Chapter 63
When Lin Xiaozhi and Wei Zhuoning returned, Chi Lin noticed something was off with Wei Zhuoning.
“Ah Lin, I’m so dizzy…” Wei Zhuoning stumbled, clinging to Chi Lin for support.
Smelling the alcohol on her, and recalling Lin Xiaozhi’s earlier request for a few mini-bottles of alcohol, Chi Lin immediately understood. “You got her drunk?” she asked Lin Xiaozhi, as she steadied Wei Zhuoning.
Lin Xiaozhi, who’d had quite a bit to drink herself, giggled. “It was consensual, so how can you call it ‘getting her drunk’?”
So she did get her drunk… Chi Lin thought.
Mistaking Chi Lin for Lin Xiaozhi, Wei Zhuoning wrapped her arms around Chi Lin’s neck, burying her face in her shoulder. “How could you… tell me, how are you such a good kisser?”
Chi Lin shot Lin Xiaozhi a look that said, “You did that in a public park?!“. Lin Xiaozhi struggled to pull Wei Zhuoning away. “I’m over here. If you want to scold someone, scold me. What are you clinging to her for?”
Lou Mi, just having escaped a throng of younger students, squeezed in. “What’s going on? Is your little friend drunk?”
Spotting Lou Mi, Wei Zhuoning pointed and exclaimed, “Lou Jiejie is awesome! Lou Jiejie conquers the world!”
Chi Lin: “???”
Lou Mi awkwardly explained, “It’s my fan cheer.”
Chi Lin: “…”
As Wei Zhuoning swayed precariously, Chi Lin suggested to Lin Xiaozhi that they take her to her bedroom to rest. “Why don’t you two just stay here tonight? I have enough blankets.”
Lin Xiaozhi: “If we take your room, where will you sleep?”
Chi Lin: “I can sleep anywhere in the living room. It’s best not to move Zhuoning too much in her current state.”
Lin Xiaozhi looked at Lou Mi, who readily agreed. “Just stay here. Going out in the cold after drinking could make her sick.”
Lin Xiaozhi patted Wei Zhuoning’s cheek. “Did you hear that? We’re staying at Chi Lin’s tonight.”
Wei Zhuoning, still dazed, fumbled for her phone. “I need to call my mom.”
Lin Xiaozhi retrieved the phone from her pocket. “I’ll call her for you. Your mom would worry if she heard you like this.”
“Okay…” Sitting on the sofa, Wei Zhuoning, experiencing her first hangover, clung tightly to Lin Xiaozhi, whimpering. “I feel awful.”
Lin Xiaozhi was almost suffocating, but couldn’t bring herself to let go. “There, there. I’ll call your mom, and then I’ll get you something for your hangover, okay?”
Wei Zhuoning weakly nodded against her chest.
Lou Mi watched them, mesmerized. Chi Lin nudged her with her elbow. “Don’t stare at them like that, it’s rude.”
Lou Mi said “Oh,” then, “I’ll go make some hangover tea for your friend. You stay here and take care of them.”
“Okay.” Watching Lou Mi head to the kitchen, Chi Lin followed. “Jiejie…”
Before Chi Lin could express her gratitude, Lou Mi waved her hand dismissively, as if to say, “Don’t mention it.”
…
The intensity of the high schoolers’ post-exam revelry spoke volumes about their academic pressure. That night, Chi Lin and Lou Mi went through several boxes of drinks, the cupcakes disappearing in waves, the smart home system working overtime. Gao Xiang got Lou Mi’s autograph and a photo, practically rolling home instead of taking a taxi. The other classmates, equally exhilarated, finally left close to midnight.
Bundled in thick down jackets, Chi Lin and Lou Mi saw them off, making sure everyone got into taxis before heading back. It had taken a combined effort to stuff the T-Rex into one.
“It’s getting colder every day with the New Year approaching.”
Not wanting to scare anyone with her costume in the middle of the night, Lou Mi had changed back into her regular clothes, donning a short down jacket. Not expecting to be outside for long, she wore thin pajama pants and slippers. The wind cut through her clothes, making her shiver, but her posture remained ramrod straight.
