Twist of Fate (GL) - Chapter 21
Although the dorm bed wasn’t very large, it wasn’t cramped either. It was more than enough for Xie Jing to sleep alone—and even with Qin Ning added, it wouldn’t have felt crowded. Still, Qin Ning lay on her side, pressed tightly against Xie Jing. “Go to sleep,” she said.
“Mm-hmm.” Xie Jing nodded and, tilting her head slightly, drifted off almost instantly.
She was covered by a silk quilt her mother, Ms. Xie Ruzhuo, had urgently mailed to her. The quilt was light, smooth, and incredibly comfortable.
Xie Jing had a habit of kicking off her covers while sleeping, so Qin Ning, noticing this, had no choice but to wrap her arms tightly around her through the blanket.
At one point, Xie Jing stirred from the heat. With flushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes, she looked at Qin Ning and mumbled, “Whispering Egret… my dear wife…” before dozing off again.
Qin Ning twitched at the temple, barely holding herself back as she leaned closer and whispered in Xie Jing’s ear, “You’re a Seven Show. How did you end up obsessed with Whispering Egret, too?”
“You must be Sword Pure at heart, Xie Jing.” A body of Seven Show, the soul of Sword Pure.
Who in the world talks about Whispering Egret even in their sleep?
Unfortunately, Xie Jing was fast asleep and didn’t hear Qin Ning’s frustrated complaint.
She slept like the dead, only waking up around six in the morning.
When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Qin Ning’s face, just inches away.
For a moment, she was stunned. Then she remembered everything that had happened before she fell asleep.
Her ears flushed red. “Qin Ning… You—you’ve been awake all this time? Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“It’s not time yet,” Qin Ning replied, lifting her side of the blanket and fishing her phone out from under the pillow. She glanced at it and added with a cryptic tone, “Besides, you were talking in your sleep. I
couldn’t bear to interrupt you.”
“W-What? What was I saying?” Xie Jing asked, utterly blank—she had no memory of her dreams.
“You said… Whispering Egret is your wife for life.” Qin Ning stared at her with dark, amused eyes. “You might’ve dreamed that you turned into a grilled lamb skewer.”
Xie Jing: “???”
“I wouldn’t dream something that weird!” she said, scratching her head in disbelief.
Without a word, Qin Ning pulled up a 3-minute voice recording on her phone and played it from start to finish.
When it ended, Xie Jing clutched her red cheeks. “That was a close call. Damn you, Sword Three.”
Thankfully, Qin Ning turned off the recording after just one play. Still feeling mortified, Xie Jing burrowed under the covers for a while before finally climbing out of bed like a guilty little quail.
They had dinner at the school cafeteria, then decided to stroll toward the sports field to walk off the meal.
“Wow, someone’s singing over there!” Xie Jing suddenly pointed at a crowd gathered on the lawn and tugged Qin Ning along excitedly.
In the middle of the crowd, a small stage had been set up with some sound equipment. Sitting in the center was a girl with long pink wavy hair, singing and strumming a currently trending folk song.
Mesmerized, Xie Jing plopped down on the grass with Qin Ning.
“Qin Ning,” she said, cupping her cheeks. “That song you sang last time—A Little Happiness—it was really nice.”
“It was just for you,” Qin Ning replied simply.
What she didn’t say was that she had practiced it for a long time.
Glancing at Xie Jing, she suddenly recalled the duet Xie Jing sang with Shen Xinghe—Outside the Shen Garden.
She’d sung it so tenderly, so soulfully.
Qin Ning added meaningfully, “Too bad someone was too busy chatting to pay attention that day.”
“I didn’t know you liked me back then,” Xie Jing said. If she had known Qin Ning was singing just for her, she would’ve listened attentively from start to finish.
“Well, now you do,” Qin Ning said with a small smile.
“Then will you sing it again?” Xie Jing asked, eyes sparkling. “I promise I’ll listen carefully this time.”
“Sure.”
“Wait here.”
Qin Ning stood up from the grass just as the pink-haired girl sang her final note and the crowd applauded.
After a short conversation, Qin Ning borrowed the microphone.
Xie Jing’s eyes followed her every move.
With her long legs and graceful frame, Qin Ning didn’t need to do anything—just standing there was already a beautiful sight.
Entranced, Xie Jing listened to her sing A Little Happiness again.
Applause rippled through the crowd.
Just as Qin Ning was about to return the mic, a girl suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
The song’s instrumental outro was still playing. The girl stood just a meter or two away.
Xie Jing craned her neck, unsure what was happening.
Was that girl trying to duet with Qin Ning?
——
“Sorry, I already have a girlfriend.”
Xie Jing: “!!!”
