Fell In Love With My Older Sister’s Friend - Chapter 9

Xu Luzhi took a few deep breaths and, using the reflection in the glass cup, confirmed that her makeup was intact. Only then did she relax and tiptoe in the direction she had long wanted to go, her heart pounding all the way.

She had already offered drinks to everyone around the room. All present were familiar classmates, friends, and elders, who gave her their most sincere blessings and various gifts. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t happy; Xu Luzhi felt she was being drowned in a tide of happiness. But she always felt like something was missing.

Counting everything up, she was only missing Lin Qingyue’s smile, and to hear the beautiful elder sister softly say, “Happy Birthday.” Xu Luzhi felt that only then would this birthday be perfectly complete.

Xu Luzhi selected a green beverage a clear, jade like color, resembling the large leaves of a gardenia, transparent and clean. It tasted slightly sour with a sweet aftertaste, very suitable for summer.

Her fingertips carefully pinched the stem of the glass cup as she walked slowly towards Lin Qingyue’s direction. As she walked, she rehearsed the words she wanted to say in her mind:

“Sister, it’s my birthday today. Please have a drink.”

“Sister, could you grant one of Zhizhi’s little wishes?”

“Sister…”

Xu Luzhi repeatedly thought of many sentences, only to reject them one by one, afraid Lin Qingyue wouldn’t like something too clingy.

At this moment, she wished this path had no end, allowing her to repeatedly practice and find the most appropriate opening line to achieve her goal subtly.

However, things didn’t go as planned. Before Xu Luzhi could think further, she had already paused in the corner, just a few steps from the table where Lin Qingyue was a remote, quiet spot with no one else around.

At the first sight of Lin Qingyue, Xu Luzhi’s heart skipped a beat, and her pulse suddenly quickened, making her forget what she was originally going to say.

The red wine bottle on the table had less liquid in it, the glass was pushed away, and in front of her was a small piece of walnut shortbread that had only been tasted a little. The beauty was sound asleep, quietly sprawled on the table, facing her. Dark hair hung over her arm, obscuring half her face. Her brow was slightly furrowed, her long eyelashes fanned over her lower eyelids, and her red lips were tightly pursed, as if she were dreaming of something unsettling.

The air conditioning in the hall was cool, and Lin Qingyue was only wearing a white shirt. The bottom of the shirt revealed the edge of denim jeans, and further down were two long, pale legs, with her snow-white ankles exposed, clean, sharp, yet full of allure.

Xu Luzhi quietly moved to her back and immediately saw Lin Qingyue’s swan like neck. Hidden among the dark hair was a faint trace of a tattoo. The shirt was so thin and transparent that one could clearly see the outline of her shoulder blades, bare and empty, with a hint of a black pattern visible beneath.

Xu Luzhi’s face turned red despite herself, embarrassed by her over-attentiveness, yet simultaneously feeling a touch of concern: Wouldn’t Lin Qingyue be cold sleeping like this?

Her heart tightened. After much hesitation, she chose to sit across from Lin Qingyue, cautiously extending her hand. After a few seconds of uncertainty, she stealthily covered Lin Qingyue’s hand.

Lin Qingyue’s hand was incredibly smooth and tender, unbelievably soft and comfortable, like holding a cloud. The sensation of the black nail polish on her fingertips was slightly cool and hard, forming a sharp contrast a kind of indescribable stimulation and temptation.

Xu Luzhi quickly glanced left and right, confirming no one was paying attention. She grew bolder, holding her breath, and couldn’t help but touch the strands of Lin Qingyue’s hair draped over her arm.

The long-haired sister, with her pure black hair, carried a faint scent of grass and wood. It was smooth and flowing; even when merely slightly stirred by the wind, it possessed an inexpressible natural grace.

To a girl whose hair was still half long and half short, this was an enormous temptation, like Ali Baba’s treasure, making her envious and desiring to possess it.

Xu Luzhi only dared to touch it once before pulling her hand back, firmly controlling herself, afraid of becoming addicted and doing something out of line.

The little child with a guilty conscience cautiously held her breath and gently tugged on Lin Qingyue’s hand. She used a little force, but didn’t dare to use too much, afraid of startling the sleeping sister.

Feeling the coolness of the fingers in her palm, Xu Luzhi grew more worried. What if she slept like this and got sick?

She made up her mind, used a bit more force, and tugged at Lin Qingyue’s fingertips, softly and earnestly, “Sister, wake up and go to a room to sleep, okay?”

After a long moment, the eyelashes of the woman who was sleeping soundly on her arm fluttered. She slowly raised her eyes. Her beautiful peach blossom eyes were still misty with water, carrying an irresistible allure, and looked straight ahead, as if she had forgotten where she was.

Xu Luzhi didn’t dare to make any further moves. She rested her chin in her hand and quietly watched Lin Qingyue, waiting for her to fully wake up.

A beauty who had just woken up had a unique charm: her expression was blank and pure, her eyes and brows full of tenderness, like an elf just born into the world. Looking deeply at her could effortlessly make one fall captive.

Xu Luzhi subconsciously licked her lips. Although she had drunk a lot of beverages, she suddenly felt a bit thirsty.

She also felt an inexpressible heat, as if the air conditioning in the hall was just for decoration.

