A Time-Limited Romance with Movie Queen Ex - Chapter 35.2

Those four simple words stirred something in her. She looked up and met the gaze of that stunningly beautiful woman.

For just a moment, their lips curled into identical smiles before they both tactfully averted their eyes.

[No. 1 Electronic Sheep: It’s fine for now. They all seem busy talking to the professor and aren’t paying much attention to me.]

No, Luo Mijin thought tonight was good. Very good.

No matter how noisy and chaotic the surroundings were, it felt like she and Rong Qingyao shared their own little world.

A world that was quiet and steadfast, where she could almost hear a wild fruit taking root and sprouting in the hazy light of distant spring mountains.

Just then, Professor Wang turned her attention back to Rong Qingyao.

“Qingyao, how are your preparations going for studying abroad?”

“I’ve been in touch with professors from a few universities,” Rong Qingyao paused, then shifted the topic, “But actually, I’m more inclined to pursue graduate studies here now.”

“Here? Qingyao, didn’t you say you wanted a change of environment? Though with your grades, you’d have a high chance of direct admission here.”

“Mhm.” Rong Qingyao glanced at the black chess piece tied around her wrist. “I think staying might be better now.”

“Well, that’s great too! I’m sure many professors would be thrilled to have you,” Professor Wang laughed heartily before urging everyone to eat, making sure no one was left out.

Her phone vibrated softly in her pocket again. When Luo Mijin pulled it out, she saw another message from Rong Qingyao.

[No. 2 Nine-tailed Fox: Not a fan of the food? You haven’t eaten much.]

[No. 1 Electronic Sheep: It’s fine. Maybe I’m just not feeling well.]

When no reply came, Luo Mijin forced down another bite of scallop. Seizing a moment while others were still chatting, she quietly excused herself and headed to the restroom.

When she returned, the first thing she did was glance toward Rong Qingyao’s seat, only to find an unfamiliar face there instead.

“Ah, you’re back,” Professor Wang greeted Luo Mijin with a smile, motioning for her to sit down. “I’ll be teaching your class econometrics next semester. I remember your math scores have always been decent, haven’t they?”

Luo Mijin froze when she saw Rong Qingyao sitting in the seat beside hers, momentarily stunned.

The woman, however, remained perfectly composed, casually pushing the chair aside and naturally pulling Luo Mijin down to sit.

The warmth of soft skin against hers snapped Luo Mijin out of her daze. She smiled shyly. “They’re alright.”

“Your senior here has always been good at math and even took on a second major,” Professor Wang said. “If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask her for help.”

She gestured toward Rong Qingyao, who sat poised beside them. Professor Wang had high hopes for this star student as long as she maintained her current trajectory, her future was boundless.

“O-okay,” Luo Mijin stammered, unable to figure out why Rong Qingyao had suddenly taken the seat next to hers or how she made it seem so effortless.

“Eat up. No cherry tomatoes.”

The woman’s voice was soft as she absentmindedly picked out the cherry tomatoes from the cold dishes and placed them in front of Luo Mijin.

For the rest of the dinner, Luo Mijin watched as Rong Qingyao effortlessly mingled with the professor and other seniors, smoothly steering conversations while subtly feeding Luo Mijin  bites here and there.

The gathering didn’t last too long, Professor Wang, mindful that they were all still students, urged them to head back to their dorms before nine.

To avoid drawing attention, Luo Mijin and Rong Qingyao left separately, one after the other.

Summer nights often brought light drizzles. Luo Mijin sprinted from Professor Wang’s house, her bag held over her head, until she finally spotted Rong Qingyao waiting for her at the street corner.

Seeing Luo Mijin panting from the run, Rong Qingyao chuckled. “Why run so fast? I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“If I ran slower, we’d have less time together,” Luo Mijin said solemnly.

Rong Qingyao’s heart skipped a beat. Just as solemnly, she replied, “That won’t happen. I’ll always wait for you.”

“Okay.”