Qin Ning had forgotten to turn off the mic. Her voice rang out loud and clear through the speakers.
Xie Jing inhaled sharply, eyes fixed on them.
Then she held her breath.
So… that girl just confessed?
Qin Ning was so beautiful—it wasn’t surprising someone would.
Still, even though Qin Ning had publicly rejected the girl, Xie Jing’s heart felt a little tight.
She pressed a hand against her chest and shook her head, trying to shake off those strange thoughts.
Qin Ning quickly returned and sat next to her, intertwining their fingers.
“Your hands are freezing.” Qin Ning frowned, brought Xie Jing’s hands to her lips, blew on them, and gently rubbed them warm. “That girl… I didn’t give her my WeChat.”
Warmth returned to Xie Jing’s hands—and her heart. “Oh… Why are you telling me that? I’m not that petty.”
Qin Ning looked down at her stubborn little girlfriend and said helplessly, “Because I want to tell you.”
“Got it.” Feeling light-hearted, Xie Jing slipped her hand into Qin Ning’s coat pocket and leaned against her. “Hehe, my consort, I shall remain virtuous for your sake too.”
Qin Ning: “…”
She wanted to open Xie Jing’s head and see what went on in there. How was there still an emperor roaming around after the fall of the Qing dynasty?
Xie Jing didn’t stop there. “My consort, perform a dance for me once we return to our chambers.”
Qin Ning: “…”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Xie Jing leaned close and blinked up at her.
“I don’t dare. I might say the wrong thing and get my whole clan executed.”
“I’d never!” Xie Jing looked around and sneakily kissed her on the cheek. “You’re my one and only precious girlfriend. I could never bear to.”
Looking down at her, Qin Ning’s gaze softened. “Shall we go back to the dorm?”
“Nope,” Xie Jing said, glancing at the stage. “I still want to hear pretty sis sing more.”
In response, Qin Ning pulled her coat tighter, wrapped Xie Jing inside it, and kissed her.
Xie Jing blinked. “You can’t kiss me in front of so many people!!”
“You started it,” Qin Ning said.
“That’s different,” Xie Jing pouted. “I didn’t use tongue.”
“Sorry,” Qin Ning said with a smirk. “Now will you come back to the dorm?”
“…Fine.” After that kiss, Xie Jing suddenly lost interest in music. She leaned on Qin Ning’s shoulder and stood up. “Let’s go. Time to fold some roses.”
But the roses never got folded. The moment they entered the dorm, Qin Ning pinned Xie Jing against the door and kissed her for a solid minute. Xie Jing’s legs turned to jelly—she could barely stand without Qin
Ning’s hand around her waist.
All Xie Jing could say was: It’s all Qin Ning’s fault! They’d agreed on one kiss a day, but she’d been kissed how many times now?!
At this rate, she’d turn into a lemon—her whole body, from her lips to her cheeks, was soaked in Qin Ning’s scent.
“Still want to see me dance?” Qin Ning asked, fixing Xie Jing’s tousled hair.
“Mm… next time. Definitely.” Xie Jing felt like there was a fire in her body. Not the right time for dancing. Tomorrow, maybe.
She ran off to wash up. When she returned, she pulled out her foam paper.
She still had half the roses to fold. One more day and she’d finish all 99.
To avoid another make out session, she took the paper to her bed, drew the curtains, and began folding.
Qin Ning noticed her childish attempt to flee temptation but said nothing. She took a piece of card stock from the shelf and began writing on it.
A note for Xie Jing.
That night, they each busied themselves quietly in their own corners.
________________________________________
The next morning, Xie Jing stretched and called out instinctively, “Qin Ning?”
A voice came from below. “You’re up? Come eat breakfast.”
She scampered down from the bed and, sure enough, found a thermal lunchbox on her desk.
Their dorm only restricted appliances above 500W, so hot water kettles and thermal containers were allowed.
Inside were steamed buns, corn, and millet porridge.
“Wow, it’s a feast!” she said. “A-Ning, did you eat already?”
“I did. Go ahead.”
“Okay! Thank you, love you~” Xie Jing winked at her.
Qin Ning coughed. “Go wash up. Eat while it’s hot.”
“Mm-hmm.” Xie Jing fluttered off to the balcony like a gust of wind.
Ten minutes later, she returned, washed and dressed, and sat at her desk.
“Huh?” She picked up a thick envelope that had appeared there. “What’s this?”
“Returning the favor,” Qin Ning said. “It’s from me.”
“Wow, my first time getting such a thick love letter.” Xie Jing eagerly tore it open. “Let’s see what you wrote.”
She read while sipping her porridge and, before she knew it, half the bowl was gone.
“Wow, Qin Ning, your love letter goes great with food.”
Qin Ning: “…”