Dong Sisi stared at Lu Huan for a while before turning to the girls beside her and saying, “Let’s go buy breakfast.”
The other girls wished they could turn and leave immediately. After all, talking behind someone’s back and then looking up to find that very person right in front of them was an awkward situation they’d rather avoid.
But leaving now would seem like a guilty conscience, so they forced stiff smiles and hurried forward, looking almost like they were fleeing in panic.
Throughout this, Lu Huan remained calm and composed, eating her steamed buns and drinking her soy milk, seemingly unaffected by their presence. It almost made them wonder if she hadn’t heard what they’d just said.
Yet, at such close range and with the cafeteria not particularly crowded, they doubted Lu Huan could have missed it.
Lu Huan gave no reaction the entire time. The girls ate their breakfast on edge. Even though they usually found the buns from that stall delicious, today they tasted like cardboard, their minds entirely preoccupied with Lu Huan. Only after she left did they finally relax.
Dong Sisi sneered, “What are you all so afraid of? It’s not like she’s going to say anything.”
Having shared a dorm with Lu Huan and been on the receiving end of her sarcastic remarks multiple times, Dong Sisi had never seen her talk back.
“It’s not about being afraid, it’s just awkward.”
“Exactly. And how reliable is your information anyway? I don’t think Lu Huan would let someone like An Ke bully her.”
“I don’t think so either.”
Dong Sisi rolled her eyes. “Why are you all acting like experts now? Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
Annoyed by their defense of Lu Huan, Dong Sisi’s tone turned sharp.
The girls opened their mouths to respond, but one of them shot a warning glance, and they all fell silent.
Noticing Dong Sisi’s sour expression, one girl asked with a smile, “What’s wrong with you? You seem like you’ve swallowed gunpowder.”
“Nothing. I just can’t stand the sight of her.” Dong Sisi finished the last of her soy milk, stood up, and said, “I’m done eating. I’m leaving first.”
With no classes that day, Lu Huan headed to the library after breakfast, books in hand. Since Sister Lou was also busy with work, it worked out for both of them to focus on their own tasks.
Around four in the afternoon, Lou Qing finally finished her work. After washing her hands, she immediately contacted the girl.
Lu Huan dropped her books off at the dorm and came out.
Just as she stepped outside the school gate, she saw Dong Sisi across the street getting into a car. Through the window, she could see a man in his forties, half-bald, who pulled Dong Sisi close and kissed her on the lips, clearly not something a father would do. The nature of the relationship between the middle-aged man and Dong Sisi was unmistakable.
Only after the car drove away did Lu Huan look away.
“Huahuan.” Lou Qing approached, a smile on her face.
“Sister.” Lu Huan’s lips curved upward as she went over and wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist.
“Are you cold?” Lou Qing hugged her back, adjusting her scarf. “Let’s go to the supermarket.”
“Okay.”
Lou Qing had decided on a whim to make hot pot at home, so after leaving her studio, she took the girl along to the supermarket.
“Take whatever you’d like to eat.” Lou Qing pushed the cart, following behind her.
When the two emerged from the supermarket, they were carrying two large shopping bags filled not only with ingredients for the hotpot dinner but also with snacks Lou Qing had bought for the girl.
On the way back, Lou Qing bought two cups of bubble tea.
The apartment’s heating had already been turned on, and a wave of warmth greeted them as they opened the door.
“Come in quickly,” Lou Qing said, taking out the slippers she had prepared especially for the girl from the shoe cabinet.
Seeing such thoughtfulness, Lu Huan’s smile never left her lips.
Lou Qing began preparing the ingredients for the hotpot, and Lu Huan rolled up her sleeves to join in. Working together made things faster, but more importantly, she loved collaborating with the woman. Chatting with her from time to time felt like the sweetest moments to her.
An hour later, the pot was ready, and all the ingredients were prepared.
As they ate hotpot and chatted, with the sound of the TV in the background, the atmosphere was warm and cozy. Lu Huan raised her glass and said, “Cheers, sis!”
Lou Qing clinked her glass with hers.
Lu Huan’s cup was filled with cola. She took a sip and glanced curiously at Lou Qing’s glass. “Sis, can I try a sip of yours?”
Lou Qing chuckled and asked, “Are you allowed to drink?”
“I’ve never tried it before,” Lu Huan admitted honestly. “I don’t even know what it tastes like.”
Lou Qing was drinking fruit wine, which had a low alcohol content. She pushed her glass over. “Then give it a try.”
Lu Huan took a sip, and her eyes lit up. “It’s delicious!”
Before long, she had finished the entire can of fruit wine. Whether it was due to the warmth of the room or the spiciness of the hotpot, the girl’s face had turned bright red.
Lu Huan let out a hiccup and giggled, “Sis, I’m so happy.”
Lou Qing picked up the canned drink in surprise, checked the alcohol content, only a few percent and asked in disbelief, “Are you drunk?”
“No,” Lu Huan shook her head.
However, her sluggish movements and lazy tone clearly indicated she was completely intoxicated.
Lou Qing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing the girl reaching for a second can, she quickly snatched it away. “You can’t have any more.”
Lu Huan frowned, pouting unhappily, her voice soft and pleading as she whined, “Sis, I want to drink.”
Her adorable expression and sweet voice melted Lou Qing’s resolve. Swallowing twice, she measured with her hand and said, “Just a little bit, then?”
“Okay!” The girl instantly brightened up, nodding emphatically.
Lou Qing poured just a tiny amount into her glass, but the girl downed it in one gulp. Lou Qing paused, holding the can, and sighed with a mix of helplessness and affection. “Why did you drink it so fast?”
