Unexpected (GL) - Chapter 19

Qin Ning sat against the wind, her eyes slightly red. Xie Jing walked over holding her skirt and quietly stood beside her.

“Why are you… here?” The swing swayed uncontrollably a few times, just like Qin Ning’s heart. It took a long while before it finally calmed down.

“Qin Ning, you actually knew me long ago, didn’t you?” Xie Jing’s voice was very soft, as light as dry willow catkins floating away with the breeze.

Qin Ning turned to look at her, not understanding why she said that so suddenly.

“Shen Xinghe already told me. The one who’s been with me for the past three years… was you.”

Xie Jing looked down at Qin Ning, trying to see something in her eyes. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t read any emotions from Qin Ning’s face.

Qin Ning had hidden it so well that even after being with her for so long, Xie Jing didn’t realize they weren’t strangers at first meeting, but old friends reunited.

“You always treated me like I was Shen Xinghe. I…”

Qin Ning didn’t dare tell Xie Jing that she wasn’t Shen Xinghe. She had used a stolen identity to be with Xie Jing for three full years. Those three years were some of the happiest times in her
eighteen years of life. She didn’t want to lose Xie Jing, this close online ‘friend,’ so she never explained who she really was.

Not long ago, when she found out Xie Jing liked her because of playing games with Shen Xinghe, Qin Ning even secretly wondered: she had also played games with Xie Jing for three years. If Shen
Xinghe could win her heart by protecting her in the game, then maybe she could too?

But in the end, Qin Ning never found the courage to confess.
Xie Jing liked Shen Xinghe so much. She even folded 99 roses by hand for her and wrote a heartfelt love letter. How could Qin Ning come clean at a time like this and tell Xie Jing that she was the
real “Xinghe”?

Seeing Qin Ning stay silent, Xie Jing carefully tugged her sleeve.

“Qin Ning, do you think I’m really stupid?”

“No.” Qin Ning stiffly moved her hand to gently hold Xie Jing’s fingertips. “You’re smart. Not stupid at all.”

“You’re way smarter than me. You’re great at all kinds of games, and you’re better at studying too.”
Xie Jing had always admired Qin Ning deep down. She felt like she was just a weak little plant in front of her.

Qin Ning looked at her steadily for a long time before saying,
“Do you remember what you said back in the first year of middle school?”

Xie Jing was confused. “What?”

“Not long after the school year started, I passed by the hallway of Class 3 and saw a boy confessing to you. You held the strap of your backpack tightly, blushing, and said you had to go home to play games—you already made plans with a friend and couldn’t skip.”

Qin Ning paused, then continued,

“You even said seriously that you and someone who doesn’t play games probably wouldn’t have much in common. The boy said he could learn to play games for you, and you told him you didn’t like people who were worse than you at gaming.”

Xie Jing hesitated. “Did I really say something so arrogant?”

Oh no, was she really that dramatic back then? Probably read too many novels…

Qin Ning nodded firmly. “You did. Not long after, you actually went with that boy to a nearby internet café. You two competed in things like pair skating, mountain racing, and dance games. No matter
how hard he tried, he couldn’t beat you. In the end, he left the café in tears while you proudly walked home with your backpack.”

Xie Jing held her forehead in embarrassment. “I really don’t remember that happening.”

Qin Ning glanced at her and went on,

“From that moment on, I trained hard at gaming, hoping to be good enough to challenge you one day.”

Back then, Qin Ning had been curious about Xie Jing. She wanted to know just how good she was at games to be that confident. But after spending time with her, she realized Xie Jing was actually very
simple-minded—she just genuinely liked games and admired people who were good at them.

Without realizing it, Qin Ning got drawn in by Xie Jing, and because she liked her, she also started loving games.

After hearing about her own “glorious past,” Xie Jing felt a pang of guilt and said,

“Sorry. It’s my fault you went down the wrong path.”

Even though she loved games, Xie Jing knew it wasn’t considered a serious thing. Just because of her offhand comment, Qin Ning had spent three years playing games—that must’ve wasted so much of her
youth.

“I did it willingly. And those three years made me really happy.”

Qin Ning never regretted that decision. Without those years, she wouldn’t be who she was today.

“Really? Actually, I was pretty happy too. I’ve never had big ambitions. Playing games is what I love most.”

Xie Jing looked down at Qin Ning and couldn’t help but tighten her grip on her hand.

“Qin Ning, I’m sorry. I only recognized you just now.”

Xie Jing had been drinking and was a bit tipsy. Her palm was warm. Qin Ning looked straight into her eyes and said seriously,

“It’s okay. It’s never too late.”

After saying that, Qin Ning pulled Xie Jing to sit beside her.

