Unexpected (GL) - Chapter 22

When Xie Jing first started reading the love letter, she smiled quietly with her lips curled up. But the more she read, the more her smile faded. Qin Ning had written down all the feelings she had experienced over the past six years, and every word made its way into Xie Jing’s heart. When she found out that Qin Ning had changed her major because of her, Xie Jing was so shocked that her mouth fell open.

Qin Ning had chosen the same school and major as Xie Jing. At first, she just wanted to see her from afar. But after accidentally learning about Xie Jing’s sexual orientation, Qin Ning couldn’t help but hope for a real encounter with her. That’s why she firmly decided to change her major and transferred into Xie Jing’s class.

Everything seemed to go as planned. Things were looking good, and Qin Ning thought she could finally reunite with Xie Jing and close the emotional distance between them. But before she could even get close, Shen Xinghe appeared and got in between them.

Xie Jing openly expressed her admiration and affection for Shen Xinghe in front of Qin Ning. She even swore she would pursue her. Xie Jing’s direct and passionate affection for Shen Xinghe was a
heavy blow to Qin Ning. But seeing how happy and excited Xie Jing was, Qin Ning just couldn’t bring herself to say she liked her too. She was afraid of ruining the happiness that Xie Jing deserved.

“Qin Ning,” Xie Jing suddenly put the letter down and walked over to her. “Your mouth is so skilled when kissing, but when it comes to talking, why are you so clumsy?”

If Qin Ning had just said what she felt earlier, maybe they wouldn’t have missed all these years.

“What about you?” Qin Ning said softly. “Why didn’t you say anything back then?”

Xie Jing instantly lost her confidence. She muttered, “Of course it’s because I was a coward.”

Back in middle school, she wasn’t as brave as she was now. Being gay was a huge secret she kept to herself. She didn’t dare to show it, so she never did anything that went beyond friendship with Qin
Ning.

“Yeah.” Qin Ning suddenly held her hand. “I was a coward too.”

Xie Jing held her hand back. “Then we’re a perfect match.”

After breakfast, Xie Jing went back to folding paper roses. She worked quickly and finally finished them all before Monday. When Qin Ning received the roses, she immediately pinned Xie Jing to the
table and kissed her thoroughly for half an hour.

Xie Jing’s response to this: Help! My girlfriend is a kiss monster! She kissed her countless times a day. It was a sweet kind of trouble.

Qin Ning didn’t understand why Xie Jing was troubled. She only knew that kissing Xie Jing made her happy and comfortable, so she always wanted to kiss her—whether Xie Jing was talking or not. She
just wanted to be close to her whenever she saw her.

Zhou Yan felt something was off about the close and natural intimacy between them. “Chen Yuan and I were only gone for a weekend. Why does it feel like your relationship has gotten even better? Like
conjoined twins.”

Then Zhou Yan clutched her chest dramatically and said, “Your Majesty, have you found a new love and forgotten your old favorite?”

“No way,” Xie Jing reassured her. “You’ll always be my favorite consort, Consort Yan.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yan was finally satisfied and hummed proudly.

Qin Ning: “…” Xie Jing the flirt…

“Aren’t they already together?” a boy in the back row suddenly interrupted.

“???” Zhou Yan’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, ‘together’? Who’s with who?”

“Those two,” the boy pointed at Xie Jing and Qin Ning, a look of disdain in his eyes. “They’re both lesbians. You didn’t know?”

He had heard the rumor from someone else. Apparently, a boy from their class had confessed to Qin Ning recently but got rejected because Qin Ning liked girls—and supposedly, she was already with Xie
Jing.

“What’s wrong with being lesbian?” Zhou Yan shot back. “And Xie Jing and Qin Ning are not together. They’re just really close best friends. Don’t use your dirty thoughts to stain their pure
friendship.”

Zhou Yan was furious. She believed that Xie Jing and Qin Ning were just good friends, and no outsider had the right to twist that.

Xie Jing: “…”

Qin Ning: “…”

Xie Jing originally planned to go back to the dorm after class and tell Zhou Yan the truth about her relationship with Qin Ning. But after seeing this situation, she gave up. When it came to Zhou
Yan, she needed to take it slow—like boiling a frog in warm water. Pouring boiling water all at once would just overwhelm her.
Zhou Yan, who was still ranting about that “love-brained” boy after class, was annoyed that he distorted Xie Jing and Qin Ning’s beautiful friendship into a romantic relationship.

“Why are you two so quiet?” Zhou Yan asked as she looked back at them suspiciously.

“Ah… right.” Xie Jing quickly wrapped her arm around Qin Ning’s and smiled. “Qin Ning and I are just really good best friends.”

Only then did Zhou Yan relax and turn her head away. There’s no way Xie Jing, who just confessed to Shen Xinghe and got rejected last week, would suddenly start dating Qin Ning. They’re roommates—
who would date someone living right next to them? If they broke up, they’d still have to share a room. That would be so awkward.

That boy really had no sense. Zhou Yan had been so nervous when he spoke, but thankfully Xie Jing didn’t get reminded of her failed confession from last Friday.

