At one in the morning, Yu Weiwan was still wide awake.
She was sharing a bed with Qi Chi again.
Normally, as Qi Chi’s best friend, this wouldn’t be a big deal. The trouble was that Yu Weiwan was a lesbian who was exclusively attracted to women, while Qi Chi was completely straight.
What made it even worse was that Yu Weiwan had been in love with Qi Chi for years.
Rewind a few hours.
Dorm 504 was completely empty.
With the mid-term civil law exam looming overhead, her roommates had all chosen to pull an all-nighter at the library, leaving Yu Weiwan as the sole occupant of the four-person room.
Yu Weiwan should have been fighting alongside them at the library, but tomorrow was the day of Qi Chi’s competition.
She really didn’t want to face tomorrow with heavy dark circles under her eyes, and since her earlier revision had gone well enough, she felt justified in returning to the dorm early.
Before leaving, her roommates had accused her of betraying their revolutionary friendship.
Unable to withstand their aggrieved gazes, she promised to treat them all to a big meal after the exam to make amends.
After spending twenty minutes in the bathroom, Yu Weiwan stepped out, drying her hair with a towel.
Turning her head casually, she noticed a conspicuous bulge beneath the otherwise flat blanket on her bed.
Yu Weiwan knit her brows.
At this hour, the only person who would walk straight into her dorm and climb into her bed was
As if to confirm her suspicion, a fair, slender arm reached out from under the quilt and waved at her in small motions.
Then, a fluffy head poked out from beneath the blanket. Qi Chi pouted at her, Fish, you took so long in the shower! I almost fell asleep waiting for you.
Her voice was slightly raspy, with a drawn-out tail end that sounded like a piece of sweet, soft, sticky sugar cake.
Freezing on the spot, Yu Weiwan asked with a sense of foreboding, Why are you here?
Qi Chi’s pretty deer-like eyes curved into crescents, and the corners of her lips curled up into a charming arc.
Yu Weiwan heard her reply with absolute justification, My competition is tomorrow, and I’m so nervous! So I want to sleep with you tonight.
Just as she thought.
Yu Weiwan rejected her without hesitation: No way.
Why? You were always happy to sleep together in the past. What’s different this time? Qi Chi asked, bewildered.
What past? That was six or seven years ago.
Besides, back then Yu Weiwan was still a genuine straight girl, and since they were best friends, sleeping in the same bed to stay up chatting was just a sign of intimacy, her intentions as pure as white tofu.
Now? Ha. Sleeping together now meant Yu Weiwan could only spend the night frantically reciting the Criminal Code in her head to keep herself in check.
Yu Weiwan said, It’s only September, and the dorm beds are small. Two people sharing a bed is both hot and cramped.
Qi Chi replied, I don’t mind.
The words choked in Yu Weiwan’s throat. She put down her towel, walked quickly to the side of the bed, and bent down to yank off the blanket.
Seeing that things were looking bad, Qi Chi immediately threw her arms around Yu Weiwan’s neck, hanging off her while rubbing her head against her playfully.
Fresh out of the shower, Yu Weiwan’s skin was sensitive. The friction of hair against her skin sent tiny tingles coursing through her body, and no matter how much she tried to dodge, she couldn’t shake Qi Chi off.
She ended up lying flat on the bed, panting for breath, while Qi Chi sat astride her waist with hands on her hips, looking utterly triumphant: Give up! You can’t beat me.
This posture was far too dangerous, the weight, the heat, the contours, everything was overwhelmingly clear.
Yet Qi Chi was still gloating.
Unable to control the rising heat on her face, Yu Weiwan covered her face with her hands: Stop messing around, get off me.
Who’s messing around? Qi Chi widened her eyes, emphasizing, This is a battle for honor!
As she spoke, she leaned down. The wide collar of her pajamas sagged forward, revealing a deep, shadowy glimpse beneath.
Yu Weiwan caught just a hint of pale skin and immediately closed her eyes in fright.
Qi Chi’s unique scent hovered around the tip of her nose, a top note of sweet yet tart citrus, followed by a clean, warm woody fragrance mixed with the smell of sunlight, exceptionally refreshing.
