“My dear Yao Yao, isn’t this just like seeing me?”
Mu Nanqiu gently reached out and touched Su Yao’s cheek, her tone soft and tender.
Su Yao shyly smiled. Mu Nanqiu always liked to touch her face—sometimes stroking it, other times pinching it. Now, a single finger was lightly brushing across her cheek.
It made her face feel ticklish, and her heart fluttered in the same way.
Senior really is so annoying~
Enjoying the wonderful sensation beneath her fingers, Mu Nanqiu adored this kind of contact—soft, tender, and warm. But seeing Su Yao’s head lower further and further in embarrassment, she had no choice but to stop.
When the distance between them grew from zero to over ten centimeters, Su Yao finally caught her breath.
She turned to look at Mu Nanqiu, only to meet those beautiful eyes.
Hastily, Su Yao pulled her gaze away and turned her head back, sinking into silence.
Mu Nanqiu remained silent too, quietly admiring her, until strands of hair fell and covered Su Yao’s profile.
Then she reached out and tucked the hair behind Su Yao’s ear.
Originally intending to withdraw her hand, Mu Nanqiu stopped when she saw the rosy ear and couldn’t resist touching it again, like a treasured object in the palm of her hand.
At the end, she even gently pinched Su Yao’s earlobe and rubbed it softly.
That small action nearly made Su Yao jump to her feet.
Being touched on the ear was already embarrassing enough, but the earlobe was one of Su Yao’s especially sensitive spots.
That gentle pinch was almost unbearable, immediately stirring a unique reaction.
Her bright eyes slanted slightly as her dark pupils shifted, casting Mu Nanqiu a look full of a delicate mix of shyness and mild grievance.
Her pink lips pressed lightly together, brows knitted faintly, as if pouting and sulking—How could you treat me like this~
Seeing that little expression, Mu Nanqiu’s delicate brows twitched.
She almost gave in to the urge to tease the adorable girl in front of her mercilessly, but this was a public place, so she held back.
Noted for the record—next time, it’ll all count.
They moved apart a bit, giving Su Yao a chance to breathe again.
Her flushed body cooled down, and she suddenly recalled how strange her own reaction had been.
After a brief silence, when the moment felt right, Mu Nanqiu started talking, and Su Yao began complaining with a trace of resentment about her classmates—how they had pestered her endlessly, making her take countless photos for nothing, which was why she’d been late.
Mu Nanqiu watched as Su Yao kept talking tirelessly about the mundane details of her day.
She looked as if nothing was wrong, but Mu Nanqiu could tell at a glance that Su Yao was troubled.
Although she had known this for some time, Mu Nanqiu patiently listened as Su Yao softly recounted her experiences until she ran out of words.
The air fell silent again.
After a while, Mu Nanqiu gently massaged the small hand she held, keeping it firmly clasped so Su Yao couldn’t slip away.
She adjusted her expression, exhaled softly, then turned her head slightly closer and whispered mysteriously to Su Yao,
“Yao Yao, I have a secret I want to tell you.”
Su Yao was surprised and turned to look at Mu Nanqiu. Her exquisite face was adorned with a makeup style that looked cold and ethereal, truly breathtaking to Su Yao’s heart.
Mu Nanqiu was stunning even without makeup, and the few times she did wear it, it only enhanced her beauty.
But she usually didn’t bother; it was only after meeting Su Yao that she started spending more time on her appearance every day.
Now, with makeup accentuating her features, she radiated the dignified elegance of a queen. There was an undeniable aura of authority about her, like an exalted figure.
Previously, Su Yao had only seen the gentle side of Mu Nanqiu, but now she appeared as a regal beauty, aloof like a flower atop a high mountain—truly the Queen of Literature.
Under this commanding presence, Su Yao felt an urge to nestle quietly under her senior’s protection. She swallowed hard, her expression turning serious.
Come to think of it, this secret was something Su Yao had wanted to tell first, but Mu Nanqiu beat her to it.
So what… could senior’s secret be?
Su Yao was curious. She still knew so little about Mu Nanqiu beyond the persona her senior showed her. If possible, she really wanted to understand Mu Nanqiu more deeply.
