The Lady I Flirted With Is Here - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: She’s Here

After National Day, the temperature suddenly plummeted to the freezing point. One day, as Lin Xian cycled across campus, the biting wind cut into her face like a knife. Dim, leaden clouds hung low overhead, looking as if they might fall from the sky at any moment. It lent an air of desolation and loneliness to the world. Even in her trench coat, Lin Xian was freezing; her teeth chattered as she walked back into her room, and it took a long while for the heater to finally bring her back to her senses.

At that moment, she received a text from Fang Daiyu: The weather is getting cold. Wear more clothes. Lin Xian walked to her bed and hugged her Winnie the Pooh bear. It had been a week since their last meeting. She couldn’t help but sniffle and sigh into the bear’s fur: “I miss you so much.”

By now, she truly understood the classic line about “pining away for one’s beloved.” She resisted the urge to send that, however, and instead sent a selfie of her smiling face via WeChat: The morning of day 17. Xianxian is reminding you to remember to eat on time!~

Not long after, Daiyu replied: I’m coming back soon. Flying in tomorrow morning.

Lin Xian suddenly felt like crying. The night she returned from their first date, her friends had crowded into her room to hear all about the “sweetness.” Of the eight dolls, she had kept only the Pooh bear. Per Daiyu’s instructions, she had given the other seven to her friends: one each to her roommates Yaya, Nannan, and Jingjing, and another to He Yao.

He Yao had rushed over from her own rental apartment that night, still wearing her floral pajama pants, and was promptly teased by everyone. Since her junior year, she had been living with her girlfriend. That night, her girlfriend was back in her hometown, so He Yao had rolled onto Lin Xian’s bed with her cat to gossip: “Wow, spending over 500 yuan to catch these few dolls? I feel like your girlfriend is a bit of a dummy.”

She sat cross-legged, teasing the cat with her toes. “I mean, she’s got more money than sense. Lin Xian is already a dummy, and she found a girlfriend just as dumb. I’m worried about your future life together, haha.” Lin Xian glared at He Yao and ignored her. At the end of that late-night chat, everyone helped Lin Xian guess when the next date would be. New couples in the honeymoon phase usually feel that “one day apart is like three autumns.”

The next day, she had received a text from Fang Daiyu: Xianxian, I’m sorry. Something came up at home. I won’t be able to be with you this holiday.

Fang Daiyu didn’t say what was wrong, but since that night, she had been unreachable on WeChat, only sending an occasional SMS to say she was safe. After the National Day holiday ended, Lin Xian resumed her duties as a teaching assistant. Seven or eight days had passed, and this was the first time she’d heard from Fang Daiyu on WeChat.

The passage of time is a strange thing. During those silent days, the memory of their first date slowly morphed into a surreal, dreamlike illusion. There were days when Lin Xian opened WeChat only to see her own unanswered messages. She would wake up with her pillow dampened by tears, remembering only that in her dreams, she was searching for Fang Daiyu.

Having someone date you and then immediately vanish felt very much like the fleeting dreams of her youth.

…

Fang Daiyu’s hometown was a small city in the Northwest, a place where life moved slowly and time seemed to lag. She pulled her younger sister, whose eyes were red from crying, toward the car. She got into the driver’s seat and started the engine, but her sister’s tears wouldn’t stop falling.

Fang Daiyu was never good at comforting people, so she could only manage a dry remark: “Shiyu, stop crying. Your eyes are so swollen you look like a frog.” Fang Shiyu sniffled and glared at her sister fiercely. “Fang Daiyu, can you just look at the road and not at me?” Fang Daiyu resisted the urge to smack her sister and turned away. Passing a tea shop, she suddenly remembered Lin Xian often saying: “My grandpa loves drinking tea the most.”

She pulled over and soon returned from the shop with several tins of famous local tea. As she prepared to drive again, Fang Shiyu glanced at the tea. “Who’s that for? We don’t have any elders at home who like tea!”

