I’m afraid you’ll be cold

It’s unknown whether the silence on the other end of the phone expressed shock or speechlessness.

In any case, he didn’t speak for several seconds, and Yue Qianling hung up the phone.

Later, he called again, but Yue Qianling didn’t answer. She just sent him a few messages.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Busy, don’t bother me.

【School Grass】: [Smile]

After that, he was silent.

After spending some time in the cold wind on the playground, Yue Qianling rushed back to the dormitory in the last minute of curfew. Yin Xue had just finished showering and came out, holding a pile of clothes. Seeing Yue Qianling lying on the table, she walked over and patted her on the shoulder.

“Worked overtime again?”

Yue Qianling didn’t speak, just shook her head.

Having shared a dormitory for several years, Yin Xue could sense her mood with just one movement.

“What’s wrong with you?”

After a while, Yue Qianling finally lifted her head and opened her mouth, but she couldn’t say anything.

Yin Xue saw her reddened eyes and instantly panicked. “Why are you crying again? Who bullied you?”

“No one bullied me.”

Yue Qianling took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. However, as soon as the words came out, her voice became hoarse. “It’s just… I just found out today that Gu Xun has a girlfriend.”

“What?!”

The dormitory fell into an extreme silence.

After a while, Yin Xue blinked her eyes. “He has a girlfriend? Who said that?”

There was an invisible weight pressing on Yue Qianling’s chest all along. It was a kind of sorrow that wasn’t the desire to cry a lot but one that made it difficult for her to speak continuously.

Not hearing her answer for a moment, Yin Xue instinctively just wanted to comfort her.

“You must be mistaken. How is that possible? I’ve never seen him with anyone.”

“If he really had a girlfriend, it’s impossible that no one in the school had seen her.”

“Maybe you’re mistaken. She could be a friend or a sister.”

“Even a cross-dressing man isn’t impossible.”

“……”

Yue Qianling raised her head and rubbed her eyes. Her voice sounded like she had a bad cold. “I heard him say it with my own ears.”

“Ah…”

Yin Xue gripped the clothes in her hands tightly. “He, what did he say?”

“He said he would accompany his girlfriend during the New Year.”

“Oh, I see…”

Yin Xue was at a loss for words, and remained silent for a long time, feeling that things had come to this point, the path of comfort was no longer viable. So, she had to find another way.

“Well, I did say before that he couldn’t possibly not have a girlfriend. Turns out she’s from another city.”

“You should think about it more. It’s not a big deal. There are millions of men in the world. If it doesn’t work out, just find someone else.”

“Uh…” Yin Xue couldn’t say anymore. She scratched her head and changed the topic. “Do you want to take a hot shower? It’ll make you feel much better.”

Yue Qianling agreed, but she still sat at the table without moving.

Yin Xue was not good at comforting people, knowing that whatever she said at this point would be useless and Yue Qianling wouldn’t be in the mood for small talk, so she decided to blow-dry her hair and lie down on her bed.

It was the exam week, and the school had already suspended classes. Even the nights were especially quiet.

Yin Xue found it difficult to fall asleep in the heavy atmosphere but couldn’t resist the drowsiness. In a daze, she didn’t know how long it had passed before she heard the sound of water in the bathroom, and she finally fell asleep with peace of mind.

During this period, Yue Qianling was noticeably depressed. Every day after she returned to the dormitory, she buried herself in her graduation project. Even when Luo Tuo and the others asked her to play games, she showed no interest, only claiming that she was busy and had no time.

Days passed like this, and Yue Qianling kept herself occupied every day, fearing that if she had idle time, she would start to think about things.

Reality was already like this, and Yue Qianling didn’t want to bother herself anymore. Life had to go on.

However, in the quiet of the night, she would still fall into difficult-to-resolve emotions.

Yin Xue once said that if they couldn’t be a couple, being friends would be fine too.

But how could someone who fell in love at first sight willingly settle for just being friends?

Occasionally, she would think that perhaps she wasn’t good enough. That’s why, during their second encounter, Gu Xun showed no interest in her. She had wasted so many opportunities to meet, and there was no progress at all.

