Xie Tong, as a fellow admirer of girls watching from the sidelines, could see it clearly. Nan Qi surely harbored special feelings for Bo Ranying—different from anyone else’s—which was why she stuck by her side every moment of every day.
That was why Xie Tong believed Nan Qi’s affection for Bo Ranying meant she would never allow her to meet alone, even if Xie Tong already had a girlfriend of her own.
Nan Qi’s absence made the situation all the more peculiar.
Bo Ranying lowered her gaze, hiding the trace of loneliness in her eyes. Her fair face revealed a barely perceptible vulnerability and bewilderment as she finally settled on the words to describe her relationship with Nan Qi.
“We had a little spat. We fought.”
That was her explanation for why Nan Qi wasn’t there.
The brief sentence sparked all sorts of thoughts. Xie Tong caught the subtle implication, and her expression turned intriguing, as if she’d caught the scent of juicy gossip.
She first introduced her girlfriend to Bo Ranying.
Bo Ranying learned that Xie Tong’s girlfriend was named Luo Yuqian and insisted on being called Little Luo. They’d met while Xie Tong was studying in Toronto—a classic campus romance, from graduation gowns to wedding veils.
A few simple words, paired with the sweetness radiating from their every gesture, were enough to make anyone feel it viscerally. It was a scene Bo Ranying hadn’t witnessed in ages. For a fleeting moment, she felt transported back to high school, watching Xie Tong strut around campus arm-in-arm with her girlfriend.
She smacked her lips and took a sip of her vanilla velvet latte. It was supposed to be low-sugar, but it tasted sweeter than the standard version. Her taste buds had clearly gone haywire.
Bo Ranying was a bit curious about the first thing Xie Tong had blurted out upon seeing her. She never could have imagined their opening exchange would go like that.
She rubbed the ceramic mug, feeling the warmth seep into her palms. “What do you mean, Nan Qi’s my little tail?”
There was a hint of shyness in her voice as she said it, but she found the nickname utterly adorable. It fit Little Qi perfectly. She’d only ever called Nan Qi “Baby” before—she’d never tried “little tail.”
She could only imagine Little Qi’s reaction. It would probably be so cute it bubbled over.
Bo Ranying’s thoughts drifted wistfully.
“Isn’t she?” Xie Tong said emphatically. “You two have always been inseparable, like two peas in a pod. Normal people have to think twice before chatting with one of you, worrying about the other’s glare. Over time, it feels like we’re intruding on your little world.”
“It’s not that exaggerated, is it…?”
Bo Ranying felt embarrassed and took another small sip of her latte to hide her surprise.
“Speaking of which, Nan Qi actually picked a fight with you and doesn’t even care that you’re out meeting me alone.” Xie Tong brought it up again.
Bo Ranying broke out in a sweat. She hadn’t even told Nan Qi about meeting Xie Tong. And she couldn’t fathom why Xie Tong kept insisting Nan Qi would mind them meeting alone. Had she missed some plot twist?
In the next instant, Xie Tong dropped a bombshell that caught her completely off guard, answering her unspoken question.
“Speaking of which, things between you and Nan Qi must be pretty steady by now, right?”
“What?!”
Bo Ranying’s eyes widened. She instinctively pushed her latte aside.
Steady… relationship.
She struggled to process those four words, her mind reeling as if the world were spinning.
That didn’t sound like something you’d use for friends.
Of course their friendship was steady. She’d kept it that way just fine.
But Xie Tong clearly meant something else.
Her overly shocked reaction made Xie Tong raise an eyebrow, surprise flickering across her face. “Eh? Could she really hold off confessing for years? That doesn’t add up. She seems to like you a lot.”
Bo Ranying was still in a daze, processing slowly before she managed, “No, she confessed a long time ago.”
Xie Tong laughed. “See? Told you.”
“But I didn’t accept. We’ve… always just been friends.” Bo Ranying’s throat tightened unexpectedly. The words she usually said so easily now felt unmoored, lacking their usual conviction.
The shift unnerved her, as if some major event loomed on the horizon, ready to shatter the placid routine of her life.
After high school graduation, Xie Tong rarely returned to the country, and her contact with Bo Ranying dwindled. Unaware of recent developments, she’d naturally assumed things had progressed as expected. Hearing now that reality had veered off course left her stunned; her lips froze halfway to a smile.
“How could it have stayed as just friends for so long?”
