Chapter 53: A Summer Night

As soon as Chen Zhaoyue sat down, Lin Yiren pulled out a hand fan from somewhere and handed it to her.

“I don’t remember having this at home.” Chen Zhaoyue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she looked at the plastic fan printed with a lotus flower.

“I brought it from my house.”

Lin Yiren pulled out one for herself too, but it was a wooden folding fan. With a flick of her small hand, a scroll-like ink painting unfurled, looking exceptionally elegant.

“Hey, why is yours different?”

“You don’t understand. The fan in your hand is the one that’s actually useful.”

Lin Yiren showed her pearly white teeth, her expression clearly mischievous, yet it left one with no choice but to indulge her.

Chen Zhaoyue lightly tapped the top of the young girl’s jet-black hair with the fan. Lin Yiren quickly shrank back, only to see that Chen Zhaoyue had already pulled her hand away and was fanning herself with the old plastic fan.

“Hmm…”

Lin Yiren wiggled her seat back and started waving her folding fan too. Her long hair swayed gently in the wave-like currents of air.

A waning moon hung in the sky, slowly revealing itself from behind the clouds. The few small puddles they had left behind earlier were gradually filled with moonlight.

Chen Zhaoyue used a toothpick to pick a piece of honeydew from the porcelain bowl and tasted it.

“It’s delicious.”

Lin Yiren also poked a piece of watermelon, took a few bites, and swallowed it. Twirling the toothpick, she said, “Next time, I could make some mung bean cakes or something.”

“I can make many delicious things.”

“I just watched some videos.” Lin Yiren rubbed her nose sheepishly. Her gaze circled around before returning to Chen Zhaoyue’s face, seeing that her eyes were still bright as she watched her.

Lin Yiren took the initiative to talk about the past.

“My Mama doesn’t have much talent for cooking, but my Dad actually makes great food.” After she finished the sentence, she habitually glanced at Chen Zhaoyue.

The Eldest Miss rested her head on her hand and watched her, focused and serious.

It was too much; Lin Yiren felt her heart jumping uncontrollably with joy. The satisfaction of being watched filled her entire body along her spine.

“When I was in middle school, my Dad was busy for a while. So I thought about learning to cook a couple of dishes.”

“And then you discovered you were very talented?” Chen Zhaoyue tilted her head.

“Not really, I was just a bit interested.” Lin Yiren poked several small holes into a piece of apple with her toothpick.

“I think it’s very delicious.” Chen Zhaoyue’s eyes were full of sincerity. The words of an Eldest Miss who had tasted every delicacy were very persuasive.

Lin Yiren turned her head away, her hair falling down as if to cover her voice.

“If… if you like it… then…”

Her burning feelings felt like they were scorching her throat.

“Then?”

“Then… I’ll just cook for you.”

Under the warm yellow light, the tips of the girl’s ears were bright red, and the folding fan in her hand was gripped tightly.

Chen Zhaoyue smiled, her supple long hair tracing a graceful arc in the air before falling onto the back of the chair.

“Then it’s a promise. You have to cook for me from now on.” Chen Zhaoyue deliberately emphasized the words “from now on,” heavy with implication.

Lin Yiren was quiet, her mind frantically speculating on the meaning of “from now on.” Just as she was about to nod, Chen Zhaoyue’s voice rang out again.

***

“You can’t see any stars here.”

Lin Yiren looked toward the sky. It was pitch black up there, with only the silver moon appearing and disappearing fitfully.

Wasn’t that… obvious?

The romantic atmosphere from a moment ago was instantly diluted. She twitched the corner of her mouth and gestured around with her hand. “Why don’t you take a look at where we are?”

Although it was peaceful and tranquil here, with only the sound of the wind and cicadas like a night in the countryside, this was an Urban Paradise built with money.

They were still in a brightly lit metropolis. Outside was bustling with crowds and lined with skyscrapers. Lin Yiren could even see the red aviation obstruction lights glowing in the distance.

It was naturally difficult to see stars at night here.

