It Seems Like My Senior Seems to Like Me - Chapter 96

The appearance of Jiang Shiyu disrupted Wei Xiaoxiao’s calm life. Every time she returned to the main store, scenes from that day would resurface in her mind.

Fortunately, Jiang Shiyu was still somewhat tactful. After being told “You are not welcome here” that day, she never came looking for Wei Xiaoxiao alone again.

But that was only in private.

If there was a public occasion, she naturally wouldn’t back down.

By the end of the year, the research institute was investigating the spread of pet infectious diseases, and Jiang Shiyu’s team was assigned to collect samples.

As the person in charge, Jiang could have left the task to her research staff, but no—she insisted on doing it herself, personally choosing Xiaoxiao’s Pet Shop an hour’s drive away.

As the store manager, Wei Xiaoxiao had to participate in the entire sampling process.

“You shouldn’t send me flowers anymore.”

“Why not?” Jiang Shiyu asked in all seriousness. “You like flowers. I like you. So I give you flowers.”

“But I don’t like you. Jiang Shiyu, we broke up. It’s been five years. You’re a top graduate from the Royal Veterinary College—you, of all people, should understand weighing pros and cons. This gains you nothing. Don’t you understand?”

“Feelings aren’t worth money. So I can squander them however I want. It doesn’t matter.”

Sometimes, Wei Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but be baffled by this woman’s bandit-like logic. Words that should have been mercilessly final—when she took another step forward—sounded as if Jiang Shiyu had spun them into a chance for reconciliation.

For a moment, anger stirred in her heart. She was angry at this woman for being so impervious, and angry at herself for wavering.

“Why? Why are you doing all this, painstakingly? Give me a reason.”

Her tone grew impatient.

Jiang Shiyu thought hard, unsure how to express the flutter in her heart. At last, she gave the most honest answer:

“Only you can make me feel something.”

That made Wei Xiaoxiao laugh in fury.

“What feeling? Lust? Am I just your outlet? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

“No.”

Academics were the only thing Jiang Shiyu excelled at. When it came to human relationships, she was utterly clueless. Especially with emotions—she didn’t know how to articulate her inner thoughts. After several false starts, she managed to squeeze out a sentence:

“My heart beats. I want to hold you. Kiss you.”

What she wanted to say was: her feelings for Wei Xiaoxiao weren’t animalistic desire, but a true stirring of the heart. In the years apart, she had replayed countless times the moment beneath the ginkgo tree, those star-lit eyes that made the normally detached Jiang Shiyu want to take the initiative, to kiss, to guard her with tenderness.

But she couldn’t convey that properly.

When they were together, Wei Xiaoxiao had understood her, known her, known that behind those inarticulate lips lay a burning heart.

But after the breakup, that trust collapsed. Wei Xiaoxiao was no longer the radiant girl who had once shone into her heart.

Now, the words were nothing more than their literal meaning.

“Heh.” To Wei Xiaoxiao, it was like hearing a thunderously absurd joke. “And you still say it’s not lust…”

Her eyes, once downcast, lifted again, filled with ice:

“Jiang Shiyu, you’re shameless.”

Her affection failed to win Wei Xiaoxiao back. She no longer appeared at the pet shop herself, but every day she had flowers delivered—hyacinths, orchids, white roses. No matter the bouquet, one flower never changed—

Sunflowers.

To her, Wei Xiaoxiao was like that flower: the girl who once brought sunshine into her barren life.

Only now, her girl had become a butterfly, landing for a moment before fluttering away.

Day by day, life went on. Once, they had struggled for their studies; now, they struggled for life itself.

During the seven-day New Year holiday, Ye Wanjia was going back home, also planning to discuss moving her ailing parents to Nanzhou, and arranging a hospital for her mother’s kidney transplant.

Seven days wasn’t long, but for Pei Suye and Ye Wanjia, so deeply in love, it felt endless.

Pei Suye bought a plane ticket and escorted her to the airport. Worried about her managing heavy luggage, she even bought an extra bus ticket from the airport to her hometown, accompanying her the whole way.

“Isn’t this Wanjia?”

On the bus, they happened to run into her uncle, a migrant worker returning home. He was over fifty, his hair already white. Seeing the polished, accomplished Ye Wanjia, his eyes were full of envy.

“A university graduate—you’ve made it! Your mom said you went abroad. When did you get back? Where are you working now?”

Since going abroad, Ye Wanjia had only returned twice. The last time was two years ago. Most relatives she hadn’t seen in years. She greeted him happily:

“I just came back this year. I’m working at an animal hospital, treating pets.”

