29. Confessed and got rejected.

Qin Zhaoyi’s confession was categorized by Luo Yue as an act of stubbornness.

Initially, Qin Zhaoyi resisted this characterization, but Luo Yue didn’t argue with her. She simply said lightly, “Think it over and then talk to me.”

Qin Zhaoyi wanted to argue a bit more, but Luo Yue’s phone rang. A parent wanted to discuss their child’s academic situation with her. Luo Yue waved at Qin Zhaoyi with one hand, tidied her slightly disheveled clothes, and wiped her lips, as if trying to remove the traces of the kiss.

While Qin Zhaoyi was still in a daze, Luo Yue had already left.

The spacious house was now empty, leaving only Qin Zhaoyi behind.

She sat on the sofa in a daze, replaying the scenes from earlier in her mind.

After a while, she suddenly closed her eyes in a dejected manner.

Luo Yue was right; she was indeed acting out of stubbornness.

She wanted to prove that she wasn’t that bad and, more importantly, to prove that Luo Yue liked her.

She wanted Luo Yue to be with her, no matter in what way.

However, it seemed that Luo Yue effortlessly saw through her and handled this relationship with ease.

This made Qin Zhaoyi even more frustrated.

She had tried subtle probing and daring advances, but it seemed that Luo Yue was impervious to her efforts.

So, what did “in sequence, step by step” mean?

These four words, individually she understood, but strung together, she was unsure of what to do.

In this world, many things have successful templates, except for emotions. Despite Qin Zhaoyi’s painstaking research into the art of relationships, there seemed to be a missing chord, preventing her from perceiving those intricate and intertwined emotions. Even now, when it was her turn, her emotions felt like a roller coaster, uncomfortable day after day, yet still without a clear pattern.

After who knows how long, a sharp lightning bolt cut through the sky, followed by a thunderous roar. Qin Zhaoyi’s mood worsened, and she decided to vent on Weibo: “What is the meaning of ‘taking it step by step’ in pursuing someone? I’m going crazy.”

One question kept Qin Zhaoyi awake until midnight. Looking out her window, the neighboring building was pitch black. On this rainy night, thick clouds pressed down on the entire sky, blocking any trace of light.

This weather was ideal for sleeping, but Qin Zhaoyi stared fixedly at the building next door. It seemed that only Luo Yue was sleeping well.

Deep into the night, Qin Zhaoyi’s gaze remained fixed until her eyes felt sore. She had trouble falling asleep, and the drip she started in the evening had not finished. Her weakened body couldn’t bear such turmoil, and she felt exhausted.

In frustration, she angrily pulled the curtains closed, making a louder noise than rain hitting the window. Frustrated, she considered messaging Luo Yue to express her anger. But then, she hesitated, not wanting to talk to her for fear of being rebuffed. She despised Luo Yue’s ability to remain aloof and seemingly unaffected at all times.

Frustrated, Qin Zhaoyi tossed her phone aside and, driven by exhaustion, pulled the covers over her head. In the late night, she posted another Weibo:

[@Sicily: Why can’t I drive her crazy instead? Why am I the only one suffering from insomnia? Why, why, why? But still… I really like her.]

As she wrote this, Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t resist the sudden onset of drowsiness. She threw her phone to the side, and even as she slept, Luo Yue’s words echoed in her mind: “When you’re no longer angry, then we can do it.”

Even when she said those words, her voice sounded exceptionally seductive. The confidence revealed in her eyes and the corners of her mouth easily captivated people. This was probably Luo Yue’s charm. No one could escape from this prison called Luo Yue.

At least Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t.

Before falling asleep, Qin Zhaoyi mumbled, “She’s infuriating.”

The next day, the continuous rain on Moon Island came to an end, and the sky cleared up.

The tide had risen, leaving the courtyard damp, and the air remained moist, indicating that this round of cooling temperatures had not yet ended.

The first thing Qin Zhaoyi did upon waking up was to pull open the curtains and look at the building next door—quiet, just like its owner. Only the big yellow dog curled up in the yard early in the morning, not minding the damp and cold.

It seemed that Luo Yue was at home.

Qin Zhaoyi, for reasons unknown to herself, reached for a piece of paper on the table, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it directly. However, it didn’t clear the low wall, falling into her own yard. Opting for a different object, she wrapped a piece of paper with a rubber eraser, then threw it with force.

