Chapter 50

Zheng Xiyu had no idea where she’d picked up these habits. They just came naturally, like second nature.

It was the same with falling for Tang Tianman. She hadn’t even fully realized it before it happened, and she certainly hadn’t prepared for their relationship to evolve into what it was now.

There was Tang Tianman beneath her, perfectly obedient, just like a little kitten.

Or even more obedient than one. Kiss a kitten too much, and it’d get annoyed and dodge away eventually.

But Tang Tianman didn’t dodge at all. No matter how much Zheng Xiyu kissed her, she stayed put, her body open and welcoming in every moment.

Zheng Xiyu couldn’t fathom how much trust it took to hand yourself over like that in a tipsy haze.

She felt she had to honor that trust. It took every ounce of restraint this body could muster to keep her hands to herself.

Of course, her mouth stayed above the neck, leaving Tang Tianman’s cheeks flushed and warm.

“Mmm…” Tang Tianman let out a soft hum.

“Hm?” Zheng Xiyu looked up at her.

“Hee hee hee.” Tang Tianman giggled again, reaching up to stroke her face. “Mine.”

“Yours.” Zheng Xiyu leaned into her palm.

“You’re drunk,” Tang Tianman said.

“You had a bit too much.” Zheng Xiyu touched her forehead. “Feeling sleepy?”

Tang Tianman’s eyes were already growing misty, but she shook her head.

“Time for bed.” Zheng Xiyu cooed like she was soothing a child.

It was time. Normally, they’d have been asleep by now.

Tang Tianman had been going all day, her body exhausted down to every cell, yet she didn’t want to sleep.

Every second was so precious. What a waste to sleep it away.

But Zheng Xiyu clearly didn’t feel the same. She rolled off, lay beside her, and pulled up the covers.

Then she patted the blanket rhythmically, as if a lullaby was the only thing missing.

Tang Tianman blinked, sleepiness crashing over her. She couldn’t hold back a yawn.

Zheng Xiyu smiled and leaned in for a kiss on her cheek. “Sleep well. See you tomorrow.”

“Don’t go.” Tang Tianman rolled over and clutched her arm.

“I’m not.” Zheng Xiyu let her cling awkwardly. “I mean, tomorrow morning when you open your eyes, you’ll still see my face.”

Tang Tianman’s lips curved up. Finally, she closed her eyes.

She slept deeply, without a single dream.

The next morning, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was indeed Zheng Xiyu’s face—but she had to look up to see it.

Zheng Xiyu had been awake for a while, sitting propped against the headboard, scrolling on her phone. Tang Tianman shifted her foot and realized her leg was tangled around Zheng Xiyu’s.

She pouted and swatted Zheng Xiyu’s stomach lightly. “Why’re you up so early?”

Her voice came out thick and sticky with sleep.

“Not early.” Zheng Xiyu set her phone aside and looked at her. “It’s eleven.”

Tang Tianman: “Huh?”

Zheng Xiyu: “Time for lunch.”

Tang Tianman was stunned. “What about breakfast?”

Zheng Xiyu chuckled. “In your dreams.”

Tang Tianman threw off the covers and sat up. “How’d we skip breakfast? When did you wake up?”

“Slept in a little today.” Zheng Xiyu said. “Seven.”

Tang Tianman: “…”

She felt a bit embarrassed. They’d gone to bed together, but she’d slept way longer. Who knew if she’d been snoring or grinding her teeth—Zheng Xiyu had seen it all.

“You should’ve eaten without me if you were up.” She mumbled, climbing out of bed toward the bathroom.

“Of course I waited for you.” Zheng Xiyu said it like it was obvious.

“Want to wash up first?” Tang Tianman asked, guilt making her turn back.

“Already did.” Zheng Xiyu replied.

“Oh.” Tang Tianman turned away.

She pushed open the bathroom door with a huff.

For a second, she’d imagined some swoony drama scene—waking up and gazing at your sleeping love without moving, afraid to wake them.

Tang Tianman splashed water on her face, her mind clearing a bit.

Then it hit her: with how dead to the world she’d slept last night, no normal movement would’ve woken her.

She splashed more water and stared blankly at her reflection.

That meant Zheng Xiyu had finished washing up, come back to bed to keep her company, and she’d gone and tangled herself right back around her.

Mortifying.

Tang Tianman dunked her face under the water, taking forever just to wash up.

It was Monday. In theory, they should hurry back to school.

Xi Chun was already on a flight back to N City—she’d even texted Tang Tianman before boarding.

Zheng Xiyu had changed her ticket to that evening, so they could spend the day together sightseeing.

After washing up, they headed downstairs for lunch, then mapped out a packed half-day itinerary for H City.

What they did or ate didn’t matter. It was who they were with.

