The Foolish Wife Turned Scheming After Her Recovery - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Lu Zhili Couldn’t Help but Rub Her Legs Together on the Bedsheet Again

 

The front desk girl saw that the two of them were frozen and silent, likely in disbelief, so she added an explanation, “We’ve had several groups of college students staying over these past few days. They’re all here for the sunrise at the observatory early tomorrow morning, so the rooms have been booking up fast.”

 

College students, you know the type — easily swayed like the lemmings in animated films. The moment one turns back to buy a fox’s popsicle, the rest will follow suit without hesitation.

 

Yu Yao was considering how to speak — should she call Fu Shuang and have someone pick them up now, or leave Lu Zhili here to rest while she waited alone for the rescue team?

 

Before she could decide, Lu Zhili yawned and lazily nodded at the front desk girl. Her voice was sticky with sleep, as if she might doze off any second. “Okay, thank you. We’ll take this room.”

 

The receptionist didn’t suspect anything and immediately checked them in. Finally, she handed the room card to Lu Zhili. “All set. Room 3017 on the third floor. The elevator goes straight there. Turn left when you exit, it’s the last room at the end.”

 

“Alright, thank you.”

 

Yu Yao remained silent throughout, quietly put away her ID, then followed Lu Zhili into the elevator.

 

The hotel was clean, but the room was quite small. Despite the two-meter-wide bed, it still felt cramped.

 

“A Yao, I’m so sleepy. I’ll go wash up first,” Lu Zhili said, her eyes barely open.

 

“Mm.”

 

Lu Zhili went into the bathroom. In just a few minutes, she came out with a face full of steam and flopped straight onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

When Yu Yao came out after washing up, she was met with the sight of Lu Zhili buried under the covers, her cheeks flushed like a sleeping baby, carefree even in her dreams.

 

Yu Yao sighed and accepted her fate. She lifted the blanket and lay down.

 

The bed was warm, just like the cozy rest area they’d shared earlier. That faint lime scent wrapped around her once more.

 

In the quiet darkness, Yu Yao stealthily shifted closer, inching herself nearer to the source of warmth.

 

It’s fine. No one would notice her small movements.

 

She just wanted to secretly lean in, just a little. That was enough.

 

Both of them slept soundly through the night.

 

Lu Zhili’s internal clock was consistent. She woke up around eight. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by vibrant red hair spread out before her and a warm body nestled in her arms. She could even feel the even, warm breaths against her chest.

 

Her ears flushed bright red instantly. Her arm, which was wrapped around Yu Yao, instinctively tightened, pulling her closer.

 

In the silent room, her heartbeat grew louder. Her long legs unconsciously tangled more tightly around Yu Yao’s.

 

Lu Zhili didn’t quite understand what she was feeling. She just knew it was uncomfortable. She wanted to hold the princess tighter. She wanted more of that sea-salt perfume scent on her.

 

The skin around her thighs became hypersensitive, making her shiver. She wanted to let go, but she also couldn’t bear to part from Yu Yao’s scent.

 

Princess… smells so good…

 

Burying her face in Yu Yao’s hair, Lu Zhili finally let out a satisfied little sigh.

 

She really, really liked the princess.

 

When daylight fully lit the room, Yu Yao slowly woke in the warm bed. The moment clarity returned, she felt her body tightly restrained.

 

She opened her eyes and saw those amber eyes like glass beads staring at her.

 

“A Yao, you’re awake,” Lu Zhili said with a curved smile, eyes squinting sweetly.

 

Yu Yao instinctively tried to lower her head, but she couldn’t move at all due to the tight embrace.

 

Her ears turned red in embarrassment. “C-Can you let go of me first?”

 

Lu Zhili obediently loosened her arms and scooted back a bit — but Yu Yao still couldn’t move. After focusing more carefully, she realized—It was actually her own arms still tightly wrapped around Lu Zhili’s waist.

 

Yu Yao: “…”

 

God, did she wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

 

She quickly let go, then looked down — their legs were tangled together. Each had a leg caught between the other’s.

 

Well… at least it’s mutual. 🙂

 

Yu Yao instinctively tried to pull back her leg, but her knee accidentally pressed against the space between Lu Zhili’s thighs, making the girl tremble.

