Lin Qing, you have a mole here
“What a tragedy…”
Lu Yao looked at the two drunks and Lin Qing, who was bound by Qiao Yu and unable to move (at least in his view, that was certainly the case), and muttered to himself.
Now was not the time to be depressed about losing a bet; he volunteered bravely to walk over to Lin Qing and shouted, “I’ll drag Qiao Yu away—”
Before he could finish his sentence, he was tripped up by Mi Yi’s outstretched leg, causing him to stagger and turn around in confused astonishment.
“Mi Yi, what are you doing?”
“…That’s my line; what on earth are you trying to do?”
Lu Yao had a look that screamed “Isn’t it obvious what I’m doing?” and pointed honestly in that direction, replying, “To save Lin Qing.”
“…”
Mi Yi followed his gesture and glanced over at the two people, then retreated as if pushed back by the overwhelming pink atmosphere that was emerging.
“Lu Yao,” Mi Yi said emotionlessly, “are you fu—an idiot?”
Not good, not good, almost resorted to personal attacks there, luckily corrected in time to stating the facts instead.
Mi Yi mentally commended her own quick reaction, ignoring the friend in front of her with a foolish expression on his face and went over to sway Cong Ye, who was by the side.
Although Lu Yao couldn’t grasp Mi Yi’s intentions, he was overwhelmed by the aura she emitted that screamed “Shut up and follow me, don’t go over to Qiao Yu,” and went along to prop up Cong Ye, who had collapsed on the sofa, asking in confusion.
“This one’s completely passed out, huh… Speaking of which, is it possible for that kind of fruit wine that’s like an alcohol to make them like this?”
“Who knows, I think under normal circumstances one would get water poisoning before getting drunk.”
Sighing, Mi Yi felt that all three of her friends seemed unreliable—no, could it be that she was careless in choosing friends?
Thinking that she needed to reflect on this later, Mi Yi showed no mercy as she slapped Cong Ye’s face twice, snap, snap. The other showed no sign of waking, wrinkled his nose, tilted his head to the side, and began to mutter in his sleep.
“Qiao Yu, you… should be faithful…”
…He really was putting in the effort, although his understanding of her relationship seemed completely off the mark.
For a moment, Mi Yi didn’t know what to say and just silently stood up straight.
Lu Yao looked around in alarm, glancing from Cong Ye to Mi Yi. He thought that although Cong Ye’s obsession with Qiao Yu (fake) was intense, it was a pitiful thing to expose to friends in such a situation (especially since the friends were quite in the know). Out of a sense of loyalty, he leaped into action to provide cover.
“Shall we, shall we call it a day? They’re both like this. Let’s just get them home.”
That was the only option. Mi Yi nodded in agreement, but as she saw Lu Yao gearing up, raring to go over to Qiao Yu again, she quickly grabbed him.
“What—are—you—up—to—now—”
This time her voice almost carried a hint of anger. Lu Yao didn’t understand what he had done wrong this time, and turned around warily.
“I was thinking since Lin Qing and Cong Ye live together, naturally she would be the one to take Cong Ye home… and then I would take Qiao Yu…”
Ah, it’s really enough – couldn’t Nüwa1 have focused a bit more on giving Lu Yao the ability to ‘read the room’ when she was creating him?
Mi Yi, without further ado, pushed him to Cong Ye’s side, and dragged her weary self towards the embarrassingly entangled pair – honestly, their vibe was already like that of a couple, but with one playing dumb and the other silent, it really could cause significant distress to an onlooker who sees it clearly, which in this case was her.
As she approached, Lin Qing was sweet-talking, trying to convince Qiao Yu to let her go. Seeing Mi Yi coming, she immediately became flustered, scrambling out of Qiao Yu’s embrace. Mi Yi closed her eyes briefly, waved her hand to indicate not to worry about it.
“It’s fine if you continue, honestly, I find it quite entertaining.”
Lin Qing obviously stiffened for a moment, then after taking a deep breath, she looked at her seriously.
“…What exactly are you trying to say?”
Her voice was soft, her tone cautious and distant.
“Also, the cards for today’s King’s Game weren’t really provided by the karaoke place like you said, were they?”
“Ah, it’s been found out, huh?” Mi Yi shrugged nonchalantly, not particularly surprised, and to avoid being overheard, she led Lin Qing toward a corner. “So you realized it during that turn when you made Cong Ye and Lu Yao hold hands, right? Really impressive. I had to study the instruction manual for a long time before I could understand that box of magic poker.”
Lin Qing remained silent, quietly looking at Mi Yi. Mi Yi met her gaze squarely and continued to speak.
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“…If what you’re asking about is the Pocky game incident, then yes, I did it on purpose.”