Zhou Yan glanced over Qin Ning from head to toe. She frowned. Qin Ning had long hair, a pretty face, and a cold attitude toward girls—she totally looked straight. How could she possibly be with Xie
Jing?

Even if Xie Jing was desperate, she wouldn’t go after a straight girl, right?

Zhou Yan’s thoughts drifted farther and farther. She never connected Xie Jing and Qin Ning to the word “relationship.” She just thought their friendship was so deep that it got misunderstood.

This misunderstanding lasted for days—until Zhou Yan saw a bunch of posts on the school confession wall, all featuring photos of Xie Jing.

Xie Jing saved the photos and studied them. She found that they all came from the university’s official accounts on WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin.

She downloaded the apps and checked out the most popular video—and sure enough, it was her face, just like in the photos.

“Wow, Xie Jing, you’re famous now!” Zhou Yan sat on her dorm chair typing like crazy and sending long voice messages. “The school’s official Weibo, Douyin, and Bilibili accounts all reposted the
promo video of you. Now the whole school knows that there’s a pretty girl named Xie Jing in the computer science department!”

Zhou Yan didn’t get a reply. But a moment later, the dorm door opened, and Xie Jing and Qin Ning walked in.

Xie Jing had just come back from a skateboard club activity. Her bangs were damp, her cheeks red, and she carried her skateboard. Qin Ning followed behind her, nodded politely to Zhou Yan, then
immediately looked back at Xie Jing.

Something’s off. Why are they always together? Isn’t Qin Ning in the dance club? Why is she also skateboarding now?

“I’m back. I brought you milk tea,” Xie Jing said, tossing her skateboard by the stairs and walking over.

“Wait—is it from you or Qin Ning?” How come Xie Jing reached into Qin Ning’s bag for the milk tea like it was nothing? Were they so close that they even shared money?

“Of course it’s from me!” Xie Jing felt guilty about hiding her relationship with Qin Ning from Zhou Yan. So she often brought back snacks and drinks to “bribe” Zhou Yan and Chen Yuan, hoping they’d
go easy on her when they eventually found out.

Zhou Yan stabbed the straw into the milk tea lid and said with her mouth full, “Xie Jing, did you see the message I sent you?”

“I was busy on the way back.” Xie Jing reached into Qin Ning’s coat pocket and pulled out her phone. “I’ll check it now.”

Zhou Yan: “…”

Something’s not right. These two were way too close.

Zhou Yan sipped her drink while secretly watching them. Meanwhile, Xie Jing skimmed through all the messages quickly. After reading them, she opened the school’s official account and saw lots of
comments—most asking for her contact info.

Xie Jing: “Whoa, it’s true!”

Qin Ning leaned over to look at her phone. At that moment, a message popped up from Shen Xinghe and lingered at the top of the screen for three seconds before disappearing quietly.

[Xie Jing, there’s something I want to talk to you about. Can we have dinner tonight?]

Even though the notification disappeared, the message stayed clearly in Qin Ning’s mind.

Xie Jing felt a little awkward and explained, “Shen Xinghe asked me to dinner. It’s probably about the promo video.”

Qin Ning: “Okay.”

“Shen Xinghe???” Zhou Yan froze when she heard that name. Wasn’t that the girl who rejected Xie Jing at the bar? Why did Xie Jing still have her contact? And after rejecting her, now she wants
dinner? Was she trying to keep Xie Jing as a backup?

Zhou Yan suddenly put down her drink and shot up from her chair. “I’ll go with you.”

Xie Jing worried that if Zhou Yan saw Shen Xinghe, her relationship with Qin Ning might get exposed. So she tried to calm her down and insisted on going alone.

“You’re really going by yourself?” Zhou Yan looked suspiciously at Xie Jing. Is my roommate still not over her? Willing to be someone’s backup like that?

Xie Jing nodded seriously. “Yes.”

Half an hour later, at the school cafeteria, Xie Jing and Shen Xinghe sat across from each other.

“Xie Jing, your promo video went viral!” Shen Xinghe said excitedly. “Our club president asked me to invite you to join the photography club as our official model.”

“No, thank you.” Xie Jing smiled politely and apologized. “I’ve already joined two clubs, and I need time for studying and… social life. I’m afraid I won’t have time to be your model.”

“Okay,” Shen Xinghe said. “I respect your decision.”

Xie Jing nodded and started eating.

“Xie Jing, about your birthday… I’m sorry.” Shen Xinghe paused, then added, “Are you and Qin Ning doing okay?”

She had been eating and sleeping poorly these days, afraid that she had made Xie Jing miss her chance at love. Looking at Xie Jing’s puffed cheeks, Shen Xinghe thought, If the person she wanted
wasn’t Qin Ning… I think I’d want to pursue her.

Shen Xinghe had never been in love before and didn’t really understand her own orientation. But if it was someone like Xie Jing, she wouldn’t mind dating her.

“I’m with Qin Ning now,” Xie Jing said, her eyes curving slightly and a smile spreading on her lips. “Thank you, Xinghe. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have realized it was her.”