Until he got a girlfriend.

At times like this, perhaps changing the environment was the only way to shift her mood. Therefore, Yue Qianling was especially looking forward to the holiday break.

On the day she would return home, Yue Qianling simply packed some luggage and headed to the high-speed railway station. On the way, her father called again, asking about her arrival time. Yue Qianling felt relieved, thinking it wasn’t Tang Xin coming to pick her up this time.

But unexpectedly, as soon as she got off the train, she received a call from Tang Xin.

“Have you arrived? I’m at exit three. Is your luggage heavy? Do you need me to help you carry it?”

Why him again?

Yue Qianling was a bit annoyed, furrowing her brow and saying, “Where’s my dad?”

“Uncle Yue is playing mahjong with my mom. He asked me to come pick you up. Are you coming out?”

“Oh, I’m coming.”

Stepping out of the high-speed railway station, facing the bright sunlight, Yue Qianling saw Tang Xin’s glasses reflecting the sunlight, but it couldn’t hide his warm smile.

Yue Qianling sighed deeply and was about to continue walking when Tang Xin stepped forward to help her with the luggage.

To be fair, Tang Xin was actually quite outstanding.

He had a handsome and refined appearance, did well in his studies, had a good temper, and didn’t have any bad habits.

He was just a little too enthusiastic.

“No need, I’ll do it myself. It’s not heavy.”

“It’s alright. You must be tired from the journey, right? Just rest.”

Yue Qianling couldn’t resist him, so she reluctantly sat in the passenger seat.

“You’re graduating this year, right? Are you planning to stay in Jiangcheng or go back to Qing’an?”

“Jiangcheng.”

“Oh, that’s good. There are more opportunities there. Is your internship going well?”

“It’s okay.”

…

They chatted all the way like this, and Yue Qianling started feeling a bit embarrassed about her perfunctory responses. Tang Xin, on the other hand, seemed oblivious.

After getting out of the car, he still helped Yue Qianling with her luggage. When they were waiting for the elevator, he looked at the flashing floor numbers and suddenly sighed.

Yue Qianling felt that he had something to say but pretended not to hear, maintaining a neutral expression.

However, the person on the sixth floor seemed to be taking their time, and the elevator stayed there without descending.

Finally, Tang Xin spoke up.

“I used to enjoy going home for the Chinese New Year. But since I graduated, it’s not the same. My parents keep urging me to find a girlfriend.”

“……”

Yue Qianling felt a slight tension in her scalp.

As expected, what would come will come.

She paused for a long time, then laughed dryly, still not saying a word.

Tang Xin asked again: “Qianling, do your parents urge you too?”

Yue Qianling; “I’m still young, there’s no rush.”

“Right.”

Tang Xin tilted his head, speaking almost to himself, “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“I…”

Although Yue Qianling had received preparation for such a question from Lin Xun, she didn’t expect Tang Xin to ask so directly. She hesitated for a moment before stammering, “Yes, I have a boyfriend.”

“Oh? You have a boyfriend?”

There was a hint of surprise in Tang Xin’s eyes, which quickly turned into a gentle smile. “Well, with your looks, how could you not have a boyfriend?”

Once this kind of lie was told, it would require numerous other lies to cover it up.

So Yue Qianling, who rarely lied, felt quite uneasy at the moment. Moreover, having just gone through a heartbreak and now fabricating a boyfriend out of thin air was truly heart-wrenching.

She licked her lips and didn’t know what to say.

“That’s great.”

Tang Xin looked at her and smiled, “While you’re still in school, you should enjoy dating.”

“Oh… Oh, sure.”

Yue Qianling secretly observed Tang Xin’s expression and felt like… it was different from what she had imagined?

Just then, the elevator finally arrived, and they entered together.

Tang Xin lowered his head, glanced at Yue Qianling, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Huh?” Yue Qianling nodded, “Go ahead.”

“You must… be difficult to pursue.”