Lu Huan grinned foolishly, raising her glass boldly. “More!”
“No,” Lou Qing shook her head, her tone gentle as if coaxing a child.
“Please?” Lu Huan looked at her with pitiful eyes.
Lou Qing’s resolve crumbled again, and she poured her another drink, which the girl promptly finished in one go.
From then on, the girl repeatedly broke through Lou Qing’s defenses with her soft, pleading voice, as if Lou Qing had no bottom line when it came to her. In the end, the second can was successfully finished by the girl.
When the girl reached for a third can, Lou Qing firmly refused.
“No more drinking,” Lou Qing said, picking up the alcohol and preparing to leave.
“Sis~” Lu Huan stood up unsteadily, lost her balance, and stumbled into Lou Qing’s arms. The latter quickly caught her.
Lu Huan tilted her head back, grinning foolishly at her, then stood on tiptoe and planted a loud kiss on the woman’s lips. With a dazed expression, she declared, “I kissed you, so you’re mine now.”
Lou Qing couldn’t help but laugh at this “overbearing” statement. She gently tapped the girl’s nose with her finger and said, “I really wish I could record how you look right now and show it to you tomorrow. You’d definitely die of embarrassment.”
Lu Huan tilted her head as if she didn’t understand. Her face was flushed from drinking, and her eyes sparkled with a watery gleam. She blinked and said, “Sister, I like you.”
The straightforward confession instantly struck Lou Qing’s heart. Her throat tightened as she gazed at her with a deep, intense look. “Huanhuan, do you know what you’re saying?”
Lu Huan giggled foolishly. “I know.” Then, pointing at Lou Qing’s chest with an innocent expression, she added, “I’m trying to charm your heart, Sister.”
That single gesture nearly burned away all of Lou Qing’s rationality. She wrapped her arms around the girl’s waist, lifting her so that only the tips of her toes touched the ground.
Lou Qing pressed her forehead against Lu Huan’s, her voice slightly hoarse. “Huanhuan.”
“Hmm?” the girl hummed, blinking as she looked at her.
Her eyes were so innocent that even if Lou Qing had any wicked thoughts, they vanished in that moment. She sighed helplessly and gave a playful bite to Lu Huan’s nose. “You little troublemaker.”
Lu Huan, the little troublemaker giggled happily.
In the end, Lu Huan stayed overnight at Lou Qing’s apartment.
The next day, sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, spilling across the large bed in the bedroom.
The girl, disturbed in her sleep, let out a displeased groan. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head, trying to block out the sunlight. But a few seconds later, she threw the covers off and instantly woke up.
Lu Huan stared at the unfamiliar room, her mind blank for a moment.
Just then, the bedroom door opened from the outside. Lou Qing, wearing an apron, stood at the doorway. Seeing that she was awake, she smiled and asked, “Want to get up and have breakfast?”
“Sister?” Lu Huan sat up in confusion. Then, memories of the previous night flooded her mind. Her face instantly turned bright red, her eyes darting around nervously as she stammered, “I, I’ll get up now.”
Lou Qing didn’t tease her. The girl was easily embarrassed when sober, and if she were to joke around now, Lu Huan would probably want to disappear into the ground. Even without any teasing, the girl was already blushing furiously.
Lou Qing regretted even more not having recorded the girl’s drunken antics from the night before, it had been both hilarious and utterly adorable.
Breakfast was millet porridge with pickled vegetables, perfect for soothing a stomach after a night of drinking.
Throughout the meal, Lu Huan never lifted her head. From across the table, Lou Qing could only see the top of her head and her already crimson ears.
“Do you have any plans today? Want to go downtown? Maybe catch a movie?” Lou Qing changed the subject, afraid that the girl would keep her head down and not even dare to breathe.
“Mm,” Lu Huan nodded, her face still buried in her bowl.
Lou Qing couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. It seemed it would take a while before the girl could relax again.
After breakfast, Lu Huan insisted on washing the dishes. To give her some space, Lou Qing didn’t crowd into the kitchen but went to the bedroom to change her clothes instead.
Hiding in the kitchen, Lu Huan finally dared to take a deep breath. As she washed the dishes, she thought about how boldly she had confessed her feelings last night and even flirted with her sister. Her face flushed red, and for a moment, she felt as if she were on fire.
She never imagined that she could be so audacious after getting drunk, it was simply too bold.
“Lu Huan, oh Lu Huan, you’ve got no shame left,” she muttered softly to herself. Hearing movement outside, she quickly buried her head and continued washing the dishes.
It wasn’t until they left Lou Qing’s apartment building and got into her car that the blush on her face finally began to fade.
Downtown was bustling on Sunday, and with the beautiful weather, the streets were crowded with shoppers, students and office workers alike.
Lou Qing parked the car, and the two of them headed toward the commercial district.
Along the way, whenever Lou Qing spotted a tasty snack, she would ask the girl if she wanted to try it. By the time they had walked a stretch, Lou Qing’s hands were filled with bags of various snacks, and Lu Huan was already half-full.
Ever since their trip to Huangshan, where she had tried eating while walking, she had become much more relaxed about eating on the streets this time.
She even fed her sister a few times, and though her face was flushed, a smile never left her lips.
Walking behind them, Dong Sisi frowned at the sight and muttered under her breath, “She really is everywhere.” When she noticed the tall woman beside Lu Huan, she suppressed the urge to sneer. No matter how much she disliked Lu Huan, she had to admit that the woman beside her was exceptionally attractive. All along the way, many people had been stealing glances at the two of them.