Gift
On her birthday, the birthday person is the most important, besides Qiao Yu has never refused Lin Qing.
She obediently took out an incense-stick firework and handed it to Lin Qing, and she also took out one and lit it. The two of them stood in silence, watching the small light burst in the night and then slide down.
“Thank you for the fireworks.”
“……Mm.”
Facing Lin Qing’s out-of-the-blue thank you, Qiao Yu knew that Cong Ye must have failed to keep the secret again. At this time, saying anything more would be tactless, so she chose to remain silent and hide a fleeting thought in the night beside the sea.
“Qiao Yu——it’s about time to start packing up to go back——”
The fireworks around them gradually came to an end, and there was a figure on the beach waving at them, the voice was Cong Ye. Qiao Yu also waved back as a response.
So everyone began to clean up the aftermath, and without the fireworks, the beach was very dark, so they turned on the car lights for illumination.
After cleaning up her area, Qiao Yu stood on the beach, looking at the sea horizon, motionless for a long time.
How bright the lights are, safe, steady, won’t go out.
Her mind kept flashing back to that dazzling momentary burst of a firework, which seemed to forsake life itself for a brief moment of spectacular blaze.
Till the end, she didn’t know why Lin Qing suddenly came to her side. She was supposed to be just a background prop for the male and female leads’ heart-to-heart talk by the sea, yet she stepped onto the stage following Lin Qing’s unforeseen move.
If the world was changing in ways unknown to her, and all her efforts were in vain, what should she do?
Qiao Yu took one last deep look at the sea, then turned her head.
After driving back to the hotel, a sumptuous dinner awaited them.
Compared to the grand scene filled with people at her birthday party, Qiao Yu preferred this kind of small gathering. The excitement from the fireworks had not yet subsided, and the atmosphere at the birthday banquet was lively. Midway through the meal, Qiao Yu was tricked by her unscrupulous father into drinking a shot of sake, which made her cough continuously because it was so spicy.
“Um, it seems Yuyu doesn’t like this kind, then try this, this is sweet!”
Qiao Yu, feeling slightly dizzy, let down her guard and drank another cup half in disbelief.
This time, Father Qiao didn’t deceive her, it really was sweet wine. Qiao Yu savored it, finding the taste to her liking.
By the time Lin Qing noticed something was amiss, the father and daughter were both drunk.
Mother Qiao was helplessly pulling Father Qiao’s ear, scolding him while Father Qiao was foolishly giggling. Qiao Yu, with drunken eyes, was propping her head on the table and saw Lin Qing approach with concern, she lazily looked over.
“What’s wrong……?”
Her voice was soft, lazier than her usual clarity, elongating the end of her sentence, her eyes bright, like an innocent puppy.
“Still asking me what’s wrong……” Lin Qing couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “Previously, getting drunk from a drink containing alcohol, and now, daring to drink directly.”
Lin Qing verbally teased her, but her hands weren’t idle, bringing a hot towel to gently wipe Qiao Yu’s face.
“……Hmm.”
Qiao Yu obediently tilted her head to cooperate, her mouth pouting, seemingly not quite convinced.
“Because I……don’t have a long memory.”
Turns out, what she said was honestly criticizing herself, Lin Qing was amused by her, gently asking.
“We haven’t cut the cake yet, does the forgetful drunkard still want to eat cake?”
“I want to eat, I want to eat.”
Qiao Yu suddenly became eager, propping herself up to grasp Lin Qing’s hand, not judging the distance well, directly moving her face close to Lin Qing’s. Her pale pupils were hazily shrouded with a layer of fog, trying hard to articulate her words clearly.
“Qingqing’s birthday cake, I want to eat.”
“……Got it.”
Lin Qing’s face reddened slightly at this sudden closeness but, receiving a positive response, a satisfied Qiao Yu tilted to the side, not coming any closer.
“Qingqing, don’t mind her.” After dealing with Father Qiao, Mother Qiao rolled up her sleeves and turned towards her drunken daughter, “There’s no reason for the birthday person to worry about this drunk kitten, just throw her in the room to sleep off. Ah, this child really is……”
“It’s okay.”
As Mother Qiao was about to pick up the grumbling Qiao Yu, Lin Qing hurriedly stopped her.
“Qiao Yu just said she wants to eat cake, after eating I’ll send her back, it’s okay.”
After Mother Qiao hesitated and refused several times, Lin Qing kept saying it’s not a bother. Seeing Lin Qing so insistent, Mother Qiao felt relieved, exclaiming that the two of you have such a good relationship, Yuyu is lucky to have you as a good friend.
Lin Qing thought to herself, “I’m not just a good friend to her,” but she kept a polite smile on her face as usual.
