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At the hospital that day, Wang Sasa keenly noticed something strange about Tan Yixuan and felt that maybe she should slow down the progress of her pursuit. So, on Friday, she specifically told Tan Yixuan that she had plans on Saturday and Sunday and wouldn’t be able to see her.
When Wang Sasa said this, Tan Yixuan responded with a simple “Okay,” but there was undeniable disappointment in her eyes.
“May I ask, what are you doing on your days off?”
Wang Sasa hesitated for a moment and came up with a casual excuse: “I… I’m going to a friend’s house.”
After all, the original owner had so many friends, so if Tan Yixuan pressed further, she could just make up something, since Tan Yixuan wouldn’t be able to verify it anyway.
Tan Yixuan, upon hearing this, indeed said nothing more.
On Saturday, Wang Sasa decided to give herself a proper break.
After returning to school, her routine was much the same as before she entered the book. The most she did on her days off was visit Tan Yixuan’s grandmother in the hospital, and at other times, if she didn’t go to Tan Yixuan’s place, she would stay at home reading manga or novels.
Setting aside all her various accolades and identities, she felt like just an ordinary high school senior. The only extraordinary thing was that she had unfortunately fallen into the world of a book.
While drinking coke and flipping through a shoujo manga, she pondered how to make Tan Yixuan happy. Her fingers turned to the page where the female lead and male lead affirm their relationship. The female lead transforms from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan, about to receive the male lead’s love. Seeing the happy face of the female lead, she suddenly had a thought.
She realized that she might have been wrong about something before.
She had stubbornly believed that Wei Qi would disappoint Tan Yixuan, and Tan Yixuan would certainly turn to darkness out of love. But that was entirely her own wishful thinking.
Because she hadn’t considered one thing: people can change. Wei Qi might settle down for Tan Yixuan. And Tan Yixuan didn’t seem like the type to wallow in self-pity if abandoned!
Tan Yixuan’s grandmother was fine, so why would she turn dark?
Wang Sasa suddenly slapped her forehead, realizing she was being foolish for not understanding such a simple truth.
There was no need for her to stop Tan Yixuan from being with Wei Qi. Once Tan Yixuan was dumped, she could just introduce her to another boyfriend, right?
With a smile on her face, she continued flipping through the manga. Suddenly, the manga fell from her hands, and she quickly got up from the bed, running to the bathroom to freshen up. She planned to go out soon to buy the latest issue and grab a bite to eat.
No matter how untidy she might be at home, Wang Sasa always made sure to clean herself up thoroughly before going out. She styled her hair, applied light makeup, and checked carefully in the mirror to ensure her mascara hadn’t smudged on her eyelids before heading out with her bag.
Nearby the apartment, there was a well-equipped bookstore less than a kilometer away. She walked over and made a beeline for the manga section. Since it was still early, there weren’t many people picking out manga. She quickly selected her books and went to the checkout counter on the first floor.
As she walked downstairs, Wang Sasa suddenly heard a familiar male voice and stiffened. She turned to see Wei Qi at the glass door, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a little boy in overalls. He looked impatient as he pushed the door open.
Wang Sasa didn’t expect to run into Wei Qi in this situation. Noticing the shoujo manga in her hands, she instinctively raised it to cover her face. She decided not to go down, sneaking back up the stairs to hide behind a bookshelf on the second floor. She bent down and peeked out to see what was happening downstairs.
After Wei Qi and the little boy entered, he let go of the boy’s hand. The little boy looked around curiously, and upon seeing the escalator leading to the second floor, he made a beeline for it. Wei Qi, startled, quickly ran after the boy and grabbed him, sternly scolding, “Behave and stop running around!”
The little boy, unfazed, looked around and pointed at a pencil case in the stationery store’s display case, shouting, “Qiqi, I want that!”
“Call me cousin! You’re being rude!” Wei Qi rolled his eyes and said with irritation. “You’re too young for that.” Despite his words, he patted the boy’s head and reluctantly bought the pencil case. After paying, Wei Qi handed the Doraemon pencil case to the boy, saying with resignation, “Stay here for ten minutes, and then I’ll take you home. You can watch cartoons by yourself.”
The boy clutched the pencil case and looked around with wide eyes, seemingly not paying much attention to Wei Qi’s words. Wei Qi sighed, realizing that despite his stern reputation, he was helpless against his naive little cousin.
Half an hour earlier, when Wei Qi was about to go out, a relative had suddenly arrived with the child. Wei Bao, hearing that his cousin was going out to play, insisted on coming along.
Wei Qi, feeling helpless, had no choice but to bring the troublesome child along, planning to take him out for a bit and then send him back. The three-year-old cousin was already very active, stumbling as he walked, and had run off while Wei Qi wasn’t paying attention. Wei Qi chased after him with a stern face.
“Wei Bao! I told you not to run!” The boy, sensitive to Wei Qi’s tone, froze instantly, his large eyes welling up with tears.
Wei Qi, feeling overwhelmed, quickly picked up Wei Bao and tried to comfort him.
From her vantage point on the second floor, Wang Sasa observed how Wei Qi’s expression shifted from anger to panic in just a few seconds. She thought to herself that Wei Qi was completely under the boy’s thumb.
