Try Saying You Don't Like It - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

“We have a Polaroid.” The milk tea shop employee quickly said, pulling out the camera and eagerly moving forward: “Miss, can I take the picture for you?”

“Sure.” He Xinglan readily agreed. Compared to a selfie, having a ‘professional photographer’ was definitely better.

The milk tea shop employee was so excited that tears were almost falling: “Ladies, go ahead and start. I’m ready.”

The employee said this while raising the camera, ready to snap the sweet moment of the newly shipped couple.

He Xinglan nodded in understanding, then turned to face Yin Qiuman.

Yin Qiuman was also looking at her.

Their eyes met. Watching the flow of Yin Qiuman’s gaze, the previously enthusiastic He Xinglan suddenly felt shy.

Did she really have to kiss her girlfriend in front of strangers? He Xinglan was hesitant.

She had never done something like this before.

Yin Qiuman, seeing He Xinglan’s prolonged inaction, tilted her head, her eyes questioning.

The milk tea shop employee, however, looked like she had seen it all: “Ladies, don’t be shy! Just pretend we don’t exist, or think of us as NPCs. Just focus on your kissing.”

Yes, ‘us’.

The moment the employee took out the camera, the other staff and customers in the shop swarmed around like sharks smelling blood, poking their heads out, ready to be the first to enjoy the sweetness.

He Xinglan looked at Yin Qiuman, her eyes struggling.

Seeming to finally understand He Xinglan’s timidity, Yin Qiuman smiled gently, her eyes full of tenderness, as if forgiving the brave dog for its temporary lack of courage. Then, while He Xinglan was momentarily stunned, Yin Qiuman stood on her tiptoes and took the initiative, kissing the lips right in front of her.

“Wow, the Miss is so Dom (1)!” The employee exclaimed while rapidly pressing the shutter button.

He Xinglan: I’m the Dom! I’m the Dom!

Amidst the cheers from the surrounding people, He Xinglan’s cheeks grew redder and redder. After confirming that their quick, fleeting kiss was enough to capture a photo, He Xinglan quickly pulled away and turned to the employee: “Is that enough?”

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s perfect.” The employee, her face flushed with excitement, nodded vigorously. She then immediately printed the photo and handed it to He Xinglan.

“Miss, you can paste the photo on that wall.”

He Xinglan glanced at the picture of the two of them kissing. She cleared her throat and asked: “Can I get another copy of this photo? I can buy it.”

“No need, no need, Miss. It’s on the house.” The employee quickly printed another copy, immensely enthusiastic.

He Xinglan took it, carefully tucked it into her pocket, and then pasted the other copy onto the background wall.

By the time she finished, their milk teas were ready. The employee handed the drinks to them: “Ladies, the cost of the two milk teas has been refunded directly. You can check your WeChat bill, and if there are any issues, please come back to me.”

He Xinglan nodded and led Yin Qiuman out of the milk tea shop.

The two walked back hand-in-hand. On the way, He Xinglan felt Yin Qiuman was a little too quiet.

The milk tea in her hand hadn’t been touched at all.

“What’s wrong?” He Xinglan asked worriedly.

“Why didn’t you… kiss me just now?” Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan, seemingly troubled by this question, her face scrunched up.

“Are you…”

“I was just shy.” Fearing Yin Qiuman might overthink it, He Xinglan disregarded her reputation as the ‘Dom’ and quickly confessed.

“Shy?”

He Xinglan nodded emphatically, then said awkwardly: “We’ve never kissed in front of people before, have we?”

Whether it was during their early romance in high school or now, they had barely kissed a few times even behind closed doors, let alone outside.

With a crowd gathering, all her ‘Dom’ courage had leaked away.

Yin Qiuman looked suddenly enlightened: “So, Xingxing means we should kiss more often in the future?”

He Xinglan’s face turned completely red. She glared at the ‘bad woman’ who managed to flirt with her with every sentence, but her eyes held high approval for Yin Qiuman’s words.

Maybe they really hadn’t kissed enough.

So, they should kiss more often in the future?

Did her girlfriend’s words actually imply another invitation?!

He Xinglan thought she understood. She let go of Yin Qiuman’s hand, replaced it with an arm around her shoulder, and leaned her lips toward her ear: “Jiejie is right. In the future, we need to kiss more often.”

He Xinglan then breathed lightly into Yin Qiuman’s ear, successfully watching a flush spread to her earlobe.

He Xinglan was satisfied. She held Yin Qiuman’s hand, swinging it back and forth as they walked, like a little girl obsessed with a game.

However, the two ultimately didn’t find a chance to kiss again.

Before they returned to the hotel, Yin Qiuman’s phone rang.

It was Leng Ci.

The tone was very stiff, simply telling Yin Qiuman to come home.

Yin Qiuman hung up the phone but didn’t immediately move to book a ticket home.

“What’s wrong? Can’t bear to leave me?” He Xinglan curled her lips into a smile, her tone flirtatious.

Yin Qiuman nodded: “Mm, I can’t bear to leave you.”

Yin Qiuman now had only one attitude toward He Xinglan’s remarks: sincerity.

He Xinglan was often left speechless by Yin Qiuman’s directness.

Just like now. The person who called was Yin Qiuman’s mother. If she truly prevented her from going home, it would be seen as unreasonable troublemaking on her part.

“It’s okay, Jiejie, I’ll go with you.”

“My task this year is to spend the New Year with my grandparents, so not only do you have to go back, but I do too.” A world just for the two of them was good, but the necessary things still had to be done.

Her grandparents still didn’t know she was back in Qīngchéng.

Yin Qiuman knew very well that she couldn’t escape; she definitely had to go home.

Sighing, Yin Qiuman took out her phone and asked He Xinglan for her ID number so she could book their tickets together, ensuring they could sit together.

Yin Qiuman didn’t know her parents’ attitude, so she cherished every second she had with He Xinglan.

Yin Qiuman booked the train tickets for tomorrow morning. No specific reason, but if one insisted, perhaps it was because she hadn’t had enough time to kiss He Xinglan more?

He Xinglan didn’t mind the ticket time Yin Qiuman chose. She wasn’t in a hurry anyway. Yin Qiuman must have a plan if she set it for tomorrow. He Xinglan just had to be an obedient girlfriend.

The two walked back the way they came. By the time they returned to the hotel, He Xinglan’s milk tea was nearly finished, but Yin Qiuman’s was untouched.

He Xinglan glanced at it: “Is it not good?”

She then picked it up and took a sip. Aside from being a little cold, Yin Qiuman’s milk tea tasted much better than hers.

But Yin Qiuman hadn’t taken a single sip…

He Xinglan looked up at her girlfriend, and suddenly, an idea struck her. She said excitedly: “Manman, so you didn’t actually want milk tea, did you? You only wanted milk tea because of what I said—that ‘I’ve wanted this for so long.’ You wanted to hold my hand for a little longer, just a little longer!”

He Xinglan’s tone was assertive. Even if she was being presumptuous, she felt Yin Qiuman’s answer would definitely be what she said.

Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan’s excited expression, her eyes curving into a smile. She gently affirmed with an “Mm,” and then said: “So, how are you going to reward me, Xingxing?”