After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 18

The city draped itself in the night’s curtain, a cool breeze stirring the air, though no rain threatened for now.

Xiao Qi had messaged them earlier on WeChat, saying she would wait up for the college students to return and have a late-night snack together. People from all corners of the country would gather, chat, and broaden their horizons.

Yu Xia and Zheng Yun, who were traveling to unwind, had no objections.

After the evening’s events, both women had instinctively avoided messaging each other. Yu Xia, in particular, had retreated to her room and buried herself under the covers. Her pale face pressed into the soft cotton quilt, which, after days of rain, had been dried in a machine, lacking the sun-kissed scent and carrying only a faint fragrance of bath products.

A closer sniff revealed a scent that wasn’t hers—not her shampoo, not her shower gel…

She thought of their intertwined hands, the kiss from the previous day, and the gift Xiao Jiu had given her upon their return today.

Yu Xia’s face flushed crimson, her cheeks and earlobes burning so hot she immediately sat up in bed, stiffly rose to her feet, and went to open the window for a blast of cold air to calm down.

Knock, knock. A gentle knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?” Yu Xia snapped, her emotions still surging and her tone sharper than intended.

A pause of two seconds before a reply came from outside.

“It’s Zheng Yun. Xiao Jiu said there were too many things and the others haven’t returned yet. She asked us to help carry them up to the top floor,” Zheng Yun said softly, her voice gentle.

Yu Xia immediately regretted her harsh tone.

“Wait a moment, I’ll be right there,” Yu Xia called back, rushing into the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.

The icy water cooled her burning cheeks, the pink flush fading significantly. She grabbed a washcloth, dried her face, took a deep breath to dispel her lingering agitation, and made sure her voice wouldn’t sound as sharp as before before opening the door.

Zheng Yun leaned against the doorway, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and long pants, her long black hair pulled back. Without makeup or a phone in hand, her mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes were fixed steadily on Yu Xia’s door. Hearing movement, she straightened up and walked beside Yu Xia as they headed downstairs together.

“What’s on your face? Is that water?” Zheng Yun tilted her head, gazing curiously at the droplets clinging to Yu Xia’s long lashes.

Even if Yu Xia’s skin were ten layers thicker, she doubted she could bring herself to reveal the real reason. It was too embarrassing, almost perverse.

“…Internal storm for three seconds.” Yu Xia finally settled on a plausible excuse: “I just woke up.”

The lie was out, but Yu Xia, who rarely lied, especially about something like this, felt her recently cooled temperature rising again. She dared not even glance at Zheng Yun, fearing her guilt would be visible in her eyes.

Fortunately, Zheng Yun accepted the explanation without question. She chuckled softly and asked, “You can still sleep?”

“Mm… I was a little sleepy just now,” Yu Xia replied calmly, though her heart pounded like it was rebelling against her own deception.

“No wonder you were so fierce earlier,” Zheng Yun sighed. “I thought you regretted it.”

As they spoke, they had reached the second floor. Clattering sounds drifted up from downstairs, punctuated by Xiao Jiu’s voice asking Xiao Qi where things were. Hearing this, Yu Xia unconsciously lowered her voice: “Regret what?”

“Regret…” Zheng Yun hesitated, unsure how to phrase it.

Before she could find the right words, Xiao Qi spotted them.

“Could you help carry the charcoal?” Xiao Qi wiped sweat from her forehead. “Thanks for your help.”

With others present and a task at hand, the two women didn’t continue their earlier conversation. Instead, they joined Xiao Qi to help.

Xiao Jiu, still recovering from her illness, had secretly smoked and was now sitting on the sofa, coughing intermittently. After taking a few sips of water, she managed to speak. “I should have been the one carrying it. Thank you for your hard work.”

Yu Xia shook her head, and Zheng Yun translated, “It’s no trouble at all. You’re letting us use the space and providing the ingredients for free. Helping out is the least we can do.”

Xiao Jiu was about to reply when she coughed again, quickly drinking more water to suppress it.

The charcoal wasn’t much. Yu Xia estimated she could carry it all herself in one trip. Zheng Yun had just started patting Xiao Jiu’s back when Yu Xia suddenly hoisted the charcoal onto her shoulder and headed upstairs.

Xiao Jiu, recovering her breath, was genuinely surprised. “Her stamina is surprisingly good.”

Zheng Yun closed her eyes briefly, lost in thought, before turning to Xiao Qi and asking if there was anything else she needed help moving.

Yu Xia had just finished carrying the charcoal downstairs when the group of college students on their group outing returned. Despite being the same age, the returning students radiated youthful exuberance, their faces brimming with uncontainable joy—they could catch three kilograms of happiness in a single basin.

In contrast, Yu Xia, who had just descended the stairs with a cold expression, looked more like their dorm supervisor.

The group consisted of both men and women, all eager to help with the late-night snack organized by Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu. They quickly divided the tasks of carrying things upstairs, grabbed their loads, and headed up.

