As her arm was enveloped in the softness of Guan Qingtong's embrace, Su Yirao couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable, her body tensing up momentarily.
"A 'girlfriend in name only'? Guan Qingtong, you're getting into character faster than I am."
"That's just because I adapt quickly," Guan Qingtong responded with a bright smile. "Honestly, having someone like you as a girlfriend would be a blessing."
Her smile faded slightly as she added, "I really wonder who will be lucky enough to have you as their girlfriend in the future."
"I'll always belong only to myself!" Su Yirao's gaze grew firm, her voice resonating with strength.
She didn't belong to the novel, nor was she a puppet controlled by the system.
Everything had to be her choice!
Guan Qingtong couldn't fully grasp the deep resolve in Su Yirao's eyes, but she could feel the power in her words.
It was a strength born from independence and self-reliance, values that Guan Qingtong had long admired.
At that moment, she began to understand why she was so drawn to Su Yirao.
When they first met, it was gratitude for being saved.
In their daily interactions, it was respect for her guidance.
But what truly attracted her was Su Yirao's principles and unwavering belief in self-determination.
Guan Qingtong's childhood had been marked by hardship—her father, a compulsive gambler, lost everything and abandoned his family. From then on, her mother had struggled to raise her, often expressing a desire to remarry into wealth to escape their difficulties.
Despite marrying twice more, her mother's hopes for a better life through marriage never materialized, and in her illness, it was only Guan Qingtong who stood by her, doing everything she could to care for her.
These experiences had ingrained in Guan Qingtong the belief that one could only rely on oneself.
Su Yirao, who lived by that very principle, was someone she felt fortunate to have met.
"We're getting off track," Su Yirao's words pulled Guan Qingtong from her thoughts. "What do you think of Yu Xingye?"
"Yu Xingye?" Guan Qingtong couldn't help but laugh. "Didn't you see my rant in our chat? Everything I think about him is right there."
Then, realizing there might be more to Su Yirao's sudden question, she cautiously asked, "Sister, could it be that you still have feelings for him? Did my comments upset you?"
"No lingering feelings," Su Yirao replied, frowning slightly. "I ran into him earlier, and he mentioned that you invited him for coffee."
"If you have feelings for him…"
Guan Qingtong straightened up and gently tapped Su Yirao's lips, smiling as she said, "No way! Sister, I'm someone with a girlfriend now. How could I have feelings for him? Don't say that—I'm not about to change my mind."
The statement was so straightforward and matter-of-fact that it left Su Yirao momentarily stunned.
Then, she laughed softly, deciding to respect her own feelings as she asked, "So why did you invite him for coffee? You know I'm not on good terms with him."
"Well, that's exactly why I did it," Guan Qingtong explained, still smiling. "I just said it to get him to leave quickly, so he wouldn't bother you. But I guess it backfired, huh? Did he end up annoying you anyway?"
In that moment, the tension she had been feeling seemed to ease.
Su Yirao didn't answer directly but smiled more warmly as she said, "Knowing him, he'll probably show up at the café to collect on that coffee."
"What? Someone as busy as Yu Xingye wouldn't actually do that, would he?" Guan Qingtong speculated, a bit nervous. "Sister, he's not trying to get back together with you, is he?"
"Impossible. You're overthinking it."
"That's a relief." Guan Qingtong sighed in relief.
"That's a relief?" Su Yirao raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. "What are you so nervous about?"
Guan Qingtong, not one to be shy, answered directly, "I was afraid I'd lose my girlfriend as soon as I got her."
Suddenly, Su Yirao couldn't hold back her laughter, covering her mouth as she let out a soft, amused chuckle.
"Haha, Guan Qingtong, you really do get into character fast! If you're not the next Best Actress in China, I won't believe it!"
Guan Qingtong blinked in surprise before joining in the laughter. "Hahaha, then Sister Su, what would the title of my award-winning role be?"
In a good mood, Su Yirao thought for a moment but couldn't come up with anything.
"I can't think of a title for your role. It's not easy to make one up."
"That's true. I'll have to keep practicing my acting. If I don't have a signature role, there's no point in being Best Actress…"
...
After having dinner out, they returned home late at night.
As the lights illuminated the entire house, Su Yirao put down Guan Qingtong's belongings, and the place felt warmer and more homely than ever before.
"It's getting late. Go ahead and get cleaned up."
"Oh, and your leg..." Su Yirao hesitated. "Can you bathe on your own? If not, just wash up a bit."
In Rong City's humid weather, it was hard to go without a proper bath.
But that was something Guan Qingtong couldn't accept.
"I can bathe. It's fine," Guan Qingtong replied with a smile. "Standing for too long hurts, so I'll just use the bathtub instead of the shower. You don't mind if I use your tub, do you, Sister?"
Su Yirao shook her head. "I don't mind. Go ahead."
They both avoided mentioning the misunderstanding from the other night, silently agreeing to go to their respective bathrooms with their sleepwear and robes.
