Every time Qin Ran chose a gift for Yu Shuman's mother, she made sure it looked like an inexpensive item from a department store, despite its actual high price. This time, she had a plain-looking gold bracelet custom-made, adorned with tiny rubies. The bracelet's design was quite modern, with five-pointed star engravings, which was considered avant-garde for the older generation.
To ensure this "cheap" piece matched the customer's expectations, it was entirely hand-carved, using master-level craftsmanship with hollowed-out patterns.
Even the craftsman grumbled, "These days, it's hard to make a decent profit off customers."
Before the Spring Festival, Yu Shuman called Qin Ran, asking if they should meet at the airport. But Qin Ran, smug and confident, responded, "No need. I have a key now, I'll be heading back first." Yu Shuman couldn't help but laugh at that. Qin Ran was clearly excited to test out her new key, eager to unlock the door on her own.
So, just like during Mid-Autumn Festival, Qin Ran arrived at Yu Shuman's house before her. When she stood at the door with her suitcase, Qin Ran casually swung her backpack around, unzipping a small pocket and pulling out a keychain with a rabbit charm attached. With a composed expression, she unlocked the door.
Even though it was just a simple action, Qin Ran radiated pride — she now had a key to the house!
When Qin Ran arrived, Yu Shuman's mother was already home. Hearing the soft sounds at the door, she instinctively moved to open it but quickly realized it wasn't her daughter. Yu Shuman's movements were always more brisk and louder, from the sound of her suitcase wheels to the way she rummaged through her bag. Qin Ran, on the other hand, was much quieter, moving almost silently. Although Yu's mother hadn't memorized Qin Ran's specific noises, she knew it wasn't her daughter outside. The only other person with a key was Qin Ran.
Yu Shuman had mentioned how eager Qin Ran was to try out the key herself, so Yu's mother decided to stand back, smiling warmly, waiting for Qin Ran to open the door. The moment the door opened, she caught a glimpse of the proud expression on Qin Ran's face.
Qin Ran hadn't expected Yu's mother to be standing there, and her small show of pride had been caught red-handed, making her a bit bashful.
"Alright, come in quickly. The heat is escaping," Yu's mother gently urged.
Snapping back to reality, Qin Ran pulled her suitcase inside and quickly closed the door. As always, Yu's mother had prepared drinks and snacks for her, inviting her to sit on the couch while waiting for Yu Shuman to come home. Qin Ran sat, staring blankly at the TV. Though it was on, she wasn't paying attention at all, lost in her thoughts.
Despite her earlier confident words to Yu Shuman, Qin Ran could barely contain herself. Her heart was swelling with longing, like delicate sprouts breaking through the soil, growing taller and stronger by the day. Her longing didn't need watering; time alone made it grow more intense. It was as if her emotions were a tangled mess, a ball of yarn with no beginning or end.
If she had agreed to meet Yu Shuman at the airport, Qin Ran feared she wouldn't be able to control herself. She might have rushed over and hugged her tightly, something that could easily have been caught by paparazzi, leaving Yu Shuman with no way to explain.
Because when Qin Ran looked at Yu Shuman, or embraced her, it wasn't the innocent affection of friendship. It was filled with the deep affection and possessiveness of a lover.
Qin Ran wanted to hide Yu Shuman, to keep her all to herself. But she knew too well that Yu Shuman longed to soar like a bird, and breaking her wings in the name of love would only leave her yearning for the sky, gazing longingly out the window every day.
So, Qin Ran had refrained from meeting her at the airport, knowing that if she stood before Yu Shuman there, her emotions might overflow.
She counted the minutes, making time feel agonizingly slow. If there were no delays, Yu Shuman's plane would be landing soon. Soon after, she would grab her bag, board the shuttle bus, and head to the VIP exit to leave the airport.
Qin Ran had already arranged for a driver. Yu Shuman wouldn't need a taxi; she could ride directly home.
Yu's mother, noticing Qin Ran's anxiousness, tried to make conversation, talking about the TV show to distract her. It took two attempts before Qin Ran realized she was being spoken to, apologizing, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I was just saying, isn't that one of Shuman's old teammates? She's already married — time flies."