Side by side, they walked back under the eaves of the street corner, the drizzle pattering around them.

“Luo Mijin,” Rong Qingyao asked, “do you like studying finance?”

Luo Mijin’s steps faltered. She hadn’t expected such a question.

Her life had always been filled with phrases like Grandpa’s expectations and Mom and Dad prefer this no one had ever asked her what she liked.

“Not really.”

“Then why choose this major?” Rong Qingyao already had an inkling of the answer before she even asked. She knew all too well the silver-haired girl’s lack of freedom, and the impulse in her chest grew harder to suppress.

“My grandpa insisted,” Luo Mijin said, offering a small smile. “But once I got into it, it wasn’t so bad. Not as boring as I thought.”

“If you could choose, what would you want?”

“Me?” Luo Mijin lowered her lashes, hiding the sudden flicker of hope and nervousness. “I’d just want to play chess in the park, or learn music maybe the drums. Doesn’t sound very ambitious, does it? Kind of lame.”

Rong Qingyao’s gaze lingered on her, a distant yearning she wasn’t even aware of pressing into the depths of her dark, quiet eyes.

Just for a moment then she reined it in.

“No,” she said softly. “I like it a lot.”

Not daring to ask Rong Qingyao what exactly she meant by “I really like it,” Luo Mijin kicked at the fresh fallen leaves swirling on the ground, making them rustle loudly just like the sound of her heartbeat at that moment.

“Professor Wang has arranged an internship program at a major company this summer vacation, lasting about ten days in another city. I managed to secure a spot for you. Do you want to go with me?”

Luo Mijin looked up in a daze, unable to snap out of it for a long while. Going to another city?

And with Rong Qingyao, no less. Maybe she could even get Luo Zhiwen to return to the country and meet up with her.

“Can I go too?”

“Mhm, if you’d like.”

“Okay, I… I’ll try my best to go!” Luo Mijin  clenched her fist in the shadows, drawing a silent smile from Rong Qingyao.

The street was actually pitifully short, but it was a place brimming with warmth and life. On this breezy night, she and Rong Qingyao didn’t say anything particularly meaningful they simply walked side by side in silence.

Some might even think it was a waste of time.

But she only wished this warm night could last a little longer, preferably never ending…

“Senior, this manga is really good. Here, it’s for you.” Luo Mijin pulled out a newly acquired manga from her backpack and handed it to Rong Qingyao.

“Sure, I’ll discuss it with you once I finish reading.”

“Senior, see you tomorrow.”

Luo Mijin quickly ran toward the car waiting at the school gate to take her home.

Before this, her days had simply passed by, devoid of happiness or dislike just existence.

For the first time, her world began to clear up, as if the sky had suddenly brightened, never to rain again.

She started looking forward to tomorrow.

As soon as she got home, she found her grandfather video-calling her younger sister, Luo Zhiwen. Seizing the moment, she went straight to him and voiced her request.

“Grandpa, I want to join the school’s summer internship program. It’s in Yuncheng, at a major financial firm, for ten days.”

Luo Anbang frowned at her words.

On the other end of the call, Luo Zhiwen sounded delighted. “Grandpa, if Mijin wants to intern, just let her go. She’ll have to work eventually anyway getting some practice now will definitely help.”

“But is your sister really in the right state for this?” Luo Anbang’s concern wasn’t unfounded. Though Luo Mijin often traveled for competitions, those were strictly scheduled, leaving little room for freedom. “Why go to some random company? Your Uncle Yuan’s son owns several firms, I can arrange a position for you anytime. After graduation, wherever you want to go, it’s just a word from me.”

Luo Mijin lowered her gaze, recalling Rong Qingyao’s invitation as they walked hand-in-hand through the rainy street corner.

It wasn’t just an invitation to an internship it felt more like an invitation to experience freedom.

“Grandpa, I can’t avoid work forever, nor can I live my whole life according to your arrangements,” she said firmly, meeting Luo Anbang’s eyes with rare determination.

