Confessing her feelings and being rejected—Guan Qingtong had prepared herself for that. In her worst-case scenario, she imagined she and Su Yirao could go back to being friends, perhaps not as close, but still in each other's lives.
But reality was harsher than she had expected. Su Yirao didn't just want to end their romantic relationship—she wanted to sever all ties, leaving Guan Qingtong completely in the dark.
Guan Qingtong couldn't accept it. She couldn't understand it.
So when Su Yirao spoke those words, she couldn't help but ask, "Why do you suddenly want to cut all ties? You may not love me, but you don't hate me. Why can't we at least stay friends?"
"If I stay close to you, it will only hold you back. Walking away will help you move on faster," Su Yirao replied. "You deserve more options."
"But I don't need more options."
"Let me say this—you don't need to fall for someone just because they're kind to you. You need to figure out what you truly want."
"Zifei Yu, how do you know the joy of fish?" Guan Qingtong responded, quoting a famous saying.
Su Yirao smiled faintly, realizing her words were falling on deaf ears.
"Honestly, sometimes I wish you could step out of your comfort zone and see the world more clearly."
Guan Qingtong was even more confused.
Sensing her confusion, Su Yirao sighed softly. "You're in the middle of it all. Maybe it's better that you don't understand—it spares you a lot of worry."
For some reason, seeing Su Yirao like this made Guan Qingtong feel a deep ache in her heart. She wanted to reach out and hug her, but she had no excuse to do so.
"What am I in the middle of? Tell me, maybe I'll understand."
"When you were faced with that scene, the first person you turned to was Gao Xiaoyu, not me. Why didn't you come to me for an explanation?"
"It's because, in your heart, that guy is also good to you—someone you can trust and rely on."
"You see? You tend to trust anyone who is good to you. I'm just your current choice. If I leave, you'll have someone else to turn to. Even if he's not much of a choice."
Guan Qingtong hesitated, unsure if she was right, and asked cautiously, "Are you jealous?"
Su Yirao was always straightforward, and despite the brief flicker of embarrassment, she nodded. "Yes."
"Since I wasn't your first choice, why should I bother? Besides, I don't feel that strongly about you, so there's no need for me to choose or trust you."
"Being strangers suits us better."
Guan Qingtong's emotions swung wildly, finally reaching their peak.
She suddenly turned and threw her arms around Su Yirao, holding on tightly.
"You're not allowed to leave! You can't just walk away and pretend we're strangers!"
Su Yirao frowned and tried to pull away.
"Guan Qingtong, you can't force someone to love you."
Guan Qingtong didn't care what she said. She clung to her, burying her face in Su Yirao's neck, and cried out, "Who said I didn't choose you? Do you know why I asked Gao Xiaoyu to come here?"
"I hate you so much right now. Why do you keep saying things to hurt me? Why are you pushing me away? Do you know how much courage it took for me to sit here?"
Su Yirao, unable to break free, sighed and patted her shoulder gently, her voice softening. "Fine, I'll indulge you one last time. But tomorrow, we'll go back to being strangers…"
Before she could finish, Guan Qingtong silenced her with a kiss.
The phrase "sealed with a kiss" flashed through Su Yirao's mind.
At the same time, the soft touch of Guan Qingtong's lips sent her brain into a frenzy. She was utterly shocked.
Guan Qingtong was kissing her!
The kiss was firm, carrying a mixture of anger and affection.
"Phew…"
Guan Qingtong was worried that Su Yirao would be angry, so she quickly ended the kiss without expecting her to reciprocate.
As she looked at Su Yirao's glossy lips, she couldn't suppress her joy. Her lips curled up uncontrollably, and she licked her own lips, savoring the taste as if she had just enjoyed a long-desired treat.
Seeing Guan Qingtong's bright, predatory gaze and her playful actions, Su Yirao felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
She glared at Guan Qingtong and finally managed to say, "That was too much!"
"Su Jie, that was my first real kiss! You didn't lose out!" Guan Qingtong clung to Su Yirao's arm, her voice playful. "You can't be mad. You kissed me first, so now we're even."
That was true. She had kissed Guan Qingtong once before to prove their relationship in front of Yu Xingye.
She couldn't argue with that.
Su Yirao felt a bit stifled.
"Su Jie, you can't say such hurtful things anymore," Guan Qingtong said, her voice softening. "It made me really sad when you talked about us becoming strangers."
"It's only a matter of time."
Guan Qingtong was exasperated. "Su Jie, your lips may be soft, but they don't taste sweet."
"I gave you a chance to explain, but why didn't you give me the same opportunity?" Guan Qingtong continued. "Gao Xiaoyu wasn't here to help me escape or because I saw him as an option!"
Su Yirao frowned but didn't respond.
"Su Jie, just wait a minute. In one minute, you'll understand."
Guan Qingtong glanced at her watch, then scooted closer to Su Yirao, resting her head on her shoulder.
The sea breeze blew gently, and the waves lapped softly at the shore.