With the work distributed and the group atmosphere so lively, Zheng Yun and Yu Xia, neither of whom were naturally inclined to join such boisterous gatherings, decided to wait in the living room for Xiao Qi, wondering if there was anything else they could assist with.

Xiao Jiu, though unwell, didn’t want to dampen the mood. She wrapped herself in a thick autumn sweater and went upstairs to help the college students set up the barbecue grill.

Xiao Qi emerged from the kitchen carrying a bag of fresh vegetables. Spotting the two of them exchanging awkward glances in the living room, she raised a teasing eyebrow. “What are you lovebirds doing down here? Waiting for me to officiate your wedding?”

Zheng Yun glanced at her sideways, her tone sharp. “Since it’s a wedding, you should give a proper congratulatory gift.”

Xiao Qi rummaged through her bag and pulled out two bright red tomatoes. She thrust one at Zheng Yun and the other at Yu Xia, declaring with unwavering conviction, “It’s the thought that counts!”

Zheng Yun accused her of being shameless for not preparing a real gift. Xiao Qi retorted that she and Xiao Jiu were a unit—what Xiao Jiu gave was as good as her own gift. They had already given the newlyweds the perfect present.

The three of them walked up to the third floor. The rooftop door stood wide open, letting a distant breeze rush in, ruffling Zheng Yun’s hair. As Yu Xia looked up, she caught a glimpse of the crimson flush on Zheng Yun’s earlobe, even more vibrant than the tomato in her hand.

Xiao Jiu’s voice was hoarse and weak from illness, but her excitement was unmistakable as she waved. “Xiao Qi, look at the lamb skewers I just made!”

Xiao Qi immediately abandoned the two behind her and strode forward.

Zheng Yun and Yu Xia exchanged a glance before following.

Zheng Yun led the way, Yu Xia close behind. As Zheng Yun stepped out the door, a figure suddenly darted past her in a blur, nearly colliding with her. She stumbled back two steps, barely avoiding a fall.

Fortunately, Yu Xia was right behind her, catching both Zheng Yun and the tomato in her hand.

The dark figure that had darted out stopped abruptly. Someone behind him shouted, “You almost ran into someone!”

Yu Xia frowned. If she hadn’t been standing behind Zheng Yun, Zheng Yun would have fallen. The arm she held felt cool from the wind and trembled slightly from the shock.

The dark figure turned out to be a college student. He clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and apologized profusely, his tone sincere. “I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

Zheng Yun, always mild-tempered, waved it off. “It’s fine. I didn’t fall.”

Relieved, the young man sighed and turned to leave. But Yu Xia, her voice sharp, pressed, “What if you had made her fall? This building is so high! If you don’t care about your own life, don’t endanger others.”

This was a small town, and many buildings weren’t up to code. The concrete railings on the third-floor balcony barely reached Yu Xia’s chest, making accidents a real possibility.

Yu Xia’s tone was harsh, almost scolding. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at them.

After so many years, Yu Xia still hadn’t learned to suppress her feelings when others were enjoying themselves. As Chen Zhu put it, it was Yu Xia’s good fortune that her family environment hadn’t turned her into a people-pleaser.

She didn’t know how to ingratiate herself with others. As a child, when Yu Nian snatched her food, she would throw down her chopsticks and leave the table, ignoring everyone’s reactions. Even during New Year’s, if Yu Nian took something from her, she would turn and walk away, refusing to participate in family gatherings that made her unhappy.

The boy’s tone grew even more sincere, showing no impatience as he apologized again, “I’m really sorry. I won’t do it again. I’m so sorry, so sorry.”

He repeated his apologies several times, but no one stepped in to smooth things over. The atmosphere was colder than the wind that day. Finally, Zheng Yun patted Yu Xia’s arm and said softly to the boy, “It’s okay. My girlfriend is just worried about me. You can continue.”

Xiao Jiu finally chimed in weakly, trying to lighten the mood, “Let’s light the charcoal! I’m starving.”

“You can’t eat yet. You’re still sick,” Xiao Qi immediately shot down her hopes.

Xiao Jiu wilted further, drooping in her chair like a yellowed scallion.

The boy paused at the word “girlfriend,” scratched his head, and continued, “It was my fault to begin with. If there’s anything I can do to make up for it, just let me know.”

With Zheng Yun’s reassurance, he darted back into the crowd, where someone scolded him, “I told you not to be so hyper! This is the rooftop, not your living room.”

As everyone’s attention shifted away, Zheng Yun finally turned back. She stared at Yu Xia’s tightly pressed lips and furrowed brow, her already cold features now as sharp as a knife. The biting wind seemed to sharpen her gaze further, as if she were about to slice through the person who had just spoken.

She patted Yu Xia’s back and whispered, “Don’t be angry, girlfriend.”

Hearing “girlfriend” twice in quick succession, Yu Xia’s anger dissipated by more than half. Her anger hadn’t been directed at Zheng Yun in the first place. Now, facing Zheng Yun, her earlier fiery demeanor vanished. After a moment’s pause, she asked softly, “Do you think I’m meddling in your affairs?”

