Knowing He Lindi’s father was aware she was dating his daughter left Chi Shuo feeling uneasy, regardless. After returning home, she thought about it for a long time and remained tense. He Lindi’s reassurances hadn’t helped much. Chi Shuo felt flustered for two or three days before finally feeling somewhat better.
Honestly, she had been taken aback by He Lindi’s father’s initial statement. His meaning was clear, essentially centering on “break up with my daughter.”
Truthfully, in the twenty-odd days since getting together with He Lindi, Chi Shuo had never once thought about breaking up. She wasn’t optimistic about relationships, but she didn’t want to think about breaking up so soon. Even if they did eventually break up, it absolutely had to be because their feelings had faded, not because of other issues.
Otherwise, Chi Shuo wouldn’t accept it, though if that day really came, her acceptance wouldn’t matter anymore.
After staying home for three days, Chi Shuo felt like she was getting moldy. Since parting ways with Chang Xue and the others, she had become a homebody, basically never leaving the house, happily eating New Year snacks, and even gaining a little weight.
Chi Shuo’s mother couldn’t stand it anymore: “Why don’t you go out and play?”
Chi Shuo lay on the bed, tugging at her blanket: “Mom, I slept too little when I was working. Can’t I catch up now that I have a holiday?”
Chi Shuo had figured it out; that phone call had been the turning point in her mother’s attitude towards her. She had been too weak before, letting her mother vent all her anger on her. But now it was different; her mother had at least successfully reflected and treated her daughter better than before.
No, much better.
Her mother sighed helplessly: “I can’t win against you.” She picked up Chi Shuo’s clothes from the chair. “I’m putting these in the washing machine. Remember to get them later.”
“Okay.” Chi Shuo grinned at her, her face full of smiles.
A while later, her mother was still in the living room, not having gone out yet. Chi Shuo pulled open her closet, changed out of her pajamas, tied up her hair, and went to the living room. She said to her mother, “Mom, I need to go out today.”
“Okay.”
“I might not come back tonight.” Chi Shuo averted her gaze after speaking, not daring to look her mother in the eye.
Just now, He Lindi had messaged her, saying they could meet today, otherwise her longing would flood the entire city of Yun Cheng.
Chi Shuo had chuckled for quite a while over that line.
Her mother’s lips moved. After calming her temper, a gentle quality emerged: “Be safe.”
Chi Shuo quickly nodded: “I will.”
“If it’s with your boyfriend…”
“Remember to take precautions.”
After giving her instructions, her mother left, leaving Chi Shuo with a head full of question marks. Her mom’s words just now were truly startling. But behind those words, did it mean she wouldn’t be forced into blind dates anymore?
If that was the case, being misunderstood wasn’t so bad.
Living like a homebody these past two days had been very decadent. To look presentable when seeing He Lindi, Chi Shuo even put on slightly heavier makeup. She remembered He Lindi’s reaction when she sent her a photo on the day of the annual party.
“Jie Jie, I can”? Chi Shuo looked at her reflection in the mirror, her lips curling. She felt He Lindi couldn’t.
At two o’clock, Chi Shuo left home, hailed a taxi, and gave the address of her rented apartment.
The closer she got, the wider Chi Shuo’s smile became. Looking out the window, the upturned corners of her lips couldn’t be suppressed.
Many people were returning home recently, causing some traffic jams. The taxi ride took forty minutes, the fare not cheap, but Chi Shuo didn’t care. When the car stopped at the complex entrance, she eagerly pulled open the door and got out.
Enter the complex, take the elevator, reach the door.
It was the fastest she had ever gotten from the entrance to her door. She was still panting slightly upon arrival, but couldn’t be bothered, because He Lindi had messaged her on the way, saying she had already arrived.
Chi Shuo had even gotten a spare key made for He Lindi before, for convenience.
Chi Shuo licked her dry lips. She hadn’t messaged He Lindi when she was about to arrive, wanting to give her a little surprise.
But before she could insert the key into the lock, the door opened on its own. He Lindi’s face gradually came into view.
Chi Shuo’s hand remained suspended in mid-air. He Lindi’s eyes curved as she raised her hand and waved it in front of her: “Shuo Shuo Jie Jie, surely not?”
He Lindi seemed to have fallen in love with this new nickname recently, calling her “Shuo Shuo Jie Jie” at every turn, full of coquettishness. And Chi Shuo always responded, even though she was only about twenty days older than He Lindi.
But she had been the one to suggest He Lindi call her that initially.
Chi Shuo recovered. Her hand moved up slightly, grasping He Lindi’s slender white wrist, squeezing gently: “Didi Mei Mei, how could it not be?”
Chi Shuo took a step forward and closed the door behind her.
The door closed with a “bang,” the sound synchronized with their embrace, as if beating time.
Chi Shuo buried her face in He Lindi’s neck, hugging her tightly, repeating, “How could it not be?” She gave the answer, “I haven’t seen my girlfriend in four days.”
He Lindi hugged her back. Chi Shuo inhaled her perfume and heard her ask, “Do you miss her very much?”
“Of course.”
He Lindi chuckled softly, tilted her head back slightly, took a small step back, and carefully examined Chi Shuo’s makeup today: “Your lipstick is very vibrant.”
Chi Shuo thought for a moment: “Is it?”
“Not really suitable.” He Lindi pressed the pad of her right thumb against Chi Shuo’s lips. She stared at them, gently rubbing from left to right, trying to wipe away the lipstick.
