The tea Yu Lingshan bought for Xu Shi was passion fruit flavored.
So, Yu Lingshan likes passion fruit.
Xu Shi made a mental note as she typed on her keyboard, but a moment later, she felt that wasn’t enough. She opened the memo app on her phone and created a new page just for Yu Lingshan.
“Yu Lingshan:
Likes passion fruit tea”
She should have put her phone away then, but Xu Shi thought of a few more things.
“Orders food quickly, eats slowly
Likes to drink red wine
Likes to link arms with people
Would rather freeze than not look good
…
”
When Xu Shi wrote, “Always wears makeup when meeting people,” something felt off. She thought for a moment and added a few more words: “even if it’s just to go downstairs.”
And then there was, “Unlike everyone else, insists on calling me Xu Xiao Zhi.”
“Has also called me Xu Shi, which must mean I’m in trouble.”
Looking at the long list, Xu Shi realized she knew so much about Yu Lingshan.
Then she also realized she had spent over twenty minutes writing the memo.
Her work wasn’t finished yet, so Xu Shi stopped there, saved the note, and went back to writing the advertising proposal on her computer.
There wasn’t as much to do today, so Xu Shi got off work on time. As she reached the elevators, someone bumped into her from behind.
Xu Shi turned to see it was Xiao Yu.
“Thanks again for the coffee from your boyfriend.”
Xu Shi said helplessly, “Not my boyfriend.”
Xiao Yu gave her an “I get it, I get it” look. “I know, I know.”
Ever the gossip, she couldn’t just let it go. While they were waiting for the elevator, she asked, “Is he handsome? He must be handsome, right?”
Xu Shi thought for a moment. Could the word “handsome” be used to describe Yu Lingshan?
But Xiao Yu must have misunderstood. Probably because Xu Shi didn’t answer right away, Xiao Yu patted her on the shoulder and said, “It’s okay. As long as he’s good to you, looks aren’t that important.”
Xu Shi made a noncommittal sound.
If Yu Lingshan ever found out someone was describing her behind her back by saying “looks aren’t that important,” she would probably die of anger.
Few people in the office building left work on time, so surprisingly, it was just Xu Shi and Xiao Yu in the elevator.
As soon as the doors closed, Xiao Yu linked her arm with Xu Shi’s and said regretfully, “I didn’t get a chance to take a picture with Yu Lingshan last time. When I went back, all my friends said I was making it up.”
Xu Shi explained, “I mentioned it to her, and she agreed.”
Xiao Yu: “It’s fine, the timing just didn’t work out. Ah, what a shame.”
Xiao Yu was the fastest in their team at submitting the monthly questionnaires and also the most talkative. So, in that short time, she chatted with Xu Shi all the way to the ground floor of the company building.
As the main doors opened, Xiao Yu was still in the middle of talking about Manager Zhao, but she suddenly stopped.
Xu Shi stopped too.
Not far ahead, bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun, stood a figure in a blue-gray suit, wearing sunglasses and leaning against a car. One hand was in her pocket, the other held a stick of tanghulu. Who else could it be but Yu Lingshan?
“She’s… here to pick you up?” Xiao Yu asked in surprise.
Xu Shi couldn’t help but smile. “Looks like it.”
“Holy shit,” Xiao Yu was so surprised her hand tightened. “Holy shit, holy shit.”
The two of them walked over together. On the way, Xiao Yu suddenly laughed and leaned in to tell Xu Shi, “You liar. She’s so handsome.”
Before Xu Shi could say anything, Yu Lingshan walked over.
She took off her sunglasses and glanced at Xiao Yu’s and Xu Shi’s linked arms.
The glance was incredibly brief, maybe not even half a second, but it startled Xu Shi. She quickly hunched her shoulders and pulled her hand out from Xiao Yu’s arm.
“Were you the one who wanted to take a picture with me last time?” Yu Lingshan’s tone was polite.
Xiao Yu nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes, that was me! Hello, Teacher Yu. My friends and I all really like you.”