Zheng Yun chuckled. “Didn’t I tell you before? You can meddle in anything that concerns me.”

Yu Xia fell silent, recalling the times she’d dropped her chopsticks and retreated to her room, only to hear her family say she never understood the mood. She remembered the Lunar New Year when Yu Nian snatched the expensive paints her relatives had bought her, claiming she’d suddenly developed a passion for painting. Yu Xia had stormed away from the table, and someone had muttered about her low emotional intelligence, saying she always ruined everyone’s good time over trivial matters.

Everyone had been enjoying themselves just now. By standing up for Zheng Yun, she might have made things awkward, and Zheng Yun might not even appreciate it.

“Don’t think there’s something wrong with you,” Zheng Yun said patiently, taking Yu Xia’s hand and explaining carefully. “He nearly hit me—it was his fault. I forgave him because I wasn’t hurt. You stood up for me because you were worried about me. You did nothing wrong.”

“He’s the bad guy, you’re the good one. Even if you lost your appetite tonight because you stood up for me, it’s still his fault.” Zheng Yun soothed her like a child, her voice soft and coaxing, smoothing every ruffled feather in Yu Xia’s heart.

“I’m used to being a punching bag. I’m bad too,” Zheng Yun said, her eyes shining as she watched Yu Xia. Only when she sensed Yu Xia’s anger had subsided did she ask, “Still up for late-night snacks?”

“Yes…” Yu Xia replied. Her anger had dissipated quickly. Since Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu were treating, she wouldn’t let her anger spoil their kindness.

“Then let’s head out?” Zheng Yun breathed a sigh of relief, having successfully calmed her girlfriend. Yu Xia’s protectiveness struck the perfect balance—not overwhelming, yet fiercely protective of her interests.

“Okay…” Yu Xia nodded, then added, “You’re good too.”

Zheng Yun intertwined their fingers, her slender fingers locking with Yu Xia’s. She smiled, her brows curving gently as she nodded. “You’re good, and so am I.”

Yu Xia’s ruffled feathers had completely smoothed. She let Zheng Yun lead her forward, their hands clasped tightly.

Night had fallen completely.

The city lights glowed in the distance, less dazzling than those of a major metropolis but radiating a sense of tranquility. A cool, rainy breeze brushed against Yu Xia’s cheek, dispelling the restlessness in her heart. She calmed down, no longer dwelling on the earlier incident.

A warm, amber light illuminated the rooftop, barely illuminating a one-meter radius around the barbecue grill. Xiao Qi had brought up a Bluetooth speaker, playing a playlist that perfectly suited the rainy weather—gentle, with a female vocalist’s voice flowing softly like the night’s breeze, caressing the skin.

The earlier mishap was just a minor incident, quickly forgotten by everyone. Xiao Jiu, feeling a chill, retreated to a corner and coughed softly twice. Xiao Qi asked the others to take over grilling while she went back to fetch a hat for Xiao Jiu.

It was indeed quite cold.

Yu Xia turned to ask Zheng Yun, but before she could speak, Zheng Yun snuggled closer, whispering, “So cold… let me huddle closer, girlfriend.”

The two leaned against each other about two meters away from the others, a low stool beside them stacked with two plump, crimson tomatoes. The tomatoes nestled together, their indented circles resembling eyes staring blankly at Yu Xia.

The room was only a few steps away—she could have changed in half a minute.

Yu Xia glanced at the open door for a couple of seconds before Zheng Yun’s gaze turned her way. She quickly averted her eyes, silently suppressing her thoughts. Her meager romantic experience stemmed entirely from her lifelong single friend, Chen Zhu, who was deeply immersed in novels and films. In matters of romance, Yu Xia had already been scolded by her mentor, Chen Zhu, countless times for her lack of understanding.

In short, her sixth sense told her that some words were best left unsaid. Instead, she simply opened her left arm, allowing Zheng Yun to snuggle closer into her embrace. The soft, dry hair brushed against her cheek, strands tickling her earlobe. Yu Xia’s ear itched, and her heart fluttered with a similar sensation.

Perhaps the wind was truly strong, or Zheng Yun was simply too cold. She burrowed deeper into Yu Xia’s arms, her slender arm resting on Yu Xia’s outstretched leg. Her fingertips, coated with only a layer of clear nail polish, were rounded and translucent. Yu Xia lowered her gaze, seeing only Zheng Yun’s smooth forehead, slightly upturned nose, and rosy lips parting and closing like those of a refined cat.

A clingy breed, it seemed.

In contrast to the cool night breeze, the balcony buzzed with lively energy.

Xiao Qi came up with a hat and several bottles of ice-cold beer. The glass bottles clinked together, and glistening droplets slid down their sides, splashing onto the concrete floor. Fiery sparks erupted from the grill, illuminating the faces of those gathered around it, their eyes bright and expressions animated. Dripping oil sizzled on the scorching charcoal, flames licking up from the grill with a crackling sound.