Su Yirao, curious and puzzled, found herself enjoying this moment of peace.
In the silence, she thought about why she was so hung up on whether to break free from the water's surface.
Life underwater wasn't so bad after all.
At least, with Su Yirao leaning on her shoulder, everything felt just right.
"Boom!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The sound of fireworks exploding echoed in the air, snapping Su Yirao out of her thoughts. In the next moment, a cascade of vibrant colors lit up the sky before her eyes.
The fireworks were breathtaking, their brilliance and proximity leaving a lasting impression on her.
Guan Qingtong smiled ruefully. "I didn't just ask him to come—I had the whole team here. They've been hiding nearby, helping me set up this fireworks display."
"I don't have much experience planning things, and I'm not very good at romantic gestures. But I wanted to create a fireworks show for my confession, so that one day, when we look back, we'll think it was pretty good."
"But I never expected this carefully planned night to almost become a source of pain."
The fireworks continued to bloom in the sky, lighting up the night and reflecting in Guan Qingtong's hopeful eyes.
Just then, a shadow darted out of nowhere and handed a bouquet of vibrant flowers to Guan Qingtong before disappearing into the night.
It seemed the entire team had come together in a short time to help Guan Qingtong create this fireworks show, not just the guy with the camera.
"I know my fake identity doesn't give me the right to care for you openly. So I wanted to break free and start anew with this fireworks confession."
"Su Yirao, I will always choose you. Will you accept me?"
Guan Qingtong didn't call her "Sister." She formally presented the flowers, hoping Su Yirao would give her a real title.
As the fireworks began to fade, the vibrant colors slowly disappearing, Guan Qingtong's hope started to dim.
Su Yirao didn't take the flowers.
As the last of the fireworks crackled in the distance, Guan Qingtong's bright expression faded.
"Is it the same reason as before?" she asked, lowering the bouquet, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"I'm not sure what I'm struggling with. Maybe it's just a stubbornness, or maybe I haven't figured things out yet."
Just as Guan Qingtong's heart began to sink, Su Yirao surprised her by taking the flowers and gently hugging her.
"Guan Qingtong, give me some time."
"I just realized that I'm not ready to let you go completely. After all, you really do suit my taste."
"That's my selfishness."
"But there's a part of me that stubbornly resists, keeping me from fully accepting this."
Guan Qingtong's heart clenched. "Can you tell me why you're so hesitant?"
She was growing increasingly frustrated with Su Yirao, who had the power to swing her emotions so wildly.
Su Yirao shook her head gently. "I've accepted the flowers. Consider it a promise, or maybe a test."
"We'll go back to being strangers. I won't be good to you anymore. But three years from now, if you're still certain about this, then I'll let go of my doubts."
Guan Qingtong frowned. "Su Yirao! You still don't trust me!"
"I trust you right now," Su Yirao replied. "But I'm worried you won't be yourself in the future."
Guan Qingtong didn't understand.
"I'll always be me. I'll never change!"
"I certainly hope so!" Su Yirao said. "So let's make it a three-year promise. Three years from now, if neither of us has changed our minds, then we'll be together."
Guan Qingtong respected Su Yirao's stubbornness, knowing this was her only chance.
"Su Yirao, I know you're not one to wait around. But I hope I'll be the exception."
Su Yirao wanted to believe that Guan Qingtong would be that exception.
But before she could say the word "deal," Guan Qingtong interrupted her.
"I won't ask for any promises from you."
"Three years from now, you might not be in the same place. And I won't just be standing here waiting for you, passively hoping you'll choose me."
"Three years from now, I, Guan Qingtong, will make sure I'm the choice you want."
As the last of the fireworks disappeared, Su Yirao's eyes lit up with a spark even the fireworks couldn't match, and a smile spread across her face.
"I'm suddenly looking forward to that day."
Guan Qingtong bit her lip, the bravado from moments ago fading, and muttered, "We could have done this now. Why wait three years? It's so annoying."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Guan Qingtong's smile was as bright as the fireworks had been. "Su Jie, you've given me three years. But if three years pass and I don't like you anymore, will you regret it?"
Su Yirao thought seriously for a moment before answering, "I don't know."
"But if you find something better, I'll be happy for you."
"Hmm…"
Guan Qingtong suddenly leaned forward, planting a firm kiss on Su Yirao's lips and leaving a deep bite mark at the corner of her mouth.
"Su Yirao, you're so infuriating!"
Su Yirao winced at the pain, rubbing her lips. "You bite me, and I didn't even call you annoying. Now you're calling me annoying?"
"I don't care. You're annoying!" Guan Qingtong huffed. "Anyway, this is your punishment for making me wait three years!"
"You're getting more and more out of hand! How many times have you called me by my full name today? Can't you call me 'Sister' anymore?"
"You're the one who doesn't want me, so why should I care? You're not really my sister."
"Well, I could adopt you as my little sister…"
"Who wants to be your sister? Not me!"
[In the next chapter, we'll jump ahead three years]