Chapter 25: A Blatant Secret Crush part 1

Lin Yuran was chewing on a red grape when she heard them and briefly considered saying something to get them to stay. But after a moment’s thought, she let it go. She had nothing in the house to offer guests, her place was stark and bare. Besides, it was obvious that Chi Ye and Lin Yiqun didn’t get along. Forcing them to spend any more time together was just setting them both up for discomfort.

Lin Yiqun glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up. “I’ll get going.”

He turned to Yuran and said, “Ranran, I’m heading out.”

Chi Ye rose too. “I’m leaving as well, Lin Nuotao.”

“Okay,” Yuran responded, slipping on her shoes and following them to the entrance. “I’ll walk you two out.”

Chi Ye said, “No need.”

Lin Yiqun echoed, “No need.”

It really was just a few steps to the elevator, so Yuran knew there wasn’t much point in walking them out. Still, seeing how tense Chi Ye’s expression was, she couldn’t help worrying they might start fighting the moment they stepped outside.

She escorted them to the elevator, only to have Chi Ye gently push her back. “Hurry up and go back inside. We’re just two grown men, no need for a send-off.”

When the elevator doors opened, Yuran saw that a neighbor from upstairs was already inside. That reassured her a little. “Alright, take care, you two.”

Back inside, she still couldn’t relax. She peeked out the window to check on them. She saw the two of them exit the building without saying a word to each other. Chi Ye got into his car and drove off, and Lin Yiqun pedaled away on his bike.

Only then did Lin Yuran feel at ease.

— — — 

At dawn, the morning light broke through the clouds and slowly warmed the waking city.

Lin Yuran had gotten up early to take the subway to school. Stepping out the gate of her apartment complex, she was surprised to see Chi Ye waiting there again, cool and aloof, just like the day before.

But she wasn’t working at his company today, and he wasn’t going to her school either. What was he doing here? Did he seriously think she’d get lost?

Walking up to him, Yuran teased, “Chi Ye, I swear I’m not going to get lost.”

Chi Ye let out a soft chuckle and wheeled a bicycle up in front of her. “It might be inconvenient for you without a bike on campus. This one’s mine, you can borrow it.” He added, “After all, your last bike went missing at my place. I feel bad about that.”

Well, with him saying that, she couldn’t really refuse. And truthfully, she did need a bike.

Grinning, Yuran accepted it. “Perfect! I was just wondering where I could find a ride. Those shared bikes at school are a nightmare.”

She knew a thing or two about bikes, and this one was obviously expensive. A little worried, she said, “This bike looks pricey. I’m afraid I might lose it.”

Chi Ye was unfazed. “Everyone at Qingbei is top-tier. No one’s going to steal it. Besides, I barely use it. If it gets lost, it gets lost.”

If it gets lost, it gets lost, that part she couldn’t quite agree with, but the rest? She admitted he had a point. Theft wasn’t really an issue at her school.

“Thanks, then.”

Chi Ye smiled faintly.

Yuran’s neighborhood wasn’t far from campus. Driving often meant getting stuck in traffic, so biking was more convenient. And on campus, a bicycle was essential. She didn’t have time to work out, so like she’d told him before, biking doubled as exercise and saved her a trip to the gym. It really suited her. Chi Ye stopped offering to drive her after that, besides, he couldn’t come up with a decent excuse anymore.

“I’m off, then,” Yuran called as she mounted the bike and rode off into the flow of students.

Chi Ye stood at the curb, watching her spirited figure disappear into the crowd. To him, even the morning sun paled in comparison to her brilliance.

— — — 

Time slipped by in a flurry of activity.

In the blink of an eye, it was Mid-Autumn Festival.

School life was busier than she’d expected, leaving Yuran with little time to work on her designs. Although RanYe only emphasized quality and wasn’t strict on deadlines, Yuran had her own professional standards. She refused to turn in work late.

That diligence was exactly why her clients trusted and praised her.

After all, how could someone with only a high school diploma establish themselves in the design industry based solely on their portfolio? Creativity might be rare, but it wasn’t that rare. There were talented people everywhere. What set her apart was her reputation. That had to be earned. Only with all-around strength could she rise above the competition. That was one of the main reasons her personal brand had grown so fast.

Mid-Autumn meant a three-day school break.

Naturally, Yuran planned to use all of it to catch up on her work.

She preferred the work environment at RanYe as it sparked more inspiration for her. But would the company even be open during the holiday?

Then again, weren’t they preparing for a tournament?

Just as she was thinking of messaging Chi Ye, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from him: 【Got any plans for Mid-Autumn?】

Yuran bit her lip and replied truthfully: 【No plans. I’ll be drawing all three days.】 She added a ‘fighting spirit’ emoji.

She followed up: 【By the way, is your company open over the holiday?】

Chi Ye replied quickly: 【Yes. But not everyone gets time off. Qin Lang’s team is still training at the base.】

Perfect.

Yuran typed: 【Can I work at the base during the break? I get more inspired over there.】

Dark Night:【Sure.】

A second later: 【I won’t be off either. Want me to pick you up tomorrow on my way?】

【Okay.】

— — — 

The next morning, as Yuran was leaving her building, she ran into Xiao Liu, the security guard.

“Working on a holiday?” he asked with a smile.

Xiao Liu was a good guy. He’d often helped her carry heavy things from her car to the elevator, always respectful and never overstepped. Yuran had a good impression of him and usually stopped to chat.

She grinned and said, “The meaning of life is struggle. I’m young, why waste time resting?”

He laughed. “True, true. You’re destined for great things. Me, I’m just a salted fish.”

Yuran chuckled. “Hey, don’t write off your own life like that. Anything’s possible.”

He nodded with a smile.

Then, glancing at Chi Ye waiting by the gate, he added, “That handsome guy hasn’t been picking you up lately. I thought you two broke up. I mean, who’d be willing to break up with someone as motivated and gorgeous as you? Turns out you didn’t!”

Yuran was puzzled. Why did everyone assume she and Chi Ye were dating?

She didn’t bother to explain. Smiling, she waved. “I’m off!”

This time, Chi Ye didn’t take her to the office but straight to the training base.

Yan Xi and Ji Mo were already practicing. Though they were all quite familiar with Yuran by now, the group of guys still got excited seeing her.

“Sister Yuran, haven’t seen you in a while! What’ve you been up to?” Yan Xi asked enthusiastically.

“School,” she replied.

That piqued Ji Mo’s curiosity. He leaned in and asked nosily, “With your looks, I bet you’re the campus goddess. Must have a ton of guys chasing you, right?”

Yuran smiled. “You said it yourself. If I’m the campus goddess, what do you think?”

Yan Xi shot a glance at Chi Ye. “Sister Yuran, anyone on campus caught your eye?”