Chapter 3: Girlfriend

“Hello, excuse me, how do I get to this place?”

Wen Qi held up the address Wei Qingxuan had sent her earlier and asked a passerby for directions.

The landlord had messaged her late last night, saying someone had taken a liking to her room, offered a higher price, and paid the deposit. On top of that, the landlord’s child needed tutoring nearby, so Wen Qi had to move out as soon as possible.

She’d originally had a few more days.

But now it had been cut down to just one.

Wen Qi had only just gotten the money and hadn’t had any time to look for a new place.

Luckily, all her “treasures” had already been moved to Wei Qingxuan’s place.

After thinking it over, Wen Qi decided that Wei Qingxuan’s place was still the most reliable option.

Dragging a suitcase, braving the sun, Wen Qi arrived alone, reckless and bold, in the west side of Zhian City.

The auntie she asked glanced at the address and muttered, “Isn’t this Dong Lanying’s place? Go left until the end, then turn the corner, you’ll see it.”

Dong Lanying was Wei Qingxuan’s grandmother.

Seeing Wen Qi carrying luggage, the auntie asked one more question,

“Girl, are you visiting relatives?”

“No,” Wen Qi abruptly lifted the suitcase handle. “I’m here to rent a room.”

Rent a room?!

The auntie shook her head and sighed, never imagining that Dong Lanying’s family would need to rent out rooms for money now.

Wen Qi turned left.

The wheels of her suitcase rolled over the cobblestones at the alley entrance, making crisp clacking sounds.

Following the auntie’s directions, Wen Qi quickly found Wei Qingxuan’s home.

Even the gate exuded a quiet, understated grandeur.

She knocked firmly on the door.

When Wei Qingxuan opened it, surprise flickered in his eyes.

He’d only finished setting up her room halfway.

“Why didn’t you call me to pick you up?”

He took her suitcase.

“It’s all the same. As long as I got here,” Wen Qi said nonchalantly.

Beyond the gate was Wei Qingxuan’s courtyard, so large that Wen Qi couldn’t take it all in at once.

It was a traditional courtyard-style residence.

Rooms lined both sides, laid out in a neat, symmetrical pattern.

No wonder the auntie had been so shocked when Wen Qi said she was here to rent.

A family that could live in a place like this wouldn’t care about a bit of rent money.

Wen Qi followed Wei Qingxuan to pay respects to Dong Lanying first.

She wore a dark navy qipao.

Her gray-white curls were neatly combed, her scholarly air unmistakable.

The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were filled with warmth and smiles.

“You must be Xiao Qi, right?”

“Yes.”

“Come here. Qingxuan talks about you often.”

Dong Lanying held Wen Qi’s hand.

Wei Qingxuan had told her everything about Wen Qi’s family situation.

She felt deeply sorry that such a young girl had to live on her own.

‘He talks about me often?’

Wen Qi turned her head to look at Wei Qingxuan.

He looked perfectly calm, not at all surprised by his grandmother’s words.

“Call me Grandma too, just like Qingxuan does. I heard from him that you two have known each other since childhood back in the east side of the city. That’s wonderful. Our Qingxuan is truly blessed.”

Wen Qi smiled and chatted with Dong Lanying, though something about that last sentence felt… off.

When Wei Qingxuan took her to see the room, she asked directly, “Wei Qingxuan, what did your grandma mean by ‘blessed’? Did she take a liking to me as her future granddaughter-in-law?”

Wei Qingxuan’s steps faltered.

He simply stopped in place.

“Why aren’t you walking?”

“My grandma probably just… likes you.”

“Oh.”

Wen Qi continued, “Then what do you usually say about me? She’s only met me a few times, yet she already likes me that much.”

A crack appeared in Wei Qingxuan’s composure.

His grip on the suitcase tightened.

“I didn’t say anything. Let’s go.”

The room Wen Qi would be staying in faced a corner of the courtyard.

She pushed open the window and found a pavilion outside.

The design was simple and antique, but even the subtle sheen of the materials hinted at their value.

Once again, Wen Qi gained a new understanding of how wealthy Wei Qingxuan’s grandmother’s family was.