Xiao Qi pried open a bottle, and someone immediately took it to pour the beer into paper cups. The ice-cold beer foamed vigorously, its malty aroma bursting from the collapsing bubbles. Everyone crowded around to grab a cup. A girl approached Yu Xia, carefully holding two paper cups, and asked hesitantly, “Would you like some?”

Yu Xia’s earlier aloofness had made the others somewhat wary of her. Her cold expression resembled an Antarctic iceberg—anyone who provoked her would face a harsh collision.

As the girl drew closer, she noticed that Yu Xia’s icy demeanor seemed to have melted away. Perhaps it was the warm yellow light softening her features. Her long, slightly lowered lashes veiled her usually emotionless eyes, and the corners of her normally straight mouth curved upward in a gentle smile, a stark contrast to her usual aloofness.

The girl clicked her tongue inwardly. Sure enough, anyone who falls in love melts like an iceberg. The sweet aroma of romance almost overpowered the savory scent of grilled meat. She was starting to regret bringing the drinks; she should have made the boy who messed up earlier deliver this bowl of eye-pleasing “dog food.”

“Give them to me, thank you,” Zheng Yun said, rising from Yu Xia’s embrace. She politely accepted the two chilled paper cups, instinctively flinching at the cold before smiling and thanking the girl.

The girl waved her hands dismissively. “It’s no problem at all. Do you want any grilled meat?”

Their group was large and lively, currently surrounding the grill, leaving only a small gap for smoke to escape—not enough room for anyone else to stand. Considering Yu Xia and Zheng Yun didn’t seem like the type to enjoy crowds, the girl asked out of politeness, not wanting to appear as if she were deliberately isolating them.

Zheng Yun glanced at Yu Xia, their eyes meeting. Seeing Yu Xia shake her head, she smiled and declined. “No need, you guys go ahead and eat. We’ll come over if we want anything.”

Before the girl could say anything more, someone called out to her from the crowd. She turned and responded, then looked back and asked, “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”

Zheng Yun shook her head.

The girl sat back down, this time not snuggling into Yu Xia’s arms.

A cool breeze blew in from all directions, seeping into Yu Xia’s embrace. Though she hadn’t felt cold when she first came up, she now felt a hollow ache in her chest, as if something were missing.

Zheng Yun rubbed her hands together, her palms flushed red from the icy beer.

Yu Xia suddenly understood what she needed to do. Silently, she took Zheng Yun’s hand, their palms meeting.

Her own hand wasn’t warm, but it was still warmer than Zheng Yun’s, which had just touched the ice-cold beer. The chilly palm pressed against hers, the cold creeping up her wrist. At that moment, a line from a song suddenly came to mind:

“Entangling lines suddenly grow on my palm.”

It was said that the palm held three lines governing one’s fate. Now, their palms were pressed so tightly together that their lines aligned perfectly, no one closer to each other than they were.

Thinking this, Yu Xia couldn’t help but glance at Zheng Yun’s expression.

Zheng Yun smiled, her lips pressed together, her eyes curving into crescents. She was accustomed to wearing a smile, treating everyone with warmth, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Yet that smile never reached her eyes, as if she had meticulously practiced its perfect angle in a mirror. It was her most gentle smile, flawless and impossible to fault.

Only when she faced Yu Xia did a subtle difference emerge.

The warm yellow light illuminated one side of her face, her eyes shining like moonlight on a lake, reflecting the figure of a goddess. A slender, delicate wrist reached across from the other side, pressing against her throat as she suppressed a giggle, sweetly calling out, “Girlfriend.”

Yu Xia reacted a beat too late, belatedly responding, “Hmm?”

Then her other hand was pressed into Zheng Yun’s equally cold one. Zheng Yun lowered her voice, whispering close to Yu Xia’s ear, “This hand too.”

A wave of heat surged up Yu Xia’s spine, her earlobes burning. She hadn’t even realized she had instinctively reached for Zheng Yun’s hand, nor had she anticipated Zheng Yun accepting it so naturally, as if the two of them were destined to hide in corners, holding hands.

The girl returned to the group, and Xiao Qi immediately asked what they had talked about. She answered truthfully.

Xiao Qi clicked her tongue loudly, glanced disdainfully at the two figures hidden in the shadows, and distributed the grilled skewers in her hand. “Newly coupled lovers always cling to each other. Just ignore them.”

With that, she glanced again at the pair, their four hands intertwined, and felt she couldn’t bear to watch.

Just a moment ago, when they checked in, one was like an aloof mountain flower and the other a distant peach blossom. How did they suddenly become so clingy? she wondered. It’s true what the elders say: you can’t see into people’s hearts. Who would have thought two people who seemed so hard to win over would end up winning each other over!

Muttering to herself, she picked up new skewers and placed them on the grill.

