Twist of Fate (GL) - Chapter 16
The next evening, Xie Jing was having her usual video call with her parents.
When the call connected, Mrs. Xie Ruzhu’s still-elegant face appeared prominently in the center of the screen, while Mr. Xie was barely visible in a corner.
Just as Mrs. Xie was about to remind her daughter that her birthday was in five days, Mr. Xie noticed something off about her expression.
“Sweetheart, you don’t look too well.”
“Mom, Dad, good evening! I’m okay, really—just had a bit of an allergic reaction lately.” Xie Jing rolled up her pajama sleeve and held her arm to the camera. “I saw a doctor yesterday. Got three IV drips. The rash is already clearing up.”
“Oh no, how’d you suddenly get an allergy?” Mrs. Xie asked, visibly distressed. “Whatever you do, don’t scratch it. Just put on some ointment if it itches. I’ll have your father go pick out a few jars from the store tomorrow and mail them to you.”
“No need, Mom. Xie Jing ’s huge—if I’ve got money, I can buy whatever ointment I want.” She thought to herself, Please don’t air-ship it again like last time…
“That’s not the same,” Mrs. Xie replied. “What we sell at our own store is safer and more reliable.”
Xie Jing internally rolled her eyes—wasn’t their ointment also bought from suppliers? What difference did it make? But she still nodded obediently. “Okay.”
“Your birthday’s next Friday. With the seasonal change and flu outbreak, your dad’s short on staff at the pharmacy and probably can’t get away. I’m swamped at the company too, so we won’t be able to come see you. Take good care of yourself, buy a cake, and have a nice dinner with your roommates, alright?”
Xie Jing nodded sweetly. “Got it~”
Right after the reminder, Mrs. Xie wired her several tens of thousands in pocket money.
Seeing the message notification pop up, Xie Jing’s smile deepened. She immediately turned on the charm and made her mom laugh out loud with joy.
“All right, little money grubber. That’s enough for today. Get some rest and don’t stay up late gaming.”
“Mhm! Love you, Mom and Dad! Bye-bye, goodnight!”
The moment she finished her sentence, Xie Jing ended the call without hesitation.
Only afterward did she suddenly realize something—she’d never seen Qin Ning make a single call home.
She remembered Qin Ning was from the south and usually stayed in the dorms over weekends, unlike Zhou Yan and Chen Yuan who often went home.
So far from home and not even a phone call?
Could there be some unspeakable reason behind it?
“Did I interrupt your family call?” Qin Ning asked when she noticed Xie Jing staring at her after hanging up.
“No, no!” Xie Jing waved her hands. “I was just wondering why you never call your family.”
Qin Ning was caught off guard by the question. After a long pause, she finally said, “There’s nothing worth talking about.”
Xie Jing nodded. “Oh. I usually call home on Sundays—does it bother you?”
“Not at all,” Qin Ning answered quickly.
“Great.” Xie Jing relaxed and hummed as she climbed into bed.
________________________________________
Monday. A full day of classes.
Xie Jing, groggy and clutching her notebook, trudged toward the lecture hall. Qin Ning kept a close eye on her, half-worried she’d collapse from exhaustion.
“Whoever invented 8 a.m. classes deserves to be cursed for nine generations,” Xie Jing groaned with a yawn, looking like she had nothing left to live for.
“But didn’t you go to bed at 10:30 last night?” Qin Ning asked, puzzled.
“I did, but I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about how I’m going to confess to Shen Xinghe soon and got too nervous to fall asleep.” She had tossed and turned in bed for two hours before finally drifting off.
“Why nervous?” Qin Ning asked.
“Because it’s my first time! Anyone would be nervous doing something for the first time—especially confessing to someone!” Xie Jing said earnestly. “If it goes well, I’ll finally be in a relationship. If not, then I’ll be heartbroken.”
“You ever heard the saying, ‘One thought to become a Buddha, one thought to become a demon’?” she added. “That’s basically me right now.”
Qin Ning looked down at her calmly. “Not really.”
“Then imagine it from my perspective,” Xie Jing said, locking eyes with her. “Say you’ve had a crush on me for three years, and now you’re about to confess. Wouldn’t you be nervous?”
Qin Ning suddenly replied, “Six years.”
“…What?”
“Been in love for six years.”
Xie Jing blinked. “Okay, then imagine I’m the person you’ve been secretly in love with for six years. Now you’re about to confess to me. Nervous or not?”
Qin Ning thought for a moment, then nodded sincerely. “Yeah. Nervous.”
“Exactly! I’m just like you—so nervous I can’t eat or sleep and can’t stop thinking about it.”
Qin Ning had no advice to give. In fact, she caught herself thinking darkly—It’d be great if Shen Xinghe turned out to be straight.
________________________________________
At lunch, they ran into Shen Xinghe again. Zhou Yan and Xie Jing sat side by side; Qin Ning was across from Xie Jing, and Shen Xinghe sat opposite Zhou Yan.
