The Romance Extras Turned Out to Be a Yuri Story - Chapter 62

Zhang Qiu looked up, and Lin Luoluo’s cheeks were completely flushed.

Her tender white skin looked as if it could be pinched and would yield water, like a thin-skinned apple, shyly waiting to bloom.

She reached out to smooth the stray hairs on Lin Luoluo’s cheek, then held her hand and turned to walk forward.

The slightly cool hand carried a temperature unique to Zhang Qiu’s body.

That hint of coolness, after being warmed by Lin Luoluo’s body heat, suddenly became scalding and provocative.

Lin Luoluo knew the fire was burning within her own heart.

The heat on her face took a while to subside.

At noon, Lin Luoluo mentioned wanting ice cream. Zhang Qiu knew of a delicious shop and specifically took Lin Luoluo there.

A leisurely moment after a busy spell.

At the cold drink shop, Lin Luoluo ordered blueberry and strawberry flavors, and Zhang Qiu ordered the avocado flavor, which Lin Luoluo had been eyeing for a long time but hesitated to get, thinking she couldn’t finish it.

They swapped and tasted each other’s.

Lin Luoluo propped her chin and watched Zhang Qiu.

Zhang Qiu looked up, met her eyes, and asked, “What is it?”

Lin Luoluo shook her head and said, “I just feel like time is passing so quickly.”

She felt like she hadn’t done anything, yet the day was almost over.

Zhang Qiu reached out and gently flicked Lin Luoluo’s smooth forehead: “So sentimental at such a young age.”

Lin Luoluo covered her head, initially intending to pretend to be angry, but facing Zhang Qiu’s eyes, she couldn’t help but smile, whispering, “That’s only because I hate to part with you.”

Hearing this, a hint of sadness suddenly touched Zhang Qiu’s heart too, but she quickly cast it aside.

She was someone who liked to look forward, not back.

Past events cannot be chased, but present moments can still be anticipated.

She said, “Call me when you miss me.”

After their date that day, Lin Luoluo returned home and held her phone, thinking: How could I possibly call Sister all the time? She’s so busy. I want her to get more sleep, and I don’t want to waste her time.

Time passed bit by bit, and another week went by. Zhang Qiu had to work overtime this weekend. Lin Luoluo had only seen Zhang Qiu once this week at school—she had specifically stayed after her afternoon class to wait for her for a little while.

Things at the law firm were getting increasingly busy, and the date for Zhang Qiu’s program appearance was also confirmed. Lin Luoluo squatted at home, bored.

Sang Jing’s system was different from hers; it rarely surfaced, never urged Lin Luoluo to complete tasks, and was so quiet it seemed like it had never been there.

Sang Jing occasionally contacted Lin Luoluo, though mostly to complain about her aunt—Gu Beichen’s mother—being ill.

Waking up early to make breakfast for her husband, managing all the big and small matters in the house, and still finding time for social engagements. Sang Jing was being worn out by her, only saying that the old woman must be going through menopause to have so many demands.

She would ask Sang Jing to make tea—if it was cold, no; if it was hot, no; it had to be lukewarm water. Then, when Sang Jing brought it, she would say the cup choice was wrong, constantly setting rules.

Sang Jing felt like the Qing Dynasty was still alive.

With an injured foot, she had to act subservient and humble. She truly wanted to fight with Sang Tian.

Lin Luoluo felt bad for Sang Jing just listening.

Sang Jing kept enduring it, all just to stay close to her aunt and hear more news about Gu Beichen.

It was truly a case of enduring humiliation to accomplish a mission.

Lin Luoluo offered a few words of comfort and then started zoning out, wondering whether to go find Zhang Qiu, when she suddenly received a call.

“Hi, Lin, I’m Lena. Long time no see, how are you lately?”

The Chinese was broken, but it made Lin Luoluo instantly sit up.

“Lena? Why do you have time to call me?” This was the pen pal Lin Luoluo had made abroad.

