Nan Qi figured Bo Ranying wouldn’t be in any mood to crash her dinner with Tang Lian, let alone play matchmaker.
Without a second thought, she turned her down. “We’re busy tomorrow.”
“A date?” Bo Ranying asked.
“Pretty much. Honeymoon phase—you’ve gotta be all over each other. I get it.”
She could barely hold back the sour ache rising in her throat.
“So what’s the reason?” Bo Ranying pressed, dead set on getting to the bottom of it, her persistence unusually intense.
Even if it meant using Tang Lian as an excuse, Bo Ranying wanted to see Nan Qi. She yearned to catch a glimpse of Little Qi with someone else, to gauge just how much she liked Tang Lian. That alone would satisfy her.
Nan Qi gave a quick rundown: she and Tang Lian had rescued a kitten and planned to take it home once its treatment was done. Tomorrow’s itinerary was a hospital visit to check on the little one while it recovered.
Not the lovey-dovey date Bo Ranying had pictured.
The instant she heard about the cat visit, Bo Ranying wavered. She could practically smell the thousands of hairs floating in the air already—sneaking in through her pores with every breath, clogging her airways, sticking to her skin. An overwhelming itch would follow, her flesh erupting in red welts, the torment unbearable. Every inhale would remind her of the fur, but she couldn’t scratch, or it’d break the skin, bleed, scar. Pure agony.
But that hesitation was quickly drowned out by her burning desire to see Nan Qi. Gritting her teeth, Bo Ranying pressed on, asking for the hospital and the time she’d meet Tang Lian there. She claimed she wanted to see the cat they’d saved, too.
A sense of crisis stirred in Bo Ranying’s chest. Raising a pet together could forge a natural bond between two people. And… though Nan Qi had never said it outright, Bo Ranying knew she adored little animals. Before, she’d held back out of concern for Bo Ranying’s allergies. But now that they lived apart, there were no more restraints. Nan Qi could indulge her heart’s desire freely. It felt like some cosmic game of fate.
Bo Ranying pressed her lips together, a tangle of emotions churning within her, thoughts swirling wildly.
With that, she hung up.
Nan Qi stood frozen for half a second, wondering if she’d misheard.
Someone allergic to fur—who bolted at the sight of cats or dogs to avoid a reaction—was volunteering to visit a pet hospital???
Nan Qi let out a breath and decided to give Tang Lian a heads-up about Bo Ranying showing up tomorrow.
She pulled up WeChat. Still no reply from Tang Lian; that goodnight message had sunk without a trace. No idea what she was up to.
A touch of disappointment flickered through Nan Qi as she licked her lips. Fine— she’d mention it in the morning when they met.
Nan Qi thought she’d crash right away, but lying in bed, her mind refused to settle. She kept replaying the moments with her girlfriend from just hours ago. Her nerves buzzed with excitement; even sleep music did nothing. She finally dozed off, only to be yanked awake by her alarm less than two hours later.
She stirred at the sound, somehow not exhausted despite the shallow night’s sleep.
She rushed through her wash-up, taking extra care to get herself together. She spent ages picking an outfit from her closet, then sat at the vanity for a full natural makeup look. After a final once-over in the full-length mirror—everything perfect—she grabbed her phone and headed out.
To her surprise, the elevator doors slid open to reveal her girlfriend, equally dolled up inside.
A smile bloomed on Nan Qi’s face, equal parts shock and delight, as she stepped in. A bit shyly, she used the nickname Tang Lian had been dying to hear. “Lianlian, you’re up early!”
She’d checked her watch before leaving: just 7:15.
Hearing Nan Qi call her that sent Tang Lian’s mood soaring. She grinned, radiant as blooming peaches, her bright eyes devouring Nan Qi like she couldn’t get enough. Her hands wrapped around Nan Qi’s arm on instinct, leaning in close. The faint shadows under her eyes didn’t dim her glow one bit. “I wanted to grab breakfast for Big Sister.”
Her hormones had raged all night. She’d finally made it official—now she had girlfriend privileges.
She wanted to give her the very best, even if it meant skimping on sleep. The thought of her girl enjoying a breakfast she’d gotten up early for? Pure sweetness.
Probably a universal quirk among couples—silly, but no one cared.
Nan Qi blinked in surprise. “Same here, actually.”
Tang Lian beamed at their perfect sync.
She tilted her head. “Perfect, then. Wanna go eat together?”
They hit the breakfast spot across from their complex, digging into rice noodle rolls and a steamer of soup dumplings. Plain, everyday fare—but with her lover by her side, it tasted divine. The happiness outshone the food itself.
As they finished, Nan Qi spotted a speck of chili oil clinging to Tang Lian’s lip, untouched by her napkin.
“Hang on, Lianlian—don’t move. You’ve got some chili right here.”
“Where?”
Tang Lian grabbed a napkin to wipe it herself.
But in the next instant, Nan Qi leaned in, pressing a thin layer of tissue to the spot with gentle fingertips to dab it away.
“There. All good.” Nan Qi pulled back.
The whole thing lasted seconds, but Tang Lian replayed it endlessly. It was as if Nan Qi had kissed her through the napkin—warm, tingling heat.