It was always like this. Almost everyone in the family doubted her, convinced she’d mess up or cause some irreparable disaster.

“Grandpa, I think Sister’s doing really well now, she’s completely capable of taking care of herself. Look at me, I’m doing fine outside too. If you’re worried, just send more bodyguards with her.”

“Grandpa, please. I really want to see the world outside. I don’t want to stay cooped up at home forever.”

“Let me think about it. Mijin isn’t like Zhiwen, Zhiwen doesn’t have those… Never mind. I’ll look into the details of this internship first.”

**

Before the semester officially ended, S University held a summer arts performance. As the student council president, Rong Qingyao had been busy for weeks securing sponsors, finalizing the program, arranging visits from school administrators…

Every day was packed, and she had to squeeze out every spare moment just to see Luo Mijin.

Just after seeing off the previous group of leaders, Rong Qingyao keenly noticed a woman dressed in expensive clothing subtly watching her.

“You’re surnamed Rong?”

“Yes, hello.”

“I heard you became the student council president in your sophomore year and have excellent academic performance.”

Observing Rong Qingyao’s cool and intellectual demeanor, the woman murmured that she looked so much like her.

“I am your father’s wife.”

The slightly confrontational tone in the woman’s voice made Rong Qingyao find it somewhat amusing. She nodded faintly, “Yes, hello.”

“You look just like your mother, a first-class beauty. Though I wonder what kind of things you might do.”

A dark green pine branch pendant dangled from a soft backpack, its shadows flickering between light and dark. Luo Mijin stood not far away, wearing expensive jeans and a black baseball cap, her slightly curled bangs making her look as stunning as an anime character.

She saw Rong Qingyao receiving visiting school leaders and several foreign exchange teachers.

The middle-aged woman talking to Rong Qingyao looked familiar. Luo Mijin remembered having tea with her and her grandfather at home a couple of days ago. Her grandfather had referred to her as Madam Cen.

From their conversation, it seemed Madam Cen was in poor health and had come here on her doctor’s recommendation to recuperate in a place with beautiful scenery.

“What my mother and I do is none of your concern, Madam Cen,” Rong Qingyao replied calmly, offering a polite smile.

“Who would have thought a parentless wild child could turn out so outstanding? What a shame.” Madam Cen laughed lightly before walking away. “Looking forward to our next meeting.”

Rong Qingyao stood still, her expression inscrutable, lost in thought until she noticed Luo Mijin standing by the changing room for the performance, waving slightly at her.

She watched as Luo Mijin ran toward her through the summer-blooming campus, her striking silver hair fluttering in the sunlight, her radiant beauty nearly dazzling, as if dispelling all the gloom in the world.

Setting aside her dark mood for the moment, Rong Qingyao walked toward her.

“Senior, senior, who was that?”

Rong Qingyao had no intention of hiding anything. “She’s my father’s current wife.”

“Ah… Well, she doesn’t seem like a good person,” Luo Mijin pouted childishly, though her heartbeat betrayed her by quickening.

Though it was still summer, the temperature today was unusually cool. Rong Qingyao was already wearing a red hoodie that accentuated her fair complexion, making her cool, enigmatic allure even more vivid and striking.

Hearing this, Rong Qingyao chuckled softly, her voice gentle and light. “And how would you know that?”

“You’ve been so busy lately. We haven’t read manga together in ages.”

“Sorry about that,” Rong Qingyao said, rising slightly on her toes, her ink-black eyes glistening with a faint mist. “How can I make it up to you?”

“How?”

They fell into silence, simply gazing into each other’s eyes, their breaths mingling until voices suddenly came from around the corner.

“I didn’t expect Luo Mijin to join the summer internship too. So exciting!”

“Right? With Senior Rong on the team, our group might as well be a beauty pageant.”

“Do you think I should try to room with Luo Mijin in the dorm?”

“What for? Got a crush on the rich heiress?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I just want to get to know her better. We’re classmates, and this internship is going to be so much fun.”

