Twist of Fate (GL) - Chapter 25

“Quick, use a tissue—are you allergic to persimmons?” Xie Jing had just finished unpacking her luggage. Her hands were dirty, so she didn’t dare touch her and could only approach anxiously, clutching a pack of tissues.

Zhou Yan tilted her head back and, in a rather awkward position, managed to stand up from her chair. “I don’t think so. I had persimmons over the New Year and was totally fine.”

At that moment, Qin Ning walked over and asked directly, “How many pieces of cake did you eat?”

Zhou Yan thought for a second and held up three fingers. “Three.”

Xie Jing immediately realized what was going on. “Quick, drink some herbal tea! You’re probably experiencing a heat reaction. The cakes had ginseng and other Chinese herbal tonics in them—you shouldn’t eat so many at once!”

“…” Zhou Yan never imagined that Xie Jing, this nouveau riche, would even put ginseng in her pastries—and they’d be so potent.

After some fuss, Zhou Yan’s nosebleed finally stopped.

She had paid a painful price for her greedy indulgence.

All those expensive tonics she just consumed were now wasted in the most ridiculous way.

Zhou Yan slumped in her chair, half-dead, watching the others scurry around. Suddenly, she spoke up, “Xie Jing, your face is kind of red. Are you running a fever again?”

Xie Jing touched her flushed cheeks. “Maybe a bit, but it’s fine. A good night’s sleep will do the trick.”

She usually got minor reactions from traveling to different places, but a night’s rest typically fixed everything.

That night, just as Xie Jing was about to crawl into bed, Qin Ning grabbed her wrist.

“This is fever medicine. Take one if you start feeling worse.”

Xie Jing took it. “When did you buy this?”

Qin Ning: “While you were in the shower.”

“Oh…” Xie Jing mumbled, “Love you. You’re so thoughtful. A textbook-perfect girlfriend.”

Qin Ning smirked. “Since you said that, shouldn’t a model girlfriend get a reward?”

“Hmm…” Xie Jing thought for two seconds. “But I’m running a fever today—no kisses. I’ll make it up to you next time.”

Qin Ning had been about to say that a kiss wasn’t necessary, but seeing that Xie Jing was unwell, she nodded. “Alright.”

________________________________________

The next day, Jinghai University resumed classes. A new round of “Joy Run” check-ins began.

Monday was a full day. After her classes, Xie Jing still had to complete her usual two laps on the track. Qin Ning joined her.

It wasn’t snowing today, making it perfect weather for running. If only Xie Jing’s constitution were better, she’d have tried knocking out the 40km in a couple of days to get it over with.

Unfortunately, with her fragile body, one lap left her winded, two made her breathless, and after three she was ready to drop dead.

As the evening chill set in, they wrapped up after three laps and returned to the dorm for a shower.

After bathing, Xie Jing put on the silk pajamas she’d prepared long ago.

They were a soft, pastel pink.

Zhou Yan happened to walk by and gasped, covering her mouth. “Wow, Xie Jing, your new pajamas are adorable!”

Xie Jing: “???”

Adorable?

They were supposed to be sexy.

Zhou Yan asked, “Where did you get them?”

Xie Jing replied, “Online. I can send you the link if you want.”

Zhou Yan: “Please do.”

After sending the link, Xie Jing deliberately walked in front of Qin Ning and gave a little twirl.

She didn’t understand—her pajamas were the same material as Qin Ning’s, just a different color and style. Why did Qin Ning look sexy in hers, but she looked… cute?

So, what if Qin Ning was a little taller, a bit more mature, and had a better figure? Besides that, what difference was there between them?

“They look great on you—really suit you,” Qin Ning said, her gaze lingering appreciatively.

Xie Jing’s fair skin glowed in the soft pink, giving her a radiant, peach-like softness—delicate, sweet, and utterly irresistible.

The compliment gave Xie Jing a boost of confidence. She climbed the ladder during lights-out, but just as she was about to get into her own bed, her knee turned and she ended up kneeling at the edge of Qin Ning’s bed, tumbling right into it.

Qin Ning, following behind, saw it all, surprise flickering in her eyes.

The dorm lights were out. Only a bit of moonlight filtered in from the balcony. Xie Jing’s face was flushed—it was her first time crawling into someone else’s bed. She had been close with Zhou Yan before, but never enough to cross this line. Yet here she was, nestled in Qin Ning’s bedding, burying her face into her quilt and inhaling deeply.

The quilt smelled just like Qin Ning—fresh and citrusy.

Before long, Qin Ning lifted the curtain and slipped in. They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before naturally lying down side by side.

They had shared a bed once before, but that had been during a nap, fully clothed. Now, Xie Jing was only wearing a silk nightgown—no bra, nothing underneath.

She lay still, hands neatly folded on her stomach, afraid to move or speak for fear of waking Zhou Yan or Chen Yuan.

Despite the exhaustion from a full day of classes and running, she felt incredibly alert and couldn’t sleep at all.

