10. Don’t coax me like a child.

A few seconds later, Qin Zhaoyi’s candy crumbled in her mouth, overwhelmingly sweet with a hint of bitterness.

Her narrow, fox-like eyes were fixed on Luo Yue, and she asked solemnly and seriously, “Do you bring strangers home?”

Luo Yue chuckled, “What else would I do? Kick you out?”

Qin Zhaoyi exhaled lightly, “Sure.”

After all, they were strangers. Anything could happen.

“In that case, you’ll be homeless,” Luo Yue said, “The boat off Moon Island departs tomorrow at noon.”

She had been drinking, and there was a slight hint of intoxication in her voice, making her seem languid and carefree, which, combined with her gentle demeanor, stirred something within people.

Qin Zhaoyi lightly mocked, “What does it have to do with you if they’re strangers?”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with me,” Luo Yue smiled gently. But for some reason, Qin Zhaoyi detected a hint of coldness in that beautiful face. “But what should we do about it?”

“Hmm?” Qin Zhaoyi added an uncertain tone to her voice.

Suddenly, Luo Yue reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from Qin Zhaoyi’s face, tucking it behind her ear. Her tone became seductive and playful, “Tonight, I don’t really feel like giving up the bed to you again.”

Perhaps being a native of the southern coastal area, her speech naturally carried a soft and tender tone, with an upward inflection, as if she were coquettish.

Qin Zhaoyi remained stubborn, “I’ll leave.”

“You didn’t understand,” Luo Yue said confidently.

Qin Zhaoyi furrowed her brow, “What?”

Luo Yue was accustomed to speaking in a roundabout way. Generally, only her long-time friend, Cheng Shijing, could understand her implied meanings. Sometimes, even Cheng Shijing couldn’t decipher her words.

To her, it wasn’t about beating around the bush; she simply skipped steps in the conversation, like solving a math problem by stating the answer without showing the workings.

But very few people could keep up with her abstract thinking.

Luo Yue patiently explained, “I’m afraid you’ll throw another tantrum and run to the seaside. Then, I’ll have to go pick up your body from the sea.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Thinking about last night’s embarrassing situation, Qin Zhaoyi’s cheeks flushed crimson, but she managed to hold her ground. She was accustomed to presenting a cold demeanor to others, and now was no different.

“I didn’t jump into the sea,” Qin Zhaoyi said. “I was accidentally swept in.”

“People who have been to the seaside know to sit farther away,” Luo Yue stared at her and said slowly, “By evening, when the tide comes in, the waves are huge, and it’s easy for people sitting by the shore to get swept away.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Qin Zhaoyi felt like she was losing the upper hand easily. As long as Luo Yue brought up last night’s incident, she would be on the weaker side of the argument.

But what happened last night wasn’t solely her doing.

Luo Yue acquiesced.

It was under her permission that they kissed so passionately and tenderly.

Why did it seem like she was the only one concerned when it was brought up?

Luo Yue acted as if nothing happened.

Qin Zhaoyi’s brow furrowed slightly, and she lowered her voice with a hint of threat as she called out, “Teacher Luo.”

Luo Yue was taken aback by this sudden address.

Normally, everyone called her “Teacher Luo”, but no one had ever called her that with such a feeling before. It felt intense, as if a wolf wanted to tear her apart and devour her.

Annoyed and impatient, but with no other choice.

Luo Yue took a moment to respond, “Hmm?”

“Are you treating me like your student?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Luo Yue replied, “No.”

Qin Zhaoyi noticed her avoiding eye contact, and she finally felt a sense of satisfaction, as if she had gained an upper hand.

“Then why are you trying to educate me?” Qin Zhaoyi’s voice carried a sharp edge.

Luo Yue pursed her lips. “What were you doing when you fell into the sea last night?”

She refused to back down.

“Are you implying that you saved me?” Qin Zhaoyi retorted.

Luo Yue nodded. “What else could it be?”

Qin Zhaoyi raised an eyebrow. “Are you expecting something in return for your kindness?”

“I didn’t say that,” Luo Yue shrugged.

“Then what do you mean?” Qin Zhaoyi asked, her voice tinged with irritation. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re a writer,” Luo Yue said. “How can you not understand?”

“You’re so elusive in your words. How am I supposed to understand?” Qin Zhaoyi’s voice unintentionally raised, prompting Luo Yue to turn and look at her. Realizing she might have overstepped, Qin Zhaoyi’s voice instantly dropped as she continued, “Do you want me to leave or not?”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew heavy.