Chi Lin noticed Lou Mi’s innate regal bearing. No matter the situation or environment, her aura never diminished.
Chi Lin took off her long down jacket and, standing on tiptoe, draped it over Lou Mi.
Lou Mi: “What are you doing?”
Chi Lin didn’t reply, continuing to walk in just her sweatshirt.
Lou Mi caught up, placing the jacket back over Chi Lin. “I’m not that fragile. You’re going to get sick and make everyone worry.”
The oversized jacket completely enveloped Chi Lin’s head. She struggled for a moment before she could breathe again.
Chi Lin: “I’m not cold.”
Lou Mi: “Put it on anyway.”
At the community gate, the security guard offered them a ride, but Lou Mi declined. “No, thank you. We’ll walk.”
A hazy moon, veiled by thin clouds, cast a faint glow. Fortunately, the streetlights were bright.
Chi Lin deliberately slowed her pace, letting Lou Mi walk ahead, so she could quietly observe her.
Lou Mi was about the same height as Her Majesty. Perhaps because of their similar heights, they both had long strides and walked quickly.
Halfway home, Lou Mi suddenly looked back, catching Chi Lin staring at her.
Chi Lin pretended nothing had happened, quickening her pace to walk beside her.
“What were you looking at?” Lou Mi asked.
“You. Why are you so tall?”
“Oh, I was just born this way.”
Gazing at the elusive, mystical moon, Chi Lin asked, “Have you ever wondered what you were like in your past life?”
Lou Mi looked up at the sky as well. “Past life? I’ve never really thought about it. But we must have known each other in a past life.”
Chi Lin’s heart leaped at her words. “Why do you say that?”
“More than just knowing each other. We must have been enemies. Why else would you torment me like this in this life?”
Chi Lin: “…”
After saying this, Lou Mi pulled her collar higher, covering half her face, and quickened her pace towards home.
Lou Mi wasn’t oblivious. She saw everything Chi Lin did. When Chi Lin mentioned watching her height, Lou Mi wanted to ask, What are you looking for in me? But she swallowed the words.
Chi Lin had an agenda, something she wanted from Lou Mi, something Lou Mi couldn’t yet grasp. The feeling of closeness followed by a sudden distance was unsettling.
Of course, she knew Chi Lin was struggling even more. Something seemed to bind Chi Lin, something invisible yet powerful enough to consume her.
As Lou Mi scanned her face to enter the building, she wondered if she’d misconstrued her feelings for Chi Lin. It should be sisterly affection, given our age difference, she thought. With all the chaos at Chi Lin’s school recently, and Peng Ziyuan being away, I’ve been acting as her guardian. Have I developed a protective instinct? Their previous intimacy, the CPR and the accidental kiss, hadn’t happened under normal circumstances. In short, they were accidents, not love.
How could there be romantic love between them? It was just an illusion of comfort after their relationship had improved from its initial disastrous state. They were simply family.
Entering the house, Lou Mi went straight to her room.
Watching her about to disappear behind the closing door, Chi Lin suddenly rushed forward, trying to stop it. “Jiejie…”
Caught off guard, Lou Mi couldn’t stop the door in time. Chi Lin’s hand was trapped.
“What’s wrong with you?!” Lou Mi carefully examined Chi Lin’s hand, already red and swollen. It looked painful. “You’re supposed to be a martial arts expert. How could you not avoid a door?”
Chi Lin: “I didn’t see it coming. It’s fine, it doesn’t hurt.”
“It’s all red! It’ll be bruised tomorrow. And you say it doesn’t hurt?”
Chi Lin hung her head and shook her head.
Lou Mi looked at her. “Do you have something to say to me?”
Chi Lin did. She even wanted to reveal her secret, her journey from another time. It tormented both of them. She wanted to ask Lou Mi directly if she remembered her past life. If she remembered Dayuan, if she remembered her wife in Dayuan. If she remembered their 20 years together, if she remembered their vows to stay together, even in death.
Chi Lin had been suppressing these questions. A definitive answer, even a painful one, would be a relief. The person before her might be her beloved, or might not. She felt it was likely, it should be, but she had no proof.