She sighed in bewilderment. “Back then, you two acted no different from a couple. Nan Qi’s feelings for you were obvious, and you seemed to like her too. I figured you’d naturally end up together eventually.”
“I even accidentally caught you once, in that little grove behind the school auditorium… Nan Qi spotted me and immediately pulled her hood over you. I didn’t see much, but I’m guessing you were kissing.”
Xie Tong knew full well what that grove was used for—no one went there just to whisper secrets.
The image of the Class President and the English Subject Representative locked in an embrace was like two tender buds entwined—beautiful and heartwarming. Though Bo Ranying and Nan Qi always called themselves friends, Xie Tong had pegged them as a couple from that moment on, quietly shipping them in her mind.
Hearing Xie Tong bring up that old high school memory made Bo Ranying’s face explode with red. She floundered, unsure what expression to make. She’d never imagined anyone stumbling upon her and Nan Qi sneaking a kiss away from prying eyes.
Xie Tong claimed she hadn’t seen anything, just recognized them and guessed what they were up to. And that was a decade ago.
Still, it felt mortifying!
Her fingers couldn’t help digging into the tabletop, leaving faint scratches that quickly vanished.
“You…” Bo Ranying twisted awkwardly, words failing her.
She had so much she wanted to say, but suddenly lost the ability to string them together. In defeat, she clumsily changed the subject, asking about how Xie Tong and Little Luo had fallen in love, and how they’d won over their parents’ approval and blessings.
The two nestled close, taking turns recounting their romance. They exchanged smiles now and then, and when the mood grew tender, they kissed openly in front of Bo Ranying—sometimes a peck on the cheek, sometimes a deeper press of lips. Each time, Bo Ranying averted her gaze, though she wasn’t always quick enough to miss the sight.
Xie Tong had picked up on Bo Ranying’s hesitation to speak. She knew Bo probably wanted to ask why she thought Bo liked Nan Qi and was so sure they’d end up together.
To draw her out, Xie Tong shared her own story of realizing she liked girls.
She was a natural-born lesbian. From a young age, she’d loved looking at pretty girls. When one in a skirt walked by, she’d blush, too shy to stare at their exposed skin.
It had been vague in childhood, but it sharpened as she grew. Her first crush was her fifth-grade homeroom teacher during Chinese class. She’d crave the teacher’s attention and praise, even dreaming of her at night…
In that instant, she’d realized she liked girls.
While her peers obsessed over school heartthrobs, princes, and CEO romance novels, she’d discovered yuri manga online and fallen for those niche love stories.
Bo Ranying fell into deep thought.
The day had brought too many shocks, stuffing her mind with plot twists until she felt adrift. Fragments of her years with Nan Qi flashed repeatedly—layer upon layer, building into a powerful force that battered the heavy chains deep in her heart.
Her words tumbled out incoherently, like grasping at a brittle, floating twig.
“All these years, I’ve relied on Little Qi so much… I’ve depended on her.”
“I don’t want to be too far from her. Even after high school, I wanted to see her often… So we agreed to apply to universities in the same city. She promised, and once we were in college, we saw each other all the time—video calls almost every day.”
“She’s so cute. The cutest person I know.”
“I love watching her work seriously, love how she takes care of me, love teasing her. I love how she always opens her arms for a hug before I do, love how special she is to me.”
“She confessed so many times, saying she likes me, loves me. I always turned her down. I don’t get it—we’re great as friends. Why does she want to date? I thought my feelings were just friendship, different from what she wants.”
“I figured we’d keep going like that, always there for each other…”
“But lately, she met this girl. Another lesbian. She likes Little Qi, looks at her like she wants to claim her…”
“I don’t like her. I want her to stay away from Little Qi.”
“But Little Qi doesn’t mind her. They got close, she agreed to watch a movie with her but won’t go with me! Let her answer my call to her! Tossed the gift I gave her! I was so mad!!”
“Little Qi got mad too. She won’t talk to me, waaah.”
“I don’t want to be separated from Little Qi, don’t want her to look at me with those cold eyes…”
“I can’t bear to…”
“I don’t know. Am I sick, or have I always liked Little Qi too?”
Bo Ranying chattered on incessantly, her eyes involuntarily glistening with tears, precarious teardrops clinging to her eyelashes, as she turned to Xie Tong and Little Luo for help.
Xie Tong took her girlfriend’s hand, and they exchanged a gentle smile, their faces showing the smug pride of the experienced. Leisurely, she said, “This requires listening to the voice of your heart.”
How can we make decisions for you?
