Chapter 23: Extra 2: Fu Xiangqing’s First Romance Was Utterly Passive Part 2

Xu Zhiyao had already schooled her expression. Seeing Fu Xiangqing look like a startled little rabbit, the itch on her lips grew stronger. She held back for a moment but couldn’t resist leaning in to plant a quick peck on her feverish cheek.

It was a featherlight touch, over as fast as it began.

Two seconds later, Fu Xiangqing finally registered what had happened.

Her already flushed face now burned with a vivid crimson.

She nervously glanced around. Though other students were passing by on the path, none were paying them any special attention, so she let out a small breath of relief.

Just as she shot an annoyed glare at the disobedient girl, her hand was taken.

Xu Zhiyao pulled her toward the cafeteria, asking: “After we eat, does Sister want to go back to her dorm or come to mine?”

The innocent Fu Xiangqing was instantly distracted. “Hm? I want to go to the library.”

She had done so many chores at home growing up that she’d never had the habit of an afternoon nap. Ever since starting school, aside from her dorm, the library was the place she spent the most time in.

Xu Zhiyao replied: “There are cameras everywhere in the library—not great for kissing. How about we head back to the dorm first, and then I’ll walk Sister over afterward?”

Her cheeks, which had cooled a bit, heated up again at these casually intimate words that only made her more embarrassed.

Her gentle voice turned soft and shy: “D-Didn’t you just kiss me? Why… why do we need to kiss more?”

Their simply clasped hands were gently pried apart finger by finger, then intertwined fully into a tight ten-finger grip.

The other’s burning, intense longing seeped straight through their closely pressed palms into her skin.

“Does Sister really think that would satisfy me?”

Fu Xiangqing didn’t dare respond. That seemingly calm question sounded utterly terrifying in a certain sense.

Xu Zhiyao wasn’t very hungry. She glanced around the cafeteria and ordered a bowl of beef noodle soup from the shortest line.

Her number was called quickly. She exchanged the ticket for the bowl, turned around with the tray—and spotted Fu Xiangqing already seated not far away, smiling and waving the utensils she’d just picked up.

The soft corner of her heart engraved with “Fu Xiangqing” felt like it had been gently pawed by a little animal’s pink pads, melting into a complete puddle.

Xu Zhiyao devoured her noodles in half the time Fu Xiangqing had taken earlier.

After they returned their trays, she gripped one of Fu Xiangqing’s hands while reaching into her pocket with the other.

She rummaged around but found nothing.

The steps that had been headed straight for her beloved’s dorm veered off midway.

“Sister, come with me to the supermarket first.”

Fu Xiangqing meekly agreed.

At the campus supermarket, Xu Zhiyao deftly grabbed a shopping cart. She pulled Fu Xiangqing along while pushing the cart forward.

She knew Fu Xiangqing’s tastes all too well. After a short browse, the cart was stuffed to the brim.

And it was clear all these things were for Fu Xiangqing.

Fu Xiangqing knew it too. “You bought me so much stuff last week that I haven’t even finished it yet. You don’t need to get this much more—I can’t eat it all.”

“If you can’t finish it, just share with your roommates. The jelly from last time was strawberry, right? How about trying passionfruit flavor this time, Sister?”

Without waiting for an answer, she tossed it straight into the cart.

“I already shared some with my roommates last time, but there’s still a ton left. Really, don’t buy so much this time.”

Xu Zhiyao’s hand paused as she reached for the seaweed snacks. After a moment’s thought, she put them back. “Fine, we’ll keep it simple this time and stock up more next week.”

Fu Xiangqing let out a quiet sigh of relief, afraid she’d grab more things. She quickly urged her toward the checkout counter.

As the cashier scanned the items, Fu Xiangqing suddenly remembered something important. She turned to Xu Zhiyao. “You came to the supermarket but didn’t buy anything for yourself?”

Xu Zhiyao chuckled softly. “I was just about to. Sister, strawberry flavor’s okay for me, right?”

Fu Xiangqing blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

With a flick of her long fingers, Xu Zhiyao plucked a strip of gum from the rack. “This. Strawberry flavor gum, okay?”

Fu Xiangqing was even more puzzled. “Isn’t it what you want to eat? Why are you asking me?”

Xu Zhiyao leaned in close, whispering in her ear. “Doesn’t Sister know? Gum leaves a flavor in your mouth.”

Fu Xiangqing caught the implication. Her cheeks flushed as she gave Xu Zhiyao a light, half-hearted shove.

Xu Zhiyao playfully yielded to the push, stepping back. Then she calmly grabbed one strip of every flavor from the rack.

“How about you and I try every flavor, Sister?”

Xu Zhiyao had messaged the other roommates earlier. They were wandering the food street off-campus and wouldn’t be back to the dorm anytime soon. With that in mind, she set their date spot as her own room without a second thought.

Fu Xiangqing started feeling nervous as they headed upstairs—though this wouldn’t be their first kiss.

But her anxiety didn’t last. The moment Xu Zhiyao opened the dorm door, she eagerly pulled Fu Xiangqing inside.

The door slammed shut with a bang. At the same time, Fu Xiangqing found herself gently but firmly pinned against the white wall nearby, with no chance to escape.

The two bags in her hands were impatiently dropped to the floor, landing with a heavy thud.

Xu Zhiyao slowly drew closer. Overwhelmed by shyness, Fu Xiangqing instinctively closed her eyes.

Her lips were captured. Xu Zhiyao kissed her tenderly.

This kiss tasted of strawberry mint.

