Chapter 50: Blunt
By the time Ye Qizhen arrived at the barbecue restaurant, it was already dark. Wen Yu had accompanied her to this place once; the shop wasn’t big. Standing at the entrance, she casually looked around and found a familiar figure.
By the window, Tang Tang was looking at the menu intently. Only when the chair opposite her was pulled out did she look up. Seeing it was Ye Qizhen, she didn’t greet her, just shoving the menu over. “Order, order, I’m starving silly.”
Ye Qizhen scanned the dazzling array of dishes on the menu and asked Tang Tang, “What do you want to eat?”
“You order, I trust you.” Tang Tang handed the choice to Ye Qizhen. Eating with Ye Qizhen was like this; she didn’t have to worry about anything. She took a sip of water, and before she could put down the teacup, her mouth started firing like a machine gun: “Hey, let me tell you, I’ve been so unlucky lately…”
Nothing more than trivial matters in study and life.
Ye Qizhen looked up at Tang Tang, listening to her nagging while ticking the menu. Actually, when Tang Tang said she wanted to treat her to dinner tonight, she vaguely guessed that Tang Tang probably encountered something unhappy. She was a very good listener; no matter what others said, she would listen carefully and answer seriously, her personality incredibly good. Conversely, she didn’t easily pour out negative emotions to others, which was why people always thought she had no worries.
It wasn’t until the meat sizzled with oil and the aroma filled their noses that Tang Tang shut her mouth under the temptation of food.
Before eating, Ye Qizhen took a photo and sent it to Wen Yu first, which had become a habitual action. Then she typed: Craving it?
Tang Tang saw Ye Qizhen smiling sweetly at the phone screen, messaging someone unknown. What’s the situation? Also, she felt Ye Qizhen had been a little different lately.
After a while, Ye Qizhen put down her phone. Just as she was about to pick up some meat, she found Tang Tang’s gaze locked on her.
Tang Tang’s eyes were sly. “Chatting with that someone?”
Ye Qizhen tacitly agreed. She hadn’t revealed much to Tang Tang, so whenever they talked about this, Tang Tang would wink and say “that someone.”
“Sister, it’s been so long, have you guys made any progress?” Tang Tang asked with a long drawn-out tone. As early as the New Year, she heard Ye Qizhen mention being ambiguous with someone. More than half a year had passed, and there was still no movement.
Too much progress… Ye Qizhen fell silent, still thinking about how to explain this to Tang Tang. After all, she had never mentioned to Tang Tang that she liked girls. The meat on the grill was cooked. She picked up a piece into her bowl to cool, not rushing to answer Tang Tang’s question.
“Is he just flirting with you without any other indication?” Tang Tang didn’t end the topic, pressing on. Thinking about it, she couldn’t help worrying. Based on her experience, in this situation, the other party was mostly a player. She knew some words weren’t pleasant to hear, but she still wanted to remind Ye Qizhen: “Is he treating you as a spare tire?” Only because their relationship was close did she speak so directly.
“No.” Ye Qizhen retorted quickly.
No means no, is such a big reaction necessary? Or… Tang Tang looked at Ye Qizhen, examining her left and right. Combining this with Ye Qizhen’s changes recently, she tried guessing: “Already together?”
As expected of a relationship expert, guessing right on the first try. Ye Qizhen looked at Tang Tang for two seconds, then nodded, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curving into a faint smile. Being with the person she liked, she naturally wanted to share it with her close friends. She had agreed with Tang Tang before that she would tell her immediately; she didn’t intend to hide it from Tang Tang.
“When did you get together? Why didn’t you tell me?!” Tang Tang grinned and asked, appearing even more excited than Ye Qizhen. Her voice was too loud, attracting the attention of neighboring tables.
“It’s been a while…” Ye Qizhen pursed her lips, wondering if Tang Tang would still have this reaction after knowing the partner was Wen Yu.
“Is he super handsome?” Tang Tang slapped the table, unable to wait a second longer: “Let me see your boyfriend’s photo first.”
Facing Tang Tang’s urging, Ye Qizhen was rendered speechless.
