As She Wished (GL) - Chapter 11
As her words fell, Gu Qingci let out a soft chuckle.
It was a low laugh with a hint of breath, clear and slightly husky, continuously amplifying and echoing in Fu Jing’s heart, soft and ticklish.
The blush on Fu Jing’s cheeks rapidly spread to her ears. Her breathing unconsciously slowed, and her entire body stiffened, feeling as though her soul had been ensnared by Gu Qingci.
Gu Qingci’s smiling gaze fixed on her. “Why aren’t you speaking?”
Fu Jing was utterly speechless: “…”
She suddenly noticed that when Gu Qingci smiled like that, there was a tiny dimple near her cheek. Her eyes shimmered, breathtakingly beautiful.
Fu Jing stared, almost unable to recover her senses.
She had a fleeting illusion that her feelings for Gu Qingci weren’t merely interest or a crush at first sight, but rather a kind of love and obsession that required her utmost effort to control.
Gu Qingci also observed her… a child whose emotions were entirely written on her face.
A clean, soft little white flower blooming vibrantly in an ivory tower.
Transparent and clear, a child from a completely different world than her.
Until she saw that unusual look. A longing for her shone through those inky, almond-shaped eyes, a feeling so rich and intertwined it seemed to transcend time and space.
“…”
Gu Qingci slightly averted her gaze, pursing her lips. The playful teasing she had felt suddenly vanished completely. A hint of alarm surfaced, an emotion that came inexplicably and unfamiliar, yet it somewhat broke her composure.
She quickly raised her glass, finished her wine, stood up, and said, “I was just joking with you. Don’t take it to heart.”
Fu Jing froze, then quickly stood up and followed her out. “Are you going home?”
Gu Qingci affirmed.
“You can’t drive after drinking. Let me take you; I have a driver’s license.”
“No need.”
Gu Qingci went downstairs and turned, telling Tao Xian: “I’m heading back. Please get a designated driver for me from nearby.”
Behind her, Fu Jing raised her hand high, desperately winking and signaling to Tao Xian: Me! Me! Me!
Tao Xian then directly pointed at Fu Jing and said, “There, the closest one to you.”
Fu Jing quickly advertised: “Free and reliable! Excellent skills! Trust me, sis!”
“Forget it,” Gu Qingci completely ignored her and said to Tao Xian, “I’ll just contact one myself.”
Fu Jing edged closer to her, lowering her eyes, pouting pitifully as she mumbled, “Why don’t you use me? Do I look that unreliable?”
Gu Qingci’s home wasn’t close from here. If she really let Fu Jing drive, she’d worry about the kid’s safety at night. Of course, she didn’t intend to tell her the truth.
Gu Qingci simply nodded: “Yes.”
“Don’t you know you can’t judge a book by its cover…” Fu Jing’s tone was slightly annoyed. Her gaze lifted, and she suddenly noticed the empty marble countertop nearby, where she had arm-wrestled everyone and won from start to finish.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. “How about this: you arm wrestle with me. If you win, let me drive you home. If you lose, then pretend I never said anything.”
Gu Qingci shook her head, not even considering it. She took out her phone, scrolled through her contacts for a designated driver’s number, and said, “It’s not necessary.”
“Are you scared? Scared that you’re so tall but not as strong as me? You fear you can’t beat me!”
Fu Jing’s goading was quite childish.
It had no effect whatsoever.
Gu Qingci found the phone number she needed and started walking towards the door.
Fu Jing followed behind her, continuing to raise the stakes: “Sister, if you can beat me, I’ll let you order me around and use me however you want for the next month. I’ll listen to everything you say; if you tell me to go east, I absolutely won’t look west! How about it? Please?”
Gu Qingci stopped at her words.
Fu Jing didn’t have time to brake and almost bumped into her back, retreating half a step.
Gu Qingci turned around, and realized their distance was a bit too close. She paused, then naturally reached out and ruffled Fu Jing’s head. “Alright, if you want to compete, then compete.”
“Mm,” Fu Jing swallowed. She walked over, pulled out a chair, sat down, and positioned herself. She cleared her throat and said, “Let’s have a match!”