Dating was the best, Tang Lian thought, over and over.
Her face stayed serene and joyful, bathed in the rising sun like she had a soft glow filter on.
Nan Qi watched her for a few beats—no reaction. Amused, she waved a hand in front of her face. “Earth to Lianlian.”
Tang Lian snapped out of it, gazing at her with eyes brimming with pure, clear affection.
Nan Qi coughed lightly. Under that tender stare, she felt cherished, trapped in the best way. Tang Lian’s gaze was so blatant—it made her blush.
“I’ve got something to tell you.”
She didn’t want any misunderstandings or rifts with Tang Lian, so she laid it all out: she’d mentioned they were together to Bo Ranying, who’d wanted to grab dinner. Nan Qi had shot it down, but Bo Ranying was coming to the hospital tonight to see Niannian.
“If you don’t want her there, I’ll tell her no.” Nan Qi checked with her.
Tang Lian propped her chin on her hand, a sharp glint in her eyes. The soft warmth vanished as she pondered, then drawled casually, “Dinner? Sure.”
She’d known it: once she won Nan Qi, Bo Ranying wouldn’t stay quiet. She’d want to see them together in person.
Turn her down now, and Bo Ranying would just try again later.
Better to face it head-on from the start. Tang Lian was confident—Nan Qi’s eyes wouldn’t stray from her.
Sure, Bo Ranying had been Nan Qi’s first crush. But who said a latecomer couldn’t overtake?
She was living proof.
Passion had an expiration date. No one waited forever.
Her response caught Nan Qi off guard.
“You don’t mind?”
“What,” Tang Lian shot back with a raised brow, “you still got feelings for Miss Bo?”
Dangerous territory. Nan Qi shook her head firmly. “No way. My heart’s too small for anyone else.”
Tang Lian melted at how quickly she distanced herself, but she held steady, not letting on. She tilted her chin up, looked away with haughty flair, and declared without a hint of shame, loud and clear: “I’m jealous.”
A blatant demand to be coaxed.
Day two of dating, and she’d already made her girlfriend jealous.
Young Lawyer Nan looked flustered, a sheen of sweat on her brow as she racked her brain for a fix.
Time ticked by. The sharp-minded courtroom ace who dismantled arguments effortlessly was stumped on girlfriend duty. She parted her lips, hesitating into silence.
Come on, say something.
She urged herself on, but the more frantic she got, the blanker her mind went.
Tang Lian side-eyed her repeatedly, thinking how adorable, but kept up the pressure. “Keep quiet much longer, and I’ll really get mad.”
“Lianlian, don’t be mad!”
Nan Qi grabbed her wrist, terrified she’d storm off.
Tang Lian had the perfect out ready for her.
“Want me not to be mad? Promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Not now—I’ll collect later.”
The thought of what she’d ask Nan Qi to do someday had Tang Lian grinning wickedly, unrestrained.
Seeing her smile eased the knot in Nan Qi’s chest.
With time to spare after breakfast, they chatted a bit. At Tang Lian’s request, Nan Qi planted a goodbye kiss on her cheek. Then they parted for work.
That evening, Bo Ranying arrived at the pet hospital right on time, linking up with Nan Qi and Tang Lian.
Pet hospitals were always bursting with bouncy kittens and pups. The door had barely swung open before a chorus of barks hit them—like the place’s built-in slogan.
Woof: Hey there.
Woof woof: Welcome! Here to play with me?
At their first meeting, Nan Qi and Tang Lian couldn’t help but stare at Bo Ranying’s getup.
She was decked out head to toe.
Her hair was tied up into a messy bun, paired with a high-necked shirt, sunglasses, a mask, gloves, and pants tucked firmly into Martin boots—leaving not a single inch of skin exposed.
If Bo Ranying hadn’t greeted them first, Nan Qi wouldn’t have recognized her at first glance.
“You’ve arrived. Go on in—Niannian’s in the inpatient ward.”
They had seen Niannian’s temporary quarters the night before, so there was no need for staff guidance this time. They could head straight to the inpatient ward to visit.
Nan Qi pushed open the door and stood aside with Tang Lian. Once Bo Ranying had stepped inside, she and Tang Lian followed behind, naturally ending up in a formation separated from Bo Ranying.
The three of them had arrived together, but to any passersby, Nan Qi and Tang Lian would seem far more intimate.
Bo Ranying caught a glimpse of the two shadows trailing behind her from the corner of her eye and fell silent for a moment.
That silence was instantly shattered by the shrill barking of dogs echoing through the hospital. She frowned, hesitating as she said, “Niannian?” She wasn’t sure about the pronunciation and guessed it was the name of the cat Nan Qi had rescued. Her immediate thought was, Tsk, why pick a homophone of Tang Lian’s name? Couldn’t she have chosen something cuter?
“Mm,” Nan Qi corrected her. “Niannian—as in the ‘nian’ from year, month, day.”
Tang Lian gazed at her with an instinctive smile, and Nan Qi returned it with one of her own.
Bo Ranying pursed her lips beneath her mask, unwilling to repeat the name.
Her gaze locked onto the tacit understanding in their shared look, fixated on it with a masochistic intensity, refusing to look away.
