231 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

Chapter 231 (Extra Chapter 3: Parallel World) Chen Wan rubbed her somewhat warm ears, trying to reassure herself that her nervousness was merely due to her unfamiliarity with Jiang Yan Xin. After mentally preparing herself outside the bathroom for quite some time, she finally knocked on the door. Quickly, the door opened, and a jade-white arm reached out from within. With ears burning red, Chen Wan handed over the change of clothes she was holding. In the next moment, the bathroom door was pulled wide open by the little fellow, who showed no reservations. With a bright smile, he said to Chen Wan, "Mummy, look at me! Aren’t I cute with all these bubbles?" Chen Wan, however, didn't immediately focus on the bubbly little one. Her eyes first caught a clear view of Jiang Yan Xin, causing her face to flush red instantly. She dashed away so swiftly that she seemed to disappear. The little fellow remained puzzled, tilting his small head to ask his mom, "Mama, why didn’t Mummy look at me just now? Am I not cute anymore?" Jiang Yan Xin’s lips curved upward slightly as she lovingly ruffled Zai Zai's small head. "Our Yang Yang is the cutest. You were really good today, baby." Receiving praise from his mom, Zai Zai happily hugged Jiang Yan Xin's leg, leaving her covered with bubbles. Meanwhile, Chen Wan fled back to her room, her ears still flushed as if they might drip blood. Why was she so affected? After all, they were both straight women. It shouldn’t be an issue if she just looked, so why was her heart racing so fast? Chen Wan rubbed her face, convincing herself that her bashfulness stemmed from her lack of social interactions outside of work for so long. After calming down and regaining a somewhat normal complexion, Chen Wan began changing the sheets and duvet covers, as it had been a while since she last returned. Preparing the master bedroom, she also prepared the guest room for Jiang Yan Xin and the little one to sleep in together. Jiang Yan Xin changed into a nightgown, dried her and the little one's hair, wrapped him in a bath towel, and carried him out. Without a second thought, Jiang Yan Xin naturally headed to the master bedroom where Chen Wan was, sitting on the bed and placing the little one on it. The little guy’s clothes hadn't arrived yet, so he wore only a towel. But he acted unfazed, climbing quickly across the bed to Chen Wan’s side. Nuzzling her arm, he pleaded, "Mummy, look at me, I'm all fresh and fragrant." Jiang Yan Xin covered him with a towel, saying, "Even while playing with Mummy, you need to keep covered, or you'll catch a cold." Unable to resist the little white bundle's enthusiasm, Chen Wan pinched Zai Zai's cheek with a smile, "Yes, you're very clean, and your little face is even smoother." "Hehe~" The little one, encouraged by the praise, snuggled more affectionately into Chen Wan's arms like a kitten. After a while of playing, Zai Zai grew sleepy, and snuggled against Chen Wan, murmuring, "Mummy, I want to sleep. Will you and Mama stay with me?" Chen Wan initially planned to suggest that Jiang Yan Xin take the little one to the guest room, but seeing the white bundle in her arms made her swallow her words. After all, it was just sleeping in her room—nothing to worry about. "Alright, since your pillow isn’t here yet, try this one to see if it's comfortable." Chen Wan placed Zai Zai in the center of the bed, found him a lower pillow, and tucked him in. The little fellow blissfully patted the spots beside him, looking at Jiang Yan Xin and Chen Wan, "Mama, Mummy, lie down and sleep with me." Jiang Yan Xin laughed softly, leaning over to kiss Zai Zai, and lay on her side, watching him. The strap of her nightgown slipped off her shoulder, but she didn’t bother fixing it, gently patting Zai Zai’s tummy to lull him to sleep. Chen Wan, unsure where to look facing Jiang Yan Xin's snowy skin, ended up keeping her gaze solely on Zai Zai. Feeling Chen Wan's gaze, the little one opened his eyes to ask, "Mummy, why are you staring at me?" Chen Wan coughed lightly, scratching her face as she explained, "It's nothing. Go to sleep. I won't look at you anymore." But as soon as she resolved not to watch Zai Zai, her eyes would drift towards Jiang Yan Xin. In the end, Chen Wan lay back, staring at the ceiling, thus clearing her mind a bit from messy thoughts. Jiang Yan Xin stifled laughter, observing Chen Wan's peculiar reactions. In the post-apocalyptic world, wasn’t she the same? Initially, Jiang Yan Xin had sat on her lap, and Chen Wan had insisted she was straight. However, she hadn't stayed that way for long. It seemed this situation wasn’t much different. After ten minutes or so, the little one fell sound asleep, aided by Jiang Yan Xin's gentle coaxing. Realizing Zai Zai was asleep, Chen Wan, with reddened ears, got up, found a fresh set of nightwear, and quickly retreated to the bathroom. Jiang Yan Xin’s lips twitched into a subtle smile; Chen Wan's flustered state was rather endearing. In the bathroom, Chen Wan turned on the shower, hoping to wake herself up a bit, reminding herself that she and Jiang Yan Xin were both straight, so there was no need to panic or overreact at Jiang Yan Xin’s slightest actions. Chen Wan spent a good forty minutes dawdling inside, and finally