16. Happy Birthday Jie Jie

This rather artistic expression was something Qin Zhaoyi had seen while scrolling through Weibo in the past.

At the time, Qin Zhaoyi had scoffed at it and even thought seriously for a few seconds about what it would feel like for starlight to pierce through the heart.

In the end, her conclusion was: starlight couldn’t possibly pierce through the heart.

But at the moment when Luo Yue smiled at her against the moonlight, the only thing that seemed to come to her mind was that sentence:

Starlight could indeed pierce through the heart.

After sending the message to Zhong Ling, Qin Zhaoyi didn’t receive a reply for a long time.

However, it was Luo Yue who knocked on her door.

The door had actually not been closed, and Qin Zhaoyi had simply been facing away from it, holding her phone and unable to shake off the impact of that sentence.

She was even gripping her phone tightly.

She hadn’t been able to recover from the shock of that sentence just now.

When Luo Yue knocked on the door, she slowly came back to her senses and noticed that Luo Yue had changed into pajamas.

It was a loose-fitting set, with a deep blue long-sleeved top and pants. It hung loosely on her, looking oversized, which might have been because the clothes were indeed oversized or because she was so slim that everything looked that way on her.

Either way, it had its own charm.

Qin Zhaoyi cleared her throat and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Chatting with someone?” Luo Yue walked closer, placed a glass of water on the windowsill, and reached out to gently push it toward Qin Zhaoyi. “You seem quite serious.”

It seemed like a casual question, and she didn’t seem to care.

Qin Zhaoyi picked up the glass of water, which was lukewarm, took a sip, and then put it down. She didn’t really feel like drinking it.

Plain water was like her personality, bland and tasteless.

Qin Zhaoyi had always felt this way, so she had a strong aversion to drinking plain water.

Most of the time, she preferred coffee or tea.

“Don’t like it?” Luo Yue noticed her actions.

Qin Zhaoyi shook her head. “It’s okay.”

“You really are like a child,” Luo Yue chuckled. “You don’t like drinking plain water. I should have added some sugar for you.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…?”

How did the conversation come back to this again?

Qin Zhaoyi frowned and asked, “Don’t you have enough students to manage in your class? Why do you have to take care of one more?”

Luo Yue countered, “Who asked you to be in my territory now?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Even if she was sulking, she couldn’t possibly say she was leaving tomorrow. She fell into a reluctant silence.

However, she didn’t want to be categorized as a child by Luo Yue. She picked up the cup and finished the drink in one gulp. Drinking so quickly, she almost choked and her eyes misted over afterward.

Luo Yue stared at her intently, and Qin Zhaoyi struggled not to cough, turning her head away as she cleared her throat softly. “Finished.”

“Not bad,” Luo Yue casually complimented.

Qin Zhaoyi: “…?”

That familiar sense of perfunctoriness crept in again.

Qin Zhaoyi turned her head to look at Luo Yue and began to say, “Can you—”

She was about to complain, wanting to make sure Luo Yue didn’t treat her like a child to be pampered in her class. However, her words were cut off by Luo Yue’s actions. Luo Yue raised her hand and wiped at the corner of her own mouth.

The water residue from the glass had merged with her skin, and the cool water blended into her skin’s warmth at this moment. This sudden and eerie sensation made Qin Zhaoyi shiver involuntarily, and she took a step back without thinking.

Luo Yue’s hand hung in the air.

She wasn’t surprised, but when Qin Zhaoyi moved away, her hand was left empty. Her slender fingers seemed to play an imaginary piano in the air.

Then she withdrew her hand and smiled lightly, saying, “There was water at the corner of your mouth.”

Qin Zhaoyi reached up and wiped her mouth. “Thank you.”

The word “thank you” sounded particularly awkward.

Luo Yue picked up the glass. “Go to sleep early.”

Qin Zhaoyi replied with an “okay,” her thoughts still lingering on Luo Yue’s recent action, not fully recovered yet.

When Luo Yue was almost out of her room, Qin Zhaoyi suddenly called out, “Luo Yue.”

Luo Yue turned back, her voice slightly raised. “Yes?”

Qin Zhaoyi’s fingers traced the cold window, trying to regain her composure, but her attempt was in vain. In her impulsive state, she asked, “With the way you’re taking care of me, are you… interested in me?”