Qin Ning’s soft breathing was right beside her. Xie Jing had the urge to turn her head. Her heart beat faster than usual—whether it was because of the vulnerability, or something else, she wasn’t sure.

“Qin Ning, are you asleep?” she whispered.

Qin Ning didn’t reply, but the next moment, she reached over and held Xie Jing’s hand.

Their fingers intertwined, and warmth spread between their palms, flowing deep into their bodies.

Xie Jing still couldn’t sleep. She quietly turned her head, meeting Qin Ning’s gaze in the darkness.

Before she could react, Qin Ning leaned in and gently bit her earlobe, whispering, “Can’t sleep?”

Her breath tickled Xie Jing’s ear—her most sensitive spot. Xie Jing flinched and froze in place.

Qin Ning cupped her face with one hand, tilted her chin up slightly, and brought their faces within inches.

Then she kissed her.

Xie Jing didn’t dare make a sound, biting her lip to suppress it. But Qin Ning wasn’t content with a shallow kiss. She softly coaxed Xie Jing’s lips open, her tongue slipping inside.

Creaaak—

The wooden bedframe groaned under the shift. Xie Jing panicked and clutched Qin Ning’s hand tightly.

Qin Ning kissed her again gently, soothing her nerves and carefully balancing so the bed wouldn’t creak again.

Thankfully, it stayed silent. And in that breathless tension, Xie Jing eventually drifted off to sleep.

________________________________________

The next morning, Xie Jing murmured while hugging the blanket, “So kissing helps you sleep better? That’s amazing…”

Qin Ning wasn’t in bed. She must’ve gotten up already. Just as Xie Jing pulled back the curtain to climb down, she locked eyes with Zhou Yan across the way.

They stared at each other for a moment before Xie Jing blushed furiously. “Morning…”

Zhou Yan looked stunned, completely forgetting about the stairs. “You two didn’t sleep together last night… did you?”

Xie Jing nodded honestly. “Yeah.”

Zhou Yan gasped. “It’s over, Xie Jing. Your innocence is gone.” She looked devastated, like someone’s precious cabbage had just been devoured by a pig.

Xie Jing quickly explained, “We just slept. That’s it. We didn’t do anything.”

Of course they didn’t. If they had, Zhou Yan wouldn’t have slept through it.

But something about Xie Jing’s expression seemed off. Zhou Yan narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t even kiss?”

Xie Jing blushed and said nothing.

That was all the confirmation Zhou Yan needed. The redness on her face said it all.

While brushing her teeth, Zhou Yan watched as Qin Ning entered the dorm, carrying breakfast for everyone. She placed it neatly on each desk.

It was Tuesday, and classes didn’t start until 10 AM, so both Xie Jing and Zhou Yan had slept in.

Unfortunately, it meant they had little time left—already 9 AM.

After washing up, Xie Jing leaned on Qin Ning’s shoulder affectionately. “No early class today—why didn’t you sleep in a bit longer instead of heading out so early?”

“I went for a couple of laps on the track,” Qin Ning replied while changing. “And picked up breakfast for you guys on the way back.”

Zhou Yan mumbled with her toothbrush in her mouth, “You’re so hardworking, Qin Ning. I haven’t even started my check-ins yet.”

“I didn’t check in today either,” Qin Ning said. She had already completed way more than required last semester and often joined just to accompany others.

Zhou Yan brightened. “Then next time you check in, can you take my phone too? I want to slack off.”

Qin Ning: “Sure.”

Zhou Yan looked at her again and suddenly felt that she and Xie Jing were truly a perfect match—no cabbage eaten by pigs here. Just mutual affection, harmony, and soulmates.

Her loyalty wavered instantly—bribed by breakfast and the promise of a free run.

________________________________________

As they headed out for class, it began to snow lightly. Xie Jing held up her umbrella, but Zhou Yan refused to share.

“No need—it’s not rain.”

Xie Jing hesitated. “But if the snow melts, won’t it make our clothes wet?”

Zhou Yan replied, “Just shake it off when we get to the classroom. Besides, it’s slippery when it snows. You might fall while holding that umbrella.”

In the end, Xie Jing obediently folded up the umbrella and stuffed it into her bag. Snowflakes fluttered down onto her and Qin Ning’s heads and shoulders, settling gently.

She suddenly recalled a popular line she’d seen online: “If one day we walk through the snow together, it’ll count as growing old side by side.”

Not the most auspicious, but it suited the moment perfectly.

Qin Ning said softly, “We will.”

Xie Jing: “Will what?”

Qin Ning: “Be together forever.”

A lifetime is long. They might meet many people along the way. But none would ever hold a place in her heart greater than Xie Jing.

There’s a line from Malèna that says: “In youth, you shouldn’t meet someone too stunning. Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of your life longing and alone.”

Luckily, Qin Ning had held on to the one who stunned her youth—and never let go.

They reached the teaching building, brushed the snow off each other’s shoulders, and were swept up by the crowd heading up the stairs to class.

Two hours of lectures stretched on. As she took notes, Xie Jing quietly wondered what they should do that afternoon…