“Thank you,” Yu Lingshan smiled faintly. “I’m sorry, I was a bit busy that day. Can we make up for it today?”
Xiao Yu was thrilled. “Of course, of course!”
And just like that, Xu Shi became the designated photographer.
After the photo was taken, Xiao Yu excitedly told Xu Shi to be sure to send it to her, then left, skipping away happily.
“Why did you come here?” Xu Shi asked Yu Lingshan after Xiao Yu had left.
“To pick you up, isn’t it obvious?” Teacher Yu said, holding out the tanghulu. “Have a bite.”
Xu Shi said, “Oh,” and asked before taking a bite, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
Yu Lingshan: “If I had told you, would you have let me come?” She mimicked Xu Shi’s tone, “No, it’s fine, I can get home by myself.”
Xu Shi laughed.
“No, that’s not it,” Xu Shi tried to argue. “I often work overtime. I don’t always get off at this time.”
Yu Lingshan: “Then I’ll wait for you.”
Xu Shi: “Huh? That’s not good. What if I get off really late?”
Yu Lingshan: “Then I’ll just keep waiting.”
Xu Shi was suddenly at a loss for words.
Yu Lingshan: “What? You won’t let me wait?”
Xu Shi: “No, you can.”
Yu Lingshan offered the tanghulu again. “So are you going to eat it or not?”
Xu Shi: “Yes.”
After Xu Shi bit off the strawberry, she heard Yu Lingshan say, “What’s wrong? We haven’t seen each other for just two days, why are you being so polite with me again?”
With her mouth full, Xu Shi’s words were muffled. “Huh? I’m not.”
Yu Lingshan suddenly leaned closer. “Or do I need to kiss you again? To make you behave?”
Xu Shi quickly pulled back, her face instantly turning red. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
Yu Lingshan smiled, no longer teasing her. “Get in the car.”
Xu Shi was no match for Yu Lingshan. How could she ever win against Yu Lingshan? It was laughable.
Once in the car, Yu Lingshan gave the stick with the two remaining pieces of tanghulu to Xu Shi.
Xu Shi: “Do you like eating this?”
Yu Lingshan: “It’s alright. I just passed an old lady selling them, so I bought one.”
Xu Shi said, “Oh,” and closed the memo she had just opened.
Yu Lingshan: “Here’s the situation. At the next intersection, there are two directions. One goes to your place, the other goes to my mentor’s place. Teacher Wu is at my mentor’s today, and I said I’d go over. What about you? Want to come along?”
Xu Shi slowly turned her head. “Huh?”
Yu Lingshan: “You have thirty seconds to decide.”
Xu Shi swallowed, suddenly nervous.
Yu Lingshan smiled. “Do you know why I’m only telling you now?”
Xu Shi: “Why?”
Yu Lingshan: “I knew you’d be nervous. If I had told you yesterday, you would have been nervous for a day. If I had told you last week, you would have been nervous for a week. But this is a meeting you have to have, and being nervous doesn’t improve your social skills.”
Xu Shi finished Yu Lingshan’s thought: “So it’s better to just go see them now.”
Yu Lingshan: “Mhm.”
Xu Shi wasn’t a person who was easily persuaded, but she was a person who was easily persuaded by Yu Lingshan.
So, before the next intersection, Xu Shi said, “Let’s go.”
However, Yu Lingshan didn’t take her directly to her teacher’s house. Instead, she went back to her own place first.
“It’s more polite to wear a little makeup,” Yu Lingshan suggested. “And you should change your clothes, too.”
Xu Shi had no objections.
Upstairs, Yu Lingshan first picked out a very demure little dress for Xu Shi, then said to her, “Wash your face after you change.”
Xu Shi obediently went to change. When she came out, Yu Lingshan was already sitting at the vanity.
It looked like she had touched up her own makeup; her lipstick was a deeper shade.
Xu Shi sat down beside her and asked, “Is this dress yours?”
Yu Lingshan: “Who else’s?”
Xu Shi: “It doesn’t look like your style.”
Yu Lingshan: “I wore it when I was your age.”
