Side Story 1-1
As Zhuo Zhi walked towards the north gate, she bumped into her dormmate, Li Fan.
Li Fan was wearing a training uniform, probably having just finished a run, her face flushed.
She waved enthusiastically at Zhuo Zhi and bounced over, “Xiao Hua, going out?”
“Yeah,” Zhuo Zhi replied, “It’s getting colder, why aren’t you wearing a jacket?”
“I’m still warm,” Li Fan said. There were few girls in their academy, and the few they had were all tomboys, not caring about such trivial matters.
Zhuo Zhi glanced at Li Fan’s arms, slender but toned. She was clearly fit, so there was no need to worry.
She nodded, “Alright then.”
“Are you going shopping?” Li Fan asked, falling into step beside her.
Zhuo Zhi thought about the direction of the north gate. Whenever Li Qinyue took her out, it was either for food, fun, or shopping. So, she nodded, “Yeah.”
Li Fan looked at her as they walked. After a while, she said with a smile, “You’re so cute.”
“Huh?” Zhuo Zhi was surprised and turned to look at her.
“You always say ‘ge’ at the end of your sentences,” Li Fan explained.
Zhuo Zhi burst out laughing, “It’s a habit.”
“See? You even said ‘la’,” Li Fan said, looking ahead, “My headphones broke, I’m going to buy a new pair.”
Zhuo Zhi paused, but didn’t say anything.
Li Fan hadn’t asked her to go with her, so there was no need to refuse.
They would probably part ways at the gate anyway.
Thinking this, Zhuo Zhi took out her phone and messaged Li Qinyue: Two more minutes.
-
No rush.
Li Qinyue’s reply was short and sweet.
Looking at those two words, Zhuo Zhi could picture Li Qinyue’s face, her beautiful lips forming those words. Casual, yet alluring.
Li Qinyue might not be in a rush, but Zhuo Zhi was dying of anticipation.
Li Qinyue had been on a business trip for ten days, the longest they had been apart.
Even during closed training, Li Qinyue would find a way to see her. They would meet secretly at night, separated by the metal fence, not even daring to turn on their phone lights for fear of being discovered. The only light they could see was the reflection of each other in their eyes.
They didn’t need to do anything more, just seeing each other was enough.
But that didn’t mean they were satisfied with just looking at each other when they were together.
Zhuo Zhi coughed, feeling a little embarrassed by her inappropriate thoughts.
Li Fan glanced at her, “Do you have a cold?”
“No.”
“Sore throat?”
“No.”
“Then why are you coughing?” Li Fan skipped in front of her, walking backward to face her.
“Just… a random cough,” Zhuo Zhi said helplessly.
“Oh,” Li Fan smiled, “You’re so cute.”
Zhuo Zhi thought that the people in this academy had probably never seen anything truly cute.
The north gate was rarely used, as it was furthest from the dormitories, so it was deserted. The wind rustled the leaves on the trees, a few falling to the ground.
A student stood guard, his posture straight. As Zhuo Zhi walked past, she instinctively saluted him. The student glanced at her and returned the salute.
Li Fan started to say, “You’re really…”
Zhuo Zhi, turning her head, saw a car parked in the distance and interrupted her, “I’m not cute.”
Li Fan was stunned. Zhuo Zhi waved at her and walked towards the car without looking back, “You’re the cute one.”
When she was a few meters away, the window of the sleek blue sports car rolled down.
Li Qinyue’s arm reached out, beckoning to Zhuo Zhi, her fingers sparkling in the sunlight.
Zhuo Zhi raised her hand, ran over, and grabbed Li Qinyue’s hand before she could retract it, shouting, “Sister!”
Li Qinyue removed her sunglasses, her eyes smiling, “Why are you shouting? I’m not deaf.”
“I missed you!” Zhuo Zhi’s voice was still loud, “Sister, Sister, Sister…”
“Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay…” Li Qinyue responded, her smile widening.
Zhuo Zhi, remembering that night when they had met secretly during her training, said with heartfelt admiration, “You’re so beautiful, Li Qinyue.”
“Wow, does it feel good to finally call me by my name?”
“It does.”
“Then call me that a few more times later,” Li Qinyue tugged at her hand, “Let go, get in the car.”
Zhuo Zhi didn’t let go. The little fool had become even stronger after all the training at the academy.
Li Qinyue looked at her, “What do you want?”
Zhuo Zhi examined Li Qinyue’s hand, her tone teasing, “You got a manicure, Sister?”
“Hmm?” Li Qinyue hummed softly.
“It’s so pretty…” Zhuo Zhi’s eyes sparkled, “It looks expensive, it must have taken a long time, you should keep it for a few more days.”