“This is your room. You can eat in the main hall. Grandma isn’t in great health and doesn’t like to move around much. If you need anything, just tell me.”

When Wen Qi came out of the bathroom, she found it was more than twice the size of the cramped one in the tube building.

She squeezed the envelope in her bag.

It might take every cent inside to rent a room here.

After hesitating for a moment, she handed the entire envelope over.

“I’ll rent it for two months.”

That would last until she left for university.

Wei Qingxuan didn’t take it.

“I know it might not be enough,” Wen Qi cleared her throat. “But-”

Couldn’t he give her a friendship discount or something?

“No need,” he said.

“No need?!”

This was completely unexpected.

“Are you running a charity? Even a friendship price wouldn’t go that far.”

Wei Qingxuan looked at her, a smile hidden in his eyes.

It wasn’t a loss.

Transplanting a rose always took effort.

Once the rose chose to take root, he could offer up flesh and blood without restraint, letting it feed.

“Friendship is priceless. So this room has no price.”

He lowered his gaze as he spoke.

Wen Qi opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

She was hesitating.

Realizing that, Wei Qingxuan felt his heart loosen slightly.

Hesitation meant there was room for attraction.

Room for this attraction, and others yet to come.

Wen Qi stayed in the room.

She didn’t even notice when Wei Qingxuan left until the door closed behind him.

As if jolted awake from a dream, she rushed to the window and pushed it open.

Wei Qingxuan stood at the center of the courtyard.

“Wei Qingxuan!”

He stopped.

That dark, surging emotion hadn’t yet been reined in.

It shot straight toward Wen Qi.

He had never been as harmless and pure as he appeared.

But fortunately, in Wen Qi’s heart, he was.

Realizing this, Wei Qingxuan switched emotions at lightning speed.

That fleeting moment vanished in the blink of an eye, like an illusion.

When Wen Qi tried to look again, all she saw was his gentle, clean smile.

“Th-thank you.”

Rarely stumbling over her words, Wen Qi quickly shut the window.

For some reason, what she’d seen in his eyes earlier didn’t feel like friendship at all.

But Wen Qi had too much to do.

She really didn’t have time to dwell on what Wei Qingxuan meant.

After a simple unpacking, Wen Qi went to check her “treasures.”

The voice-acting equipment she’d bought online.

Perfect.

Not a scratch.

Wen Qi had been planning this summer ever since before the college entrance exam.

Her sticky notes were filled with plans.

The first one, traveling with her mom, had been crossed out.

The second, making money.

Plain, unadorned, and great.

She wanted to use this summer to see just how far she could go down the path of voice acting.

Wen Qi had a good voice.

Back then, Li Yu and Wen Zhi Shen had tried to steer her toward broadcasting and hosting.

She’d attended plenty of training classes, until something went wrong.

They separated.

And Wen Qi had to forge this path on her own.

All things considered, she was still grateful that they’d given her that foundation.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t even be able to afford training now.

After confirming that her “treasures” were fine, the sticky discomfort on her skin became impossible to ignore.

She took a comfortable shower and changed into fresh clothes.

She opened the door to get some air and happened to see Wei Qingxuan standing at the main gate.

Coincidentally, she’d realized during her shower that she’d forgotten her slippers back at the tube building.

She’d slipped on a random pair and run out.

“Wei Qingxuan, about the slippers-”

Along with his gaze came another girl’s.

The girl was holding something that looked like a love letter.

Her eyes were filled with tears.

When she saw Wen Qi, her eyes widened, and the tears immediately fell.

“You two! Wei Qingxuan, you could’ve just said you had a girlfriend! There was no need to say you didn’t want to date for now!”

She ran off after saying that, clearly furious.

Girlfriend?

So fast, now it was her turn to be Wei Qingxuan’s shield?

Wen Qi went back to her room.

Two minutes later, Wei Qingxuan knocked on her door.

He brought a pair of pale pink slippers.

Surprisingly, they fit perfectly.

Wen Qi thanked him.

“That just now counts as me returning the favor once.”

“Returning the favor?”

“Yeah.”

