Reborn as the Heartless Alpha - Chapter 57

Before Su Yurong and Song Yiyi could even get close, You Xuechu grabbed each of them by a hand and led them toward the dining table.

“Xuechu, are Yiyi and Zhouzhou really dating?” Su Yurong asked excitedly, unable to resist glancing back.

“Um,” You Xuechu thought for a moment before answering carefully. “It seems they haven’t officially started dating yet, but I think it will be soon.”

It was obvious that they liked each other; being together was only a matter of time.

“Didn’t you say she was still taking exams? Why did she come back so suddenly?” Song Hui asked.

“Song Yiyi said that since you two were back and leaving again in a couple of days,” You Xuechu began.

Su Yurong smiled. “Yiyi didn’t come back to see us; she clearly just couldn’t stop worrying about Zhouzhou. Xuechu, you are still the thoughtful one.”

You Xuechu blinked. “That is only because you and Uncle have looked after me since I was a child. You are closer to me than my own parents.”

In her childhood, her parents were largely absent, and she spent most of her time at Song Yiyi’s house. It would not be an exaggeration to say she was fostered there. She loved Song Hui and Su Yurong, feeling they were what normal parents should be like.

To the side, Song Hui sighed. “Xuechu, your parents,” he began, but trailed off.

You Xuechu turned her head, her tone respectful. “Yes, Uncle?”

Song Hui looked as if he could not bear to speak. Su Yurong patted her hand affectionately. “Your father and mother asked us to bring you a birthday gift this time.”

“Miss Song, where are we going?”

Song Yiyi led Zhou Zhou into the yard and opened the passenger door for her to get in.

Zhou Zhou sat in the car, looking bewildered. The car had been sitting in the sun and was filled with the scent of sunlight. She tilted her head; Miss Song had already gotten in but still had not answered her question.

The car started, driving smoothly out of the villa courtyard and merging into the wide roadway. After Miss Song left yesterday, Zhou Zhou had curiously used her phone’s smart image search and discovered that this black luxury car, usually parked in the yard, was an Aston Martin, which is one of the top luxury cars in the world.

Sitting in such an expensive car now, Zhou Zhou felt a heavy burden in her heart.

“Miss Song,” Zhou Zhou said.

Song Yiyi stepped on the brake, turned on the hazard lights, and suddenly turned around, leaning in close to Zhou Zhou.

The distance closed instantly, their noses almost touching.

The air conditioning in the car seemed to freeze; they could only breathe each other’s breath.

Song Yiyi lowered her eyelashes, almost unable to restrain herself from kissing her. A final shred of reason pulled her back, and she turned away.

As if nothing had happened, she continued driving.

Zhou Zhou’s thoughts were still stuck in the previous moment, her heart in utter chaos.

She said nothing more, pretending to be normal as she turned her head toward the window to watch the passing scenery.

But she could not help wondering if Miss Song was trying to kiss her just now.

Song Yiyi drove aimlessly; this had not been part of her original plan.

She did not know why, but upon returning to that villa and seeing Zhou Zhou along with the original Song Yiyi’s parents, a wild thought suddenly popped into her head to take Zhou Zhou away from that place.

And so, she did.

She followed her heart and the choice of her soul.

She was escaping with Zhou Zhou on this summer day, moving away from all the disturbances, even if only temporarily.

Driving further, they passed the place where the frogs were croaking continuously. This time, Song Yiyi did not find it annoying. She followed the sound and actually found a lotus pond. The lotus leaves and flowers swayed in the distance with the wind, forming a wave of light pink amidst a sea of emerald green.

The air carried a faint fragrance.

There was a farmhouse nearby. Song Yiyi parked the car outside, opened the door, and got out; Zhou Zhou followed suit.

A waiter in a red uniform walked out of the farmhouse and asked enthusiastically, “Are you two here to experience farmhouse life?”

Having nothing specific to do, Song Yiyi nodded along.

“Would you like to eat first? Try our farmhouse specialties?” the waiter asked.

Song Yiyi looked at Zhou Zhou. Zhou Zhou, remembering the Oden Miss You had given her was still in the car, remained silent.

“No, thank you,” Song Yiyi said. “Are the flowers in that lotus pond allowed to be picked?”

The waiter smiled and said, “You cannot pick the flowers or the leaves, but the seedpods are fine. Our farmhouse just developed a boat tour project. Would you like to try it, Miss?”

Song Yiyi nodded and let the waiter lead them over. Zhou Zhou followed silently by her side, likely confused. Song Yiyi herself was much the same, not entirely sure what she was doing.

There were large patches of farmland here that did not seem to have crops. They walked along the ridges of the fields; the path was narrow, allowing only one person to walk at a time.

The waiter led the way. Song Yiyi let Zhou Zhou walk in the middle while she stayed at the back. This way, she could look ahead and watch Zhou Zhou openly.

The further they went, the clearer the croaking of the frogs became. Occasionally, they could hear the sound of water splashing in the nearby fields. After hearing it several times, Song Yiyi realized there were frogs in these fields too, though they were not green.

Gazing at the back of Zhou Zhou’s neck, partially hidden by her long hair, Song Yiyi asked the waiter why. The waiter explained they were not common frogs but field frogs, adding that one of the farmhouse’s specialties was Dry Pot Field Frog.

Song Yiyi was not really listening until Zhou Zhou suddenly turned around and asked, “Miss Song, do you eat frogs?”