“My school has an exchange student program with your country. I applied and got the spot.” Lena continued communicating in her less-than-perfect language, “I’ve already arrived in your country. Shall we meet up?”

“Where are you exchanging to?” Lin Luoluo excitedly asked.

“Longhai University.”

“I’m in your school’s dormitory,” Lena replied.

Lin Luoluo quickly changed her clothes and rushed out, unable to wait.

Come to think of it, Lena was the first friend she had made after arriving here. At the time Lin Luoluo transmigrated, the original host was still abroad. She had insisted on transferring back after hearing that Gu Beichen had gotten a girlfriend, and then she was replaced by Lin Luoluo.

In the unfamiliar environment at the time, Lin Luoluo was very anxious, so she wrote online message-in-a-bottle exchanges to pass the time. She never expected someone to write back, and that was Lena.

Lena was a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, the same age as Lin Luoluo, and very passionate about Chinese culture. She had strange questions almost every day and would ask for help with Chinese. After Lin Luoluo returned to China, their contact never stopped. She hadn’t expected that Lena would now have the opportunity to come to the country.

Lin Luoluo took a car to the university and met Lena.

She had severe face blindness and had been a little worried about not recognizing Lena, but among a campus full of black-haired people, that one blonde person was easy to spot.

Lena was very happy to see Lin Luoluo, speaking in slightly stumbling Chinese: “Lin, your country is too beautiful! I gave myself a Chinese name, called Meili My teacher said this name means ‘beautiful’.”

Lin Luoluo covered her mouth and laughed: “Understood, Meili.”

“When did you arrive?”

“This morning. They took me to my assigned dormitory.”

“Have you eaten lunch?” Lin Luoluo asked.

“Not yet,” Meili rubbed her stomach.

Lin Luoluo said mysteriously, “Then let’s go eat the ninth major Chinese cuisine—the cafeteria.”

Meili clapped her hands and said okay.

The two chose some foods that interested Meili. Meili sat down and asked, “Lin, you mentioned in your emails that you ran into some difficulties right after returning to China. Have they been solved now?”

Lin Luoluo nodded and then shook her head.

It was difficult to talk to outsiders about the system, but she had indeed adapted to this place.

In a trance, Lin Luoluo thought about her past, yet she found it hard to recall her life before; it was as if she had been born to belong here.

“I’m truly happy for you,” Mei Li suddenly said. “You look much better than before.”

“Thank you.” It took Lin Luoluo a moment to reply.

The two chatted about old times while they ate. Mei Li brought up the past: “Before, I thought you were someone who didn’t like to smile, and your face always looked grumpy. You’ve smiled a lot today.”

“Have I?” Lin Luoluo touched the corner of her mouth.

“It looks like you’ve been doing very well since returning to China.”

Lin Luoluo nodded.

“Is the person in your letter also someone from this school?” Mei Li asked.

Lin Luoluo had consulted Mei Li when she was troubled by her feelings for Zhang Qiu. Since same-sex marriage was recognized abroad, Mei Li had given her excellent advice, which helped Lin Luoluo resolve some inner conflicts.

“She’s not here today,” Lin Luoluo whispered.

Mei Li nodded.

After eating, the two walked around the campus.

Dragon Sea University was a very beautiful campus. Mei Li was full of praise as she walked, saying it was unlike what she had imagined—it was very large and rich in resources.

Anyone would be happy to hear someone praise their country.

Lin Luoluo was no exception.

They laughed as they walked, and when they got tired, they sat down on the lawn in front of the teaching building to soak up the sun.

Yi Yushu had just walked out of the teaching building when she saw Lin Luoluo.

She had been invited back today to give a lecture and was preparing to become an adjunct professor at Dragon Sea University; students would receive credit for choosing her course on literary appreciation.

After finishing the discussion with the dean, Yi Yushu stood on the steps in front of the building and waved goodbye. Her assistant said, “The car is outside.”

