrobe with red cuffs and collar. Her normal hairstyle was taken down to wash and now drying with the help of a fresh white towel ruffling the multicolored strands. Their gazes met but only briefly. Xinyan watched his gaze shift downward to her long, tanned legs and full thighs that the bathrobe failed to hide.His cheeks grew red and he looked away. Xinyan was used to walking around in a bathrobe after a nice soak but she had forgotten he had never seen her like this, nor did she expect him to look at her the way he did.
"Did he just check me out?" Xinyan felt both flattered and a little embarrassed. "You…said food was ready?" She tried to cut the tension.
"Y-Yeah." He had already made her plate and proceeded to place it on the table along with a pitcher of refreshing, chilled tea.
"Iced tea? Haha, the way people here would flip."
"Well I suspected you wouldn't stand me making you food without also making myself some." He grabbed a second prepared plate of Jueyen Chicken, the food cooled and devoid of any chilies.
"Look at you, all prepared and reading me like a book. Any meal tastes better with good company." With that said, Xinyan grabbed as much chicken and chili peppers as possible between her chopstick and took a bite that sent her taste buds dancing. "Mmmmm! Hell yeah!"
"I didn't over do it?"
"You kiddin? This is great! Almost as hot as when I make it."
Chongyun found two bushes worth of fresh peppers for this meal. The fact it wasn't as hot and Xinyan was wolfing it down without taking a sip was both impressive and very terrifying. Chongyun thought his tongue might go numb just watching. But hey, she loved it. That's all that mattered.
"There's plenty more if you want seconds."
"I might take you up on that. Seriously, great work. Xiangling herself would be amazed."
"Please, the last thing I need is her knowing I cooked with chilies. Who knows what ideas she might get. Glad you love it though. I feared you may have eaten before you came home."
"It crossed my mind. I was so swept up in my music and chatting with workers that I didn't have time to think about my stomach. Then when I finally did, vendors were closing." Xinyan laughed at herself. "I was planning to cook whatever was left tonight but you had your own ideas."
"Eating is important. Don't overdo your practice too much."
"Pfft, I'm fiiiiiine! A little winded but I always bounce back! Won't be long now before the festival. Hopefully all my hardwork will shine through properly."
Chongyun wanted to say more, but he didn't want to spoil the mood. Xinyan looked so happy right now. She was practically bouncing in her seat as she ate. The towel on her head had even slipped off. What was it about pyros? Everyone one he's met truly burned bright with passion just like their element. Still, Xinyan's fire burned in a way he could never look away from. In every sense of the word, her passion itself was a spectacle to watch; on or off stage.
"It'll shine through."
"Hmm?"
"Your hardwork." Chongyun smiled, "I know it will pay off."
Xinyan finally slowed her chewing and took a sip of the tea. Not because she needed it, but to hide her face.
"The heat finally getting to you?" Chongyun asked as he saw a bit of redness on her face.
"Y-Yeah. The food, it's like it keeps getting hotter." She stuttered.
The two continued to talk about their day. The unforeseen mishaps of rehearsals or the unexpected run in with their shared friend, Aether. They talked about it all except the obvious bit about Chongyun reading the book of course. Eventually both of their stomachs were full and dishes were cleaned. Xinyan was a little pouty however because Chongyun was diligent enough to have done most of the clean up while she was bathing. Getting pampered was nice and all, but Xinyan wanted to do a little helping with him. They were here dishes after all. After the kitchen was clean they both walked towards her living room.
"Thanks again for the meal. I owe ya."
"Don't mention it. I was happy to do it."
"Guess this means our time together is almost up? A shame but can't be helped. I myself probably shouldn't dilly dally too much longer with all the things left to do tomorrow." Xinyan sighed. She put her left arm on her right shoulder and tried stretching it, wincing a little in the process.
"Stiff shoulders?"
"Probably need to replace my guitar strap, or lug it around a bit less. But only just a bit."
She switched to the left one briefly before trying to stretch her entire upper back in general. Chongyun took hold of her hand and walked her over to the couch for her to sit. He said nothing as he sat directly behind her. Xinyan nearly let out a shriek after feeling his fingers pull the robe a little ways down her shoulders before taking his thumbs to massage the worn tendons. The calloused hands of a warrior were something else. Xinyan could the stress dissolve as his kneaded particular spots by moving them in some circles.
"Mmmmmmm…" was all she could say in appreciation.
"Am I pressing too hard?"
"By all means, press harder. This some sort of clan secret about the body and vitals?"
Chongyun blinked, "Actually…yes."
