Chapter 73: Pt.2

Little Yan still had military training in the afternoon. To avoid interrupting her rest, Xu Chuanchuan's group only stayed for around ten minutes before leaving.

While standing at the dormitory building's entrance, Little Yan waved at them and said, "I'll go find you guys once I'm done with training."

"Go back and rest," Murong Shi said.

"Mhm."

Just as Little Yan had turned around to leave, Xu Xiangxiang suddenly called out to her. Then, Xu Xiangxiang said to the two people beside her, "You two go ahead first. I have some secrets to talk about with Little Yan."

Surprised, Murong Shi asked, "What secrets could you two have?"

"Not telling," Xu Xiangxiang responded, giggling.

"Alright, then. Go ahead," Murong Shi said, habitually wrapping an arm around Xu Chuanchuan and walking away together.

After Xu Chuanchuan and Murong Shi had moved some distance away, Little Yan eagerly asked, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

While keeping her eyes focused on the two gradually departing figures, Xu Xiangxiang asked, "Did you notice that my sister and Big Sis Shishi look a bit strange?"

"No?"

No? Am I really just overthinking things? Xu Xiangxiang couldn't help but question herself. However, she quickly shook these useless thoughts out of her mind and dragged Little Yan to a secluded area. Then, she said, "Think carefully. The last time we went to the beach, weren't they behaving very intimately with each other? My sister even shelled some shrimps for Big Sis Shishi, while Big Sis Shishi helped my sister wipe her mouth. Also, when the two of them exchange glances, the gaze they used to look at each other, how do I put it… It feels like there are affectionate feelings in their eyes. It felt like they weren't looking at each other as good friends, but as lovers instead."

They are indeed lovers, Little Yan answered in her mind. However, she remained calm on the surface as she said, "But they're both girls."

Revealing an upset expression, Xu Xiangxiang said, "That's why I think it's strange!"

Little Yan started growing a little anxious. She also felt suffocated from having to keep this secret. Should I tell Xiangxiang the truth? But the two people in question want to keep this matter a secret.

After weighing her options, Little Yan grinned and said, "What's so strange about that? You and I sometimes go overboard as well. You're just overthinking things."

Xu Xiangxiang also found Little Yan's words to be reasonable. In the end, unable to make up her mind, she mumbled, "Maybe."

…

Because of Xu Xiangxiang's absence inside the car, an awkward situation ensued once more between Xu Chuanchuan and Murong Shi.

After shaking off Murong Shi's hand from her shoulders, Xu Chuanchuan put on a stern expression and said, "You, sleep on the sofa tonight."

"Is this considered a punishment?" Murong Shi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes," Xu Chuanchuan said decisively.

Murong Shi compliantly nodded. However, she quickly shook her head and asked, "Can you fall asleep without me?"

"Better than you think."

"Is that so?"

"Of course."

Without any hesitation, Murong Shi nodded and said, "Okay, I'll sleep on the sofa. I'll even sleep on the floor if you want. So, can you stop being mad at me now?"

"Heh—"

"What's the matter now?"

With her arms folded and her face facing forward, Xu Chuanchuan coldly said, "Think about it yourself."

Thus, Murong Shi started thinking. After pondering for some time, she turned Xu Chuanchuan toward her and said, "I was wrong. I shouldn't have said you were thirsty."

Lifting her chin slightly, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "Who exactly is the thirsty one?"

Unfortunately, Xu Chuanchuan's attempt to appear angry had failed spectacularly. Her eyes were lacking ferocity, and her attitude was lacking coldness. Her voice also held nary a hint of aggressiveness, and her facial features had stiffened from her trying to keep a stern expression.

While doing her best to hold back her laughter, Murong Shi pointed at herself and said, "It's me. I'm so thirsty that I might die from thirst if you don't sleep with me tonight."

In response, Xu Chuanchuan sneered and said, "You won't die. Take the vibrator away; you can have fun with it all night long."

Murong Shi took a long look at Xu Chuanchuan. Then, she shamelessly said, "The vibrator isn't as pleasurable as you."

"..." Unable to beat Murong Shi in the indecency department, Xu Chuanchuan turned her head away with a blush on her face.

"Alright, stop being angry. If you still think my apology is not enough, I'll kneel on the durian once we're back home. The shell is still there, in any case," Murong Shi said while trying to get Xu Chuanchuan to look at her.

"Don't touch me," Xu Chuanchuan said while swatting Murong Shi's hands away.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm looking at beauties," Xu Chuanchuan said, her eyes practically stuck to the passenger window as she stared outside. "I just found out today that Nanjing University has so many beauties."

Murong Shi's face sank when she heard the undisguised joy in her lover's voice. Immediately, she turned Xu Chuanchuan toward her and said, "I am also a beauty from Nanjing University."

"You're outdated already."

Murong Shi narrowed her eyes. Then, she coldly said, "So, are you saying that you've grown tired of me and that you're trying to find a new one?"

Xu Chuanchuan's heart thumped upon hearing Murong Shi's words. Immediately, she nervously said, "No."

Murong Shi's expression remained unchanged as she aggressively asked, "No, what?"

"I'm not tired of you. How can I be tired of you…" Xu Chuanchuan timidly said.

Raising an eyebrow, Murong Shi said, "Give me a kiss, and I'll believe you."

Again. It's this move again. Xu Chuanchuan rued over her actions. Then, in a distressed tone, she said, "...But there are so many people outside."

"Save it for now, then. Kiss me once we're home," Murong Shi said, taking advantage of this opportunity to hold Xu Chuanchuan's hand.

Looking at their intertwined hands, Xu Chuanchuan dazedly thought to herself, Did I just get outplayed?

