My Ex-Girlfriend Said She Was A Fairy - Chapter 15

Ji Qingyi slept for a little over two hours, vaguely hearing the sound of message notifications in her drowsiness. She woke up a few times but quickly fell back asleep each time.

 

 

The more she slept, the sleepier she felt. When she finally woke up, she was still exhausted. Afraid she wouldn’t be able to sleep at night, she forced herself to get out of bed.

 

 

Not fully awake yet, Ji Qingyi sat on the bed in a daze. After a moment, she suddenly felt something was off and looked out the window—the bright morning sunlight had completely vanished.

 

 

Was it going to rain again? she thought blankly.

 

 

It took her a while to remember she should check her phone. As soon as she unlocked it, Wen Yuchuan’s messages flooded the screen. Well, at least it wasn’t work-related. Ji Qingyi sighed and resignedly opened the chat with a wry smile.

 

 

The messages were all trivial things like, “Did you fall asleep again?” “What do you want for dinner?” “Looks like it’s going to rain.” Endless chatter, but with no pressure for her to reply—like he was just talking to himself. In the past, if she ignored him for too long, Wen Yuchuan would have already put on a pitiful act and asked, “Why aren’t you answering me?”

 

 

Ji Qingyi sighed. She couldn’t help comparing the current Wen Yuchuan to the one from before. She really was losing it.

 

 

“I’ll cook for myself tonight.”

 

 

After sending the message, she got out of bed and splashed cold water on her face to wake herself up properly.

 

 

The door to the balcony was left open again. As she passed by, she noticed the grayish-blue sky outside. In just the short time it took to wash her face, the light had dimmed even more.

 

 

A glance at the weather forecast confirmed it—light rain in a few hours, with similar weather tomorrow.

 

 

Was her rare weekend really going to be ruined by this miserable weather? Ji Qingyi grumbled inwardly. Unlike before, when she’d just feel irritated, now there was an inexplicable emotion mixed in.

 

 

Nothing good ever came of it. She sighed and decided to let it go—it wasn’t like she could control the weather, and being upset wouldn’t change anything.

 

 

Though it was still daytime, the room was already so dark she could barely see. She turned on the lights, and the space brightened again. The darkness was gone, but a damp chill seeped in through the air, forcing her to throw on another layer.

 

 

By the time she went to close the balcony door, fine raindrops had already been blown inside by the wind. She hadn’t even stepped outside, yet the rain had already touched her. Wiping away the cool dampness, she sighed in resignation.

 

 

“It’s raining.”

 

 

The moment she opened her phone to check the time, another message from Wen Yuchuan popped up.

 

 

Yeah, it’s raining. Ji Qingyi stared at the raindrops hitting the balcony through the glass. She had left two pieces of laundry outside—thankfully, they were under the awning.

 

 

“Want to watch a movie?”

 

 

Another message from Wen Yuchuan.

 

 

Was there some inevitable connection between rain and movies? Ji Qingyi typed a few words in the reply box, then deleted them.

 

 

With the glass door closed, the room was cut off from the outside world. She could no longer hear the rain tapping against the railing, yet she still felt like she was standing in the downpour. Rain and movies weren’t inherently linked, but they had a way of pulling her thoughts from the present into the past.

 

 

A dimly lit room, the sound of rain hitting the ground, the hushed confessions of love from characters on screen. They had curled up on the couch together, holding each other, sharing soft kisses—until, slowly, the sound of the rain outside was drowned out by their own breathing.

 

 

“No.”

 

 

 

Ji Qingyi snapped out of her reverie before responding to the other person.

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“I don’t like watching it.”

 

 

“Is that so?”

 

 

“Mhm.”

 

 

This meaningless exchange had gone on long enough. Having declined the invitation, Ji Qingyi checked the time—it was almost six. She decided to start making dinner to prevent Wen Yuchuan from using the excuse of her not having dinner ready to suddenly summon her over or show up unannounced.

 

 

__

 

 

Only after finishing cooking did Ji Qingyi pick up her phone again. Faced with the barrage of trivial messages from the other side, she replied with just one line:

 

 

“I’ve already made dinner.”

 

 

She was about to set her phone down when another message immediately popped up.

 

 

“Can I come eat?”

 

 

“Only enough for one.”

 

 

“Fine.”

 

 

Wen Yuchuan sent a tearful, pouting emoji. Ji Qingyi wasn’t swayed—she just found it amusing.

 

 

At least tonight should be peaceful, she thought with satisfaction. She had just sat down at the table, chopsticks poised over a piece of cabbage, when the doorbell rang.

 

 

Didn’t I say there’s none for you? Fuming, Ji Qingyi stormed to the door and flung it open, ready to demand an explanation—only to be met with the sight of Wen Yuchuan holding a steaming pot.

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

Ji Qingyi stared at the bubbling, simmering broth and took a cautious step back.

 

 

Seizing the opportunity, Wen Yuchuan stepped inside.