“If only it weren’t in the city.”

Lin Yiren curled her lip, seeing her look like she wanted to experience life.

“If you actually went to the countryside, you definitely wouldn’t be happy. There are so many mosquitoes, and you might even step on something yellow.”

“But you can’t even see the stars here. Oh, and now the moon is gone too.”

“Hmph, I’d be more than happy to live in such a big house.” Lin Yiren sprawled on the chair like she had no bones. She thought to herself that Chen Zhaoyue really was the Eldest Miss; this big Villa was probably some kind of coming-of-age gift.

She wondered if she really tried to pursue her, would it turn into a typical “poor boy chases the Eldest Miss” script?

“If you really like it, you could become the owner of this place too.” Chen Zhaoyue’s words made Lin Yiren’s body tremble.

“Ho-how is that possible?”

“Heh heh.” Chen Zhaoyue smiled but said nothing more.

Seeing her flower-like smile, Lin Yiren felt herself getting tangled in silken threads of thought again. She quickly suppressed her mind, turned sideways on the chair, and pointed to a corner of the backyard.

“If I had this yard, I would definitely build a pavilion here.”

“A pavilion?”

“Yeah, put a table there and eat outside in the summer. Look up at the moon, look down at a dog.”

Lin Yiren had originally just meant to change the subject, but now she was truly daydreaming. Summer nights, evening breezes, the bright moon, and a lively dining table.

“You want to raise a dog too?” Chen Zhaoyue smiled as she watched the person beside her huddle her legs like a child, rocking back and forth on the chair.

“It was just an example. Villages usually have dogs—though I prefer cats over dogs.”

Lin Yiren pointed at the wall, continuing to spread her blueprint. “Knock down this wall and let the night breeze in.”

“Then you’d be letting thieves in too.”

“Hey, with the security in your neighborhood, not even a dog can get in, okay?”

Chen Zhaoyue couldn’t help but chuckle.

The fruit in the bowl was slowly finished. Lin Yiren covered her mouth and yawned. She checked the time and then looked at Chen Zhaoyue, seeing that she had also started rocking her chair, the fan in her hand waving gently up and down.

Lin Yiren’s clear eyes curved. “We’re like two old people.”

“Hmm?” Chen Zhaoyue stopped fanning and tilted her head to look at her.

“You know—having nothing to do at night, just sitting outside fanning ourselves for ages.”

The young girl pulled up her knees, gesturing in the air with her folding fan. Her fair, clean neck arched into a beautiful curve, her profile as lovely as a painting.

Chen Zhaoyue’s gaze deepened. Suddenly, she felt an uncontrollable surge of longing. She stood up, leaving the chair rocking in place.

***

“Then let’s do something young people should do.”

Before Lin Yiren could even think about what young people should do, she felt the chair stop rocking. A pair of strong hands gripped the armrests on both sides.

Chen Zhaoyue’s presence pressed down on her, blocking the light from overhead.

Wh-what’s going on?

Lin Yiren’s body froze. She had just been thinking about staying away from this position underneath Chen Zhaoyue, yet here she was again, so easily.

That face, so beautiful it was beyond reproach, pressed closer inch by inch. Their breaths soon became intertwined.

Dazed deer-like eyes, trembling eyelashes, and a tender face now flushed with the color of peach blossoms. Chen Zhaoyue admired the beautiful scenery before her, her wish finally fulfilled.

She tilted her head and leaned close to the girl’s ear, her breath hitting the neck. She could feel the person beneath her trembling with nervousness.

The fair, rounded earlobe was right within reach, but she stopped nonetheless.

There was no rush.

Chen Zhaoyue propped herself up slightly.

“Do you want me to carry you upstairs?” Her tone was light and cheerful.

Lin Yiren’s eyes widened. Seeing that the other woman had moved away, she quickly slipped out from under Chen Zhaoyue.

“No need!” The young girl walked hurriedly into the house.

A short while later, she doubled back, scooped up the porcelain bowl, and turned to run away again.