Fu Xiangqing’s first relationship had been entirely passive.
When she and Lu Zimin had confirmed their relationship back then, she hadn’t even considered proactively telling anyone about her new boyfriend.
Lu Pannan and her roommates had only found out by pure chance, when they’d bumped into her and Lu Zimin strolling around campus. She’d casually explained things at the time.
This time was different. She was the one who’d confessed.
So on the second day after they got together, she took the initiative to message Lu Pannan on WeChat and ask her to meet up.
Their usual spot was the cafeteria—inexpensive, but perfect for a casual chat.
By the time Fu Xiangqing sent the message, she was already waiting there.
Their class schedules that day were polar opposites. She had no morning classes, while Lu Pannan had none in the afternoon. Fortunately, they both had a lunch break, so they could make it work.
Lu Pannan replied almost immediately: she’d just gotten out of class and would be there in about five minutes.
Fu Xiangqing had just set her phone down when the dark screen lit up again.
It was a message from Xu Zhiyao.
【Zhiyao: Sister, what do you want for lunch? I’m done with class—coming to find you now~ Are you in the dorm? Or the library?】
She let her know she’d be eating lunch with Lu Pannan.
【Zhiyao: (grievance.jpg) Then I’ll eat lunch by myself. Sister, you can’t ditch me for dinner too, okay? I only have one class this afternoon. Wait for me in the classroom after yours, and I’ll come find you.】
【Okay.】
Lu Pannan arrived right on schedule.
Fu Xiangqing knew she liked the seafood hotpot from window two, so she’d ordered it ahead of time. She was just carrying the tray back when Lu Pannan showed up.
The other girl was walking briskly. After greeting her, she leaned against the edge of the table to catch her breath. Only once her breathing had steadied did she sit down across from Fu Xiangqing.
The first thing she did upon sitting was open WeChat and transfer the money over.
Their situations were similar, so they’d always gone with a straightforward AA split for expenses.
Fu Xiangqing didn’t accept it this time.
Faced with her friend’s puzzled look, she flushed a little and got to the point.
“I’m dating someone.” She went on to explain why she was treating. “When my roommates got into relationships, they all took their good friends out for a meal.”
Lu Pannan sent the money back again. She looked a bit helpless. “I’ve heard of that custom, but the way I heard it, it’s the partner who treats the friends.”
Fu Xiangqing’s mildly surprised expression was rather endearing. She thought back and realized that yeah, when her roommates had coupled up, it had always been their partners footing the bill.
She just wasn’t used to interacting with guys, so she’d turned them down. In the end, her roommates had specially packed food to bring back for her.
Because she’d skipped any contact with their boyfriends, Fu Xiangqing had subconsciously overlooked the guys altogether. She’d wound up applying this new coupling-up tradition to herself instead.
“Sorry,” she said. “I forgot. I thought it was me who was supposed to treat.”
Lu Pannan shrugged and let the topic drop.
She grabbed the chopsticks from nearby. While picking out the clams—which she didn’t like—and passing them over, she asked, “So, who’s the lucky one this time? I haven’t seen any new guys around you lately. Someone you just met?”
Fu Xiangqing divided half the rice noodles from the pot and gave them to her. “No, you’ve met her. It was last week, when we ran into each other at the library.”
Lu Pannan racked her brain. She and Fu Xiangqing didn’t bump into each other often, but the library was one place where it happened with some regularity.
Fu Xiangqing went there to study. She went because it was quiet.
Their last encounter…
She wasn’t entirely sure. “The junior who came specifically to bring you that milk tea?”
Fu Xiangqing nodded. Her expression suddenly grew tense. “A-Pan, does this bother you?”
Lu Pannan blew on the shrimp in her spoon to cool it, then bit off the head. As the fresh, savory flavor filled her mouth, she broke into a satisfied grin.
“What’s there to be bothered about? It’s just a same-sex thing. No big deal.”
She held up two fingers in a V-sign, poking at the air in front of her eyes before pointing it across the table. “These eyes of mine have seen it all. I’m pretty open-minded.”
Fu Xiangqing laughed, her mouth curving up as all the tension drained out of her. “That’s a relief. Thanks, A-Pan.”
Lu Pannan was more concerned about something else. “Not to rain on your parade or anything, but honestly, this path isn’t gonna be easy. Have your parents been in touch lately? My dad called me yesterday—said he’s found some guy for me and wants me to go on a blind date over break. I just blocked him. Planning to unblock after winter vacation’s done.”
Fu Xiangqing was long used to her friend’s habit of blocking people. “No, they hardly ever contact me. Only A-Yu calls on weekends.”
Lu Pannan nodded. “Yeah, your A-Yu is the only normal guy in our village’s generation. He’s good-looking too. How about I marry him? You wouldn’t mind me being your sister-in-law, right?”
Fu Xiangqing nearly choked and coughed twice before catching her breath.
Lu Pannan put on a wounded expression. “You dislike me that much? I’m heartbroken.”
Even though she knew it was an act, Fu Xiangqing hurried to explain. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. My opinion doesn’t matter anyway—it’s up to A-Yu. Besides, he’s only in high—”
“Okay, okay, I was just teasing. I’m not getting married. What’s so great about marriage? Being single is the best. Anyway, enough about me. You still haven’t said. Since you’ve chosen this path, have you figured out what comes next? Your family definitely won’t approve, right? Are you just going to play it by ear?”
