Try Saying You Don't Like It - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

He Xinglan immediately picked up her phone and called Yin Qiuman back, while using her eyes to dismiss Lin Yue.

Lin Yue: “╮(╯▽╰)╭”

Lin Yue was very sad, and very wronged.

He Xinglan was guarding against her like this. Did she look like the kind of person who would intentionally sabotage her best friend’s love life? She was clearly doing all this for He Xinglan’s own good!

But in front of He Xinglan, Lin Yue still had to be obedient and meekly make space for He Xinglan.

Lin Yue took slow steps towards the door, looking back three times. Just as she was about to push the door open and completely disappear, He Xinglan’s gloomy voice came through.

“You don’t need to go out.”

Lin Yue turned back, looking at He Xinglan confusedly, only to see He Xinglan looking utterly dejected and unhappy, “She didn’t answer my call.”

“So?” Lin Yue quickly walked back and plopped down beside He Xinglan. She couldn’t stand seeing He Xinglan looking so lifeless and depressed, so she said, “Don’t you know to call again? Maybe she was just doing something and left her phone aside and didn’t hear your call?”

What Lin Yue said made sense, but He Xinglan didn’t move.

Sometimes, people need courage to do things. Strike while the iron is hot. If you hesitate, you lose momentum. The urge to get an answer had already waned.

She suddenly didn’t want to know the answer anymore.

Anyway, knowing the answer right now wouldn’t change anything.

Since He Xinglan wouldn’t move, Lin Yue grabbed He Xinglan’s phone, exasperated. “If you won’t call, I’ll call for you.”

Her best trait was helping others achieve their goals.

He Xinglan immediately tried to snatch the phone back, but Lin Yue was quicker. By the time He Xinglan managed to grab her phone, Lin Yue had already initiated the video call.

He Xinglan held the phone, momentarily unsure whether to hang up or not.

The hesitation made her look like she was reluctant to disconnect.

Lin Yue rolled her eyes, commenting on He Xinglan’s actions: “Your mouth is tough, but your body, well, your body is very honest.”

He Xinglan glared at Lin Yue, but her peripheral vision was constantly fixed on the phone screen.

She was clearly anticipating it, yet wanted to hide that anticipation.

Lin Yue: “You awkward ghost.”

“He Xinglan, you’ve changed. You used to be so brave and daring. You’d approach any girl you liked, confess with ‘I like you,’ and always manage to win her over. Why are you so… useless now?”

He Xinglan was too lazy to argue with Lin Yue’s honest teasing, only replying dismissively, “You don’t understand.”

Lin Yue: “Yes, I don’t understand. I don’t understand because I have a girlfriend and my life is extremely fulfilling every day. You understand. You understand being afraid of taking action…”

Seeing He Xinglan’s eyes glued to the phone, Lin Yue patted He Xinglan’s shoulder, full of confidence: “Don’t worry. The reason she didn’t answer your video call just now is definitely because she was busy. This time, she will definitely…”

Beep~ The sound of the video call automatically hanging up because no one answered delivered a resounding slap to Lin Yue’s face.

Lin Yue blinked blankly, then came back to reality: “Then call again.”

Lin Yue moved to grab He Xinglan’s phone again, but this time He Xinglan didn’t let her succeed.

“No more calls.”

“Three strikes, you’re out.”

Lin Yue glanced at He Xinglan. Seeing her attitude was firmer than before, she could only give up. “Fine. She’s your white moonlight. The Emperor isn’t worried, so why should I, the Eunuch, be worried?”

“But there must be another reason why she didn’t answer your video call. Don’t be sad, okay?” Lin Yue, as a true friend, still comforted He Xinglan.

Was He Xinglan sad? She asked herself.

The answer was no, she just didn’t like it when someone didn’t answer her video calls.

Having successfully pacified herself, He Xinglan simply put away her phone. “Lin Yue, let’s go shopping. The bar opens late, and we have nothing to do anyway. We can buy some New Year gifts for my grandparents.”