 

 

“Too much for one person. Let’s share.”

 

 

The rich aroma had already filled the room. Ji Qingyi’s eyes locked onto the juicy, deeply marinated beef slices, and she swallowed hard.

 

 

There was no refusing this. She licked her lips.

 

 

“Fine.”

 

 

Her tone was reluctant, but she stepped aside without hesitation.

 

 

Maybe this was spineless… but it wasn’t like she was losing out. The initial hesitation faded—she’d already eaten here several times; one more wouldn’t hurt. As she eyed the tender beef, she thought that if it was always like this, a little disturbance might not be so bad.

 

 

Wen Yuchuan set the pot on the table.

 

 

The red wine had tenderized the meat to perfection. Ji Qingyi eagerly picked up a piece.

 

 

Was she really this easily won over?

 

 

No way. As she stuffed the meat into her mouth, she reasoned that she could pay—it was just that Wen Yuchuan refused to accept money. So of course she could enjoy the meal guilt-free. It was just food; it didn’t mean anything.

 

 

Having justified it to herself, Ji Qingyi ate with even more relish. She didn’t eat much, but every bite was satisfying—that was enough.

 

 

After a while, she noticed something odd. Wen Yuchuan was uncharacteristically quiet, not rambling about trivial things as usual. She glanced up and found the other woman watching her with a smile, as if simply seeing her eat was enough.

 

 

This atmosphere was a little strange… Ji Qingyi averted her gaze, focusing on the meat in her bowl. Whatever—she’d deal with it after eating. She resolved to ignore both Wen Yuchuan’s stare and the weird mood, keeping her head down and her attention on the food. Whatever the other woman was up to didn’t matter. For now, she’d just eat.

 

 

Wen Yuchuan watched Ji Qingyi’s evasive posture with a mix of exasperation and amusement. Not that she had any plans—she’d just been caught up in the rare sight of Ji Qingyi looking genuinely content and couldn’t help staring a little longer.

 

 

 

Attempting to deepen emotions through eye contact was impossible because Ji Qingyi would immediately look away. Though she’d feign composure afterward, acting as if nothing had happened, her subconscious reaction was too obvious. Wen Yuchuan could clearly tell the other girl didn’t dare meet her gaze. If this were during their ambiguous phase, she’d definitely act shamelessly—the more Ji Qingyi avoided looking, the more she’d force her to. But now, to avoid being completely shut out, Wen Yuchuan had no choice but to reluctantly avert her eyes first.

 

 

“Thank you.”

 

 

After the meal, Ji Qingyi expressed her gratitude sincerely.

 

 

“…”

 

 

Wen Yuchuan watched Ji Qingyi’s earnest thanks but couldn’t shake the feeling it was more directed at the braised meat than at her.

 

 

“Is thanking you not good enough?”

 

 

Ji Qingyi rarely saw the other girl silent and couldn’t help asking curiously.

 

 

“Too perfunctory. Not heartfelt enough.”

 

 

Wen Yuchuan had originally planned to say “no need,” thinking it sounded too distant, but when the words came out, she couldn’t help changing them.

 

 

“…Then what do you want?”

 

 

Was this still not enough? Yesterday, she hadn’t thanked her at all, and Wen Yuchuan hadn’t said a word. Clearly, the moment she softened her tone even slightly, the other girl would only push further. That’s what Ji Qingyi thought.

 

 

“Hmm… At least look at me when you say thanks, not at the table.”

 

 

Wen Yuchuan chuckled lightly, her gaze locking onto Ji Qingyi’s eyes again, testing bit by bit to see how far she could go.

 

 

Ji Qingyi broke eye contact after just a second but quickly realized she’d fallen right into the other girl’s trap when she heard her laughter. Reluctantly, she forced herself to look back.

 

 

…

 

 

Their gazes met, but there was no hint of tenderness—only a contest. A one-sided contest, because Wen Yuchuan remained the same, smiling lazily with half-lidded eyes, utterly indifferent. Only Ji Qingyi treated it like a competition.

 

 

Soon, she was at a disadvantage. A strange sensation spread through her body, almost uncomfortable. Staring into those pitch-black eyes felt like gazing into a pool of deep, devouring water—dangerous.

 

 

“Saying thanks is already good enough. What more do you want?”

 

 

Ji Qingyi finally gave up on this one-sided battle, standing up awkwardly and heading toward the living room as she spoke.

 

 

“Mhm, I don’t want anything.”

 

 

Wen Yuchuan laughed at her retreating figure but softened her tone, obediently coaxing her.

 

 

“…”

 

 

Hearing that tone only made Ji Qingyi feel even more uneasy. She wanted to snap back but couldn’t think of anything to say, so she just stood there sulking for a while. With her back to Wen Yuchuan, she soon caught the reflection of the other girl clearing the table in the glass.