Beside her ear, Qi Chi kept muttering endlessly: Hurry up and say you lost, say you lost, say you lost
Yu Weiwan:
Fine, I lost.
Hearing those words, Qi Chi was overjoyed. She scrambled off Yu Weiwan and lay flat on the bed beside her.
Wouldn’t it have been better if you just said that sooner instead of causing all this fuss for nothing?
She fluffed the blanket, pulled it over her legs, and patted the mattress to invite Yu Weiwan.
Come on, let’s sleep.
A long while passed.
Yu Weiwan’s body was stiff as a board. Lying on the bed without daring to move an inch, she stared at the ceiling, hypnotizing herself into thinking she was a piece of wood.
Qi Chi, on the other hand, was completely unbothered.
The body pillow she usually hugged in her sleep had long been kicked to the floor. As a dance major, Qi Chi had long, strong limbs. She had Yu Weiwan wrapped up like an octopus, her flush cheek buried right in Yu Weiwan’s collarbone.
At this moment, Yu Weiwan deeply regretted taking the easy way out during her shower by only putting on a thin camisole nightdress.
Pressed and hugged by Qi Chi, the hem of her nightdress had ridden up, leaving her bare legs resting intimate against Qi Chi’s.
The soft body beside her rose and fell rhythmically with the warm breaths against her neck, sending waves of heat, numbness, and itching through her body.
It was absolute torment.
Yu Weiwan tried to break free from this agonizing trap. She attempted to pull out her trapped arm.
Before she could pull it free, she heard a soft, discontented nasal whimper, and she froze instantly on the spot.
She held her breath and waited for a moment until Qi Chi settled back down.
As her mind relaxed slightly, the tingling sensations rushed back into her body. Yu Weiwan gritted her teeth and decided to try one more time.
This time, however, the moment she broke free, Qi Chi pressed up against her from behind, wrapping an arm around her waist, throwing a leg over her, and burying her head into her back in one seamless motion.
Dark, wavy hair brushed against the skin of her chest with the movement, a fleeting touch that left a lingering, ghost-like itch.
Yu Weiwan’s body went completely rigid. It took reciting the Scripture of Purity and Tranquility twice in her head before she felt a little better.
There was no helping it. Yu Weiwan let out a long sigh, her mind a tangled mess.
Why did their dorm rooms have to be on the same floor?
Once there was a first time, a second time was bound to follow. What if Qi Chi wanted to sleep with her again?
No way.
There would absolutely, definitely be no next time.
,
The next day.
Yu Weiwan, who had only fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning, was startled awake by the sound of the door unlocking. She snapped her eyes open and sat up, finding herself staring face-to-face with her weary-looking roommate, Rao Shi.
Rao Shi’s eyes shifted from Yu Weiwan to the soundly sleeping Qi Chi, then back to Yu Weiwan. After repeating this several times, her expression shifted into one of sudden, mind-blowing enlightenment: Weiwan, don’t worry, I get it, I totally get it. My lips are sealed, I swear!
It was the look of someone who had just uncovered an earth-shattering piece of gossip.
Yu Weiwan:
Whatever you’re thinking, I assure you it’s not what you think.
Rao Shi looked like she understood completely: Understood.
She pointed her left index finger at Yu Weiwan and her right index finger at Qi Chi. Then, she brought the two index fingers together: You guys are good friends. Pure platonic friendship.
Yu Weiwan:
Absurd.
In the end, it took Yu Weiwan a tremendous amount of effort to barely convince Rao Shi that they were just ordinary, close female friends.
Rao Shi was still puzzled: Do you also sleep in the same bed with your other friends, fetch hot water for them, bring them meals, stay by their bedside when they’re sick, fan them when the power goes out in summer, and warm their hands when they’re cold in winter?
Yes.
Yu Weiwan replied with complete composure: I’m just a nice person.
September in X City was truly a wonderful month, the weather was clear, the sunlight bright, and the breeze gentle.
Sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows of the grand auditorium, casting a tapestry of vibrant colors across the floor.
The Qinglian Cup was one of the most professional dance competitions in the country. Held once every four years, it selected contestants tier by tier starting from the academy level. The competition had been fierce from the very start, which naturally made it highly captivating to watch.
