Chapter 15

Xu Chaomu didn’t say anything else.

A lot of people online criticized Ji Changyin, but most of them envied her life.

She did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She could try anything without worrying about failing. She lived freely and did as she pleased.

“Have you watched Dream Chaser?”

“Huh?” Ji Changyin blinked before the question registered. She nodded. “I haven’t watched it lately. Why?”

Xu Chaomu: “…”

“You were trending yesterday,” Xu Chaomu said.

Ji Changyin blinked. “I haven’t checked Weibo in ages. Sister Zhao didn’t tell me.”

She patted Xu Chaomu’s shoulder and winked. “Who knew you liked surfing the internet, Miss Xu?”

Xu Chaomu glanced at her. “It’s fine. I look now and then.”

Ji Changyin quietly took her hand away. Xu Chaomu didn’t seem like the easiest person to tease.

They walked around the neighborhood once and eventually sat down in a pavilion in the middle of the lake.

Winter was almost there. The trees around the lake looked a little forlorn, and hardly any fish were visible in the water. Who knew where they’d gone?

The two of them sat quietly on the bench.

Ji Changyin was breathing a little hard.

“Didn’t we just walk for a little while?” Xu Chaomu looked at her in confusion.

Ji Changyin gave her a look. “It’s been ages, Sister. Forty minutes.”

“You’re out of shape. You need to exercise more, or you won’t be able to keep up when you’re filming.” Xu Chaomu frowned, clearly disapproving.

Ji Changyin nodded. To be honest, she’d exercised for a while, but after realizing her figure didn’t change no matter how much she ate, she’d gradually gotten lazy.

As she listened to the head teacher beside her lecture, Ji Changyin looked toward an elderly couple taking a walk nearby. She watched the old man gently pluck a leaf from the old woman’s hair, then smooth her hair back into place.

A smile tugged at Ji Changyin’s lips.

“What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Ji Changyin came back to herself and straightened up, smiling at Xu Chaomu.

“Let’s go.”

Ji Changyin nodded. “Shall we go back and take a nap?”

“Sure.” Xu Chaomu nodded, not refusing this time.

Ji Changyin’s steps grew lighter as she followed Xu Chaomu.

“You already memorized the way back?”

“It’s not complicated,” Xu Chaomu said.

Ji Changyin: “…”

Who knew? The first time she’d gone out, she’d almost gotten lost trying to find her way back.

Ji Changyin watched the back of Xu Chaomu’s head. “What time are you planning to leave tonight?”

“Six or seven.”

“Isn’t that too late? It gets dark early now.” Ji Changyin frowned. “It’s not safe.”

“What’s unsafe about it? The car goes straight from one gated community to another. I don’t have to get out along the way,” Xu Chaomu said.

“All right.” Ji Changyin watched Xu Chaomu’s long hair sway as she walked. She quickened her pace and reached out.

“What is it?”

Ji Changyin couldn’t exactly admit she’d reached out on impulse, so she composed herself and patted Xu Chaomu’s hair twice. “There’s a leaf.”

“Oh.” Xu Chaomu didn’t question her, letting Ji Changyin touch her hair.

“Your hair’s really smooth.” Ji Changyin withdrew her hand, a little reluctant to stop.

“You take good care of it, and it’ll stay that way. Yours is nice too.” Xu Chaomu glanced at Ji Changyin’s hair.

Ji Changyin raised her brows. “Of course.”

Xu Chaomu: “…”

When they got back, Ji Changyin showed Xu Chaomu to the room next to hers. They showered, climbed into bed, and agreed to nap for an hour. But after she woke up, Ji Changyin waited twenty minutes in the practice room and still didn’t see Xu Chaomu.

That was unusual for the meticulous Teacher Xu.

Ji Changyin knocked gently on Xu Chaomu’s door before cautiously opening it and stepping inside.

Xu Chaomu was still asleep. Her phone was right beside her. It looked as if she’d turned off her alarm and fallen back asleep. She looked exhausted. While she was usually so tightly wound that it was hard to tell, in sleep she had let go of that tension, and her fatigue was obvious.

Ji Changyin carefully took the phone and carried it out with her.

Two calls came in that afternoon, and Ji Changyin answered both. Neither was about anything important.

Xu Chaomu slept until eight that evening. When she came downstairs, something about her seemed off.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Xu Chaomu rubbed her temples.

“You looked exhausted. I couldn’t bring myself to wake you. Two people called this afternoon, and I wrote down what they wanted.” Ji Changyin slid the phone and a note across the table. “If you were this tired, you should’ve taken a day to rest before coming over.”

“I’m fine.” Xu Chaomu picked up her phone and checked it.

“Let’s eat.” Ji Changyin rubbed her stomach. “I’m starving.”

Xu Chaomu checked the time. She’d meant to leave right away, but seeing Ji Changyin’s expression made her feel a little bad.

“You don’t have to wait for me.”

“Of course I do. How could I eat without my teacher?”

Dinner was salad, to fit Xu Chaomu’s diet. If Ji Changyin had made a big meal, Xu Chaomu wouldn’t have touched a bite.

“Why don’t you stay over? It’s late.”

“It’s only eight.”

Ji Changyin was silent for a few seconds. “Then you shouldn’t come over tomorrow. You’ll get home and won’t be able to sleep, then you’ll have to wake up early and come back here. You’ll be even more tired.”

Xu Chaomu frowned. “I’m fine.”

“Mumu, stay, please. I won’t bite, and I have plenty of new clothes here.” Ji Changyin tugged at Xu Chaomu’s hand and gave it a little shake. “I’ve lived alone for so long. It gets lonely.”

Ji Changyin sighed softly. “I want to move because this place is too big. It always feels so empty.”

“Mumu.” Ji Changyin drew out the last syllable. “Stay.”

Xu Chaomu looked at her for a while, then finally nodded. Ji Changyin didn’t have any ulterior motive for asking her to stay. She just liked her.

Who didn’t like a girl who was beautiful, kind, and talented?

“Hehe.” Ji Changyin grinned, feeling much better. “A new episode of Dream Chaser came out. I still haven’t watched it. Want to watch it together after we shower?”

“Sure.” Xu Chaomu nodded.

Ji Changyin’s smile grew brighter. Xu Chaomu pressed her lips together and frowned slightly as she watched Ji Changyin head upstairs.

Ji Changyin didn’t seem to have many friends…

After showering, the two of them met up in the home theater. They picked seats near the middle and sat side by side. Ji Changyin thoughtfully brought over some water and a plate of fruit.

She connected her computer and opened the comments.

The first comment read:

[Ji Changyin and Xu Chaomu are made for each other, okay?]