Chapter 110: Nicely Done
Chen Qianxi’s heart felt like a bottle of sparkling water had just been shaken and opened, bubbling with sweet and sour fizz. She didn’t quite know why, but she knew she was happy. Smiling, she said, “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. So… are you not upset anymore?” Du Zhuo asked cautiously.
Chen Qianxi averted her gaze. “I wasn’t upset to begin with.”
Du Zhuo grinned sheepishly. “As long as you’re not upset, that’s good.”
Chen Qianxi lowered her head to look at the necklace, the corners of her lips lifting.
When Du Zhuo returned to the dormitory, Xu Nianshen was still lying in bed. Seeing him in such a good mood, Xu raised an eyebrow. “So, it’s settled? You managed to coax her?”
“Yeah.”
“How did you even know what she likes? Were you paying special attention to her?” Xu Nianshen, rarely nosy, couldn’t resist asking.
Du Zhuo shook his head. “Maybe I just picked it up during our usual chats without realizing.”
Xu studied him with interest. “You just happened to overhear her preferences? And even remembered them?”
“Not on purpose. She just talks loudly, so it’s easy to catch.”
Since he seemed perfectly serious, Xu lost his gossiping urge and lay back down, updating Lin Yuejiu instead.
Teacher Xu: [There’s been some progress.]
Student Lin: [What progress?]
Teacher Xu: [He managed to cheer Chen Qianxi up, and he seemed pretty happy about it too.]
Student Lin: [How did he even know her preferences? What gift did he give?]
Teacher Xu: [He didn’t say what the gift was, but anyway, she’s fine now.]
Student Lin: [Strange… I hadn’t even told him about her likes yet. How did he know?]
Teacher Xu: [He said he picked it up during normal chats.]
Student Lin: [??? Just so happened to overhear? Or was he deliberately paying attention to her?]
Teacher Xu: [That, I don’t know.]
Student Lin: [Alright then. Thanks, Teacher Xu.]
Teacher Xu: [That’s it? Just thanks?]
Lin Yuejiu chuckled at the chat. [Teacher Xu, you’re really good at pushing your luck.]
Teacher Xu: [I’m only collecting the “interest” owed to me by my girlfriend.]
Student Lin: [I can’t win against you.]
Teacher Xu: [So, does my girlfriend have time for me this weekend? Last weekend you gave both days to studying and the library. I didn’t get even a minute.]
Xu Nianshen had been sulking over it for days.
Lin Yuejiu’s lips curved as she sent a voice message, her tone soft and sweet. “Okay, this weekend is all for Teacher Xu.”
Xu Nianshen replied with his own voice message, obvious joy in his tone. “Mm, thank you, Student.”
Beside them, He Yue clicked her tongue while munching on sunflower seeds. “Women in love, huh.”
Mao Xin glanced up from her drama. “You sound jealous.”
He Yue spat out a seed shell. “Jealous? No way. Love just lowers your IQ.”
Wu Lin and Mao Xin looked at her together, their expressions saying, You sure about that?
He Yue blinked, then turned her gaze to Lin Yuejiu before quickly pulling it back. “…Except for Jiujiu.”
Lin Yuejiu put away her phone and smiled at them. “No need to envy anyone else. You’ll all meet your person sooner or later.”
He Yue looked up at the sky. “I’ve already been waiting for him for over ten years, and he still hasn’t shown up. If he doesn’t come soon, this delicate flower of mine is going to wither.”
Lin Yuejiu thought for a moment, then said seriously, “Maybe he’s still digging coal in Shanxi?”
He Yue pretended to glare at her in anger, while the other three burst into laughter.
The next day, when Lin Yuejiu had a break between classes, Chen Qianxi asked her out again. Same milk tea shop as before. As soon as Lin Yuejiu sat down across from her, Chen Qianxi took off the necklace from around her neck, her face glowing with joy. “Look!”
Lin Yuejiu leaned in and gave it a glance, asking casually, “It’s really pretty. Who gave it to you?”
“Du Zhuo.”
Lin Yuejiu froze for a second. So that’s what Du Zhuo had given her. She looked again, then asked casually, “Why did he give you a gift? Your birthday isn’t for a while, right?”
“He said it was an apology gift.”
“An apology? What did he do that he needed to apologize for?”
“Actually, he didn’t really do anything wrong. It was more that I was upset. But the amazing part is that he noticed I was upset, and he even bought me a gift to make up for it. Looks like he’s not as blockheaded as I thought.” Chen Qianxi held the necklace between her fingers, face full of happiness, even a little touched.
Lin Yuejiu instantly understood. So that’s it. He really does care about her. If he were truly that dull, how would he be able to pick up on her mood from between the lines, and even go out of his way to buy a gift to apologize?
“Xixi, you really like this necklace, don’t you?”
“I do. I actually looked at it for a long time in the accessories shop.”
“Then why didn’t you buy it?”
“I didn’t have enough money on me at the time, so I figured I’d come back the next day to get it. But then I got busy and forgot.”
Lin Yuejiu nodded in sudden realization. “So that’s how it was.”
So Du Zhuo had seen her looking at the necklace and even remembered it? No ordinary “blockhead” would notice something like that. Looks like he likes her—he just doesn’t realize it yet.
And since both of their feelings were clear now, the next steps would be easy. Lin Yuejiu smiled.
“Jiujiu, what are you smiling about?”
She shook her head with a grin. “Nothing. Just thinking that necklace really does look beautiful on you.”
“Right? I think so too. My taste is actually pretty good!”
The two chatted a little more, then parted ways. As soon as Lin Yuejiu got back to the dorm, she announced, “Ladies, ladies, we’ve got fresh news! Both of them like each other but don’t realize it. Time to move on to the next stage of the plan. So—any bright ideas?”
Mao Xin snapped her fingers. Lin Yuejiu looked over. “You’ve got one?”
The other three exchanged glances, then spoke up one by one.
Mao Xin: “If you want to make them realize something’s off, there’s only one way.”
Lin Yuejiu: “And that is?”
He Yue: “Introduce another man—or woman—to stir things up.”
Wu Lin: “Let them see a little intimacy, make them feel that crisis and unease.”
Mao Xin: “When you’re confused, if someone gives you a nudge…”
He Yue: “…then everything becomes clear.”
Wu Lin: “And they’ll finally realize their true feelings for each other.”
Mao Xin: “Sure, it’s a cliché.”
Wu Lin and He Yue (together): “But it’s the most effective.”
After finishing, the three high-fived, perfectly in sync—almost too in sync.
Lin Yuejiu copied Mao Xin, snapping her fingers, then pointed at them dramatically. “Nicely done!”
The three all broke into smiles. No doubt about it—we’re the best.
