Su Yun stood up with Qin Xue and casually patted the dust off her pants.
The next moment, feeling cheerful, Su Yun walked over to Qin Xue’s side and naturally reached out to hold her soft hand.
“Huh?” Qin Xue blinked in surprise when her hand was taken.
“Hehe~” Su Yun hummed a tune while pulling her along as they walked.
“Pfft…” Seeing this, Qin Xue chuckled softly and then tightly clasped the cool little hand in hers.
She liked being alone, but also found being alone too boring.
Wasn’t the meaning obvious? She just wanted someone she loved to stay with her.
A place that felt safe and undisturbed—though she wasn’t sure where to find such a place.
And this “someone” she loved… could it be Sister Xiaoyun?
…
But on the way home, Qin Xue suddenly felt the hand in her palm go limp.
“Hm?”
She looked at the small head in front of her, covered by a black hat, confused.
Su Yun had stopped walking and stood still.
“…”
At that moment, inside the hat, Su Yun’s cheeks were flushed red.
She was so shy, she didn’t know what to do next.
She had been too happy earlier and completely forgot herself—she had taken Qin Xue’s hand on her own…
Now she wanted to let go, but Qin Xue was holding her so tightly, she couldn’t break free.
There was no way out now.
“Ugh…”
So, for the rest of the walk home, Su Yun forced herself to keep holding the girl’s warm hand.
Even after they got home and into the bedroom, they still hadn’t let go.
“Sister Xue…”
Su Yun called out softly.
She reached up with her other hand and pulled off her hat, revealing her long, snow-white hair.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ugh…”
Su Yun turned her head, and finally saw Qin Xue’s expression.
She was smiling.
Apparently, Qin Xue didn’t mind holding hands at all.
Of course—holding hands wasn’t such a big deal…
Su Yun sat on the edge of the bed with her head lowered, trying to calm her shy, flustered heart.
“What are you thinking about?”
Qin Xue leaned in close and whispered in her ear.
The warm breath made Su Yun shiver.
“Ugh…”
“N-Nothing… Sister Xue, our hands…”
She gave a small, embarrassed shake of her hand.
“Aiya~ we’re home. Guess we can let go now.” Qin Xue reluctantly released the small hand.
Noticing the flush on Su Yun’s face, a mischievous idea came to her mind.
Blushing just from holding hands? Huh. How had she never noticed that before?
Her eyes landed on Su Yun’s hand, which still hadn’t moved away. Qin Xue reached out and gently placed her hand over it again.
Then she slowly leaned closer, their shoulders brushing.
“Sister Xiaoyun, your face is all red. Are you sick?”
Qin Xue reached out and softly touched Su Yun’s cheek.
“Ah, n-no…” Su Yun lowered her head in a panic, cheeks turning even redder.
Qin Xue couldn’t see her face anymore, so she gently lifted her chin with a finger.
“Ugh, what are you doing…”
Su Yun’s face only grew redder from the touch.
“Are you running a fever? Don’t worry—I’ll check your temperature.”
Qin Xue’s smile grew as she stared at Su Yun’s rosy cheeks, clearly thrilled.
She cupped Su Yun’s chin and slowly leaned in.
Temperature checks were supposed to be forehead to forehead…
But all Su Yun could see were her lips—coming closer and closer.
This wasn’t temperature checking! And besides, it wouldn’t work—she was a vampire!
“Sistet Xiaoyun~”
Just as Qin Xue was about to “check her temperature,” Su Yun quickly jerked backward.
“Ah! No—I’m not sick!”
She scrambled to the other side of the bed, glaring in embarrassment like a kitten with puffed-up fur.
“Sister Xiaoyun’s so stingy. Won’t even let me touch you a little.”
Qin Xue pouted, her disappointed face so pitiful it made people want to comfort her.
“I-It’s not that! I thought you were going to kiss me…” Su Yun blurted out her real thoughts in a flustered panic.
The moment she said it, she instantly regretted it—her face flushed even deeper as she dove into the blanket in shame.
“Pfft. What’s wrong with a kiss? Sister Xiaoyun, you’re so shy—don’t tell me you actually like me?”
The teasing slipped out of Qin Xue’s mouth before she even realized it.
“Eh…”
Hearing those words, Su Yun froze.
Like…
Suddenly, the embarrassment faded.
And a dull ache took its place—one she couldn’t quite put into words.
Qin Xue had said “like” so casually, in such a joking tone—as if love between them was clearly impossible.
“Ugh… that’s not fair…”
Qin Xue, too, paused.