When the banquet had gone through three rounds of drinks, Mother Lin brought out the birthday cake. Lin Qing solemnly made a wish with her hands clasped together and then blew out the candles, cutting the cake for everyone.
“What wish did Qingqing make?”
Qiao Yu, this time drunk, behaved well. When the cake was brought to her, she quietly ate it, only a bit clumsy with her hands, smearing some cream on her mouth, but she was otherwise very easy to take care of.
By the end of the meal, all the adults had drunk somewhat and displayed various degrees of intoxication. Cong Ye, also having been given quite a bit to drink, had fallen asleep on the table early on.
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Lin Qing, who hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, was the most sober person at the table. She watched Qiao Yu, who was focused on eating her cake and seemed to have forgotten to wait for an answer as if she forgot right after she finished asking the question. Suddenly, Lin Qing reached out to wipe the cream from the corner of Qiao Yu’s mouth, then nonchalantly licked her finger afterwards.
“…Secret.”
Probably it was the smell of alcohol, Lin Qing thought.
She felt a bit drunk too.
After dinner, Lin Qing took Qiao Yu back to Qiao Yu’s room.
Perhaps it was because of the practice from the second time drinking, Qiao Yu was in a better state than the last time. She didn’t pounce on anyone nor hug anyone, and she even managed to sit up properly on the bed and look up at Lin Qing with her pretty, big eyes blinking softly.
“Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”
Lin Qing sat next to her and asked softly. She saw Qiao Yu tilt her head to think for a while, then honestly shook her head.
This always made Lin Qing feel like she was seducing an innocent girl. She silently glanced at the bed and decided not to bring this up for now.
…It couldn’t be helped, right? Qiao Yu was drunk. What if she wakes up feeling bad if Lin Qing doesn’t stay with her at night?
Lin Qing felt her reasoning was legitimate, but she still felt a bit guilty.
She decided to put this matter mixed with personal feelings aside for now and shifted the topic to her birthday.
“Did you forget something?”
Lin Qing asked with a smile, raising her eyebrows at Qiao Yu.
Qiao Yu, in her confused state, seriously considered Lin Qing’s question. Lin Qing saw her looking like her brain wasn’t quite working and didn’t tease her any further. She straightforwardly said: “My birthday gift.”
“Ah, right, the gift.”
Qiao Yu has an epiphany, annoyed, she pats her forehead and stands up to walk towards the table in the room.
“I prepared it before coming on the trip. It’s here——”
She opens a drawer, takes out a rectangular gift box, and turns around excitedly towards Lin Qing. However, suddenly, the system’s anxious voice rings in her head.
“This is wrong, host! Not this one!”
“……Um……?”
Qiao Yu’s sluggish brain couldn’t immediately grasp its meaning, and she frowns, stopping halfway. Lin Qing, seeing her stop, doesn’t find it strange and walks towards her.
“Can I open it now?”
She takes the long box from the dazed Qiao Yu and looks at her questioningly.
“Ah, speaking of which, the gift from Cong Ye was chosen by you, wasn’t it? That necklace is very beautiful; I really like it——”
“!”
Qiao Yu abruptly sobers up, snatching back the gift from Lin Qing’s hands and hiding her hands behind her back.
Her neck suddenly breaks out in a sweat, the shock of nearly causing a mix-up sobering her up quite a bit.
“Sorry, this, this isn’t it, I grabbed the wrong one.”
She explains incoherently to the puzzled Lin Qing, hastily retreating back to the drawer and then handing a delicately small box to Lin Qing.
“…It’s this, this is my gift.”
“Happy Birthday, you can open it now if you’d like.”
Qiao Yu calms down a bit, not knowing if she could bluff her way through, she hands over the gift and then lowers her head.
Lin Qing, puzzled, looks at the gift in hand, her gaze inadvertently sweeps toward the long box barely hidden behind Qiao Yu. Her eyes slightly flash, she opens the box in her hands first.
“It’s stud earrings.”
Inside the box lies a pair of small, evidently expensive stud earrings.
“Um, I saw it when I was picking out gifts with Cong Ye, it should match well with the necklace he gave.”
Qiao Yu licked her lips, feeling a bit dry.
“Maybe there’s no chance to wear it now, but when the time comes in the future… I think it will definitely suit you.”
“Um, it’s very beautiful, thank you.”
Lin Qing smiled, just as Qiao Yu thought she had gotten through the difficult moment, she heard Lin Qing’s voice ring out again.
“You said you saw this while picking out gifts with Cong Ye?”
She snapped the box shut, lifting curious eyes towards Qiao Yu.
“……But I remember, didn’t you just say earlier——you had prepared it before coming on the trip?”