“Mind your own business, kid.” Fang Daiyu focused on the road, but Shiyu’s next words almost made her swerve. “Sis, are you dating some girl?” Fortunately, there was little traffic. The tires screeched as Fang Daiyu braked. She looked at her sister with confusion. “What nonsense are you talking? Don’t let Mom hear you.”

Fang Shiyu curled her lip. “Keep pretending. Sister, the ones you’ve always liked are girls. That Sister Yingying you brought home last time—she was your ex, wasn’t she? The way she looked at you, it was like she wanted to eat you alive!”

Fang Daiyu finally lost her patience and grabbed her sister’s ear. “Zhang Ying is a good friend from college. If you say another word of that crap, I’ll throw you out of the car!” Fang Shiyu shrunk back, her tears gone, huddling like a little chick. She didn’t dare speak loudly anymore but couldn’t help muttering: “I told Mom you were still a Bull Demon King (short-tempered), but she didn’t believe me. She insists you’re gentle, polite, and well-behaved now. Fang Daiyu, you ‘dead straight man,’ just wait—Mom is going to introduce you to a guy tomorrow!”

Her hair was yanked again. Fang Daiyu’s eyes were full of threat and ferocity. “What did you say?”

Under duress, Fang Shiyu confessed the truth. Their grandmother’s passing was one reason Fang Daiyu was called back, but the other was a blind date.

“Mom says you’re not getting any younger.” Shiyu’s voice grew weaker. “She’s doing it for your own good. She’s worried you won’t be able to find a boyfriend like this!”

“I’ve already booked a flight for tonight,” Fang Daiyu said calmly. “Keep Mom busy for me. I’ll transfer some pocket money to you when I get paid.”

“You’re always like this!” Shiyu grumbled, but looking at the blue sky and white clouds outside, she soon turned back with a grin: “How much?”

“A thousand. Don’t let your greed kill you.”

Shiyu wasn’t satisfied. “Three thousand! I know exactly how much you make! Three thousand is pocket change for you. You giving it or not?”

Fang Daiyu stopped the car. “Get out. Not a cent!” Shiyu hesitated and didn’t move. “Can we add a little? Two thousand? I guarantee Mom won’t call you unfilial, and she won’t nag you later!”

“Fine!” Fang Daiyu started the car again briskly.

Fang Shiyu realized a moment later and got angry. “Did you plan to bribe me with two thousand from the start?”

No one answered her. Shiyu, her little mental calculator running, thought: Two thousand… that’s two months of part-time work pay. Worth it!

…

On Monday, many classrooms were packed with students. Teachers were busy making up for classes lost during the holiday. The corridors of the Hongde Building were crowded with people moving between classes. Lin Xian, acting as a teaching assistant, was rushing to the third floor with a large stack of freshman assignments. She accidentally missed a step on the stairs and was about to fall when a hand supported her back. A low, somewhat helpless voice said, “Careful.”

Hearing the voice, Lin Xian froze. She turned around in shock to see a face she hadn’t seen in a long time. She slowly uttered the name: “Wen Chao?”

The two hadn’t seen each other for over half a month. Wen Chao had dyed her hair from brown to a blue-green, similar to peacock blue. Her tired eyes were visible beneath her bangs, looking as if she hadn’t slept well in days. A girl stood beside her—short, thin, and wearing a JK uniform. Lin Xian felt a wave of awkwardness as she noticed the uniform was identical to the one in her own closet.

The girl had her hair in two cute braids, and her voice was soft. “Chao-chao, who is this?” Then she flashed a smile at Lin Xian. “Auntie, be careful walking in the future. Not every passerby is as kind-hearted as our Chao-chao.”

A laugh bubbled up in Lin Xian’s throat. Her gaze toward Wen Chao was complicated. “Half a month without seeing you, and your taste is getting worse.” Wen Chao’s expression was also strained. Since Mid-Autumn Festival, she had received three photos of Lin Xian from He Yao. In each, Lin Xian was dressed exquisitely with a shy smile, looking like she was going to see someone she loved.