 

“Mm…”

 

Lu Zhili let out a soft gasp — so faint that if Yu Yao weren’t so close, she wouldn’t have heard it at all.

 

Yu Yao froze. She knew exactly why that sound had come out, but she didn’t dare explain it to Lu Zhili. She just slowly moved her leg away, separating the two of them completely.

 

Yu Yao couldn’t say it, but Lu Zhili could ask, “A Yao, I’ve felt really uncomfortable since I woke up this morning. Am I sick again?”

 

As she spoke, Lu Zhili again unconsciously rubbed her legs together on the sheet, her brows scrunched in distress as she looked pitifully at Yu Yao. She was really scared — if she got sick again, Yu Yao might not want to be her friend anymore.

 

Yu Yao’s face turned beet red. She really didn’t know how to explain this kind of leg-rubbing behavior to Lu Zhili.

 

This sort of s3x-ed thing… surely wasn’t her responsibility?

 

“N-No, it’s not an illness,” Yu Yao mumbled. “It’s normal. You’ll feel better soon.”

 

“It’s normal? So you feel like this too? I’ve never felt this before.”

 

Yu Yao nodded with difficulty. “Mm…”

 

God knows why she was admitting in front of a mentally eight-year-old woman that she also woke up every morning needing to rub her legs together. She had to have woken up wrong today.

 

Seeing Lu Zhili visibly relax, Yu Yao also felt a bit relieved. She gently patted Lu Zhili over the blanket and said softly, “Just relax your legs. You’ll feel better soon.”

 

Lu Zhili obediently released her tension, but her gaze still lingered on Yu Yao, full of expectation.

 

“I want a hug.”

 

Yu Yao was stunned for a few seconds before recovering. She reached out and pulled Lu Zhili into her arms, calmly guiding her to talk about other topics.

 

In her arms, Lu Zhili’s tense body slowly relaxed. Breathing in each other’s scent, they quietly soothed the desire stirred up that morning.

 

They chatted about this and that, and as Lu Zhili spoke with Yu Yao, her eyes grew brighter.

 

The red phone on the nightstand vibrated — it was Lu Zhili’s phone.

 

Lu Zhili sat up to check. “It’s a message from my mom.”

 

“She said your car’s already been taken away for repairs. There’s a car waiting for us at the hotel entrance, and the key’s at the front desk. Just tell them your name.”

 

Fu Shuang didn’t urge them to rush home. She simply arranged everything they needed quietly.

 

Yu Yao had never experienced this kind of maternal care, and even though it came through Lu Zhili, it made her a little emotional. These were simple things — easy to manage — and she could’ve handled them herself.

 

“Shall we pack up and head home? I miss my cupcake,” Lu Zhili said, clearly referring to her cat. But her actions betrayed her — she flopped right back onto the bed.

 

Yu Yao shook off her thoughts, got up first, and headed to the bathroom. Before closing the door, she reminded, “Lili, hurry up and get ready. If we leave now, we can still grab breakfast in the city.”

 

Lu Zhili wasn’t sure whether it was the nickname “Lili” or the promise of breakfast that motivated her, but the moment Yu Yao finished speaking, she sprang up from the bed.

 

“Got it!”

 

Twenty minutes later, they checked out and picked up the car keys. Stepping outside, they spotted a familiar black Maybach — the one Lu Zhili usually rode in.

 

This time, the journey back was smooth. Just over an hour later, the black Maybach pulled into the garage of Lu Zhili’s villa. The breakfast Yu Yao had promised, however, was canceled due to a work call from her studio.

 

At the door, Lu Zhili waved goodbye to Yu Yao. Not far behind her stood Fu Shuang and Xie Yanqing.

 

Once the car pulled away, Lu Zhili turned back, visibly disappointed, only to be met by Fu Shuang’s usual calm and Xie Yanqing’s exaggerated facial expressions.

 

“Mom, Xiao Qing, why are you both standing at the door?” Lu Zhili mumbled gloomily as she walked inside, calling for Aunt Chen.

 

She was starving — felt like she could eat a whole cow.

 

Fu Shuang didn’t press her about staying out overnight. Seeing her daughter home safe, she just offered a few reminders before heading to the office.

