Flirting Under Favor (GL) - Chapter 12
Classes, playing games, club activities… Wang Lin’s university life was ordinary yet fulfilling. She chatted with Mu Fan every day. Mu Fan was relatively busy, and their chat history was sporadic but never broken, slowly developing into a small spark of connection.
After Wang Lin agreed to lend her car to Fan Bei Bei for a joyride, her relationship with Fan Bei Bei successfully upgraded to friendship. In the afternoon, after returning home, Wang Lin received a WeChat message from Fan Bei Bei.
Fan Bei Bei: “Going mountain climbing this weekend, wanna come?”
Fan Bei Bei attached an emoji with eyes full of anticipation, showing how much she wanted Wang Lin to join.
Mountain climbing?
Wang Lin was a bit hesitant. She knew her own stamina well and was genuinely afraid she’d collapse halfway up the mountain.
Wang Lin: “Don’t want to go, it sounds too tiring.”
Fan Bei Bei sent a speechless emoji: “It’s a good chance to exercise! Look how frail you are!”
Fan Bei Bei: “Come on, come on!”
Wang Lin lifted her arm, clenched her fist, and tried to squeeze out a tiny bit of bicep. She recalled her experience with the Volunteer Association last semester. Recently, when she participated in volunteer activities, the leader seemed to see that she was pampered and delicate, only assigning her light tasks. Yet, it still exhausted her quite a bit, making her go home to seek comfort from Mu Fan, after which she immediately collapsed into sleep.
It was true; she really should get some exercise.
Wang Lin: “Alright then.”
Fan Bei Bei: “Yay! That saves us the cab fare!”
Wang Lin was speechless, thinking, You really are direct.
Fan Bei Bei: “Your bodyguard will help us carry things, right?”
Wang Lin: “…”
Wang Lin: “I seriously doubt you invited me out of friendship.”
Fan Bei Bei: “My love for you is witnessed by heaven and earth!”
Wang Lin was speechless again. What was with this talk of love? It was too mushy.
Afterward, Fan Bei Bei gave her the details, setting the meeting time for Sunday. Wang Lin “mhm-mhm-mhm’d” in agreement.
She habitually scratched her head, thinking of Mu Fan. Come to think of it, since the two times she slept over at Mu Fan’s place right after they met, the two hadn’t seen each other in person, although they frequently played games together while on voice chat and talked every day on Penguin (QQ).
Wang Lin wondered if she should invite Mu Fan along. Although Mu Fan was busy with work, she should be free on the weekend, right? If she invited her, she probably wouldn’t refuse, Wang Lin thought confidently.
She didn’t think too much longer and made up her mind—she would invite Mu Fan to come along.
In the evening, as they were idling in the game in Taiyuan, burning game time, Wang Lin told Mu Fan her plan: “Fan Bei Bei and the others invited me to go mountain climbing this weekend.”
“Mountain climbing?” Mu Fan recalled how Wang Lin panted just climbing six flights of stairs and voiced her doubt, “Are you sure you can handle it?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Are you looking down on me?”
Mu Fan wouldn’t dare admit she was looking down on her, saying: “Then go for it. A little exercise is good.”
Wang Lin was silent for a moment. Then, she asked carefully: “Do you have time? Want to come with us?”
Mu Fan answered very quickly and decisively: “I can. When? Saturday or Sunday?”
Wang Lin was overjoyed that Mu Fan agreed so easily: “Sunday!”
“Okay, then I’ll see you on Sunday.”
“I’ll come pick you up.”
Mu Fan was silent for a moment.
“Okay.”
“That’s great! I was afraid you wouldn’t go.”
Mu Fan said: “If you invite me, of course I’ll go.”
Wang Lin took this to heart, feeling warmth inside, and her mood for the entire evening turned pink.
“Mhm.”
Wang Lin mused that Fan Bei Bei definitely wouldn’t expect her to get Mu Fan to come along. She decided not to tell her, so she could surprise her later.
They were finally going to meet again.
