Guan Qingtong gulped down her milk, trying to hide her awkwardness and the confusing desires she couldn't quite understand.
"The bread I toasted isn't burnt, is it?" Su Yirao slowly tore off a piece of bread, asking, "Why do you seem to dislike it?"
Putting down the glass, Guan Qingtong quickly replied, "No, I don't dislike it. It's just… I don't have much of an appetite this morning."
"Is that so?" Su Yirao pointed to the corner of Guan Qingtong's mouth with a smile, "You've got a milk mustache."
"Ah?" Guan Qingtong's face flushed as she quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe away the sticky residue.
"Sister, you're one to talk. You've got some on your lips too."
"Really?" Su Yirao raised an eyebrow but didn't have free hands to wipe it off as she was spreading jam on her bread. Instead, she lightly licked the corner of her lips with the tip of her tongue.
"There's still some left."
Su Yirao frowned, glanced at the almost-finished jam-covered bread, and said, "I'll wipe it off once I'm done."
"Why don't I help you wipe it off?" Guan Qingtong asked, stunned by her own words as soon as they left her mouth.
Su Yirao paused, her eyes narrowing with a hint of amusement as she looked at Guan Qingtong. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Feeling uneasy under Su Yirao's gaze, Guan Qingtong balled the napkin in her hand into a crumpled mess.
She hastily explained, "I just said it without thinking."
"Is that so?" Su Yirao's eyebrow arched as she leaned forward slightly. "Well, since my hands are full, you might as well help me."
"Actually… you were right. There's no rush…"
Su Yirao chuckled softly and said, "Guan Qingtong, you're the one who suggested it, so don't get shy now. If you said you'd do something, then do it. Go ahead, wipe it off."
The napkin in her hand was now wrinkled and damp with sweat, a testament to her nervousness. Guan Qingtong stammered a couple of times before discarding the crumpled napkin and pulling out a fresh one.
Taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart, she leaned in close to Su Yirao and gently dabbed away the milk residue from the corner of her lips.
At that moment, she wished she could stretch the time just a bit longer.
But the moment ended too soon as Guan Qingtong reluctantly pulled back.
"You're acting a bit dazed today," Su Yirao said with a laugh.
The words made Guan Qingtong's face flush even more as she quickly defended herself, "I'm not dazed!"
Su Yirao smiled, not bothering to argue further as she focused on her jam-covered bread.
Feeling a bit deflated by the lack of response, Guan Qingtong glanced at the napkin she had used to wipe Su Yirao's lips before discarding it.
...
Given it was a weekday, the coffee shop had only a few customers, making it quieter than usual.
Normally, Guan Qingtong wasn't the fastest worker, but she would never spend an entire morning struggling to come up with a single marketing concept.
What was wrong with her today?
She pondered this as she stepped out of the workspace, hoping some fresh air might clear her head.
All morning, her mind had been replaying last night's dance practice with Su Yirao, recalling every detail of their close contact and Su Yirao's soft voice guiding her.
It wasn't until she saw the clock's hands point to noon that she snapped out of her reverie.
Guan Qingtong grabbed her phone and opened her chat with Su Yirao.
Guan Qingtong: Sister, it's noon. What are you planning to eat…
But before she could hit send, she deleted the message.
Su Yirao was probably just finishing up work and wouldn't have time to respond to her idle chatter.
Sigh…
"You're sighing at your phone, looking dazed and out of it. You even left the office with a silly grin. It can only mean one thing—you're lovesick."
Zhou Huiying's voice pulled Guan Qingtong back to reality.
"Lovesick?"
"What else could it be?" Zhou Huiying teased. "Missing your sister Yirao already? It hasn't even been that long since you last worked together, and you're already pining for her?"
Of course! That must be it. She was just missing working with her. That's why she felt so off today!
Guan Qingtong felt a brief sense of relief at having found an explanation.
But then another thought surfaced.
Reflecting on last night, on how she hadn't resisted and had even enjoyed their close dance practice, she felt she might have found the real reason.
Her heart skipped a beat as the realization dawned, and she felt warmth creeping into her chest.
Her gaze flickered as she responded, "No, it's just that I've been stuck on a piece of copywriting…"
Before she could finish, Zhou Huiying interrupted with a laugh, "Guan Qingtong, you're a terrible liar. Don't think I can't see through you."
"I…"
"It's okay. I've already messaged Su Yirao for you." Zhou Huiying grinned, holding up her phone to show the chat. "Whether you're missing her or just want to work with her again, it's all good."
With a laugh, Zhou Huiying walked away, leaving Guan Qingtong stunned.
Barely two minutes later, her phone buzzed with a new message.
Su Yirao had texted her.
Su Yirao: You're thinking about me.
It was a statement, not a question.
Caught off guard by Su Yirao's directness, Guan Qingtong felt her cheeks warm as she fumbled to compose a reply, but nothing seemed right.
Then her phone rang, displaying "Sister Yirao" on the screen.
She bit her lip, trying to contain the flutter in her chest as she swiped to answer.
"Hello?" she said, noticing her voice trembled slightly.
Su Yirao's gentle laugh came through the line. "If you're thinking about me, just reach out. You can text or call me anytime. I'm busy with work, but not so busy that I can't reply."
"Sister…"
"Yes?"
"Let's have lunch together," Guan Qingtong said.
After expressing her wish to see Su Yirao, she felt a calmness settle over her.