Xu Shi suddenly laughed.
Yu Lingshan’s hand paused. “What are you laughing at?”
Xu Shi: “Nothing.”
Yu Lingshan forcefully dabbed lotion onto the tip of Xu Shi’s nose.
Xu Shi flinched and quickly said, “I was just imagining you wearing this dress.”
Yu Lingshan laughed too. “What? Can’t I be a young girl?”
Xu Shi: “You can, you can.”
Once Yu Lingshan started, Xu Shi fell silent.
Just like last time, she applied some product, then worked on her face, eyebrows, and eyes.
“How is this kid’s skin so good,” Yu Lingshan said softly.
Xu Shi, with her eyes closed, hummed in response.
Yu Lingshan asked, “Do you think I’m old?”
Xu Shi immediately shook her head.
Yu Lingshan: “Don’t move.”
Xu Shi said, “I don’t.”
Yu Lingshan smiled. “You ask me too.”
Xu Shi: “Ask what?”
Yu Lingshan: “Ask me if I think you’re too young.”
Xu Shi obeyed. “Do you think I’m too young?”
Yu Lingshan: “I do.”
Xu Shi: “…”
How could she be like this?
As if saying she minded wasn’t enough, Yu Lingshan continued, “Five years younger than me. Sigh, I never would have imagined.”
Xu Shi murmured, “What’s wrong with being five years younger?”
Yu Lingshan smiled but didn’t answer, instead telling her, “Open your eyes.”
Xu Shi opened her eyes, their gazes met, and Yu Lingshan laughed again. “Fuck.”
Xu Shi’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s wrong?”
Yu Lingshan: “What’s the point of being so beautiful?”
Xu Shi smiled. “You’re the beautiful one.”
After finishing the eyes, it was time for the lips. Xu Shi watched Yu Lingshan pick out a lipstick and then grab a lipstick brush.
As Yu Lingshan looked up, their eyes suddenly met again.
Yu Lingshan’s hand froze. The next second, her gaze fell on Xu Shi’s lips.
Xu Shi recognized that look. The last time Yu Lingshan had stared at her like that, she had leaned in and kissed her.
But Xu Shi didn’t dare to guess what Yu Lingshan was thinking now. After all, the next step was to apply lipstick. If she wasn’t looking at her lips to apply lipstick, where else would she look?
But even so, Xu Shi’s heart began to race.
Yu Lingshan’s gaze lingered for about two seconds before slowly lifting. Xu Shi didn’t dare to relax, her hands unconsciously gripping her dress tightly.
Then, in an instant, Yu Lingshan suddenly leaned in.
Xu Shi’s breath caught, and her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.
Yu Lingshan controlled the distance perfectly, stopping just shy of their lips touching. She looked into Xu Shi’s eyes, blinked gently, and smiled.
Xu Shi was in agony. She even had the urge to press the back of Yu Lingshan’s head and pull her forward.
But there was no need. Yu Lingshan didn’t tease her for long.
She kissed her.
Xu Shi’s grip on her dress tightened. She felt something incredibly soft against her lips, pressing and moving.
There was a tightness in Xu Shi’s chest, and her mind felt like it was about to explode. It was as if a flood of unfamiliar emotions had suddenly rushed into some part of her body, waiting to erupt.
Yu Lingshan pressed against her lower lip, then opened her mouth and bit it gently.
Xu Shi could almost see the image: Yu Lingshan’s teeth marks imprinted on her lower lip.
Yu Lingshan’s mouth tasted sweet like tanghulu. Sensation, taste—Xu Shi felt it all.
Xu Shi’s mind went blank, but her instincts seemed to be trying to respond to Yu Lingshan.
She hesitantly parted her lips and clumsily extended the tip of her tongue.
Yu Lingshan seemed to sense it. She tilted her head slightly, touching the tip of Xu Shi’s tongue with her lips.
Xu Shi was immediately startled and pulled her tongue back.
“Xiao Zhi,” Yu Lingshan said. “Don’t hold back.”
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