“No way.” Lin Yue knocked away He Xinglan’s hand resting on her shoulder and raised her chin, “This big sister has a girlfriend. She’s going back to her hometown in a couple of days, and I promised to spend these few days with her.”

“You can go shopping by yourself.”

“Or if you’re willing to ask my bartender, I think she’d be quite happy to go.”

After teasing He Xinglan, Lin Yue hurriedly left. Her girlfriend’s demanding calls had already reached her phone.

Of course, He Xinglan wouldn’t ask Lin Yue’s bartender to go shopping with her. She was bored staying in the bar office, and she hadn’t told her parents she was back, so she was left alone.

He Xinglan thought she was used to solitude. After all these years, she never felt the need to always have someone by her side.

Even with her ex-girlfriends, once the initial excitement wore off, she no longer needed them.

But now, sitting in a coffee shop with a cup of coffee, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window at the people coming and going, He Xinglan suddenly grew weary of this loneliness.

He Xinglan suddenly pulled out her phone and looked at the chat window with Yin Qiuman. It still only showed the two missed video calls she had made.

He Xinglan suddenly felt very annoyed.

She was very annoyed with Yin Qiuman.

It felt like a huge grievance.

Didn’t Yin Qiuman say she wanted to pursue me? Didn’t she repeatedly say she liked me? But she won’t even answer or return my video calls. Is this her attitude toward pursuing someone? Is this how she shows she likes me?

He Xinglan secretly decided that she absolutely wouldn’t respond to Yin Qiuman today. Even if Yin Qiuman called back ten times and messaged a hundred times, she would completely ignore her.

Or, maybe just turn off the phone?

He Xinglan placed her finger on the power button but didn’t actually press it for a long time.

“Forget it.”

He Xinglan put her phone down.

“I’m only keeping it on because I’m afraid Lin Yue won’t be able to contact me,” He Xinglan muttered to herself, finding a convenient reason for her action.

However, after a moment, He Xinglan picked up her phone again, opening her WeChat contacts list and murmuring to herself: “Find a friend to hang out with.”

He Xinglan finally called Lin Yue’s bartender, Meng Chixi, because she happened to be nearby.

Meng Chixi was overwhelmed with joy that He Xinglan would ask her to keep her company.

Even the hand holding the coffee He Xinglan ordered for her trembled with nervousness.

“Ms. He, what shall we do later? How about watching a movie?” Meng Chixi carefully asked, gazing at He Xinglan’s profile.

“Watch a movie? Sure. You make the arrangements.” He Xinglan occasionally sipped her coffee and responded to Meng Chixi. With someone by her side, the sense of loneliness quickly dissipated.

He Xinglan’s mood also improved a bit. She handed her phone to Meng Chixi, “Use my phone to book the tickets. Book whatever you want to watch.”

Meng Chixi took He Xinglan’s phone, opened the movie ticket booking interface, and chose a currently popular movie—a romance film, ironically.

“Ms. He, how about we watch this one?”

He Xinglan glanced at it casually and nodded.

“You decide.”

Meng Chixi immediately secured two seats with excellent viewing angles.

The cinema Meng Chixi booked was not far from their coffee shop, and the movie was set to start in only half an hour. He Xinglan and Meng Chixi set off immediately.

Upon reaching the cinema, He Xinglan took her phone to retrieve the tickets, while Meng Chixi quickly bought some snacks—a couple’s combo—and hugged them happily.

“Ms. He, this large one is for you.” Meng Chixi handed over the cola she was holding. With her free hand, Meng Chixi took a piece of popcorn from the bucket and offered it to He Xinglan’s mouth.

“Ms. He, try their popcorn. It’s freshly popped.”

He Xinglan, of course, wouldn’t refuse a girl’s thoughtful feeding. Just as she was about to take a bite, the phone in her pocket rang.

He Xinglan thought it was Lin Yue. Without looking closely, she tapped the green ‘Answer’ button on the screen.

Then, Yin Qiuman’s face appeared on the phone screen.