Coincidentally, it hit the early riser right on the head.

The big yellow dog yelped in pain, stood up imposingly, and barked in Qin Zhaoyi’s direction.

The door suddenly opened, and Luo Yue stood on the steps, shouting, “Morning.”

The big yellow dog fell silent, wagging its tail towards Luo Yue, still looking somewhat aggrieved.

Luo Yue didn’t see the visitor and followed the early riser’s gaze.

Locked eyes with Qin Zhaoyi.

Qin Zhaoyi didn’t expect to actually summon Luo Yue outside. Seeing Luo Yue bend down to pick up the paper on the ground, Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t help but speak up, “Hey, that was me teasing the dog.”

Luo Yue had already picked it up, opened it casually, and turned to look at Qin Zhaoyi, raising an eyebrow as if saying—Are you really that bored?

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

She ran her fingers through her hair and remained silent.

Luo Yue opened both crumpled papers and stood there calmly, not speaking to Qin Zhaoyi. Feeling a bit impatient, Qin Zhaoyi was about to close the curtains.

But then, she saw Luo Yue open the papers and present them to her. “If you want to scold me, come over.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “?”

Luo Yue pointed at the center of the paper. “Why did you write on the paper and hit my dog?”

“No,” Qin Zhaoyi asserted, poking her head out and denying vehemently. She didn’t recall writing anything on the paper.

“Come and see for yourself,” Luo Yue suggested.

Without a second thought, Qin Zhaoyi flipped out of the window and then over the low wall. She approached Luo Yue without hesitation.

Only when she got closer did she realize that the paper was indeed blank.

Qin Zhaoyi frowned, “You lied to me.”

Luo Yue smiled faintly, gazing at her without changing her expression, holding the two crumpled papers in her hand. Despite clearly deceiving, she casually asked, “Did I?”

Qin Zhaoyi, “…Yes.”

“There’s nothing written on the paper,” Luo Yue suddenly poked her face. “But it’s written on your face.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Stepping back half a step, Qin Zhaoyi was reluctant to be teased like this.

“There’s nothing on my face either,” Qin Zhaoyi, feeling a bit anxious, found an excuse for herself. “I just wanted to see if you were home or not.”

“I am,” Luo Yue replied straightforwardly.

Qin Zhaoyi was instantly left speechless.

Just waking up, her thoughts were still wandering, unable to accurately capture every expression on Luo Yue’s face, let alone emotions. Especially when Luo Yue concealed all her thoughts behind that gentle expression.

“Fine,” Qin Zhaoyi turned and walked away. “I’m going back.”

But Luo Yue added, “In the future, if you have any issues with me, just come to me. Don’t bully my dog.”

Qin Zhaoyi’s steps paused, muttering under her breath, “I told you, I didn’t bully him.”

Luo Yue: “So you admit you have issues with me?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

She was easily lured into Luo Yue’s trap.

“I don’t have any issues with you,” Qin Zhaoyi explained. Looking at the elegantly dressed Luo Yue, she had a moment of distraction, but quickly regained her composure. Thinking about her defeat in front of Luo Yue last night, she smiled somewhat helplessly, “How dare I.”

“Not daring,” Luo Yue said. “Not unwilling either.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Stirred by her words, Qin Zhaoyi was unsure how to respond. She turned and left, leaving Luo Yue with a chic silhouette.

Back in her own yard, she spoke through the wall, “I got upset with you; can’t I have issues with you?”

Throwing back Luo Yue’s words from the night before.

Refusing to admit defeat.

Luo Yue was slightly stunned, then chuckled, “Feel free, then.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

After saying this, Luo Yue was ready to go home, leaving Qin Zhaoyi to watch her back this time.

For some reason, Qin Zhaoyi was irritated by her casual remark, feeling a sourness in her heart as she stared at the departing figure. Unable to hold back, she called out, “Luo Yue.”

Luo Yue stood on the steps, looking at her.

Qin Zhaoyi said, “Can you stop saying ‘feel free’ to me?”

Luo Yue paused, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Because it makes it seem like I’m the only one who likes you, the only one who lost miserably.

I’m the only one who cares, while you might be either avoiding the vortex or ready to detach at any moment.

Emotions piled up in her chest, but Qin Zhaoyi remained silent.

Words stuck in her throat, yet she could only look at Luo Yue’s earnest smiling face, unable to say anything.

