Maybe My Soulmate! (GL)

As twilight painted the sky in shades of deep purple and gold, the Mo family estate came alive with the warm glow of paper lanterns. The dining hall, a spacious room with lacquered wooden beams and silk wall hangings, had been prepared for a celebratory feast. The long mahogany table was laden with an array of dishes—steamed fish with ginger and scallions, braised pork belly glistening with honey glaze, delicate lotus root soup, and fragrant jasmine rice arranged in painted ceramic bowls.

Mo Yuxin sat beside Su Yubing, their hands occasionally brushing as they reached for their chopsticks. The soft candlelight flickered across their faces, casting dancing shadows that seemed to celebrate their newfound openness about their relationship.

Little Feng Feng had changed into a bright yellow silk dress and sat chattering excitedly about the wedding plans she was already dreaming up. "Sister Yubing, will you wear red or gold? And can we have dragon dancers? Oh, and—"

"Feng Feng," Lan Xu laughed gently, "let them enjoy their dinner first before you plan their entire celebration."

But Mo Yuxin's attention was drawn to something else entirely. As the evening progressed, she began to notice the subtle intimacy between her mother and the mysterious woman seated beside her—Shen Mingyue, as she had learned during their earlier conversation.

It was in the small gestures: how Lan Xu would lean slightly toward Shen Mingyue when speaking, how their fingers would linger when passing dishes, how Shen Mingyue's eyes would soften whenever she looked at Mo Yuxin's mother. When Lan Xu carefully selected the choicest piece of steamed fish and placed it delicately in Shen Mingyue's bowl, Mo Yuxin raised an eyebrow.

"The ginger brings out the sweetness," Lan Xu murmured to her companion, their heads close together.

"Hmm," Shen Mingyue replied, her voice warm with memory and something deeper.

Su Yubing, ever observant, caught Mo Yuxin's curious glance. A silent understanding passed between them—the same recognition they had felt when they first acknowledged their own feelings. Su Yubing's lips curved in a knowing smile, and she squeezed Mo Yuxin's hand under the table.

Throughout the meal, the two older women shared private smiles and gentle touches that spoke of a history deeper than mere friendship. When Shen Mingyue laughed at something Lan Xu whispered, her eyes sparkled like stars reflected in still water.

"Aunt Shen," Feng Feng piped up innocently, "have you and Mother been friends for a very long time?"

Shen Mingyue exchanged a meaningful look with Lan Xu before answering. "We've known each other since we were younger than you are now, little one. Your mother has been... very precious to me."

The way she said "precious" made Mo Yuxin's heart skip a beat. She looked at her mother, who was blushing like a young maiden, and felt a warmth spread through her chest. Perhaps love had found its way to more than one generation in their family.

After the feast concluded and the servants cleared the table, Mo Yuxin stood and bowed respectfully to her mother and Shen Mingyue.

"Mother, Aunt Shen, it has been a wonderful evening. Su Yubing and I are quite tired from our journey. We'll retire for the night."

Lan Xu nodded, her eyes twinkling with understanding. "Of course, my dear. Rest well, both of you."

As Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing made their way through the moonlit corridors, Su Yubing whispered, "Did you notice—"

"The way they look at each other? Yes," Mo Yuxin smiled. "It seems love runs in the family."

Mo Yuxin's room was exactly as she had left it a year ago, yet somehow more perfect. The sliding doors opened to reveal a space that had been lovingly maintained—not a speck of dust on the polished wooden floors, not a wrinkle in the silk bed coverings. Fresh flowers had been arranged in a porcelain vase by the window, and new candles stood ready to be lit. Even though she has only ever lived in this room for a few days but it still was her room in her house.

"Mother has been cleaning this every day," Mo Yuxin said softly, running her fingers along the smooth surface of her writing desk. Books were arranged exactly as she preferred them, and her favorite ink stone gleamed in the lamplight. "She never gave up hope that I would return."

The room reflected refined taste—silk screens painted with bamboo and cranes, a low rosewood bed with carved posts, and cushions embroidered with peonies. Everything spoke of care, love, and patient waiting.

Su Yubing moved to the window, gazing out at the moonlit garden. "Your mother loves you deeply. This room... it's like a shrine to her daughter."

"And now it's ours," Mo Yuxin said, wrapping her arms around Su Yubing from behind. "Come, let me show you the bathing chamber."

She led Su Yubing to an adjoining room where a large wooden tub, carved from a single piece of cedar, sat surrounded by smooth stones. Steam rose gently from the hot water that had been prepared by the servants, and the air was perfumed with lotus blossoms floating on the surface.

"The water is heated by a magical heater using spirit stones. It seems in my absence, mother has learned to earn big, haha..." Mo Yuxin said with a chuckle.

Su Yubing turned in Mo Yuxin's arms, her eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight. "I did need a refreshing bath, thank you, dear."

"Then go ahead," Mo Yuxin whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to Su Yubing's forehead. "I'll wait for you."

Su Yubing stood framed in the soft lantern light, every inch of her a study in graceful temptation. As she peeled away her outer robe, the pale silk of her inner garment clung like a second skin—thin, translucent where it stretched across the gentle swell of her breasts, and layered in soft folds around her narrow waist. Her shoulders, smooth and gently rounded, bore the glow of moonlight that drifted through the window.

