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“Su Yubai, goodnight kiss?” Jiang Yule’s cheeks burned as she asked, resisting the urge to pat her face.
A flicker of meaning in Su Yubai’s eyes, pointing to her lips, “Here, come get it.”
“Oh.”
Agreeing verbally, but—turning, Jiang Yule punched in her door code, pushing it half-open.
Seeing her move, Su Yubai smiled silently, fleetingly.
Pausing at the door, suppressing shyness, Jiang Yule turned, staring, “Then, close your eyes, Sister.”
Stepping toward her slowly, mustering courage.
Lips curving slightly, Su Yubai closed her eyes, bending her knees.
Facing her at eye level, Jiang Yule’s cheeks reheated rapidly.
Heart racing, inching closer, greedily studying her near-perfect features—save the dark circles.
A visual blow, eyes drifting to her thin lips, breath hitching, adjusting, leaning in, breaths mingling.
Warm breath neared; swallowing, Jiang Yule’s gaze lingered on her lips.
“Hm?” Su Yubai, eyes closed long, felt only her breath, no soft touch.
Her voice slightly hoarse.
Eyes curving, Jiang Yule leaned closer, heart trembling at her warm breath.
Feeling her approach, Su Yubai held her breath, but the lips stopped short, then—a soft touch on her right cheek.
Tender, fleeting.
Eyes snapping open, Jiang Yule had bounced back, calling, “Goodnight, Sister!”
Her door slammed shut; Su Yubai’s lips curved, straightening, entering her apartment.
Inside, lights off, Jiang Yule leaned against the door, steadying her breath and heart.
What if I’d kissed her lips?
She held back.
Relieved, yet regretful—she’d wanted to.
Su Yubai had offered, and she missed the chance.
Back on the treadmill.
Mind blank, running.
After nearly a month’s training, her speed had soared.
Passing the sofa, eyes caught an unopened package.
Unsure what to do—toss it?
A thought struck, tucking it into her bedroom closet. Maybe useful someday.
Post-shower, hair dried, slipping into the new nightgown.
About to apply a face mask and watch a show, Su Yubai’s message popped up: [Asleep?]
Her composure unshaken, as if nothing happened.
Steadying her heart, replying: [Not yet.]
Quick response: [Can you come help me?]
Help… Glancing at her nightgown, recalling the video call when Su Yubai warned, Fix your clothes.
This gown’s neckline was loose, prone to slipping.
Hesitating to change, another message: [Not convenient?]
Pocketing her phone, Jiang Yule opened her door, finding Su Yubai’s ajar.
Heart steeled, in slippers, entering, seeing Su Yubai on the sofa in pajamas, looking at her.
Swapping to bear slippers, approaching, “What help, Sister?”
Glancing at her gown, eyes flicking away, holding up the eye cream, “I don’t know how.”
Blinking, wanting to say she didn’t either, but swallowing it.
“Might need to look it up.”
“Yup.” Nodding, watching her.
Lips curling, taking the cream, fingers brushing hers, recalling their clasped hands.
Checking Xiaohongshu for application tips, studying techniques, “Close your eyes, Sister.”
“Sounds familiar.”
Memory rushing back, cheeks burning again.
Sitting beside her, “Be good, Sister.”
“No one’s called me that,” squinting.
Surprised, “Not even Aunt Su?”
“Nope.”
Thinking of the convenience store aunt’s words—Su Yubai, cold but talkative, restrained by the environment.
Her view of Su Kaihua and Lin Zhiying soured.
Snapping back, “Coming, coming.”
Unpacking, “Gonna wash my hands first.”
“Yup.”
Watching her back, Su Yubai mused.
Returning, Su Yubai’s eyes closed, “So good, Sister.”
Knowing what she meant, low voice, “Not good, I peeked.”
“Didn’t see,” eyes curving.
Dabbing cream under her eyes, tapping gently.
Su Yubai stayed still, barely blinking.
“You don’t blink?”
“You’re gentle.”
Giggling, “No, most people’s eyes are sensitive, blinking like crazy.”
Pausing, “You’ve touched others’ eyes?”
Stunned, explaining, “No, when I got contacts, my eyes were too sensitive. The clerk took two hours to help.”
“Oh.”
“As a kid, for performances, eye makeup made me blink like mad. The artist found me annoying.”
“You didn’t trust them.”
Lips curving, “So you trust me?”
“Yup.”
Her breath hit Jiang Yule’s wrist, fingers trembling, “I-I’ll do my best.”
“Good.”
Like a teacher-student exchange.
“Sister, you’d make a great teacher.”
“Hm?”
Breath on her wrist again.
Adjusting, “You make people want to impress you.”
“You too?”
“Yup.”
Pouting, “But you don’t praise me.”
“I do.”
“When?”
“Now, you’re doing well.”
“‘Well’ is your praise?”
“Yup.”
“Fine.” For reserved folks, that’s high praise.
Softly, “How do you want me to praise?”
“Say I’m awesome!” Cheerfully.
“Awesome,” she echoed.
Shaking her head, “Your ‘awesome’ is so bland.”
Puzzled, “Hm?”
“It’s not the word, it’s the emotion.”
“Like, ‘Well done!’” With flair.
Still confused, “Can’t tell the difference.”
“No worries, just praise me more.”
“Good.”
Feeling like begging a teacher for praise, but Su Yubai couldn’t be her teacher.
Teachers and students can’t date…
Done with the cream, “How’s it feel?”
“Warm around the eyes, nothing else.”
“No moisture?”