“There has been absolutely no progress between you and Qiao Yu, I just couldn’t help myself.”
“Ah well—since you’ve already seen through the mystery of the card backs, seeking a little benefit for yourself isn’t going to incur divine wrath. You really are an upright person.”
The more Lin Qing listened, the more she felt that something was off. Mi Yi’s casual words pointed toward her secret thoughts, stirring a sense of shame in her as if there was nowhere to hide.
“You’ve got that ‘why do you know’ look all over your face.”
Compared to the internally flustered Lin Qing, Mi Yi was composed and relaxed, her smile showing an easy confidence.
“Lin Qing, you’re usually so cool and collected, but your face becomes an open book when it has anything to do with Qiao Yu.”
“Let me tell you a secret.” She leaned in mischievously, whispering, “Back in middle school, I had a crush. I never told anyone, so don’t spill the beans, okay? It would be such a hassle.”
“…Who is it?”
“Don’t worry, it’s none of the people here,” Mi Yi said, raising her head, her mind seemingly wandering for a moment, “I’ve completely forgotten that person now, but that period’s feelings—”
“That apprehension, bitterness, sweetness, and the mood swings of hope and fear.”
“It’s as if the whole world around me changed with every move that person made. The love that was on the tip of my tongue but never spoken, the unclear and ambiguous atmosphere, the timidity of yearning for yet fearing loss.”
“These things, I remember vividly.”
She snapped out of her reverie, gazing softly at Lin Qing.
“—You understand this kind of feeling, don’t you?”
Carrying the snoring Cong Ye out, Lu Yao kept looking back uneasily as they walked.
“What’s the matter? Did you forget to take something?”
Mi Yi, after finishing a call with the driver, asked Lu Yao.
“No… I was just thinking, Qiao Yu is quite tall too, can Lin Qing handle her alone?”
As he spoke, he paused and awkwardly hoisted Cong Ye up a bit higher.
“Otherwise, Mi Yi, why don’t you go with her and help send Qiao Yu home? I can take care of Cong Ye by myself.”
“I’d rather not. I might get kicked by a horse for that.”
“Huh? A horse?”
Lu Yao, clueless, couldn’t keep up with her about “getting kicked by a horse for getting in the way of other people’s love.” Finding it uninteresting to waste her breath explaining, Mi Yi directly made her conclusive judgment without further ado.
“Alright, have faith in Lin Qing, she can handle it. Maybe she has a grip strength of 200kg.”
“That’s absolutely impossible!”
Mi Yi didn’t want to get entangled in this matter, so she bluntly changed the subject.
“Now, in the bet, you’re the only one who lost. My win or loss hasn’t been decided yet, Lin Qing and Cong Ye both have won. Remember to bring them chips on your way back, since they hardly got to eat any of what you brought today.”
“…Ugh, darn it, I got it.”
Lu Yao’s attention was easily diverted, and he responded with annoyance before a sudden question popped into his mind.
“You said Lin Qing also won—but come to think of it, you roped her into this from the start. I still don’t know what she actually bet on?”
…The fact that it only occurred to him to ask this now revealed just how oblivious he could be. Mi Yi sighed in resignation and replied, “It’s quite simple. She bet that Qiao Yu didn’t like Song Wanwan—that is, not in the romantic sense of liking.”
“Well, she definitely won then…” Lu Yao frowned in distress. “What was her stake in the bet then?”
He was curious about what he had missed out on due to his loss. Mi Yi, who had been expressionless up to this point, let out a laugh upon hearing his question, her eyes crinkling with apparent joy.
“She said she’d bet a single flower.”
“…A flower?”
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Lu Yao scratched his head in confusion, murmuring, “It seems girls really do like flowers, huh.”
Mi Yi smiled without saying a word, recalling the day Lin Qing slowly announced her stake, her eyes holding back an ambiguity of emotions.
To anyone else listening to her, the significance of her words would have gone unnoticed, but Mi Yi was not just anyone.
Probably only four people had ever seen that flower.
‘What if you draw me?’
Such an abrupt and untimely question. It was quite something for Lin Qing to ask this amidst the imminent clash between Qiao Yu and Cong Ye.
As Qiao Yu earnestly and clumsily sketched that flower on Cong Ye’s notebook, Mi Yi watched on with a detached coolness.
And the uncontainable brilliance in Lin Qing’s eyes at that time, she saw it all too clearly.
Well, the person who was once oblivious seems to have realized now, which is truly a cause for celebration…?
Mi Yi’s smile gradually faded, a trace of melancholy flickering through her eyes.
If possible, she would do everything in her power to help Lin Qing.
A vague silhouette appeared and quickly vanished in her mind; Mi Yi paused for only the span of a breath before continuing on her way, her eyes reflecting acceptance and nonchalance.
