The Wind Heard Her Confession - Chapter 8: A Blinding Crush part 1

Chi Ye’s eyebrows twitched slightly. “Sounds good.”

Before Lin Yuran could finish her objection, Gu Jiaze cut her off. “Alright, let’s move. We’ll be stuck in traffic if we don’t beat the rush hour.”

Unable to refuse such eagerness, Lin Yuran tucked away her drawing and followed them.

The trio headed to the parking area together. Chi Ye took out his car keys, punched the unlock button, and Gu Jiaze reached for the front passenger door. Chi Ye nudged him aside, and Gu Jiaze shrugged, moving to the back seat instead.

Chi Ye opened the front passenger door and nodded towards it. “You sit up front.”

“Okay.” Lin Yuran blinked and walked over to the front seat.

Chi Ye’s car was quite tall, requiring a step to get in. As Lin Yuran climbed up, she lost her balance for a moment, but Chi Ye’s quick reflexes steadied her.

His slightly husky voice whispered near her ear, “Careful!”

Her heart skipped a beat, only resuming when she sat down in the seat.

Chi Ye closed the front passenger door, walked around to the driver’s side, opened it, and got in, starting the car.

Lin Yuran had thought the car looked cool from the outside, but she was surprised to find the interior even more impressive, fitting Chi Ye’s style perfectly. However, Lin Yuran wasn’t very car-savvy and didn’t recognize the model, only knowing it was a Mercedes-Benz from the logo.

In the next second, Gu Jiaze from the back seat answered.

Gu Jiaze leaned back lazily and said, “The back seat of this big G is spacious, so comfortable to sit in.” He slumped into the wide seat, looked around at the luxurious interior, and exclaimed admiringly, “Impressive! Cool! Awesome! “When will I make enough money to buy a big G? I really love this car.” 

Gu Jiaze leaned forward, grinning at Chi Ye. “Hey, Chi Ye, you’re not using this car to pick up girls and just driving around as a single guy. That’s such a waste. I can’t afford one anytime soon, so how about lending me your car for a spin?”

Chi Ye gave him a dismissive glance. “Get lost.”

Gu Jiaze clicked his tongue. “Ah! What a waste.”

Hearing this, Lin Yuran found it hard to believe. She knew many girls had pursued Chi Ye before. With his handsome face, his good looks were truly captivating. How could he still not have a girlfriend after so many years? She couldn’t help blurting out, “Ah! He doesn’t have a girlfriend?”

At this, Chi Ye turned to look at her sidelong.

“Nope, I’m well aware of that,” Gu Jiaze replied, sounding even more confused than her. “Isn’t it ridiculous? With his face, his build, his family background, and his wealth, he’s actually still single even now. Four years of college spent as lonely as a stray dog.”

At this point, Gu Jiaze asked, “Lin Yuran, what about you? You have a boyfriend? You’re so beautiful and accomplished. With all those suitors chasing after you, I bet you’ve had plenty of relationships.”

Lin Yuran’s glance inadvertently shifted towards Chi Ye.

Chi Ye’s lips pressed together, his gaze fixed straight ahead on the road. He focused on driving, showing no interest in their conversation.

“Me? I…”

Suddenly, a burst of phone ringtones cut off their chat. Lin Yuran rummaged through her bag for her phone. It was a call from Lin Yequn. She answered, “Lin Yequn, you’re back from your Tibet assignment?”

“Yeah, I just got home,” the voice replied. “I brought some yak jerky for you. When you’re free, let me know and I’ll drop it by.”

Lin Yuran smiled. “No need. I’ll come by when I’m free.”

In the enclosed car, with the car stereo off, some of the conversation on the phone inevitably leaked out.

Gu Jiaze curiously asked, “Lin Yuran, was that Lin Yequn from our school on the phone just now?”

“Yeah.” Lin Yuran turned back and smiled. “You still remember him?”

“Sure do! He’s in eighth class, practically part of our class too, came looking for you twice a day, didn’t he?” Gu Jiaze said. “All these years later, you guys are still in touch?”

“That’s a given,” Lin Yuran chuckled. “We’ve been friends since we first learned to crawl. How could a bond like that break…”

Suddenly, a long, shrill honk blasted out. Lin Yuran fell silent and glanced at Chi Ye.

It was rush hour. A long line of cars was backed up ahead. Chi Ye looked annoyed, his handsome face cold as he slammed his hand on the steering wheel. The ear-piercing honk echoed down the entire street.

Gu Jiaze leaned forward. “Chi Ye, you sound like you have road rage.” Being stuck in traffic’s no big deal. Just drive slow. We’re not in a hurry. And why are you being so odd today? You haven’t said much.”

Chi Ye replied lazily, “I’m already tired of listening to you two chat. You haven’t seen each other in ages; you should take the chance to catch up.”

With that, he reached over and turned on the sound system. The Big G’s Bang & Olufsen speakers filled the air with heavenly music. Both Lin Yuran and Gu Jiaze were stunned by the sound. They stopped talking and leaned back in their seats, enjoying the auditory feast.

As Lin Yuran’s thoughts drifted away in the waves of music, they were unexpectedly pulled back by the mention of the ‘white moonlight’ — the idealized love interest she had briefly touched upon earlier.

Before she knew it, memories from the past surged into her mind.

During high school, Lin Yuran’s grades, looks, and talents were all top-notch. Naturally, teachers favored her, and classmates admired her. She was confident and proud, glowing with an aura of her unique brilliance.

Naturally, she had quite a few suitors, but Lin Yuran was uninterested in all of them. She found it annoying to come up with excuses to reject them each time, so she decided to create a one-time ‘declaration’ to fend off all future advances.

One day, the classmate with a crush on her admitted his feelings for the umpteenth time. Undeterred after weeks of rejection, he persisted. The guy was bold and always made a big deal out of his confessions, stirring up a commotion among their classmates.

……

(T/N: That loud honk was on purpose, Chi Ye!)