Half an hour later, Su Yirao, loosely wrapped in her bathrobe, finished drying her hair. Wearing slippers, she slowly walked out of the bedroom bathroom.
She paused outside the bathroom in the living room and called out to Guan Qingtong, "The smell of alcohol on the couch hasn't fully dissipated yet. After you're done, come to my room so I can apply the medicine."
"No problem."
Guan Qingtong was just getting out of the tub, ready to rinse off the soap suds with the showerhead, when something unexpected happened.
Her injured right leg couldn't bear much weight, and as she stepped onto the wet, slippery tiles outside the bathtub, she lost her footing.
"Thud!"
"Ow!" Guan Qingtong gasped, "Ouch, that hurts."
The loud noise startled Su Yirao, who immediately looked up.
"Did you fall?" she asked from outside the bathroom.
The impact on her backside sent a jolt of pain through her body, making her eyes well up with tears. But she held them back.
She wasn't wearing any clothes, and it would be too embarrassing to ask for help.
"I... I'm fine."
Even though Guan Qingtong tried to suppress it, the sharp pain in her voice made it hard to hide the slight tremor.
"You're almost crying, and you say you're fine?" Su Yirao tried to open the bathroom door. "Let me help you."
The door was locked.
"Sister Su, I can get up on my own."
Despite her words, Guan Qingtong didn't dare move. She sat there, grimacing in pain, waiting for the ache to subside.
"Wait there. I'll get the spare key."
Hearing the urgency in Su Yirao's footsteps as she left, Guan Qingtong wished she could just disappear out of embarrassment.
In the short time Su Yirao was gone, she gritted her teeth, got up, and quickly rinsed off the soap.
Then, with lightning speed, she put on her sleepwear.
It's true—people can summon incredible strength in certain situations.
If it weren't for the fear of facing an embarrassing scene, Guan Qingtong probably wouldn't have been able to move so quickly despite her injury.
Just then, she heard the sound of the key in the lock.
She quickly massaged the sore spot on her waist, trying to look nonchalant as she met Su Yirao's concerned gaze.
"Sister, I'm okay."
Su Yirao eyed her suspiciously, noting the paleness of her face but finding no visible injuries.
She nodded and stepped aside to let Guan Qingtong out of the bathroom.
"Sister Su, let's go to your room so I can apply the medicine."
"Alright," Su Yirao agreed without hesitation.
This time, she wasn't in the mood to tease Guan Qingtong. She sat quietly on the edge of the bed, slightly lowering her loose bathrobe to expose the burned area, making it easier for Guan Qingtong to apply the medicine.
At first, everything was fine.
But after half a minute, Guan Qingtong began to struggle.
Sitting down had lowered Su Yirao's height significantly, and for Guan Qingtong to apply the medicine, she had to lean forward, half-squatting.
But her waist and the area below her knee were still aching, making it nearly impossible for her to maintain the position.
So she turned around and went to the living room to grab a small, lower stool.
She calculated the height—it should be just right.
Su Yirao silently observed her actions, noting the brief moment when Guan Qingtong rubbed her waist. She remarked casually, "Guan Qingtong, you're so stubborn. If it hurts, just say so."
"It doesn't hurt."
"Then why are you holding your waist?"
"Because I feel like it!"
Taking advantage of a moment when Guan Qingtong wasn't paying attention, Su Yirao moved closer, lightly pinching her lips.
"Your lips are pretty soft. Why are you saying such hard-headed things?"
Guan Qingtong made a muffled sound of protest, finding the situation amusing.
"What did you want to say?"
Su Yirao let go and glanced at the medicine box, remembering that it contained some ointment for muscle pain.
"Okay, it does hurt a little," Guan Qingtong admitted. "But I got my stubbornness from you. Your burn hasn't healed, and yet you keep saying it's fine."
"You haven't learned much of the good stuff, but you've picked up all the bad habits."
Su Yirao's gaze sharpened as she found the ointment for muscle pain.
She pulled her bathrobe back up over her shoulder and walked over, picking up the ointment.
"Lie down. I'll apply the ointment to your waist."
"No, really…"
Before Guan Qingtong could finish her sentence, she noticed that Su Yirao, usually so polite, was now closing in on her. In the next moment, she felt Su Yirao's hands guiding her toward the bed.
"Ah!" she yelped in surprise, "Sister Su, what are you doing?"
Su Yirao's lips curled into a playful smile, a hint of mischief in her eyes as she whispered, "Your assertive approach works well on stubborn people. I'm a quick learner and thought I'd try out the move you used in the car."
As she spoke, Su Yirao applied more pressure with her hands, causing Guan Qingtong to lose her balance and fall onto the bed.
But as she fell, Guan Qingtong instinctively reached out to grab something to steady herself.
Unfortunately, the nearest thing within her grasp was Su Yirao's bathrobe.
With a sharp tug, both Su Yirao and her bathrobe were pulled down onto the bed by Guan Qingtong's momentum.