The One and Only

Chi Qing did not expect that a simple reach of her hand would lead to such a consequence. Watching the thin bath towel fall to the floor, revealing a fair and flawless body, not only did Chi Qing lose her composure, but even Bai Lin, who was usually unfazed by anything, could not escape her shock.

Seeing Bai Lin hurriedly cover her chest and the private area between her legs with her hands, she tilted her body slightly and stared blankly at Chi Qing. Her full breasts stood erect from the cold and shock, and even the pink peaks protruded restlessly. Chi Qing stared in a daze, having no intention of averting her gaze or helping Bai Lin pick up the towel.

In truth, Chi Qing did not want to look at this body she shouldn't see, but she couldn't control her eyes from glancing over. Gradually, Chi Qing felt her eyes growing hotter and hotter, and her body felt as if it were burning with fire—so hot, she desperately wanted release. She knew that perhaps only the person in front of her could release her.

Thinking this, Chi Qing did not hesitate. She slowly walked toward Bai Lin, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became strangely intimate. Bai Lin did not know what Chi Qing wanted to do, nor did she know how she should react. She wanted to pick up the towel, but if she bent down, it would expose several parts of her body. Standing in a stalemate like this was not a solution either.

Amidst her confusion about whether to pick up the towel, by the time Bai Lin regained her senses, Chi Qing's face was already only a few centimeters away from hers. Those beautiful black eyes were no longer clear and cold; instead, they were a bottomless abyss, deep and dark. Sensing Chi Qing approaching her, Bai Lin instinctively took a step back. The two of them were standing very close now; if they got any closer, their bodies would press against each other.

Compared to Bai Lin's helpless panic, Chi Qing's mood was not too bad. It was rare to see Bai Lin show such fear and foolishness. The current Bai Lin was like a little lamb being stared down by a gray wolf, both helpless and adorable.

Stared down by Chi Qing's eyes, Bai Lin's face suddenly flushed red, and even her small ears turned red as if bleeding. Chi Qing bent down and picked up the towel that had fallen at Bai Lin's feet. Her hand accidentally brushed against Bai Lin's foot, causing both of their bodies to shudder.

Bai Lin was born beautiful, seemingly inheriting all of Chi Qing's advantages. Even her feet were extremely exquisite. Her feet were fair and small. Each toe was as smooth as a grape, neatly arranged by size, half-hidden by her slippers and half-exposed. A few toes still clung to a few drops of water from her bath, looking under the lamp like fresh cream on a glass cup, adding a touch of exquisiteness and uniqueness, creating a hazy beauty of being half-revealed and half-concealed.

Realizing that she was staring blankly at Bai Lin's feet, Chi Qing stood up. Meeting Bai Lin's startled and puzzled gaze, she draped the towel over Bai Lin's body once more, her breathing instantly returning to calm. "Your body cannot catch a cold. Change into thicker pajamas."

Chi Qing said in a low voice, then turned around, no longer looking at Bai Lin. Bai Lin didn't say anything more either, only letting out an "Mm" before taking the pajamas Chi Qing had bought for her from the closet and walking into the bathroom.

It wasn't until the bathroom door closed that Chi Qing dared to breathe heavily. She clutched her chest, trying to dispel the image lingering in her mind. But the more she wanted to forget, the clearer the image of Bai Lin without a stitch of clothing became before her eyes.

That woman—to be precise, that girl—was brilliant, clean, and transparent. Her body was utterly perfect, like a soul-stirring melody. Like the sun high in the sky, she could only be gazed at from afar, never to be approached.

Chi Qing did not know that someone could make her feel this way. She thought that after Su Aoran left, her heart had also withered. Even when Zeng Kehen, who had a scorching hot figure, stood naked in front of her, Chi Qing did not have the slightest reaction.

But when she looked at Bai Lin's body, her desire almost defeated her reason, and her thoughts became chaotic. Compared to the body of a mature woman, Bai Lin was undoubtedly very green. Even her reaction to being seen, and her very breath, was filled with the scent of a virgin. Bai Lin was very clean, very beautiful, and very perfect.

She was like a sacrificial offering to the gods, even her soul was incredibly pure. Chi Qing understood that Bai Lin was so good, while she herself was unworthy of her. Chi Qing kept telling herself in her heart: *Bai Lin is your daughter, the person you hurt so deeply, the one you almost killed.* Even so, Chi Qing could not control her thoughts.

To Chi Qing, Bai Lin was like a gift bestowed upon her by God. Although this gift arrived at the wrong time and the wrong place. But since it had come, it had come. If she had decided to keep Bai Lin back then, Chi Qing would absolutely not regret it. The only thing she regretted was why she hadn't treated Bai Lin better in the past. That way, she would have suffered less.

Chi Qing knew very well that her relationship with Bai Lin was slowly changing, and her feelings for her were no longer simple. Today's incident was a spark; it blew up Chi Qing's mind, making her realize, and making her understand, that her feelings for Bai Lin had reached a point of no return. This made Chi Qing feel afraid, lost, and helpless, yet she did not want to let go.

She desperately wanted to keep this gift, but this gift was too beautiful, too perfect, and too precious. She couldn't keep it, nor did she dare to keep it. Chi Qing understood that she must never have Bai Lin; she could only watch someone else do so. Perhaps, destruction was also a good choice. If she destroyed Bai Lin, although she wouldn't belong to her, she wouldn't belong to anyone else either. This thought flashed by, causing Chi Qing to break out in a cold sweat. She rubbed her head in frustration, blaming herself in her heart. *Chi Qing, your body is filthy, is your heart filthy as well? She is no one else; she is your daughter. How could you have such a thought? How could you...*

"Are you alright? Is your body uncomfortable?"

