Chapter 30: A Blinding Secret Crush

After Chi Ye’s older brother returned to the lounge and started clinging to his wife with no intention of letting go, Lin Yuran found herself unable to stay in that space any longer. She made up an excuse to slip out, intending to look for Xu Jianwei.

What she didn’t expect was to stumble upon a scene that felt eerily familiar.

It brought her back to an afternoon in the second semester of their sophomore year.

Between classes, Lin Yuran had just left the restroom and was on her way back to the classroom. The moment she turned the corner on the stairs, stepping onto the hallway, she caught sight of Zhou Xintong confessing to Chi Ye.

The hallway buzzed with excitement, full of students gathering to watch. No one noticed Lin Yuran.

She wasn’t in the habit of eavesdropping, and like everyone else, she could’ve openly watched the drama unfold. But for some reason, she quickly withdrew the foot she’d just stepped forward with and stopped quietly at the stairwell corner.

Zhou Xintong had always been bold and confident. When she liked someone, she confessed loudly and proudly. She cornered Chi Ye just outside the classroom and poured her heart out in front of everyone.

But Chi Ye responded with unmistakable impatience, rejecting her bluntly.

“Sorry, I’ve already said, I only date the top student in the grade.”

Back then, Zhou Xintong was the class beauty in Class 9, and plenty of boys were after her. To be rejected so publicly left her unable to save face.

Frustrated, she snapped, “That’s just an excuse! Who can even beat Lin Yuran in grades? You might as well just admit you like Lin Yuran!”

That one sentence stunned everyone present. Including Lin Yuran, who was hiding just around the corner.

In that moment, she felt her heart skip two beats.

“Chi Ye likes Lin Yuran!”

“So that’s what he meant by ‘only dating the top student’!”

The whispers from the hallway reached her ears, every word clear and distinct, and her heartbeat suddenly spiraled out of control.

That hot, restless summer… a girl’s once-naive heart was ripped wide open.

The background noise faded, as if intentionally blocked out, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t silence her own racing heartbeat. It throbbed in sync with the cicadas’ cry.

Lin Yuran raised her hand to press against her chest, trying to soothe the restlessness pounding there. It was too loud. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hear the answer she needed.

And then Chi Ye’s lazy, indifferent voice drifted through the air. 

“Well, guess you’re not wrong.”

As soon as that line fell, the hallway exploded in chatter.

“Holy crap! Chi Ye really does like Lin Yuran!”

Leaning against the wall, Lin Yuran listened to their words, and the corner of her lips curled up ever so slightly.

Rumors had been circulating in school for a while, but without confirmation, they were just baseless gossip. That’s why Zhou Xintong had confessed so confidently, never expecting Chi Ye to respond like that.

His answer wasn’t exactly a confession, but it left little room for doubt.

Holding back tears, Zhou Xintong turned and ran. As she passed the stairwell, she spotted Lin Yuran standing at the corner and suddenly came to a halt.

Her reaction drew attention. The other students noticed Lin Yuran too, and began crowding toward the stairwell, eager to see how she would react.

Lin Yuran’s mind was in chaos, completely blank. She had no idea what to do, so she forced herself to remain calm, feigning indifference as she stepped forward from the corner.

The moment she stepped into the hallway, her gaze locked with Chi Ye’s fiery eyes and it felt like she’d been burned. Flustered, she looked away. Her heart pounded like a startled deer, to the point where she felt dizzy.

Forcing herself to keep her composure, she walked through the crowd under the weight of countless stares. When she passed Chi Ye, she didn’t dare look at him. She quickly brushed past him and darted into the classroom like she was fleeing.

That was the first time she truly understood her own heart. The first time she realized what it meant to have feelings for someone.

Now, Lin Yuran found herself watching a similar scene unfold in the present.

She couldn’t hear their conversation, but Zhou Xintong was smiling sweetly and Chi Ye didn’t seem as dismissive of her as before. Suddenly, a sharp ache gripped Lin Yuran’s chest, stealing the air from her lungs. Her nose stung with an unexpected burn.

