BSG - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

I feel. I want to see you. Yun Youqing connected the two sentences. Her heart fluttered, yet she also found it a bit funny.

[Yun Youqing]: You feel like you want to see me? Why so funny yet cute at the same time?

Shen Wenxin's reply was also a bit cute in her eyes: [Just a feeling.] An indescribable feeling.

The mirth in Yun Youqing's eyes deepened. She asked Liu Zhao, "Do we have anything else after this?"

Liu Zhao: "No." She extended an invitation. "Want to go walk around together?"

Yun Youqing said, "Next time. We'll go browse together next time."

Liu Zhao agreed readily. "Okay."

Yun Youqing then messaged Shen Wenxin again: [I'll be free after we finish eating. Want to meet up?]

[Shen Wenxin]: Sure.

[Yun Youqing]: Ok, see you later then. Won't chat for now. Still with Miss Liu. Not good to be on my phone the whole time.

Shen Wenxin, seeing this message: "?" Great. Even unhappier. Even more dislike for Miss Liu. Wasn't their meal taking a bit too long?

After sending it, Yun Youqing really did put her phone away. Liu Zhao could clearly see the smile on her face. "Someone asked you out?"

Yun Youqing nodded with a smile. Liu Zhao propped her cheek and smiled. "Let me guess... wouldn't be your crush, the straight girl?"

Yun Youqing raised an eyebrow, looking radiant. Just as Liu Zhao was about to advise her to wake up, she saw Yun Youqing's expression crumble in a second as she collapsed, covering her face. "Oh god, I really am done for. I'm completely wrapped around a straight girl's finger!"

Liu Zhao paused, then laughed. "Seriously, Teacher Yun is just so cute." She laughed and shook Teacher Yun's shoulders. "Wake up, quick. Don't get deceived by a straight girl again. You're so cute, and she hasn't been swayed at all? Her heart is too hard!"

Yun Youqing also said indignantly, "Exactly! I'm this cute, and she hasn't been swayed at all!"

"Then don't go see her."

"No can do." Yun Youqing smiled sweetly. "She just gave me a gift yesterday~"

Liu Zhao: "Be wary of straight girl traps. Don't let a few gifts from her fool you."

Yun Youqing: "But she remembered what I liked and bought them specially for me. She even personally delivered them the very night she got back from her business trip..."

Even Liu Zhao couldn't help but say after hearing this: "That nice?" Then she asked, "Does she know you like her?"

Yun Youqing nodded. Liu Zhao: "No way. She treats you like that, and she's still straight?"

Yun Youqing smiled upon hearing this. "Straight as an arrow. Treats me so well precisely because she's just a genuinely good person."

Looking at Yun Youqing's expression, Liu Zhao suddenly understood why she could sink deeper and deeper into this straight-girl trap. Meeting someone who was inherently a good person—anyone would be moved.

"Let's go," Yun Youqing proposed. "My treat today. Consider it on me."

Liu Zhao: "Split the bill. Or else we'll have to see who's faster."

Yun Youqing conceded. "Fine, split it." The two went to the counter to pay.

At the front counter, Yun Youqing suddenly spotted someone—Lu Yunshu. Lu Yunshu had been eating with friends. They were currently paying the bill. After paying, the group left, chatting and laughing. Yun Youqing's gaze unconsciously followed Lu Yunshu's retreating figure. The scene she'd stumbled upon the other day replayed in her mind. She was still deeply conflicted about it.

"Let's go," Liu Zhao said. "You can just transfer the money to me later."

Yun Youqing snapped back to reality and immediately transferred the money. After transferring, she asked, "Can I ask you something?"

Liu Zhao nodded. "Ask away."

"Mm..." Yun Youqing struggled to phrase it. "So, if someone very close to your friend, someone very important, got together with someone your friend hated... would you tell her?"

Liu Zhao answered without a moment's hesitation. "Yes."

"Oh?"

"No matter how she handles it, at least she has the right to know. She should be aware of it."

"Oh..." Yun Youqing nodded thoughtfully. Liu Zhao had a point. This was Shen Wenxin's family matter; naturally, how to deal with it was up to Shen Wenxin. But before that, Shen Wenxin deserved to know about it first. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Yun Youqing and Liu Zhao parted ways in the parking lot.

Back in her car, Yun Youqing immediately messaged Shen Wenxin: [Girlie, aunty's done eating. Come keep aunty company for a walk.]

[Shen Wenxin]: Where?

[Yun Youqing]: Just find a place to wander. There's a newly built plaza. Wanna go?

[Shen Wenxin]: Address.

Yun Youqing sent it promptly. They agreed to meet soon. After putting her phone away, Yun Youqing rubbed her palms together expectantly. Shen Wenxin said she wanted to see her. That was the first time Shen Wenxin had ever said she wanted to see her. When she got to Shen Wenxin later, she would definitely laugh loudly and proudly right in her face!

---

Yun Youqing and Shen Wenxin met beneath the bright, dazzling lights. The moment Yun Youqing saw Shen Wenxin, she flew toward her in three steps, ready to laugh arrogantly right in front of her. But before she could even make a sound, Shen Wenxin cut her off with two words: "Hand out."

Half her face buried in her scarf, Yun Youqing's words puffed out as white mist. "What for?" Though confused, she obediently extended her hand.

Shen Wenxin suddenly placed her hand in her palm. A wave of warmth washed over her. Yun Youqing's eyes instantly widened. Shen Wenxin's hand had already retreated, but that warmth remained. The small, white hand warmer had also been left in her palm. "You're afraid of your hands getting cold, right? Use this to warm up." Shen Wenxin's voice was so gentle and calm that the gesture of care seemed completely natural.