 

For a moment, only Lu Zhili and Xie Yanqing were left in the dining room.

 

Xie Yanqing didn’t interrupt her sister’s breakfast. Once she’d eaten enough, she finally asked, “Sis, be honest — why didn’t you come home last night?!”

 

“Oh, Yu Yao’s car broke down. Mom told us to just stay—”

 

“Hold it!” Xie Yanqing already knew that. What she wanted to know was why they’d suddenly left the venue to go to the mountain. “You literally fainted! And Aunt Fu didn’t even scold you — she spoils you way too much!”

 

Lu Zhili suddenly perked up. She animatedly recounted how she and Yu Yao got closer.

 

Xie Yanqing had to sift through all the exaggerated storytelling to find the key points.

 

“What?! You kissed her?!”

 

“What?! You gave her a pet name?!”

 

“What?! You two even shared a bed?!”

 

When Lu Zhili vaguely described what happened that morning, Xie Yanqing looked like a duck being strangled — no sound came out, just facial expressions shifting rapidly, ending in one massive sigh.

 

“You’re doomed. You’re in love.”

 

2. Cooking:

 

Lu Zhili was chewing on her chopsticks, a bit stunned by what Xie Yanqing said.

 

In love?

 

“You mean I like her? Like how a prince likes a princess?” she asked softly.

 

Xie Yanqing swallowed a bite of whole-wheat toast and said, “Of course! You’re all over her! Physical attraction is still attraction.”

 

Even if her sister had some mental limitations now, her body was still that of an adult woman. Having desires was perfectly normal.

 

But Lu Zhili still didn’t understand. “What does ‘all over her’ mean?”

 

Xie Yanqing put down the unappetizing toast, clapped her hands to clean off the crumbs, and said, “What you felt this morning — that discomfort — was physical desire. People don’t feel that way toward someone they don’t like. Sure, sometimes desire isn’t love, but for you, it probably is. You’re simple now — if you desire someone, it must mean you like them.”

 

Lu Zhili nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “Then I must like A Yao. Can I still sleep with her in the future? Sleeping with her felt so nice.”

 

Her ears turned red as she spoke.

 

Xie Yanqing teased, “Didn’t you say it was uncomfortable?”

 

Lu Zhili frowned, conflicted. “It was uncomfortable at first, but being close to A Yao felt good. Then she talked to me and it started feeling uncomfortable again.”

 

“So if I just stay snuggled with A Yao, I’ll feel good. Can I keep sleeping with her?”

 

“Sure, if you two get married,” Xie Yanqing said offhandedly. She wasn’t wrong — if they married, sleeping together would be perfectly legal.

 

Lu Zhili put down her chopsticks and grew serious. “Then I want to marry A Yao.”

 

Xie Yanqing noticed the sincerity and quickly added, “Marriage takes two people. Even if you agree, Miss Yu might not.”

 

“What do I need to do for her to agree?”

 

“That I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her yourself.”

 

Lu Zhili silently nodded and tucked that thought away. Even if she was a little slow, she knew marriage was a big deal. She should probably tell her mom.

 

So at noon, Lu Zhili called Fu Shuang and asked her to head to Dad’s office first — she would bring lunch to both of them.

 

When she arrived at Sheng Tian Group, the lunch break hadn’t started yet. Lu Zhili was met by Zhou, her father’s assistant, since her dad was still in a meeting.

 

Zhou opened the car door and saw Lu Zhili carrying multiple food containers. He took a few and said, “Mr. Lu is in a meeting. He asked me to bring you up. Madam is on her way, about twenty minutes out.”

 

“Okay, thank you.”

 

At home, the housekeeper had told her to speak less and look cool in front of the company staff. She didn’t understand why, but she followed the instructions — she didn’t want to cause trouble for her dad.

 

She’d been here before, so even without Zhou, she could’ve made it to her dad’s office.

 

Zhou watched her walk off, then wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead.

 

Sigh. No matter how many times you see her face, it’s always a shock.

 

The lunch had been carefully prepared and packed by Aunt Chen. When Lu Zhili arrived, she spread everything on the tea table and slouched on the couch, playing with her phone.

 

When Lu Zhili heard the door open, she turned her head with a surprised smile. “Daddy!”