Tang Xin lowered his head and smiled a little shyly, “How did your boyfriend manage to win you over?”

That sounded a bit suggestive, didn’t it?

Yue Qianling lowered her head in silence. Just as she was hesitating, Tang Xin asked again, “I just want to learn. I’ve been pursuing a girl for a long time, but still haven’t succeeded.”

“Huh?”

Yue Qianling suddenly looked up, “You’re pursuing a girl?”

“Yeah.”

Tang Xin scratched his head with a hint of embarrassment, “We’re students of the same mentor. She’s just like you, very beautiful and outstanding, but a bit hard to pursue.”

Damn.

It turned out he was talking about his own peacock display.

Yue Qianling widened her eyes, feeling both embarrassed and awkward. She suddenly didn’t know how to respond.

Fortunately, she didn’t directly throw the screen in the other person’s face, so there was still room for recovery.

“It’s alright… I’m not hard to pursue, so we just naturally got together.”

“Oh, I envy that.”

Except in front of Gu Xun, Yue Qianling had never felt so embarrassed. She didn’t even know how to respond, just standing there stiffly.

Fortunately, Tang Xin didn’t perceive the awkward atmosphere. He glanced at his watch and said, “Dajin and the others are back too. They’ll arrive in the evening, so I’m going to pick them up at the airport. Would you like to have a late-night snack together? It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.”

The people he mentioned all live in the same neighborhood and are of the same age. They usually have a good relationship.

Moreover, when Yue Qianling thought about how good Tang Xin usually treated her, yet she was scheming against him behind his back, a sudden sense of guilt overwhelmed her. She quickly agreed.

“Okay, no problem.”

Back home, Yue Qianling repeatedly thanked Tang Xin three times and insisted on giving him some fruits to take home.

Once he left, Yue Qianling flopped onto the bed, rolling back and forth while hugging a pillow.

Thank goodness she didn’t listen to Xiao Mai!

If she had really said, “I don’t like you, so please don’t be so good to me in the future,” she would have immediately bought a standing ticket and fled back to Jiangcheng overnight.

After tossing around on the bed a few times, Yue Qianling, with messy hair, sat up.

It just so happened that Yue Qianling’s mother came back, and when she pushed the door open, she was startled by her daughter’s appearance.

“You child, sitting on the bed without changing clothes. Hurry up and change! Sitting on the bed after taking the high-speed rail is so dirty!”

After being scolded by her mom, Yue Qianling didn’t have the heart to think about anything else. She quickly got up to change into casual clothes.

Her mother stood by and looked at her, “Why do I feel like you’ve lost weight? Are you not eating well?”

Yue Qianling lowered her head and looked at her waist. Indeed, her pants were a bit loose.

“Well, it’s okay, just a bit tired.”

She didn’t dare to tell her mother that it was because of a heartbreak, so she hadn’t had much appetite for several days.

Fortunately, once she was back home, with various things to attend to, she didn’t dwell on the fact that Gu Xun had a girlfriend, and time passed much faster.

Not long after, Yue Qianling’s father also came back after finishing playing mahjong.

The family of three had dinner together, watched TV in the living room for a while, and then her mother urged her to take a bath.

“No rush. I’ll be going out later.”

Yue Qianling said, “Tang Xin invited me to have a late-night snacks. Dajin and the others are all back.”

Just after saying that, Yue Qianling’s phone in her bag vibrated frequently. She thought it was Tang Xin calling her, but it turned out to be Luo Tuo and Xiao Mai clamoring to play games.

【Xiao Mai】: My mom asks me to clean every day, so annoying. Are you coming to play games later?

【Luo Tuo】: I’m in. Ask Lin Xun.

【Xiao Mai】: @SchoolGrass @GlutinousRiceTwist

【Xiao Mai】: It’s been so long since we had a four-man squad. Your esports career is getting lax!

Since that day, Yue Qianling indeed hadn’t been in the mood to play games for a long time, just occasionally chatting with them.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: You guys really have a strong addiction to gaming.

【Xiao Mai】: …

【Xiao Mai】: Why are you suddenly cursing at people?

