It Seems Like My Senior Seems to Like Me - Chapter 51

A small handmade booklet  Pei Suye had spent an entire month making it.

From choosing the books, she carefully deliberated each year’s titles. Especially the older ones — sometimes the title was perfect, but the book had long gone out of print. Back and forth, again and again, until finally she managed to collect nineteen of them.

After obtaining the books, she began stripping their covers. She bought three craft knives and, starting from the spines, carefully peeled layer by layer, terrified of cutting too deep or leaving marks.

At last, after reading all the books, she wrote down her chosen mottos.

Her handwriting wasn’t bad, but writing inside a book still felt not good enough. Every sentence, every character, she practiced repeatedly on scrap paper. She used a pencil to draw faint guide lines to make sure it wouldn’t go crooked, then wrote with a fountain pen, stroke by stroke.

Of course, the hardest part was bribing Xu Qian and the others every day, begging them to keep this a strict secret — they must not tell Ye Wanjia.

A whole month of effort finally arrived in Ye Wanjia’s hands, right on time, on May 20th.

Plop! Plop!

Two clear teardrops landed on the very first cover, followed by a faint sobbing sound.

“Wu…”

A catlike whimper rose from her throat.

Pei Suye quickly bent down to ask, “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? You don’t like it?”

Ye Wanjia lifted her head and scolded, “Of course not! Wu wu, I’m touched—so touched!”

Pei Suye gently drew her into her arms, brushing her cheek against the soft hair, hoping to soothe her trembling with warmth — but it only made the sobbing worse.

Ye Wanjia wrapped her arms around Suye’s waist, choking as she said, “This… this is the most meaningful birthday gift I’ve ever received! And you thought I wouldn’t like it— I love it to death!”

Pei Suye softly stroked her hair, smoothing down the back of her head for a long while. Only when Ye Wanjia’s sobs finally eased did she release her from the embrace, resting her hands on her shoulders, her gaze as gentle as a spring breeze:

“Xiao Yezi, I’m so glad you like this gift.”

Ye Wanjia grew a little guilty. “But… the gift I got you won’t arrive until tomorrow.”

She had ordered a hundred printed photos of the two of them. The album was ready, only the photos were missing. But the delivery van had overturned en route, and even though she reordered, they couldn’t arrive in time for May 20th.

Pei Suye didn’t mind. “Silly, today is your birthday.”

Ye Wanjia argued, “But today is also 5/20.”

“Then…” Suye pondered, her voice lowering, tinged with a coaxing allure. “Close your eyes.”

At that moment, Ye Wanjia didn’t obey. Her eyes locked on the face before her, sinking into those tranquil eyes.

Pei Suye’s eyes were beautiful. Not the dazzling, showy kind of a movie star, but soft in their lines, smooth in their flow, like a slender willow leaf. The irises were light brown, as if a thin mist lay over smoke — calm and airy.

And yet, so full of feeling.

“Senior, you’re so beautiful,” she murmured in a daze.

The next second, gentle hands covered her eyes. Warmth brushed her lips — two soft lips pressing against hers.

A light touch, soft and springy, sparking tingles like an electric current. Ye Wanjia’s eyes widened, but the hand over them was firm, blocking out everything. Her lashes brushed against the fingers, rustling, rustling — like wind stirring through trees, mingled with their youthful breaths.

Before the building, under the moonlight — dew kissed the flower petals, and she kissed her.

May passed, and soon it was Pei Suye’s birthday.

So close to Ye Wanjia’s, she too was a Gemini.

June 6th, right around the final exams. To compete for the national scholarship, Ye Wanjia spent every day buried in the library. Only in the evenings or on weekends could she squeeze in time for tutoring and part-time jobs.

She truly didn’t know what kind of gift could be worthy of Pei Suye. As Wei Xiaoxiao had said, Suye’s skirt could cost one or two thousand, and while some of her brooches might be cheap Taobao finds, whenever she attended formal events, each piece of jewelry was worth more than Wanjia’s living expenses for days.

