114 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Her senses gradually returned, but Shen Ming Yan found herself somewhat unaccustomed to this new body. Perhaps it was because she had spent too long as a crystalline spiritual entity, almost forgetting how a normal human controls their body. Shen Ming Yan's fingers twitched slightly as she slowly opened her heavy eyelids. The blazing light caused her to squint, and she realized someone was holding her shoulder, crying. The sound was initially vague, then progressively vivid. Shen Ming Yan tried to speak, coughing lightly as she struggled to control this body's throat, managing to utter her first words after rebirth, "Qin Ke?" Her voice, slightly hoarse from unfamiliarity with her new body, carried a distinctive tone and inflection Qin Ke knew all too well—it was a voice she had only heard in dreams. Qin Ke ceased her crying for a moment, eyes wide and staring at the figure in her arms, meeting a pair of clear, pure eyes. "Yan Yan? You’re awake? You’ve really come back, do you remember me? I'm your girlfriend." Shen Ming Yan turned towards the person holding her from behind, noticing Qin Ke's reddened eyes. "Qin Ke? Is it really you? I thought I heard you crying just now." "It's me. You're really back, I missed you so much," Qin Ke said, holding her tightly, her tone still tinged with grievance. Shen Ming Yan gently wiped away the tears on Qin Ke’s face, somewhat bewildered and overwhelmed by everything. "What’s going on? Wasn’t I already a zombie and dead? How are we here, and where is this place? I don’t remember any of it." "People who turn into zombies have crystals. My friend helped create a new body for you, reactivated by that crystal. We’re no longer at the police station; those people are all dead. We’re safe in my friend's RV now; I won’t let anything happen to you again," Qin Ke assured, holding Shen Ming Yan tightly as if afraid she might vanish. Sniffling, Shen Ming Yan patted Qin Ke’s arm, her voice choked with emotion. "Let me hold you tight. I've missed you so much." Qin Ke relaxed her hold slightly, and Shen Ming Yan adjusted her posture to embrace Qin Ke face-to-face. "I thought I would never see you again. How did you escape the police station? You must have suffered a lot, didn't you?" Qin Ke shook her head. "As long as you're still here, it was worth it. I was so despondent back then, I nearly wanted to commit suicide, to die with you. If it hadn't been for my friends stopping me, I wouldn’t be here now. I killed all those bastards, and it’s thanks to them that I managed to escape." Leaning into Qin Ke’s embrace, Shen Ming Yan gently wiped her tears. She knew all too well what the police station entailed; Qin Ke must have suffered more than she could imagine. Shen Ming Yan felt both heartache and relief knowing they could meet again. Still, she almost believed this was a miraculous dream where she had seen Qin Ke one last time. "Is this really not a dream?" Shen Ming Yan stared intently at Qin Ke, one hand softly caressing her cheek, longing for Qin Ke's warmth she hadn't felt in a long time. Qin Ke pulled her closer, gently wiping the tears from Shen Ming Yan’s face, then leaned in for a tender, fleeting kiss, like treating a precious gem. "Do you feel that? It’s not a dream; you’re really back." Shen Ming Yan pressed her lips, the searing temperature matching the warmth in her memories. She wound her arms around Qin Ke's neck, returning the kiss, engulfed by pure reality—the kiss and the person before her. Qin Ke's warm breath nearly took Shen Ming Yan’s breath away, her mind automatically starting an internal cooling mechanism. She didn’t quite understand what was happening, but she didn’t want the kiss to end. Qin Ke eventually had to pull back due to her own irregular breathing, holding Shen Ming Yan tightly. "You’re not allowed to leave me anymore." Shen Ming Yan gently stroked Qin Ke’s cheek, soothing her clingy girlfriend after such a long separation. "Alright, we will never be apart again." "Okay," Qin Ke's voice was a mixture of grievance and slight sobbing. "By the way, where are your friends? I’d like to thank them in person. We have plenty of time, so you can hold me all you want later," Shen Ming Yan leaned against Qin Ke, feeling more relaxed than ever before. With Qin Ke by her side, she feared nothing. "They’re all waiting outside, Yan Yan," Qin Ke gazed earnestly at Shen Ming Yan. "I'm here, what's wrong?" Shen Ming Yan asked softly. "Nothing, I just wanted to call your name properly. When I dreamed before and called you, you didn't respond," Qin Ke became more aggrieved, her eyes reddening once more. Shen Ming Yan tousled Qin Ke’s hair and leaned in to kiss her cheek, comforting her, "It won’t happen again. I’ll respond every time you call, alright?" "Okay," Qin Ke hugged her girlfriend, burying her face and acting coyly affectionate. Shen Ming Yan chuckled, her hand caressing Qin Ke’s cheek, thinking her girlfriend was like an abandoned puppy, having found its owner again and becoming more affectionate than ever—but she didn't mind at all. With her girlfriend's hand gently touching her cheek, Qin Ke felt comforted. She lowered her head slightly, placing tender kisses on Shen Ming Yan's cheek, lip