Tang Tang shouted: “You’re already together, what are you shy about? Have to meet sooner or later.”
Ye Qizhen brewed something, looking at Tang Tang. “Sweetie, prepare yourself mentally first.”
Tang Tang was bluffed by Ye Qizhen’s words. Is it that exaggerated? She really couldn’t think of anything needing mental preparation. Thinking carefully, she asked, “You didn’t… get together with Tang Xiao, did you?!”
Ye Qizhen rubbed her forehead. “No, how is that possible.”
“What exactly do you want to say?” Tang Tang couldn’t grasp Ye Qizhen’s attitude, her imagination running wild, making her a bit apprehensive.
“I got together with Wen Yu.” Ye Qizhen held her breath and blurted it out. After saying it, she felt relaxed all over.
Tang Tang froze instantly, as if frozen in time. Her first reaction was to suspect her ears heard wrong. “With who?”
Ye Qizhen’s voice was slightly louder: “Wen Yu.”
This time Tang Tang was completely stunned. This surprised her a thousand times more than Ye Qizhen getting together with Tang Xiao. Ye Qizhen had been close to Wen Yu since college, but she never imagined it would be… to the extent that even her wildest imagination couldn’t reach.
Ye Qizhen guessed Tang Tang would react like this. She took a sip of the drink at hand, picked up a piece of grilled meat and put it in Tang Tang’s bowl, as natural as stating a commonplace matter. Two people who liked each other getting together was originally an ordinary thing. So what if they were both girls? Liking is liking.
At the table, Student Tang was still practically demonstrating what “jaw-dropping” meant. This secretly passionate person usually didn’t make a sound, and then she dropped something so exciting? She was mute for a while, then messily repeated what Ye Qizhen said: “You got together with Wen Yu?”
In contrast, Ye Qizhen looked calm. “Mn.”
“The person you talked about is Wen Yu? Never heard you say you liked… before.” Tang Tang was still sorting this out. This matter indeed required mental preparation. She had said Ye Qizhen might like girls, but that was just joking.
“You said it, I’d understand when I encountered it.” Ye Qizhen borrowed Tang Tang’s previous words.
Thinking for at least three minutes, Tang Tang didn’t know what else she could say. Surprise aside, she would definitely respect her good friend’s sexual orientation. However, hearing Ye Qizhen say she was with Wen Yu, she felt quite uneasy. What kind of person was Wen Yu? She didn’t know, but she had heard too much… When Tang Xiao said he wanted to chase Wen Yu back then, she wasn’t at ease, let alone Ye Qizhen.
Sudden silence; the liveliness of the neighboring table formed a sharp contrast with them.
After being quiet for a while, Tang Tang asked Ye Qizhen, “She provoked you first, right?”
Ye Qizhen didn’t quite like using the word “provoke.” If it wasn’t liking, no matter how much provoking, her heart wouldn’t flutter. Moreover, from Tang Tang’s tone, she heard some other meanings. “She’s not like what others say.”
“You are just a silly sweet girl, easily trusting others.” Tang Tang couldn’t control herself and blurted out her true thoughts. She grew up with Ye Qizhen. She had a strong personality, while Ye Qizhen was gentle. She had always protected Ye Qizhen like a sister, worried since childhood that Ye Qizhen would be bullied. She had to admit, she was now more afraid of Ye Qizhen’s feelings being played with.
Ye Qizhen couldn’t stand Wen Yu being misunderstood, even by her closest childhood friend. When she spoke again, her tone was much tougher: “Wen Yu is really good, don’t be prejudiced against her.”
With this, the atmosphere at the table took a 180-degree turn, becoming inexplicably tense. Tang Tang had never seen this side of Ye Qizhen. “I’m just worried about you, no other meaning.”
Ye Qizhen understood Tang Tang was worried, but she was stubbornly firm: “I like her, and she likes me too.”
Seeing it like this, Tang Tang had nothing more to say. Looking at Ye Qizhen, she sighed silently in her heart. She believed the first half of Ye Qizhen’s sentence; she saw Ye Qizhen was completely captivated by Wen Yu. As for the second half…
Such melodrama.
