The girl stared at the white roses in Luo Li's arms, stunned.
What kind of relationship would warrant sending such flowers?
No, wait. Isn't Senior Lu supposed to be cold and aloof, uninterested in romance? Luo Li is just a first-year who just came to the university. They couldn't have known each other before, right? It's not like they could have fallen in love at first sight, is it?
Yeah, that's right. There's no rule saying friends can't give each other flowers.
Luo Li's brain short-circuited for a moment. None of the three of them spoke, and the atmosphere became strangely awkward.
Lu Cixue looked at the dumbfounded person, her emotions complex.
Tang Jia was particularly fond of gossip. Every time Luo Li's name appeared on the confession wall, she would immediately send it to Lu Cixue.
Luo Li's two roommates, who claimed to be her support system, seemed more like Lu Cixue's little spies, always the first to report any movements.
Some had asked Luo Li for her contact information directly; another left breakfast on her desk during class. Now there was another one. She really did attract a lot of attention.
If this Luo Li was not the one she was familiar with...
No, whether she is or isn't doesn't matter.
The frown on the cat's face smoothed out as she took a step back. The cold expression lasted only a second before it was quietly tucked away.
"I have some things to take care of, so I won't intrude on you two any longer."
She was calm and graceful, with no hint of her previous emotions, as if she were genuinely unaffected by the scene she had witnessed.
The girl breathed a sigh of relief.
See? Luo Li and Senior Lu are just friends.
But then she turned and was surprised by the reaction of the person beside her.
"Lu Cixue, wait a minute!" Luo Li called out, sounding a bit aggrieved.
She had wanted to speak just now, but Lu Cixue hadn't given her the chance. After talking, she just left, not giving Luo Li the chance to explain.
How was she supposed to know this partner was going to say all that? She hadn't seen any signs that she liked her. Plus, who gets mad and leaves first when pursuing someone?
Okay, now wasn't she chasing after her like a puppy?
She had no self-respect!
Luo Li criticized herself a bit.
What made her even more upset was that the usually gentle and kind Senior Lu seemed to pretend not to hear her and didn't stop for a second.
So rude!
With the bouquet in her arms, Luo Li was about to catch up but hesitated and looked back at the girl beside her, pursing her lips.
They exchanged a glance, and the girl thought she saw a hint of... resentment in Luo Li's eyes?
"Let's skip dinner for now. Maybe we can go another time when we're all free."
Seeing Lu Cixue turning the corner, Luo Li quickly finished her words and rushed to catch up.
She left the bewildered girl behind, who then slowly processed what had just happened. She took out her phone and started typing quickly.
She didn't feel too disappointed about being rejected, instead feeling a strange sense of excitement.
Luo Li jogged to the corner. Almost tripping on an uneven floor tile, she was caught by someone before she could fall.
"Why are you still so clumsy?"
Looking up, Luo Li was met with Lu Cixue's face, concern and helplessness evident in her expression. Luo Li's feelings of grievance welled up again, and she muttered softly, "But you pretended not to hear me. You didn't wait for me, and I couldn't catch up."
"Why would you chase me? Weren't you going to have dinner with someone else?"
Lu Cixue knew it was childish to hold this against a clueless eighteen or nineteen-year-old, but she couldn't help feeling a bit upset.
She had been busy out of town for a few days, then rushed back without even drinking water. The first thing she saw was Luo Li making plans with someone else, only to overhear a confession by chance.
As a lawful partner, overhearing those words did not make her feel great.
To the current Luo Li, they were strangers who had never met. So, her being polite and distant to this senior was understandable. Even if she accidentally attracted someone's affection, there was no reason to apologize.
But cats don't care about those things. When they decide to claim a human, they only care about their own feelings.
So what if it's a bit unreasonable?
Lu Cixue's gaze darkened as she studied the girl's face.
Look at this—her youthful face was now full of anxiety, hesitance, and a hint of shy restraint.
Her heart was full of spring emotions she couldn't hide, yet she was trying to preserve the last bit of dignity a young person could muster, mumbling incoherently.
"Well, you got mad..." Her mumbling was barely audible.
Luo Li touched her white cross-body bag, where the long, box-shaped gift was still stored. She began searching for the right words, only to hear Lu Cixue speaking to her.
"Does it matter that much to you?"
"Huh?" Luo Li blinked in confusion, not quite understanding.
Warm breath brushed past her ear, making Luo Li feel a tickling sensation. A soft touch lingered for a second, almost like an illusion.
"Does it matter to you whether I'm upset or not?"
Luo Li stood still, dumbfounded. The woman was so close—far beyond what could be considered a safe distance. She didn't even notice the lips and slightly raised corners of the mouth grazing her ear.