In the end, Qin Zhaoyi said nothing, and, in frustration, she returned to her room, still fueled by stubbornness.

Luo Yue stood on the steps, lost in thought for a long time.

Until her phone rang, Cheng Shijing sent her a message: 【How is she doing? Does she still need to be on a drip for a day?】

Luo Yue: 【Yes, she does.】

Cheng Shijing: 【I’ll come over tonight.】

Luo Yue was about to reply when Cheng Shijing asked: 【Are you two in a relationship?】

Luo Yue: 【Huh? No.】

Cheng Shijing: 【That’s good. She seems a bit fragile, and I worry when you two are together.】

Luo Yue didn’t see his message and sent almost simultaneously: 【She’s pursuing me.】

Two seconds later, Cheng Shijing retracted his message.

Luo Yue asked: 【How did you figure out she’s fragile?】

Clearly, she had a good physique. Previously at the seaside, even after just drowning, she could easily press her down.

Cheng Shijing: 【She’s been here for a few days and has been sick for a few days. Isn’t that fragile?】

Luo Yue: 【…Probably not acclimated to the environment.】

Cheng Shijing: 【In that case, I admire you.】

Luo Yue didn’t know how he shifted the conversation to this point. But Cheng Shijing sent a voice message with gritted teeth: “Luo Yue, I never realized before, but you’re actually a person with a love brain.”

Luo Yue: “?”

Cheng Shijing warned: “Don’t agree with her.”

Luo Yue casually laughed, “Why not?”

“I’m afraid that after you fall in love, you’ll be deceived and have nothing left.” Cheng Shijing said.

Luo Yue listened to that voice message several times and found it more and more amusing. “But I’m with Princess Qin. She’s more innocent, don’t you think?”

Cheng Shijing: “…”

No matter how you listened, the tone sounded full of pride and flaunting.

Cheng Shijing helplessly said: 【I think you have a filter on her.】

Clearly, she was a person with a stinky expression, acting like the queen of aloofness, showing a face of arrogance that displeased everyone.

How come Luo Yue saw her as innocent?

Luo Yue added, “Be gentle when you give her a drip today.”

Cheng Shijing: 【Pretending-to-be-weak.jpg, are you coming?】

Luo Yue: 【She was mad at me yesterday and pulled out the needle. Give her a little scolding.】

Cheng Shijing: 【?】

Cheng Shijing: 【??】

Almost a screen full of question marks; Cheng Shijing was about to be speechless.

Ignoring him, Luo Yue continued, “But don’t be too harsh. She’s still angry now.”

Cheng Shijing: “…”

After a while, a time long enough for Luo Yue to go home and cook rice, Cheng Shijing’s voice message finally arrived.

Cheng Shijing’s tone was resentful, “Luo Yue, don’t love her too much. Don’t sprinkle dog food on me. I might tie her hands today.”

Luo Yue, somewhat regretfully, said, “Alright, you can do as you please.”

But she opened the conversation with Luo Xing, took a screenshot, and sent it to Cheng Shijing: “But I kind of miss my sister. I’ll call her tonight.”

Cheng Shijing: “…you’re ruthless.”

In the end, Luo Yue won by a small margin.

Back in her room, Qin Zhaoyi noticed her phone lying on the floor. It might have fallen while she was asleep last night, and she vaguely heard a thud in her dreams, but she was too deeply asleep to care.

When she picked up the phone, she found it had run out of battery and shut down.

After charging and turning it on, the phone kept buzzing incessantly, almost causing it to crash.

Qin Zhaoyi frowned and checked to see dozens of missed calls and unread messages.

As she was about to call back, Zhou Xi’s call came in again.

Qin Zhaoyi answered, intending to ask what was going on, but Zhou Xi was almost crazy, complaining, “Ancestor, you finally answered the phone!”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

At the words, Qin Zhaoyi’s tone inexplicably improved a bit, “What’s up?”

“You can drink at night, but can you stop taking a dump in the middle of the night?” Zhou Xi was almost in tears, “Book fans dug up your alternate account overnight.”

Qin Zhaoyi was surprised, “I didn’t drink.”

Even more astonished, Zhou Xi said, “Then why did you go crazy overnight?”

Qin Zhaoyi hesitated, “…confessed and got rejected.”

Zhou Xi: “…The whole world knows now.”