Before Xu Chuanchuan could process her thoughts, the sudden ringing of a phone interrupted her.

Murong Shi released Xu Chuanchuan's hand to grab her ringing phone. While Murong Shi was doing so, Xu Chuanchuan glanced at the phone and saw the words "Fang Qin" displayed on the screen.

Murong Shi leisurely accepted the call. When she put the phone by her ear, she heard an angry howl coming from the other side, "I'm so angry!"

"..." Murong Shi moved her phone a little further away from her ear after nearly having her eardrum ruptured.

Without waiting for a reply, Fang Qin continued bellowing, "I'm in a bad mood! Come out and drink with me!"

Confused, Murong Shi asked, "Drinking in the middle of the day? Who angered you this time?"

"Are you coming or not? I'll drink by myself if you aren't coming," Fang Qin impatiently said.

Murong Shi briefly looked at Xu Chuanchuan. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Where are you?"

…

Half an hour later…

After dropping Xu Xiangxiang back to her university, Murong Shi and Xu Chuanchuan made their way to the pub where they celebrated Xu Xiangxiang's birthday previously. By the time they found Fang Qin, the woman had already gotten high from alcohol.

Murong Shi forcibly snatched the beer bottle out of her friend's hand.

Meanwhile, upon seeing Murong Shi and Xu Chuanchuan, Fang Qin weakly pointed at them and unhappily asked, "Why were you so slow? Come, come, come; let's drink together."

Seeing that something was wrong with her friend, Murong Shi passed the beer bottle to Xu Chuanchuan and went over to support Fang Qin's frail body. Then, she asked, "What happened?"

Fang Qin moved aside the messy hair blocking her line of sight and stared at Murong Shi with reddened eyes. Then, gnashing her teeth, she said, "Why must they push me time and again?!"

"They?" Murong Shi was puzzled by Fang Qin's words. After pondering for a moment, she asked, "Your parents?"

Fang Qin struggled free from Murong Shi's hands and smiled, though her smile looked much worse than her crying expression. Then, she said, "They arranged a marriage meeting for me a few days ago. They never even brought up the matter with me. Instead, they tricked me. When I arrived at the restaurant they called me to, they had already started discussions with the other side's parents. That man—burp—I only met him for the first time there. He looked quite nice and behaved quite like a gentleman—burp—"

Murong Shi quietly listened to Fang Qin while rubbing the latter's back.

After letting out another burp, Fang Qin gripped her chest with one hand and extended her other hand toward Xu Chuanchuan. "Gimme the beer."

However, Xu Chuanchuan held onto the beer bottle with both hands and advised, "You've drunk a lot already. Don't drink anymore."

"—Burp— I'll keep burping if I don't drink."

While holding down Fang Qin's hands, Murnog Shi said to Xu Chuanchuan, "Go get her a glass of water."

"Okay." Xu Chuanchuan nodded and went to the pub owner to get a glass of water.

After Fang Qin finished the glass of water and waited for her burping to settle, she asked, "Where was I?"

"You were talking about how that man behaved like a gentleman," Murong Shi reminded.

"Hah, gentleman, my ass!" Fang Qin blurted and slammed the glass in her hand onto the table. "After I refused his attempts to invite me out several times, he had the gall to come look for me at my house!

"My parents were very hospitable to him, and they look more than eager for me to marry him right away.

"They know I don't like men. I don't want to waste the guy's time, either, so I called my parents to my room and started reasoning with them. However, they refused to listen to me, and we ended up arguing. That guy ended up overhearing our argument, and he left after pointing and cursing at us. After this incident, our arranged marriage failed, and the business dealings between our two families got canceled as well. However, not only did my parents not admit their mistake, but they even blamed me for being unfilial."

Fang Qin burst into tears as she spoke. Then, she tightly held onto Murong Shi's hands and asked, "I just like women. What did I do wrong?"

Sighing, Murong Shi said, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Since I'm not wrong, why must they corner me time after time?! Why?!"

"Shh, speak softer," Xu Chuanchuan said while moving closer to hug Fang Qin.

While crying her heart out, Fang Qin said, "I should've never gone home."

Murong Shi and Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but look at each other after listening to Fang Qin's tale.

In the end, Fang Qin lost consciousness, and Murong Shi and Xu Chuanchuan carried her to the car.

"Why so silent?" After driving a certain distance, Murong Shi finally noticed that the person beside her was behaving strangely.

In response, Xu Chuanchuan glanced at the unconscious person in the back seat and hesitantly asked, "If your parents find out about us one day, will they corner you like Fang Qin's parents?"

"They won't," Murong Shi said without hesitation.

"How are you so certain?"

There was a red light ahead, so the car gradually came to a stop.

While holding the steering wheel with one hand, Murong Shi reached out to hold Xu Chuanchuan's hand and said, "I will maintain my stance regardless of their opinions."

"What stance?"

Looking at Xu Chuanchuan with a passionate gaze, Murong Shi said, "To be together with you."

Xu Chuanchuan's heart began to beat wildly. Then, compelled by an inexplicable feeling, she abruptly turned toward Murong Shi and stretched out both her arms. However, because of her sudden actions, she ended up triggering the seatbelt's locking mechanism. As a result, her body came to an abrupt halt, and her arms were left helplessly hanging in the air.

Murong Shi twisted her eyebrows in confusion at this sight. "What are you doing?"

Xu Chuanchuan wiggled her fingers a little. Then, she summarized the many words in her mind, saying, "Hug."

Murong Shi was taken aback for a moment. Then, she looked toward the traffic light ahead. When she realized that there was still plenty of time, she leaned aside and embraced Xu Chuanchuan.