emerged in shorts and a t-shirt, as she typically saved the nightgown for sleep. During the day, she preferred shorts and a t-shirt for comfort and convenience. Upon exiting the bathroom, she decided to turn on the TV in the living room, since her room had been occupied by two guests, by her own volition, leaving her reluctant to return and risk an awkward encounter with Jiang Yan Xin. While Chen Wan reckoned she was thinking this through logically, Jiang Yan Xin had a different idea. Seeing Chen Wan head for the living room, Jiang Yan Xin arose from the bed, closed the master bedroom door softly to avoid disturbing Zai Zai, and joined Chen Wan on the couch, seating herself quite close, with only a person’s width separating them. Chen Wan's ear tips grew red once Jiang Yan Xin sat beside her, and she awkwardly took a sip from her cup, shifting slightly leftward to create more space between them. In moving away, Chen Wan mused that no typical person would follow if she relocated—she thought she was clever! Jiang Yan Xin ought to feel too shy to sit as close again. Jiang Yan Xin relaxed, leaning back on the couch, watching Chen Wan's antics with a playful tug at her lips. Once Chen Wan found her new seat, Jiang Yan Xin confidently moved closer, leaving only half a person’s space between them. Chen Wan, stunned, stared at Jiang Yan Xin, forgetting to avert her gaze. Jiang Yan Xin met Chen Wan's eyes calmly, asking, "What’s the matter? Do you not like sitting with me, is that why you moved?" "That's not it," Chen Wan quickly explained. "I’m just not used to being too close to others." Jiang Yan Xin nodded thoughtfully, "I see. In that case, we should get closer. Since we'll be living together, it's important for you to know me better." Saying this, Jiang Yan Xin scooted even closer, now touching arms with Chen Wan. By this point, Chen Wan wasn’t just red in the ears; even her cheeks flamed. Instinctively, she shifted leftward again, now finding herself at the edge. Jiang Yan Xin chuckled softly at Chen Wan's actions and followed her lead once more. Glancing at Jiang Yan Xin, Chen Wan suddenly wondered why the same homey nightgown appeared skimpier on Jiang Yan Xin. Embarrassed, she quickly averted her gaze, awkwardly explaining, "Um, you might have misunderstood; I’m straight." Jiang Yan Xin was amused by Chen Wan’s insistence on being straight—it wasn't the first time she’d heard those words from her. "I didn’t misunderstand; I’m a straight woman too." Dropping her smile, Jiang Yan Xin looked earnestly at Chen Wan, adding, "Since we’re both straight, there's no problem. Isn’t it normal for straight women to hug? I’m simply sitting close, why such a big reaction? Or is it that you have other feelings for me?" "No way! I’m—I’m a straight woman, okay? Pure and straightforward!" Chen Wan babbled, flustered, as sweat appeared on her forehead. Stifling her amusement, Jiang Yan Xin pulled a few tissues from the coffee table and moved to wipe Chen Wan’s sweat as she approached, saying, "I know you’re straight. What’s there to be nervous about? I won't eat you up." As Jiang Yan Xin spoke, she leaned in close to Chen Wan’s ear, intentionally speaking softly. She could visibly see Chen Wan's ear tips turning crimson with her teasing words. "I’m not nervous," Chen Wan claimed, though she felt her heart race. While carefully wiping away her sweat, Jiang Yan Xin finally nestled her head against Chen Wan’s shoulder, draping her arm around Chen Wan’s waist. To prevent Chen Wan from retreating, Jiang Yan Xin teasingly reassured, "We’re both straight women, so it’s okay if I lean on you, right?" Chen Wan's face reddened as she inadvertently glanced down to see Jiang Yan Xin's bare, fair skin right in front of her. Quickly averting her gaze, Chen Wan found herself at a loss on where to look, stubbornly muttering, "Of course, no problem." Jiang Yan Xin, nestled comfortably in Chen Wan's arms, held back a laugh, poking Chen Wan's shoulder playfully. "Relax your shoulders a bit. They're too stiff and uncomfortable." "Okay," Chen Wan replied, though still tense. She wasn't used to such close contact with anyone. However, concerned that Jiang Yan Xin might not be comfortable, Chen Wan instinctively adjusted her position, attempting to provide better support. Seeing Chen Wan's efforts to accommodate her, Jiang Yan Xin felt a warmth in her heart, nearly unable to resist the urge to kiss Chen Wan. Yet, she restrained herself, knowing that moving too quickly might scare Chen Wan off, especially as they had only known each other for a day. Gradually, Chen Wan relaxed, realizing that maintaining such tension was taxing for both her and Jiang Yan Xin. By the time late afternoon rolled around, Chen Wan had become adept at adjusting her embrace to ensure mutual comfort. At some point, Jiang Yan Xin had fallen asleep in Chen Wan’s arms. Chen Wan, unsure where to direct her eyes, alternated between looking at the TV and glancing at Jiang Yan Xin's face. Since they weren’t familiar, she felt uneasy about waking Jiang Yan Xin and decided to let her wake up naturally. Around five o'clock, Jiang Yan Xin stirred awake, sleepily snuggling closer to Chen Wan. As she did so, she instinctively raised her head, gently cradled Chen Wan's face with one hand, and leaned in for a kiss.