Song Zhiqing drifted off to sleep while thinking, and not even the sound of Ye Yuhuan’s return could wake her.
The girl on the bed slept perfectly still, her thick eyelashes like a butterfly resting on her eyes. It was a scene one couldn’t bear to disturb.
Ye Yuhuan tiptoed over and carefully removed the electric hot water bottle from under the covers, which had already grown cool. After reheating it, she placed it back. In the process, she accidentally brushed against Song Zhiqing’s lower abdomen. Her fingertips couldn’t help but curl slightly, as if wanting to linger, yet also wanting to pull away.
It felt like cream cake.
Afterward, as Ye Yuhuan sat at her desk, the sensation lingered in her mind. Maybe I’ll buy a dessert tonight, she thought.
As her mind wandered, Ye Yuhuan recalled Tang Xue asking if she was skipping the afternoon classes when she was grabbing her textbooks and homework from her desk.
Ye Yuhuan was surprised. She had just asked the head teacher for leave, so how did Tang Xue find out so quickly?
When Ye Yuhuan asked, Tang Xue gave her a baffled look, as if she had asked an incredibly stupid question. Tang Xue showed her the school forum, and only then did Ye Yuhuan realize that the news of them all rushing to the infirmary after class had spread throughout the entire school. Song Zhiqing’s followers who had been with them had also explained the situation. The topic had now evolved into speculation about what deep-seated hatred could exist between Song Zhiqing and the transfer student for a simple tennis match to land them in the school infirmary.
But Ye Yuhuan had a question: what did this have to do with what she had just asked?
Tang Xue still wore that same expression, as if Ye Yuhuan had asked a very stupid question. “You and Song Zhiqing are really close. She’s sick, so of course you’d go keep her company.”
It was like a wake-up call for Ye Yuhuan.
Are Song Zhiqing and I really close?
Now, sitting on the chair in her dorm room, Ye Yuhuan was still asking herself that question.
Behind her, Song Zhiqing was breathing evenly. The presence of another person seemed to make the once-empty dorm room feel more compact.
It was strange, and even Ye Yuhuan knew it was strange. Although she was willing to pull Song Zhiqing out of that dark future and would rush to her side the moment she was needed, she didn’t feel that she and Song Zhiqing had a close relationship.
In her view, the term “close relationship” implied a certain level of expectation between the people involved, an expectation based on time spent together and mutual understanding. For example, if she invited someone to do something, it was because she knew they would probably agree. When she could be certain they would agree, then they could be considered close.
But Ye Yuhuan had no such expectations of Song Zhiqing.
Song Zhiqing could do whatever she wanted. Ye Yuhuan’s willingness to help came from her own volition—she wanted to, so she did. It was partly because of Song Zhiqing herself and partly for her own reasons, but it was definitely not because of their “relationship.”
Between them, there could be a relationship, or there could be none. That was Ye Yuhuan’s understanding of their connection.
And yet, despite this, they had created the image of being very close in the eyes of others.
Ye Yuhuan covered her face. Even though no one was watching, she didn’t want to reveal her bewildered expression.
What should I do? I think something’s wrong with me.
When Song Zhiqing woke up, the hottest part of the day had passed. The sunlight had softened, casting a dim yellow glow through the window onto the floor. It seemed to hold many secrets, as if all the information of the solar system was gathered in that small patch of light. Unfortunately, Song Zhiqing lacked the astronomical awareness to appreciate it; when she opened her eyes, she only noticed the figure slumped over the desk.
Getting closer, Song Zhiqing realized that Ye Yuhuan was actually very thin. Her slender frame usually gave the illusion of height, so the sudden sight of her sharp, bony shoulder blades was startling. An open notebook lay beside Ye Yuhuan’s hand, a large question mark drawn heavily on the page. One could guess that she had fallen asleep while staring at that symbol.
To be honest, Ye Yuhuan’s good looks were well-known. She had even beaten Shangguan Xianxian to be voted Qinglin’s school belle. Although she herself scoffed at the title, it didn’t stop her from receiving an increasing number of confessions. Ye Yuhuan was always exasperated by it all. If Song Zhiqing hadn’t used her own influence to block most of them, she probably would have chosen to drop out of school just to be done with it.
As she watched, Song Zhiqing also rested her head on the desk. Ye Yuhuan’s peaceful sleeping face was right in front of her, and the question that had often surfaced over the past year whenever she saw her rose in her mind once more.
“Ye Yuhuan, what kind of person are you?”
Song Zhiqing didn’t make a sound, but the mere sound of her breathing was enough to startle the lightly sleeping Ye Yuhuan. She opened her eyes, and the subject of her own question was right there, as if in a dream. This prompted her to speak as if she were talking in her sleep, “Song Zhiqing, can we be considered friends?”
Song Zhiqing raised an eyebrow. Those almond-shaped eyes that had always fascinated Ye Yuhuan held a hint of playful reproach as she retorted, “How could we not be friends?”
At this, Song Zhiqing felt a little wronged. It was clearly Ye Yuhuan who had always maintained the distance of “leader and strategist,” and it was Ye Yuhuan who, whenever she tried to share something, would only ask, “Does this have anything to do with Shangguan Xianxian?”
Anyone who didn’t know better would think Ye Yuhuan was the one with a crush on Shangguan Xianxian!
And this is the person who now has the nerve to ask me if we’re friends?
You’re the one who’s been acting like we’re not friends!
Ye Yuhuan fully woke up after saying that. She wanted to take it back, but Song Zhiqing had already answered.
And it was exactly the answer she had wanted.
Did this mean she could start having expectations of Song Zhiqing?