She turned and walked away.

Watching her hurried retreating figure, Zhou Xintong turned back and smiled. “Not bad. At least we’ve made some progress. She gets jealous now.”

Chi Ye didn’t reply. Instead, he took large strides and chased after her.

With nowhere else to go, Lin Yuran returned to the VIP lounge. At the door, she paused to gather herself.

Zhou Xintong really had a way of waking her up every single time.

Yeah… Six years is a long time. Who would really stay in the same place waiting for you?

With that thought, Lin Yuran exhaled and reached for the door… 

Only for Chi Ye to grab her wrist.

“You walked away just now. Was something wrong?” Chi Ye asked, locking eyes with her. “Why’d you turn around and leave when you saw us?”

Suppressing the sourness bubbling in her chest, Lin Yuran forced herself to sound calm.

“Just wanted to give you and your old classmate some space to catch up.”

She flung off his hand, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

Was that… jealousy?

Chi Ye stood at the door, unsure whether he should be thrilled or nervous. He chuckled softly to himself before following her in.

As he walked in, Sheng Cong casually asked, “What took you so long?”

Chi Ye had been wondering how to bring it up. This was the perfect segue.

“Oh,” he said nonchalantly. “Some girl confessed to me. I turned her down.” He looked straight at Lin Yuran as he spoke.

She’d been staring at the floor the whole time. Feeling his gaze, she glanced up briefly, then quickly looked down again. Still, she couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from curling upward, though she tried to suppress it.

Chi Ye noticed and smirked devilishly.

Qu Wan teased, “Xiao Ye, you’re really popular, huh? Girls confessing to you wherever you go.”

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

Yan Xi, Ji Mo, and a group of younger boys pushed the door open.

Seeing them, Chi Ye raised a brow. “You guys didn’t head back to rest? What are you doing here?”

Yan Xi explained, “The company’s shuttle bus won’t start. They’re fixing it, so we’re stuck for now. We came to ask Sister Qu Wan for an autograph.” He turned to Qu Wan with a grin. “Would that be okay?”

“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “Come on over.”

The boys lit up with excitement.

“Can you sign my shirt, Sister Qu?”

“Sign my backpack!”

“Sign my arm, please!”

Lin Yuran didn’t usually fangirl, so she hadn’t even thought of asking for an autograph. But the enthusiasm was contagious, and she suddenly wanted one too.

“Sistter, sign something for me too?”

Qu Wan pulled her hand over fondly. “Where should I sign?”

After a moment’s thought, Lin Yuran held out her slender wrist. “Here.”

Once Qu Wan had signed, Lin Yuran playfully added, “Can you draw a little heart on the back too?”

Sheng Cong frowned and gave Chi Ye a pointed kick, signaling him to act. He walked over, snatched the pen from Qu Wan, and took her hand in his, massaging it. “No more hearts. My wife’s hand has been signing autographs and playing games all day. She’s tired. That’s enough. We should head out.”

“…Wow,” Lin Yuran remarked, catching on. “President Sheng really keeps an eye on Sister.”

“What’s so strange about that?” Sheng Cong replied. “You’ll understand when you spend years searching for someone you can’t find.”

Qu Wan lightly smacked his arm and took the pen back. She still drew a heart on Lin Yuran’s wrist. Then she turned to Chi Ye. “Xiao Ye, come have dinner with us later?” She reached for Lin Yuran’s hand. “You too, Yuran. I haven’t talked to you enough yet.”

Chi Ye: “Sure.”

Refusing a celebrity’s dinner invitation would’ve been rude, so Lin Yuran nodded. “Alright.”

Another knock sounded. Qin Lang and Xu Jianwei entered, holding hands.

“We’re heading back. The shuttle’s still being repaired, but I’ve got space in my car. Room for three, who’s coming with us?”