"I..." Luo Li faltered, her fingers nervously twisting in front of her like a student who forgot to bring their homework.
—She looked a bit silly, like she was easy to trick. A little beckoning and she would follow you home.
Luo Li always thought you couldn't casually say you liked someone. It felt like a scam, like selling snake oil.
She wanted to approach slowly, to understand bit by bit. It would feel like discovering a treasure, willing to accept all the good and the bad.
Just like a youthful crush, even if the person had a bad temper and was arrogant, you'd still like them.
But subconsciously, she didn't want Lu Cixue to feel disappointed or sad, even if she couldn't explain why. They had only met a few times, but there was an overwhelming sense of familiarity.
It made her feel fickle.
"I just... don't want to see you unhappy." The girl's muddled feelings were deliberately concealed, but she let slip a hint, cautiously testing the waters.
She didn't want to give Lu Cixue any misleading impressions or unintentional ambiguity before she understood her feelings.
It sounded like a barely audible sigh, carried away by the wind. The woman's cool gaze rested on her, her chin resting on Luo Li's shoulder as she spoke softly yet with an unreasonable tone.
"But now I'm not happy. What should I do about that?"
Something hot seemed to throb in Luo Li's chest, and she dared not move, slowly saying, "Let go of me first."
"?"
The large bouquet was returned to Lu Cixue. She watched as Luo Li opened her small cross-body bag, rummaging through it until she pulled out a small box and held it up to Lu Cixue expectantly.
"This is for you. I hope you like it."
Her bright, clear eyes sparkled with anticipation, full of cautious hope.
She hadn't yet learned how to flirt effectively and still got embarrassed easily.
The two of them were quiet, and as time passed, Luo Li's heartbeat quickened. Seeing no reaction on the perfectly calm face before her, she felt a tinge of disappointment.
Yeah, that feeling of holding out your heart only to be splashed with cold water was pretty awful. She knew that well.
Just as she was about to retract her hand, it was gently grasped, and the warm body of the woman leaned into her, soft and yielding.
"Can you help me put it on?"
Luo Li nodded obediently, about to reach out when a gentle voice whispered in her ear again, "I just got back from the airport. I'm tired and sleepy."
Luo Li listened quietly as the lazy cat leaned against her.
"My mood might not be great. I'm sorry. I really wanted to see you, but this meeting didn't go as I'd hoped." Luo Li's face flushed at such a candid emotional expression.
"Next time, can you save the time for me?" There was no hint of sadness on her face now, only a gentle smile under the dim streetlight, like a bewitching spell.
The dazed person immediately agreed, much to the satisfaction of the other, who nodded approvingly.
Getting a hug left Luo Li in a good mood. She practically skipped back to the dorm, only to be met with two roommates' meaningful stares when she opened the door.
"Oh my, look who's back! Got so cozy with Senior Lu that you're coming back to sleep with us, huh?"
Luo Li froze.
"Jeez, Luo Luo, can't you do better? Couldn't you go home with her and cuddle in bed?"
"..."
"How did you know—" Luo Li stopped halfway, sensing something was off, only to see the mischievous grins on her roommates' faces.
"You were practically glued to her in that corner. Did you think no one noticed?"
Luo Li looked at the phone screen handed to her, her face falling.
Why is Tang Jia always everywhere, watching the fun?
And who took these photos? Don't they know that's a violation of privacy?
"Luo Luo, if you really like her, you need to make a move! You're getting outplayed here. You need to be more assertive and flirt with her. Don't just let her take the lead."
"..."
And so, Luo Li found herself watching as her roommates grabbed her phone and quickly arranged for Lu Cixue to meet her at the library.
Is that a place for romance?
"Silly! Study together, then invite her to dinner when you're tired. If it gets late, walk her home. She'll worry about you going back alone, and you might even end up staying over!"
"That's nonsense." Luo Li denounced this "improper" thought. Then why did she have to go to the library?
"Alright, here's a solid reason—you have coursework. You can ask her for help, right?"
That's how it happened.
Luo Li sat at the desk, nodding off like a pecking chicken, sneaking glances at the woman beside her, only to be tapped on the head with a pen.
Ugh... so strict.
But she held on for a while. There was something about the library that made her feel more comfortable than being in the dorm.
Lu Cixue watched as the person leaned against her shoulder, sleeping soundly. She closed her book softly and gazed at her quietly.
—Dozing off on her shoulder in the bustling library, without any guard up.
She must not have noticed the phones secretly raised around them.
If that's the case...
A faint smile flickered in the cat's eyes as her hand quietly reached over, entwining with Luo Li's.
"If rumors start spreading, it won't be my fault."