Xiao Jiu stared longingly at the fragrant skewers in Xiao Qi’s hand, wanting to eat but afraid to ask. After all, she had been the one in the wrong, acting delirious in her illness and worsening her already fragile health. Now, she could only sit pitifully behind Xiao Qi, clutching a cup of hot water.

The lively atmosphere belonged to the university students, the sweetness to Zheng Yun and Yu Xia, but the cravings were all hers.

She swallowed a mouthful of hot water to soothe the dry, itchy feeling in her throat. As she tried to look down at her phone, the screen’s light was blocked. A female voice, both exasperated and tender, offered her a skewer of mildly seasoned grilled meat. The beef, charred over charcoal, sizzled with oil, its aroma so enticing that even Xiao Jiu’s stuffy nose could detect it.

“Eat,” Xiao Qi said, pulling up a stool beside her and taking the thermos from her hand. “Try it.”

Xiao Jiu’s cold had left her nose itchy and her eyes perpetually watery, their rims red and pupils glistening with unshed tears. She looked up, deeply moved, and accepted the skewer. Tears welled up again as she took a bite, her words of gratitude still unspoken as her hand instinctively fed the grilled meat into her mouth.

Xiao Qi wiped the tears overflowing from the corners of her eyes, her expression a mix of fondness and amusement.

“Baby,” Xiao Jiu murmured, her voice small and puzzled, “why does it taste like nothing?”

“I didn’t want you to choke,” Xiao Qi said, “so I didn’t add any seasoning.”

Xiao Jiu pouted and stubbornly shoved the skewer into Xiao Qi’s arms. “It tastes bland to me. You eat it.”

Xiao Qi grinned and refused without hesitation. “If it’s not good, I won’t eat it either.”

Yu Xia watched Xiao Qi take the skewer from Xiao Jiu, her gaze lingering on the two red tomatoes and two clear glasses of beer on the low stool. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Did they really finish all the skewers?”

How did it get to the point where they’re fighting over them?

Zheng Yun muffled her laughter, afraid of drawing attention. Under Yu Xia’s puzzled gaze, she coaxed gently, “We don’t need to fight over them.”

On the stool sat two red tomatoes and two glasses of ice-cold beer. Most of the beer’s foam had dissipated, leaving only a thin layer of white bubbles swaying rhythmically with the breeze. Through Zheng Yun’s teasing, Yu Xia finally understood Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu’s behavior—it was just a lovers’ game.

Under Zheng Yun’s ambiguous gaze, Yu Xia still couldn’t bring herself to say, “We could have a drink too.” Even after Zheng Yun had called her “girlfriend” all day, she still hadn’t fully adjusted to the role.

At the time, she had simply attributed it to her personality. Only much later did she realize that for a relationship to blossom and bear fruit, it needed a solid foundation. Relationships that begin ambiguously sometimes end just as unclearly.

A cheer erupted from the crowd, as if someone, emboldened by a few extra drinks, had confessed their feelings in the heat of the moment. Since they were already close friends on a trip together, someone teased, “I knew you had a thing for her!”

The boy pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. The girl gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. “Where did you get these?”

“I know! I know!” someone shouted, raising their hand. “He ordered them in advance! He brought them back and hid them in our room when he went out to get you breakfast!”

The girl’s curly hair cascaded down her back, framing her red-and-white checkered dress. Her cheeks flushed crimson with shyness as she opened and closed her mouth, her genuine joy unmistakable. It was a classic scene of mutual affection.

The people at the back chimed in loudly, their faces brimming with excitement and teasing: “He snuck back like a thief!”

Amidst the crowd’s cheers, the boy looked up, his eyes earnest as he held the flowers. Staring into the girl’s eyes, he declared, “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Unlike those grand, face-saving dormitory confessions with candles and flowers, the girl stood hesitantly in the candlelight. Yet this still-youthful girl reached out and accepted the flowers with newfound grace. Smiling, she replied, “I’ve been waiting for you to say that for so long.”

Everyone applauded, and Zheng Yun smoothly withdrew her hand, letting the couple bask in the moment.

The girl’s friend cheered, winking playfully, “No more pretending to treat everyone to milk tea!”

Perhaps because she was now in love, Yu Xia no longer found such mutual confessions boring.

Everyone raised their cups in celebration. The boy, giddy with joy, downed three cups in quick succession, clinking glasses with everyone present. The rich, malty aroma filled the air, mirroring the intense, burgeoning emotions of the young couple.

Zheng Yun picked up the wine glass from the stool. After the night breeze swirled around it a few times, the glass was no longer icy cold. She handed it to Yu Xia, took another glass for herself, and the two women clinked glasses in a toast to the newlyweds’ love.

Watching the young couple’s flushed faces, brimming with unrestrained joy, Zheng Yun leaned gently against Yu Xia’s shoulder and murmured, “Someone who truly wants to make you happy will go to any lengths to create surprises.”

Yu Xia hummed in agreement. She had witnessed countless fleeting romances where genuine affection was absent. Money flowed freely, with flowers and gifts exchanged like water, and dates in sports cars designed to evoke envy. But true sincerity was rare; these gestures were interchangeable, the “protagonist” easily replaced.