She feigned composure, but her heart was pounding wildly from Gu Qingci’s natural, intimate gesture.
Her hands even felt a little weak.
“…”
Gu Qingci sat down, calmly holding Fu Jing’s hand, and hadn’t even had time to speak.
Then she saw the child who had just been sitting upright, as if victory was already in her grasp, suddenly bury her face in her arm, completely flushed, and softly hum, “Wait a minute! Let me calm my heartbeat first!”
Fu Jing held Gu Qingci’s hand, feeling as though all her focus was concentrated on the soft, delicate touch. Her whole body felt weak. Like a little puppy being petted, she truly couldn’t summon any strength.
If she started like this, she probably wouldn’t be able to beat her.
“Wait a moment.”
Fu Jing stood up, turned, and called Tao Xian over to act as the referee and call “start.” Then she hopped a few times, doing stretching exercises.
Finally, she closed her eyes and hypnotized herself: “This is just a beautiful stranger whom I do not know.”
After the self-hypnosis, she became calm and composed.
Fu Jing, still with her eyes closed, said coolly, “Sister Anjiu, call ‘start’.”
“…”
Gu Qingci: “…”
She subtly tilted her face, suppressing a helpless smile, and nodded to Tao Xian.
Tao Xian placed her hand on both of theirs: “Three, two, one, start!”
She released them, and the two began to arm wrestle seriously.
Fu Jing found Gu Qingci’s strength surprisingly great. If it weren’t for the soft, delicate hand she held, she would almost suspect it was a man opposite her.
She had never lost an arm wrestle to a girl.
She rarely lost even to boys in her junior high class.
This time, using all her might, she barely managed to keep from being completely pushed down.
Fu Jing couldn’t help but open her eyes. She saw Gu Qingci’s lips slightly pursed, her expression as calm as ever. One could tell she was also exerting herself, but she didn’t look as desperate as Fu Jing.
The two wrestled slightly to the left, then slightly to the right, and then it became a stalemate.
It looked like it was hard to tell who would win.
Fu Jing thought that most girls lacked stamina, but she was still strong, so she should be able to last until the end. She held her breath, pushing hard, but after a while, Gu Qingci’s strength seemed endless, becoming as steady as a mountain the longer they wrestled. Fu Jing could barely move her hand anymore.
“Sister, you’re so beautiful today,” Fu Jing stabilized her breathing, putting on a fawning smile, trying to butter her up. “Although you’re always beautiful, you’re exceptionally, exceptionally beautiful today.”
“…” Gu Qingci chuckled faintly, “Really?”
Completely unmoved.
Fu Jing gritted her teeth. First, she managed to maintain the stalemate. Then, with a desperate resolve, she began to act shamelessly, “Sister, I actually don’t want to let go of you at all. Can we just hold hands like this forever? Your hands are so strong, and tonight you can even…”
In a few seconds, Gu Qingci’s strength in her hand significantly loosened.
Fu Jing’s lips instantly curled upward. She suppressed her delight, thinking, *Even though this move is a bit shameless, why bother with shame if it means winning!*
She could be shameless and disregard martial ethics, but she could not lose!
Just as Fu Jing was secretly chuckling slyly, wanting to press her advantage and win in one fell swoop, Gu Qingci suddenly increased her strength and completely pushed her arm down.
She lost in an instant.
Fu Jing: “…”
Author’s Note:
Includes a short, irresponsible skit about what a younger person’s internal monologue would be if an older person said that phrase.
Examples:
Tong Mingyue: “Better to stir a thousand rivers than disturb a Taoist’s heart.”
Xu Can: What does that mean? She knows… Is this a hint or a warning…?
••••
Gu Qingyun: “Better to stir a thousand rivers than disturb a Taoist’s heart.”
Tong Yao: A thunderbolt from a clear sky… You’re actually a monk?!!!
••••
Gu Qingci: “Better to stir a thousand rivers than disturb a Taoist’s heart.”
Fu Jing: Disturbed heart? She said her heart is disturbed because of me!!! Haha, I knew she liked me!!!