Tang Tianman figured even if Zheng Xiyu dragged her around the stadium track all afternoon, she’d be thrilled.

Zheng Xiyu wasn’t much of a talker, and she could be a bit goofy sometimes, but being with her made Tang Tianman happier than ever. It was this new, fizzy, tingling thrill that bubbled up inside her constantly.

Zheng Xiyu brushing her fingers—fizzy thrill.

Zheng Xiyu slinging an arm around her shoulders—fizzy thrill.

If Zheng Xiyu hugged her, stole a kiss somewhere private… Tang Tianman would’ve opened a hotel room on the spot and replayed last night’s pre-bed activities.

She really was a total perv senior sister, the kind who corrupted her junior.

Their smiles didn’t fade the whole half-day. Tang Tianman’s cheeks ached from grinning so much; she even had to beg Zheng Xiyu to rub them.

By evening, racing to the airport with the announcements blaring their names like a death knell, Zheng Xiyu dragged Tang Tianman in a mad sprint. Exhausted and buzzing, Tang Tianman conked out soon after takeoff.

She woke only as the plane neared landing.

Zheng Xiyu gently roused her, handing over a bottle of water. Tang Tianman took a couple sips and peered at the city lights growing closer outside. “We’re back in N City.”

“Mm.” Zheng Xiyu rubbed her shoulders, easing the post-nap chill.

“Why do I feel a little melancholic?” Tang Tianman said.

“Hm?” Zheng Xiyu looked at her. “Didn’t have fun?”

“Too much fun.” Tang Tianman smiled and turned to her. “Feels like going back to school will change everything.”

“There might be some changes.” Zheng Xiyu said. “But what we want won’t.”

Tang Tianman hooked her finger under Zheng Xiyu’s nose. “My junior sister’s getting all philosophical.”

Zheng Xiyu let her play without protest.

After landing and the ride back, they reached the school gates just minutes before lights-out.

Tang Tianman wouldn’t let Zheng Xiyu walk her. She grabbed her suitcase and bolted. “Short legs! I gotta fly!”

Zheng Xiyu watched her dash off for a long moment before heading to her own dorm.

Tang Tianman skidded to the dorm entrance as the auntie was locking up.

Inside, Ruan Ruan and Li Tong spotted her and yelled, “She’s here! I told you she was coming!!!”

The auntie reopened the door. “You cut it real close, girl.”

“Thanks, Auntie! You’re the best!” Tang Tianman’s voice was all sugar and politeness. “Get some rest! I’ll bring you H City specialties tomorrow!”

The auntie waved her off and went back to her melon seeds.

Li Tong took Tang Tianman’s suitcase. Ruan Ruan gave her a once-over with a weird look.

“What?” Tang Tianman asked. “Miss me that much after a few days?”

“Nah.” Ruan Ruan kept scanning her. “Tang Tianman, I think you’re tainted.”

“Wasn’t my heart already?” Tang Tianman shot back.

“Heart before. Now maybe your whole body’s dirty.” Ruan Ruan smacked her lips. “Tsk-tsk-tsk. What an epic love story—dropping everything to fly from L City to H City, delaying school another day, rolling in deep in the night.”

Tang Tianman held it in… but burst.

She’d planned to keep her and Zheng Xiyu’s new dynamic under wraps for a couple days.

Too flashy otherwise. Better to let her dear roommates figure it out naturally.

But staring at Ruan Ruan and Li Tong, she couldn’t hold back anymore.

They’d been teasing her and Zheng Xiyu forever. If she didn’t spell it out, any little thing she did next, they’d still think they were stuck in that almost-lovers limbo.

Underestimating Tang Tianman like that.

She pouted dramatically and whispered, “Tell you back in the room.”

Li Tong: “Tch.”

Ruan Ruan: “Tch-tch.”

They hadn’t even reached their floor when the lights went out.

Back in the dorm, Tang Tianman unpacked by feel in the dark, washed her face, and flopped into bed. The nightly gossip session kicked off.

Once she started, she spilled every detail of the past two days, down to the tiniest bit.

Except the exact sensations of kissing Zheng Xiyu.

It took nearly twenty minutes. Li Tong and Ruan Ruan didn’t interrupt—couldn’t get a word in.

Looking back on it all, Tang Tianman’s heart overflowed with sweetness, like she’d chugged a jar of honey. Her mouth went dry; she chugged half a glass of water.

“And that’s it.” She wrapped up triumphantly. “Your big sis is officially off the market.”

Ruan Ruan: “…”

Li Tong: “…”

Ruan Ruan: “Sigh.”

Li Tong sighed. “I really didn’t expect this.”

Tang Tianman looked puzzled. “What’s there to not expect? It’s not like I hooked up with someone else.”

