Her voice was soft and lazy, the ending syllables sticking together, no longer cold and distant like before.
Instead, she sounded like a sugar bean soaked in honey, sweet from the inside out.
“Qianqian…” Ji Yunxiao’s voice was hoarse, her eyes misting over.
Just now, when Lin Qianwei called her “Xiaoxiao-jie,” it instantly pulled her memories back to many years ago.
Back then, they were still childhood friends.
Whenever Qianqian was in a good mood, she’d snuggle into her arms and sometimes say, “Xiaoxiao-jie, marry me and take me home.”
Ji Yunxiao would always laugh and never push her away, just pinch the girl’s cheek and say, “We’re both girls, how could I marry you?”
“Can’t girls marry girls?”
“Mm, the law doesn’t allow it.”
After Ji Yunxiao said that, her pretty little childhood friend would go quiet, just leaning on her shoulder with her eyes down.
Ji Yunxiao would see her thick lashes fluttering, so she’d reach out to tease Qianqian, and only then would Qianqian push her away, a little fierce, saying, “Ji Yunxiao, you’re so annoying.”
But even after saying that, when it was all over, Qianqian would still crawl into her arms. Sometimes, when Ji Yunxiao was busy with homework and didn’t make it over, that delicate, fair little girl would come next door hugging her pillow.
Qianqian would throw the pillow at her, put on a stern face, and say coldly, “Here, take it back.”
Then she’d say, “Don’t come sleep at my place anymore.”
Ji Yunxiao knew her too well.
She knew Qianqian was just picking a fight, knew she didn’t mean it, so she’d pick up her pillow and chase after her, explaining that she hadn’t forgotten to come over.
“I’m used to sleeping alone now,” Qianqian would complain, “You’re the shameless one, always climbing into my bed.”
Ji Yunxiao would weakly defend herself, “It’s because you always kick the covers off when you sleep…”
Qianqian would get mad, “Whatever, you’re just shameless!”
Ji Yunxiao would surrender, “Okay, okay, it’s my fault.”
Qianqian would say, all righteously, “It’s all your fault.
You insisted on sharing a blanket with me, got me used to it, made me unable to leave you, and then…”
As she spoke, Qianqian would start to choke up, “And then today you didn’t come, you left me behind.”
Ji Yunxiao’s heart would break at her tears, and she’d quickly pull her in to comfort her, explaining, “I didn’t leave you, baby.
I just had stuff to do the past few days, so I got behind on homework, and school starts tomorrow, so I had to catch up.
I was planning to come over after I finished…”
Qianqian’s eyes would turn red, “Really?”
Ji Yunxiao would raise her hand and swear, “Of course it’s true.”
But Qianqian would still pout, “You could’ve come over to do your homework, or at least told me.”
Ji Yunxiao would sincerely apologize, “My fault, my fault, it’s all my fault.
I was careless.”
Qianqian would huff, “Call me that again and I’ll forgive you.”
Ji Yunxiao: “Qianqian?”
Qianqian, annoyed: “Not that one!”
Ji Yunxiao, suddenly inspired: “Baby?”
“Mm,” Qianqian would lift her chin and say coldly, “Say it again.”
Ji Yunxiao: “Baby.”
Qianqian would get mad again, “Why’d you only say it once?”
Ji Yunxiao would say, “Because you told me to say it again.”
Qianqian would almost cry, “Can’t you say it a few more times?”
Ji Yunxiao would quickly say, “Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby!”
This time, Qianqian would finally respond sweetly, nodding, “Mm, I’m your baby.”
Ji Yunxiao would laugh along with her.
Later, when they were a bit older, in that summer when they were seventeen, they went to the mountaintop to wait for the predicted meteor shower.
Qianqian stood on tiptoe, resting her chin on Ji Yunxiao’s shoulder, and mumbled, “Xiaoxiao-jie, what if I still want to marry you?”
“Stop talking nonsense,” Ji Yunxiao turned around, pinched her chin and shook it gently, “Look at me, I’m a girl too.”
Under the endless starlight, the beauty mark under Qianqian’s left eye looked especially enchanting, even Ji Yunxiao was stunned.
