Not Perfume

In both of Qin Ran's lives, she had never encountered someone so disrespectful. The man gripping her arm was using considerable force. Qin Ran instinctively tried to twist her arm free, but he held on tightly, making a lewd comment, "Hehe, you want me to let go? Sure, just call me 'big brother,' and I'll let you go."

Qin Ran's face flushed with anger. She had recently started working out, but her physical foundation was weak, so she was only as strong as the average girl. Though she hated to admit it, there was indeed a basic difference in strength between men and women, something she found difficult to overcome.

People nearby noticed the scene but were reluctant to get involved, partly because they were some distance away and couldn't hear the conversation clearly. They assumed the two knew each other.

Just as Qin Ran was about to shout for help, she saw Yu Shuman pushing through the crowd in her high heels, heading toward her. In that moment, Qin Ran's eyes lit up.

She knew Yu Shuman had been keeping an eye on her, likely spotting the man approaching and speeding up when she saw him making physical contact with Qin Ran.

Qin Ran tried to move closer to Yu Shuman, but the man's grip was too strong, causing her arm to throb in pain and her expression to change. Seeing this, Yu Shuman quickened her pace even more. The man, reeking of alcohol, slurred, "Come on, little girl, don't leave."

Yu Shuman, almost sprinting in her heels, reached Qin Ran in no time.

Seeing the man harassing Qin Ran, Yu Shuman's anger flared. She was straightforward and didn't know how to suppress her fury. When her lover was being harassed, there was no question of suppressing anything—no one could control themselves in such a situation.

Unlike Qin Ran, who was physically weak, Yu Shuman was strong, not only in stamina but also in strength. She was far beyond what most people could match, certainly more than Qin Ran.

Yu Shuman grabbed the man's wrist tightly and demanded, "Let go."

The man, wincing in pain, released Qin Ran, who immediately sought refuge behind Yu Shuman. At that moment, she was like a small fangirl rescued by a strong and powerful princess, her eyes filled with nothing but admiration for Yu Shuman.

The man, however, wasn't pleased. But after sizing up Yu Shuman, he realized she was not someone he could afford to offend. With a forced smile, he said, "Oh, Miss Shuman, no need to be angry. I was just chatting with the little girl. She's a new artist at 99 Entertainment, right? I recently invested in a drama, and I think she'd be perfect for the second female lead role..."

Before he could finish, Yu Shuman took a deep breath, a smile forming on her lips. Qin Ran knew that this smile was a prelude to an outburst, but the man, oblivious, continued to babble on. Qin Ran internally scoffed, thinking that if Qin Ran went to work on his drama, she might end up being taken advantage of.

Yu Shuman must have thought the same thing. She couldn't bear the thought of Qin Ran being subjected to such treatment; the very idea made her want to explode. And explode she did.

Through gritted teeth, Yu Shuman said, "Well, thank you so much." She clenched her fist tightly, and just as the man smugly said, "You're welcome," Yu Shuman threw a hard punch at his face.

The man yelped in pain, clutching his face as he fell to the ground. The music stopped, and everyone turned to look in their direction. The man writhed on the ground, and someone quickly rushed over to help him up.

Yu Shuman wasn't satisfied yet. "Say one more word, and I'll hit you again."

It seemed the man had some backing—otherwise, people wouldn't have rushed to his aid, nor would he have been talking about investing in a drama. He probably had never been hit like this in public before, and the pain was clearly unbearable. He clutched his face and stammered, "You... you dare hit me?! Do you believe I can ruin your career in this industry?!"

In Qin Ran's opinion, it was because the industry was too easy to break into that so many spoiled rich kids were trying to get a piece of the pie. Men like him, who were not only incompetent but also particularly annoying, didn't deserve to be in the entertainment industry.

Yu Shuman sneered, "Oh, really? Go ahead, try it. I'd love to see how you plan to ruin my career."

The man, hearing this, seemed to calm down, perhaps realizing who Yu Shuman was and what she represented. After a few more people tried to defuse the situation, he managed to suppress his anger, though he couldn't quite swallow his pride. "I... I was just drunk," he muttered.

He was quickly escorted away, but not before shooting a venomous glare at Qin Ran, as if to say, "I may not be able to touch Yu Shuman, but I can certainly deal with you."

Qin Ran wasn't the least bit intimidated.

However, with what had happened, neither Yu Shuman nor Qin Ran felt like staying. Yu Shuman quickly informed Zeng Qian that they were leaving. Zeng Qian nodded vigorously, her eyes reflecting the same admiration as Qin Ran's. Clearly, she also thought Shuman was incredibly cool!