Looking at the pair, Wang Sasa felt she had overlooked something important. After pondering for a while without coming up with an answer, she gave up. Seizing the opportunity while the two were in another part of the bookstore, she hurriedly went downstairs, paid for her books, and rushed out to the door.
The bookstore was air-conditioned, so when she pushed open the glass door, the heat of midday hit her face. The sudden change in temperature made her shiver. In that moment, she suddenly had a thought and paused.
Since Tan Yixuan wouldn’t turn dark after breaking up with Wei Qi, she not only didn’t need to stop them but should actually encourage them to get together! If Wei Qi didn’t work out, she could always find someone else. Ultimately, to ensure Tan Yixuan’s happiness, she needed to act according to her preferences.
The more Wang Sasa thought about it, the more it made sense. She quickly took out her phone to contact Tan Yixuan.
Wei Qi had some interest in Tan Yixuan, but they currently lacked opportunities to interact. If Tan Yixuan didn’t take the initiative, Wang Sasa would create opportunities for her. Her phone rang once and was immediately answered.
Without waiting for Tan Yixuan to speak, Wang Sasa got straight to the point: “Tan Yixuan, come with me to the bookstore to buy some books.” She paused and added, “Of course, if you have other plans, we can arrange another time.”
Tan Yixuan, naturally, couldn’t refuse. She agreed with a smile. She didn’t ask why Wang Sasa suddenly changed her mind; she was happy to meet her and accepted the invitation. Looking down at her diary, she traced the image of Wang Sasa’s face with her fingers, feeling a touch of sweetness at the thought of their meeting.
Wang Sasa and Tan Yixuan agreed to meet at the manga section where Wei Qi was. Wang Sasa cleverly went outside the bookstore, hiding behind some bushes, and peered through the glass window to observe inside.
Since she was trying to match Tan Yixuan with Wei Qi, she had to avoid being a third wheel. She crouched there to check the situation. If Tan Yixuan and Wei Qi started talking smoothly, she would act accordingly.
The girl inside, facing the window, stared in bewilderment at Wang Sasa crouching outside. Wang Sasa looked at her expressionlessly and casually said, “I’m just sunbathing.”
The unfamiliar girl stared blankly for a while before responding, “…Oh.”
Wang Sasa was about to explain further when she suddenly saw Tan Yixuan’s figure and fell silent.
Tan Yixuan had dressed up for the occasion. Knowing that Sasa disliked her bangs, she had bought a hairpin to pin them back, exposing her smooth forehead.
Her delicate features looked much brighter without the long bangs that had previously made her appear somewhat gloomy. Dressed in a white dress that showcased her slender collarbone and arms, she looked like a delicate white flower.
Wang Sasa, seeing Tan Yixuan in the white dress for the first time, was a bit surprised. Her gaze shifted to Tan Yixuan’s back and then quickly moved away. As she saw Wei Qi walking past Tan Yixuan with the little boy, her heart leapt, but they merely brushed past each other. She let out a sigh of relief.
Although Wang Sasa tried to bring Tan Yixuan closer to Wei Qi, there seemed to be a barrier between them. They kept avoiding each other’s gaze at crucial moments and never quite connected.
With no other choice, Wang Sasa seized the opportunity and quickly called Tan Yixuan.
Tan Yixuan, who was just about to call Wang Sasa, saw the incoming call from her as soon as she took out her phone. She pressed her lips together and answered, only to bump into a tall figure as she looked up. Seeing Wei Qi’s face, her apology got stuck in her throat.
Wei Qi was surprised to see Tan Yixuan here. “Tan Yixuan?”
Tan Yixuan pressed her lips together, glanced at him coolly, and remained silent.
Tan Yixuan didn’t want to engage with him, and Wei Qi, not wanting to be a bother, thought of another person and asked, “Shasha… isn’t she with you?”
Tan Yixuan moved her fingers slightly and nodded faintly.
Wei Qi scratched the back of his head, muttered something under his breath, and prepared to leave with his cousin.
Wang Sasa, who was eagerly watching, wanted to see how they would interact and develop feelings. To her dismay, the scene that seemed straight out of a shoujo manga ended so blandly? Wang Sasa sighed in frustration, feeling like it was a lost opportunity.
The unfamiliar girl in front of the floor-to-ceiling window noticed Wang Sasa’s troubled expression and cautiously asked, “Are you alright?”
Wang Sasa didn’t answer. She stood up, covered her chin thoughtfully, and realized that leaving things to chance wouldn’t work. It was time for her to take action. With that thought, Wang Sasa turned and walked up the stairs, pushing through the glass door.
She composed her expression, gently called out Tan Yixuan’s name. Both Tan Yixuan and Wei Qi turned around to see Wang Sasa standing at the door, and their faces lit up with surprise.
Wang Sasa walked up to Tan Yixuan, casually linking arms with her. She then feigned surprise and glanced at Wei Qi, saying, “What are you doing here?”
Although Wang Sasa tried to be subtle, Tan Yixuan had been paying attention to her since she entered. She noticed Wang Sasa’s gaze immediately fell on Wei Qi, and she instinctively clenched her fingers at her side, though she maintained a sweet smile on her lips.
Looking at her wrist being held, the slight disappointment in her heart was somewhat eased.
No matter who she liked, as long as there was a place for her by her side, it wasn’t too bad, right?