37.2. Do you want a hug?

Qin Zhaoyi had carefully prepared everything just now, but it was easily destroyed. She hesitated for a moment and typed in the chat box: “I am.”

However, before she could send it, Luo Yue said, “Unfortunately, with Princess Qin’s brilliance shining ahead, I can’t like her anymore.”

Qin Zhaoyi deleted the typed message and replaced it with: [You haven’t read my books. What if they’re not as good as Sicily’s?]

Luo Yue replied casually: [No matter what you write, I’ll like it.]

Qin Zhaoyi: […Why?]

Luo Yue: [Love me, love my dog.]

For a moment, Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t distinguish whether these words were flirting or just casual remarks. However, these four words from Luo Yue improved her mood significantly.

In the evening, when Cheng Shijing came to give her an infusion again, Qin Zhaoyi’s attitude towards him had softened somewhat. Perhaps due to Luo Yue’s instructions, Cheng Shijing was still concerned about her and brought her some food, fearing she might go hungry.

Although it wasn’t a luxurious feast and somewhat resembled the boxed meals on set, it included three dishes and a soup. Surprisingly, the taste was quite good. Cheng Shijing mentioned that his mom had prepared it, and Qin Zhaoyi immediately expressed her gratitude with a “Thank you, Auntie.”

Cheng Shijing rolled his eyes, “You’re welcome. It doesn’t match your image at all.”

Ignoring his sarcastic tone, Qin Zhaoyi didn’t respond. Cheng Shijing didn’t say much either. After she finished her meal and cleaned up, he stayed there, playing a game while waiting for her intravenous drip to finish. Only then did he leave.

Before leaving, he hesitated to say something but stopped. Qin Zhaoyi asked him what was wrong.

Looking at her cold expression, Cheng Shijing carefully asked, “How many people are there in your family?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “?”

“What do you mean?” Qin Zhaoyi became vigilant. “Are you checking the household registration?”

“Just a casual question,” Cheng Shijing said.

Qin Zhaoyi responded, “Three. My parents and me.”

“Only child?” Cheng Shijing frowned, looking concerned.

“What’s the matter?” Qin Zhaoyi responded matter-of-factly, “Aren’t many in our generation only children?”

Ignoring her reply, Cheng Shijing continued, “Do you have any possibility of staying on Moon Island?”

Qin Zhaoyi was about to watch a movie with Luo Yue. Hearing Cheng Shijing talking so much without getting to the crucial point, she found him annoying. “Just say what you want.”

Cheng Shijing suddenly became serious, and his tone grew heavy. “Will your parents support you staying in a strange place for the sake of a girl?”

Cheng Shijing said, “Yue Liang won’t leave Moon Island with you.”

Qin Zhaoyi’s fingers, which were on the screen, paused. “Why are you deciding for Luo Yue?”

“It’s not a decision,” Cheng Shijing said, “it’s certain that Yue Liang won’t go to Jiayi.”

“If she wanted to go, she would have stayed there after graduating from Jia Da a few years ago.” Cheng Shijing exhaled, “If you can’t bear the responsibility, don’t get involved with her.”

Qin Zhaoyi wanted to retort, but Cheng Shijing didn’t listen anymore. He hastily said, “I’m leaving,” and then left.

Leaving Qin Zhaoyi alone in the quiet room to contemplate.

In fact, Qin Zhaoyi had points to argue against Cheng Shijing.

Such as her parents already knowing she likes girls.

Such as her parents never interfered with her decisions.

But when Cheng Shijing confidently said that Luo Yue wouldn’t leave with her, she couldn’t say anything.

Especially knowing that Luo Yue graduated from Jia Da.

Why wouldn’t Luo Yue stay there?

Perhaps Qin Zhaoyi wasn’t so certain that she would stay on Moon Island forever.

It’s a place suitable for relaxation, but life is not always in a relaxed state.

Qin Zhaoyi hesitated, even watching a movie with Luo Yue lost its appeal.

She had already seen this movie early on, attending several previews. Besides, since she wrote it, all the highlights, classic lines, everything was imprinted in her mind.

So, when discussing with Luo Yue, she responded fluently, even regarding some subtle hints.

Surprisingly, the controversial hints in the movie, which caused a lot of debate during its release, Luo Yue understood them all by herself.

She had meticulous logical thinking.

But why would such a talented person willingly bury her talents and stay on this small, rundown island?

Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t understand it.

After thinking for a long time, Qin Zhaoyi took the opportunity to ask, “Have you ever thought about leaving Moon Island?”

Luo Yue, who was enthusiastically discussing the movie, abruptly stopped. “Where would I go?”

“Jiayi.” Qin Zhaoyi said, “Or somewhere else, maybe Guangdong or Hong Kong, to a bigger city.”

“I don’t want to.” Luo Yue smiled, “I remember we discussed this issue before.”

