Su Yun didn’t even have time to be sad before the other girl’s next words left her stunned.
“What do you mean?”
Her first instinct was to say she didn’t want that, that she didn’t want Qin Xue to ever find a boyfriend, that she just wanted her to stay by her side forever.
But she knew… that would be selfish.
She had to let Qin Xue decide for herself.
“…Nothing. It’s up to you.”
Su Yun lowered her head, her tone dull and quiet.
In that moment, her possessiveness erupted.
A dangerous, irrational thought suddenly crept into her mind—
If Sister Xue really liked guys… then she’d just have to be locked up.
No letting her go.
…
Su Yun even felt like that idea might actually work.
After over ten years of solitude, she’d finally found someone who stayed by her side, someone who made her feel warm for the first time, and now, she was supposed to just accept that the other person might leave?
How was that fair?
“If it’s up to me, then I guess I’ll go find one~”
Qin Xue’s teasing voice came from behind, striking right at Su Yun’s fragile heart.
“!!!”
“Don’t!”
Su Yun suddenly turned and stood up, grabbing Qin Xue’s shoulders with wide eyes and trembling hands.
In that instant, that dangerous thought came back to her, locking her up.
“Ah… that hurts, Sister Xiaoyun. Don’t squeeze so hard.”
Qin Xue winced, quickly patting her hands.
“…Sorry.”
Su Yun’s mind went blank for a few seconds.
When she came back to her senses, she immediately let go and sat back down, dejected.
She didn’t want to hurt Qin Xue.
Forget it.
But behind her, Qin Xue’s lips curled into a faint smile.
Still rubbing her sore shoulder, she leaned close behind Su Yun and whispered—
“Hey… I already have a boyfriend. How would I go find another?”
Her sultry voice made Su Yun’s body jolt.
At the same time, the words slammed straight into her heart.
What? She already had one...?
Well, she was the campus belle. That was normal, wasn’t it...
…
Su Yun tried hard to suppress the rising sadness, her face wrinkling up like she was about to cry at any second.
“My boyfriend is someone named Brother Yun.”
“…Brother your head.”
Hearing Qin Xue speak in that bashful, girlfriend-like tone,
Su Yun couldn’t help but retort in frustration.
But a second later, something clicked.
Brother Yun… why did that sound so familiar?
“Ah.” Qin Xue giggled softly.
She reached from behind and wrapped her arms around Su Yun’s neck, pressing her generous softness firmly against her back.
“That silly person even dressed up like a guy just to visit a fan. But I think she’s really kind. She’s silly, sure, but very cute. I really like her.”
“…Sister Xiaoyun, are you jealous?”
“……”
By the time Qin Xue finished, Su Yun had gone completely dumb.
Her mouth hung open and she couldn’t get a word out.
Wait.
Wasn’t Qin Xue talking about me?
Then why say it like she had a boyfriend...?
Su Yun grew a little anxious.
She quickly remembered the story she’d told before.
She’d once said—well, more like Zhang Deyi kept saying—that the campus belle was her girlfriend.
Later on, Qin Xue overheard it, and Su Yun had no choice but to go along with the lie and explain it that way.
So that’s what Sister Xue meant?
So… she didn’t have a boyfriend? Wait—really?!
At that moment, joy bloomed in Su Yun’s heart.
Her frown relaxed, and she looked so happy she could’ve jumped up.
She still had a chance!
Realizing that Qin Xue had no boyfriend, Su Yun smiled brightly, no longer worrying about the deeper meaning behind those words.
“?”
But the girl behind her—who was hugging her tightly and anxiously waiting for a response, was completely stunned.
Why is this idiot just smiling like that instead of replying? I finally said it… what’s wrong with her?!
Qin Xue frowned, poked at the girl’s cheek.
“Mm…”
“Sister Xiaoyun, aren’t you going to answer me?”
She sounded a little urgent, and the moment she asked, she tensed up again.
“Answer? What answer?”
Su Yun turned around with a blissful expression, her face basically saying, ‘What are you talking about?’
Qin Xue’s fists clenched. She bit down hard on her lower lip.
Sister Xiaoyun really is… so adorably dumb it’s impossible to scold her.
“I already dried your hair. Go play by yourself.”
Qin Xue stood up, annoyed, and picked up the damp quilt before leaving the room. She didn’t say another word.
