Chapter 62
Chi Lin’s face darkened, her expression dazed. Yet, even in her disorientation, she instinctively adjusted Lou Mi’s collar, which is how Lou Mi realized her buttons had come undone. Chi Lin averted her gaze, using one hand to fasten the buttons.
Lou Mi: “Thanks…”
She couldn’t understand what Chi Lin was thinking. Hadn’t Chi Lin orchestrated all this for this very moment? Why did she seem unhappy now that her “scheme” had succeeded?
Lou Mi realized her full weight was still resting on Chi Lin, who didn’t seem to mind. Lou Mi quickly pushed herself up. “Are you okay?”
Chi Lin shook her head.
Lou Mi noticed that the atmosphere between them depended entirely on Chi Lin. And Chi Lin’s silence could mask a multitude of emotions.
It was impossible to stay in this position, and continuing what they’d started seemed unlikely. Lou Mi stood up, pulling Chi Lin up with her.
Chi Lin silently picked up the fallen fairy lights, re-hanging them. Turning to Lou Mi, she asked, “Do you want to stay here, or go back and join the others?”
Lou Mi: “I’ll do whatever you want.”
Chi Lin shook her head. “Don’t let me decide.”
Lou Mi noticed Chi Lin’s clenched fists. She was smiling, but it lacked sincerity, as if she was forcing a cheerful facade.
“I’ll go out first and wait for you there.” Lou Mi sensed Chi Lin needed some space.
Hearing this, Chi Lin breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Lou Mi with gratitude. “Okay…”
Lou Mi heard a subtle hoarseness in her voice, and the grateful look in her eyes made her seem vulnerable, causing a pang in Lou Mi’s heart. “I’ll be right outside. Call me whenever you’re ready.”
Chi Lin nodded. “Thank you.”
Stepping out of the warm tent, Lou Mi was hit by a blast of cold air, shoving her hands into her pockets and hunching her shoulders. The house was still buzzing with activity. Lou Mi shivered. Young people sure know how to have fun.
“Hey, Mi-jie!”
Xie Buyu, Fu Tu, and Hu Hu were sitting in the gazebo, drinking hot tea. Seeing Lou Mi emerge, they immediately flocked to her.
Xie Buyu, eager for details: “So? How was it? That was quick!”
“Shhh!” Lou Mi hushed her, glancing back at the tent, then pulling the three of them further away.
“It’s over,” Fu Tu declared, understanding immediately. “Looks like Mi-jie’s real coming-of-age ceremony still hasn’t happened.”
Lou Mi raised her hand as if to strike, and Fu Tu quickly hid behind Xie Buyu.
Hu Hu, seeing Lou Mi’s genuine annoyance and fearing a fight, or rather a one-sided beating, quickly intervened: “Mi-jie, Mi-jie, calm down, calm down. Have some hot milk tea to cool off.”
Lou Mi wasn’t appeased by the offered milk tea. “Milk tea is for kids. I want alcohol.”
Hu Hu: “Okay! I’ll get you some! What kind do you want?”
“Anything alcoholic.”
“Right away!”
Lou Mi turned to Xie Buyu and Fu Tu. “You two go with him.”
Sensing Lou Mi wanted them gone, they obediently followed Hu Hu.
On their way to fetch the alcohol, Fu Tu asked Xie Buyu, “What happened? Did they have a fight?”
Xie Buyu: “You’d better pray Mi-jie actually had a relationship to fight about. From the looks of it, they haven’t even confirmed anything yet. Fighting would be pointless.”
“Huh? They haven’t made it official yet? Didn’t she practically grope her chest last time? And weren’t they practically setting the tent on fire just now? Spinning like a flaming wheel?”
“Yes, but even a flaming wheel should be removing clothes, not fastening them. Have you ever seen a couple buttoning up clothes in a passionate embrace?”
Fu Tu considered this. She had to admit, Xie Buyu had a point.
Fu Tu: “Poor Mi-jie.”
Xie Buyu: “You’re still a virgin, don’t worry about other people’s love lives. Focus on your own.”
Fu Tu: “What the—?!”
Hu Hu: “…” I didn’t hear anything, I don’t know anything.
…
Shivering in the cold, Lou Mi started practicing her martial arts forms to warm up.
When Chi Lin opened the tent flap, she saw Lou Mi practicing.
Chi Lin: “…Your form is a bit off. Your leg should be higher.”