After all, she understood all too well how helpless and lonely it is to fall in love with someone of the same sex.
“Mm, okay, I’m heading down now.”
Lin Qing hung up the phone from the driver who had arrived downstairs and patted Qiao Yu, who was dozing off against her shoulder.
“Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”
Qiao Yu was in slightly better shape than Cong Ye, still groggy but at least conscious. She murmured an acknowledgment and stood up on her own, only to feel her legs weaken after a couple of steps, which Lin Qing promptly stabilized.
“Don’t overdo it.”
She whispered, but Qiao Yu took it as a reprimand—after getting drunk, she seemed prone to feeling wronged, lowering her head pitifully without a word, and leaned on Lin Qing’s strength to move forward.
…But Lin Qing was a good half-head shorter than her, wouldn’t it be difficult for her to support? What if Lin Qing got tired?
Qiao Yu’s muddled brain was filled with chaotic thoughts, feeling guilty for causing Lin Qing trouble and wanting to alleviate some of her burden. But as soon as she tried to straighten up a little, her feet slipped, and she staggered, dragging Lin Qing with her into the wall.
Fortunately, her instincts to protect Lin Qing kicked in. The hand that was already on Lin Qing’s shoulder quickly moved to guard the back of her head before they hit the wall, and her other arm bent at the elbow to avoid bumping into Lin Qing, instead taking the brunt of the impact with the wall, leaving her elbow throbbing with pain.
However, this resulted in her now pinning Lin Qing against the wall, with Lin Qing’s eyes wide and startled like a frightened deer, mere centimeters from her own.
Ah, it seems she has made a mistake again.
Qiao Yu felt anxious and guilty inside, and hurriedly tried to explain with her still somewhat slurred speech.
“I didn’t mean to… I was just trying to—”
The thoughts of someone drunk tend to leap wildly; her sentence was abruptly cut off as her attention was diverted, and the words out of her mouth took a sharp turn.
“—Lin Qing, you have a mole here.”
Qiao Yu stared blankly at the mole—it was a little above Lin Qing’s left collarbone, an area usually concealed since Lin Qing always kept the zipper of her school uniform jacket pulled up high, dressed impeccably such that no skin was shown there. It was only because her clothing had become disheveled in the recent mishap that Qiao Yu had stumbled upon this secret.
Her fair neck was like fine porcelain, and that tiny mole moved slightly with her somewhat rapid breathing, itching Qiao Yu’s heart in a way that drew her in.
“Right… here.”
Without any warning, Qiao Yu reached out to touch it.
Her cool fingertips caused Lin Qing to shiver, yet there was not the slightest resistance.
“…Qiao Yu…”
The thickening air once again made it impossible for Lin Qing to assess the situation normally; she could only call out Qiao Yu’s name softly.
Qiao Yu’s well-defined features were close at hand, her breath laden with the sweet scent of honeyed peaches mixed with alcohol, nearly blending with Lin Qing’s already erratic breathing.
The person with the blurred drunk vision was utterly oblivious to Lin Qing’s discomposure. Her hand fumbled, and with a frown of dissatisfaction, her fingers slid across Lin Qing’s skin trying to locate that one spot.
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It was only when she successfully pressed down on it that Qiao Yu felt a sense of satisfaction, smiling with her eyes curving delightfully.
“Caught you, Lin—”
Suddenly, Lin Qing hugged her tightly, and the restriction of her movement made her uncomfortable again. At this moment, the intoxication surged back, and Qiao Yu, feeling deflated, buried her head in Lin Qing’s shoulder, muttering about her headache.
Lin Qing’s strength waned as she crumpled the clothing on Qiao Yu’s back, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.
‘In fact, you’re quite lucky. If it were the old Qiao Yu, I would have definitely advised you to give up. But coincidentally, she had a change of heart last summer break.’
‘Even though it may not be love in that sense for you—yet she’s very close to you, isn’t she? Like a little puppy.’
“So you need to be… more… greedy.”
Mi Yi’s words echoed in her ears as she slowly tightened her arms as if spellbound.
Was it she who had caught Qiao Yu, or was it Qiao Yu who had caught her?
Lin Qing only released her when the person in her arms stopped fidgeting, her head leaning on Qiao Yu’s shoulder as she looked down and murmured two words in a tone that was both annoyed and helpless.
“…Drunkard.”
And the flower that she hadn’t lost was taking root and sprouting in her heart, growing lush and vigorous like never before.
Lin Qing thought, she was willing to tend to this flower.
Footnotes
- Nüwa, also read Nügua, is a mother goddess, culture hero, and/or member of the Three Sovereigns of Chinese mythology. She is a god in Chinese folk religion and Taoism. She is credited with creating humanity and repairing the Pillar of Heaven.