 

Lu Zhuli’s heart warmed. Just as he was about to speak, Fu Shuang’s voice came from behind him. “Why are you standing in the doorway? Don’t block the way.”

 

“Mama!”

 

Perfect timing.

 

The couple guessed their daughter had something to say, but the Lu family rule was: no matter what it is, food comes first.

 

After a few rounds of dishes, Fu Shuang put down her chopsticks and asked, “Alright, tell us — why’d you come to find us at lunch?”

 

Lu Zhuli nodded and sipped his tea.

 

“I want to marry A Yao.”

 

Pfft—

 

“What?”

 

The couple stared at her, completely shocked — but their daughter only looked innocent and confused.

 

Fu Shuang took a deep breath and asked gently, “Lili, do you know what marriage means?”

 

Lu Zhili looked at her mom like she was being underestimated. “Of course I do! You and Daddy live together, eat together, sleep together. That’s marriage.”

 

“Sweetheart, it’s not that simple. You have to truly love each other.”

 

“I like A Yao, and she likes me.”

 

Lu Zhuli wiped the tea off his mouth. “Did Miss Yu say she wants to marry you too?”

 

Lu Zhili shook her head. “Mm… I haven’t told her yet. But she should agree.”

 

Fu Shuang narrowed her eyes. “Who told you about marriage?”

 

“Xiao Qing.”

 

Lu Zhuli and Fu Shuang: “…”

 

That little brat! Teaching our daughter to steal someone else’s cabbage!

 

Lu Zhuli angrily pulled out his phone to call his brother — this kid needed discipline!

 

Fu Shuang stopped him and calmly told Lu Zhili, “Lili, marriage is something two people decide. It’s not up to us. You have to ask Miss Yu. If she agrees, then your father and I won’t oppose it.”

 

She didn’t care whether her daughter married a man, a woman, or not at all. The only thing she cared about was her daughter’s health — she just wanted her to live peacefully and happily for as long as possible.

 

As for whether Yu Yao would agree to marry Lu Zhili — well, that wasn’t her concern. Relationships change once marriage enters the picture, no matter how close they are.

 

She thought Yu Yao would never agree to marry Lu Zhili. After all, her daughter was, by societal standards, a “fool.”

 

The idea of Lu Zhili marrying Yu Yao didn’t cause much of a stir in the Lu family, but Lu Zhili herself was very persistent.

 

Her browser history on her phone was almost entirely filled with questions about marriage.

 

Such as: [How can I marry the person I like], [What do I need to prepare for a wedding], or [What should I do if the person I like doesn’t want to marry me].

 

These questions didn’t give Lu Zhili any real answers, so she turned to Xie Yanqing for advice.

 

Princess Yaoyao’s Die-Hard Fan: “Xiao Qing, what can I do to make A-Yao agree to marry me?”

 

Xie Yanqing had recently been grounded by her father to reflect at home. At that moment, she was bored and doing her own nails when she saw the message. She picked up her phone and started typing quickly with her fingertips.

 

Don’t Call Me a Kindergarten Teacher: “Chase her, duh! First, make her your girlfriend. Then pull off a grand proposal. Tell her she’ll get lots and lots of money if she marries you. That should work, right?”

 

Lu Zhili stared at the long message, deep in thought. After that, her browser history changed to [101 Ways to Win Someone’s Heart].

 

Method One: To capture someone’s heart, you have to win their stomach first.

 

From that day on, Lu Zhili seemed to have transformed. She started spending every day in the kitchen, even skipping her favorite jiu-jitsu classes, clinging to Aunt Chen to learn how to cook.

 

Finally, on a weekend, she made her first dish: sweet and sour ribs.

 

The ribs were a perfect balance of lean and fatty meat, pan-fried to golden brown on both sides. The sauce was reduced over high heat until it coated the meat, and finally sprinkled with sesame seeds—just looking at it made your mouth water.

 

Aunt Chen was surprised by Lu Zhili’s natural talent. “Miss, you don’t seem like someone cooking for the first time. Your movements are clean and efficient, and you don’t waste anything.”

 

Butler He quietly wiped away tears on the side. “Miss studied abroad. She got tired of all that foreign food and had to learn to cook for herself.”