Qianqian wrapped her arms around her neck, kissed her cheek, and asked, “Do you think it’s possible that I’m a lesbian, and I only like girls?”
Ji Yunxiao couldn’t help but frown, her face turning serious, “Are you serious?”
Qianqian watched her expression, and after a while, finally let go and laughed it off, “Of course I’m joking, you didn’t take it seriously, did you?”
Ji Yunxiao relaxed, pulled her into her arms and kissed her cheek, teasing, “Naughty.”
Back then, Ji Yunxiao didn’t see the loneliness in her childhood friend’s eyes.
Later, when the meteor shower really came, they closed their eyes and made wishes together.
After watching, they went back to the tent, and Ji Yunxiao sprayed anti-itch spray on Qianqian’s mosquito bites.
The usually delicate girl didn’t complain this time, just seemed a little lost in thought.
Ji Yunxiao asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Qianqian pressed her lips together, didn’t answer, and asked back, “Jiejie, do you know what I wished for just now?”
Ji Yunxiao blew on her mosquito bite, looked up and asked, “What wish?”
Qianqian put her hands together and repeated, “I just said, please, God, hurry up and send me and Ji Yunxiao to a world where girls can marry girls!”
Ji Yunxiao couldn’t help but laugh, “Really?”
Qianqian forced a smile, “Of course I’m lying, you actually believed that, you big dummy.”
Ji Yunxiao played along, “Okay, okay, I’m a big dummy.”
They looked at each other and finally burst out laughing.
Back then, neither of them could have imagined that many years later, they’d really end up in a world like that.
Here, women can marry women, and no one thinks it’s strange.
It’s just normal.
…
“Hey, why are you ignoring me?”
Ji Yunxiao was lost in her memories, a little dazed, until Lin Qianwei came over and shook her.
Lin Qianwei was still a bit tipsy, but even so, she keenly noticed Ji Yunxiao’s distraction.
“Did I do something wrong?” Lin Qianwei’s cheeks were flushed, the beauty mark at the corner of her eye looking dangerously seductive under the light, but she herself looked innocent, completely unaware, fiddling with her fingers in confusion, “Last time it was like this… You made me breakfast, I tried to pay you, but you wouldn’t take it, then you kissed me… said you got your reward…”
Lin Qianwei bit her lip, lifted her pretty eyelids, and asked, swaying, “Is it because I kissed the wrong place?”
Ji Yunxiao quickly caught her, coaxing, “No, you didn’t do anything wrong, and I’m not ignoring you.
You’re my baby, how could I ignore my own baby?”
Lin Qianwei held onto her arm and sat up, so Ji Yunxiao sat up too, but before she could steady herself, that soft body fell into her arms again.
Lin Qianwei pressed her down, reached out with her soft, pale fingers, and pressed on her rosy lips, suddenly realizing, “No, I kissed the wrong place.
It’s not here, not the mouth, it’s the cheek.”
After that, Lin Qianwei started kissing her cheeks and forehead all over.
Ji Yunxiao’s heart melted, and she was so moved she could barely stand it.
A thousand ways to devour Lin Qianwei flashed through her mind, but at the last moment, she still closed her eyes and held back.
She couldn’t do it.
This kind of thing was beautiful, but it had to wait until Qianqian was sober.
She couldn’t take advantage of her.
“So tired, kissing you is so tiring.” Lin Qianwei slumped on her shoulder, complaining lazily.
Ji Yunxiao slowly wrapped her arms around her, her voice hoarse, “Then let’s kiss another day.
I’ll take you to wash up a bit, then we’ll come back and sleep, okay?”
If Lin Qianwei kept clinging to her, she might really lose control.
“Okay.” Lin Qianwei nodded.
Luckily, the drunk beauty was still pretty obedient.
Ji Yunxiao took her to the bathroom, squeezed toothpaste for her, and stood behind her to support her in case she fell while brushing her teeth.
But Lin Qianwei’s obedience didn’t last long.
