You Should’ve Said Earlier that you’re Such a Little Flirt! - Chapter 26

She caught up with Lin Konglu, and they entered the elevator together.

Standing in the corner, a quick glance from the corner of her eye revealed that Lin Konglu’s neck and earlobes were slightly flushed.

There was no one else in the elevator—just the two of them.

Acting just as she did at home, Xu Qingqiong reached out unceremoniously and touched Lin Konglu’s ear, asking in surprise, “Is it very hot? Why is your skin so red?”

The air conditioning was blowing cold enough that Xu Qingqiong’s own arms felt a bit chilled.

But halfway through the touch, she remembered that Lin Konglu was still angry. She paused for a moment and added, “It couldn’t be an allergy, could it?”

“It’s not an allergy.” Lin Konglu pursed her lips, looking at her with great restraint. She reached out and grabbed Xu Qingqiong’s wrist to stop her from touching further.

Her fingers were long, just enough to encircle the wrist. Her fingertips brushed against the skin on the inside of the wrist, creating an itchy sensation.

Xu Qingqiong didn’t know if she was doing it on purpose. The gesture was clearly innocent, yet it gave her an ambiguous illusion.

It made her feel like they weren’t in the company elevator, but at home.

Xu Qingqiong blinked unnaturally, her face flushing crimson, but she didn’t pull away.

At that moment, the elevator chimed as it reached a floor. The doors opened immediately, and people were waiting to get in.

Subconsciously, Xu Qingqiong took a step back, shaking off Lin Konglu’s hand to restore a normal distance.

They hadn’t deliberately avoided each other before, but they had never openly displayed their relationship either.

Since they hadn’t been close previously, no one suspected a thing.

Two employees wearing ID badges entered the elevator, likely heading down for lunch as well.

She and Lin Konglu were separated, with a distance between them.

In truth, Xu Qingqiong felt a pang of regret the moment she shook off the hand. They were about to get married; why did they need to keep their distance in front of others?

But grabbing her hand again now would be too abrupt. After a thought, Xu Qingqiong gave up on the idea.

The restaurant they chose was near the company, only a few hundred meters away. The two of them walked over.

The sunlight felt hot against the skin, but it wasn’t a scorching heat; it was warm, soft, and just right. It was the kind of sun that made one feel as though they might melt.

Xu Qingqiong felt a sudden realization. Two months had passed quickly, and the peak of summer had already slipped by.

When she had first returned to the country, her heart felt unsteady—a sense of hovering, with nowhere to land.

Now, she suddenly felt a sense of the dust settling, of a chapter being completely turned.

It wasn’t just because Ye Jianguo was in prison or because the matters regarding her grandmother had been fully settled; it was also partly because Lin Konglu had always been by her side.

Having someone with her made her feel less lonely.

They soon arrived at their destination.

There was actually an employee cafeteria inside the Ses building, but Xu Qingqiong felt it was strange and risky to discuss private matters in public, so she picked a nearby restaurant.

It was a small, minimalist place with cream-colored wallpaper and cheerful music playing. She had seen reviews saying the food was delicious.

After ordering, Xu Qingqiong sat across from Lin Konglu. After a moment of phrasing her words, she said directly, “I want to resign.”

She didn’t plan on staying at Ses any longer.

Her temporary stay at Ses was only because she lacked direction and felt lost upon her return. But now that everything was handled, staying served no purpose.

Whether she followed her grandmother’s wishes to take over the art gallery or continued live-streaming to do what she enjoyed, both were viable options.

Lin Konglu’s hand, holding a water glass, paused mid-motion.

Xu Qingqiong asked symbolically, “That’s okay, right?”

Lin Konglu looked up at her. “…Of course. That is your business; I have no right to interfere.”

Her tone was a bit stiff, making Xu Qingqiong feel odd. What now? she thought. Weren’t we fine just a moment ago? Did I say something wrong?

She propped her chin in her hand and looked at Lin Konglu. Startled, she realized something and asked, “You don’t want me to leave?”

By this, she meant: Do you want me to stay?

But when these words reached Lin Konglu’s ears, the meaning changed completely.

She automatically translated it as Xu Qingqiong finally speaking up because she wanted to go.

Ever since Buffy had asked that question in the car and Xu Qingqiong had answered “I don’t know,” that ambiguous attitude had caused Lin Konglu’s heart to sink halfway.

Before she had even helped Xu Qingqiong, she had considered that once Xu Qingqiong no longer needed her, she would leave without hesitation.

Just like in the elevator earlier—one moment she was obediently letting her wrist be held, and the next, she pulled her hand away.

So, Lin Konglu had never imagined that a few short months of living together would make Xu Qingqiong choose to stay.

As the saying went, Xu Qingqiong was like a cat. You couldn’t expect a cat to listen to you; she had the freedom to leave whenever she pleased, and no one could make her stay.

Then, she heard Xu Qingqiong continue, “And our wedding…” When should we postpone it to?

Lin Konglu’s mouth felt dry.

Before Xu Qingqiong could finish her sentence, the waiter arrived to serve the food. Lin Konglu plated some food for her, seemingly accidentally interrupting her. Her voice was tight as she said, “Let’s eat first. Be careful, it’s a bit hot.”

It was indeed impolite to speak while eating, so Xu Qingqiong shut her mouth and obediently picked up her chopsticks to eat.

After finishing her meal, Xu Qingqiong wanted to resume the topic immediately, but Lin Konglu hadn’t finished. For some reason, she was eating very slowly today.

Xu Qingqiong had no choice but to rest her chin on her hand and watch her boredly, waiting for her to finish.

Perhaps because her focus had previously been entirely on her own affairs, she only now had the energy to observe Lin Konglu.

She noticed many details she had overlooked before.

Lin Konglu sat upright, yet with an elegant ease. Her upbringing was etched into her bones—it wasn’t a forced performance. Every movement was beautiful.

Perhaps because Xu Qingqiong’s gaze was too direct and undisguised, Lin Konglu’s movements became unnatural. She quickly put down her utensils.

Lin Konglu’s fingers gripped the napkin on her lap, trembling slightly. “I agree with your decision.”

Xu Qingqiong was stunned, not understanding what she was talking about. “What?”

Lin Konglu’s voice was not steady; it carried ripples, like a stone cast into the center of a lake. “If you don’t want to get married, I agree to that as well.”

For a moment, Xu Qingqiong suspected she was hearing an alien language—that Lin Konglu might actually be an alien in disguise.

Huh? How can I understand every word, but the sentence is so baffling?

It took a long time for Xu Qingqiong to digest those words.

Delayed shock set in as she realized that Lin Konglu had actually been operating under the assumption that she would cancel the wedding.

“Ah, why?”

Lin Konglu lowered her eyelashes and remained silent.

Xu Qingqiong didn’t know what she was thinking. Was it a misunderstanding? Or had her own actions caused this misconception? She felt a headache coming on.

But in the moment, she had to express her own intentions first. She said very bluntly, “But I don’t want to cancel it.”

She looked into Lin Konglu’s eyes, her tone crisp and clear: “I want to marry you.”

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