"Your clan is awesome." Xinyan groaned as he kept massaging her shoulders. She doesn't even think a good night's rest would've cured fatigue this well.
She didn't know how long they stayed like this but it didn't feel long enough the moment his fingers stopped. Xinyan did feel infinitely better, the satisfying grin on her face saying it all, as well as her leaning back against him.
"Thanks for that too. I do believe I've officially been spoiled rotten tonight." Xinyan looked up to smile at him and was greeted with mesmerizing icy blue eyes that made her heart jump with the way he was already silently gazing upon her. Xinyan's heart jumped again once he tilted her chin up a little more while lowering his to kiss her gently, but deep as well.
Both of her arms moved on their own, raising upward to hold him just as he was while she kissed him back. Internally, Xinyan had dismissed the idea of a kiss, given the meal she had recently eaten. Chongyun however, didn't appear to mind at all. His tongue slipped between her lips to claim her own and earn a moan. Their lips separated several seconds later, but the moment wasn't over. Xinyan didn't even have a moment to say anything about their kiss before her face turned red again and a gasp left her body from the weight of his fingers pressing down, rubbing against core. Slowly, he slid two of those calloused fingers right into her, curling them to graze against her walls. Her legs twitched, closing a little before spreading wider for his touch while he kissed her ear. This wasn't their first time, but Chongyun had never been so forward; actively taking hold of her like this.
"H-Hey…" she breathed deeply, her eyes focused on the fingers that constantly pulled out into view before disappearing again to send a shiver to her lower spine. "Chongyun~"
He whispered directly into her ear. "Ssshhh. Relax. I got you, so just let go."
His words made her hips sway, rocking in rhythm with his digits. Chongyun's left hand came from around her side and slipped in between the bathrobe to squeeze her boobs firmly, going between each of them to show equal affection by kneading them like dough. Her voice leaked out as whines and moans as his advances persisted. Chongyun himself was a little flushed by his brazenness.
"To think you had nothing under the robe the whole time."
"I..I was wet."
"And what are you now?"
Xinyan hid her face in the crook of his neck. "Wet~" she mewled. His fingers got rougher with her, thrusting in faster and simultaneously destroying and building a tension her body was filled with. Her hips had completely left the couch and Chongyun moved his back to claim her lips again. Xinyan could only open her mouth wider, inviting him in to conquer it with this new found vigor of his that she couldn't, nor wanted to deny. Anytime a thought began to form in her head, it faded into pleasure the moment his left hand pinched one of her nipples. From head to toe, he had ensnared her in pleasure that steadily began dripping down his wonderful fingers. Xinyan wasn't sure how much more she could take. She could feel her own body grip them, trying to squeeze down for something that wasn't there. If it was however…Xinyan's body shuddered and hips grew weak at the idea. Their kiss grew ragged and her moans were only interrupted by her own lack of breath. Chongyun must've noticed this. He reluctantly let her tongue go for Xinyan to catch her breath, but in truth all she did was pant harder.
"Wait! I'm…I'm gonna…!" She quivered
"Cum whenever you want. I'm not stopping til you do." Chongyun leaned towards her ear again. "I love you so much."
Such a dirty move, but one Xinyan fell helplessly for time and time again. Her fingers gripped his hair and her sight began to blur. Pleasure all but erupted through her body as her hips went rigid midair and her body coated Chongyun's fingers with her essence. Seconds felt like an eternity before her voiceless cries found their noise. Her body finally went limp, falling to the couch. Xinyan's head rested against Chongyun's chest while she attempted to gather her thoughts and breath. Flushed beyond belief, she looked up at her boyfriend, disheveled as she was.
Her loving gaze said all that it needed, prompting Chongyun to kiss her again. It was gentle and deep like before, making the girl moan in relief as her body gradually calmed back down from the orgasm. Their kiss ended and Xinyan sank deeper into Chongyun's embrace.
He watched his tired girlfriend. "You okay?"
"Mmhmm." She nodded slightly. "Talk about a rush." Xinyan dared to look up at him again. Slowly she raised a hand and gently flicked his forehead. "Soooo…did you enjoy A Couple's Daily Life?"
In an instant, Chongyun felt his body go cold, then his face heat up with the rush of blood flowing to it as Xinyan smirked at him. Caught red handed, but how!?
"W-What's that?" He said, no convention in his voice whatsoever. He didn't even know why he tried and folded immediately. "How'd you know?"
"Xiangling mentioned it one time she visited. I even borrowed it to see what all the hubbub was about."