However, at that time, it wasn’t so serious; it still carried a hint of romance.

But Luo Yue had never been good at expressing her emotions. Being able to say these words with a joke was already quite remarkable.

“If you’re with me, would you still not consider going to Jiayi with me?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Luo Yue was slightly taken aback, “Why, am I marrying you?”

With a hint of banter, it seemed like she was mocking Qin Zhaoyi’s autocracy.

Qin Zhaoyi unconsciously shook her head, “Of course not.”

There was no such thing as marriage.

It’s just that her work focus had always been in Jiayi. If one day she left…

She wanted to know if Luo Yue would go with her.

Luo Yue smiled, “Why talk about it so seriously? Have we reached that level already?”

Qin Zhaoyi was slightly puzzled, “Just curious.”

“I won’t leave Moon Island,” Luo Yue said. “Remember what I told you? This place is my origin and my destination.”

Just like Jiayi is your origin and destination.

Every street there is familiar to you, with your relatives and friends, making it your most secure place.

This topic instantly made the atmosphere heavy.

Qin Zhaoyi also knew that being fixated on such matters was futile, but she couldn’t help but wonder if Luo Yue could leave with her.

Wouldn’t that prove that Luo Yue also loved her?

“Alright.” Luo Yue broke the heaviness, “Don’t overthink it, go to sleep early.”

Suddenly, Qin Zhaoyi asked very seriously, “If being in love is destined to have no future, then why are you, and why am I, going through this struggle?”

If someone had asked Qin Zhaoyi this question a few months ago, she would have coldly frowned and retorted, what kind of painful youth literature was this.

She couldn’t understand such a question at all.

But now, she unexpectedly gave it serious thought.

It was also genuinely confusing.

But in the moment of asking, her heart felt sour and bitter.

As if the scenes of separation were already unfolding before her eyes.

Yet she would think, it might not necessarily end.

She could continue living next door to Luo Yue, or even move to a strange place.

But she really didn’t like the atmosphere here.

There were no boundaries between people, and there were a bunch of people “guarding” Luo Yue. In such a place, no one could accept two girls being together.

Just thinking about it made Qin Zhaoyi feel like she was going crazy.

So, in her private thoughts, she hoped Luo Yue would go with her.

She could give everything.

Both sides fell silent for a long time, so quiet that they could only hear each other’s slowed breathing.

After a while, Luo Yue chuckled softly, “Maybe… it’s hard to resist emotions.”

Qin Zhaoyi pursed her lips, “And then?”

Luo Yue chuckled lightly, a hint of helplessness in her laughter, “A short-lived joy.”

After that, they would each go their separate ways, heading to distant places.

The conversation that night wasn’t exactly pleasant, to the extent that even thinking about it the next day made Qin Zhaoyi feel a sourness in her chest.

After that night, Qin Zhaoyi forced herself not to chat with Luo Yue again.

She couldn’t even say what she was angry about.

Countless times she opened the chat with Luo Yue and didn’t know what to say.

The days on Moon Island became increasingly boring, especially when she stayed in her room, always uncontrollably glancing at the next door. She hoped that the door next door would open, and she would hear the barking of the big yellow dog next door, with that graceful figure appearing at the door.

In this way, Qin Zhaoyi agreed to help refine the script for Zhong Ling, not knowing when she would finish the revisions.

To force herself to stay alert, Qin Zhaoyi even asked Cheng Shijing for two sleeping pills.

But Cheng Shijing was afraid that she was considering something drastic, so he only gave her one.

Despite Qin Zhaoyi’s repeated requests not to tell Luo Yue, Cheng Shijing still mentioned it.

The message from Luo Yue only had one sentence: “Don’t take too many sleeping pills or melatonin; it can lead to dependence.”

Faced with this care that didn’t seem like care, Qin Zhaoyi could only reply: “Oh.”

Later, the contact was cut off again.

Qin Zhaoyi could only frequent the coffee shop, maintaining her previous work habits.

She started the day with a cup of black coffee, bitter enough to make one shudder, but at least it could bring some energy. Then, she would help Zhong Ling refine the script.

Movie scripts weren’t lengthy, but their structure was the most challenging to dissect.

Each stage’s rhythm needed strict control; if any beat was off, all subsequent beats would be affected, making it impossible to present a good movie.

The coffee shop still had very few people. Only Yan Ci, dressed in a long skirt, was standing behind the counter. When there were no customers, she sorted coffee beans, creating a sufficiently tranquil environment. However, it still couldn’t calm Qin Zhaoyi’s mind.

The air in the shop was filled with the rich aroma of coffee. Qin Zhaoyi was working on the later part of the script.

Unable to calm down, the rhythm got stuck in a difficult place, and she couldn’t figure out what the problem was.

Sitting by the window, Qin Zhaoyi watched the tumultuous sea, with snow-white seagulls gliding over the water before disappearing into the distance.