This made genuine affection all the more precious.

“I have something I want to ask you too,” Zheng Yun murmured, her voice barely audible amidst the crowd’s chatter. Only Yu Xia, standing inches from her lips, could catch a few words.

Yu Xia suddenly felt a surge of nervousness. The sensation was akin to listening to English comprehension exercises in high school: the brief pause after the announcer read the question, before the passage began, each sentence potentially containing clues to the correct answer, demanding intense concentration.

“May I hold your hand?” Zheng Yun asked.

Her peach blossom eyes overflowed with laughter and affection, openly radiating her fondness for Yu Xia. The intensity of her gaze made Yu Xia instinctively want to look away. Composing herself, Yu Xia extended her hand and replied, “You don’t need to ask me about things like that.”

Someone in the crowd jumped up, blocking the light, and darkness fell. Yu Xia instinctively looked toward the direction of the light.

The lamp shifted until its cool beam touched her face. She lowered her head in confusion.

Warm yellow light returned, illuminating her slender, pale fingers. A simple, unadorned silver ring circled her ring finger, its clean lines perfectly complementing her understated elegance.

“Can I not ask about this either?” Zheng Yun asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes, clearly enjoying her deliberate transgression and the satisfaction of her success.

“Do you like it?” Zheng Yun covered the back of Yu Xia’s hand, revealing an identical plain silver ring on her own finger.

Yu Xia resented others intruding on her world and disrupting her habits. Yet when Zheng Yun’s presence pressed close, she only felt that she lacked the romantic finesse to offer a reply worthy of such a heartfelt gift in this moment.

“I love it,” she heard herself say.

The flickering candlelight resembled the flames on a birthday cake, and as the light rekindled, she received a gift of affection that rivaled any birthday present.

“If you like it, that’s all that matters,” Zheng Yun said, gently shaking Yu Xia’s hand, her voice soft and slightly teasing. “Does that mean I’ve finally captured you?”

“Mm,” Yu Xia added, “and I’ve captured you too.”

At weddings, the officiant would recite a long litany, asking the couple if they were willing to sacrifice and dedicate themselves to each other for life. Whenever Yu Xia attended weddings with her family, she always wondered how a mere ceremony could make two people willingly chain themselves together for the rest of their lives.

But now she understood. It wasn’t the ceremony that bound them, but the mutual pursuit of each other’s hearts. When hearts drew infinitely closer, every sacrifice felt willingly made.

Just like now, she willingly intertwined her life with Zheng Yun’s, blurring the lines between them.

As the evening progressed, the atmosphere among the college students grew livelier. After several rounds of drinks, everyone was loudly discussing the future, while Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu had pulled up chairs in a corner to whisper secrets. No one noticed two figures quietly slip away.

The two women moved with utmost stealth, slipping back into Zheng Yun’s room without alerting anyone. Even the door closed with a soft click. They didn’t bother turning on the lights; the streetlights outside cast a faint glow, projecting the window’s silhouette onto the ceiling. The swaying leaves outside sent dancing shadows across the room.

The shifting light traced the delicate lines of Zheng Yun’s profile, her long hair cascading over her shoulder. They stood so close their breaths mingled, their lips nearly brushing with each word.

Zheng Yun’s arms draped loosely around Yu Xia’s neck, her fingers barely pressing against her collarbone. Tilting her head back, she whispered, her lips grazing Yu Xia’s corner of the mouth again and again, like a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface, never quite landing.

Outside, the party roared with laughter and toasts, the revelry at its peak. Through the thin door, Zheng Yun hooked her leg around Yu Xia’s and murmured, “Don’t you think we look like we’re having a secret affair?”

The question made Yu Xia momentarily feel as if their relationship was something shameful, hidden away in the shadows, their private moments stolen in secret.

The thought hardened her resolve. “No,” she replied coldly.

Zheng Yun chuckled softly, her fingertip tracing Yu Xia’s earlobe, sending a shiver through her. Yu Xia nearly flinched away, almost bumping into Zheng Yun’s lowered head. Zheng Yun countered, “If you weren’t afraid of the ‘official wife’ finding out, why are you being so stiff?”

Yu Xia was simply nervous. Yesterday, swept up in emotion, she had acted purely on instinct. Tonight, without the match to ignite the fuse, her rationality had returned. She scrutinized every movement, every answer, desperate not to ruin the mood.

But things seemed to be going against her wishes.

Yu Xia pursed her lips, uncharacteristically disliking her own awkwardness. After a moment’s hesitation, she whispered, “I don’t know what to do.”

Should she kiss Zheng Yun now, letting things progress naturally? But Zheng Yun seemed to have more to say. Or should she say something to improve the atmosphere? She was terrified of saying the wrong thing.

Zheng Yun gently pinched her earlobe, soothing her with a tender voice, “Relax, I’m not going to bite.”