"…That would've useful information to know." Chongyun made a mental note of that next.
"Hehe, Sweetie? Not to sound ungrateful, because I'm really not, but what in tarnation possessed you to read a romance book and put the moves on me?" He tried looking away but Xinyan put her hands on the side of burning red face. "Relax, I'm not mad or anything."
"I know. I just…I'm embarrassed. I was hoping you wouldn't notice that I needed to do something as cheesy as read romance books to think of ways to put you at ease."
"Put me at ease?"
"Lantern Rite. You've been running around so much, getting frustrated during rehearsals, and staying up so long that even I can notice circles forming under your eyeliner. I mean you even came home after not eating and a tired voice. I wanted… I wanted to help you relax. A way to take the edge off. But anytime I went to see you, I couldn't think of anything. I felt useless."
"Hey. You're never useless, understand me?" Her thumbs rubbed the sides of his face. "Okay, I've been a bit out of sorts with this performance coming up and everything, but ain't anything I'm not used to or can't handle. Though I suppose to plenty of people I haven't looked my best. Maybe I have been pushing harder than I should, but I promise I'm okay and you've been putting me at ease from the start."
"I have…?"
"Heck yeah! Chongyun, just you dropping by during setup makes me happy. I may not show it because I'm juggling one thing after another, but your company itself is wonderful because I know if I need you then you'll be there. Feeling that level of trust is all the ease I need. Don't go thinking you had to do something as grand as this. Although once again, very grateful." She giggled.
"Being there is enough. It's really that simple."
"Always will be, I love you. And don't feel bad about searching in a book or asking someone for advice either. You only know what you know. And now that I know you've been looking at me so attentively, how could I be anything but happy?"
She was all smiles. Chongyun had felt so embarrassed and concerned about everything, and she burned all of them away in a matter of seconds. Xinyan truly was amazing. Chongyun held her a little tighter and rested his head on her. It was as if a weight left his shoulders. He couldn't help but sigh.
"Aww, look at you. All worked about making sure I'm not. Somehow, that's so perfectly you."
"The irony is not lost on me."
"Hehe, cheer up. You've achieved your goal after all. Let me pay it forward."
"Hmm? How s-"Xinyan left his embrace and flipped over to her stomach. The girl gave him a smile as she shimmied her body down the couch, her head was over his waist and her hands rested against his not so hidden erection.
"You didn't think I didn't notice this guy poking me the entire time, did ya?"
It was a good thing Chongyun was already blushing. "Aren't you tired?"
"A little, but I'm a tit for tat kind of gal. You know that. Also…" she tugged at his waistband, freeing his erection. Xinyan wasted no time taking hold of it and making Chongyun groan instantly. She kissed the base then gave the growing length a long lick to the very tip, her gaze never breaking away from his. "Moments like these always feel the best when both partners are satisfied."
She gave no room for compromise. Just like he did to her, Chongyun didn't have time to respond before Xinyan wrapped her lips around him and gradually swallowed him. Admittedly, she wasn't too experienced in things like this. But what Xinyan lacked in experience she made up for in effort. Chongyun could feel her tongue work its way up and down his shaft as her head bobbed slowly. They were a lot alike in ways people wouldn't immediately guess. Like how quick they were to be vocal.
"Xinyan~" he moaned, already losing himself in the pleasure.
Hearing her name and seeing his flushed expression only spurred Xinyan on. She wanted to see more of it, moaning as well in the process. Xinyan took his left hand and led towards the side of her face where he then started rubbing and guiding it gently as more of him worked its way into her throat until all seven inches became ensnared by her mouth that surrounded him in immense warmth. Chongyun's scent, his very taste overwhelmed her senses gradually. He couldn't even keep his hips still either as they grew numb, Xinyan's name still leaving his lips again and again. She had intended to go until the end, but this had felt more exciting than she anticipated. It was like a switch had flipped.
Before he could reach his limit, Chongyun was released from her lips, his length fully erect and twitching. "Xinyan?" He said trying to compose himself.
"Do you remember our first time?"
"Yes. Dragonspine; what about it?" He watched her sit up and undo her robe, revealing her body in all its glory.
"Let's warm up, okay?" Her voice trembled with desire and want.
Chongyun took his pants off completely, then removed his shirt. He didn't care to remove the sleeves and neither did she wear the robe. Xinyan had already put her legs on each side of him and hovered above his lap. Slowly, she lowered herself onto his length. Both couldn't repress their lustful moans. Xinyan could feel every inch spread her open and Chongyun could barely keep himself together as her walls clung to all the way down, giving him an immense heat that he didn't want to push away. His impatience got the better of him and he pulled Xinyan into another ravenous kiss while her hips began rocking back and forth.