The two in the changing room panicked and naturally hid inside one of the fitting rooms.

“Senior, do you think we’ll be discovered?”

In the cramped fitting room, to maintain balance, Luo Mijin wrapped her arms around the woman’s soft, slender waist. Even through the fabric, she could feel the supple warmth of the skin beneath her palms.

“Your classmates seem to like you a lot,” Rong Qingyao replied evasively, her moist lips parting slightly to reveal a hint of pink tongue. Her eyes were damp and red, and from their close proximity, her softness was pressed into a different shape.

“I don’t know,” Luo Mijin shook her head, her words very serious. “I leave right after class and barely speak to them.”

“But they seem very eager to get to know you.”

Though the woman was older and appeared more mature and composed, Rong Qingyao clung tightly to her collar. Those usually cool and distant eyes were now tinged with a rosy haze, her delicate frame leaning closer, her plump lips slightly upturned.

It was a silent invitation.

Outside the fitting room, the two girls seemed to be playfully bickering, discussing whose lipstick shade was unflattering or which brand’s new setting powder was excellent but too expensive.

“Speaking of which, I really envy Senior Rong Qingyao. She’s not only top in academics but also stunningly beautiful. So many professors compete to be her advisor. I heard she rejected five juniors’ confessions this month alone. She seems so aloof, I wouldn’t dare talk to her.”

“Well, compared to her, Luo Mijin seems much more approachable. Senior Rong is just too cold and intimidatingly beautiful. I wonder if all those rejected confessions left lasting scars.”

Under the dim light, the woman’s lips were as crimson as roses in snow. Luo Mijin, dazed, obliged the unspoken request and lowered her head, pressing her lips to hers.

They kissed for a while before parting abruptly, as if merely quenching a thirst, one that wasn’t fatal but torturous nonetheless.

The prolonged closeness left Rong Qingyao too embarrassed to admit the rising tide of warmth dampening her.

Even this chaste kiss gave her the illusion of being utterly consumed.

Luo Mijin’s eyes sparkled, eager to kiss her again, but Rong Qingyao pressed a finger to her lips.

“No more. Do you know that junior who was talking earlier?”

“Which one?” Luo Mijin was slow to react, having nearly forgotten there were others outside.

“The one who mentioned wanting to share a room with you during the internship.”

Luo Mijin pondered seriously, completely missing the icy glint creeping into the woman’s gaze.

Outside, the girls were likely removing their makeup, their chatter drifting in intermittently.

“You wouldn’t believe it during a group project, I found out Luo Mijin likes raising caterpillars. Coincidentally, my brother studies biology and has a ton of butterfly specimens.”

“Rich girls really do have unique hobbies.”

“Your classmate claims you two share common interests,” Rong Qingyao murmured silkily into Luo Mijin’s ear.

“That’s not true at all,” Luo Mijin protested pitifully. “That’s slander. After that incident, I stopped giving classmates Mint Candy or lending them umbrellas. I swear.”

Rong Qingyao’s eyes gleamed, pleased, though her expression remained impassive. “Then why did you smile at her?”

“Then I promise I won’t laugh ever again.”

At this, the woman chuckled softly, tracing Luo Mijin’s lips with a single finger before kissing her again.

All those tangled thoughts, the wavering emotions, the confusion that couldn’t be unraveled or shaken off, everything melted away between their scorching lips and teeth.

The fitting room had a small silver mirror that, in the dim light, perfectly captured the sight of black and silver hair entwining, sometimes separating only to press close again.

Rong Qingyao’s breathing grew faint and rapid, nearly collapsing into Luo Mijin’s embrace, soft whimpers escaping her lips as she reached her limit.

It took several pleas before Luo Mijin finally relented and pulled back slightly.

The two people outside the fitting room still hadn’t left, chatting away as if they’d opened a floodgate of conversation.

“By the way,” Luo Mijin whispered, “can we live together when the time comes?”

Support