In fact, Lin Xian was seeing the person she loved. Wen Chao stared at Lin Xian for a long time without speaking. That night she’d had insomnia, dreaming of their freshman year when she saw a girl with long straight black hair, dressed in black, standing out from the crowd like a crane among chickens. She’d thought then: If she’s queer, that would be amazing.

Later, Lin Xian became famous as the first girl at Northern Tianmu University to come out publicly in class. Wen Chao saved her photos and learned her name, her major, and everything about her. A fire had been lit in her heart. She couldn’t help but try to draw her out, supporting her on social media.

Any fool could see she was interested, and Wen Chao was secretly pleased when rumors spread that they were a couple. Many great loves were fueled by rumors, but Lin Xian was the only dummy who genuinely thanked her as if she were a “selfless hero.”

Everyone in the “circle” within a ten-mile radius of the school knew: the famous handsome “T” (Tomboy) of NTU had been pining for Lin Xian for years. You didn’t know? The little beauty who came out so boldly? Many wanted to intercept that “choice meat,” but the predator was always watching nearby, so no one could even get a foot in the door.

There were two worlds—inside and outside the circle. Some “straight-white-sweet” students who didn’t follow the scene had written love letters to Lin Xian, only to be seduced and “neutralized” by Wen Chao the next day. Of course, there was another open secret in the circle: Wen Chao was a regular at clubs and bars, with as many girlfriends as there are stars. As long as you were attractive, you could be her flavor of the month—especially if you looked like Lin Xian.

Wen Chao placed a hand on the uniformed girl’s shoulder and gave a stable smile. “A kid from the middle school next door. Sorry for the rebellious phase.”

Lin Xian nodded, letting the matter go. As she prepared to head to the classroom, Wen Chao suddenly grabbed her hand. “There’s a new movie out by Shunji Iwai. Want to see it?”

Lin Xian stared at her for a few seconds. Wen Chao raised an eyebrow. “Are we still ‘movie buddies’ or what?”

“Sure,” Lin Xian agreed with a smile. “Pick a time and place when you’re free.” They parted ways.

After Lin Xian left, the middle school girl laughed. “No way, Sister, your methods are so old-fashioned! Inviting a crush to a movie like that?” Wen Chao flicked her forehead. “Are you still going to look for your goddess or not?”

The girl replied, “I am! I’ll get her eventually.” Then she turned the gossip back to Wen Chao. “I called her ‘Auntie’ and she didn’t even get mad? She really has no feelings for you; even I can see that!”

Wen Chao didn’t lead her to the classroom, instead turning to leave. “Forget it, I’m not in the mood for class today!” The girl stamped her feet in frustration. Why did she have to have such a big mouth? Now she’d screwed herself over!

…

After a busy morning, Lin Xian finally sat down for a hot meal at noon. Ji Feng was still in the office checking department affairs. Lin Xian opened her takeout and placed it on his desk. “Wow, smells great!” She purposefully fanned the steam toward him.

His stomach gave a loud growl. The elderly professor looked at her helplessly, picking up his chopsticks while grumbling, “You little brat. If we don’t finish these tasks tonight, I’m locking you in this office to work overtime!”

Lin Xian made a face. “I don’t care about your stomach; I’m just worried that if it starves, there will be no one to guide my graduation thesis!”

As Ji Feng laughed in frustration, a sophomore student suddenly ran up, panting, and knocked on the door. Lin Xian set down her chopsticks and went to the door. The student was trembling slightly, looking excited. “Senior! There’s an incredibly beautiful girl downstairs looking for you!”

“Incredibly beautiful?” Lin Xian laughed. “I haven’t bought any cosmetics lately!” (Wordplay on “Jumei,” a beauty site).

“No, no!” The student waved his hands, winking with gossip. “She told me to tell you ‘Sister is here’ and you’d understand!”

Lin Xian looked down at her baggy shorts, her large flip-flops, and her oversized blue T-shirt. She felt the world collapsing.

Lin Xian asked in disbelief: “Tell me again… what does this girl look like?”