Xie Jing leaned against her, feeling dizzy, resting against Qin Ning’s shoulder. Not long after, she heard Qin Ning’s voice next to her ear:

“Xie Jing, I like you.”

“Huh?” Xie Jing was shocked and pointed at herself. “Qin Ning, you said you like me?”

Qin Ning nodded.

“Yes. The person I’ve liked for six years is you, Xie Jing.”

Xie Jing froze. It took a while before realization hit her.

“Qin Ning, I like you too. Actually, the person I liked has always been you. I just got the name wrong before.”

As she spoke, she pulled out a letter from her pocket.

“Too bad I wrote the love letter with the wrong name. And the roses are still at the bar—I didn’t bring them back.”

Because she had mistaken someone else before, Xie Jing didn’t dare confess again so easily. She had been holding back this whole time. She never expected Qin Ning to boldly say those four words just
like that.

Since Qin Ning was already so brave, she couldn’t keep hesitating.

Smelling the lemon scent on Qin Ning, Xie Jing felt like she was floating in heaven.

Was this like getting slapped then rewarded with a date? Was her suffering finally coming to an end?

“I don’t mind,” Qin Ning said as she reached for the letter in Xie Jing’s hand.

But before she could touch it, Xie Jing quickly pulled it back.

“I can’t give you a letter with the wrong name. I’ll rewrite it when we get back to the dorm.”

She stuffed the envelope back into her jacket pocket and reached out to hold Qin Ning’s hand again.

“Hehe.”

Xie Jing smiled and gently threaded her fingers between Qin Ning’s, then looked up to meet her gaze.

Qin Ning was backlit, and her eyes looked deep and mysterious. The mood grew quiet. The moonlight surrounded Qin Ning, making her silhouette appear even softer.

Xie Jing moved her lips, about to say something, but Qin Ning suddenly leaned in.

Xie Jing felt a warm touch on her lips. Qin Ning’s breath brushed against her face, making her cheeks flush and her breathing quicken.

“Mmm…”

“Sealed with a kiss,” Qin Ning said as she held Xie Jing’s face and stared at her. Her fingertips gently touched Xie Jing’s earlobe, and then she leaned in again.

Seeing this, Xie Jing grew nervous, her lashes trembling. At the last second, she closed her eyes.

But Qin Ning didn’t kiss her lips this time—she kissed the tip of her nose.

There was a small mole there, where Zhou Yan had just smeared some whipped cream. Qin Ning tasted the cream when she kissed it.

“Xie Jing, do you really like me?”

Xie Jing had been drinking and had been kissed for a while. Her mind was already a mess. She nodded blankly and instinctively licked her lips.

“I do.”

Qin Ning stared at her, eyes dark.

“Then one more kiss.”

Before she finished speaking, she kissed Xie Jing on the lips again—this time, a deep kiss.

She tasted the alcohol in Xie Jing’s mouth, which felt new and forbidden to them, two girls who had just come of age.

Qin Ning felt her bl00d boil. She hugged Xie Jing tightly, wishing she could merge her into her body and soul.

“Ah…” Xie Jing felt like her waist was about to snap. Their chests pressed together, making it hard for her to breathe.

Qin Ning pulled back a little, her lips glistening.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-No more kisses…” Xie Jing panted and leaned back, pushing against Qin Ning’s shoulder.

“I feel dizzy.”

“Then let’s go back to the dorm.”

Qin Ning swallowed hard and held Xie Jing’s hand as they walked back.

“Mhm.”

Xie Jing leaned her whole body on Qin Ning, slowly dozing off from her scent.

Back at the dorm, Xie Jing quickly fell asleep. The love letter wasn’t written, and the flowers weren’t delivered.

Qin Ning warmed some water to clean Xie Jing’s face, then watched her crawl into bed behind the thick curtains.

“Good night, Qin Ning~”

“Good night.”

Qin Ning couldn’t sleep all night. She listened to Xie Jing’s steady breathing from the bed next to hers until morning before finally drifting off.

Luckily, the next day was Saturday, and Qin Ning slept straight through to noon.

When she got out of bed, she happened to notice a pink envelope on the desk. She immediately jumped down from the upper bunk in three steps and held the envelope in disbelief.

She looked around but didn’t see Xie Jing anywhere. Even after washing up, she still hadn’t come back.

Qin Ning was about to call her when someone knocked on the door.

Outside, Xie Jing said quietly,

“Qin Ning, I forgot my key. Are you awake?”

Qin Ning instantly opened the door.

Xie Jing’s face appeared. She was holding a lunch box in each hand, with a stack of colorful foam paper under her arm and a lollipop in her mouth, her whole vibe full of youthful energy.