And with Suye’s charm, all her friends were from well-off families — the gifts she received must be expensive and elegant.

As her girlfriend, Ye Wanjia couldn’t let others outshine her!

Thinking so, she took on yet another tutoring job — this time helping a high school student with intensive English exam prep.

It was harder work than before: designing questions, explaining problems, giving targeted training. Plus her Chinese tutoring, Wanjia was now sleeping only six hours a night.

But the pay was good — 150 yuan per lesson.

On June 6th, she came early to wait for Suye beneath her dorm.

Strangely, though she had been chronically sleep-deprived and groggy these days, today she felt especially alert, every cell buzzing with energy, brimming with excitement.

Suye was right — waiting downstairs for the one you love was like a knight awaiting the princess stepping out of her palace.

What was she doing now? With an hour to spare before their agreed time, she should be up, maybe putting on makeup? Or choosing a dress — after all, a birthday only comes once a year, she had to look beautiful.

After ten minutes, the sun grew harsher. Ye Wanjia slipped inside the dorm building, only to be stopped by the dorm manager.

“Student, swipe your card.”

Ye Wanjia stiffened, but quickly put on her sweetest smile.

“Auntie, I’m not going in. I just want to hide from the sun here in the lobby.”

The woman eyed her with suspicion, but the girl’s delicate features and neat, pretty clothes clearly marked her as someone waiting for a friend, not one of the campus thieves who had recently been active. Still, she gave a warning:

“Then stay right here. Don’t go upstairs. Lately some outsiders have been sneaking in to steal, so the school is strict.”

“Got it! I won’t go upstairs, don’t worry!”

Of course she wouldn’t. She had to be the obedient knight downstairs.

Buzz buzz!

Two WeChat notifications — from Suye.

[Xiao Yezi, are you on your way out yet?]

Even through the screen, Wanjia could imagine her soft, gentle expression. Her smile widened unconsciously as she slung her bag over her shoulder, typing with both hands:

[Jiajia ChongYa: I’m downstairs already]

[Suye: Your dorm or mine?]

[Jiajia ChongYa: Yours]

[Suye: So fast? Then could you buy me a drink? The shop across from the dorm — anything’s fine.]

[Jiajia ChongYa: Okay~]

Just as she was about to leave, Wanjia remembered that the school had recently installed vending machines in every dorm, right inside the entrance, next to the dorm auntie’s office.

She peeked — the auntie was absorbed in her drama. Perfect timing.

So, cheerleader Ye Wanjia put on her best poker face: eyes forward, calm, indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with her. Slowly, steadily, she crouched down, lowering her head below the window ledge, squatting and tiptoeing sideways — one step, then another — then turned the corner and peeked right.

Yes, the vending machine was there.

Unfortunately, so was the dorm auntie — the very one who was supposed to be watching her drama in her office.

Still squatting, Wanjia looked up at the looming figure, blinking, then pressed her palms together reverently:

“Sawasdee ka.”

The auntie wasn’t amused. “What are you doing?”

Ye Wanjia scrambled up, embarrassed. “Auntie, weren’t you watching your show?”

“The internet cut out.”

“Oh… I see.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Well…” Ye Wanjia pointed guiltily toward the vending machine. “I just want to buy a drink. Really, I’m not a thief. I’m waiting for someone. She’s not down yet, so I wanted to get her a drink.”

To prove her innocence, she even showed her meal card. Only then did the auntie relent and let her go.

Ding!

Just as she retrieved the drink from the slot, the elevator doors opened on the first floor. Before the people stepped out, their voices carried:

“Pei Suye, are you afraid of being seen by Ye Wanjia?”

Huh?

Ye Wanjia’s ears perked up. She glanced back and indeed saw a girl walking beside Pei Suye as they exited the elevator, heading toward the entrance.

Being seen? Seen what?

Quickly, she ducked behind the auntie, secretly listening to whatever was about to happen.

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