When Yu Weiwan arrived twenty minutes early, two-thirds of the audience seats were already filled.
As the clock hand struck eight, the competition officially began.
Most of the participating dancers possessed impressive foundational skills. Every time their flexible bodies leapt and spun, captured by the big screen, it drew a wave of gasps from the audience.
During the scoring interval, Yu Weiwan overheard two girls sitting in front of her chatting softly.
The dance just now was amazing! Her sense of lingering mid-air when she jumped was incredible.
The one before the last was super impressive too, okay? So beautiful and nimble. I wished she could just slap those long water sleeves right onto my face.
With so many master dancers, I wonder who will manage to break through in the end.
Who knows? But no matter who wins the championship, it has nothing to do with ordinary people like us.
As the scoring finished, it was Qi Chi’s turn to take the stage. Yu Weiwan focused her gaze on the stage and raised her phone, preparing to record.
The drumbeats grew rapid, and the zither turned intense.
Holding a long sword in her hand, Qi Chi leapt through the air straight to the center of the stage.
The spotlight stretched her shadow long across the floor, while the silver carved vine patterns on the sword sheath reflected shimmering waves under the icy blue light.
Her snow-white chiffon wide sleeves slid down as she raised her arms, exposing slender forearms adorned with silver chains embedded with fine crystal chips. Meanwhile, the fiery crimson of her skirt swept down from her moon-white sash all the way to the tips of her toes.
Her look was so breathtakingly striking that low screams echoed all around.
Yu Weiwan’s fingers trembled twice before she managed to hit the record button accurately.
The sword unsheathed with a sudden resonant hum.
As she spun continuously, her skirt bloomed into upside-down flames, yet the sword’s glare remained cold. The overhead light suddenly shifted to cyan-white; every strike of her sword carried a biting gust of wind, as if slicing the entire stage into pieces of flowing, shattered jade.
The large screen opportunely switched to a close-up shot. Qi Chi’s gaze was sharp and fierce as she looked toward the camera, revealing a dab of rosy crimson at the outer corner of her eye that looked like crushed crabapple blossoms. The silver blade of her sword was also bathed in scarlet, appearing as though it had stolen a touch of glamour from the edge of her skirt.
The venue fell silent for a split second, followed by uncontrollable cheers and screams.
The screams from the two girls in front were exceptionally clear.
I take back what I said earlier, she is definitely the champion!
Ahhh, wife is so cool! Take me right now!!
You have to understand that I haven’t had a wife since I was a kid, and today my wife suddenly appeared! Let me kiss the screen!!
The atmosphere was so electric that Yu Weiwan couldn’t help shouting out a couple of times as well.
By the time the competition concluded for the day, Qi Chi won First Prize in the Classical Dance Youth Category.
Coincidentally, the group dance program her class entered also won an award.
Everyone was ecstatic. The class monitor made the executive decision, which was unanimously passed by the class vote, to organize a class party to celebrate.
Yu Weiwan didn’t really want to go. Joining another class’s celebration party as an outsider felt both tactless and foolish.
Qi Chi refused to accept it: Of course you can’t skip it! You’re my family member, an honorary member of our class.
Yu Weiwan: I’d still rather not
The next moment, Qi Chi threw her arms open and lunged forward, crashing warmly into Yu Weiwan’s arms and hugging her tightly.
Cheek pressed against cheek, she nuzzled against her back and forth.
Fish, you’re older than me, so you’re my big sister. You have to take care of me.
Yu Weiwan: Only older by three months.
Qi Chi: Even if it’s just one day older, you’re still my sister!
Her voice softened: Sister, I’m begging you, please come, please? They can drink super hard. If you don’t go, I won’t have anyone to protect me. Sister, please indulge me just this once, just this once.
Her tone sounded piteously aggrieved, like an endearing puppy.
Qi Chi was a master at coaxing people, and Yu Weiwan couldn’t resist: Never again.
And also, don’t just go calling random people ‘sister’ in the future.
Without a second thought, Qi Chi replied, Does that even need to be said?
She raised both hands to cup Yu Weiwan’s face, resting her forehead against hers. Her deer-like eyes were bright, and her words were light and breezy, as if stating something completely trivial.
I only call you sister.