Without the creamy sweetness of milk, the mint’s cool freshness offered a different kind of intoxicating allure.

Fu Xiangqing lost track of time. When they finally parted, her lips felt almost numb.

The greedy one wasn’t satisfied. Right in front of her, she casually pulled out another flavor of gum, popping it into her mouth as she murmured, “Sister, how about tasting my blueberry flavor next?”

Fu Xiangqing was a little oxygen-deprived. Now freed, she gulped in deep breaths.

Hearing this, she shyly wanted to refuse.

Xu Zhiyao seemed to guess her words. Her expression shifted in an instant to one of grievance and jealousy.

“Back in that private room, Lu Zimin told you to sit and wait, and you obediently did. Now I just want to get a little closer to you, Sister, but you’re not willing. It makes me so sad, Sister.”

Her feigned vulnerability perfectly fooled the innocent girl before her. Fu Xiangqing opened her mouth to argue, but she really didn’t want to bring up that scumbag again. In the end, she had no choice. With reddened eyes and a soft, pleading tone, she said, “F-Fine, just one more kiss. But you can’t use that excuse again next time!”

Xu Zhiyao sweetly agreed. She chewed the softened gum a few times and blew a smooth, round bubble.

With the bubble still in her mouth, she leaned in. The bubble burst under the pressure just as her blueberry-flavored lips—separated by the thin gum membrane—met Fu Xiangqing’s once more.

Xu Zhiyao had tasted the sweetness and craved more, but she knew not to push too hard.

There was still some time before class. Unwilling to part right away, she nestled her head into Fu Xiangqing’s neck like she had on the walk earlier, her arms wrapping around her with possessive fervor.

Fu Xiangqing quietly let her hold on for a moment. After a long hesitation, she finally made up her mind and spoke softly.

“I never liked him. The only person I’ve ever liked is you.”

Xu Zhiyao had completely forgotten how she had just feigned hurt to coax a kiss out of her.

At those words, excitement surged through her so fiercely that she nearly jumped for joy.

But it was her next sentence that truly made her want to scream—

“That time in the private room? That was my first kiss.”

No words in the world had ever sounded sweeter.

Not caring one way or another was one thing. Learning that she herself was the very first to earn her affection was something else entirely.

Xu Zhiyao couldn’t put her racing emotions into words, so she expressed her overflowing delight the simplest way she knew how—with action.

Fu Xiangqing found herself kissed once more. She wanted to snap at her, but she couldn’t break free and could only whimper as she endured the consequences of her own words.

Xu Zhiyao walked Fu Xiangqing to class.

She asked, “Do Sister’s roommates know about us yet?”

Fu Xiangqing answered honestly, “I plan to tell them when I get back to the dorm tonight.”

Truth be told, she’d had the chance last night, but she hadn’t spoken to Lu Pannan yet. After agonizing over it, she’d decided to tell Lu Pannan first before filling in the others.

“Then while you’re at it, Sister, ask what they like to eat. It’d be even better if they have a particular place in mind.”

Fu Xiangqing wasn’t quite sure. “Are you planning to treat them to dinner?”

“Of course. Treating your friends to a meal now that you’re off the market—isn’t that just what you do?”

Fu Xiangqing couldn’t hold back her quiet joy. “Okay.”

She’d never known favoritism from her parents growing up, and even now as an adult, she hesitated to ask anyone for anything.

—Not even Xu Zhiyao, who showered her with so much affection.

That was why, back in the cafeteria, when Lu Pannan insisted she shouldn’t foot the bill, all Fu Xiangqing could do was let the subject drop.

Luckily, Lu Pannan understood her unspoken worries.

Thinking of Lu Pannan brought Fu Xiangqing’s mood down a touch.

If Xu Zhiyao was treating her roommates to dinner, then Lu Pannan—someone even closer to her—ought to be included too. Should she bring it up?

She was still mulling it over when Xu Zhiyao beat her to it.

“And that Lu Pannan girl—she probably doesn’t know Sister’s roommates, right? So we won’t invite her to that one. Ask her what she likes too, and the three of us can go out separately another time. Besides them, Sister doesn’t have any other close friends, does she?”

Fu Xiangqing’s voice grew a little thick, but she reined it in before Xu Zhiyao could notice. “No.”

Xu Zhiyao nodded, her expression earnest. “This is my first relationship. I don’t really know what all I’m supposed to do. But that’s okay—we have so much time ahead of us. So if there’s anything you think I should do, just tell me. I’ll do it obediently, every time.”

The young woman hesitated. “I don’t think there’s anything…?”

“If nothing comes to mind, don’t force it. But if you think of something later, tell me anytime.”

Xu Zhiyao spoke warmly, squeezing her hand a little tighter. “There’s just one thing I hope Sister will do for me.”

“Mm?”

“I’ll do everything I can to give you a sense of security. In return, please try relying on me a little. Tell me if something’s wrong. Tell me what you want. Okay?”

She waited a long time before a soft “Okay” finally came.

It wasn’t as wholehearted as she’d hoped—still laced with hesitation.

Xu Zhiyao didn’t press her to say it again more sincerely.

A true sense of security couldn’t be handed over with mere words. She hadn’t expected to win her trust so quickly anyway.

Their journey together was only just beginning. There would be endless days ahead for her to prove her heart through her actions.

And she believed that someday, far down the line, she’d have a lover who depended on her completely.

The two celebratory meals after getting together were scheduled for the same day.

Lunch was a fancy buffet for the roommates. Dinner meant hotpot with Lu Pannan.