She hadn’t meant to say that so directly.
She had planned to ask slowly, gently, but the words just slipped out.
It was sudden—but now, she actually cared about Su Yun’s answer.
But Su Yun didn’t say anything.
“Sister Xiaoyun?”
Qin Xue called out tentatively, but there was no reply.
Only the soft, muffled sounds of whimpering came from under the blanket—like a tiny animal hiding inside.
She couldn’t hold back anymore and crawled over to the lump under the covers. She lifted the blanket.
“?”
Underneath was a small, curled-up white kitten.
“Ugh…”
A soft, pitiful sound escaped from her.
Qin Xue was instantly overwhelmed by tenderness.
She even spotted glistening tears at the corner of her eyes.
Why was Sister Xiaoyun crying?
After standing there in a daze for a moment, Qin Xue gently picked up the little kitten and hugged her tight.
“Don’t touch me!”
“Eh? What’s wrong?”
Qin Xue still didn’t understand what she had done wrong. She just held Su Yun’s back tightly as the little fists pounded weakly on her shoulder.
“…It’s nothing…”
Su Yun soon stopped struggling. She didn’t want to hurt Qin Xue.
She buried herself in her arms, feeling miserable.
She had actually been fantasizing that maybe Qin Xue liked her too.
But now it was clear—Qin Xue only saw her as a little sister.
Ugh! Then why did you keep teasing me all the time?
Su Yun felt both angry and heartbroken.
She was so gentle. She was everything Su Yun had ever dreamed of…
She was the first girl Su Yun could truly open up to.
Qin Xue gently stroked the little white head resting in her arms, completely confused about what had just happened.
Could Su Yun really be crying just because she almost kissed her?
“I’m sorry. If you don’t like me kissing you, I won’t do it again, Sister Xiaoyun.”
Qin Xue’s voice softened. Her arms wrapped around Su Yun’s waist, gently rocking her like she would with Yuanyuan.
She treated her like a baby needing comfort.
Feeling that maternal warmth, Su Yun immediately softened.
She remained in Qin Xue’s embrace.
…
After five minutes, Su Yun had calmed down.
Even if it wasn’t that kind of love, this was still pretty good.
If Qin Xue ever got a boyfriend…
Then the day before that, she’d just devour her. Completely.
Hmph.
That would be the price for all that teasing.
Su Yun’s heart ached with jealousy, even as she huffed silently to herself.
…
Ten more minutes passed. After cuddling a while longer, Su Yun finally poked her head out.
“Sister Xiaoyun, are you not mad anymore?”
Su Yun looked up and saw Qin Xue watching her. Clearly, she’d been really worried.
“I’m not mad…”
She was still the only girl Su Yun had ever been able to open up to.
Qin Xue stroked the little head in her arms again, still trying to make sense of everything.
Surely she hadn’t cried just because of a kiss?
“I’m sorry. If you don’t like it, I really won’t do it again, Sister Xiaoyun.”
Her tone was so gentle, arms still rocking her like a baby.
Wrapped in the blanket, Su Yun lay on the bed, thinking hard about everything.
Just a kiss couldn’t have upset her this much, especially after how many times she had teased her before.
After thinking for a long time, Qin Xue remembered what she had said earlier.
Like…
Could it be that Su Yun was mad because she thought she was just joking about liking her?
That would mean… Su Yun actually liked her back?
But if that were the case, shouldn’t she be happy?
Qin Xue couldn’t figure it out.
She had originally planned to confess after everything at home settled down.
But now, she’d stirred up trouble too early.
They were getting along so well earlier today—what went wrong?
With her head muddled and heavy, Qin Xue soon drifted off to sleep.
Night fell, and Su Fulin had invited several relatives over. At the large street-side restaurant, they had two full tables of guests.
“Haiyan, I’m heading out to pick them up.”
“Okay, thanks, big brother.”
Wang Haiyan sat on a red chair, watching her brother ride off on a tricycle.
It wasn’t far to Su Yun’s place—just a ten-minute trip.
At home, Su Yun wasn’t asleep at all.
She lay quietly on the bed, staring at the side of Qin Xue’s sleeping face, turned toward her with no defense at all.
Su Yun had been watching her for three hours.
She wasn’t being creepy—she hadn’t done anything. Just watched.
She looked at Qin Xue and imagined their future together.
It really was a beautiful dream.
After thinking it through, Su Yun realized she didn’t want to give up on her.
If Qin Xue didn’t like girls, there was only one option: she’d bend her.
It might be a long shot, but it was better than doing nothing.