 

Aunt Chen nodded in understanding.

 

So, it was a passive skill acquired from survival.

 

Lu Zhili looked at her plated dish, both excited and nervous. She wanted A-Yao to taste her first-ever dish!

 

It was the weekend, and A-Yao usually stayed home to rest.

 

Without hesitation, Lu Zhili had Aunt Chen prepare a few other dishes and ran upstairs to change.

 

Half an hour later, she showed up at the entrance of Yu Yao’s apartment with a few familiar food containers in hand.

 

She’d gotten the address when she sent Yu Yao a dress, but this was her first time visiting.

 

Standing downstairs, she called Yu Yao. A few moments later, Yu Yao came down in a rush wearing a jacket.

 

“Lili? Why are you here all of a sudden?”

 

Lu Zhili looked at her, then her eyes dropped to the jacket Yu Yao was wearing.

 

It looked awfully familiar.

 

Yu Yao followed her gaze and then noticed that, in her hurry, she had accidentally grabbed the jacket she wore that night when they went stargazing—Lu Zhili’s jacket.

 

Yu Yao tugged on the hem of the jacket awkwardly. “Sorry. I brought this back with me and left it in my room. I forgot to wash and return it.”

 

That wasn’t the truth.

 

She hadn’t wanted to wash off the lingering lime scent. It helped ease her headaches, and because of that, she had deliberately avoided letting the housekeeper wash it.

 

But Lu Zhili was delighted by what she said. “It’s okay! I have lots of clothes. You can keep this one!”

 

Yu Yao let out a breath of relief. “Then thank you.”

 

In a great mood, Lu Zhili smiled the whole way up. She even cheerfully greeted a golden retriever they passed, making its owner look confused—thinking maybe she was a fellow dog.

 

After they got home, Yu Yao brought out a new pair of slippers she had already washed and prepared—ones she had bought back when she and Lu Zhili were still just “online friends.” She didn’t know what she was thinking at the time, buying all sorts of unnecessary things for the house, but now they felt just right.

 

Yu Yao couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed. It was as if she had already subconsciously assumed that Lu Zhili would visit her home and had quietly prepared for it.

 

Lu Zhili changed her shoes and followed Yu Yao inside. Her apartment was a spacious open-plan unit. Since she lived alone, it felt a bit cold and empty, with a minimalist industrial style.

 

“By the way, I meant to ask earlier—what are you carrying?”

 

Lu Zhili set the food containers on the table and looked at Yu Yao seriously. Instead of answering the question, she said:

 

“A-Yao, the book says that if you want to win someone’s heart, you have to win their stomach first.”

 

“I learned how to cook from Aunt Chen, and this is my first dish.”

 

“I hope you’ll taste the first meal I ever made.”

 

3. Breaking the Ice

 

Yu Yao stood still by the table, dazed. Her heart had suddenly started to race uncontrollably.

 

She didn’t dare dwell on what Lu Zhili really meant, nor if the person she wanted to “capture” was indeed her.

 

She watched as Lu Zhili lifted each lid off the containers, casually praising the dishes, “Wow, it smells so good. These look amazing. Did you really make all of them?”

 

She wasn’t exaggerating. Even if Lu Zhili had claimed they were restaurant takeout, Yu Yao would’ve believed her. There was sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried zucchini, asparagus beef, a bowl of seafood soup, and even a plate of neatly washed strawberries.

 

Lu Zhili scratched her nose, a little embarrassed that she had made only one dish and then said something so bold. Seeing Yu Yao’s surprise, she suddenly felt like her little plate of ribs wasn’t good enough.

 

“No, only this one was made by me… The rest were cooked by Aunt Chen,” she mumbled, then quietly moved the ribs in front of her.

 

Seeing her blush and flustered, Yu Yao picked up her chopsticks and tried a piece.

 

A burst of sweet and sour flavor spread across her tongue. The meat was coated in a glistening amber sauce—crisp yet tender, rich but not greasy.

 

Yu Yao had expected it to be mediocre, but to her surprise, it was right up her alley. After spitting out the bone, she said with genuine surprise, “Your first time cooking? This is really good.”