Li Qinyue’s lips twitched, “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” Zhuo Zhi said, leaning closer, “Let me…”
“Let you what?” Li Qinyue raised an eyebrow.
Zhuo Zhi, emboldened by Li Qinyue’s return, was about to kiss her when Li Qinyue suddenly said, “Hurry up and let go, your classmate has been standing there watching us.”
Zhuo Zhi abruptly turned her head.
Li Fan was standing where they had parted ways, staring at them. Seeing Zhuo Zhi turn around, she waved her hand.
Zhuo Zhi’s smile vanished, and she frowned, wondering if it would be rude to just leave.
But after a moment of hesitation, she nodded at Li Fan, let go of Li Qinyue’s hand, walked around the car, and got in.
Li Fan’s hand froze mid-air. Zhuo Zhi had already gotten into the car. Li Qinyue chuckled.
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye?” Li Qinyue asked as she slowly started the car.
“No, she’s going shopping,” Zhuo Zhi said.
The car moved forward, the window still down. Li Qinyue asked, “What’s her name?”
“Li Fan.”
“I’ve never heard you mention her before.”
“She’s from another dorm, different major, we’re not close,” Zhuo Zhi briefly explained, then asked, “Where are we going, Sister?”
“To eat first. The food at your academy cafeteria might be nutritious, but it’s bland,” Li Qinyue glanced at her, “Look at you, so skinny, your cheeks are sunken.”
“Hahaha, have I lost weight?” Zhuo Zhi touched her face, “Do I look better now?”
“You look good, you always look good,” Li Qinyue said, stopping the car as she saw someone on the street and waving, “Hey, Li Fan.”
Zhuo Zhi straightened her back, her eyes wide, but she couldn’t speak, with Li Fan standing right beside the car.
Li Fan, finally seeing who was inside the car, her face full of surprise, blurted out, “Fairy Sister…”
Zhuo Zhi couldn’t help but say, “What are you calling her?”
“Ah… uh…” Li Fan was embarrassed, blushing, “What should I call her? She’s so beautiful, I’m speechless.”
“Just call me Sister,” Li Qinyue opened the car door, “Come on, let’s have lunch together, Zhuo Zhi has been under your care at the academy.”
Li Fan looked at Zhuo Zhi, “Xiao Hua, I…”
“Xiao Hua?” Li Qinyue looked at Zhuo Zhi, a mischievous smile playing on her lips, “That’s an interesting nickname, how did you come up with that?”
“Oh, that’s a funny story…” Li Fan immediately started talking.
“Hey, don’t just stand there, get in,” Li Qinyue beckoned to her, “Do you want the police to give me a ticket?”
“Oh, okay,” Li Fan quickly got into the back seat.
As the car moved forward, Zhuo Zhi, who had no say in the conversation, said, “Um…”
Li Fan looked at her, “Hmm?”
Li Qinyue also looked at Zhuo Zhi.
Zhuo Zhi: “Put on your seatbelt.”
“Oh, right, even in the back seat?”
“My sister… drives fast,” Zhuo Zhi said, glancing at Li Qinyue’s profile, which looked calm and relaxed.
“Hahaha, she can’t speed once we leave this street, it’s rush hour,” Li Fan said, “Sister, let me tell you about Xiao Hua…”
“Sure,” Li Qinyue said.
Zhuo Zhi: “Weren’t you going to buy headphones, Li Fan?”
“I can buy headphones anywhere,” Li Qinyue looked at her, “Don’t interrupt, I’m listening to a story, you’ve never told me about this.”
With Li Qinyue making it so clear, Zhuo Zhi didn’t dare to interrupt anymore.
When it was time to apply for universities after the college entrance exam, Li Qinyue had been by her side, fully supportive of her decision, telling her to choose any university she liked.
So Zhuo Zhi had chosen the National University of Defense Technology.
To avoid the pain of a long-distance relationship, Li Qinyue had rented an apartment near the university. Normally, she would spend four days a week on business trips in Nanhai City and three days at the apartment, waiting for Zhuo Zhi to finish classes.
Zhuo Zhi still had to stay in the dormitory, Li Qinyue insisted that she experience dorm life, and the academy’s rules didn’t allow students to leave campus freely.
On Fridays, Zhuo Zhi would go home and spend the weekend with Li Qinyue.
This had been their routine for over a year.
They shared everything. Zhuo Zhi knew all about the companies Li Qinyue managed, their recent challenges, her father’s health checkups, and Li Hanyang’s foolish antics.
Similarly, Zhuo Zhi would tell Li Qinyue about her classes, her teachers, her training, and any interesting stories about her dormmates, as long as it didn’t violate any confidentiality agreements.
