The Wind Heard Her Confession - Chapter 9: A Blinding Crush part 2

Lin Yuran didn’t dare lift her head, sensing a hint of amusement in his voice. Staring at her phone screen, her heart raced wildly, and she could feel her ears burning.

Then Chi Ye spoke slowly, “If even 518 is too pricey for you, aren’t you worried about poor quality and bad experiences?”

“…”

Lin Yuran looked up, meeting his gaze filled with hints of mockery and slyness. Her eyelashes quivered slightly. If that’s how you’re going to be, I might as well go all out and break this rotten pot.

“Not even 518?” she asked, feigning surprise. Then she started babbling, “Those street prostitutes only charge 80, and the quality isn’t bad.”

The amusement in Chi Ye’s eyes vanished instantly. His gaze, now lowered, held a hint of scrutiny. “What? Are you an experienced one?”

Lin Yuran choked on her words.

If I keep talking nonsense like this, he’ll probably see me as a lecherous demon from now on.

Lin Yuran let out a forced laugh. “It’s not like that. I was just asking around. Life’s so long, nights are endless sometimes. Last time, I suddenly felt really lonely. But I was just asking, didn’t do anything. Ah!” She purposely sighed. “As soon as I had a fleeting thought about it, I sent you the wrong message and you found out. That was too close a call. I won’t do that sort of thing anymore. Hey, old classmate, will you keep this quiet for me?”

“Oh.” Chi Ye drawled. “How’d you know about the ’80’ on the roadside?”

“…”

“I heard it when I passed by!”

“Who listens to that nonsense?”

“Then it’s not good!”

“Heh…”

Lin Yuran sensed Chi Ye was about to explode with embarrassment and anger. She didn’t want to keep discussing this and just wanted to give him the money. She stared at the WeChat interface, still feeling uncomfortable about transferring money. In the end, she had to take out her wallet, count out five hundred-yuan bills, and find a twenty-yuan bill to make it to five hundred and twenty. She stuffed them all into Chi Ye’s hands.

Chi Ye grimaced as he held the money. “Ha, 520.”

Lin Yuran was speechless. Her temper wasn’t actually very good, and she could feel it slipping. “Why don’t you just give me two yuan?”

Chi Ye lifted an eyebrow. “Sorry, I don’t have change for that.”

Lin Yuran didn’t feel like arguing anymore and started walking down the stairs.

Chi Ye let out a stifled chuckle and followed her.

The walk was another silence.

Once outside the gates, Chi Ye suddenly called out to her. “Lin Yuran.”

This was the first time since their reunion that Chi Ye heard her call him by name. Startled, she tilted her head, her expression asking for an explanation.

“Lin Yuran, when are you planning to talk to me?” Chi Ye fixed his gaze on her eyes.

Lin Yuran looked a little confused. “Haven’t I been talking to you?”

Chi Ye’s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction. “‘Hmm.’ ‘Oh.’ ‘President Chi.’ Do you count those as talking?”

“…” Lin Yuran blinked twice. “Didn’t I just speak earlier? And the sentences were much longer than that.”

“Oh,” Chi Ye drawled. ” ‘Overnight.’ ‘Split the bill.’ Do those count as talking too?”

Lin Yuran furrowed her brows. “…Don’t they? Then what counts as talking?”

“We’re old classmates, yet you have so much to say to others. Why is it that when it comes to me, you barely say a word?” Chi Ye pressed his lips together. “It’s been years since we’ve seen each other. Aren’t you even curious about how I’ve been?”

“You didn’t ask me either,” Lin Yuran muttered softly under her breath. She quickly realized what Chi Ye meant by ‘not talking to him.’

“Alright then, how have you been all these years?” Lin Yuran followed his lead and asked.

“Not great,” Chi Ye replied without hesitation. “And you? Have you been well?”

What a melodramatic exchange!

Lin Yuran suppressed a laugh and answered him somewhat perfunctorily, “I’ve been doing just fine.”

Chi Ye lowered his gaze and looked at her silently, his eyes deep and dark like the night sky.

“Then why didn’t you go to Tsinghua or the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts?” His voice was low and heavy.

Caught off guard by the question, Lin Yuran froze for a moment. She bit her lip and tried to respond casually. “Well, I wanted to let my dream take its time to soar. Isn’t it perfect timing now? I’m planning to enroll this year. After all, everything’s about finding the right time, place, and opportunity. Now’s the best time for me to go.”

“Not bad,” Chi Ye said, his lips forming a straight line.

He looked at her quietly for a few more seconds, then turned and walked toward his parking space.

Lin Yuran gathered her thoughts and was about to head toward the bus stop when she heard a slightly commanding tone: “Get in. I’ll drive you.”

Chi Ye stood in front of the passenger seat, holding the door open for her.

Lin Yuran hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, climbing into the car, and sitting in the passenger seat. “Thank you for the ride, President—” The word “Chi” lingered on the tip of her tongue, but she stopped short.

If she said, ‘Thank you for the ride, President Chi, he’d probably be displeased. But if she said, ‘Thanks, Chi Ye,’ it sounded a bit strange. She quickly reorganized her thoughts. “Thanks for the ride, Chi Ye.”

Chi Ye smiled, the curve of his lips strikingly handsome. He closed the passenger door for her, walked briskly to the driver’s seat, and got in. “Where to?”

“Beixing Road, Warner Gardens.”

Chi Ye tapped the GPS, set the route, and started the car.

Lin Yuran leaned over. “Turn on your car stereo. Let’s listen to something.”

Chi Ye chuckled and pressed the play button. The two didn’t exchange another word. The only sound in the car was the upbeat melody flowing through the speakers.

Lin Yuran sank into the spacious seat, gradually enveloped by the Berlin surround sound system.

It was fascinating. Though their earlier conversation had been odd, even a little disjointed, the strange tension that had existed between them seemed to have completely dissipated. Now, even though neither of them spoke, the atmosphere felt inexplicably harmonious, without the slightest trace of awkwardness.

……

(T/N: He’s right, Lin Yuran! Why didn’t you ask how he had been? He was sooo curious how have you been these years *squeals*)