It took Lin Qingyue a few seconds to realize where she was. Her peach blossom eyes blinked unconsciously, feeling the coolness emanating from her back and the soreness in her neck and shoulders.

The various unpleasant experiences in her dream were still vivid. Now that her consciousness returned to reality, the violent middle-aged man was gone, replaced by the fresh, crisp young girl in front of her, who was watching her obediently with her chin resting in her hand.

Lin Qingyue momentarily forgot to lift her head. She stayed resting on her arm, her face turned sideways, her peach blossom eyes looking deeply across, meeting Xu Luzhi’s intense gaze.

The distance was extremely close, close enough to feel each other’s breath, which interwove into a small warmth in the air. The surroundings were noisy and chaotic, yet their eyes reflected only each other’s shadows clear, clean, and nothing else.

Xu Luzhi was caught off guard by Lin Qingyue’s gaze. She subconsciously wanted to look away but didn’t expect Lin Qingyue to stare at her quietly and intently for a long time. Once their eyes met, she felt as if she was sucked in, drowning in Lin Qingyue’s gentle and captivating eyes, unable to escape.

The atmosphere was incredibly quiet for a moment. Xu Luzhi could no longer see anything in her eyes but Lin Qingyue’s exquisite profile, which made her heart pound and her feel unable to pull herself away.

After an unknown period, Xu Luzhi, as if awakening from a dream, was the first to look away. She struggled to suppress her flushed face and pounding heart, and her tone was a little flustered, “Sister, don’t sleep anymore, you’ll catch a cold.”

Lin Qingyue curved her lips and softly said, “Okay.” She sat up. Because she had just woken up, her voice was low, carrying a hint of throatiness, incredibly gentle.

“Why are you here again?” Lin Qingyue asked with a bit of amusement. How long had it been, and she had already seen this little one several times, always circling around and gravitating towards her.

Many people pursued her, and Lin Qingyue didn’t like people constantly clinging to her like a shadow. But facing the fragrant and clean little girl like a gardenia, she surprisingly felt no aversion.

Instead, she had a subtle, underlying expectation, wanting to witness the girl’s fresh and lively smiles and soft words.

There was one more thing she herself hadn’t realized: at the end of her dream, in a dark and terrifying place, there was no road left to run. She had already prepared to fight to the death but unexpectedly saw a gardenia flower blooming on the path.

Vibrant and thriving, the moment she reached out to touch it, the gloom retreated, and the sky brightened.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Xu Luzhi.

“Is Sister finding me annoying?” Xu Luzhi asked with a slight pout, her round eyes drooping, like a bullied kitten.

Lin Qingyue pursed her lips and reassured her, “How could I be.”

“If Sister finds me annoying, then I won’t come anymore,” Xu Luzhi softly hummed, as if pouting, picking up the beverage on the table and pretending to take a sip, “Then I’ll drink this cup myself, and Sister won’t have to drink it.”

Lin Qingyue understood the girl was offering her a drink, and she had specially come to find her.

A warmth welled up in her heart. The girl in front of her was charming and lovely. Even when sulking, she was adorable and endearing.

“Drink? Of course, I’ll drink,” Lin Qingyue raised her hand to stop her, chose a clean cup, and pointed to the row of beverages Xu Luzhi had left on the table, “Which one did you drink?”

“Does Sister want to drink the same kind of beverage as me?” Xu Luzhi asked with a smile, pointing to the red wine bottle and speaking seriously, “But Sister was naughty and secretly drank alcohol.”

“So… how about punishing Sister to eat another small piece of cake?” Xu Luzhi, like a magician, carefully presented a small plate of cake from behind her back, looking expectantly at Lin Qingyue, “This is from the main table. It’s different from the ones on the other tables, and I specially saved it for Sister.”

The cakes at the birthday banquet were all custom-made, available for dozens of tables, but the one on the main table had particularly good ingredients and was especially beautiful.

Xu Luzhi wanted Lin Qingyue to try it. She knew Lin Qingyue was cold by nature and didn’t want to join the crowd, but this cake should have a share for her.

Lin Qingyue didn’t really like overly sweet things, especially cakes and desserts; she usually only had a small taste. But facing the girl’s expectant gaze, and thinking that today was her seventeenth birthday such an important day yet she still thought of sharing with herself, she simply couldn’t say no.

She gently nodded, “Okay.”

A small plate of cake, carried by the girl’s delicate hands, was placed before her. It was shaped like a gardenia, without excessive carving, a natural blend of white and jade green, emitting an unusual fragrance. The fluffy cream paired with the pale yellow cake base, subtly revealing layers of fruit filling, was visually and aromatically appealing, looking extraordinarily tempting.

Even Lin Qingyue, who wasn’t fond of desserts, felt a stirring in her heart, developing a desire to taste it.

After drinking wine, it was indeed time to eat something to line her stomach.

Especially with Xu Luzhi smiling brightly, her round eyes curving into crescent moons, looking exceptionally hopeful.

Lin Qingyue took the exquisite small fork. Cream stained her lips, the sweetness washed over her mouth, leaving a smudge of white on her lip line.

She suddenly remembered that there was an important sentence she needed to say to Xu Luzhi.