Fu Xiangqing replied, “To be honest, I don’t know. But this is my decision, and it doesn’t involve anyone else.”
Lu Pannan nodded. “That’s the spirit. Put yourself first in everything. Your happiness matters most. I’m planning to stay here after graduation. What about you? Want to stick around and keep me company? Since you two can’t get married anyway, why not just date forever?”
“Speaking of which.” Her expression turned serious. “I can tell you really like her. But what about her? Does she like you back? What’s her family like? Similar to ours, or did she grow up in a big city?”
Fu Xiangqing gave her honest assessment. “I haven’t asked, but her family seems pretty well-off.”
A look of pity crossed Lu Pannan’s face. “You might not want to hear this, but I’m saying it for your own good. I haven’t hung out with rich kids myself, but I’ve heard plenty of gossip. Those wealthy types play around a lot, and most of them treat relationships like games. Factor in family pressure, and forget it—just the fact that you’re both girls means you might not get past her parents.”
She sighed. “Once things get serious, her parents will find out. If they try to break you up, will she choose you or her family? I’m not telling you to worry about it now, but you need to be aware. Don’t fall too hard, or when push comes to shove, she walks away without a scratch, and you’re left holding the bag. Dating’s fine, but people like us don’t have much bargaining power, so keep some distance. You get me?”
Of course Fu Xiangqing understood.
She had already braced herself for the possibility of heartbreak when she decided to accept Xu Zhiyao.
Back then, Jiang Shiyan hadn’t yet revealed Xu Zhiyao’s hidden secret.
Now that she knew how much the girl adored her, the thought that Lu Pannan’s warning might come true in some final dilemma filled her with an ache she couldn’t suppress.
But she didn’t let it show. Instead, she smiled gently, her obedient response a quiet reassurance of her friend’s genuine concern.
The two parted ways in the square.
Fu Xiangqing’s afternoon classes were the last two periods, so she planned to kill some time in the library before heading back to the dorm for her books.
The moment she turned around, she spotted Xu Zhiyao standing less than a meter away—the girl who should have been resting in her dorm.
Only when Fu Xiangqing’s gaze finally landed on her did Xu Zhiyao stride forward. She slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Like someone utterly obsessed with cats, Xu Zhiyao nuzzled her cheek against Fu Xiangqing’s, rubbing affectionately again and again.
Fu Xiangqing felt ticklish, but her bigger concern was the public display—anyone could be watching. In a soft voice, she urged her to let go.
Xu Zhiyao obediently released her, then ruffled her hair. “Sister, come eat with me.”
Fu Xiangqing blinked curiously. “You haven’t eaten yet?”
Xu Zhiyao pouted pitifully. “Today’s only our second day as a couple. Our first lunch together after starting to date—it’s special. So I came to find you.”
Fu Xiangqing picked up on the subtext. “You came straight after class?”
Xu Zhiyao declared righteously, “What else would I do after class but find my girlfriend? I stayed way back there, nice and quiet. I didn’t bother you and your friend while you were eating. You wouldn’t get mad at me for that, right?”
“I’m not mad,” Fu Xiangqing explained warmly. “Since you were here, you could have come over. A-Pan’s really nice. She wouldn’t—”
Before she could mention the reason for her lunch with Lu Pannan, the words were cut off by someone suddenly overcome with jealousy.
Xu Zhiyao repeated her words with a sarcastic lilt: “A-Pan is such a nice person~ A-Pan is such a nice person~ Looks like she really is that great, huh? Otherwise, why has Sister never called me that? A-Pan really is just so great.”
The jealousy dripping from her voice was so thick that Fu Xiangqing couldn’t ignore it even if she tried. She felt a mix of exasperation and amusement, but since she’d never dealt with something like this before, she could only ask outright: “Are you jealous?”
Xu Zhiyao’s face immediately fell in displeasure. “Can’t Sister tell? I’m so sour I could wring vinegar out of every part of me!”
Fu Xiangqing fumbled for a way to soothe her. “Sorry, I’ve never been in this situation before. What should I do?”
Her earnest and sincere expression was so innocently adorable that it was utterly endearing.
The tiny bubbles of jealousy in Xu Zhiyao’s heart popped all at once, replaced by an even stronger wave of affection.
She buried her head against Fu Xiangqing’s fragrant hair again, murmuring in complete defeat: “Sister clearly knows nothing, but every time, you make me like you even more.”
The arms around her waist tightened, and the lips pressed to her snowy white neck whispered in a tender, lingering tone: “If Sister calls me that too, then I won’t be jealous anymore.”
Fu Xiangqing endured the ticklish sensation of the other’s breath on her skin, her soft voice trembling slightly as she said: “A-Yao?”
Xu Zhiyao kept her arms wrapped around her, turning her head just a little. Her heavy-lidded eyes fixed intently on those pink lips so close at hand, and she said, word by word, with utmost seriousness: “Sister, can I kiss you?”
Fu Xiangqing jolted as if electrocuted and hurriedly pushed her away.
The reflexive action in her panic was so swift that even Xu Zhiyao couldn’t react in time. Once separated, the rejected girl stood there in a daze, looking almost comically stunned.
Fu Xiangqing’s face had turned completely red from embarrassment. Her watery eyes brimmed with apology as she explained in a soft, sticky voice: “N-No, we can’t. We’re… we’re outside.”
