Getting Caught Up In His Cycle Of Passionate Love - Chapter 20
“Actually, I’ve liked you for a really, really long time.”
Maybe friendship is just about going along with the craziest plans—saying, “You’re nuts,” while still following along and doing ridiculous things together.
Just like now.
Xu Tao Yue hadn’t brought anything for a hike, yet she was charging straight up the mountain.
Halfway up, there was a small pavilion. The four of them sat down and couldn’t stop laughing—probably laughing at themselves for agreeing to Ye Wan’s absurd plan and now being exhausted halfway up.
“Stop laughing, it just makes us look even dumber,” Xia Xiang Yang muttered sincerely, head down.
Xu Tao Yue patted his shoulder.
“I mean, to be fair, Xia Xiang Yang is pretty dumb.”
Xia Xiang Yang: “…”
Ye Wan chimed in,
“She’s right, Taozi always makes sense.”
Ye Wan: Hehe.
Xu Tao Yue hugged Ye Wan.
“Unlike our smart, smart Wan Wan, dragging us up a mountain in the middle of the night.”
Ye Wan: “…”
Ye Wan: Not hehe.
After all the teasing, they were truly tired. Ye Wan leaned on Xia Xiang Yang’s shoulder and dozed off for a bit.
Xu Tao Yue noticed the others had fallen asleep and quietly got up, walking over to a small flowerbed nearby where she’d seen earlier. She sat there, enjoying the breeze.
The full moon was coming soon. Right now, the moon wasn’t quite round—it looked a bit flattened. But Xu Tao Yue’s mood couldn’t be better.
Looking back on everything so far, she felt genuinely happy. With Lu Que, Ye Wan, and Xia Xiang Yang—none of them seemed exactly like their characters in the original book.
Only recently had Xu Tao Yue realized that what the author wanted readers to see… wasn’t necessarily what was real.
After sitting at the flowerbed for a few minutes, Lu Que came over.
It was a little cold on the mountain, and his voice had a slight tremble:
“Xu Tao Yue.”
She turned to look at him.
Lu Que walked over and sat beside her.
“What are you doing here?”
Xu Tao Yue shook her head and scooted over a bit.
“Couldn’t sleep. Nothing to do, so I came to get some air.”
“Be careful. It’s cold at night in the mountains—big temperature difference.”
Xu Tao Yue smiled. “Lu Que, are you worried about me again?”
Lu Que: “…”
Since Xu Tao Yue returned after a year away, Lu Que had felt restless.
“Xu Tao Yue… sometimes I really can’t figure you out.”
“Why?” It was the first time she’d heard him speak so directly about her.
“You seem like you think a lot. But other times… I just can’t read you.”
Xu Tao Yue looked down.
“Don’t try to figure me out on your own. If you want to know something, just ask.”
She felt like she couldn’t keep pretending anymore. At first, it had felt like she had full control—that she could even recite the plot of the original novel by heart.
But now, everything seemed to be straying from the script. The world around her felt too real, and it made her feel less and less secure.
Xu Tao Yue lowered her head. She didn’t know how to respond. If Lu Que had really sensed something, she wanted to tell him everything—no more secrets.
But how?
Should she tell him she’s not even from this world?
Or that she knows everyone’s ending?
She had never really thought about how she’d explain it all if that moment ever came.
But Lu Que shook his head. He could see she was holding something back.
“When you’re ready to tell me everything, I’ll be here to listen.”
Xu Tao Yue froze. She looked up at him. The moonlight bathed him in a soft glow, and his sharp features seemed gentler than ever.
She nodded.
“Thank you.”
Lu Que draped his jacket over her shoulders.
“No need to thank me.”
Eventually, Xu Tao Yue drifted off to sleep. When she woke up, Lu Que was still beside her, leaning on her shoulder.
She looked down at him—his chiseled face looked unexpectedly peaceful, and he was sleeping so quietly.
Their hands were intertwined. Maybe it had gotten colder in the second half of the night, but her hand had slipped into his palm—and stayed there.
She didn’t dare move. Instead, she gently touched his cheek.
So soft.
Xu Tao Yue giggled quietly to herself, glanced at the time, and saw it was about half an hour till six. She decided not to sleep anymore and just silently watched him.