Yun Youqing stared unblinkingly at the hand warmer and smiled. "What about you?"

Like a magician, Shen Wenxin calmly pulled another one from her other coat pocket. "I have my own."

Yun Youqing smiled, then immediately put on a regretful act. "How could you have one? You shouldn't have one. That way, I'd have an excuse to hold Pretty Older Sister's hand..."

Shen Wenxin was amused. "So many tricks." Then she suddenly asked, "How was it with Miss Liu?"

Yun Youqing stuffed the hand warmer into her pocket and smiled. "Great. Liu Zhao is really nice. Very considerate, very easy to get along with."

Shen Wenxin saw the dazzling smile on Yun Youqing's face, and it felt like a prick to her heart. Her tone was flat. "That happy, Yun Youqing?" She even went from "Miss Liu" to "Liu Zhao."

Yun Youqing nodded, carefree. She and Liu Zhao had cleared things up; now she felt completely light and had gained a new friend. Why wouldn't she be happy? Over the moon, even.

Shen Wenxin was flat again. "Alright."

Yun Youqing leaned in to study her. "What's wrong? You don't like Liu Zhao?"

Shen Wenxin remained nonchalant. "Just don't have a favorable impression."

"You hate her?"

"...Not that much hate." Shen Wenxin didn't know how to explain this mindset. She had never been so inexplicably hostile toward someone who hadn't done anything wrong.

Yun Youqing didn't understand either. But Shen Wenxin's expression was flat, and she hadn't even tried to persuade her not to associate with Liu Zhao. That probably meant Liu Zhao was a good person; it was just that Shen Wenxin had a one-sided lack of goodwill toward her and was being very honest about it. People do sometimes meet one or two individuals they just don't like for no reason.

Yun Youqing smoothed things over for her, joking, "True. If you did have a good impression of her, now that would be a problem."

Shen Wenxin: "... " She picked up the thread. "Yeah. That would be a problem."

Yun Youqing: "Come on, let's go walk around inside."

Shen Wenxin: "Mm."

The two walked side-by-side onto the footpath, their boots tapping over the cobblestones tightly packed within a sea of bright light.

Mentioning Liu Zhao reminded Yun Youqing of what Liu Zhao had said about the right to know. She looked at the person beside her. Her fingers quietly rubbed the warm hand warmer. The next second, she decisively tightened her grip, holding it firmly. "Wenxin, I have a question."

Shen Wenxin stopped and fixed her gaze on Yun Youqing. Yun Youqing spoke. "If, and this is just hypothetical, if someone very important to you, someone you're very close to, got together with someone you didn't like... what would you do?" She'd lay the groundwork first. If Shen Wenxin indicated she could accept it, then she'd continue. Step by step, without hurting anyone.

Then she saw Shen Wenxin's expression instantly cool. Shen Wenxin wasn't happy. Someone she liked getting together with someone she didn't like—wasn't this talking about Yun Youqing and Liu Zhao? Had the two of them gotten together so quickly? But just a moment ago, Yun Youqing had said she wanted to hold Pretty Older Sister's hand... Shen Wenxin became even unhappier. Her heart was not only blocked and stifled, but also sour and astringent. Even so, she suppressed these strange emotions and asked calmly, "Who are you referring to?" It can't be you. You can't be with Liu Zhao. You clearly said you wanted to hold my hand. You clearly like me...

Seeing this, Yun Youqing quickly waved her hands and laughed it off. "No one, no one. I just suddenly thought of this question and asked casually. Don't take it to heart, really!" Shen Wenxin's expression had already perfectly conveyed her answer. Since Shen Wenxin found it hard to accept, she wouldn't say more, wouldn't add to that trouble. After all, this was their family matter; perhaps one day Jin Hanshuang would tell Shen Wenxin herself.

The two were completely on different wavelengths, each occupied with their own thoughts. Shen Wenxin: "... " Watching Yun Youqing smile at her, her frown deepened. "Really?"

Yun Youqing suddenly raised her hand and pressed it against Shen Wenxin's brows, gently smoothing them outward. "Really. So don't frown. Be happy. I really was just joking."

Shen Wenxin remained skeptical. Yun Youqing smiled sweetly, trying hard to steer past this. "Smile, come on, smile."

Shen Wenxin raised an eyebrow. Yun Youqing acted cute for her. "Just one little smile."

Only then did Shen Wenxin obligingly curve her lips slightly. Yun Youqing was satisfied. "That's more like it. Come on, let's walk around some more inside." After saying this, Yun Youqing took a step ahead of Shen Wenxin, leading the way. Shen Wenxin watched her back, then suddenly called out, "Youqing."

"Mm?" Yun Youqing turned her head.

Shen Wenxin: "Want to hold hands?"

"?" Yun Youqing didn't hesitate. "Yes!"

Shen Wenxin extended her hand—using the warm one. Yun Youqing smiled sweetly and took it, using the hand that had been warmed by the hand warmer for ages. Palms pressed together, warmth mingling. Yun Youqing couldn't help but push her luck. "Can we interlace our fingers?"

Shen Wenxin said, "You can."

Yun Youqing pushed further. "It's cold outside. Can I put our hands in my coat pocket?"

Shen Wenxin said again, "You can."

Delighted, Yun Youqing clasped Shen Wenxin's hand and tucked it into her warm pocket. Shoulder to shoulder, their distance suddenly became very close. So close they could clearly see the slight upward curve of each other's lips. Yun Youqing was smiling. So was Shen Wenxin. No one refused, and no one said she was pushing her luck.

Within this closeness, Shen Wenxin finally realized a big thing. I wouldn't really be... falling for her, would I...?

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