 

Lu Zhili lit up, no longer shy, nodding excitedly. “Mmm! Aunt Chen also said I’m smart and did well!”

 

Yu Yao smiled and tried the rest. “Everything tastes great. Looks like I won’t be able to stick to my diet today.”

 

Lu Zhili was surprised. “Why are you dieting?” In her eyes, A-Yao wasn’t even slightly overweight.

 

“Not exactly dieting, more like controlling my intake for body sculpting,” Yu Yao replied, swallowing a piece of beef.

 

While Aunt Chen’s dishes were great, Yu Yao still liked the ribs best.

 

Lu Zhili’s smile faded. “So… I can’t cook for you anymore?”

 

“Of course you can. I’m not strictly dieting—I work out too. My food restrictions aren’t that harsh.”

 

Yu Yao noticed her eyes light up again, as if being able to cook for her was the best thing ever.

 

Yu Yao didn’t really get this feeling. She herself avoided the kitchen whenever possible. Although her cooking skills were good, that came from a childhood that wasn’t very happy. She disliked the smell of cooking oil.

 

She snapped back to the moment and went to the clean, unused kitchen to fetch two bowls. She served rice for Lu Zhili but didn’t take any for herself.

 

“Part of the diet?” Lu Zhili asked curiously.

 

“Yeah, trying to cut back on carbs. But I can eat everything else.”

 

Lu Zhili bit her chopsticks, an idea forming in her head. She set down her bowl, sipped some water, then nervously asked, “A-Yao, can I bring you lunch from now on?”

 

“I’ll learn to make all the dishes that are healthy and diet-friendly for you, and bring them to your studio every day, okay?”

 

“Cough cough—” Yu Yao immediately choked and grabbed a tissue to cover her mouth.

 

“Oh no! Are you okay?” Lu Zhili jumped up and rushed over, gently patting her back to help.

 

After a while, Yu Yao calmed down, her eyes watery from the coughing fit.

 

“No, cough, that’s not necessary.”

 

Lu Zhili pouted, dragging out her words: “Whyyy not—”

 

“I’ll learn really well! I promise it’ll taste amazing!”

 

Yu Yao could feel that Lu Zhili’s warmth had crossed a certain line. This wasn’t just friendliness anymore—it was unmistakably romantic.

 

Bringing lunch every day? That wasn’t something just anyone did. Only someone very close.

 

And clearly, they weren’t that close. They were just friends.

 

“A-Yao, I love cooking for you. And you said before you sometimes forget to eat when you’re busy—if I bring you meals, I can remind you. And they’ll be clean and healthy!”

 

Lu Zhili knew she was chasing after someone, and she wouldn’t give up easily.

 

Yu Yao didn’t understand why Lu Zhili was so persistent. She could guess at her intentions, but she never approached her with romance in mind.

 

Lu Zhili was like a blank slate. Being with her felt easy—no second-guessing, no self-doubt.

 

Yu Yao could be completely relaxed around her, safe.

 

But she didn’t want anything more. She just wanted to keep that comfort, selfishly, as a friend.

 

“You don’t have to bring me lunch. I usually eat with Yezi and the others. There are great healthy food spots in Beijing—you don’t need to go through the trouble,” she said calmly, adjusting her mood.

 

Lu Zhili held Yu Yao’s wrists and looked at her seriously. “But chasing a girlfriend is supposed to be a bit of trouble.”

 

Boom—

 

It was like a thunderclap exploded in Yu Yao’s head, setting fire to all her logic.

 

Girlfriend.

 

With those three simple words, Lu Zhili shattered the veil between them. Yu Yao could no longer selfishly hold onto that comfort as just a friend.

 

Seeing Yu Yao stunned and speechless, Lu Zhili realized what she’d said. She quickly covered her mouth, eyes wide with panic.

 

Oh no! Why did she blurt that out? That wasn’t a proper confession!

 

Her face turned red, one hand holding Yu Yao’s, the other covering her mouth in distress.

 

They both fell silent—one still in shock, the other desperately trying to figure out how to fix it.

 

Several minutes later, Lu Zhili finally muttered in a small voice, “A-Yao… can you pretend I didn’t say that?”

 

That was the best plan she could come up with using her 99%-new brain after a few minutes of panic—begging her to forget it.