The lingering warmth from yesterday’s intimacy still hung in the air. The darkness nurtured their feelings, and shadowy desires crept across the floor, yearning to fan the flames higher.

Legend told of the Siren, a sea nymph whose enchanting song lured sailors to their doom, trapping them in illusions and driving them to plunge into the abyss. Beside Yu Xia’s ear was a voice even more alluring than the Siren’s, teasing her, tempting her, making her want to spread her arms and leap off the cliff, even with her eyes wide open.

What awaited her wasn’t a man-eating demoness, but the arms of her lover.

It was impossible to say who had first lit the flame, who had poured the oil, or who had fanned the embers. By the time Yu Xia groggily lifted her head, the conversation outside the window had already shifted to a new topic.

Zheng Yun lay watching her, her eyes shining like stars in the pitch-black room, fixed on Yu Xia without wavering. The window remained open, its glass reflecting the faint glow from the rooftop. Just a few meters apart, the two women dared not move too much, as if they were thieves.

“You’re doing so well,” Zheng Yun praised, one hand gently holding Yu Xia’s hair while the other caressed her chin. “You’ve improved since yesterday.”

The chatter outside shifted again.

“Did those two beautiful sisters leave just now?” someone asked.

“Probably. I haven’t seen them around.”

“Don’t you think they’re gorgeous? I’ve never seen anyone prettier online, and they’re just selling themselves locally?”

Yu Xia froze.

She even tilted her head back.

Zheng Yun pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile. She always felt like Yu Xia was a lion king patrolling her territory, ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble.

“Even if you weren’t trying to ‘sell’ yourself, no one would be interested,” a girl said coolly. “Did you look in a matte mirror this morning?”

“I never said anyone would be interested in me,” the boy replied, unfazed by the jabs. He chuckled. “They just look so good together.”

Zheng Yun whispered a translation to Yu Xia: “He said we look good together.”

Yu Xia buried her face in Zheng Yun’s neck, her breath tickling Zheng Yun’s skin. Zheng Yun scratched the back of Yu Xia’s head until Yu Xia reluctantly shifted back a little and murmured, “So… why do you like me?”

“You’re beautiful,” Zheng Yun said bluntly, now that they were alone. “I want to sleep with you.”

“Is that all?” Yu Xia asked, her voice muffled. It wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear.

Zheng Yun wrapped her arms around Yu Xia and gently patted her lower back, laughing softly. “The most important thing is…”

“I think we’d be really happy together.”

The atmosphere in the room was even more silent than the moon.

Just as the dry wood was about to burst into flames, Yu Xia suddenly remembered she hadn’t brought finger cots. She sat up, intending to fetch them, but Zheng Yun caught her hand.

“I have some here,” Zheng Yun said.

Under Yu Xia’s confused gaze, Zheng Yun pulled several finger cots from a drawer.

Yu Xia pressed her lips together, reluctant to take them.

She knew it all along. She was just a fish Zheng Yun had reeled in. It just so happened that she was attractive, that they’d met that day, and that they were staying at the same inn. And she was so easily fooled, falling for Zheng Yun’s tricks without a second thought.

Apart from a fisherman always ready to cast his line, who else would carry bait at all times?

“Are you angry?” Zheng Yun tilted her head, studying Yu Xia’s dejected figure.

Bathed in the soft yet bright glow of the streetlights through the window, Yu Xia kept her lips pressed into a straight line, refusing to speak.

“Are you really angry?” Zheng Yun pressed again, her eyes brimming with barely concealed amusement as she reached for Yu Xia’s hand. Yu Xia silently and decisively withdrew her hand, tucking it behind her back. If it weren’t for the hurried footsteps outside the door, she would have turned and fled back to her own room immediately.

“Xiao Qi gave them to me,” Zheng Yun explained, seeing Yu Xia’s genuine anger. “They bought new ones that day, and I happened to be there when they opened the package. I mentioned how good this brand was, and they said they’d give me a few to try sometime.”

Yu Xia’s expression remained unchanged.

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask Xiao Qi or even check the security footage,” Zheng Yun straightened her posture, her face radiating righteousness as she prepared to swear an oath. “Or I can swear an oath right now.”

Yu Xia was already half-convinced. She had just glanced at the finger cots under the light and confirmed they were the same brand as the ones Xiao Jiu had given her.

Motorcycle gang members roared past on the street below, the engines shaking the floor. Zheng Yun raised four fingers and solemnly swore, enunciating each word: “If I am insincere toward Yu Xia, if I betray her trust, may I be hit by a car the moment I step outside…”

Yu Xia clamped her hand over Zheng Yun’s mouth.

Zheng Yun’s waterfall-like hair cascaded over the edge of the bed, sweat streaming down her jawline, dampening the summer night’s glow. Tilting her head back, she could see the reflection of tree branches in the glass window, unsure if they were swaying in the wind or if it was her own trembling.

