What Lin Yi had been worried about still came to pass.
After all, she had long known that this girl Jian Shuye was a seriously problematic beauty who couldn’t be judged by normal standards.
Lin Yi: “Sorry, I have something going on today and might not have time. Can I ask for leave?”
Jian Shuye: “Reason.”
So fast!
Had this person been staring at her phone screen the whole time?
Lin Yi thought about it.
Going out to have fun with a classmate should be a legitimate reason, right?
Besides, Yan Jianxing had invited her first.
There had to be some respect for order of arrival.
Lin Yi: “Going out to have fun with my roommate. We’re going to eat together later too.”
Jian Shuye: “Recreational activity. Denied.”
What a strict boss.
Lin Yi’s hands itched.
The desire to hang the person on the other side from a lamppost was soaring!
Lin Yi: “She had already invited me before we made our deal. I thought about it, and it doesn’t feel right to back out halfway.”
This time, Jian Shuye thought for a moment before giving her answer.
Jian Shuye: “You have one hour to resolve it.”
Lin Yi was just about to try and bargain for more time when she saw Yan Jianxing already standing behind her.
“What are you doing?”
“Whoa! N-nothing, nothing. Let’s go.”
One hour… should be enough, right?
“So mysterious,” Yan Jianxing said, giving Lin Yi a sidelong glance.
“It couldn’t be… a boyfriend, could it?”
Lin Yi’s hair stood on end.
“Huh?! A boyfriend? How is that possible? Not in this lifetime, no way, absolutely not!”
She would never let anyone else’s train enter her tunnel in this lifetime.
Absolutely never!
“I-I was just joking, don’t mind it.”
Yan Jianxing hurriedly explained, then placed a hand over her chest.
“I see… so you don’t have a boyfriend yet…”
“What’s with that relieved tone?”
“Alright, alright, let’s go. Let’s go eat, go eat.”
Yan Jianxing pulled Lin Yi toward the restaurant.
Lin Yi followed behind Yan Jianxing, watching the beautiful girl who was a head taller than her, her whole body exuding a fragrant scent.
And that super alluring, snow-white neck, hidden behind her swaying high ponytail, making one’s thoughts wander uncontrollably.
Walking slowly along the riverside, they could see the tall buildings on the opposite shore, their glass curtain walls glittering, forming a strange contrast with the old European-style houses on this side.
It was just like her and Yan Jianxing.
They clearly didn’t seem like people from the same world, yet here they were, brought together.
Fate is pretty magical, right?
Since the two of them had arrived relatively early, they didn’t have to wait in line outside and went straight to a corner table.
The sunlight from outside the window shone right on the two of them, feeling warm and cozy.
“Um, Yan Jianxing…”
“Hmm?”
“I… I might have something to do a bit later.”
Lin Yi tucked away the stray hairs by her ear.
“I probably… can’t keep hanging out with you this afternoon.”
Yan Jianxing’s gaze lifted from the menu.
“Huh? What’s going on? That’s so sudden.”
“I think it’s pretty sudden too.”
Lin Yi was weighing whether she should mention this private model thing, but on second thought, something like that seemed pretty awkward and not easy to say out loud.
Besides, she had previously fainted because of work and was explicitly forbidden by the school from participating in any more work-study programs.
For some reason, Lin Yi had a small premonition that once she told Yan Jianxing about this under-the-table work for Jian Shuye, the consequences might be hard to predict.
So she chose a strategy of concealment, only saying what she could.
“I see…”
Yan Jianxing held a toothpick in her mouth, looking genuinely troubled.
“Alright, well… life is always full of surprises. It’s fine.”
Watching the sunny beauty across from her lower her head, Lin Yi felt like she had done something terribly wrong to her.
“Lin Yi… do you… not really like going out with others?”
“Huh?”
Oh no.
Did Yan Jianxing think she was making an excuse to leave?
She had to think of a way to comfort her.
After all, they were classmates and roommates.
She couldn’t let the other girl misunderstand like this.
Lin Yi’s brain CPU immediately started running at full power.
“That’s not it at all! If anything, going out to have fun with you is something I’d beg for!”
“Beg for?”
Yan Jianxing blinked.
“Yes! Because I… really like you…”
Lin Yi lifted her head.
“I really liked this morning with you! I truly felt very happy!”
“Huh?!”
Yan Jianxing was startled at first, then slowly relaxed.
“Like… oh, oh, liked this morning, huh.”
What was going on?
She seemed even more disappointed now?
Could it be the emotions weren’t conveyed strongly enough?
Right, at a time like this, she should add a little physical contact to strengthen the expression of feelings.
So Lin Yi reached out and grabbed Yan Jianxing’s fingers.
“As compensation, next time, I’ll definitely stay with you until the very end.”
The toothpick Yan Jianxing had been holding in her mouth slowly fell onto the table.
The sound of bicycle bells came from outside the window.
Occasionally, a leaf would drift down, spinning slowly before landing on the stone pavement.
A sparrow landed outside the window, looking through the glass at the two holding hands, tilting its head.
“Um…”
“Anything is fine!”
“Is that so.”
The corner of Yan Jianxing’s mouth lifted slightly.
“Then… it’s a promise, okay?”
As she said this, Yan Jianxing looked at her hand, which was being held by Lin Yi, and extended her thumb.
Lin Yi saw it and seemed to understand Yan Jianxing’s intention.
She also extended her own thumb.
Their thumbs touched, sealing their mutual promise.
The server started bringing the food.
The set meal for two included wagyu steak, chicken steak, fries, and cod pieces, along with two bowls of abalone seafood soup.
Yan Jianxing and Lin Yi both felt it wasn’t enough, so they added spicy skewers and crayfish.
About fifty minutes later, the two finally ate and drank their fill, emerging from the restaurant.
Lin Yi secretly let out a small burp but was still caught by Yan Jianxing.
Just as her face-reddening self was about to explain, Yan Jianxing burst out laughing and, in the process, let out a burp herself.
So the two of them bent over, supporting each other’s shoulders, and laughed.
Yan Jianxing wiped the tears from the corner of her eye and asked, “So about what time will you be back at school? Should I wait for you outside?”
“No need, no need. I’ll go back to school myself once I’m done.”
Lin Yi was about to say goodbye when she saw Yan Jianxing extend her hand.
“What is it?”
“I’ll help you carry the bag back first.”
Yan Jianxing wiggled her fingers.
“The clothes bag. The one with the school uniform inside.”
Lin Yi was wearing her new clothes now.
The school uniform had been placed in a kraft paper bag that she was carrying.
“Then I’ll trouble you.”
This person was oddly kind.
Lin Yi handed over the kraft paper bag, then waved goodbye to Yan Jianxing.
After Lin Yi’s figure disappeared from sight, Yan Jianxing stayed in place.
It was unclear what she was looking at, but she stood there for several minutes without moving.
Then, she lowered her head to look at the kraft paper bag in her hand, opening it to take a quick peek inside.
The summer sports uniform, with the Zhuming Girls’ High School emblem embroidered on it.
Because there were changing rooms for PE class, to prevent the girls from accidentally taking each other’s clothes, the school would attach a name tag to the back of the collar.
She flipped over the collar of the uniform and saw the words “Class 1-1, Lin Yi.”
“Anything is fine, huh?”
Yan Jianxing smiled, putting the clothes back into the paper bag.
Recalling Lin Yi’s flustered and hurried appearance from earlier, Yan Jianxing hugged the paper bag to her chest, humming a tune as she walked away.