“…Huh?” Su Yun blinked, confused.
Actually, she still had something she wanted to ask.
“I won’t find a boyfriend. You figure it out yourself.”
Qin Xue returned briefly to the doorway and said that with a serious face—then left.
She didn’t actually walk away right away though.
Instead, she stood just outside the door, waiting for a moment.
Peeking back in, she saw that Sister Xiaoyun had already started studying, as if she hadn’t heard a single thing she'd just said.
“…Unbelievable.”
Qin Xue sighed.
At this point, she might as well just storm in and break her.
Otherwise, she didn’t think the girl would ever figure out her feelings.
She was too dense.
Qin Xue leaned against the wall, chest still burning. It took her a while of heavy breathing to finally sit on the couch and start drying her own hair.
After a few minutes, she managed to calm down a bit, and began sorting through her thoughts.
Sister Xiaoyun was probably just too straightforward and pure, she didn’t understand subtlety.
If I wanted to confess, maybe I should be more direct.
But to be honest, she herself wasn’t entirely ready either.
Especially when thinking about the future.
They were technically on the run right now—their situation was unstable.
And besides… I can't promise to stay with Sister Xiaoyun forever.
She didn’t want to see her sad.
Silent, Qin Xue finished drying her hair and started blowing the quilt dry.
Meanwhile, Su Yun—studying for love inside the bedroom—was in a very good mood.
“Hmph, hmph-hmph~”
She hummed a cheerful tune.
Her two snowy-white feet swayed under the chair like two running scoops of ice cream.
Sister Xue doesn’t have a boyfriend.
She’s not getting one either—
That means… she has no plans to marry.
Nowadays, more and more people chose to stay single—regardless of gender.
After all, love was too exhausting. High investment, low return.
She used to think she’d stay single forever too. So in that case… lucky!
She was lucky to meet someone who thought the same as her.
This way, she could have Qin Xue by her side, and they could both stay single together.
Su Yun even felt a little proud of herself, thinking she’d understood Qin Xue’s meaning so quickly.
Hmph-hmph-hmph~
Over the next two hours, Su Yun focused on studying in the bedroom, completely tuning out the world around her.
Qin Xue stayed in the living room blowing the quilt, but even when she finished, she didn’t come in.
She just sat on her phone chatting with someone.
Someone who had been with her for over ten years.
Someone with way more experience.
A perfect person to consult.
Only after learning what she needs to do does she return to the bedroom with the quilt in her arms.
When she saw Su Yun studying seriously at the desk, Qin Xue didn’t disturb her.
She simply laid the quilt down, climbed into bed, and wrapped herself in it.
She’d changed back into her thick winter clothes long before coming back in.
That outfit from earlier, she’d only worn it for Su Yun.
Otherwise, she never would’ve dared dress like that.
That kind of boldness… that kind of outfit… was honestly kind of perverted.
Thinking back, she felt like she must’ve been possessed.
She wished she could dig a hole and bury herself.
Blushing with shame, Qin Xue wrapped herself tighter in the quilt and silently drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, Su Yun—still sitting at the desk—wasn’t studying anymore either.
She was thinking about tomorrow.
Tomorrow was going to be busy.
Once her identity was verified, she needed to go to school and talk to her advisor about how to switch majors.
She also needed their help to make an announcement in class, say she’d changed majors or something, otherwise people might figure things out.
If she showed up as “Su Xiaoyun,” she’d definitely be recognized.
Besides that, she still had to meet Zhang Deyi.
He’d bought her all those expensive supplements, and he just got out of the hospital. She’d feel bad not picking them up herself.
But that made it even more likely she’d be discovered.
She could barely remember how to fake her voice at this point.
Tough stuff.
Su Yun sat there lost in thought for a long time before finally turning off the lights and climbing into bed.
By then, Qin Xue already seemed to be asleep.
And strangely, she hadn’t spoken to her at all since coming back.
Su Yun felt a little disappointed, but when she saw Qin Xue sleeping on her side beside her, she couldn’t help but smile.
She scooted over and snuggled into the warm, soft embrace.
Since Qin Xue was asleep, she wasn’t scared at all.
Wrapped in that warmth and fragrance,
Su Yun quickly drifted into a peaceful sleep.
(End of Chapter)