Lin Qing’s gaze slowly fell on the corner of the box peeking out from behind Qiao Yu, puzzled and confused, she asked with narrowed eyes.
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“Which statement is correct? And why was there a mix-up with the gift? Qiao Yu?”
“……”
Both sentences are correct.
Qiao Yu tightly held the long box in her hand, her heart filled with indescribable bitterness.
It was because she got drunk and forgot things, leading to the current scenario. Today was Lin Qing’s birthday, ah, how could she let Lin Qing be unhappy?
But could she explain? How to explain? What should she explain?
Thousands of excuses flashed through her mind, yet not one could she voice. From the moment she promised Lin Qing she wouldn’t lie to her, it was destined there were many things she couldn’t speak of.
…Perhaps not that she couldn’t speak, but that she didn’t want to say.
The room fell into a long silence.
In the quiet, Qiao Yu dared not look at Lin Qing’s expression, unconsciously caressing the seam of the box in her hand.
Before she realized, the box suddenly popped open.
The content of the box thudded to the ground, Qiao Yu hurriedly turned her head to pick it up, but not faster than the speed of Lin Qing’s eyes.
“Necklace?”
Lin Qing did not let her off, taking a quick step forward to grab Qiao Yu’s hand as she picked up the item, forcing her to open her palm.
Indeed, just as she had seen before, it was a bright and delicate necklace with two intertwined rings hanging from it.
She took it for a closer inspection, one of the rings clearly engraved with 【LQ】.
Lin Qing looked on indifferently, her grip slowly tightening.
“…So, do you have other friends in Japan whose initials are LQ.”
Her voice was calm, like the flow of water in the dark night.
“…”
Qiao Yu only lowered her head, refusing to meet her gaze, then Lin Qing told her everything.
“Why prepare a gift and then change it at the last minute?”
“Why did you choose the necklace yourself, and then go choose the same gift for Cong Ye?”
“…Why did you think of setting off fireworks, but let Cong Ye tell me it was his idea?”
A pile of doubts heavily crashed onto Qiao Yu, leaving her defenseless.
Why?
When Cong Ye suddenly picked out a necklace in the jewelry store that day, she also wanted to ask why.
‘I also want to give Lin Qing a necklace, so you choose something else.’ Saying this would have been an easy thing, Qiao Yu also believed Cong Ye wouldn’t mind and would just change his choice with a smile.
But why should she, ask the male lead of this world to make way for her?
Qiao Yu tiredly closed her eyes.
“…Because I think you two are very well matched.”
She calmly stated, as if mentioning something trivial.
“From the very beginning when I saw you, I felt this way.”
“So I wanted to… push you two together.”
Just say it, it can’t be hidden anymore.
After all, Lin Qing should like Cong Ye. The minor incident in the hot spring can be overlooked; actions made when one’s mind is overheated are inherently illogical, aren’t they?
But she really didn’t want to say it.
It’s like cutting open her heart with a knife. These words are both against and not against her heart. She is the person in this world who should most support them, yet also the one who should least support them. Just speaking out feels like tearing herself in half.
“Say it again.”
What a cruel request.
Qiao Yu pursed her lips tightly and looked towards Lin Qing who had spoken.
“…Say it again.”
In front of her was not the Lin Qing she imagined, blushing with embarrassment.
Different from her indifferent voice, Lin Qing’s calm expression had already collapsed, her clear black pupils gradually sinking, losing their luster.
“Do you really think… you think I and Cong Ye are a good match?”
Finally, she couldn’t even maintain the steadiness of her voice, and it trembled at the end.
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“I didn’t hear it wrong, right, Qiao Yu?”
“…”
Even Qiao Yu, clumsy as she was, could see something was wrong with Lin Qing at this point. Her panic overshadowed the sadness in her heart, and she clumsily approached Lin Qing, but the other person suddenly stood up.
“…I have another question.”
Lin Qing didn’t look at Qiao Yu, her gaze aimlessly fixed on the mid-air.
“When you were talking with Auntie Cong that time, you said you had a purpose… it was to make me happy.”
“Is this purpose… to match me and… Cong Ye together?”
So she heard it back then.
The dull pain in Qiao Yu’s heart gradually became numb. Her lips felt as if they were glued together, as if forcibly opening them would spill out a heart-wrenching sob, so she just silently nodded.
Lin Qing took a deep breath and suddenly laughed at herself.
She finally looked at Qiao Yu, with a deep, piercing gaze, her voice cold and tired.
“Return this to you.”
She placed the necklace on the table, turned around, and left the room without taking another look at Qiao Yu.
The clock ticked past twelve.
The magic was undone; everything returned to its original state.
LP: … well, damn, that unlucky fortune ain’t playing around