“Oh, a doctor? That’s good! Doctors can heal. Once you make connections, help get your mom into a big hospital. That uremia of hers has dragged on too long.”

“Mm, that’s why I’m back—planning to take her to Nanzhou for a kidney transplant.”

As they chatted, her uncle finally noticed the young woman sitting beside Wanjia by the window.

This girl had delicate features, wore a charcoal-gray coat, half her face wrapped in a soft scarf. But her eyes radiated intelligence, the air of a well-bred, well-educated background.

Among all the migrant workers on the bus, she clearly didn’t belong.

“And this is?”

At over fifty, her uncle’s eyes were sharp. He remembered seeing their joined hands when they boarded. He knew they were together.

Pei Suye leaned forward, ready to introduce herself:

“Hello, Uncle. I’m Wanjia’s—”

“—She’s my senior.”

Wanjia cut her off, a little too quickly. Secretly, she grabbed Suye’s hand between their seats, afraid she might say the wrong thing.

Her uncle paused, then broke into a smile: “Senior? From university? Is she also from Tong City?”

Wanjia followed up hastily, mixing truth with lies: “No, she just happened to be in Tong City for some business, so we came together. Once she’s done, she’ll head back.”

“Senior.”

In private, that word was a term of endearment, a magnet drawing them close.

But in front of others, it became a title, a gulf pushing them apart.

Pei Suye’s eyes trembled for just a second, then she smiled serenely, nodding:

“Yes, just some business. Happy New Year, Uncle.”

Her uncle didn’t think twice. Girls holding hands wasn’t unusual. He laughed:

“Good, good. Both of you are top students—very impressive!”

The bus drove down the crowded Spring Festival highway. Not used to long bus rides, Pei Suye soon grew carsick, her face pale as paper.

After five hours, they arrived at Tong City’s station. Her uncle hurried home to help his wife with sausage-making, leaving Wanjia to return on her own.

Suye was still dizzy, unable to vomit, the nausea stuck in her chest. Her beautiful face was bloodless, lips drained of color. Yet she forced herself to look fine, reminding Wanjia:

“Don’t forget the gifts for your parents.”

Wanjia was distressed. “Stop worrying about me! You’re so carsick—let’s get you something to eat first.”

“I’m fine.”

At the crowded station entrance, she sat weakly on a big suitcase, gently brushing the static-clung strands of hair from Wanjia’s scarf.

“I’ll just find a hotel, rest for the night. I’ll be fine tomorrow.”

“How could you stay in a hotel?”

Wanjia was upset. “Tong City is just a small town. Hotels here aren’t safe—you can’t stay alone.”

She put the suitcase down, opened the thermos they’d filled on the bus, and carefully held it to her lips:

“Why don’t you come to my house?”

“That wouldn’t be right.”

Suye sipped some warm water, her soft gaze falling on her. Though Wanjia was already twenty-seven, she still looked at her like the little girl from years ago—eyes full of tenderness and patience.

“Our relationship—you haven’t told your parents. If they know, I want to visit openly. To ask them to entrust their daughter to me. Wouldn’t that be better?”

Wanjia bit her lip, ashamed, lowering her head. She had never dared admit to her family that she loved women, that she loved her university senior. As her partner, she had never given Suye a clear title—not even “girlfriend.”

“Senior, I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Suye cupped her face gently. “Why say that?”

Leaning into her palm, guilt brimming in her eyes, Wanjia said, “I never told them. I should have, long ago. But…I never dared.”

“You silly girl.” Suye flicked her nose lightly. “I know you love me—that’s enough. As for family, that’s something we should face together. Right now, your mom’s health comes first. Once she recovers from the surgery, we’ll tell her slowly. Isn’t that better?”

The ice in Wanjia’s eyes melted. She burrowed softly into Suye’s embrace, arms wrapped around her waist.

“Senior, you’re so good to me.”

Suye smiled, revealing pearly teeth. “Alright, Doctor Ye, we’ll be late if we don’t head back soon.”

“Just one more hug.”

“I still need to book a hotel. If we’re too late, there won’t be rooms left.”

Reluctantly, Wanjia let go. Before pulling away completely, she quickly kissed Suye’s cheek.

Smack.

No one noticed in the rushing crowd. Satisfied, she pulled out her phone:

“There’s a chain hotel across the station. I’ll take you there, once you check in I’ll—”

As she turned toward the station entrance, her words cut off abruptly.

“Mom.”

Her eyes lit up with joy at seeing her again, but the joy quickly vanished, leaving only endless darkness and fear—

Just now, when she kissed Suye, had her mother seen?

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