Since that day’s confession and their subsequent meetings, her heart had gone from initial flutter to a firm resolve to go all in.
Su Yao was staking everything on Mu Nanqiu, hoping that the person who stayed with her through her darkest months would truly be sincere in return.
She was willing to give everything—even try to change herself—and eagerly awaited Mu Nanqiu’s gift of the sense of security she had never had since childhood.
So she was looking forward to their New Year’s Day date, and the Promotion after her internship ended.
Hoping their love would bloom and bear sweet fruit.
Mu Nanqiu said she had a secret, but Su Yao had one too. Although Mu Nanqiu had never asked about her gender, it was like a thorn stuck deep in Su Yao’s heart.
She wanted to say it but feared Mu Nanqiu might loosen her grip and let go.
Su Yao herself was powerless to solve this problem. At first, she told herself that since she had paid tuition, it was a waste not to attend school. But really, that was just self-deception.
She never cared whether she went to school or not; it was just that if she stayed home, she’d have nothing to do. To avoid doing nothing, she chose to go to school, pretending everything was fine.
Because if she stopped, someone like her—with no future—would become fragile and unable to face the reality of transformation, and might ultimately choose to escape this world forever…
Su Yao thought to herself.
She gazed into Mu Nanqiu’s eyes, complex emotions flickering within them, and her face was full of nervousness, as if Mu Nanqiu’s next words would be her final judgment. She waited intently to hear this “secret.”
Mu Nanqiu looked deeply into Su Yao’s eyes, leaned down close to her ear, and whispered in a soft, soft voice,
“This secret is…
On the night you escaped from marriage Online, I was so angry that I made a wish to the sky. If Yao Yao is really a girl, that would be the best. But if it was a lie to trick me, then please turn Su Yao into a girl.”
After hearing this secret, Su Yao was stunned—this completely exceeded her expectations.
She trembled slightly, looked into Mu Nanqiu’s eyes, and whispered her name.
“…”
Her eyes were wide open, no longer avoiding eye contact but staring straight into Mu Nanqiu’s eyes.
Mu Nanqiu took advantage of the moment to pull Su Yao into her arms for the first official embrace. Holding her tightly, she felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction—though the thick clothes they were wearing were a bit of a drawback.
She took a deep breath, gently stroked Su Yao’s hair, buried her face in it, and tightened her hold.
Murmuring softly,
“Yao Yao, do you know? I was really, really angry the day you escaped from marriage.
We’ve been together for two whole years, chatting every night. You’d tell me about the happy and sad things you encountered.
Do you remember last March? You suddenly came to say goodbye and kept thanking me for taking care of you all this time. You said something happened in real life and you wouldn’t come Online anymore, and you kept apologizing. Do you know how worried I was?
I kept comforting you and even wanted to find you in real life. You never told me what happened, and I didn’t ask.
That night, we talked until three in the morning and agreed to meet the next day. But just thinking you might suffer some misfortune kept me awake—I couldn’t sleep at all.
Fortunately, you came Online the next day. Since then, I’ve been waiting every day, hoping to see you.
And recently, I decided to marry you in the game.”
Su Yao remained silent, making no sound. Mu Nanqiu let go of her hands and teasingly asked,
“Yao Yao, are you crying?”
Su Yao shook her head, then slowly lifted her head. Her clear, bright eyes looked at Mu Nanqiu, and she said,
“I… I’m really strong now!”
After saying this, she grinned sheepishly, looking adorably silly, which made Mu Nanqiu laugh and eased the tense atmosphere.
Su Yao gazed at Mu Nanqiu for a long moment and then said softly,
“Thank you.”
She then threw herself into Mu Nanqiu’s arms, wrapping her hands around her neck, resting her head on a shoulder that wasn’t broad but gave her a deep sense of security, inhaling Mu Nanqiu’s pleasant scent.
Su Yao closed her eyes, savoring this hard-earned warmth.
Embrace unlocked.
They stayed in the Library until nearly two in the afternoon before Su Yao reluctantly parted from Mu Nanqiu. Walking back to the Classroom, the feeling of being held by the one she liked kept flashing through her mind.
Being embraced by someone you like felt incredible—so much so that Su Yao wanted to drown forever in Mu Nanqiu’s tenderness.