 

Yu Yao: “…”

 

Seeing her looking so pitiful like a sad puppy, Yu Yao couldn’t help but laugh.

 

Lu Zhili always found a way to make her smile.

 

It was hard not to be drawn to her. Whether it was the wind or her heart that moved that night, Yu Yao had long known the answer.

 

As if possessed, Yu Yao parted her lips and asked softly like a seductress, “Lili, are you courting me?”

 

Lu Zhili, like a bewitched scholar, nodded obediently. Though in truth, she looked more like the fox spirit.

 

Yu Yao teased her, “But what if I don’t like girls?”

 

Lu Zhili tilted her head. Her amber eyes were like clear springs reflecting Yu Yao. “I like you, Yu Yao. Not ‘a girl who likes girls’.”

 

She liked Yu Yao. No modifiers needed.

 

It was a bit of a roundabout answer, but Yu Yao understood it immediately.

 

Lu Zhili’s pursuit was her own. Whether to accept it was up to Yu Yao.

 

Yu Yao smiled—more joyfully than she ever had. She reached out and gently hooked her arms around Lu Zhili’s neck. It wasn’t a kiss, but a simple, pure embrace.

 

Lu Zhili didn’t fully understand but still instinctively hugged her back.

 

After a while, she felt Yu Yao’s breath at her ear, then heard her soft voice, “I used to date a guy. Does that bother you?”

 

Yu Yao knew some people in the community minded such things—even hated bisexuality. She didn’t think Lu Zhili was like that, but she brought it up anyway.

 

Lu Zhili thought for a second and asked, “Did you break up?”

 

She knew you couldn’t pursue someone who was already in a relationship.

 

Yu Yao chuckled. “Of course. We broke up the same day we got together—because of other reasons. That’s how I realized I like girls.”

 

Lu Zhili giggled and hugged her tighter. “That’s good. So… are you my girlfriend now?”

 

Yu Yao gently patted her back, signaling her to let go. As they pulled apart, Yu Yao smiled and said, “Lili, you haven’t even started wooing me yet, and you already want a girlfriend?”

 

“But…” she added softly, almost uncertainly, “you can start by bringing me lunch every day. Okay?”

 

“Mm!” Lu Zhili patted her chest. “I’ll make all your favorite foods! Ones that won’t make you gain weight!”

 

“I think… I might start looking forward to workdays now.”

 

Yu Yao didn’t want to fall in love. Love felt insecure. But she really liked Lu Zhili.

 

So she hoped this moment could last longer. Long enough for her to want to fall in love.

 

Lu Zhili didn’t know what Yu Yao was thinking. She was already over the moon that Yu Yao agreed to let her pursue her.

 

Since A-Yao said yes… then surely marriage wouldn’t be far behind!

 

She could barely wait to tell her strategist little sister the good news.

 

Later, as Lu Zhili calmed herself, she suddenly remembered something. Face flushed, she shyly grabbed Yu Yao’s hand and started swinging it, “A-Yao, can I do that with you?”

 

She spoke so softly, like she knew she wasn’t supposed to say it out loud.

 

“What?” Yu Yao didn’t quite catch it.

 

“This—” Lu Zhili leaned down slightly, closed her eyes, and puckered her lips for a kiss.

 

Yu Yao raised her brow and quickly reached out, pinching her lips into a duckbill.

 

“Kissing is something only girlfriends can do. We’re not there yet.”

 

Lu Zhili let out a muffled sigh, “Okay…”

 

Yu Yao released her, smiling. “But there’s one kind of kiss even friends can do.”

 

She gently held Lu Zhili’s cheeks and planted a kiss on her forehead.

 

Sunlight climbed in through the window like transparent vines, falling over the pale tile. Bathed in golden light, Yu Yao’s silhouette looked sacred and solemn. That kiss on the forehead revealed emotions she didn’t dare admit.

 

Wrapped in words, it was the first glimpse of vulnerability in front of this girl.

 

Facing her own feelings—that would be Yu Yao’s first lesson.

 

Maybe one day, she’d be able to face Lu Zhili’s fierce, passionate love with equal courage—and say the words buried in her heart:

 

Thank you for liking me. I like you too.