For a moment, not even their breathing could be heard, and it was so quiet that only their heartbeats were audible.

After a while, Luo Yue chuckled softly, as if a small stream was gushing forth from the vast ocean.

Luo Yue straightened up and distanced herself from Qin Zhaoyi. “It’s getting late.”

With her statement, she seemed to imply that they would leave tomorrow.

But it could also have another meaning: you can stay and wipe the slate clean.

Although the first option had a 99% probability, Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t help but be concerned about Luo Yue’s lack of a direct answer.

In hindsight, Luo Yue hadn’t given a straightforward answer to any of her questions since she entered the house.

Last night’s events, the nature of their relationship, whether she wanted to stay tonight—Luo Yue had avoided giving a clear answer to all of them.

Qin Zhaoyi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “So, what do you want? Do you want me to leave or stay?”

Luo Yue’s footsteps came to a halt.

If one listened carefully, Qin Zhaoyi’s voice still contained a trace of grievance.

With her back turned to Qin Zhaoyi, Luo Yue responded, “It’s up to you.”

It was an affirmative sentence, but not entirely certain.

Qin Zhaoyi suddenly felt her blood boil. Was everything they had talked about tonight just a game of cat and mouse?

Luo Yue’s personality was truly… unusual.

No, not unusual.

It was peculiar.

Or maybe not even peculiar…

Qin Zhaoyi’s mind went through countless adjectives because the term “peculiar” didn’t quite fit Luo Yue.

For the first time she realized her vocabulary was surprisingly limited.

Because she couldn’t find a suitable word to describe Luo Yue.

But she couldn’t deny that Luo Yue had an irresistible attraction to her.

After all, on any normal day, she would have turned and left, going wherever she pleased. But now, all she wanted was to confront Luo Yue and ask, “Can’t you talk properly?”

Following her lead, Qin Zhaoyi almost gritted her teeth as she shouted, “Then turn around and look at me!”

…

It was Luo Yue who had been drinking, but Qin Zhaoyi felt like she was the one getting intoxicated now. Because at this moment, Luo Yue appeared calm and composed, turning her head back slowly, her gaze carefully tracing Qin Zhaoyi’s face down to her feet, examining every detail.

Then she gave her evaluation, “You’re very beautiful.”

Qin Zhaoyi, “..”

Fuming with anger, Qin Zhaoyi was about to explode. But before she could lose her temper, Luo Yue calmly asked, “Are you feeling a bit sad today?”

Qin Zhaoyi suddenly froze.

Luo Yue smiled at her and said, “Then you should sleep in the bed tonight.”

Qin Zhaoyi, “?”

“What does that mean?” Qin Zhaoyi pretended not to understand.

Luo Yue pursed her lips. She knew that this person wouldn’t give up until she got a clear answer, so she said straightforwardly, “Stay tonight.”

Luo Yue wasn’t very good at expressing words of retention. Even when her mother was dying, she hadn’t dared to ask for one more request or begged her mother to stay because she knew that it would be too cruel for her mother, who was suffering in bed. So she endured it all by herself, never trying to retain.

Saying it so suddenly now felt a bit strange.

In reality, she had just given Qin Zhaoyi a place to stay for the night, but to her, it seemed like she was trying to keep Qin Zhaoyi on the island.

However, Qin Zhaoyi wasn’t satisfied with this. She wanted more, pushing further, and asked, “Who’s staying? Where are we staying?”

She stared directly at Luo Yue.

Luo Yue sighed and said, “Are you a child?”

Why did all the questions require straightforward and simple answers?

But Qin Zhaoyi wasn’t about to give in. She pressed on, “You answer first.”

Luo Yue was forced to respond, using a tone as if she were coaxing a child, “Are you willing to stay at my place tonight, little one?”

Qin Zhaoyi, “…”

Luo Yue’s tone was even more childish than when she taught elementary school students.

“Would you like to sleep in this bed tonight, or should I arrange another room for you?” Luo Yue continued.

Qin Zhaoyi, “…”

Frustrated, Qin Zhaoyi said, “Teacher Luo.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m not a student in your class!” Qin Zhaoyi exclaimed.

“So what?” Luo Yue raised an eyebrow.

Qin Zhaoyi marched toward her directly, brushing against her shoulder. She almost gritted her teeth as she whispered in Luo Yue’s ear, “Don’t coax me like a child.”