Although they were at different stages of their lives, their constant communication kept them close.
But Zhuo Zhi had matured.
She understood Li Qinyue, she knew which stories she could share, and which ones were best left unsaid.
The consequence of oversharing was very direct. She would be thoroughly “punished” by Li Qinyue, who would use all sorts of embarrassing methods, strange outfits, and props.
Could she resist?
She couldn’t.
When Li Qinyue was jealous, she would use these cliché tactics to assert her dominance. And as Zhuo Zhi lay there, her body weak and her mind hazy, she would swear to herself that there would never be a next time.
But there was always a next time.
And now, she was setting the stage for the next time.
Li Qinyue often treated Zhuo Zhi’s dormmates to meals, so Zhuo Zhi had warned them about her.
But Li Fan was different, they weren’t that close…
“You must know, Sister, Zhuo Zhi is popular wherever she goes,” Li Fan dropped a bombshell, “There are only five girls in her class, two are aloof, two are like me, tomboys, only Zhuo Zhi is soft and cute.”
“I’m not soft,” Zhuo Zhi protested.
“The fact that you don’t think you’re soft makes you even cuter,” Li Fan said, “There are several girls in our academy who try to cultivate that persona, but they’re trying too hard, you’re different, you’re naturally sunny, cheerful, and adorable…”
Zhuo Zhi: “Are you hungry, Li Fan? What do you want to eat later?”
Li Qinyue glanced at her, “Continue, Fanfan.”
“Okay, Sister,” Li Fan was clearly enjoying this, “Zhuo Zhi is super popular, she’s good at her major, she’s athletic, she knows martial arts, teachers, counselors, seniors, juniors, everyone likes her.”
Li Qinyue’s lips curved into a smile. Zhuo Zhi glared at Li Fan, who was oblivious, thinking that praising her classmate in front of her classmate’s girlfriend was always a safe bet.
“But there’s one strange thing,” Li Fan reached the climax of her story, “Our academy doesn’t forbid relationships, there have been several grand, public confessions, but there’s never been any gossip about Zhuo Zhi. Everyone in our department is puzzled.”
“You guys have too much free time,” Zhuo Zhi muttered.
“We were waiting, and finally, at last month’s talent show, our wish came true!” Li Fan slapped her thigh, “A junior from the Missile Engineering department, with a voice of an angel, sang ‘Flower House Girl’ at the finals and dedicated it to his ‘Xiao Hua’.”
Li Fan pointed at Zhuo Zhi, “Our Zhuo Zhi! It was so romantic! Sister, you don’t know, the Missile Engineering department and our department are rivals, like two tigers on the same mountain. That day, their entire department was chanting ‘Xiao Hua! Xiao Hua!’ to support the junior, and our Zhuo Zhi stood up and said to the stage, ‘I didn’t take you to the flower house, and I have no intention of doing so.’ Damn, it was so cool, the auditorium went wild!”
“It sounds like the beginning of a romance novel,” Li Fan slapped her thigh again, concluding, “And ever since then, she’s been known as Xiao Hua. Every time we call her that, it feels so sweet and glorious. By the way, Zhuo Zhi, did that junior contact you again?”
“No,” Zhuo Zhi said, “If he dares to contact me, I’ll break his legs.”
Li Qinyue slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt.
Zhuo Zhi didn’t even dare to look at her.
Li Qinyue turned to Li Fan and smiled, “Fanfan, let me tell you a secret, why Zhuo Zhi is so popular, yet has no romantic rumors.”
“Ah, okay!” Li Fan nodded eagerly.
Li Qinyue took Zhuo Zhi’s hand, intertwined their fingers, and showed it to Li Fan, “See this ring?”
“Yes,” Li Fan said, “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a pair,” Li Qinyue said.
“Ah…” Li Fan was stunned.
“We’re a pair too,” Li Qinyue’s smile was gentle.
Li Fan was speechless.
“Surprised?” Li Qinyue’s eyes crinkled, “We’re even engaged, we’re just waiting for Zhuo Zhi to reach the legal age for marriage.”
Li Fan covered her mouth in shock.
“So,” Li Qinyue continued to smile, “Who would dare to steal my girl? You said I’m a Fairy Sister, who can compete with a fairy?”
Li Fan finally recovered and nodded vigorously.
“You don’t believe me?” Li Qinyue asked with a smile, “You’re an adult, right?”
“Y-yes,” Li Fan’s voice was a little dry.
Li Qinyue put her other arm around Zhuo Zhi’s neck and, before Li Fan could even react, kissed Zhuo Zhi on the lips, “Then this should be enough proof.”
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