She waved her hand and replied, “Let’s walk around a bit.”

After going back last time, Yi Yushu had realized that Lin Luoluo had blocked her.

She wasn’t angry, though.

Her old book was still being serialized, and she hadn’t started preparing for her new book yet.

Meeting her again, Yi Yushu felt it was an opportunity granted by heaven.

“Oh, I just forgot something. I have gifts for the professors in the car. I forgot to take them. Could you please fetch them and deliver them?”

The assistant didn’t see Lin Luoluo, so she agreed and was sent away by Yi Yushu.

Yi Yushu slowly walked toward Lin Luoluo, who was sitting on the grass.

Lin Luoluo was unaware and was still chatting and laughing with Mei Li: “I should have taught you more Chinese when I first knew you were coming as an exchange student, to save you from making more funny mistakes.”

Mei Li looked wronged: “If zhua ( claw/paw) means foot, then why can’t a person’s foot be called zhua, but a chicken’s can? And why is a pig’s foot called ti ( hoof)? Isn’t it a foot?”

Lin Luoluo didn’t know how to explain, so she quickly dodged the question.

“There’s no Chinese language exam today, stop testing me. By the way, what major did you apply for in your exchange program? Is it still literature?”

Mei Li nodded: “I really like your Chinese literature, and I want to continue studying it.”

“Chinese literature has a long history and there’s a lot for you to learn,” Yi Yushu interjected into their conversation and sat down directly. “The Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties—each era had different trends, all the way up to modern literature. The numerous dynasties led to different works.”

Mei Li looked at Yi Yushu with sparkling eyes. “You understand literature?”

Yi Yushu nodded, but her eyes were fixed on Lin Luoluo as she said straightforwardly, “Long time no see.”

Mei Li looked at Yi Yushu, then at Lin Luoluo, and fell silent.

Lin Luoluo frowned, trying to place her for a long time.

It was Yi Yushu who spoke first: “I’m Yi Yushu. You haven’t forgotten me, have you?”

Lin Luoluo gave an awkward laugh. “No, Senior Yi.”

She hadn’t expected to run into Yi Yushu at school again.

She thought awkwardly, Yi Yushu didn’t notice I blocked her, did she? She felt vaguely embarrassed.

Yi Yushu’s next sentence immediately shattered her hopes: “Why did you block me? Lin, my class is short of a teaching assistant. I wanted to contact you today, but then I found out you’d blocked me.”

Lin Luoluo was so mortified she wished she could burrow into a hole.

Her lips moved twice, but she couldn’t find an excuse. Yi Yushu took the opportunity to pull out her phone and said, “Add me back. I have something to talk to you about.”

“Professor, can I be the teaching assistant?” Mei Li leaned over, interested. “I really like Chinese literature. Maybe I’ll take your class.”

Yi Yushu looked at the enthusiastic Mei Li and had no choice but to add her first.

Just then, the assistant realized Yi Yushu was bothering Lin Luoluo. She frowned, rushed over, and pulled Yi Yushu up, saying, “You have so much work to do, and you’re still here chatting.”

Yi Yushu was pulled away, looking reluctantly at Lin Luoluo. Lin Luoluo shivered, gratefully looking at the assistant.

The assistant nodded at her and pulled Yi Yushu away.

At this moment, Mei Li suddenly spoke: “Lin, is she your woman?”

“Huh?” Lin Luoluo turned to look at Mei Li and said with difficulty, “What are you talking about?”

Mei Li realized her mistake and said sheepishly, “I thought she was your woman.”

Lin Luoluo rubbed her forehead with distress and corrected her: “In China, you shouldn’t say that. We say ‘partner’ or ‘object’ (meaning: romantic interest/person I’m seeing).”

Mei Li readily accepted the correction.

“Then who is your partner?”

Lin Luoluo was silent for a moment before she finally managed to say with difficulty: “I’m a coward. I haven’t dared to confess yet.”

So, they weren’t even partners yet.

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