In fact, after Yu Shuman arrived, Qin Ran no longer felt anxious. The man's threatening look didn't bother her at all, and she was already thinking about how to get back at him later. But being in Yu Shuman's protective presence was too comforting to give up.

Once they were in the car, Yu Shuman kept fuming about the scumbag, regretting that she hadn't kicked him where it would hurt most. Qin Ran, however, said, "It's a good thing you didn't. That place is filthy; no need to dirty your foot on it."

Yu Shuman then began comforting Qin Ran, treating her like a frightened little bunny and scolding herself.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have brought you there, and I shouldn't have left you alone. That's how you ended up getting harassed."

In reality, it wasn't Yu Shuman's fault. Qin Ran had chosen to go, and people like that man were rare—no one expected to encounter one. Moreover, Yu Shuman had rushed to her aid as soon as the situation arose, protecting her and giving the man a good lesson.

But being held in Yu Shuman's arms felt too good, and Qin Ran didn't want to leave.

When they arrived home, Yu Shuman pampered Qin Ran, even planning to sleep in her room that night. While Yu Shuman was in the shower, Qin Ran noticed the small bottle on the vanity again. Her thoughts became lively—could tonight be the night she finally gets to use it?

When Yu Shuman came out of the bathroom and saw Qin Ran holding the small bottle, she looked puzzled. "why are you holding the perfume?"

Qin Ran blushed, her voice soft as she shyly admitted, "This isn't perfume."

Yu Shuman was confused. "Then what is it?"

Qin Ran led Yu Shuman to the bed and whispered into her ear, explaining in a hushed voice. After a moment, she saw Yu Shuman's face turn red as an apple. Yu Shuman even scolded her lightly, "Why did you buy something so naughty?"

Yu Shuman might have said that, but she still went along with it. Blushing, she confessed she didn't know what to do, and Qin Ran, the big bad wolf, revealed her true colors, softly saying, "Don't worry, I've learned everything."

Yu Shuman glanced at Qin Ran, her expression a mix of emotions. Qin Ran knew what Yu Shuman was thinking and, to distract her, leaned in and kissed her lips. Their lips pressed together without any space in between. Yu Shuman's gaze softened, and she wrapped her arms around Qin Ran's neck, letting her take the lead as they both tumbled onto the bed.

After the kiss, Yu Shuman knew what was coming next and nervously gripped the pillow behind her, her fingers twisting the edge of the pillowcase until it was crumpled. Qin Ran kept soothing her with kisses on her face and lips, making Yu Shuman squirm slightly. She closed her eyes, hearing Qin Ran whisper softly in her ear.

"Manman, you were amazing today. When that guy grabbed my arm, I didn't know what to do, but you showed up like a goddess, rescuing me from danger."

Hearing Qin Ran's praise, Yu Shuman felt even more embarrassed. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone..." Her voice trailed off as she heard the sound of the little bottle being opened. Yu Shuman's voice grew quieter, while the sound of Qin Ran's movements became more distinct.

The contents of the small bottle were poured into Qin Ran's hand, cool and slippery. Qin Ran touched Yu Shuman, making her shiver from the sudden coldness.

Qin Ran leaned in again, kissing Yu Shuman tenderly, almost reverently.

"Manman, don't be afraid. It's okay. I'll make you feel good." Qin Ran's voice was soft and reassuring, and Yu Shuman responded in kind. Compared to Qin Ran, Yu Shuman was the true novice in this area, not even realizing that women could use certain aids.

This was their first time, and they definitely needed the help of the little bottle.

When things became too intense, Yu Shuman instinctively tried to stop Qin Ran, who could only continue kissing her while soothing her with words.

Qin Ran kept calling out softly, "Manman, Manman," and her voice helped Yu Shuman relax.

By the later part of the night, Yu Shuman's voice was hoarse, barely able to protest. Qin Ran finally stopped, giving her lips a gentle kiss before pulling back.

Even the physically strong Yu Shuman was utterly spent, not wanting to move. Qin Ran couldn't lift her, so she obediently fetched a basin of water and a towel, carefully wiping Yu Shuman down.

As she cleaned Yu Shuman's fingers with the towel, Qin Ran couldn't help but ask, "Manman, how do you feel? Was it good?"

Yu Shuman, staring blankly at the ceiling, turned her head to look at Qin Ran only after hearing the question. "It was... good," she admitted. Yu Shuman was naturally honest, and hearing this made Qin Ran's eyes crinkle with happiness.

"Then next time, let's..."

Yu Shuman pulled her hand away. "It's just that it's so tiring. I feel like I ran a thousand meters." She grabbed the towel and wiped her face. "Aren't you tired?"

"Seeing you happy makes me not tired at all."

Yu Shuman's cheeks turned red again.