Lou Mi met her gaze for a moment, then obediently raised her leg higher, wobbling slightly and almost losing her balance.
“Careful!”
Chi Lin moved to steady her, but Lou Mi quickly regained her balance.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to fall over.”
“Come inside, it’s too cold outside,” Chi Lin said.
Lou Mi readily accepted the invitation. Back in the warmth of the tent, she finally relaxed. Her entrance brought in a noticeable chill.
Seeing Lou Mi’s normally vibrant lips now pale from the cold, Chi Lin felt a pang of guilt.
Lou Mi closed the tent flap but remained at the entrance. “Are you feeling better?” she asked Chi Lin.
Chi Lin: “I wasn’t really upset. Just some silly thoughts.”
There was no guarantee a birthmark would prove anything. Even Chi Lin and the original Chi Lin’s birthmarks weren’t exactly the same. Perhaps it was just a coincidence they were in the same location.
Lou Mi had already said she didn’t have a birthmark. It was Chi Lin’s own stubbornness that led her to seek confirmation. Now that the evidence was before her, any further distress was self-inflicted.
After a round of self-deprecating thoughts, Chi Lin felt a bit better. Even if she had to start over in her search for connections between Her Majesty’s past and present lives, she needed to gather her strength and continue. Besides, so far, Lou Mi still felt the most like Her Majesty, the closest connection she’d found. Chi Lin would continue to seek validation from Lou Mi.
Lou Mi: “Was it something to do with me that was bothering you?”
Chi Lin realized Lou Mi was incredibly perceptive, able to sense her thoughts even without words.
“Not exactly bothering me,” Chi Lin replied. “There are just some things I haven’t figured out yet.”
Lou Mi nodded, recalling Chi Lin’s earlier words about overcoming her inner demons.
“If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know.”
Lou Mi’s smile was so gentle that Chi Lin’s newly calmed heart began to stir again—with guilt.
Xie Buyu and the others returned with the alcohol, but Lou Mi was nowhere to be seen.
“What’s going on? Where is she?”
Fu Tu pointed to two blurry figures inside the tent. “Did they go back in?”
Xie Buyu: “…That’s our Mi-jie for you, always fast. Fu Tu, you should learn a thing or two from Mi-jie’s speed.”
Fu Tu: “Why are you always picking on me? Keep your fantasies to yourself.”
“What? Am I wrong?”
“If you want to find out, you’ll have to verify it yourself.”
“Fine, let’s do it. Tonight. Don’t back out.”
“Whoever backs out is a chicken. Loser buys dinner for a month.”
“A month is too short. Two months.”
As they bickered back and forth, Hu Hu listened, dumbfounded. What are they talking about? Is it what I think it is? I’ve heard of fighting, but never of… that to prove a point. The thought was too much for Hu Hu to handle.
When Lou Mi and Chi Lin emerged, only Hu Hu was waiting outside, holding several bottles of alcohol.
“Why is it just you? Where are Xie Buyu and Fu Tu?” Lou Mi asked.
“Uh… they suddenly had something urgent to attend to. They said they had to leave.”
“They left already? They didn’t even eat or drink anything.”
“They seemed to be in a hurry.”
“What could be so urgent?”
Despite the winter weather, Hu Hu was sweating. “Mi-jie, please don’t ask.”
Lou Mi: “?”
“If you ask again, I’ll kill myself.”
Lou Mi: “…”
…
Back inside, the sight of Lou Mi and Chi Lin together nearly sent their fans through the roof. Slightly drunk, Gao Xiang went even crazier, yelling “Goddess!” and lunging at Lou Mi.
Lou Mi, experienced with overzealous fans, could predict their actions from the first glance. If she could, she would have delivered a spinning kick, sending the fan flying ten meters. But she couldn’t. No matter how crazy, they were still fans…
Lou Mi braced herself to dodge, but Gao Xiang was stopped five meters away, something suddenly blocking his vision.
Chi Lin had intercepted him, her outstretched hand pressed against his forehead, stopping him in his tracks. This move actually had a follow-up: pressing down with her arm, she could have smashed his face into the floor.
Gao Xiang: “What’s going on? Who turned off the lights? Where’s my Lou Jiejie?”
Chi Lin led him to a chair. “Sit down and calm down.”
Even though Lou Mi couldn’t decipher Chi Lin’s thoughts, the feeling of being protected was undeniably satisfying.
Lou Mi: “Hey, Xiao Lin, don’t be so rough with your classmate. Don’t break his neck.”
