Chapter 031

He Ye didn’t take Lu Jin’s promise seriously, just like when he joked about introducing her to his parents; it felt too distant for her to care.

She was more focused on their one-day trip to Shanghai the next day. She researched the route from the Shanghai High-Speed Railway Station to Jiaotong University, and Lu Jin sent her an itinerary. 

He Ye examined it closely. They would spend the morning at Jiaotong University, then head to the Bund ^[1]a famous waterfront area in Shanghai. after lunch to explore the area. In the evening, they planned a boat cruise on the Huangpu River. 

They would leave around eight o’clock to catch the nine o’clock train back to Ancheng.

Ye Ziyuanyuan texted: [Is it too late to come back?]

Team Leader replied: [Don’t buy the return ticket yet. Come back early if you have fun. Nine o’clock is just a conservative plan.]

He Ye understood.

Team Leader asked: [What are you going to say?]

Ye Ziyuanyuan replied: [Let’s just say the three of us girls are going.]

Team Leader said: [Uncle seems to like me. He might not object if you tell him the truth.]

Ye Ziyuanyuan insisted: [No.]

Team Leader asked: [Send a voice message.]

Ye Ziyuanyuan was confused: [?]

Team Leader said: [You said those two words particularly well.]

He Ye was stunned for a moment, remembering how she had said those words in front of Lu Jin. She felt embarrassed and didn’t want to respond.

Team Leader asked: [Are you angry?]

He Ye stayed silent.

Team Leader continued: [I have a request for Shanghai trip.]

He Ye was cautious: [What request?]

Team Leader said: [Wear the skirt I gave you for your birthday. I want to see it.]

He Ye felt overwhelmed.

In the evening, when she delivered lunch to her father, Lu Jin was waiting for her downstairs on his bicycle. He looked serious, as if he hadn’t sent any flirty messages on WeChat. His cold, calm gaze made He Ye uneasy.

She sat quietly on the bike as Lu Jin asked, “Will you tell Uncle later?”

He Ye reluctantly replied, “Hmm.”

“What if he disagrees?” Lu Jin pressed.

“Probably not,” she said.

Lu Jin remained silent as he rode slowly and stopped under a tree near the east gate.

He Ye jumped off and quickly walked away with the food box.

Lu Jin watched her until she turned the corner and disappeared.

He Ye found her father on the phone when she entered the supermarket. After he hung up, she casually asked, “Who were you chatting with? You were smiling so brightly.”

Her father replied, “Your Third Uncle, just talking nonsense.”

He Ye didn’t think much of it. While her father ate, she mentioned their Shanghai trip. Since three girls were going, He Yong wasn’t worried. He suggested giving her some pocket money: “Don’t be too frugal in Shanghai. Buy what you like. College students dress differently from high school students.”

His caring attitude made He Ye feel sad. “I have enough money; I don’t need it,” she said.

He Yong insisted on giving her money.

“I won’t accept it,” she replied.

After a brief argument, He Ye took the lunch box and left.

As she walked home, the sunset cast a warm glow on the wide, clean road.

Lu Jin watched her approach, noticing her happy expression, and smiled back at her.

No matter what, she was excited to see her future university.

Lu Jin laughed too.

As He Ye leaned against Lu Jin’s back on the bike, she could smell the osmanthus flowers in bloom and a familiar scent that belonged to him.

A few minutes later, He Ye walked up the stairs to the building when her boyfriend called out to her: “He Ye.”

She turned around.

Lu Jin smiled at her against the setting sun and said, “Skirt.”

He Ye’s face turned red, and she hurried inside.

The next day, while her father was still home, He Ye purposely wore casual clothes and took out her parasol, pretending to prepare for a trip.

Before she left, her father, He Yong, reminded her, “Don’t forget your power bank. Taking photos uses a lot of battery.”

He Ye replied, “I know!”

He Yong added, “Call me if you need anything!”

She responded, “Okay!”

Once her father left, He Ye quickly changed her clothes in her bedroom.

At the start of summer, Zhu Qing had recommended that she buy a strapless invisible bra, which was perfect for this outfit.

The suspender skirt had wide straps and a modest neckline. He Ye tried it on and realized that as long as she didn’t bend over, she wouldn’t reveal much.

To cover more of her back, she let her hair down.

