I Helped My Best Friend with Her Romance—and Fell for the Enemy’s Strategist - Chapter 55

After finishing the meal, I glanced at the time. It was already around 10 p.m., but there were still quite a few people on the beach, especially those strolling around. The night market remained lively.

“Do you all still want to hang out?” Lin Shuyi asked. Among the group, she was only familiar with a few people, since most were her older sister’s friends. It was only right to check with everyone.

“She’s asking you, do you still want to hang out?” Lin Ruocheng was mainly considering Fu Yanxi’s schedule. She didn’t have any strong opinions herself. Today wasn’t busy for her; it felt like a day off, and she could get back to work tomorrow. At this hour, going back wouldn’t offer much to do anyway.

It’s not like they could just jump into bed together as soon as they got back, right? That would be way too awkward. They’d only been dating for about a week, wasn’t that moving a bit too fast? Of course, if her girlfriend wanted to, she wouldn’t refuse. It all depended on what Little Taurus was thinking.

And Little Taurus didn’t seem to be thinking about anything at all.

“Let’s hang out a bit longer then,” Fu Yanxi said. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure what they’d do back at the room either. The biggest thing on her mind was that this would be her first time sharing a room with Lin Ruocheng. The person she had secretly loved for seven whole years was now her girlfriend, and after just one week of dating, they were about to sleep in the same bed. Each of these factors alone was a test of her self-control. She wasn’t sure she could resist getting handsy with Lin Ruocheng.

“Alright, let’s take a walk then,” the two human robots had no objections either. They were actually the ones feeling more awkward. Song Wanqing was already thinking about whether she should sleep on the floor or the couch tonight. She remembered bringing earplugs, once Yu Qiuli went to shower, she’d put them in and face the wall in deep reflection. That way, she’d be safer and show more respect.

There weren’t many nighttime activities on the island. Aside from a few streetlights, only a handful of children were left barefoot on the white sand, collecting seashells. It’s so much better when you’re young, you don’t understand anything, don’t have to worry about anything, just live carefree every day.

“You said you had a crush on me, when did it start? I don’t remember us having much interaction back then. In middle school, whenever I tried to talk to you, you’d turn and run off like a sprinter, as if I were some kind of plague. I thought you didn’t like me.”

Back then, Lin Ruocheng had been puzzled. She’d even washed two or three times a night, wondering if there was some strange smell on her clothes. She always assumed Fu Yanxi disliked her, which was why she’d run away every time they met. Even when Lin Ruocheng called her name from behind, she’d only run faster.

Their homeroom teacher, who was also their Chinese teacher, had no idea what was going on between them. During the spring sports meet, the teacher signed Fu Yanxi up for the 3,000-meter race and assigned Lin Ruocheng to cheer for her by name. It worked incredibly well, every time Lin Ruocheng shouted, Fu Yanxi ran even faster. In the end, she won the women’s 3,000-meter championship and still holds the record for the fastest time to this day.

“After the National Day holiday, I want to take you somewhere,” Fu Yanxi said without elaborating. Lin Ruocheng didn’t press for details, she knew Fu Yanxi must have her reasons.

“Okay.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it, I like it very much.”

Fu Yanxi’s sudden remark startled the dazed Lin Ruocheng.

She then chuckled.

“I know. It’s okay if there are things you can’t bring yourself to say. I’ll teach you slowly. Love, after all, grows from nothing. No one is born knowing how to be in a relationship.”

“From having no experience to gaining experience, most issues in a relationship are minor. It’s all about mutual tolerance, understanding, and growing together.”

Fu Yanxi was particularly drawn to this kind of gentle, detail-oriented approach.

No matter what she said, Lin Ruocheng could always sense why she had chosen to say it at that moment.

She would gauge Fu Yanxi’s attitude from her tone, and then slowly guide her.

Some kinds of love aren’t meant to be silently cherished.

They need to be spoken aloud.

“I was afraid you might misunderstand and think I don’t like you, so I wanted to explain.”

“Oh~ So that’s it. It’s fine, your heartbeat already gave you away…”

Lin Ruocheng pointed to the sports watch on Fu Yanxi’s wrist, where the heart rate graph had been glowing red all along, speaking for her. It hadn’t dropped below 140 since earlier.

Even when they kissed, her heart rate had soared close to 160.

Lin Ruocheng had noticed it all.

They say that when you like someone, you can clearly feel your heart racing.

And in your eyes and heart, there’s only room for that one person.

That’s the impulse driven by hormones.

After strolling for half an hour, the group gradually returned to the hotel.

Once back in the room, Lin Ruocheng changed into slippers and let out several yawns in a row.

Fu Yanxi went into the bathroom to check the water temperature.

“Chengzi, the water’s ready.”

Lin Ruocheng crawled up from the sofa, reluctantly, if she had a choice, because she was feeling lazy.

She stretched out her arms, asking for a hug.

Fu Yanxi dried her hands and walked over to embrace her.

Lin Ruocheng sniffed her scent like a little puppy, a complete contrast to her demeanor outside.

This was exactly what drew Fu Yanxi to her little Taurus.

Out in public, she was all proper and serious, but in private, she was in a state that couldn’t be broadcast.

Tsk, tsk, tsk…

“The water’s ready. You go first, and get to bed early after.”

“But what if some female rogue peeks at me… What then?”

“Where would there be…”

Fu Yanxi quickly realized that the “female rogue” Lin Ruocheng referred to was herself.

Did she really seem like that kind of person?

Didn’t she come across as someone who believed in pure love?

“No, the female rogue won’t peek.”

“Are you sure?”

Lin Ruocheng teased her on purpose, reaching out to take off her glasses.

Earlier, under the fireworks, when they kissed, she had also removed her glasses. For the first time, her usually calm eyes were filled with deep affection. Lin Ruocheng leaned in, asking for a kiss.

Fu Yanxi bent down, but just as their lips were about to meet, Lin Ruocheng stopped her with an index finger.

She whispered playfully, “Does the female rogue have so little self-control? It’s hard not to suspect whether you’ll really resist peeking later.”

Fu Yanxi restrained her surging desire, gently tapped Lin Ruocheng’s forehead with affection,

“Alright, go take your shower. I still have some work to do.”

“Oh, okay~”

Lin Ruocheng tried to spring up like a carp but failed.

She sat up properly and headed to the bathroom.

Fu Yanxi sat with her back to the bathroom and took a pair of earplugs from her bag.

She then opened her laptop that she had brought with her.

Taking a few deep breaths, she tried hard to forget the other person in the room.

Her fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard.

She was a warrior of pure love, not a warrior of pure lust.