Chi Lin: “…It’s not made of paper. It won’t break that easily.”
“His neck might not be made of paper, but your hands are made of steel. Remember what happened in your bathroom? You almost broke my neck.”
Lou Mi’s words instantly shifted the atmosphere, everyone latching onto the keyword “bathroom.”
Chi Lin wasn’t sure if Lou Mi had said it intentionally, or if she was just that innocent due to her lack of relationship experience…
Chi Lin: “Ahem, do you like the cupcakes?”
“Yes—”
“Seeing Xue Cai CP interacting makes them even better!”
*Xue Cai means Snow Vegetable*
Chi Lin: “Xue Cai CP?” She’d seen that term somewhere before, and the word “Cai” (vegetable, often used as a nickname for Chi Lin) always caught her attention.
Compared to Chi Lin’s hesitation, Lou Mi was much more at ease. She readily posed for photos with her classmates and patiently answered all their esports questions. After all, they were Chi Lin’s friends.
Seeing everyone surrounding Lou Mi, Chi Lin felt a pang of complex emotions, realizing she was somewhat excluded. At the same time, she noticed something.
Where are Wei Zhuoning and Lin Xiaozhi?
…
“Why did we have to come out here?”
Half an hour earlier, Lin Xiaozhi had dragged Wei Zhuoning out of the house and into the community park. The park was mostly deserted at night. The occasional dog-walkers usually stuck to the brightly lit main path. They were on a smaller, sheltered path on the south side, the benches wide and comfortable. Lin Xiaozhi was familiar with the layout of such communities: activity zones separated from quiet areas, every need catered for.
Wei Zhuoning looked towards Chi Lin’s house. “You didn’t even tell her we were leaving. What if Chi Lin looks for us?”
Lin Xiaozhi: “Don’t worry, I messaged her. I told her we’d be back soon and not to look for us.”
Wei Zhuoning was puzzled. “Why did you bring me here? You even brought your bag. Hey, what’s that in your hand?”
“Alcohol,” Lin Xiaozhi replied, holding up a cute miniature bottle. “I secretly asked Chi Lin where she kept the alcohol, and she got it for me.”
“When did that happen? I didn’t see.” Wei Zhuoning reached for the bottle, but Lin Xiaozhi dodged her hand.
“You have two bottles. Aren’t we each going to have one?”
Lin Xiaozhi shook her head. “Of course not. I have more in my pocket.”
“It’s my birthday! I’m an adult now, I can drink!” Wei Zhuoning hadn’t planned on drinking, but the sight of the alcohol was too tempting. “I’ve always wanted to try it. Let me have a taste.”
Lin Xiaozhi leaned closer. “Let me have a taste first.”
Wei Zhuoning understood what Lin Xiaozhi wanted to taste, and her expression changed, shrinking back. “What are you trying to do…?”
Lin Xiaozhi followed her every move. “What do you think?”
Wei Zhuoning: “We can’t…”
“Why not?”
“I knew it. You brought me to a secluded place with ulterior motives.”
“Oh, so you knew I had ulterior motives and still came with me. You like my ulterior motives, then.”
“That’s not how logic works.”
Lin Xiaozhi watched the blush deepen on Wei Zhuoning’s face, her ear tips turning red. Unable to resist, she reached out and touched one.
The contact of Lin Xiaozhi’s cool fingers against her burning ear sent a jolt through Wei Zhuoning.
“Don’t touch me…”
Lin Xiaozhi had practically trapped Wei Zhuoning against the armrest of the bench, leaving her no room to retreat.
Lin Xiaozhi pleaded softly, “I miss how cute you were at the cinema that day. You were so adorable, my heart melted. Let me see that side of you again, okay?”
Wei Zhuoning closed her eyes, afraid her gaze would betray her feelings. “No.”
“So cruel to me.”
“That’s not… it’s you who…”
Before Wei Zhuoning could finish, Lin Xiaozhi sighed dramatically. “And I even got you a birthday present.”
“Huh?” Wei Zhuoning hadn’t expected that. “A birthday present?”
Lin Xiaozhi brought out her backpack. Meeting Wei Zhuoning’s expectant gaze, she paused, teasingly. “Guess what it is.”
Wei Zhuoning: “I… I can’t guess.”
The only birthday presents she’d ever received were from her mother: sometimes a bowl of noodles with two extra eggs and sausages, sometimes a new outfit or shoes. They weren’t expensive, but she treasured them, often reluctant to use them.