 

 

Oh right, the cleanup. Thinking back, Wen Yuchuan had also washed the dishes at noon. This was her place, after all, and she’d gotten a free meal—shouldn’t she be the one cleaning up now? With that in mind, Ji Qingyi swallowed her displeasure and walked back.

 

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

 

Ji Qingyi said.

 

 

“Go take your medicine.”

 

 

Wen Yuchuan refused.

 

 

“…”

 

 

“Forgot again?”

 

 

“…No.”

 

 

She had, in fact, forgotten again. Ji Qingyi had remembered before the meal, but afterward, it slipped her mind. It was just a normal thing, but Wen Yuchuan had found yet another reason to tease her.

 

 

“You didn’t boil water either, did you?”

 

 

“…I’ll do it now.”

 

 

 

Ji Qingyi had no choice but to go fetch the kettle to boil water again, leaving the tidying-up work to Wen Yuchuan. However, Wen Yuchuan didn’t mind taking on the extra task.

 

 

Does she really see herself as some kind of helpful citizen now? Ji Qingyi thought as she pressed the button. Would she end up owing the other woman too much? Apart from that vague reason Wen Yuchuan gave when they broke up, she hadn’t really done anything wrong… No, wait—a sudden breakup without a clear explanation was a huge problem in itself. It’s just that Wen Yuchuan didn’t seem as detestable as she should have been.

 

 

…

 

 

Whatever. It’s not like I forced her to do any of this. Ji Qingyi sighed and once again decided to ignore the inexplicable connection forming between them. If she had to analyze every little thing, it would be exhausting. From the looks of it, leaving things ambiguous didn’t seem so bad… They didn’t need clearly defined roles. Maybe it was fine to just let things unfold naturally like this?

 

 

“Still feeling dizzy?”

 

 

Ji Qingyi had just taken her medicine when she heard the question.

 

 

“Not too bad.”

 

 

Seeing you is what makes me dizzy. Ji Qingyi thought to herself. This time, it wasn’t just a spiteful exaggeration—it was the truth. Every time she looked at Wen Yuchuan, her mind went foggy, as if all coherent thought had been sucked out. Maybe that was why she had unconsciously gone along with so much of what the other woman suggested without feeling any resentment.

 

 

“One more dose left—don’t forget to take it.”

 

 

“I won’t.”

 

 

“And don’t sleep in and skip it.”

 

 

“I won’t.”

 

 

Despite her confident responses, Ji Qingyi couldn’t help but wonder—was she really going to wake up early on a weekend just to take medicine and eat breakfast? What was the point of a day off if she couldn’t sleep until noon?

 

 

Wen Yuchuan could tell from Ji Qingyi’s slightly guilty expression that her words were just empty promises. She knew the moment she left, Ji Qingyi would forget all about it. But since Ji Qingyi seemed to be recovering well enough, she didn’t press the issue. If she wanted to sleep in, so be it. One late dose wouldn’t hurt.

 

 

“Um… is there anything else?”

 

 

It might have been rude to invite someone in only to shoo them away after eating, but Ji Qingyi couldn’t think of any reason for Wen Yuchuan to stay longer.

 

 

“No, but…”

 

 

“But?”

 

 

“Are you free tomorrow? Want to go out?”

 

 

“…No.”

 

 

Are we the kind of people who casually make plans to hang out? Ji Qingyi couldn’t help but grumble internally. Sure, she had spent a night at Wen Yuchuan’s place… and eaten a few meals she’d prepared… but those were all out of necessity, right? Compared to those unplanned situations, deliberately arranging to meet up felt way too intentional.

 

 

“Oh… do you already have plans?”

 

 

Ji Qingyi watched as Wen Yuchuan lowered her eyes, slipping into her usual pitiful act. Just as she was about to coldly shut her down again, she suddenly heard the follow-up question.

 

 

“Why does it matter? Is it important?”

 

 

“A little.”

 

 

“Really?”

 

 

“If you have plans, then you can’t go out with me.”

 

 

“Is that what you think?”

 

 

“Isn’t it?”

 

 

“Of course not. Even if I had no plans, I still wouldn’t go out with you.”

 

 

“…”

 

 

An airtight response. Wen Yuchuan’s lips stiffened for a moment before relaxing again as she watched Ji Qingyi smirk, pleased with herself for landing the jab.

 

 

Alright, that’s enough for tonight. Pushing any further would just be impolite.

 

 

 

Wen Yuchuan carried the pot towards the door again, covering the short distance of just a few meters with constant backward glances, as if the two of them wouldn’t see each other for a long time. Ji Qingyi had no choice but to follow her, and only then did Wen Yuchuan resume a normal walking pace, quickly reaching the doorway.

 

 

Even though it was just next door, she still needed someone to see her off. Even couples in the throes of passion weren’t this excessive. Ji Qingyi sighed, thinking the other was truly hopeless—but then, realizing she had willingly gone along with it, she felt a complicated mix of emotions, as if she herself were just as incurable.