Her collarbones curved like the bows of delicate crescent moons, leading the eye to the hollow at her throat, where a single drop of jasmine-scented warmth collected. When she tilted her head, her hair spilled in a dark torrent, each glossy wave catching the light and falling over one aristocratic cheek before brushing against a high, elegant cheekbone.

Below, her hips flared with an almost feline allure, the silk wrapping across them in slender bands that hinted at the softness just beneath. Long, dancer's legs extended from this gentle curve—smooth, firm, and subtly muscled—dropping into the water where steam curled up to veil her ankles. With each breath, her chest rose and fell in a rhythmic dance, the faint outline of her heart visible through the diaphanous cloth, pulsing with life and longing.

Her eyes, dark pools of liquid onyx, held Mo Yuxin's gaze like a spell. They glimmered with invitation and promise, lashes fluttering in slow beats that made Mo Yuxin's pulse gallop. And when Su Yubing's lips parted, revealing just a flash of pale pink, it was as if the night itself had drawn breath; the promise of her kiss hung between them like a fragrant bloom ready to unfurl.

Every subtle curve, every glint of flesh, and every soft sigh she released wove together into an irresistible, living tapestry of seduction—one that left Mo Yuxin utterly and deliciously undone.

Mo Yuxin stood just inside the door, every nerve alive with anticipation. She watched Su Yubing's slender arms slide out of the remaining ties of her undergarment. The fabric fell away, revealing the smooth expanse of her back and the gentle curve of her hips. Su Yubing turned, her hair tumbling in a dark cascade down her back, and met Mo Yuxin's gaze with a slow, inviting smile.

"Come join me," Su Yubing said softly, her voice like a caress.

Mo Yuxin's breath caught in her throat. She had known Su Yubing's beauty since the day they met, but now—bathed in moonlight and rose-scented steam—it felt as though she were seeing her for the first time. Every line of Su Yubing's body seemed to glow with quiet power: the gentle slope of her collarbone, the graceful arc of her neck, the soft hollow at the small of her back. Mo Yuxin's pulse thrummed in her ears.

Mo Yuxin retracted her hungry wolf–like gaze and nodded without hesitation: "Okay."

Slowly, Mo Yuxin stepped forward. She slipped out of her own garments—first her outer robe, then the under layers—until she stood beside Su Yubing in nothing but the same pale undergarment. The two of them paused, standing side by side, letting their eyes roam over each other for a moment that felt suspended in time.

Mo Yuxin's cheeks warmed as she felt Su Yubing's hand slide along her waist, guiding her toward the cedar tub. Steam curled up around their ankles. The water's surface glimmered with floating lotus blossoms. It was large enough for both of them to lie side by side, and the pale steam seemed to promise intimacy and comfort.

Su Yubing dipped a toe in and tested the temperature, then turned to Mo Yuxin with a playful glint in her eye. "It's perfect. Shall we?"

"Yes," Mo Yuxin whispered, her voice thick with longing.

The scent of lotus blossoms lingered in the warm mist, curling softly through the air as the steam rose from the cedar tub. Mo Yuxin stepped into the water behind Su Yubing, the wood creaking ever so slightly under her weight. The heat enveloped them both, soothing the weariness from their journey and washing away the dust of the world.

Su Yubing sat with her back resting lightly against Mo Yuxin's chest, her dark hair pinned up in a loose twist, a few strands already clinging to her damp neck. Her skin, glowing from the warmth, shimmered with droplets of water that caught the light like pearls. Mo Yuxin couldn't take her eyes off her. There was something about the way Su Yubing looked in that moment — vulnerable, serene, breathtaking — that made her heart ache with love.

Mo Yuxin slipped her arms around her waist from behind, pulling her gently into an embrace. The closeness was quiet but intense. Their bare skin pressed together, and Su Yubing let out a soft sigh, leaning into her.

"I missed this," Mo Yuxin whispered, her lips brushing against the shell of Su Yubing's ear.

Mo Yuxin gazed at Su Yubing, her eyes tracing the curve of her cheek, the slight tremble of her lashes as they fluttered. The steam from the warm bath curled around them like a silken veil, quieting the world until only their breaths remained.

"Yubing," she murmured, her voice low and steady.

Su Yubing turned to face her, and for a moment, their eyes locked — a silent conversation passed between them, full of tenderness, unspoken promises, and a deep, soul-rooted love.

Then, slowly, gently, Mo Yuxin leaned in.

Their lips met with the softness of a falling petal, the kiss sweet and reverent at first. Su Yubing's breath caught, and she responded in kind, her hand rising to cup the side of Mo Yuxin's face.

Su Yubing tilted her head back after being kissed by Mo Yuxin, and her slender white neck was exposed under the light.Mo Yuxin hid her hands under the bath towel, and set fire everywhere with her fingertips.Even though only one hand could move freely, she still skillfully grasped all the sensitive parts of Su Yubing's body.After a while, Su Yubing's breathing became rapid, her face flushed, her legs became weak and she could not stand steadily. She could only lean on Mo Yuxin's arms, her arms around Mo Yuxin's shoulders, pursed her lips and hummed softly: "Your kitten needs comfort.""I'm comforting you now." Mo Yuxin lowered her head and kissed her earlobe, her soft lips rubbing her earlobe, moving down along the line of her neck and shoulders, inch by inch, biting the bath towel with her teeth and nibbling on her collarbone.