115 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

In the sunlight-drenched room, Shen Ming Yan clasped her hands together, clearly gathering her thoughts. Yi Yi noticed Shen Ming Yan’s nervousness and offered a gentle smile. “You don’t have to be nervous. Feel free to ask anything you want, and I’ll explain it all to you. Or, if you like, I can start by telling you about this body?” Seeing Shen Ming Yan hesitating and lost for words, Yi Yi couldn’t hold back any longer and began to speak first. “Sure, I’d appreciate it,” Shen Ming Yan replied, smiling at Yi Yi. The questions she had were a bit personal, and since she wasn’t familiar with Yi Yi, she felt embarrassed to voice them. “It’s no trouble at all. Let’s sit and talk slowly. You sit on the bed; I’ll go grab a chair. There’s no rush,” Yi Yi said as she headed out the door. Just outside, she saw Qin Ke and Jiang Wan Ning watching with bright eyes. Yi Yi was puzzled. “What are you two looking at?” she asked while dragging a chair. Qin Ke and Jiang Wan Ning exchanged a glance, then cleared their throats. “Nothing much. Are you done talking? I’ll head back to my room if you are,” Qin Ke said. As Qin Ke turned to leave, Yi Yi quickly stopped her. “No need to hurry. We haven’t even started yet. I just grabbed a chair so we can chat.” Yi Yi flashed a smile at Qin Ke. Qin Ke pressed her lips together, not knowing what to say. From the way Yi Yi was acting, it seemed they were in for a long chat. Jiang Wan Ning gave Yi Yi a sidelong glance but decided not to say anything. After all, they were discussing something important. So Jiang Wan Ning stayed outside with Qin Ke, waiting like wronged wives as the two conversed. Yi Yi returned to the bedroom with her chair, smiling at Shen Ming Yan. “Got it.” Shen Ming Yan found Yi Yi quite endearing. Although Yi Yi appeared to have the striking looks of a sophisticated woman, her actions were completely unrelated to her appearance. “Let’s start with the basics of your body’s structure. Essentially, it’s composed of components like a propulsion motor, steering motor, controller, sensors, actuators, steel, memory alloys, synthetic skin, and metal alloys. But it’s more than just an assembly; the skeleton alone is made from several tons of refined steel, much harder and more durable than human bones. The other parts are similar in durability,” Yi Yi explained from a broad perspective. Seeing Shen Ming Yan nodding, Yi Yi continued, “In your mind, there’s now a control panel. Don’t worry about it; it’s similar to a computer monitor. If there’s anything you need to analyze or something you don’t understand, you can use it for automatic searches. I’ve installed a library of information and you can even watch movies or videos on it.” “That sounds convenient,” Shen Ming Yan chuckled, though the questions she truly wanted answered were still unaddressed. “By the way, a bionic body doesn’t require food or sleep. It gains energy from crystal nuclei and has much more energy than a human,” Yi Yi added. Shen Ming Yan hesitated, her ears turning slightly red, before timidly asking, “Um, I kissed Qin Ke earlier and it felt the same as before. How is that possible if this body is bionic?” “Oh, that’s because every detail is specially designed to be exactly like a human’s. Kissing, along with all normal physiological activities, are the same as a real person’s. Plus, there are body fluids during those activities too, so don’t worry. However, since your spirit is essentially a crystal core, zombies won’t attack you. And given that your level is currently at four, not only will zombies not attack, but you can also suppress lower-level zombies,” Yi Yi explained thoroughly. “So, am I basically a zombie now? Will I harm you?” Shen Ming Yan asked worriedly, her brows furrowing. “No, you won’t. Your spirit form is a zombie, but your body is a normal bionic. Not only won’t you harm us, but you’ll also be an asset to us. With your current skills, Qin Ke doesn’t stand a chance against you. You can rest easy using this body. I’ve installed cooling systems, so there won’t be any instances of your CPU overheating. I need to make some adjustments for myself too; otherwise, it’s easy to burn out the CPU,” Yi Yi reassured her with a smile. “That’s good to hear. Thank you, Yi Yi, truly,” Shen Ming Yan breathed a small sigh of relief. She wasn’t concerned about being a zombie. After all, the world had become like this, and as long as she could stay by Qin Ke’s side, she didn’t care about her own state. Provided, of course, she couldn’t harm anyone dear to her. “No need to thank me. Let me walk you through using that control panel,” Yi Yi began again, diving into her explanation. When they finally emerged, over forty minutes had passed. Meanwhile, Qin Ke and Jiang Wan Ning had almost turned into statues waiting outside. While the core points could have been communicated in ten minutes, Yi Yi’s penchant for detail led her to thoroughly cover all aspects of Shen Ming Yan’s body mechanics and functionalities, resulting in a conversation lasting forty minutes. Throughout this time, Yi Yi had been the one mostly talking, while Shen Ming Yan listened politely. After all, Yi Yi saved her and was enthusiastically explaining things, so naturally, Shen Ming Yan listened attentively. Once they stepped out, Yi Yi was promptly pulled into the sunroom by Jiang Wan Ning. The RV had become crowded, and the second-floor sunroom offered them privacy to converse alone. Yi Yi, thinking Jiang Wan Ning missed her, smiled joyfully as she was pulled into the room. However, after the door closed, Jiang Wan Ning reached out and pinched her cheek. Looking at Jiang Wan Ning’s lips, Yi Yi pouted slightly and pulled her closer into an embrace. “What’s going on? Did you miss me?” Attempting to lower her head to plant a kiss on Jiang Wan Ning, Yi Yi was blocked by a hand covering her mouth. “Miss you? Hardly. You