But reality had to continue, and the two couldn’t cling together forever.
Zhang Li had received the news that their program had passed, and they would perform at around eight o’clock on the day of the showcase.
After announcing the result, the entire class erupted in excitement. That afternoon, they immediately started rehearsals again, which lasted until five o’clock before dismissal.
With only a few days left until New Year’s Day, they had to make good use of the weekend to practice intensively—practice makes perfect, after all, so there’d be no mistakes on stage.
After the news of passing the Performance Review, they were all thrilled and didn’t complain about giving up their weekends to rehearse.
But such excitement was temporary, and rehearsing was exhausting. Doing the same thing repeatedly could wear down one’s willpower.
Zhang Li thought it best to balance work and rest, so she didn’t push for brutal practice sessions, instead allowing more rest to keep everyone mentally unburdened.
Plus, with normal classes on Monday, rehearsals would only be scheduled during evening self-study sessions, and they’d stop after an hour.
It was a reasonable balance.
Time passed, and it was now the night of the thirty-first.
Ding-ling-ling~
Su Yao and Luo Yu were chatting casually when the evening self-study session ended.
“Su Yao, I’m off now, bye-bye.”
“Bye…”
Though Su Yao rarely responded to Luo Yu, they had formed a subtle friendship, probably because they shared some common topics.
Teacher Mantou and the newbie Luo Yu recommended to her were a bit tiring but also kind of fun, so Su Yao hadn’t refused to talk.
Luo Yu didn’t care about Su Yao’s coldness or warmth.
As long as someone was willing to chat about orange-flavored novels or gossip about senior girls, she was happy to be friends.
After Luo Yu left, Su Yao waited until most people had left the Classroom before she got up and walked out.
She usually rushed off right after class, but this time was different.
Her bladder was about to burst, and even walking was difficult. She had to find a place to relieve herself first before doing anything else.
She messaged Mu Nanqiu on her phone, explaining she’d be a little late and why. After receiving a reply, she hurried down to the bathroom in small, quick steps.
At the door, Su Yao looked left and right to make sure no one was around.
Then she took off her hat and smoothed her hair, trying to look like a normal girl.
But just as she lifted her foot, she realized something was off and stopped abruptly.
Looking down, she saw the camera hanging from her neck. Entering like this didn’t seem appropriate.
Her bladder seemed to sense the nearby spot, urging her to hurry. The sudden jolt almost made Su Yao leak, but she clenched tightly…
“…”
The urgency made Su Yao break out in cold sweat. She quickly unzipped her jacket and stuffed the camera inside, tiptoeing into the restroom, afraid to make a sound and disturb whoever might be there.
Su Yao didn’t want to do this, but she couldn’t ask for a bathroom break in front of the whole class and teacher.
With a mix of anxiety and relief, she entered the women’s restroom. Though it wasn’t her first time, she still felt nervous.
Usually, she would find a less crowded restroom to relieve herself.
But since nearly ten minutes had passed since class ended, she didn’t go far.
After entering, she walked deeper inside, confirming no one was there before bravely stepping into a stall.
Soon, the sound of flowing water came from inside.
When she finished and wiped, she stood up but hadn’t yet pulled up her pants when she heard someone enter outside.
She was startled, trembling, but then reminded herself she was really a girl now, so there was nothing to fear.
Though she thought that, Su Yao decided to wait until the newcomers went into their stalls before leaving, ideally waiting until the water sounds quieted.
People usually don’t move around much when using the toilet.
Such a nice thought—but reality was harsh. The girls outside seemed to be on a leisurely visit—they washed their hands and then started chatting.
Su Yao’s face darkened with irritation.
Naturally, their topics were girlish gossip.
Su Yao didn’t want to eavesdrop and wasn’t interested in what they said, but she had no choice but to listen to their scattered chatter about random rumors.
Like which dormitory girl caught a long-distance boyfriend, leaving her five roommates free to eat snacks; a two-timing senior; panties mysteriously flying off the windowsill; and a baby’s cry heard from the back mountain at night.
In short, all sorts of chaotic topics, with everyone chiming in, and they didn’t seem in a hurry to leave anytime soon.
Su Yao grew anxious. Senior was still waiting for her!