Ye Yuhuan didn’t straighten up immediately. The two of them remained in that awkward position, the advantage being that they could see every subtle change in each other’s expressions. Right now, Song Zhiqing could see Ye Yuhuan’s caution and solemnity. She spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing the sunlight, “Song Zhiqing, so… you’re my friend now?”
Infected by her tone, Song Zhiqing also replied softly, “Mhm. Hello, my friend, Ye Yuhuan.”
The two looked at each other and smiled, then were simultaneously struck by a wave of awkwardness. It was undeniable that if they hadn’t just woken up, neither of them would have had such a cheesy conversation. After all, the conversation was excruciatingly cheesy.
For the next hour, Song Zhiqing’s mind was screaming. What the hell? We’re just becoming friends, why does it feel like a marriage proposal!
This is killing me!
Ye Yuhuan had clearly realized this as well, which was why she hadn’t looked Song Zhiqing directly in the eye for the entire past hour.
The two sat on opposite sides of the desk. Ye Yuhuan was doing her homework, while Song Zhiqing was reading a magazine Ye Yuhuan had found for her. An hour passed. Ye Yuhuan had completed five pages of homework, and Song Zhiqing had read ten pages of her magazine.
Finally, it was Song Zhiqing who broke the silence. “Did you get leave for tonight?”
Ye Yuhuan nodded.
Song Zhiqing shot to her feet. “Let’s go out to eat!”
Ye Yuhuan pointed at the books on the desk. “But I haven’t finished my homework.”
Song Zhiqing keenly pointed out the flaw in her argument. “At this rate, you won’t finish even if you work for another three hours.”
Ye Yuhuan was left speechless and had to concede. “What should we get, then?”
“Hot pot!” Song Zhiqing declared emphatically.
Ye Yuhuan calmly pointed out the problem. “You just got your period today.”
Song Zhiqing thought carefully about what she could eat during her period and realized none of it was sufficient to express the joy she felt today.
Yes, joy.
This joy was so overwhelming that if she didn’t restrain herself with awkwardness, she would burst out laughing. And that would be just too strange—she had only made a friend, after all.
But this friend was Ye Yuhuan!
The one and only untouchable “flower on a high peak,” Ye Yuhuan!
Song Zhiqing’s eyes twinkled, and she finally couldn’t help but break into a smile. Ye Yuhuan smiled along with her. It was unclear what nerve had been struck, but the two of them just grinned at each other like idiots for a full thirty seconds.
The deliberately constructed awkward atmosphere vanished completely. Ah, so what if it’s cheesy? There’s no rule that says friends can’t be cheesy.
Ye Yuhuan returned to the previous topic. “Let’s go for hot pot this weekend. Today’s not a good day, and we don’t have much time.”
Song Zhiqing said, “Alright, I’ll listen to you. What should we do now? But let me be clear, going to evening self-study is absolutely out of the question!”
As a slacker who loathed studying, Song Zhiqing was allergic to all forms of self-study.
Ye Yuhuan tapped her chin, remembering the imminent plot point, and said, completely ruining the mood, “Let’s put that aside for a moment. I have a question for you. If—and I’m just saying if—Shen Wei and Shangguan Xianxian started dating, what would you do?”
A familiar sense of frustration welled up in Song Zhiqing. Is this what happens when my love strategist gets promoted to friend? Or is Ye Yuhuan just exceptionally dedicated to her job?
She slumped listlessly onto the desk and said casually, “Of course I’d go and win her back. How could I let someone else have the person I haven’t even managed to win over yet?”
Ye Yuhuan slowly exhaled and asked tentatively, “Couldn’t you just wish them well?”
Song Zhiqing’s gaze suddenly sharpened. “What’s with you today? You’ve always supported my pursuit of Shangguan Xianxian before.”
Ye Yuhuan gave a bitter smile inwardly. Before, I didn’t know that pursuing someone would land you in prison. But she couldn’t say that out loud; it would sound like she was cursing her.
“I’m just asking. I just want you to consider the possibility that Shangguan Xianxian might end up with someone else. You have to understand, Shangguan Xianxian isn’t an object that will just wait for you to come and claim her. She has her own thoughts and feelings, and it seems neither of us knows much about that side of her. In other words, we have to be prepared for failure.”
Song Zhiqing pouted. It wasn’t that she didn’t know this, but if you want something, you have to find a way to get it.
Song Zhiqing had immense patience for Ye Yuhuan because she knew that if she pushed her too hard, the girl was at risk of breaking. But there was no such concern with Shangguan Xianxian; in fact, Song Zhiqing had to be careful not to get cut by Shangguan Xianxian’s sharp edges.
Song Zhiqing was still slumped over the desk, so Ye Yuhuan couldn’t see her expression clearly, only her flickering eyes that simultaneously revealed both confusion and conviction. “Of course I’ve heard that saying, ‘If you love someone, let them go.’ I’ve never believed it. If one person loving another is a form of torment for the other, then so be it. I’ve already given you my best, and just because you’re not satisfied, I’m supposed to drive myself away? What kind of domineering logic is that?”
Ye Yuhuan also rested her head on the desk. They looked at each other, and it felt as if time had rewound to an hour ago. This made Ye Yuhuan unable to resist saying something cheesy: “In that case, let’s go torment Shangguan Xianxian. After all, your happiness is what’s most important.”
Ye Yuhuan couldn’t guarantee that Song Zhiqing would get her wish and end up with Shangguan Xianxian—no, it was more accurate to say that Song Zhiqing almost certainly wouldn’t get her wish. But if it was just to make Song Zhiqing happy for a while by feigning a pursuit, Ye Yuhuan could manage that.
After all, besides her happiness, Song Zhiqing’s safety was also very important.