Chi Shuo stiffened at her light touch. She tried to say something, but unexpectedly, her tongue had its own ideas, sticking out and touching He Lindi’s fingertip.
He Lindi raised an eyebrow, her lips curling: “Want me to kiss you?”
“…That’s not what I meant.” Chi Shuo’s face flushed hotly. She felt her action just now was too much, pure seduction.
“No.”
“You do.”
He Lindi gave Chi Shuo no chance to speak again. After saying that, she pressed her lips against Chi Shuo’s, pinning her against the wall. To prevent Chi Shuo’s head from hitting the wall, she even cupped the back of her head, using the back of her hand to block the cool temperature of the wall.
Chi Shuo never considered herself “pure-hearted and without desires.” After all, in the notebook she wrote in high school about how to make He Lindi her girlfriend, the very first page read, “Did I sleep with He Lindi today?”
Did she manage to?
Not yet.
The kiss lasted for who knows how long. Chi Shuo’s handbag had already been tossed onto the floor, left pitifully lying there.
Finally, Chi Shuo leaned against He Lindi’s shoulder, her breathing still somewhat ragged. She said, “He Lindi, are you getting revenge on me?”
He Lindi hummed lightly: “Biao Jiefu is impossible, wake up.”
Chi Shuo’s lips curled: “Why so persistent?”
“It’s a matter of principle.”
“You’re just bullying me for not having siblings.”
He Lindi chuckled twice, pulling Chi Shuo’s coat outwards: “Aren’t you hot?”
“A little.”
“Why didn’t you take it off if you were hot?”
“Forgot while kissing.”
“…”
Ten minutes later, Chi Shuo came out of the kitchen. She had just filled the kettle with hot water, ready to boil some.
The weather hadn’t warmed up yet; drinking hot water was still necessary.
He Lindi leaned against the sofa, head slightly lowered, looking at her phone. When Chi Shuo came out, she didn’t look up, just said, “Should I post something on Weibo?”
Chi Shuo sat down beside her: “Which Weibo? Main or side?”
“Side.”
“My main account is very aloof.”
Chi Shuo moved a bit closer, resting her chin on He Lindi’s shoulder: “What do you want to post?”
“I don’t know.”
Chi Shuo glanced at her: “Then why talk about posting?”
“I thought of something.” He Lindi’s eyes lit up.
She finished speaking, opened the front-facing camera, tilted Chi Shuo’s head slightly to the side so neither of their faces showed, and snapped this PDA-filled selfie.
Chi Shuo didn’t stop her, watching as He Lindi mosaicked the background and clothes, finally leaving only a bit of hair visible.
Chi Shuo couldn’t help laughing: “Good, no one can tell it’s you and me.”
“Then the goal is achieved.” He Lindi finished speaking, manipulated her phone again, didn’t even write a caption, and directly posted the processed picture.
Chi Shuo leaned back slightly, looked at the white ceiling, blinked, and asked, “Teacher He, how did your dad find out about our relationship?”
He Lindi didn’t answer immediately: “Can I tell you later?”
“Sure.” Chi Shuo looked at her. “Of course.”
Chi Shuo felt, for the first time, that the New Year holiday was too long. A two-week break, only a quarter had passed. She somewhat didn’t know how to spend the next ten days without He Lindi.
Because He Lindi’s purpose in coming this time was mainly just for a final meeting before parting. Her family was going abroad tomorrow and wouldn’t be back for ten days.
Thinking of this made Chi Shuo feel a bit sad, her mood dipping.
He Lindi noticed this, sighed softly, turned around, and hugged Chi Shuo: “It’s okay, I’m leaving tomorrow.”
Chi Shuo hummed softly, then heard He Lindi’s voice again: “I… I have something else to do over there this time.”
“What is it?”
“I need to find Shen Qu.”
Chi Shuo’s eyelid twitched: “She’s over there?”
“Mm.”
“She…”
“Her grandmother passed away. She took her mom over there to relax.”
“Then why are you looking for her?”
“I want to tell her I know everything, thank her for taking care of you before, and see how she’s doing now, if her depression has improved.”
Only five days had passed since Shen Qu announced her five-year break. Chi Shuo lowered her eyelids slightly and said, “Then relay a message for me.”
“What message?”
“Tell her to come back for hot pot when she has time.”
“Okay.”
Chi Shuo and He Lindi smiled at each other, their foreheads touching. Chi Shuo sighed: “Why? I don’t get it. Clearly, she made so many mistakes, yet we still have to help her.”
“I don’t know either. She was clearly my love rival.”
The two laughed again after speaking. Chi Shuo thought for a moment, looked into He Lindi’s eyes: “Let me give you a gift.”
“A New Year gift?”
“No.” Chi Shuo stood up, wearing slippers. “Remember to hide it well.”
“So mysterious.”
Chi Shuo went into the bedroom, found the notebook on the bookshelf, pulled it out, hesitated slightly, but steeled herself and carried it out.
She handed the notebook to He Lindi: “No laughing allowed.”
He Lindi took it, her eyes immediately curving into crescents: “‘How to Make He Lindi My Girlfriend’?” Ignoring Chi Shuo, she flipped to the first page, then stared straight at Chi Shuo.
She read it aloud: “Did I sleep with He Lindi today?”
She answered: “Congratulations, you did.”
“Tonight.”
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