There were only occasional visits from Cheng’s siblings.

Qin Zhaoyi had encountered Cheng Shijing a few times but wasn’t in the mood to argue with him.

Her whole being seemed listless.

“This is the seventh time you’ve sighed,” Yan Ci placed a glass of milk on the table. Her white wrist adorned a delicate green jade bracelet, and her voice was crisp. “This is a coffee shop, not a temple. I can’t fulfill wishes.”

Qin Zhaoyi said, “I haven’t placed an order.”

“It’s a gift for you.” Yan Ci said, “Drinking too much black coffee can lead to insomnia.”

It was already evening, and Qin Zhaoyi had been at the coffee shop since nine in the morning, spending the whole day here. She hadn’t even eaten lunch. Yan Ci found a bag of bread from the cupboard to help alleviate her hunger, but she only ate two slices.

Yan Ci was quiet and didn’t speak much. She could also sit here the whole day without saying a word.

After several customers came in, ordered, and some even sneaked glances at her, they didn’t get a response from her.

Yan Ci, somewhat helpless, decided to initiate a conversation, “Did you quarrel with Luo Yue?”

“No,” Qin Zhaoyi shook her head.

How could it be considered a quarrel?

It just naturally became a bit cold, and then they stopped talking.

Luo Yue was still not on Moon Island, so she couldn’t meet her or know what to say.

“Why are you like this, then?” Yan Ci glanced at the script on her table. “Is your work not going well?”

“It’s okay,” Qin Zhaoyi said.

If it were a normal day, such a small thing wouldn’t be a problem at all.

But now, as she thought about it, she would unintentionally drift into thoughts about Luo Yue, and then she would start daydreaming.

Yan Ci sat across from her and, after a while, chuckled. “You seem to have a case of lovesickness.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Qin Zhaoyi automatically ignored her teasing and sighed, “If you know that a relationship has no future, should you still start it?”

A bit of desperate seeking help for an ailment.

But Yan Ci did give off a sense of security, like a confidante who could listen to one’s heart.

In the few days Qin Zhaoyi frequented this place, she naturally learned that Yan Ci was a bit older than her, in her early thirties, having seen many storms. She naturally cultivated this calm and gentle temperament.

“Look at what result you want,” Yan Ci said. “In idol dramas, the result of a relationship is always marriage, but many realistic TV dramas tell us that marriage is just the beginning of life.”

“The result itself is a virtual term,” Yan Ci played with her bracelet with her fingers. “Especially in love.”

“But people always want to be with the person they like. What if you don’t like the place where the other person is?” Qin Zhaoyi asked.

Yan Ci paused, “Liking someone doesn’t mean you have to be together all the time. If you can spend a few days together each week, why insist on being clingy?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

It sounded reasonable.

But she just wanted to stand her ground.

This stubborn spirit had come up again.

Watching Qin Zhaoyi’s changing expression, Yan Ci lightly smiled. “First time in love, huh?”

Qin Zhaoyi was momentarily speechless but still wanted to salvage her pride. “It’s not.”

She hadn’t even started yet.

“Love is like this,” Yan Ci’s voice was ethereal. “Fearing loss, worrying incessantly.”

“Why do people still pursue it then?” Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t help but sigh again. “It’s so annoying.”

“Why do you want to be in a relationship then?” Yan Ci asked her in return.

Qin Zhaoyi paused, then pressed her temples helplessly. “Because I like her.”

Just seeing this person made her heart swell, as if something was about to overflow.

“Well, isn’t that it?” Yan Ci said, looking towards the entrance. Suddenly, she asked, “What do you like about Luo Yue?”

Qin Zhaoyi almost blurted out, “Gentle, serene, beautiful when she smiles, makes me want to hug her.”

As she spoke, Qin Zhaoyi suddenly felt a strong desire to see Luo Yue.

She wanted to hug her, apologize for being so stubborn, and not be so willful anymore.

“Qin Zhaoyi.” A familiar and gentle voice sounded from the doorway. Qin Zhaoyi turned around abruptly and saw Luo Yue standing there, wearing a long dress, with long hair flowing down her shoulders. Serene and beautiful, their eyes met for a moment. Luo Yue lifted the corner of her mouth and said leisurely, “What are you looking at?”

Qin Zhaoyi stood up.

Luo Yue took a few steps forward. Her voice sounded a bit tired, but she still smiled and opened her arms. “Didn’t you say you felt like hugging me? Do you want to…”

Before she could finish saying “hug,” Qin Zhaoyi had already rushed over and hugged her.

Luo Yue’s hands landed on her back, gently patting.

Qin Zhaoyi leaned close to her ear and whispered an apology, “Jie jie, I’m sorry.”

“Princess Qin.” Luo Yue pinched her earlobe and smiled, “You ignored me for several days.”