Pausing, “Maybe.”
Maybe.
Smiling, glancing at the clock, “Late, I’m off to bed.”
“Yup.”
Following her to the door.
Swapping slippers, stepping out, waving, “Goodnight, Sister.”
Silent, staring, Jiang Yule wondered—another goodnight kiss?
“Goodnight,” scanning her lips, softly.
Closing her door, washing hands, touching her lips, feeling Su Yubai’s cheek.
Up at 5:30, ready by 5:59, opening her door.
Su Yubai opened hers, “Morning, Sister. A minute early~”
“Morning.” No explanation for her early exit.
Running downstairs, Su Yubai slowed, but Jiang Yule overtook her.
Speeding up to match, “You’ve trained a lot.”
A statement.
Didn’t want to chase your back forever.
At the fork, “Seaside?”
“Yup!” Instant decision.
Running with Su Yubai to the sea felt worry-free now.
As expected, meeting Huang Yuxin.
Surprised, “Morning, Senior.”
Then, “Morning, Sister Yule.”
“Morning,” Su Yubai said flatly.
Smiling, “Morning.”
Huang Yuxin joined them, “Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Your speed’s improved.”
Since their last meeting, Jiang Yule hadn’t run seaside, “Treadmill at home’s convenient.”
“Why out today?”
“Sister’s here, so I’m running with her.”
Realizing “Sister” meant Su Yubai, Huang Yuxin glanced at her.
Su Yubai’s face unchanged, used to the title.
Glancing at Jiang Yule, she seemed normal.
After running, breakfast together.
Huang Yuxin observed—only the “Sister” title stood out, slightly closer but not couple-like.
Just a name.
For straight women, a younger girl calling “Sister” was normal.
“Did you apply eye cream, Sister?”
“Nope.”
“I’ll help later~”
Ruffling her hair, “Good.”
Huang Yuxin struggled to look away from their exchange.
Breathing deeply, smiling, “Yule, heading to school? I can drive you.”
“No need, I’m going too.”
Turning to Su Yubai, “I’ll ride with Sister.”
“Yup.”
Huang Yuxin’s heart raced, an unbelievable thought forming.
Post-breakfast, changing, Jiang Yule remembered Su Yubai’s car keys—in her cabinet.
Avoiding Su Yubai-related thoughts, she’d stashed them there.
Grabbing the keys, into her bag.
At Su Yubai’s open door, knocking, “Sister, I’m ready.”
Emerging with a laptop bag, “Let’s go.”
“No eye cream?”
“Tonight.”
Down to the parking lot, handing her the keys.
Looking, not taking them, heading to the passenger seat.
“You drive.”
Stunned, “Really, Sister?”
“Yup.”
Adjusting the seat, buckling up, starting the car.
At the gate, “In a rush? I might drive slow.”
“Plenty of time, don’t stress.”
Her tension seen, breathing deeply, “Okay.”
Su Yubai’s calm presence reassured her.
Smooth drive to HKU, parking easily.
Relieved, hearing, “Awesome.”
Turning, “Say it again?”
Staring, “Well done.”
Pouting, “Fine.”
Exiting, “See you this afternoon, Sister!”
“Yup.”
Parting ways.
“Afternoon” meant after work, but at 2 p.m., Su Yubai appeared at the group meeting.
Qiao Anqing reintroduced her, smiling at Jiang Yule, “Some of you know Professor Su?”
Ji Zizhen whispered, “You’ve met, right?”
Awkward laugh.
Su Yubai was there for project planning with Qiao Anqing.
Presenting the project, discussing frameworks with Qiao—theory and application mixed, specifics pending.
Despite the proposal’s outline, details needed work.
Qiao grouped them: two PhDs, three masters.
Jiang Yule and Ji Zizhen, with three juniors.
Assigning idea collection, Qiao scanned the room.
Su Yubai, low voice, “This student.”
Looking at Jiang Yule.
Heart pounding, meeting her gaze, “Got it, Professor Su.”
Teacher-student vibes.
Q&A time, nearing end of day, Su Yubai’s message: [Waiting in the parking lot.]
Sneaking a glance, she was calmly answering questions.
Feeling like “sneaking around” publicly.
Replying: [Got stuff to do, go home first, Sister.]
Su Yubai checked her phone, glancing subtly.
Meeting her eyes, winking, sending: [QAQ]
Meeting over, her reply: [Okay.]
Days passed, Jiang Yule claiming evening plans.
Su Yubai always: [Okay.]
So good, not even asking what I’m doing.
The day before Su Yubai’s birthday, wrapping up early, Jiang Yule planned to help with eye cream.
She’d likely learned by now, but it was different.
Home, showered, in the nightgown, with lip gloss.
Pleased with her pink lips in the mirror.
At Su Yubai’s door, ringing, no answer.
Again, still none.
Guessing she didn’t hear or wasn’t home, about to message, the door opened—Huang Yuxin in pajamas.
Smile freezing, peering inside, no one, but a hairdryer hummed.
Huang Yuxin shifted, blocking her view, tone sharp, “Senior’s showering. What’s up?”
Showering.
Seeing only Huang Yuxin in pajamas, breath hitching, forcing a smile, “Nothing.”
Turning, at her door, the dryer stopped, Su Yubai’s voice: “Yule looking for me?”
Pausing, turning, eyes meeting.
Su Yubai, also in pajamas.
Looking again, no dodging.
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore Can I Quit Being a Magical Girl?. Start reading now!
Read : Can I Quit Being a Magical Girl?
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