The quiet island seemed to freeze in time at that moment.

The two of them stared at each other, and only the distant sound of waves could be heard, drowning out their pounding heartbeats.

After a moment, Luo Yue still wore her familiar smile. She licked her lips, and her lower lip suddenly glistened, like a fresh peach just picked from an orchard. It made people want to take a bite.

No, no lipstick could achieve this shade.

A light pink, with a watery sheen, plump and inviting, like a fresh water peach. Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t regulate her breathing, and not asking this question seemed like she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

This question had troubled her all day.

But after asking it, she suddenly felt that it was somewhat meaningless.

As someone who grew up on Moon Island, it was entirely normal to take care of a guest who had come from afar.

How could that be interpreted as having an interest?

As she asked, it seemed that Qin Zhaoyi was being overly self-indulgent.

However, there was no turning back after releasing the arrow.

Qin Zhaoyi, like Jesus nailed to the cross, awaited judgment.

The time spent waiting for judgment felt especially long, with each second passing as if it were a year, and every action of Luo Yue’s magnified.

Finally, Luo Yue spoke calmly, “What answer are you hoping to hear?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Here it was again.

The familiar Luo Yue-style counter-question.

Even though they had only known each other for a day, Qin Zhaoyi had lost count of how many times she had heard this counter-question.

“Ask you,” Qin Zhaoyi pretended to be indifferent. “Not asking me.”

She usually wore a cold expression, so she was skilled at maintaining that appearance when acting cold. But she was worried that being too cold would scare Luo Yue.

Moreover, she didn’t want to bully her just because Luo Yue had a gentle temperament.

Thinking this way, Qin Zhaoyi’s expression softened slightly.

But she hadn’t mastered this skill yet, so her expression ended up looking somewhat strange.

Luo Yue remained unruffled and calmly responded, “If you must know, then yes, a bit.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Qin Zhaoyi’s mouth uncontrollably, but she quickly suppressed it with a soft cough.

She knew it; Luo Yue was different when it came to her.

“After all, you’re the first person of your kind to visit Moon Island,” Luo Yue added.

Qin Zhaoyi furrowed her brows. “What kind of person am I?”

Luo Yue replied, “Very beautiful.”

Qin Zhaoyi lightly bit her tongue and regained her composure, not allowing herself to get lost in Luo Yue’s expression. “So, you’re attracted to me because of my appearance?”

Luo Yue concealed her smile and asked with unusual seriousness, “Do I seem that shallow to you?”

Qin Zhaoyi said, “I also have depth.”

Luo Yue paused. “I haven’t seen any evidence of that so far.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “?”

She almost blurted out, “I’m also very rich.” But she stopped herself, as it would make her sound like a nouveau riche.

That kind of tone was sure to be unpleasant, as advised by Zhou Xi in the past. Back then, Miss Qin sat in her swivel chair, raising her eyes indifferently, “But it’s a fact.”

Zhou Xi: “…”

Zhou Xi wore an expression that said, “I want to strangle this person, but since this person is my boss, I can’t strangle her.”

Now, Qin Zhaoyi finally refrained.

Zhou Xi must be feeling relieved now.

Qin Zhaoyi’s thoughts spun in circles, eventually forming a straightforward question, “So, are you interested in me or not?”

She asked nearly bluntly.

Luo Yue paused, feigning deep thought for a moment. After a brief hesitation, she responded lightly, “Taking care of a guest who just arrived on our Moon Island is only natural.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Exactly as she suspected.

Her question seemed to be asking for humiliation.

From childhood to adulthood, it was always someone else chasing after Miss Qin. In junior high, love letters to Miss Qin were as valuable as gold.

Now, Qin Zhaoyi felt that it was all good karma.

Being so directly rejected, Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t quite keep her composure, and there was a trace of embarrassment on her face.

“Okay,” Qin Zhaoyi said coldly.

This was her last bit of dignity and decorum.

“I’m tired,” Qin Zhaoyi said.

Implicitly, it meant she wanted her guest to leave: “You should go.”

Luo Yue smiled softly, her fingertip tracing the rim of the cup. She suddenly used a very polite address, “Miss Qin is a very interesting person.”