Bai Lin came out after changing her clothes. Seeing Chi Qing sitting on the bed with her head in her hands, looking very uncomfortable, Bai Lin thought something had happened to her and hurriedly asked. Unexpectedly, as she approached, Chi Qing became even more irritable.

"I'm fine. Stay away from me."

Chi Qing said, glancing at Bai Lin who was wearing light yellow bear pajamas. In truth, these childish pajamas were completely incompatible with Bai Lin's cold and reserved temperament, even completely opposite. Chi Qing didn't know why she had chosen these pajamas for Bai Lin back then. Only now did she understand that she had chosen them simply because she wanted to see her in them.

"Then you should also rest early. We have to wake up early tomorrow."

Though it wasn't the first time Chi Qing had asked her to stay away, Bai Lin still felt miserable in her heart. Bai Lin said in a low voice, then automatically chose to lie down close to the window. She knew Chi Qing lacked a sense of security and would choose the position far from the window when sleeping.

Watching Bai Lin carefully lie on the bed, her tall and slender figure only occupying a tiny space, about one-third of the bed. Bai Lin's actions made Chi Qing feel helpless, yet also a bit heartbroken. She understood that Bai Lin did this only for her. She was afraid she would be cold, afraid she wouldn't sleep comfortably. But the one who was afraid of the cold was her, and the one with a weak body was also her.

Time passed second by second. Because Bai Lin had taken medicine containing sedatives, and today's traveling had made her exhausted, she felt incredibly warm in her heart as she looked at Chi Qing's silhouette, and sleepiness came much faster than usual. She found her vision growing darker and her eyelids heavier. Then, she fell completely into a deep sleep.

Hearing Bai Lin's steady and even breathing, Chi Qing stood up, got off the bed, turned off the room lights, leaving only the desk lamp on. Not wanting to wake Bai Lin, Chi Qing got onto the bed very gently. She lay down, but was in no hurry to sleep. Instead, she propped her head up with one hand, looking at Bai Lin's sleeping face.

When asleep, Bai Lin showed an innocent expression suitable for her age, but her eyes still carried a mature look. Her small, fair face was flushed with a hint of pink, and her long eyelashes fluttered, like a beautiful curtain. This wasn't the first time Chi Qing had seen Bai Lin's sleeping face, but every time she looked, she made a new discovery. Bai Lin had a habit of pursing her lips when sleeping. Her lips, like two flower petals, became even more delicate and curved because of that action. Looking down from above, it looked as if she were smiling.

Not many people knew this side of Bai Lin; it was absolutely impossible to see when she was awake. In her sleep, she was dazed and very adorable, like a girl who didn't understand the ways of the world, locking herself in a high tower. In reality, Bai Lin was still very young. But she had to bear too many responsibilities, which made people feel she was very strong.

Touching Bai Lin's arm made one feel cold. Her slender arm felt completely devoid of flesh, so fragile that it seemed a little force would break it. Chi Qing frowned, planning to place Bai Lin's hand inside the blanket to prevent her from catching a cold. But when she lifted the blanket, Chi Qing saw something she shouldn't have.

Even under the flickering light, the hickey on Bai Lin's neck was still clearly visible, impossible to ignore. Chi Qing's eyes darkened, her attention completely fixed on that spot. The scene she didn't want to remember was exposed once more, like a sleeping beast being slashed by a blade. Suddenly waking up, a bone-piercing pain etched deep in her heart.

Indifference and apathy did not mean she didn't care. Throughout the entire day, Chi Qing's mood had been constantly changing, fluctuating up and down. She herself hadn't expected that Bai Lin could so easily control her emotions.

At first, Bai Lin had opposed her because she didn't want to go to the hospital. At that time, Chi Qing was very angry, but also felt a bit happy. Because Bai Lin was no longer a wooden puppet who only followed her instructions, but had actively made her own demands.

But when Bai Lin made the request to meet her friend, Chi Qing felt that her thoughts were unpredictable and unfathomable. What Bai Lin had done during her five years away, Chi Qing did not know. Some things even the organization could not investigate, so she couldn't know either.

Many times, Chi Qing wanted to ask Bai Lin how she had lived and what she had done during those five years. But every time the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back. Chi Qing couldn't find a reason or standing to ask Bai Lin. Nor was she willing to hear her give a perfunctory answer or some lies.

This afternoon, she sat in the study, flipping through the intimate photos of Bai Lin and Xi Qingruo. Chi Qing admitted she was furious and jealous, and her heart became even more blurred. It turned out that Bai Lin would also show that focused and gentle gaze to others, and that besides her, she would also give her patience and good temper to others.

*Not seeking wealth and glory, only seeking to be the one and only.* This was a line Chi Qing had seen in a television drama. At that time, she had only smiled dismissively at those words, thinking they were only spoken by naive youths who hadn't experienced life and death. Now, she understood the feelings of the person who said it. Yes, Bai Lin was her daughter, her one and only relative. But this relationship was very fragile.

Chi Qing wanted to monopolize her, wanted to have her. Chi Qing hoped that in Bai Lin's eyes, there was only her, and even more, she hoped that she was the one and only in Bai Lin's heart. Whether in a familial relationship or another relationship, even if they couldn't be together, they would only have each other in their hearts.

Only now did Chi Qing realize she was wrong. "Qing" and "Qing" were not much different. Since that was the case, how could she be the only one?

Thinking this, a feeling of helplessness and fear arose from the bottom of her heart. Chi Qing stared at the hickey on Bai Lin's neck, imagining in her mind the scene of Bai Lin leaving her to embrace Xi Qingruo. Her vision gradually blurred. Chi Qing didn't know when she had kissed Bai Lin, nor did she know if doing so would wake her. She only wanted to erase that mark now, to never see it again.

If she couldn't have her...

Then... destruction... would be fine.