Her eyes were filled with trepidation.

“No, I have never eaten them,” Song Yiyi said. She saw Zhou Zhou let out a sigh of relief as her expression relaxed, and she turned back to continue walking.

Song Yiyi thought there must be a reason for that.

The waiter leading the way also looked back and smiled. “I really recommend you two ladies try this dish; it has a great reputation among our guests.”

Zhou Zhou suddenly bent over, retching physiologically. Song Yiyi, walking behind, immediately raised her hand to signal the waiter to be quiet. The waiter looked confused but turned back around to lead the way.

“Are you okay, Zhou Zhou?” Song Yiyi asked worriedly.

“I am fine,” Zhou Zhou said. She straightened her back and kept going.

The midday sun was a bit piercing. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth mixed with the fragrance of field weeds. As they neared the lotus pond, the breeze brought a fresh but slightly bitter scent.

“We are here,” the waiter announced.

After crossing a small ditch a few dozen centimeters wide, they reached the edge of the lotus pond. Vast stretches of lotus leaves swayed gently in the wind like irregular green umbrellas. Among them grew many light pink lotus flowers; some were in full bloom, their beautiful petals bathing in the sunlight, while others were still buds.

In the center of the wide pond was a man-made path. A small wooden boat was moored at the shore with two oars. There was also an iron cable running through the center. It reminded Song Yiyi of the boat belonging to Cuicui and her grandfather in the novel Border Town. The waiter explained that this was safer and more convenient for guests who did not know how to row.

Song Yiyi stepped onto the wooden boat with her long legs. Standing at the bow, she reached out her hand to Zhou Zhou on the ridge. Zhou Zhou hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in Song Yiyi’s palm. Song Yiyi gripped it and pulled her down. Zhou Zhou stepped down from the ridge and practically bumped into her arms.

The small boat rocked gently in the water. Amidst the surround-sound croaking of the frogs, the thumping of Song Yiyi’s heart was hidden.

The waiter stood on the shore, untied the rope, and threw it onto the bow. She said she would be waiting in a small shed outside the pond and told them to call her if they needed anything.

Song Yiyi and Zhou Zhou did not use the oars; instead, they used their hands to pull along the iron cable to move toward the center of the pond. Whenever Song Yiyi stopped, Zhou Zhou followed suit.

By now, they had reached the center of the pond.

Song Yiyi sat down in the middle of the boat and gestured for Zhou Zhou to join her. Although Zhou Zhou was confused by Miss Song’s somewhat inexplicable and unusual behavior today, she asked nothing.

If Miss Song wanted to tell her, she would. She would simply stay by Miss Song’s side quietly.

“Zhou Zhou,” Song Yiyi said.

“Yes?” Zhou Zhou also sat down, trying to keep some distance, but the boat was too small. The flat space in the middle was very limited, and she could only just barely manage to sit.

Song Yiyi did not answer. In this cramped space, she leaned toward Zhou Zhou out of instinct.

The lotus leaves and flowers here were of an unusually tall variety, surrounding and protecting them. It gave Song Yiyi a wonderful, illusory feeling of being isolated from the world. She closed her eyes and continued to move closer.

The frogs croaked noisily, and the water surface reflected the shimmering light. Zhou Zhou watched Miss Song get closer and closer, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Miss Song really seemed to want to kiss her.

Zhou Zhou felt her heart skip a beat.

Just then, a frog perched on a lotus leaf, watching these two beautiful humans who had suddenly intruded while puffing out its cheeks, and suddenly leaped into the water, creating a large splash.

Droplets of water landed on Zhou Zhou’s hand. The slight chill woke her up instantly. Her hands gripped the partition behind her as she leaned back, tilting her head to avoid Song Yiyi’s kiss.

Song Yiyi opened her eyes at that exact moment, seeing Zhou Zhou’s resistance, which was filled with both surprise and fear.

Just a second ago, she was thinking how wonderful it would be if there were a place where only she and Zhou Zhou existed. She would not have to worry about the original plot, nor would she think about Zhou Zhou’s fiancé. But she had ignored Zhou Zhou’s feelings. Her irrationality had scared Zhou Zhou and almost hurt her. Even if such a hypothetical place existed, it would be meaningless.

“There is something in your hair,” Song Yiyi said with a slight smile, reaching out to pluck a dandelion seed that had landed on Zhou Zhou’s head at some point.

Zhou Zhou slowly let out a breath and released her grip on the partition, sitting upright again.

She thought that she was just being vain and imagining things.

Thankfully, she had controlled her own impulse to kiss her.

Song Yiyi placed the plucked dandelion in Zhou Zhou’s palm. Zhou Zhou instinctively closed her hand around it, but a second later, she opened her palm again.

The white dandelion was caught by the wind, spreading its fluffy body and drifting away.

Song Yiyi gazed at Zhou Zhou’s profile, watching her long eyelashes blink and the look of relief appearing in her eyes.

Perhaps she, too, should let go of Zhou Zhou just as Zhou Zhou had let go of the dandelion. Zhou Zhou never belonged to her in the first place.

“Let us go back, Zhou Zhou,” Song Yiyi said.

Song Yiyi stood up and reached out to pull Zhou Zhou up. At the moment Zhou Zhou hesitantly reached back, Song Yiyi’s hand landed on the iron cable instead.

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