“You were forced to be my boyfriend before too, weren’t you?”

“Forced?”

Wei Qingxuan’s gaze dropped to Wen Qi’s feet.

Slender ankles.

Smooth, luminous toes.

Her toenails were painted a clear nude pink, though the edges were chipped.

They could be repainted.

He thought so calmly.

“What else would it be?”

Wen Qi couldn’t see his eyes and thought he was just looking at the slippers.

“They’re pretty nice. Good-looking.”

Wei Qingxuan’s gaze returned to the top of her foot.

“Mm. Very nice.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

“I can help.”

“No need. That Qi Junnan has already been sent away.”

But that wasn’t what Wei Qingxuan meant.

That evening after dinner, Wen Qi rested for a bit and planned to practice voice acting.

Then her door was knocked on again.

Wei Qingxuan stood outside holding several bottles of nail polish.

He’d clearly done his homework.

Base coat.

Top coat.

Nourishing oil.

Even a full set of nail tools.

Wen Qi took them.
“A thank-you gift? Actually, I didn’t do much. That girl just mistook me for your girlfriend.”

If that was the case, did she owe Wei Qingxuan some compensation too?

“I’ll think about what to give you.”

“No need,” Wei Qingxuan said. “It’s not a thank-you.”

“Not a thank you?”

This nail polish series was called “First Encounter on Blue Isle.”

Sheer, with fine pink-gold shimmer.

A niche brand, people wouldn’t know it unless they’d researched it.

“Then why give it to me?”

Wen Qi stuffed the nail polish back into his arms.

“You’re making me suspect you have ulterior motives.”

Wei Qingxuan turned his face away.

A suspicious flush crept up the tips of his ears.

“No motives. I just thought this color would suit your hair perfectly.”

Wen Qi had a few strands of pink highlights.

When the wind lifted her hair, they showed.

She crossed her arms and stepped closer to him, one step at a time.

“Really?”

Wei Qingxuan didn’t retreat.

His Adam’s apple rolled heavily.

His gaze stuck to her parting lips, unable to look away.

Some part of his mind even wandered to imagining them being ravaged.

It would be beautiful.

“Mm,” he said again. “Wen Qi, you’re too close.”

So close that the scent of gardenia mixed with citrus on her body drilled straight into his heart.

“Tch.” Wen Qi turned away. “So boring.”

Still as wooden and pure as ever.

If he minded her being close, why didn’t he step back even once?

Wen Qi quickly retreated to her original spot.

So fast it was like everything just now had been a dragonfly skimming water.

But Wei Qingxuan couldn’t calm down.

An invisible string held his heart taut in Wen Qi’s grasp.

When she came close, his heart tangled itself in frantic beats and helpless confusion.

When she moved away, annoyance and anticipation of her returning took turns surfacing.

Wen Qi didn’t know what Wei Qingxuan was thinking.

But seeing how straight his lips were pressed, a teasing urge slowly rose in her.

“Wei Qingxuan, have you dated anyone these past few years?”

She noticed the polish on her toenails had chipped and took the nail polish from his hands, already thinking about how to repaint them.

“No.”

His gaze was involuntarily drawn to her movements.

But when she looked over, he lowered his eyes.

Wen Qi stared at him, feeling something was off.

Right, he’d never stayed alone in a room with her this late before.

“Then do you want to date?” She tested the waters. “With me.”

She tossed out the words without context, like casually throwing a pebble.

Once it landed on his heart, she didn’t care how the ripples spread.

The night should have been calm.

But Wei Qingxuan’s heart suddenly tightened.

He stood up and almost crashed out the door.

Behind him came Wen Qi’s triumphant, unrestrained laughter.

Those half-joking, ambiguous words.

Like morning mist.

Like the fragrance of wine at midnight.

They brushed lightly past his ears and left no aftermath.

In the silence, Wei Qingxuan repeatedly savored the uncertain warmth hidden in her words.

He dialed Wen Qi’s number and listened to her sleepy, nasal murmur.

“You did it on purpose?” he asked.

After a few seconds of silence, her lazy voice came through the receiver.

Just three simple words.

“How could I?”