She didn’t want to hurt Lou Mi, but she already had, inadvertently.
“Lou Mi…”
Lou Mi: “You don’t have to say anything.”
Chi Lin: “?”
Lou Mi retrieved some ointment from the first-aid kit and applied it to Chi Lin’s hand. “You don’t have to force yourself to comfort me. I know you have your secrets. Everyone has secrets. I’m an adult, a resilient adult. I can handle this. I had a moment of weakness, but it’s over now. Really. You should focus on overcoming your own inner demons.”
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Lou Mi carefully finished applying the ointment, then looked up and winked. “Look at you, more upset than me, and you even got your hand caught in a door. How unlucky. Don’t worry about comforting me, okay? Think about yourself.”
It was her own indecision that had upset Lou Mi, yet Lou Mi was comforting her. Just like Her Majesty, always prioritizing Chi Lin’s happiness, regardless of her own feelings.
Chi Lin couldn’t find a reason to believe Lou Mi wasn’t Her Majesty. Even a gut feeling was a kind of evidence. Who said feelings couldn’t be proof? Lou Mi felt like the closest connection to Her Majesty. Without concrete evidence, Chi Lin herself was the only witness.
Resolute, Chi Lin shifted her focus from seeking confirmation to finding a way to trigger Lou Mi’s memories of their past life. Restoring those memories would not only prove Lou Mi was Her Majesty but also provide a path to restoring her kingdom. It was the quickest way.
…
After a deep sleep, Chi Lin was awakened by Peng Ziyuan the next morning.
“Zai Zai, wake up, everyone’s waiting for you for breakfast.”
Chi Lin had fallen asleep late on the living room sofa and was still groggy.
Peng Ziyuan called her several times before she fully woke. Seeing her nestled in the soft blanket, looking incredibly cute, Peng Ziyuan couldn’t resist showering her face with kisses. “My baby is so sweet and adorable—Mommy loves you—”
Chi Lin opened her eyes. “Mother, I’m awake, I’m awake.”
When she came out after washing up, she saw not only Lou Mi at the breakfast table but also a radiant Lin Xiaozhi and a slightly dazed Wei Zhuoning.
“Chi Lin,” Wei Zhuoning called, beckoning her to sit beside her.
After sitting down, Chi Lin glanced at Wei Zhuoning, then at Lin Xiaozhi, whispering, “You didn’t do anything strange in my bed last night, did you?”
Luckily, Wei Zhuoning wasn’t drinking milk, or she would have choked. “Are you crazy?!”
Lou Mi, sitting opposite them, handed them chopsticks and spoons. “Whispering secrets so early in the morning?”
Wei Zhuoning straightened up, accepting the utensils. “Thank you, Lou Jiejie!”
Lou Mi: “Good girl.”
Wei Zhuoning was ecstatic. “Lou Jiejie called me a good girl! I could die happy now.”
Lin Xiaozhi: “Excuse her, she just turned 18. Just ignore her rambling.”
Chi Lin: “Oh? Just turned 18? Is your birthday around this time, Zhuoning?”
Wei Zhuoning was too embarrassed to answer, so Lin Xiaozhi spoke for her. “It was yesterday.”
Lou Mi: “Oh, yesterday was your birthday? Why didn’t you say anything? We were too caught up with the party.”
Wei Zhuoning: “It’s just my birthday, it’s not important.”
Lin Xiaozhi gave her a sideways glance. How is your 18th birthday not important? Stop belittling yourself.
“Besides…” Wei Zhuoning continued, “Xiao Zhi already celebrated my birthday. I’m very happy.”
Whoa, the nickname’s changed. The “Lin” was gone, replaced with the more intimate “Xiao Zhi”.
Lin Xiaozhi quietly sipped her milk, hiding her smile behind the mug.
Wei Zhuoning stole a glance at her, seeing her smile, and her heart swelled with happiness.
Lou Mi, observing the nuances of their interaction, burned with envy. She recalled Chi Lin’s question about her past life. I don’t know what I was like then, but in this life, I’m definitely a jealous mess.
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