She had to make a move.
Because Qin Xue was the one she liked the most in her entire life.
Not because she was pretty. Not because she was rich.
Just because being with her made Su Yun feel happy—every single day.
You’re the one who came to me first… so now, you’re not allowed to leave.
Su Yun hugged that selfish thought tightly in her heart.
If it hadn’t been for that emotional hiccup earlier, she might never have realized just how much she cared.
Ding.
Suddenly, her phone lit up with a message.
It startled her out of her dark thoughts.
She sat up and checked it.
Her parents were calling her down for dinner—her uncle was coming to pick her up.
After replying, she set the phone down and looked at Qin Xue again.
“Pig. Wake up.”
She reached out and pinched her cheek—not gently at all.
“Mmm… Sister Xiaoyun…”
The girl on the bed stirred, letting out a soft, tempting groan.
When she still didn’t get up, Su Yun pinched again.
“Ow, Sister Xiaoyun… be gentler next time…”
Qin Xue finally sat up, rubbing her sore cheek with a slightly annoyed expression.
Su Yun had no sense of tenderness.
“Hmph.”
In response to her whining, Su Yun simply huffed and crawled over.
While Qin Xue was still groggy, she felt a sudden kiss on her face.
Su Yun had kissed her, then quickly climbed off to put her pants on.
“Huh?”
Qin Xue froze.
Had that just happened?
Sister Xiaoyun… kissed me?
Am I dreaming?
She looked over and saw Su Yun’s blushing side profile as she hastily pulled her pants on, refusing to look back.
“I… I don’t mind being kissed…”
It took Su Yun a long time to mumble out those words.
But Qin Xue was already smiling secretly.
Once she heard her reply, her heart confirmed what she’d hoped, and she beamed even brighter.
She had worried all afternoon for nothing.
Su Yun was just too shy—not rejecting her at all.
“Then I’ll kiss you again, okay?”
Qin Xue leaned in—and this time, Su Yun didn’t dodge.
Mua.
Soft, warm lips landed on her cheek.
Su Yun’s face burned, but her heart felt like it was glowing with happiness.
Be brave… be brave…
Now was the time to kiss her back!
She scolded herself inwardly, but couldn’t move.
Ugh… coward.
“Xiaoyun! Are you two up yet? Come down for dinner!”
A rough male voice called from outside the door.
Qin Xue recognized it. They’d spoken a few nights ago—it was Su Yun's uncle.
“Coming in a sec.”
She responded politely.
“Let’s go, Sister Xiaoyun?”
Qin Xue reached out to pull Su Yun up from the bed.
Smack.
But Su Yun lightly slapped her hand away.
Qin Xue flinched, thinking she was still mad.
Then, just seconds later, Su Yun shyly reached out and held her hand on her own.
“Let’s go…”
Her voice was soft, head still lowered—clearly trying to hide her blushing face.
“?”
Qin Xue didn’t understand why Su Yun was being like this.
But she obediently followed.
She looked just like a pouting wife still mad at her husband.
So cute.
Click.
The door opened, and they saw the middle-aged man waiting outside.
“There you are! Let’s go—we’ve all been waiting on you two,” the uncle grinned.
He had been surprised earlier when he saw them holding hands. But now he understood.
“Sorry. Sister Xiaoyun and I went out this afternoon and came back tired, so we took a nap.”
Qin Xue gave a polite little bow.
“Out on a date, huh?” the uncle laughed. “We just got here too. No worries—hop in.”
“?”
Su Yun stiffened at his words. Her hand trembled slightly.
Date?!
“That’s not—!”
“Mm. Thank you, Uncle.”
Qin Xue quickly nodded with grace and elegance.
Her refined demeanor immediately earned the uncle’s approval.
He went down the stairs first and sat in the driver’s seat of the tricycle, chuckling to himself.
Wang Haiyan had already told everyone about Su Yun—boasting nonstop to all their relatives.
She even claimed that the girl Su Yun brought home was her girlfriend.
He hadn’t believed it at first.
Two girls? No way.
But now… he was sure.
Even though it surprised him a little, Su Yun had once been a boy.
There was no way she’d go find a boyfriend now.
If it were him, he’d pick a girl too.
Especially one this pretty.
“Sister Xiaoyun? Are you coming?”
“Yeah…”
Upstairs, Su Yun still hadn’t recovered.
She was dazed from everything she’d just heard.
Uncle… what the heck was that about?
She stood there stunned as Qin Xue pulled her out the door.
And up onto the tricycle.
(End of Chapter)