Qin Ran finally glanced up at the TV, where entertainment news was playing. It was about one of Yu Shuman's former group members, dressed in a wedding gown, holding a bouquet, and smiling brightly. Her husband was an average-looking small business owner, seemingly not a good match, but he had fallen for her during a reality show. He had been a quiet fan at first, but when her career hit a rough patch, he had stepped in to help.
Eventually, they fell in love, and now they were happily married.
Though no one could predict how long this love would last, for now, countless netizens were offering their blessings.
Hearing Yu's mother, Qin Ran nodded. "Yes, she was in the group. I heard she wanted to announce her engagement during the group's two-year anniversary event, but Ling Miaohan beat her to it by announcing her own engagement. I guess after that, she felt no need to make a big deal of it. I didn't expect her to quietly get married just two months later."
Compared to Pei Qi and Ling Miaohan's big announcement, which still hadn't led to an engagement, this teammate was indeed swift and decisive.
Like her daughter, Yu's mother was quite chatty, so she continued the conversation with Qin Ran, slowly easing her out of her worries.
Before long, Qin Ran heard the faint sound of suitcase wheels rolling across the ground outside. The sound echoed in her heart, drowning out the TV. She glanced at Yu's mother, worried she might have imagined it, but Yu's mother smiled and nodded.
A smile immediately bloomed on Qin Ran's face. She jumped up from the couch and headed to the door. Outside, she could hear the faint jingling of keys as someone fumbled to unlock the door. Unable to wait any longer, Qin Ran swung the door open, revealing Yu Shuman standing there.
Yu Shuman smiled at her, and Qin Ran couldn't hold back anymore. She pulled her inside, slamming the door shut behind them. The loud bang echoed through the house as Yu Shuman's suitcase was left outside, and she was enveloped in Qin Ran's tight embrace. Yu Shuman glanced past Qin Ran to see her mother in the living room.
Being caught in such an intimate embrace in front of her mother left Yu Shuman feeling a bit flustered, but Yu's mother simply winked at her before discreetly leaving the room.
Once Yu's mother was out of sight, Yu Shuman relaxed, wrapping her arms around Qin Ran. The warmth of Qin Ran's body began to melt away the cold that had clung to her during her journey. As Yu Shuman held her, she could feel Qin Ran trembling slightly.
Qin Ran hadn't said anything, but her rapid heartbeat conveyed everything. She had missed Yu Shuman so much, day after day, wrapped in longing.
Yu Shuman hugged her even tighter, resting her head on Qin Ran's shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent. Qin Ran didn't wear perfume, but there was a faint hint of gardenia from the hand cream she used. After Yu Shuman had once mentioned liking that scent, Qin Ran had switched to that hand cream, and now it was a soft fragrance that lingered on her.
Satisfied that her mother was busy in the kitchen, Yu Shuman took a bold step. She wrapped her arms around Qin Ran's waist and gently caressed her face before leaning in and kissing her.
Caught off guard, Qin Ran hesitated, not immediately taking charge of the kiss like she usually would. Instead, she broke away, her face flushed.
In a soft voice, she mumbled, "Your mom's still here."
Kissing in front of her mom was too bold and nerve-wracking! This didn't seem like the usual Yu Shuman at all. But Yu Shuman quietly reassured her, "She's in the kitchen."
Hearing that, Qin Ran's heart skipped a beat. She quickly glanced toward the kitchen and realized Yu's mother was indeed out of sight. She could hear the faint sounds of cooking. Finally relaxed, Qin Ran's confidence returned.
She turned back to Yu Shuman, her eyes filled with tenderness, and without hesitation, leaned in to kiss her again. The first kiss had been too rushed, and they had parted too quickly. Now, as their lips met once more, Qin Ran savored the soft warmth. Initially cool to the touch, Yu Shuman's lips gradually grew warmer as the kiss deepened.
Every time they kissed, Qin Ran felt like Yu Shuman's lips were coated in honey — sweet and just sticky enough to make her never want to let go.
They were careful not to make any noise, afraid Yu's mother might hear them. After a long while, they finally pulled apart, locking eyes before bursting into quiet giggles, like two children who had just gotten away with something mischievous.