Reality played a big joke on her.
As she got closer, she accidentally bumped into Zhou Muning.
Zhou Muning let out an “ow,” and both of them clutched their foreheads in pain.
The atmosphere turned awkward, and even Qin Xiangyi hadn’t expected something like this to happen.
She’d wanted to do something to match the current sad mood, but she hadn’t realized that, in this situation, nothing was really that easy to pull off.
Even though Qin Xiangyi had some experience, the presence of a flower person was different from a flower fairy, and she was actually a bit nervous.
With all that back and forth, this is what ended up happening.
“Xiangyi, why’d you suddenly bump into me?” Zhou Muning looked helpless, but she didn’t seem to notice Qin Xiangyi’s real intention, just thinking it was an accident.
“I saw you with your head down and was worried you’d trip, so I moved closer.
Who knew you’d suddenly look up?” Qin Xiangyi played it cool, smiling as she explained her innocence.
Thinking about it calmly, the chances of pulling off this plan outside were pretty low.
Zhou Muning was introverted but not reserved, modest but not conservative, but even so, she’d never agree to something so over the top.
Qin Xiangyi reflected on her own impatience, shoved her right hand in her pocket to steady herself, and started thinking about what to do next.
“I just saw something and looked down, but after getting bumped, I actually feel a bit better.” Zhou Muning replied with a smile, but there was a hidden meaning in her words.
The sadness had just been knocked away so suddenly, which really wasn’t a good thing for Qin Xiangyi.
Qin Xiangyi was helpless, but Zhou Muning’s mood had already bounced back, leaving her with no chance to get close.
Zhou Muning also didn’t mention that she was leaving, and Qin Xiangyi figured she just hadn’t built up enough emotion.
Plus, with so many people in Zhou Muning’s house, there was no way that three-minute kiss could happen safely.
Qin Xiangyi thought it over, glanced at the clock—it was already nine at night—and decided to just call it a night and leave.
“Ningning, I think I’ll head home for now.
I just remembered I haven’t finished my summer homework.” It was their second year summer break, but since she was transferring schools, the homework didn’t really matter.
Still, Qin Xiangyi used this lame excuse.
Zhou Muning looked a little disappointed, but she respected Qin Xiangyi’s decision.
“Alright, do you want Sister Xuan to pick you up?” Even as she said this, Zhou Muning held onto Qin Xiangyi’s hand, clearly reluctant to let go.
She’d thought they’d talk for a long time tonight, but after that bump, everything just fizzled out.
Zhou Muning thought it over for a few days and couldn’t find anything she’d done wrong.
She could only assume Qin Xiangyi didn’t like sleeping with others, or maybe just wasn’t used to being around so many people.
In Qin Xiangyi’s eyes, Zhou Muning was so pitiful and lovable, but for Zhou Muning, even though Qin Xiangyi’s family situation had improved, there were still things she couldn’t help.
The two of them had been best friends since their first year.
Seeing Qin Xiangyi act like this, Zhou Muning could understand.
But… Zhou Muning still didn’t want to let Qin Xiangyi go.
She reached out, wanting to ask again if Qin Xiangyi would stay, but in the end, for all sorts of reasons, she didn’t say anything.
“It’d be too much trouble for Sister Xuan to come get me.
It’s only nine, there are still buses.
I’ll just hop on one and head home.” Qin Xiangyi answered with a smile, but she had no intention of actually going home.
Compared to the boring act of sleeping, cultivating was way more important.
Qin Xiangyi planned to use staying at Zhou Muning’s house as a cover, then find a good spot to enter the Flower God Ring and continue her training.
Otherwise, she was worried she’d run into that mysterious and dangerous woman again.
As for Zhou Muning, there was clearly no chance of anything happening tonight.
Peony and the flower slave’s help was basically useless; they really needed to learn more about modern human culture and knowledge to help her relationship with Zhou Muning progress.
With all that decided, Qin Xiangyi smiled and said, “Don’t look so sad, it’s not like I’m never coming over again.”
Hearing this, Zhou Muning almost blurted out that she was about to go to Paradise City, but she held back, forcing a smile.
“I’m not, I just think, you’ve already worked so hard to step out of your comfort zone, why not take one more step?”
Zhou Muning didn’t seem to get what Qin Xiangyi was trying to do.
She held Qin Xiangyi’s hand, showing her reluctance.
Qin Xiangyi relaxed and laughed, then said, “Think about it, if we stayed together tonight, we’d just end up chatting all night.
If we keep talking, it’ll disturb everyone else.
Your grandma needs to sleep early, and your brother has to work.
Wouldn’t it be even more cruel if we kept them up?”
That explanation seemed to convince Zhou Muning.
She nodded, but still looked a bit unwilling.
But it wasn’t because Qin Xiangyi was leaving—it was because her family situation didn’t let them talk, play, and have fun like normal girls.
“So I was thinking, in a few days, you should come over to where I’m staying now.
We can do homework together, and really talk.
Plus, I really want to eat your cooking again.” Qin Xiangyi sounded sincere.
She felt a little bad for Sister Jing Shuxuan, but she’d do whatever it took to get that second kiss from Zhou Muning.
Of course, once she got to Paradise City, things would get easier.
There’d be more opportunities, and Qin Xiangyi would have her own space to make her plans even better.
“Um… Wouldn’t that bother Sister Xuan?” Zhou Muning was tempted, but thinking about her own home, she knew it wasn’t a good place for two girls to talk in private.
Zhou Muning hated troubling others, and even when she was upset, she’d cry in secret and keep everything inside.
She was still really anxious, worried that going to Qin Xiangyi’s place would upset Jing Shuxuan.
“I checked her schedule, she’s going on a business trip the day after tomorrow.” Qin Xiangyi made up a lie on the spot.
As for how to cover it up later, she’d figure it out then.
If it really came down to it, she’d just have the flower slave do something to make Jing Shuxuan actually go on a “business trip.”
Zhou Muning still wasn’t convinced.
She thought that since Qin Xiangyi was staying at someone else’s house, she should be even more polite.
Qin Xiangyi was helpless, and it took a long time before she finally talked Zhou Muning into it.