This was the first time someone other than her mother had remembered her birthday.
Lin Xiaozhi continued to tease her. “If you can’t guess, I won’t give it to you.”
Wei Zhuoning was speechless. After fully enjoying Wei Zhuoning’s adorable anticipation, Lin Xiaozhi finally opened her bag and pulled out a box.
“Open it and see.”
Wei Zhuoning held the box, neatly wrapped in colorful candy paper, almost reluctant to tear it open.
Lin Xiaozhi, seeing through her hesitation, tore it open for her. “I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
Wei Zhuoning whispered, “I’m sure I’ll like it…”
Lin Xiaozhi could barely contain herself, biting her knuckles to distract herself.
Wei Zhuoning opened the box. Inside lay a blue package. She recognized it instantly: the latest model of the “Brain Keyboard” she’d been dreaming of!
The Brain Keyboard, as its name suggested, connected to the user’s brain. It wasn’t a physical keyboard but a virtual one. It resembled the access crystals for holographic games: two thin metal plates. Attaching these plates to the temples, connecting to a phone via Bluetooth, and focusing one’s mind allowed the user to type directly from their thoughts.
With this device, writers could finally liberate their hands! No more sitting at a computer all day. Whatever they thought would appear on the screen. It supported Mandarin, Cantonese, Minnan, and various other popular dialects, with the official website constantly updating its language packs.
It was the hottest gadget among writers, with some claiming they could write up to 10,000 words per hour with focused concentration. Wei Zhuoning had tried it countless times at the store, desperately wanting it, but the 5999 RMB price tag was prohibitive.
She never imagined Lin Xiaozhi would gift this to her…
Lin Xiaozhi watched her, her face alight with uncontainable joy, her heart melting. A faint teeth mark remained on her knuckle.
“I can tell you really like it.”
Wei Zhuoning nodded, then, as if remembering something, shook her head and pushed the gift back. “It’s too expensive, I can’t accept it.”
Lin Xiaozhi had already anticipated her lines: “Oh, then throw it away for me.”
Wei Zhuoning: “…I know this is cliché, but it really is too expensive!”
Lin Xiaozhi: “Your first kiss was much more valuable than this, and I still accepted it.”
Wei Zhuoning choked. “…I didn’t say I was giving it to you. You stole it!”
Lin Xiaozhi: “Exactly. So why be so polite with me? Besides, you’ll become successful one day. You can buy me something I like then. I know this Brain Keyboard will improve your writing efficiency, consider it an investment. Write well, and when you become famous, I can bask in your glory.”
Wei Zhuoning: “But…”
“Oh, just take it. Stop being so hesitant.”
“Thank you. I’ll accept it.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. The alcohol is also for you. Happy birthday.”
It was the first time Wei Zhuoning had heard those words from someone other than her mother. Taking the alcohol, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Why are you crying?”
Wei Zhuoning sniffled and shook her head.
Unable to hold back any longer, Lin Xiaozhi leaned in and kissed her tears away.
As Wei Zhuoning looked up, she looked as adorable as a little bunny, ready to be held and cherished. Cupping the back of her head, Lin Xiaozhi kissed her lips.
Lin Xiaozhi was a skilled kisser. Wei Zhuoning felt dizzy, wanting to pull back, but Lin Xiaozhi’s hand prevented her.
“I can’t… breathe…”
Wei Zhuoning gently pushed her away.
Lin Xiaozhi gazed into her eyes, her intense stare making Wei Zhuoning’s heart pound. She picked up the bottle of alcohol.
“Let’s… drink.”
Lin Xiaozhi nodded. “Okay, let’s drink.” She took a sip.
Just as Wei Zhuoning wondered at her sudden compliance, Lin Xiaozhi kissed her again.
This kiss was far from gentle. Wei Zhuoning even choked on the alcohol Lin Xiaozhi had passed to her.
“Lin… cough, cough, cough…”
Lin Xiaozhi wiped the alcohol from the corner of her mouth.
“You’re not a supporting character,” Lin Xiaozhi said, gazing at her glistening lips. “You’re the main character in my world. You have been for a long time.”
…
Wei Zhuoning couldn’t resist. She was utterly captivated by Lin Xiaozhi, both by her words and her passionate kisses.
Lost in Lin Xiaozhi’s affection, Wei Zhuoning surrendered…
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