Chi Ye tossed his car keys to Yan Xi. “Perfect. The rest of you take my car.” He turned to Sheng Cong. “Brother, I’ll ride with you later.”

Sheng Cong: “Alright.”

They headed downstairs.

The valet brought around Sheng Cong’s car, a sleek, black luxury vehicle. Watching it glide forward, Lin Yuran thought, This car really matches his vibe. Big boss energy all the way.

Chi Ye opened the rear door for her. It was her first time seeing a reverse-opening car door. Curious, she climbed in.

Inside, the car oozed luxury. The starry ceiling made her feel like she’d stepped into a dream, like she was cradling the galaxy itself. A shooting star streaked overhead.

Unable to hold back anymore, Lin Yuran blurted, “What kind of car is this? It’s so cool!”

Qu Wan turned her head. “Cullinan.”

“This is a Cullinan!” Lin Yuran was a little excited, “No wonder CEOs always drive this in novels! So cool!”

The others in the car laughed. Another meteor streaked across the ceiling.

Lin Yuran sighed, “I honestly thought I’d never get to ride in a car like this in my life.”

Hearing that, Sheng Cong glanced at Chi Ye with an expression that seemed to say: No wonder you can’t win her over.

Qu Wan turned back, smiling. “Don’t say that, sweetie. You’re so talented, and one day, you’ll have all this and more.”

“Thanks for the blessing, sister.” Lin Yuran grinned. “But even if I had the money, I wouldn’t spend it all on a car.”

Sheng Cong chuckled to himself. No wonder my little brother is head over heels. This girl really is his type. No pretense, no drama, just honestly, adorably straightforward.

He said meaningfully, “Doesn’t matter. Even if you don’t buy one, you’ll still get to ride in one.”

Lin Yuran laughed it off. “Well, I am riding in one now, aren’t I?”

The restaurant was an upscale French place downtown.

The meal was elaborate, stretching nearly two hours. They chatted for ages afterward. By the time they left, night had fallen. Outside, Sheng Cong offered to drive them home.

Chi Ye lifted his chin slightly. “No need. I brought my own car. We’ll head back ourselves.”

Sheng Cong followed his gaze. A Cullinan Black Badge emerged from the shadows, gliding toward them. He shot Chi Ye a look that said, You’ve finally got some game, then drove off.

The chauffeur stopped the car in front of Chi Ye and respectfully handed over the keys.

“President Chi, your car.”

Chi Ye took the keys, walked over, and opened the passenger door, motioning for Lin Yuran to get in.

“Oh… okay.” She snapped out of her daze and climbed in.

The starry ceiling sparkled under the night sky like a silver river. It felt like they were sitting beneath a meteor shower. Incredibly romantic. Unable to resist, Lin Yuran took out her phone and snapped a couple of selfies.

Chi Ye glanced at her from the driver’s seat and silently smiled.

Her phone chimed, ding, a WeChat message. She tapped it open, smiled, and began typing quickly.

Chi Ye glanced sideways, frowning slightly at her smiling face.

Suddenly, she looked up and asked, “Chi Ye, where do you think is the best place to go on a date with someone you’ve had a crush on forever?”

“No idea,” Chi Ye replied coldly.

But Lin Yuran was too wrapped up in her chat to notice his mood. She tapped away happily.

After finishing the conversation, the car went quiet. Chi Ye hadn’t said a word since earlier, and the long day had worn her out too. Neither of them spoke. She sank into the plush seat and yawned, eyes drifting lazily to the window.

The early autumn streets were tinged with golden sycamore leaves. Nature had repainted its canvas in warm tones. Then, she caught sight of two figures on the roadside.

Suddenly sitting up, she blurted, “Chi Ye, can we pull over for a second?” Her eyes were fixed on those two people.

Chi Ye followed her gaze through the window and recognized one of them. Saying nothing, he slowly steered the car toward the curb and stopped.

……

T/N: Chi Ye be like, ‘Ranran wants it? Ranran gets it.’ Someone, get me a Chi Ye too!