214: Chapter 214: Bloody Battles Are Not Inevitable

"What are you so happy about?"

Qin Xiaoran lifted her head from the pillow, her eyes bright.

"There are so many things I'm happy about. First, my best friend is finally off the market, and the guy is my man, so we won't have to be separated in the future. Second, my man has another girl he likes, and if he's happy, I'm happy. Third—"

She paused, her voice dropping a little lower.

"Third, I was watching from the side just now, and I thought the two of you looked really good together. Brother Yang, you are very gentle with Yuyan."

"You answered her when she called your name, and you brushed her hair aside after she fell asleep. I saw it all. That's why I'm so happy. Because you treat her just as well as you treat me."

Wang Yang was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"You silly girl."

Qin Xiaoran leaned against his chest, the corners of her mouth curling up.

She placed her hand on Bai Yuyan's arm and patted it gently.

"Yuyan, from today on, we are true sisters."

Bai Yuyan let out a hum in her sleep, as if she had heard, yet as if she hadn't.

Her fingers instinctively grasped Qin Xiaoran's fingers, holding them tightly.

Qin Xiaoran chuckled, gently pulled her hand out of Bai Yuyan's grip, then turned around and started tickling Wang Yang.

Her fingers poked randomly at his waist and ribs, not with much force, like a cat scratching.

"Brother Yang, you're happy now, right? My best friend has become your woman too. From now on, both of us belong to you. Aren't you feeling very smug?"

Wang Yang grabbed her wrists; she struggled a bit but couldn't break free.

"Smug about what? You alone are enough to give me a headache. With another one joining, the two of you together—how am I supposed to live my life from now on?"

Qin Xiaoran wouldn't let it go and reached out with her other hand to tickle him again.

"I don't care! Even if you have a headache, you have to endure it! Who told you to take both of us! You have to be responsible until the end! From now on, you have to treat us both equally; you can't play favorites. Yuyan is better behaved than me; if you play favorites with her, I'll—"

"You'll what?"

She thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a follow-up.

Taking advantage of her distraction, Wang Yang pulled her into his arms and rolled over to pin her down.

Qin Xiaoran let out a scream, her wrists pinned on either side of the pillow by him, unable to move.

"If you keep acting up, I'll satisfy you right now."

Qin Xiaoran blinked.

"Satisfy what?"

"Aren't you jealous? Aren't you uncomfortable watching from the side? It's not like we can't have a bloody battle. I don't mind."

Qin Xiaoran's face turned bright red in an instant, blushing from her cheeks to her ears, and from her ears to her neck.

She shook her head desperately, her voice cracking.

"No, no, no! I'll stop! I'm really stopping! Let me go, I won't tickle you anymore!"

Wang Yang looked down at her, a wicked smile on his lips.

"It's too late to say you'll stop now. Who told you to be so arrogant just a moment ago."

Qin Xiaoran looked at him pitifully.

"Brother Yang, I was wrong. I was truly wrong. I apologize to you, please let me go."

Seeing her looking so cowardly and pitiful, Wang Yang laughed out loud.

He lowered his head and pecked her lips lightly.

"Alright, I'm just teasing you. Lie down properly and stop messing around."

Qin Xiaoran breathed a sigh of relief and lay down obediently.

Wang Yang released her and leaned back against the headboard, one arm around her, the other around Bai Yuyan.

Both women leaned into his arms, one on the left and one on the right.

One was still in a deep sleep, the other had crimson cheeks.

Qin Xiaoran buried her face in Wang Yang's chest, her voice muffled.

"Brother Yang."

"Hm?"

"I don't regret anything about today. Yuyan is my best friend, and you are my man. Bringing the two of you together is the best decision I've ever made in my life."

Wang Yang lowered his head and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah. Thank you."

Qin Xiaoran lifted her head to look at him.

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for entrusting your best friend to me. And thank you for trusting me."

Qin Xiaoran smiled and pressed her face back against his chest.

"You're welcome. Just treat both of us well in the future."

Wang Yang held her closer, and then held Bai Yuyan closer as well.

He didn't say anything more.

Outside the window, the sky had turned completely black, and the city's night view spread out beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Occasionally, there was the sound of Qin Xiaoran's soft laughter in the room, along with Bai Yuyan's unconscious murmurs in her sleep.

Wang Yang leaned against the headboard, watching the shadows of the three of them reflected on the floor-to-ceiling window, the corners of his mouth slowly curling up.

...

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Yunxi Terrace, 28th floor.

The kitchen was lit with warm yellow light, and the range hood was humming.

The clanging of a spatula against an iron wok mixed with the laughter of two women.

Chen Xuemiao stood on the left side of the stove, wearing a pink spaghetti-strap short nightdress.

It was silk, clinging thinly to her body.

Thin straps hung over her fair shoulders, and the neckline was cut very low.

It revealed a patch of snow-white skin and deep cleavage.

The hem of the dress was so short it barely covered the tops of her thighs, revealing two long, straight, fair legs, and she was barefoot inside fluffy slippers.

Her hair was tied casually into a bun, with a few stray strands scattered on the back of her neck, dampened by sweat and clinging to her skin.

She was flustered as she flipped the sweet and sour pork ribs in the pot; the spatula in her hand seemed like a completely foreign tool.

She would flip once and pause, then flip twice and pause again.

"Sister Yulan, how do I tell if these ribs are cooked? I've been poking at them for a while, and they still feel hard."

Wen Yulan stood on the right side of the stove, wearing an off-white cotton nightdress, which was much more conservative than Chen Xuemiao's.

But she couldn't hide her good figure; the nightdress clung to her body, outlining the curves of her waist and hips, making them visible.

The hem of the dress reached below her knees, revealing a section of fair calves, and she wore light gray fluffy slippers on her feet.

Her hair was loosely pinned behind her head with a hairpin, revealing a slender, fair neck.

She was looking down as she chopped green onions, the kitchen knife hitting the wooden cutting board with a rhythmic "thud-thud" sound.

Hearing Chen Xuemiao's voice, she put down the knife and walked over to take a look at the pot.

The ribs were sizzling and bubbling in the oil, the surface already fried to a golden brown, but they were clearly not cooked through yet.

"Poke it with a chopstick; if it goes in easily, it's cooked. These still need time, let them simmer for a while longer. You have the heat too high; turn it down, or the outside will burn while the inside stays raw."

Chen Xuemiao scrambled to adjust the heat, the spatula nearly falling into the pot.

"Like this? Or like this? I can never figure out this stove; is it turn left to turn off or turn right to turn off?"

Wen Yulan laughed and reached out to help her lower the heat.

"Turn left to turn it off. You've been in this kitchen for a few days now, and you still don't know how to use the stove. How are you going to cook for Wang Yang in the future?"

Chen Xuemiao pouted.

"I'm learning, aren't I? I've never stepped foot in a kitchen at home before; I even used boiling water to make instant noodles."

"Now, for him, I've even learned how to stir-fry. Although it doesn't look great, at least it's edible. Look at these ribs, although the color is a bit dark, they smell quite fragrant."