Shadows dappled the ground, and voices murmured softly. Zheng Yun closed her eyes, her lips pressed tightly together, afraid to make a sound. She moved cautiously, like a timid kitten, daring only to extend her slender claws to scratch at something.

When her long leg, draped over Yu Xia’s arm, twitched, Yu Xia froze. Another twitch, and Yu Xia withdrew her fingers. After this back-and-forth, Zheng Yun felt utterly frustrated. She covered her face with her arm and rasped, “Stop tormenting me.”

If Yu Xia weren’t so inexperienced, Zheng Yun would have suspected her of being a seasoned player, someone who could drive her to the brink with a casual scratch.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Yu Xia asked, frowning as she stared at her hand. She had no experience in this area and had been too busy to research beforehand. If only she had read the strategy guide Xiao Jiu had given her…

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun said, her anger turning into a bitter laugh, “have you ever owned a cat?”

Yu Xia shook her head honestly. “No.”

“When you pet a cat and it’s uncomfortable, it will kick you away and run off,” Zheng Yun said, half-complaining, half-teasing. Yu Xia was acting like a first-time cat owner, rushing to the vet at the slightest sign of trouble, like a cat napping after overeating.

Zheng Yun was at a loss for how to teach her more. This was her first time guiding someone through this, and she had no more experience than Yu Xia.

After listening to Zheng Yun’s explanation, Yu Xia pondered for a moment before realization dawned on her.

“So… it doesn’t hurt?” she asked, resuming her attempts.

Zheng Yun, still caught up in their earlier conversation, was suddenly pulled back into the moment, letting out a muffled groan.

“Keep it down,” Yu Xia said coldly, her movements relentless. “Don’t let anyone hear us.”

Zheng Yun couldn’t even catch her breath enough to speak. Yu Xia was too quick a learner, applying what she’d learned in school to this new situation. Having grasped the technique, she was both clumsy and direct, forcing Zheng Yun to bury her face in the pillow to stifle the sounds escaping her lips.

Now that Yu Xia had grasped the technique, she gave Zheng Yun no respite. Her foot arched tautly, then trembled, but Yu Xia didn’t stop. Only when Zheng Yun frantically grabbed her hand, begging her to stop through choked sobs, did she finally relent.

“Was I doing okay?” Yu Xia asked earnestly, peeling off her finger sheath.

Zheng Yun struggled to sit up and embrace her. Yu Xia wrapped her arms around Zheng Yun’s waist, holding her close. Their sweat mingled, and Yu Xia felt a dampness on her thigh—a silent affirmation of her efforts.

“Did I do well?” Zheng Yun murmured, her eyes half-closed as she leaned against Yu Xia’s shoulder. She shivered slightly from the cold wind streaming through the window, then burrowed deeper into Yu Xia’s embrace, her soft chest and close-pressed heartbeat bringing her pleasure. “I want more next time.”

Both Zheng Yun’s reaction and words deeply soothed Yu Xia. Zheng Yun’s warm hair brushed against her ear again and again as she sighed contentedly.

“Next time, I can do even better,” Yu Xia replied when Zheng Yun was nearly asleep.

“Good,” Zheng Yun lifted her head, meeting Yu Xia’s gaze at close range. She blinked. “There’s something else I haven’t told you yet.”

“What is it?” Almost as soon as Yu Xia finished speaking, fireworks boomed across the sky, followed by cheers from the crowd on the rooftop, their voices echoing the distant explosions.

“Such beautiful fireworks!” someone shouted outside.

Yu Xia and Zheng Yun turned simultaneously to look out the window. Multicolored trails of light streaked across the night sky, painting it in vibrant hues. With no moon to compete, the dazzling fireworks were the sole stars of the night.

“What were you about to say?” Yu Xia glanced at the fireworks twice before turning her attention back to Zheng Yun, more interested in the words she hadn’t yet spoken.

“I was saying…” Zheng Yun stared out the window at the endless bursts of fireworks, her rosy lips parting and closing.

As she spoke the last few words, her gaze shifted, the distant fireworks unable to penetrate her radiant eyes. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only Yu Xia illuminated before her.

Another explosion echoed.

“I didn’t hear you clearly,” Yu Xia said. Zheng Yun’s voice was too soft; Yu Xia could only barely make out a few words from her lip movements, unable to piece together a complete sentence.

“I said—” Zheng Yun raised her voice.

“To our bright future! Cheers!” In the next room, the crowd raised their glasses, cheering wildly.

The clamor of the crowd surged in waves from outside the window. A small dog, frightened by the fireworks, barked frantically; a child wailed loudly; in the distance, a young couple, oblivious to the noise, shouted declarations of love; a scooter alarm blared; car horns blared; and the grand finale of the fireworks display continued, fiery spheres blooming into vibrant colors across the sky.

Zheng Yun sat in Yu Xia’s lap, her damp bangs clinging to her forehead, her eyes fixed intently on Yu Xia’s.

Yu Xia finally understood.

“Excuse me,” Zheng Yun asked, “would you… be my… girlfriend?”