Try Saying You Don't Like It - Chapter 59

Chapter 59

He Xinglan had always been bothered by Xiao Hua snatching the chance to be Yin Qiuman’s deskmate, so she only noticed He Xinglan’s odd behavior but didn’t pay attention to Yin Qiuman.

Startled by Xiao Hua’s voice, He Xinglan quickly shifted her gaze.

Frowning, she looked at Xiao Hua, her tone somewhat aggressive: “What’s wrong with me?”

Xiao Hua was bewildered by the aggression. She hadn’t said anything excessive, had she?

Why… was He Xinglan so hostile toward her?

Xiao Hua looked helpless, her eyes seeking help from Yin Qiuman.

Yin Qiuman glanced at He Xinglan, but didn’t say anything. However, He Xinglan, who had just been like an angry lion, instantly turned into a soft, cuddly kitten, muttering: “I didn’t say anything either.”

Her tone made it sound like she was the one who had been unjustly scolded.

Xiao Hua: “…”

Xiao Hua widened her eyes, completely astonished.

She quickly looked at Yin Qiuman, opening her mouth to say something, but Yin Qiuman spoke before her: “She didn’t mean it.”

“She just has a slightly loud voice.” Yin Qiuman was actually explaining and apologizing for He Xinglan.

Xiao Hua: “…”

Xiao Hua felt a wave of sadness. Yin Qiuman was so biased.

And the person she was biased toward was He Xinglan.

However, before Xiao Hua could express her grievance to Yin Qiuman, the class bell rang.

Seeing the teacher’s footsteps approaching, Xiao Hua reluctantly returned to her seat, shooting a fierce glare at He Xinglan’s back.

After school, He Xinglan walked with Yin Qiuman again.

After walking Yin Qiuman to the gate of her residential area and saying goodbye, He Xinglan couldn’t hold back and called out as she watched Yin Qiuman’s retreating back: “Yin Qiuman.”

Yin Qiuman heard the voice and turned back to look at He Xinglan standing outside the community gate, raising an eyebrow: “What is it?”

“You… if someone told you they liked you, would you… refuse or accept?” He Xinglan asked the words in her heart with a mix of apprehension and courage.

After asking, He Xinglan watched Yin Qiuman nervously, anxious but daring not to rush for an answer.

She was also afraid that Yin Qiuman would simply refuse to answer the question.

Various emotions were intertwined, and He Xinglan felt a sense of regret instantly bubbling up.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have used such a clumsy method to test the waters.

Yes, testing the waters.

It was the seventh day since she became Yin Qiuman’s deskmate. He Xinglan had moved from initial rejection to gradual acceptance, and now, she suddenly had other ideas.

Perhaps she could be more than just Yin Qiuman’s deskmate?

He Xinglan was a person with strong execution skills. Once this thought sprouted, she felt a state of anxiety and was extremely eager for an answer. She had held it in all day, but in the end, she couldn’t resist.

Waiting was agonizing, at least for He Xinglan.

She wasn’t strong enough yet to wait for several hours or a day or two.

Only half a minute had passed, yet it felt like half a century.

“Um… I was just asking for fun.” He Xinglan swallowed, forced a smile, and prepared to give up.

“I’m leaving now.” After speaking, He Xinglan prepared to slip away. Just as she took a step, Yin Qiuman’s voice came from behind.

“Did someone confess to you?”

It wasn’t the answer He Xinglan wanted; it was a question.

And the person asking the question was Yin Qiuman instead of He Xinglan.

He Xinglan froze for two seconds, then quickly shook her head.

“No, no, no one confessed to me.”

“Is that so?” Yin Qiuman suddenly smiled at He Xinglan, then said decisively: “I don’t believe you.”

“If no one confessed to you, why would you ask me a question like that?” Yin Qiuman even had a well-reasoned counter-argument.

He Xinglan was bewildered, visibly panicking.

“No, really no.” He Xinglan even used her hands now, waving them so fast that they almost left afterimages in the air.

But Yin Qiuman looked utterly unconvinced.

He Xinglan was on the verge of tears: “There really wasn’t!”

Yin Qiuman just watched quietly as He Xinglan’s mouth worked furiously, but she was completely unable to explain herself. Just as she was about to completely break down, Yin Qiuman finally spoke again.

“Then tell me why you asked me that question.”

Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan, her eyes calm and seemingly harmless, yet under that gaze, He Xinglan instantly blurted out her most genuine feelings.

“I like you.”

As the words fell, He Xinglan stiffened all over, as if she had been cast under a spell. She was dumbfounded, completely bewildered.

She, she, she, how did she manage to say what was in her heart?

He Xinglan slumped her head, her gaze fixed on her toes, daring not to look up for a long time.

What would Yin Qiuman think?

Would she feel disgusted?

Would she find it strange to be liked by another girl, and then slowly distance herself from her?

Even though Yin Qiuman hadn’t shown any unusual reaction when He Xinglan talked about the love between girls, He Xinglan couldn’t help but let her mind race at this moment.

Perhaps, they wouldn’t even be deskmates anymore?

She wouldn’t patiently explain difficult problems to her over and over, she wouldn’t let her walk her home, and she definitely wouldn’t tap her finger on the desk to remind her to pay attention when she zoned out…

He Xinglan was filled with deep regret.

She wished she could turn back time.

She finally found her voice, weakly saying: “You don’t have to be troubled. My liking you is my business. It’s okay if you don’t like me. I just… I just…”

He Xinglan racked her brain, trying to find a plausible excuse, but she was truly experiencing the regret of not being prepared when needed. She truly felt what it meant to be too late.

“So, you don’t want to know the answer?” Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan’s anxious expression and suddenly blossomed into a smile, her eyes filled with deep amusement.

Did that mean… she had a chance?

He Xinglan wasn’t stupid. She instantly lifted her head happily and looked at Yin Qiuman.

He Xinglan met Yin Qiuman’s eyes, and the tenderness in those eyes was something He Xinglan had never seen before.

And mixed with the tenderness, was there also a liking for her?!

Yes, it was liking.

He Xinglan was sure of it.

She had watched so many romance films that she was absolutely certain there was affection in Yin Qiuman’s eyes as she looked at her.

Yin Qiuman liked her too.

Once she confirmed this, He Xinglan instantly looked foolish.

“Re… really?” He Xinglan asked dumbly.

Yin Qiuman looked at He Xinglan’s silly appearance with amusement and slowly nodded.

“Mhm~”

“But if you want it to be false, I can do that too.”

“Of course, I want it to be true!” He Xinglan urgently pulled Yin Qiuman into a hug.

This was her first time hugging a girl. For a moment, she didn’t know where to put her hands. She rapidly recalled the TV dramas and movies she had watched, remembering how couples embraced in them.

Fortunately, her mind moved quickly at this moment, and her hands finally rested on Yin Qiuman’s waist.