After all that effort to keep calm, Xinyan made him toss it to the side. Their bodies pressed against each other, exploring everything. Xinyan's hands found their home in tracing Chongyun's well defined torso and running her fingers through his hair and they continued to kiss. Her hips moved all on their own to bring both them steadily to their end. An end that Chongyun wanted to race towards apparently, as Xinyan felt his hands grab hold of her ass and pull her even closer onto his length.
Xinyan was forced to break the kiss after that. "Aaah~ Chongyun!" She cooed. He gently nipped at her neck before going further. His mouth captured one of her boobs and relentlessly teased it. Xinyan's arms kept him close; not like he planned on stopping his assault. The way he dug into her all of her sensitive spots made moans into a symphony for only him to hear. "I..close again." She uttered between breaths.
Chongyun leaned forward until Xinyan gently fell back onto the couch. "Let me watch~"
A request that not only caught her off guard, but made her squeeze tighter. Chongyun took both of her hands to hold and continued to rock his hips as he gazed down at her with a mixture of love and lust in his eyes. Xinyan didn't know where to look. His eyes were dangerous and looking away didn't undo the feeling of his gaze on her body. Looking down only frazzled her mind, burning the sight of his throbbing length plunging into her forever in her memory along with the indecent noises they created each time it reached her deepest part. Xinyan was left completely exposed.
"N-Nooo~ wait! Please I- Chongyun~" there was no escape. "CHONGYUN~"
Her entire body tensed like stone, doing nothing else but fulfilling his request by cumming all over on his rigid cock and gripping it, begging for his seed. It pushed him over his limit. Xinyan felt like her body was hit with electro and he pulled out all at once. Ropes of his burning hot essence painted her body, landing in messy lines across her stomach and even her boobs. Both their bodies spasmed as the pleasure kept hitting in waves, one after the other until they were weak enough to function again. Sweaty, Xinyan looked at Chongyun who was as breathless and sweaty as her.
"L..Looks-" she sighed, "looks like I need another bath." She laughed weakly.
Chongyun could barely function, still trying to recover. Even so, he faintly smiled and laughed as well. "My bad."
xxxxx
Will the pampering never cease? At least for the night, and Xinyan was okay with that. Their little quality time had her legs more than any running around had done. Now the two of them sat in her bathtub with Chongyun's hands at work once again, but this time they were rinsing her hair and massaging her scalp. His body made the water cool and refreshing and frankly, Xinyan couldn't get enough of it.
"Aaah, nothing beats quality time." She began humming.
Chongyun listened to the girl's joyful melody as they both relaxed. Things got a little out of hand, but everything ended okay. In the end, that's all that mattered. He finished with her hair and once again pulled her into his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and relaxed himself.
"I love you, my little rockstar."
That's a new one. She didn't remember nicknames being in the book either. Xinyan smiled and rested against them. She kissed him quickly then briefly shut her eyes. "I love you too, sweetie."
xxxxx
Another day, another cup of tea. Once again, Xiangling had perfectly predicted Xingqui's taste. "Have you seen Chongyun at all today? He's usually here before you." She asked.
"If I had to guess, he spent all night reading the book and overslept."
Moments later, the boy came walking around the corner to greet his friends and take a seat. "I'll have a-" Xiangling placed his order in front of him again. "That truly is terrifying."
"I know my loyal customers." She said with pride. "Anyways, you look happier than yesterday."
He nodded, joy beaming across his face. "I finished the book and took some of the ideas out of it. Things didn't go completely as planned but it all worked out."
"Really?" Xingqui said with deep fascination. "That's wonderful news! So, what clever stunt did you draw inspiration from?"
Chongyun's face turned red again and he laughed awkwardly. "Umm that's a little personal don't you think?"
Xingqui paused for a moment, unblinking and thoughts derailed. Surely Chongyun didn't. He wouldn't! And yet, the obvious blush and scent of floral shampoo told a different story. Xingqui looked at Xiangling who stared at him with all the smugness of a cat as she wrote a bill and slid it his way.
"A chef knows her loyal customers." She repeated.
Chongyun watched Xingqui hang his head in defeat. Clearly he had missed something the two didn't bother to tell him about. Which reminded him…
"Xiangling, since when do you read and discuss romance novels?" He squinted.
The girl froze. Of course Xinyan told him. "….We don't need to get into all that."