Back then, Ye Qizhen said she was helping Tang Xiao chase Wen Yu, but ended up getting herself involved.
The barbecue tasted as good as ever, but this meal wasn’t pleasant. After parting with Tang Tang, Ye Qizhen walked slowly towards the school. The air seemed stifling. She remembered there would be thunderstorms tonight; checking her phone, indeed there was rain.
The streets near the university town didn’t lack clingy young couples. Love at this age possessed incomparable pure beauty. Ye Qizhen stood at the traffic light intersection. When the green light turned on, the couple beside her walked hand in hand towards the other side of the zebra crossing.
Ye Qizhen hesitated for a while and didn’t cross the street. She turned to look at the nearest apartment building behind her, and couldn’t help calling Wen Yu.
Wen Yu had an exam in two days and was flipping through textbooks at her desk. The phone on the table suddenly vibrated. She picked it up and saw it, sliding to answer immediately. “Arrived at the dorm?”
“No, just finished eating.” Ye Qizhen held the phone to her ear, walking towards the apartment building as she spoke. She was afraid of disturbing Wen Yu. “Are you reading?”
“Almost done.”
Ye Qizhen looked up at the sky. “It will rain later.”
“Mn.” Wen Yu still stared at the text on the page, but her mind was completely elsewhere.
“Might thunder too.” Ye Qizhen popped out another sentence, engaging in a chat just for the sake of chatting.
Traces of a slight upward curve appeared on the corner of Wen Yu’s mouth. She continued with an “Mn.”
Dawdling, Ye Qizhen asked quietly again, “Are you afraid of thunder?”
Wen Yu lowered her head and chuckled softly.
Hearing the pleasant laughter from the other end of the phone, Ye Qizhen felt the embarrassment of having her thoughts seen through. Wanting to see her was just wanting to see her; what lame excuse was this? Now she didn’t know what to say.
“I’m afraid—” Wen Yu said in a low voice, cooperating very well with Ye Qizhen’s little thoughts.
Even through the phone, Ye Qizhen was charmed by this low voice.
“Want to come over and keep me company?” Wen Yu asked with a smile.
“Okay!” Ye Qizhen was waiting for this sentence, answering in a way that exposed her nature too much.
Wen Yu was still smiling. She closed the book, preparing to get up. “Where are you now? I’ll come pick you up.”
“No need,” Ye Qizhen was quite embarrassed, “I’m downstairs at your place.”
In just a few minutes, Wen Yu heard the doorbell ring. The door opened, and Ye Qizhen saw Wen Yu’s face, immediately smiling with bright eyes. Her originally depressed mood was largely dispelled.
Already downstairs, couldn’t she just come up directly? So silly. Wen Yu looked at Ye Qizhen for a moment. “You can say directly if you miss me.”
Facts proved that the blunt approach always defeats the secretly passionate one. Sure enough, seen through at a glance. Ye Qizhen raised her chin, smiled mischievously, and said, “Thick-skinned.”
Silly and cute. Wen Yu’s eyes were full of smiles. She pinched Ye Qizhen’s chin casually, held Ye Qizhen’s hand directly, and pulled her into the room.
Ye Qizhen changed into slippers. She had been to this apartment Wen Yu rented too many times and knew her way around everything. There was an open kitchenette to the side. She took a cup, wanting to pour herself some water.
Seeing this, Wen Yu picked up the glass pitcher and poured it for her.
Ye Qizhen obediently took the cup and took a small sip. Just as she put the cup back, warmth suddenly enveloped her from behind—Wen Yu hugged her from the back.
Wen Yu tightened her arms around Ye Qizhen’s waist, her body pressing closely against Ye Qizhen’s back. From the moment she opened the door, she had seen all the clues.
Ye Qizhen turned her head to look at Wen Yu, smiling warmly and sweetly. Such a silently given hug was simply too heart-fluttering.
“Were you wronged?” Wen Yu asked.
“…No.”
“You pause for a second before lying.” Wen Yu looked into Ye Qizhen’s eyes, her voice very light.