Trying to test Shen Xinghe’s attitude toward homosexuality, Xie Jing intentionally pulled out her phone during the meal to watch anime.
Zhou Yan got the hint and played along. “Xie Jing, did you finish watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica? What’s this one now?”
“This? Citrus,” Xie Jing replied coolly, biting her chopsticks.
“What kind is it? Looks interesting.”
“Yuri. With a bit of pseudo-incest.”
“What’s ‘Yuri’?” Zhou Yan asked innocently.
Xie Jing met her gaze and explained slowly, “It’s when… two girls fall in love.”
Qin Ning kept her head down and ate in silence, unbothered by their theatrics. Shen Xinghe, however, looked up, curious.
“You mean… female friendship?”
“No… romance,” Xie Jing replied instinctively.
“Oh… I see.” Shen Xinghe nodded and didn’t comment further.
Zhou Yan and Xie Jing subtly observed her reaction. She didn’t seem put off or weirded out, which was a good sign.
Time to escalate.
“Didn’t know you were into this kind of anime,” Zhou Yan teased. “Wait—Xie Jing, could it be… you like girls?”
Xie Jing blushed and nodded honestly. “Yeah.”
Shen Xinghe looked up again, her eyes glinting as she stared at Xie Jing.
“W-what is it, Xinghe?” Xie Jing asked nervously, gripping her chopsticks.
“Nothing,” Shen Xinghe said. “Just surprised.”
“What’s the big deal? I’m straight, but I think liking girls is great.” Zhou Yan turned to Shen Xinghe. “What do you think?”
Shen Xinghe set down her chopsticks, thought for a few seconds, and said sincerely, “I think as long as it’s mutual, gender doesn’t matter.”
Zhou Yan nodded knowingly. “So, you’re bi?”
“I don’t know.” Shen Xinghe’s cheeks reddened. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
“Oh…” Zhou Yan nodded again and exchanged a subtle look with Xie Jing. Both of them looked pleased.
There’s hope.
At least she’s not opposed.
Xie Jing felt reassured and more confident about her upcoming confession on Friday.
Just as she was about to go back to eating, she suddenly locked eyes with Qin Ning. For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered in Qin Ning’s gaze before she quickly looked away.
Weird… why did Qin Ning seem a little… sad?
Did I upset her with all this talk about confessing to Shen Xinghe?
Guess I need to help her find someone too.
“I’m done. You guys go ahead. I’ll head back to the dorm,” Qin Ning said, picking up her tray and walking off.
Zhou Yan watched her leave and frowned. Could she be homophobic? She left right after we started talking about girls liking girls…
Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this kind of stuff in front of straight girls anymore.
________________________________________
After lunch, under Zhou Yan’s suggestion, Xie Jing went to the campus store and bought a pile of sponge paper.
Zhou Yan had said: “Flowers wilt, but love is eternal. Instead of buying fresh flowers that won’t last, make them yourself—it’s more meaningful.”
So, Xie Jing planned to craft a bouquet of everlasting sponge roses for Shen Xinghe.
She splurged on materials and spent her entire lunch break folding roses—only to end up with three.
“At this rate, you’ll only have twelve by Friday,” Zhou Yan said, reaching to help, but Xie Jing stopped her.
“No! They have to be folded by me. That’s the only way they’ll be sincere.”
“…Fine. Suit yourself, Ms. Drama Queen,” Zhou Yan huffed. “I’m out.”
“Thanks for understanding,” Xie Jing said calmly.
________________________________________
During class that afternoon, Xie Jing sneakily reached under her desk to continue folding roses.
Zhou Yan shook her head and sighed. “No wonder teachers say relationships affect grades. You’re skipping lectures to fold flowers for your crush now.”
Xie Jing pretended not to hear and turned to Qin Ning with puppy-dog eyes. “Can I borrow your notes after class?”
Zhou Yan gasped. “What, my artistic chicken scratch isn’t good enough for you anymore?”
“Perish the thought! But your notes are a bit too… avant-garde for mere mortals. So, I must turn to the noble Miss Qin for salvation.”
Zhou Yan, flattered, let it slide with a proud hum.
After class, Xie Jing got her wish—Qin Ning handed over her notebook.
But when she opened it…
“…Why’s it blank?”
“I didn’t take any notes,” Qin Ning said flatly.
“Why not?!” Xie Jing felt her soul leave her body. Was she really going to have to decipher Zhou Yan’s scribbles?
“I wasn’t in the mood.” Qin Ning had been focused on the lecture the entire time. Not once had she looked at Xie Jing. So how could she have taken no notes?
“…In the mood? You need a mood to take notes?”
“Apparently,” Qin Ning said simply.
“…Fine.” Xie Jing sighed and handed the notebook back, defeated.