Wang Lin lay in bed, a slight upward curve on her lips.
Ending her day of work, Mu Fan returned home—if the place she lived alone counted as home. She cooked, ate, cleaned up, showered, and after handling some work messages, habitually started the game.
She was usually a “salted fish” (casual player) in this game, logging on only once or twice a week. But recently, she had been online almost every day. Her in-game friends noticed the anomaly and all asked why she was suddenly so diligent. Mu Fan brushed them off, saying work wasn’t as busy. Only she knew the real reason.
Wang Lin, like many gaming noobs, had a strong interest and curiosity about the game. However, Wang Lin only knew Mu Fan in the game and didn’t seem to have any intention of meeting others. Mu Fan had accepted her as a disciple. Masters in J3 were generally very responsible toward noobs, and Mu Fan was no exception. She couldn’t possibly abandon Wang Lin. How could she be so heartless? Therefore, she logged on every day to play with Wang Lin.
Mu Fan gave herself a reasonable explanation.
She closed the computer and stretched her body with her arms wide. Wang Lin invited her to go mountain climbing together. Thinking of her routine life of home-to-work and back, she figured she should go out and get some activity. Remembering a certain someone, Mu Fan smiled slightly, involuntarily.
She missed her a bit.
The girl was very pretty but shy and withdrawn, almost with social anxiety, yet on the flip side, she was very soft, adorable, and clingy.
Quite cute.
Sunday quickly arrived amid the anticipation. Since she also had to pick up Mu Fan, Wang Lin woke up very early. After getting ready, she drove straight to Mu Fan’s residence.
She felt both excited and nervous along the way, full of expectation. She let her bodyguard, Si Qing, drive, freeing her hands to contact Mu Fan.
Arriving at Mu Fan’s place again, Wang Lin couldn’t help but frown slightly; the environment was simply too poor.
Before the car reached Mu Fan’s building, Wang Lin saw a familiar figure from afar, standing by the dilapidated roadside, hands in her pockets, her long hair blowing in the wind. As if hearing the car’s movement, the figure turned and looked over, showing a happy smile.
It was Mu Fan!
Wang Lin poked her head out the window, waving to Mu Fan from a distance.
When the car drove up to Mu Fan, Wang Lin couldn’t wait any longer. She opened the car door and jumped out.
“Mu Fan~”
She immediately wrapped her arms around Mu Fan’s slender waist, rubbing against her and acting spoiled like a kitten.
Still so clingy.
Mu Fan returned her embrace, putting her arms around her for a moment before letting go.
“You’re here so early,” Mu Fan said casually as a greeting.
Wang Lin took it seriously and asked: “Am I early? Did you get enough sleep?” She was afraid she had arrived too early, forcing Mu Fan to wake up prematurely without enough rest.
Mu Fan heard the concern in her voice, and a smile appeared: “I slept enough.”
“That’s good,” Wang Lin said. “Let’s get in the car and go pick up Bei Bei and the others.” After speaking, she pulled Mu Fan into the back seat. Si Qing quietly restarted the car and headed towards the university.
Mu Fan was dressed casually today, in long, straight-leg jeans paired with a hoodie. Stripped of her professional attire, her hair was also tied up, revealing her entire delicate face. This made her look much younger, around the same age as Wang Lin, which brightened Wang Lin’s eyes.
Wang Lin said: “You look a bit different today.”
“How am I different?”
“Like a student.”
Mu Fan pretended to ponder: “I am a student, though.”
Only then did Wang Lin realize: Yes, Mu Fan was a student.
“Oh,” Wang Lin said awkwardly, scratching her head. “You work every day; I actually forgot.”
Mu Fan was somewhat speechless.
The car quickly arrived at the university. Fan Bei Bei, Yu Sheng, and Huang Xi were waving at them at the school gate.
After parking the car, Si Qing voluntarily got out. If she continued to drive, one of the five people in their group would have to sit alone.