She only brushed her teeth twice before dropping her arm, tossing the toothbrush aside, and leaning back, putting all her weight on Ji Yunxiao behind her, then tilting her head back to complain, “Lifting my arm is so tiring, I don’t want to brush my teeth anymore.”
Ji Yunxiao couldn’t help but laugh, so she picked up the toothbrush, washed it, and patiently helped her brush.
“This is toothpaste, you can’t eat it, you have to spit it out.” Ji Yunxiao was worried she was too drunk to know, so she reminded her carefully.
But all she got was the woman’s disdain: “I know, you’re so annoying.”
Ji Yunxiao just smiled even more.
After finally helping Lin Qianwei wash up, clean herself, and change clothes, then coaxing her into bed, Ji Yunxiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Qianwei lay her head on the soft pillow and quickly fell asleep.
Ji Yunxiao sat at the edge of the bed, looking at that all-too-familiar face.
She reached out with her fingers to gently trace her features, murmuring, “How can you be so beautiful?” Her little childhood friend was as beautiful as the moon over a cold mountain, as pure as snow on a distant peak, as stunning as the most exquisite flower.
Her looks were rare in this world.
Ji Yunxiao had already fallen for her countless times, been captivated by her over and over again—why did she realize it so late? Luckily, it’s not too late now.
“I’m never letting you go again.”
Ji Yunxiao pressed a kiss to Lin Qianwei’s brow, held her soft hand and studied her for a long while before finally getting up to wash up herself.
Thinking about how her wife had just been so sweet and forward, Ji Yunxiao couldn’t help but get a little excited, so she did something naughty alone in the bathroom, taking her time.
By the time she came out, Lin Qianwei was already fast asleep.
She still slept messily, the blanket kicked to one side, her posture all weird.
If she kept this up, she’d definitely catch a chill the next day.
Ji Yunxiao was helpless.
She went over to tuck Lin Qianwei in, but suddenly remembered what she’d said during the day: “I like living alone.”
Her chest suddenly ached for a moment.
Ji Yunxiao lowered her eyes, lips pressed tight.
“Sorry.” Ji Yunxiao lifted the blanket and lay down next to Lin Qianwei, gently pulling her into her arms.
Ji Yunxiao said, “I was just too late.”
That night, Lin Qianwei finally got a good night’s sleep, but because of her hangover, she still woke up with a splitting headache.
On the nightstand were some hangover pills and a thermos.
Ji Yunxiao had even left her a note: [There’s rock sugar pear water in the thermos.
Drink some when you get up, you’ll feel better.] The handwriting was beautiful.
Lin Qianwei tore off the sticky note, turning it over and over in her hands, and in the end, for some reason, she kept it.
The rock sugar pear water in the thermos was very sweet, just the flavor Lin Qianwei liked.
She finished it, took her medicine, and crawled back under the covers.
Her head still hurt, so Lin Qianwei planned to take another nap.
But just then, she suddenly noticed her clothes had been changed.
Lin Qianwei: “!!!” Her pale face instantly flushed red.
After hesitating for a while, she called Ji Yunxiao and asked, “Did you… did you change my clothes?”
“Yeah,” Ji Yunxiao explained with a laugh, “You threw up on yourself, so I had to help you change.
Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything else.”
Lin Qianwei snapped, “What else did you want to do?”
Ji Yunxiao: “Can I say?”
Lin Qianwei: “No, you can’t!”
Ji Yunxiao softened her voice, speaking gently, “Qianwei, I want to move in with you.”
Lin Qianwei couldn’t believe it.
She stared at her phone screen and said coldly, “Ji Yunxiao, don’t push your luck!”
Ji Yunxiao laughed on the other end of the line.
She said warmly, “I’m already at your door, honey.
Can you come open it for me?”
Lin Qianwei: “???”
She didn’t even know why she went over.
Wearing the pajamas Ji Yunxiao had put on her and slippers, she opened the door and saw that graceful figure.
Ji Yunxiao was standing there with her suitcase, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes, sounding a little aggrieved: “Honey, I already gave up my apartment.
If you don’t take me in, I’ll have nowhere to go.”