Her hair was fine and soft, washed that morning, and it fell smoothly, just long enough to touch the back of her skirt.

After putting on the skirt, He Ye awkwardly put on the birthday present she had hidden away before and checked herself in the mirror.

A bright green hue peeked out from beneath her fair collarbone.

She couldn’t help but admire it, thinking that regardless of whether Lu Jin wanted to see it, she wanted to look nice for her trip to Shanghai and have beautiful photos to remember it.

In a group chat, Team Leader asked: [Has Uncle left?]

Ye Ziyuanyuan replied: [Yes.]

Team Leader: [Should I pick you up now?]

Ye Ziyuanyuan: [Okay.]

Team Leader: [Don’t forget your ID card.]

He Ye checked again, sprayed on mosquito repellent, put a hair tie on her wrist, and set off.

Her excitement about the trip continued until she reached the elevator. As soon as she stepped out, she thought about how Lu Jin might react to her outfit, which made her nervous.

Walking out, she awkwardly glanced down and then spotted Lu Jin through the glass door. Suddenly, her entire body felt warm.

It wasn’t just Lu Jin; she had felt shy last month when she wore Hanfu to meet her sisters.

But Lu Jin’s presence felt even more intense.

She was too shy to face him.

Lu Jin watched as He Ye stepped out into the sunlight, his gaze on her delicate shoulders and neck.

He Ye walked down the stairs, and he kept watching.

As she walked around the bicycle, she felt shy again.

Finally, she got on the bike, tilting her head back in embarrassment.

She thought that if she had known he would react like this, she would have chosen a different outfit.

Lu Jin, who was struggling to keep his composure, finally looked away. As he handed her the black backpack on his shoulder, he paused and said, “Give me your things.”

Since the dress had no pockets, He Ye handed him her phone, sunscreen, and other items.

Lu Jin packed them carefully, put on his backpack, took another look at his glowing girlfriend, and rode off.

He Ye sighed in relief.

After parking the bike at the public parking lot at the South Gate, Lu Jin called a taxi to the high-speed rail station.

In the car, He Ye’s calves were exposed. She noticed Lu Jin stealing glances at her, making her shy again.

When they were together, they often found it hard to talk unless they were studying programming. Now, the silence felt even more noticeable.

The driver looked back at them curiously.

Once they arrived at the high-speed rail station, Lu Jin held He Ye’s hand as they got off. The public space felt relaxed, filled with people moving around.

He Ye asked, “What did you tell your family?”

Lu Jin replied, “I said I was climbing mountains. They don’t care much, so I can use any excuse.”

He Ye thought that parents often worry more about their daughters than their sons.

After checking their tickets and boarding the train, Lu Jin chose a double seat, letting He Ye sit next to the window.

It was just eight o’clock.

To pass the one-hour trip, Lu Jin had surprisingly brought a box of chess, which seemed quite childish.

He Ye smiled and set up her pieces.

Lu Jin asked, “What do you want to bet?”

He Ye replied, “No.” 

Being a top student, she figured he would be better at chess, so betting seemed foolish.

Then she recalled their earlier conversation and looked at Lu Jin, noticing he had a meaningful smile.

Her face flushed as she lowered her head and made her move: “I’ll go first.”

It turned out she was right; Lu Jin was indeed good at chess. He won all three games.

But He Ye was the type to keep trying despite setbacks. She couldn’t believe she couldn’t win a single game.

With a focused look, her brow furrowed. Her soft black hair fell over her shoulders, framing her fair cheeks, making her look more charming than in class.

This was a side of He Ye that Lu Jin had never seen before. She looked so beautiful that he thought visiting once a week wouldn’t be enough.

Finally, they arrived in Shanghai.

Lu Jin continued to take taxis, but it took more than 40 minutes to reach Jiaotong University. They arrived at the campus by 10 o’clock, and it was just as hot as Ancheng.

Fortunately, He Ye was excited and didn’t mind the heat.

The campus was large, and with the school year starting soon, many upperclassmen were back. Students carried heavy backpacks, either heading to class or biking to the library to study.

He Ye felt the intense learning atmosphere after being away for two months.

She understood her major well now. There were many courses, and the exams were tough. If she wanted to succeed in college, she’d need to work harder than in high school.

Sitting in the shade of a tree near the library, He Ye asked her boyfriend seriously, “Do you think college will be easier than high school?”