“Well, you’re finally here!” Fan Bei Bei cried out, running to the car door to complain, and then she saw Mu Fan sitting inside. She covered her mouth with her small hand and stammered, “Mu-Mu Fan.”
Yu Sheng, who hadn’t moved far away, raised her eyebrows upon hearing Mu Fan’s name. She was curious: Mu Fan was here too?
She walked over. Mu Fan and Wang Lin had already gotten out of the car.
“Mu Fan? I didn’t expect you to be here.” Yu Sheng was very pleased. She knew Mu Fan was busy with work, a hardworking person who was either working overtime or self-improving, and rarely participated in social activities like this.
“Mhm. Wang Lin invited me,” Mu Fan stated the truth.
Fan Bei Bei, who had recovered from her surprise, heard Mu Fan’s words and was immediately full of admiration for Wang Lin: “Wow! I didn’t realize you had so much pull; you actually managed to get Boss Mu Fan to come!”
“Not really,” Wang Lin was a little embarrassed and habitually touched her head. She tended to scratch her head when thinking or feeling shy, a very cute trait. Mu Fan had already noticed this and smiled quietly, watching her.
It was a late winter, early spring morning. The sun was rising, its lazy light shining obliquely on the bare, deciduous trees, on the dark, bluish road surface, on the red Mercedes car, and on the few pedestrians passing by. White birds flew overhead. Various colors intertwined, like a bright, tranquil watercolor painting.
Mu Fan turned her head and glanced at the red sun on the distant horizon. The wind was still cool, and her loose strands of hair turned golden.
For a moment, she seemed to understand a little bit about what it meant to live. She woke up early for work every day, spending her mornings underground in the subway. As soon as she exited the subway, she’d sit in the office all day. Even when she occasionally went out, it was always in a rush. She didn’t dare to slack off on weekends either, either working overtime or studying.
She looked at the magnificent sky and thought, This is what life must be like.
Life was quietly changing without her realizing it.
She turned back and said in a relaxed manner: “Let’s get in the car and go.”
“I’ll drive! I’ll drive!” Fan Bei Bei rushed to the driver’s seat first.
She had chosen the location and was familiar with the route, so since she wanted to drive, no one objected.
Huang Xi took the passenger seat. Fan Bei Bei glared at her irritably. Huang Xi glared back as usual, crossing her arms, unyielding.
The rest of the people got into the car one by one. After Wang Lin settled in next to Mu Fan, the car started moving. Wang Lin quietly asked her: “What were you just thinking?” Mu Fan’s brief gaze into the distance had not escaped her eyes.
“You guess.”
Wang Lin was a little displeased. How was she supposed to guess?
“I was thinking about life.”
Putting on airs.
Wang Lin frowned slightly.
Mu Fan turned her body slightly towards her, facing Wang Lin, and said to her in a gentle voice: “You can call me when you go out to have fun again in the future.”
Only the people in the back seat could hear her lowered voice. Yu Sheng heard it, a look of slight surprise on her face.
Wang Lin found Mu Fan’s sudden low voice a little strange but didn’t dwell on it. Of course, she was happy if Mu Fan was willing.
She also lowered her voice and answered: “Okay.”
Mu Fan turned and looked at her old friend, Yu Sheng, and just smiled at her.
The atmosphere felt a little strange. Mu Fan and Yu Sheng didn’t speak, yet it seemed like they were communicating something telepathically.
“That’s good,” Yu Sheng said with a smile after a few seconds.
Mu Fan looked at Wang Lin again, her eyes seeming to say: What do you think?
“Aren’t you supposed to be busy with work?” Wang Lin said, her tone being 80% statement and 20% imperceptible complaint.
Yu Sheng answered Wang Lin on Mu Fan’s behalf: “Time is like water in a sponge; you can always squeeze some out if you’re willing. Life is short, so you still have to take some time to appreciate its beauty.”
Mu Fan straightened up and said: “Exactly.” She knew Yu Sheng’s words were actually meant for her.
“Mhm,” Wang Lin nodded, half-understanding.