【Luo Tuo】: You haven’t been here for a long time, are you on break?

【Luo Tuo】: Come for a sweet four-man squad tonight.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Not today, going out for a late-night snack later.

At this time, the person who had been silent suddenly spoke.

【School Grass】: With whom?

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: The person I mentioned to you last time.

【School Grass】: ?

When mentioning this matter, Yue Qianling couldn’t hold back the desire to complain. She turned away from her parents and started typing.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: You guys don’t know how awkward it was. Today, I even hinted at him with the boyfriend tactic. The result? He said he likes another girl!

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: It was so close! Luckily, I didn’t say it directly!

【Xiao Mai】: Damn! I told you! If he didn’t confess, how can you be sure he likes you?

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Embarrassed.gif

【Luo Tuo】: Hahahaha, it’s good if it’s just a misunderstanding, so it won’t be awkward in the future.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Sigh. Actually, he’s just a good person. Blame it on my overthinking.

【School Grass】: How do you know the girl he likes isn’t you?

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: ?

【School Grass】: Inviting you out late at night, what good thing could it be?

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: It’s just grabbing a late-night snackw.

【School Grass】: Really?

【School Grass】: You should wear more clothes.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: ?

【School Grass】: I’m afraid you’ll be cold.

【Glutinous Rice Twist】: Don’t say that…

【School Grass】: That’s what they call, men understand men the best.

Yue Qianling didn’t continue chatting with him.

But for some reason, she felt that Lin Xun’s certainty might have some truth to it.

If Tang Xin was really pursuing another girl and still treated her so well, then he might be a bit scummy.

But Tang Xin didn’t seem like a scumbag.

On this fine evening, Yue Qianling’s train of thoughts was successfully led astray by Lin Xun. So much so that when Tang Xin invited her out later that night, her mind was still spinning around Lin Xun’s words.

This time, Dajin was driving the car. There were five of them in total, and Yue Qianling was sitting in the middle of the back seat, with Tang Xin and another girl on either side of her.

The night in Qing’an was quiet, with few people on the streets. The space inside the car was small, and the three of them squeezed together, even their breathing was audible to each other.

Feeling Tang Xin’s gaze seemed to fall on her from time to time, Yue Qianling felt more and more…

Wait, don’t think about it anymore!

Tang Xin was so kind to her, yet she always thought that he might have ulterior motives. That was truly looking at a gentleman with the eyes of a petty man!

Yue Qianling rubbed her forehead, forcing herself to throw away all those messy thoughts.

At this moment, Lin Xun suddenly initiated a voice call.

Yue Qianling answered, softly saying, “Hello.”

Lin Xun’s voice was also soft, “Are you outside?”

Yue Qianling: “Hmm.”

Lin Xun: “With that guy?”

Afraid that Tang Xin might hear, Yue Qianling glanced at him stealthily, but seeing him looking out the window, she relaxed.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Lin Xun: “Are you sitting close to him?”

“Quite close.” Yue Qianling frowned, slightly moving to the side, and asked in a low voice, “What’s the matter with you?”

Suddenly, Lin Xun’s voice in the receiver became louder.

“Who did you go out with?”

“?”

“A guy or a girl?”

“?”

“What are you going to do?”

“?”

“When will you be back home?”

“?”

Hearing this, Yue Qianling was already confused, and she didn’t even blink.

Then, the final blow arrived.

“Do you still love me when you come back?” ^[1]tl: bruh

“…………………………”

The already quiet carriage suddenly became even quieter.

And Lin Xun’s “Do you still love me when you come back” seemed to echo throughout the entire carriage.

Yue Qianling was stunned, feeling the strange gazes falling on her profile.

She slowly turned her head, and sure enough, she saw the girl beside her looking at her meaningfully.

Turning to the other side, Tang Xin was also staring at her with the same expression.

Yue Qianling blinked her eyes dryly, showing an awkward and stiff smile.

“The one at home… is a bit strict.”

On the phone, there was a simple “um” and then he hung up.