Qin Zhaoyi frowned and thought, You don’t like me! What’s the use of finding me interesting?

She held her phone tightly, not saying anything, fearing that saying more would lead to further humiliation.

Speaking too much could only lead to more mistakes.

Luo Yue calmly said, “Being interested in someone like Miss Qin isn’t something to be ashamed of, is it?”

Qin Zhaoyi: …

So, was she interested in herself?

Qin Zhaoyi’s heart was in turmoil, feeling like she was carrying a bucket of water while walking on a narrow bridge.

“So, do you admit that you’re interested in me?” Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t help but ask.

Luo Yue nodded slightly and smiled, saying, “Yes.”

Finally, she got a definite answer, and Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t help but raise the corners of her mouth. She coughed softly and repressed her smile.

She knew it; Luo Yue was different when it came to her.

“It’s only natural,” Qin Zhaoyi replied confidently, having grown up famous and full of self-assuredness.

“Alright,” Luo Yue said, “You should go to sleep now.”

Qin Zhaoyi suddenly reined in her smile and said, “Won’t we chat a bit longer?”

For example, talk about how she was interested in her? What exactly was she interested in?

Luo Yue hesitated, “Aren’t you tired?”

Qin Zhaoyi: …

After a moment of silence, Luo Yue suddenly asked, “When is your birthday?”

Qin Zhaoyi was puzzled, “Why are you asking this?”

Luo Yue replied, “To get to know a friend better.”

Qin Zhaoyi: …

This was clearly a counterattack using her own words, but Luo Yue did it flawlessly.

Reluctantly, Qin Zhaoyi told her, “It’s on December 31st.”

It was almost the end of the year.

“Then you’re almost a person of the new millennium,” Luo Yue remarked.

Qin Zhaoyi didn’t like her mentioning her age. Whenever she did, Luo Yue would exude an air of maturity, as if she wanted to use her age as an advantage to overshadow her.

“It doesn’t matter,” Qin Zhaoyi said, “People nowadays don’t pay attention to age.”

Luo Yue nodded and said, “Alright, I’ve noted it.”

Qin Zhaoyi increasingly felt that Luo Yue was interested in her, so she asked knowingly, “What are you going to do with my birthday?”

Luo Yue replied, “Send you a gift when it’s your birthday.”

Qin Zhaoyi asked, “Why send it? Can’t you give it to me in person?”

Luo Yue, however, was surprised at this question and then answered matter-of-factly, “Because at that time, you won’t be on Moon Island.”

Travelers were travelers precisely because they didn’t stay in one place for too long.

And Luo Yue was a person of Moon Island.

She might spend her whole life on Moon Island.

Qin Zhaoyi was momentarily stunned but then said, “I have a very flexible job. I can stay on Moon Island at that time and receive your gift in person.”

Luo Yue, however, didn’t believe her and replied nonchalantly, “Alright, then I’ll send it to you when the time comes.”

After chatting for so long without a clear topic, it was already past Luo Yue’s usual bedtime. She yawned sleepily and said, “You should sleep early, Zhao Zhao.”

Calling her like she was calling a child.

Qin Zhaoyi, trying to hold back her discomfort, retaliated by saying, “Xiao Yue, good night.”

Luo Yue: …

Luo Yue noticed her unwillingness to concede defeat and smiled indulgently. “Okay, good night.”

Qin Zhaoyi: …

Darn it, she didn’t feel like she had the upper hand.

But before she could think of a comeback, Luo Yue had already opened the door and walked out.

Her phone vibrated slightly, and Zhong Ling sent a message: “Zhaoyi, it seems you’ve fallen in love~”

The time had just turned to 00:00.

It was now March 20th, Luo Yue’s birthday.

Qin Zhaoyi had already added a reminder to her schedule and was now being reminded.

She rushed out of the room and called, “Luo Yue.”

Luo Yue had just come out of the kitchen, probably just putting down the water glass, and looked a bit tired. She yawned a few times in a row, and her bright eyes were filled with mist. “Huh?”

Qin Zhaoyi rushed over and hugged her from behind. In that moment of embrace, her heart nearly stopped beating, but she still hugged her.

Then she said, “Happy birthday, jiejie~”