Li Tong shook her head. “I originally thought you two were just messing around with some girl-on-girl fun. Turns out I was too young, too naive. I just didn’t get the whole friendship-and-love thing between girls.”

Ruan Ruan cut in. “Hey, it has nothing to do with me. I didn’t hook up with anyone.”

Tang Tianman’s eyes lit up with interest. “Ooh, what’s the story?”

Ruan Ruan shrugged. “I lost a couple pounds.”

Li Tong grinned. “Aw, Tangdou, what’s it like kissing a girl?”

Tang Tianman beckoned her. “Come on over and find out.”

Li Tong shrank back. “What, you think I want to keep my legs? The Tall One could slap me clear across the room with one swat.”

Ruan Ruan frowned. “What does her slapping you flying have to do with your legs?”

Li Tong turned to her eagerly. “Ruan, let’s give it a try then. We crash together all the time like it’s no big deal, but we’ve never actually made out, have we?”

Ruan Ruan waved her off. “Get lost. I’m gonna be a pure, chaste maiden.”

Li Tong fell silent.

The rejection stung, leaving her fuming.

She had every reason to be annoyed. In this dorm of three, she was always the one left out, no matter what they got up to.

Vengeful thoughts bubbled up inside her, and she decided it was time to spill some tea.

“Tangdou, you know what?” Li Tong started.

“What? What? What?” The lovestruck woman was on high alert. “Who’s chasing you? Who are you chasing? Who’s after Ruan Ruan? Is Ruan Ruan after someone?”

Li Tong coughed. “Ahem…”

Ruan Ruan shot her a glare. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Li Tong bellowed at the top of her lungs: “Jiang Xue sent flowers to our dorm!”

She grinned wickedly. “See? I totally would.”

Ruan Ruan leaped off the bed and scrambled toward her.

Li Tong scooted to the foot of the bed. “Ruan-jie, Ruan-jie, easy! The bed’s gonna collapse…”

As the two tussled, Tang Tianman tore through the room hunting for the flowers. “Where are they? Where? Where’s the flowers!”

Zheng Xiyu had never sent her flowers before.

Li Tong was pinned under Ruan Ruan but still thrashed around, yelling the truth: “Ruan Ruan threw them out!!!”

Tang Tianman demanded, “Why toss perfectly good flowers?”

Li Tong wheezed. “Exactly! And they were for our whole dorm!!! The card even said ‘for 520’!!!”

Tang Tianman tsked.

Li Tong’s neck was in a chokehold, but she managed to croak out: “Tsk!!!”

Suddenly, Ruan Ruan lost all interest. She released Li Tong, climbed down from the bed, then back up, yanking the blanket tight around herself.

“Going to sleep,” she announced.

Li Tong and Tang Tianman went quiet.

The thing between Ruan Ruan and Jiang Xue wasn’t like the smooth sailing between Tang Tianman and Zheng Xiyu—nothing to joke about lightly.

Ruan Ruan and Jiang Xue were like two ropes twisted together, but each in their own stubborn, awkward direction.

Li Tong and Tang Tianman couldn’t quite make sense of it, so they kept their mouths shut.

Truth be told, Ruan Ruan—as the one in the thick of it—didn’t understand it much herself. Which was why she didn’t dare make a move.

Or more accurately, she’d never understood Jiang Xue at all.

She couldn’t wrap her head around why Jiang Xue had shown up with a massive bouquet of sunflowers, knocking on their dorm door.

It was the weekend. She and Li Tong had been lounging around, binge-watching shows while Tang Tianman live-streamed her meeting mishaps for laughs.

Li Tong, as usual, called out, “Door’s unlocked—come on in!”

And in Jiang Xue came.

Clutching that enormous bouquet, dressed in a bright yellow jacket that matched the flowers perfectly.

Only someone like her could pull off that shade. Her porcelain skin and cool aura made the vibrant color—like firelight flickering in snow—blend into something strangely captivating.

For the past couple days, Ruan Ruan had replayed the scene over and over, trying to catch some flicker in Jiang Xue’s expression, some hint of what she was really thinking.

But nothing stuck.

All she remembered was the giant sunflowers, the sunny yellow jacket, and the one thing Jiang Xue had said.

“Ruan Ruan, is your cold better?”

If memory served, it was the first time Jiang Xue had ever used her name.

Before that, Ruan Ruan had half-convinced herself that Jiang Xue didn’t even know what she was called.

Stunned, she’d replied with a blank face: “Yeah, it’s better.”

Jiang Xue had nodded, set the flowers down, and left.

Now, lying in bed and tossing restlessly, Ruan Ruan wondered if “Yeah, it’s better” had been cool enough.

What would have sounded cooler?

“None of your business?”

Nah, too cliché.

“Do I even know you?”

Too phony.

“I forgive you—just don’t bother me again.”

That would kill any chance of a next time for real.

No.