Leaning in close, she whispered by his ear:
“Lu Que…”
He shifted slightly and tightened his grip on her hand—but didn’t wake up.
“Actually… I’ve liked you for a long, long time.”
“Way longer than you’d ever imagine.”
By the time everyone else woke up, it was almost seven.
Even though she was the first one awake, Xu Tao Yue had somehow fallen asleep again—and worst of all, she DROOLED on Lu Que’s shoulder!
She wanted to die of embarrassment. Covering her face, she refused to look at anyone.
Lu Que chuckled and handed her a tissue.
“What were you dreaming about?”
Xu Tao Yue refused to answer.
She had dreamt of a line of handsome guys calling her “big sis.”
No way she was admitting that. She wasn’t dumb.
Lu Que saw how red her ears were and smiled.
“Come on, weren’t we headed to the top?”
Ye Wan handed her a wet wipe and went ahead with Xia Xiang Yang, leaving behind a flustered Xu Tao Yue and the ever-composed Lu Que.
“Did you call my name this morning?”
Xu Tao Yue, still out of it:
“Huh?”
“Never mind.” Lu Que dropped the question. She fixed up her appearance and finally calmed down a little.
“Why are those two walking so fast today? Normally they can’t even make it halfway. What’s gotten into them?”
Right then, a message popped up in the group chat.
Night:
“We’re already at the top. You two better hurry!”
PeachyPeachy:
“No way! You two struggle to even run 800 meters—how’d you beat us up there?!”
Summer:
“What can I say… someone just had to make a bet with me. And they lost.”
The moment Xia Xiang Yang said that, Xu Tao Yue knew what was up.
Those two definitely made a childish bet about who could get to the top first.
She muttered,
“They’re so immature. I bet they’re both lying on the ground now, completely winded.”
Lu Que smiled slightly.
“How can you say that?”
“You don’t believe me?” Xu Tao Yue raised an eyebrow.
Lu Que nodded, then shook his head.
“Hmph, wanna bet?” she challenged.
“You’re calling them childish, and now you’re betting too?” he teased.
Xu Tao Yue didn’t care.
“Just say whether you’re in or not!”
“What’s the loser have to do?”
She gave him a mischievous grin.
“Easy. Whoever loses has to carry the winner down the mountain.”
Lu Que nodded.
“Deal.”
Xu Tao Yue confidently opened WeChat and started a video call with Ye Wan.
A few seconds later, Ye Wan picked up.
“What’s up, Taozi?”
Xu Tao Yue enlarged the screen, examining their condition. Neither of them looked as terrible as she’d imagined. She started to panic a little and questioned them:
“Wait… you two ran all the way up and you’re not even out of breath?”
Ye Wan patted her chest.
“Of course not! It’s just a little slope. I’ve got this.”
Xu Tao Yue: “…”
Lu Que patted her shoulder.
“Don’t forget to carry me down later.”
Xu Tao Yue: “…”
Never playing games with Lu Que again.
Right after the call ended, Ye Wan collapsed onto the ground, letting out a huge sigh.
“This is all your fault, Xia Xiang Yang.”
He was lying flat and didn’t move until she spoke. Then he sat up.
“Whoa, seriously? This is MY fault?!”
Ye Wan nodded.
“Obviously! If you hadn’t made that dumb bet, I wouldn’t be in this state! And now my clothes are dirty—you’re doing my laundry when we get back!”
Xia Xiang Yang: “…”
“Okay, okay, my bad.”
Lu Que noticed that Xu Tao Yue’s stamina wasn’t what it used to be. A few steps in, she was already panting.
“You alright?” he asked.
Xu Tao Yue gave a shaky thumbs-up.
“Of course! I’m… Xu Tao Yue, remember?”
Lu Que walked just half a step behind her, steadying her when needed.
Finally, when the two of them reached the temple gates, they saw Ye Wan and Xia Xiang Yang sitting on the ground, still out of breath.
Xu Tao Yue lit up, clapping her hands and pointing.
“See? What did I say? I knew they’d be lying on the ground, completely winded!”
Ye Wan: “…”
Xia Xiang Yang: “…”
Lu Que smiled indulgently.
“Alright, alright. I lost.”
Xu Tao Yue puffed up proudly.
“Ha! I knew it.”
They entered the temple. It was still early