Chapter 63: Boiling a frog in warm water
The solid feeling behind Yao Bai was gone. She easily rolled over.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Yao Bai sat up halfway, glancing at the spot behind her.
It was empty, only the wrinkled sheets proving Rou Ye had slept there last night.
Yao Bai scratched her tangled hair, got out of bed, and opened the curtains. The dazzling summer morning sunlight made her squint.
The sun was as radiant as ever.
“Ha~ah~”
Yao Bai raised her arms, yawning and stretching.
Slipping on her slippers, she went downstairs to the bathroom.
She ran straight into Rou Ye, fresh from washing up.
Seeing Yao Bai’s dazed look, Rou Ye cupped her face and planted a firm kiss on her lips.
“Yao~ Good morning~”
“!!!”
The morning kiss startled Yao Bai out of her wits. She covered her mouth, eyes wide.
“What are you doing!”
“Greeting you~”
Rou Ye bit her lower lip, her face beaming with sweet, blissful joy.
Yao Bai pushed her aside, rushing to the bathroom to clean her mouth.
But when she grabbed her toothbrush and cup, she noticed the brush was still wet, plunging her into deep silence.
Seconds later, her voice echoed from the bathroom.
“Rou Ye! Why did you use my toothbrush and cup!”
Fuming, Yao Bai stormed out, brandishing the toothbrush and pointing at Rou Ye’s nose.
Her voice was thick with anger.
She was really mad!
“Because my toothbrush and cup aren’t here~”
Rou Ye answered naturally, as if it were obvious.
Yao Bai’s face flushed red with rage—she was about to lose it!
Argh!!!
Her toothbrush and cup weren’t just any items. If she told Rou Ye that Feifei often used them by mistake, would she be grossed out?
Yao Bai’s eyes lit up, seeing a chance to keep Rou Ye at bay.
“Hmph, my toothbrush and cup? Feifei uses them all the time by mistake. Isn’t that a bit gross?”
Rou Ye froze, mouth agape, then lunged at Yao Bai, grabbing her shoulders.
“You, you, you—what are you doing!”
“Ah! I’m not clean anymore! Yao, quick, help me clean my mouth!”
Rou Ye panicked, and Yao Bai panicked more.
“Clean your mouth? Go brush your teeth! Why are you grabbing me!”
They tussled in the living room, Rou Ye gaining the upper hand and pinning Yao Bai to the sofa.
“Don’t kiss me! Get off!”
Yao Bai flailed, but under Rou Ye’s overwhelming strength, she had no chance.
“I haven’t brushed yet, you jerk!”
Smack!
Yao Bai swung, landing a crisp slap on Rou Ye’s face, the sound filling the room.
Rou Ye touched her stinging cheek, looking at Yao Bai.
Yao Bai glanced at her hand, then at Rou Ye’s slightly red cheek.
“Rou Ye, I didn’t mean it!”
Yao Bai hurried forward, moving Rou Ye’s hand to blow on her cheek, hoping to ease the pain.
The warm breath on her face made Rou Ye’s heart glow. It didn’t hurt at all.
“Yao~ So, does that mean if I brush my teeth, I can…” Rou Ye looked at her expectantly.
“…”
Yao Bai sucked in a breath. She hadn’t expected Rou Ye to care less about the slap and more about her slip-up.
“Since your face doesn’t hurt, go cool off somewhere else.”
“Yao~”
“And don’t kiss me without my consent, or we’re done!”
Yao Bai spat her most “vicious” threat, waving her little fists menacingly to scare Rou Ye.
To Rou Ye, Yao Bai’s actions weren’t intimidating—they were adorable.
Like a soft, fragrant strawberry cake, tempting Rou Ye to take a bite.
Rou Ye didn’t push further. She knew not to pull the string too tight, or it’d snap.
From Yao Bai’s accidental slap to her casual return to the bathroom, Rou Ye saw Yao Bai was growing used to her boundary-pushing affection.
In short, Yao Bai was less resistant to her oversteps.
Rou Ye’s plan was like boiling a frog—gradually crossing lines.
From Yao Bai’s rejection to eventual acceptance.
Of course, Rou Ye hoped Yao Bai would genuinely like her and embrace her affection willingly.
That was a challenge, and Rou Ye needed to work harder.
She wasn’t just pursuing Yao Bai as a human but also as the Greed Witch.
As Greed, she played the bad girl, bullying Yao Bai.
As Rou Ye, she was the comforting best friend, breaking Yao Bai’s defenses when she was vulnerable.
That was Rou Ye’s next plan.
She called it the Dual-Flank Assault Strategy.
Yao Bai swept her long hair to her chest, tying it loosely with a hairband.
“Yao~ Let’s…”
“Get lost!”
Before Rou Ye could finish, Yao Bai cut her off coldly.
“Ugh…”
Rou Ye pouted, aggrieved. She hadn’t even said anything.
Yao Bai was judging her unfairly, and it hurt.
Yao Bai wasn’t one for harsh words, but Rou Ye had pushed her to it lately.
She often felt Rou Ye was her nemesis—always tormenting her or on the way to it.
If not for their lifelong friendship, Yao Bai would’ve cut ties the first time Rou Ye kissed her.
What kind of woman was this!
So unhygienic—didn’t she know mouths were full of bacteria?
“Where’s Feifei and the others?”
Yao Bai sat three meters away, on the other end of the sofa.
“They went out to play.”
Rou Ye looked glum, fingers fidgeting together.
Like a wronged child, pitifully sulking.
Seeing Rou Ye’s sad face, Yao Bai felt a twinge of guilt.
“What were you going to say?”
Yao Bai scooted closer, a small concession.
“I was gonna say, wanna go out today?”
“Go out?” Yao Bai frowned, eyeing Rou Ye. “Don’t you have work?”
“Yao, didn’t you hear? Yesterday’s big incident—my company got wrecked. Nothing’s left… I’m unemployed…”
Unemployed!
That was terrifying!