corners, and earlobe. Shen Ming Yan flinched slightly, her ears being overly sensitive. In the past, whenever Qin Ke kissed her ears, she would feel ticklish and retreat. Unexpectedly, this new body was no different. Noticing Shen Ming Yan’s shiver when she kissed her earlobe, Qin Ke playfully continued, causing Shen Ming Yan's ears to turn a bright red as she playfully hid in Qin Ke's embrace. "It tickles. Don't kiss my ears," Shen Ming Yan laughed, trying to evade while gently pushing Qin Ke away. With her gentle looks and sweet demeanor, Shen Ming Yan’s smile exuded a warmth like the girl next door, enveloping those around her in comfort. Though Qin Ke pulled Shen Ming Yan into her arms, she didn’t cease her kisses; instead, she moved closer, giving more playful pecks and adding, "Yan Yan, I missed you so much." Seeing her girlfriend like a devoted puppy, Shen Ming Yan could only endure the ticklish sensation while softly reassuring her, "I missed you too. I won’t leave you ever again. I'm sorry for leaving you in that place alone. You’ve suffered." Qin Ke shook her head. "It’s not your fault; I failed to protect you. It won’t happen again. I’ve awakened my powers and will protect you from now on." "Great. Let's never part again," Shen Ming Yan smiled, looking at Qin Ke once more. "I should meet your friends now and ask them some questions about this new body. You can hold me all you want afterwards, there’s plenty of time." "Is something wrong with your body? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?" Qin Ke immediately turned concerned, looking at the person in her arms. "No, it’s just that I feel many modern devices inside. I want to discuss them with your friend," Shen Ming Yan replied, still somewhat perplexed by her own body’s mechanisms. "Okay, let's go out first, and we'll hug later," Qin Ke reluctantly loosened her grip. "Mm," Shen Ming Yan nodded, her hand softly stroking Qin Ke’s cheek in comfort. Despite her aloof and regal demeanor, in this moment, she resembled a large golden retriever, gazing longingly at her. Her girlfriend was simply too cute. As Shen Ming Yan stood and tidied up their clothing, Qin Ke opened the door. Chen Wan and the others sat talking in the small dining area on the second floor. Hearing movement, they hurried over to see who it was. They were met with a gentle, bright young lady. Chen Wan smiled and greeted, "Yan Yan?" "It’s me. Hello, everyone. Thank you for your help during these times. Without you, Qin Ke and I might never have reunited," Shen Ming Yan smiled, expressing her gratitude to everyone. Qin Ke introduced Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin. "This is Chen Wan, and that's Jiang Yan Xin. It was because of them that we were rescued from the police station. Without them, I couldn’t have dealt with those scumbags, and they stopped me from doing something reckless." "Thank you," Shen Ming Yan’s eyes were slightly red, truly grateful to those who saved both her and Qin Ke. "No need to thank us. Qin Ke helped us a lot too; she's my best partner," Chen Wan replied with a smile. In Funan Base, they managed to shake things up considerably. "And this is Yi Yi; Yan Yan, your body was reconstructed by her. Everyone worked together to gather the necessary components for you," Qin Ke added, pointing to Yi Yi. Yi Yi blinked her pretty almond-shaped eyes and spoke lazily, "No thanks needed, really. It only took a few hours, nothing more." "A thank you is absolutely necessary. Thank you for allowing me to see her again. The days in the police station were bitter, and I’m glad that’s not my last memory. Thanks to everyone for their help," Shen Ming Yan smiled, expressing her gratitude once more. "Yi Yi, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to ask you a few questions alone, about this body," Shen Ming Yan turned her gaze towards Yi Yi. Yi Yi nodded, "Sure, I can tell you anything you want to know." "Shall we go to a room and speak privately for a moment? Is that alright?" Shen Ming Yan politely asked Yi Yi for her opinion. Yi Yi nodded, "Of course, that’s fine." Just a conversation, right? She absolutely loved talking and could easily chat for hundreds of sentences if needed. When Yi Yi agreed, she didn’t look at Jiang Wan Ning's expression. Jiang Wan Ning pursed her lips, feeling a tiny bit jealous—not that she thought anything was amiss, given that Yan Yan was Qin Ke's girlfriend. It just seemed like Yi Yi wasn't at the best level of awareness. If she was going to have a private conversation with another girl, shouldn't she check with her first? Yet Yi Yi seemed eager to talk, completely forgetting she had a girlfriend! Qin Ke also looked on longingly at her Yan Yan. Was there a need to speak with Yi Yi privately that she, her own girlfriend, couldn’t listen to? While she felt slightly jealous, she didn’t voice it out loud, not wanting to seem distrustful of a friend. Besides, Yi Yi had a girlfriend, too, so there was nothing inappropriate she could discuss with Yan Yan. Qin Ke reassured herself. Shen Ming Yan and Yi Yi headed to the bedroom on the second floor, with Shen Ming Yan making sure to close the door behind them. Qin Ke remained nearby, waiting anxiously, as did Jiang Wan Ning by Qin Ke’s side.