really know how to push it, having such a lengthy private chat with Shen Ming Yan on your first meeting. Qin Ke was almost in tears waiting outside, did you know that?” Jiang Wan Ning complained, though she didn’t mention her own anxiety while waiting with Qin Ke. Yi Yi shook her head. She had no idea. She merely talked a bit longer; surely Qin Ke wasn't that easily moved to tears? Seeing Yi Yi obediently shake her head, Jiang Wan Ning found her adorable again, leaning in for a quick kiss on Yi Yi’s nose. She sternly reminded, “Shen Ming Yan has a girlfriend. You’re not allowed to monopolize her time like that again, understood? If you want to talk, I’m here for you.” Yi Yi nodded earnestly. It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t stop once she started talking. Next time, they could chat when everyone was together. Pointing to the hand covering her lips, Yi Yi looked at Jiang Wan Ning with innocent eyes. Unable to resist Yi Yi’s charming gaze, Jiang Wan Ning released her hold. Yi Yi smiled, leaned closer, and inquired, “Are you jealous again?” “As if! Do I look like a petty person?” Jiang Wan Ning huffed, though her pout gave her away, which Yi Yi noticed, nodding instinctively. Receiving a side-eyed glare, Yi Yi quickly shook her head again and laughed softly, deciding to use her tried-and-true method to placate her girlfriend. Drawing Jiang Wan Ning into her embrace, Yi Yi dipped her head, capturing Jiang Wan Ning’s lips. Though surprised, Jiang Wan Ning, aware that others were nearby, ended up leaning into Yi Yi’s arms, returning the kiss. Across the way, Qin Ke, having waited for what felt like ages, gazed longingly at Shen Ming Yan as she emerged. “Yanyan, there’s so much I want to tell you.” “Alright, let’s go and talk slowly,” Shen Ming Yan replied, amused by Qin Ke’s eager expression. Bidding farewell to Chen Wan and the others, they headed back to their room. Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin took little Zai Zai and retreated downstairs for some rest. Entering their room, Qin Ke immediately wrapped her arms around Shen Ming Yan, “You two talked forever. I could hardly wait to see you.” Shen Ming Yan laughed lightly, soothing Qin Ke with a gentle touch. “Yi Yi was explaining the functions of this body. She was kind enough to go into detail, so I had to listen carefully. I’m not going anywhere; isn’t that why you’re holding me now?” “But I still missed you,” Qin Ke whispered, letting her lips brush along Shen Ming Yan’s cheek before moving to her ear. Laughing, Shen Ming Yan squirmed, trying to avoid Qin Ke’s playful kisses. “It tickles. I promise I won’t be alone with others for so long again, okay? Don’t kiss there,” Shen Ming Yan protested playfully, tucking in her neck to escape Qin Ke’s affectionate teasing, though clearly, Qin Ke hadn’t planned to let her off. Seeing no other option, Shen Ming Yan turned around, wrapping her arms around Qin Ke’s neck and kissing her deeply. She stood slightly shorter by a centimeter or two, allowing Qin Ke to easily lean down and return the kiss. Their heights perfectly complemented each other, making the action easy and comfortable. As Shen Ming Yan melted into Qin Ke’s embrace, she realized that despite Yi Yi’s assertions about her enhanced physique and capabilities, right now, under the softening effects of Qin Ke’s kisses, she felt nothing of the sort. After the kiss, Qin Ke's kisses fluttered across Shen Ming Yan’s cheek and neck, tender and gentle, like a soft brush making Shen Ming Yan want even more. She leaned in once more, capturing Qin Ke’s lips, tracing the shape delicately before pulling back to give a playful nibble. Then she whispered softly in Qin Ke’s ear, “Do you want to? Shall we try with this body?” Qin Ke nodded instinctively, yearning for her beloved Yanyan deeply. She pulled Shen Ming Yan closer, holding her tightly, as if afraid she would vanish from her life again. The feeling of having her back felt like a dream to her. Sensing Qin Ke’s reddened eyes, Shen Ming Yan comforted her, brushing her fingers gently across Qin Ke’s face. Seeing her girlfriend’s eyes glistening again, she leaned in to kiss the corners of her lips, soothing her. Qin Ke held her close, her voice laced with a hint of plaintiveness, “Then we’ll have to try several times, okay? Otherwise, we won’t sleep tonight, alright?” Shen Ming Yan paused, looking at her girlfriend who resembled a forlorn puppy with reddened eyes. She nodded with a light laugh to reassure her, “Alright, whatever you want. I missed you too.” Qin Ke swept Shen Ming Yan into the bathroom, glad for her consent, eager to make time for them. The next morning, Shen Ming Yan awoke refreshed. She simply took a shower to rinse off the night’s exertion, emerging to find Qin Ke looking sulkily at her from the bed. Clearly, Qin Ke was dismayed; when had she fallen asleep? How was her stamina less than her girlfriend’s? Contemplating whether she could exchange her firearm skills for strength and endurance made her anxious—she suddenly coveted such abilities. Shen Ming Yan came out of the bathroom, feeling invigorated, and seeing Qin Ke’s glum expression, went over to gently touch her hair, soothing her with a soft voice. “It’s not your fault. This body naturally has great stamina, and Yi Yi said people like us don’t need sleep. It’s not that you can’t keep up.” Qin Ke clutched her blanket, feeling more downcast by the minute. Here she was, supposedly a tough one, needing comfort from her girlfriend. They were supposed to last all night without sleep, but she didn’t even recall when she’d dozed off. Her wrists still felt sore, while her girlfriend really hadn’t slept at all and clearly felt more energized now. Seeing the forlorn look on Qin Ke’s usually cool face, Shen Ming Yan stifled a laugh and leaned in to kiss her cheek, soothing her girlfriend with tender words until she finally appeased her.