The one who screamed was Yaoyao. When Tan Xingwei and Su Xu looked at her, her expression was already filled with astonishment.
“No, no…” Yaoyao covered her mouth. She pointed at Tan Xingwei, then at Su Xu. “You? You? You two!”
She slowly held her temples. “What did I just see?”
She turned her head. “Did you see that?”
Behind her stood Chen Jing.
Chen Jing was clearly much calmer than Yaoyao. She said, “I saw it.”
Yaoyao’s tone was still one of surprise. “You two, how, no, Ah Xu? Xingxing?” She turned to Chen Jing again. “Why aren’t you surprised? You didn’t know, did you?”
“I just found out too,” Chen Jing said, looking at the two in the kitchen with an “as expected” expression. “But I had my suspicions before.”
Of the four people present, three were very calm. Su Xu even had the leisure to bring out the cut watermelon.
Tan Xingwei followed her out.
“Wait, wait, you two, you two… Let me process this.” Yaoyao was still holding her head tightly. She looked at Su Xu, at Tan Xingwei, at Chen Jing. “Huh? What’s going on, Ah Xu? The person you’ve been talking about all this time couldn’t be Xingxing, could it?”
Su Xu drifted past her, saying nonchalantly, “Yes.”
Tan Xingwei followed behind, smiling. “It’s me.”
“Oh my god,” Yaoyao continued to recall. “Being so mysterious, saying it was someone we knew, and even asking if she was coming today. We were here guessing, going through everyone we knew. You, you two!” After a few seconds of shock, Yaoyao asked, “Does Yinqing know?”
“Know what?” Just as she finished speaking, Yinqing opened her bedroom door and came out.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Tan Yinqing.
Tan Yinqing stopped in her tracks. “What’s up?”
Tan Yinqing’s eyes were filled with confusion; she clearly didn’t know. Over there, Yaoyao, for some reason, suddenly burst out laughing. She took a step back and hooked her arm around Chen Jing’s wrist, finally calm now. “Wow.”
Su Xu placed the watermelon on the table. “Come have some watermelon.” Then she spoke to the person who had just come out of the room, “Big Sister Yinqing, have a seat.”
Being called “Big Sister” like that made Tan Yinqing suspicious. She finally sensed that something was off. “What’s going on?”
Yaoyao said, “Big news!”
Tan Yinqing played along with Yaoyao’s tone. “What big news!” She asked, “Is there gossip?”
Yaoyao continued to respond, “Big gossip!”
Tan Yinqing: “I’m here for it!”
Tan Yinqing perked up, her steps quickening as she walked over.
The living room sofas were arranged in a circle. Tan Yinqing sat on the three-seater against the wall. Seeing no one coming over, she moved to the middle.
Tan Xingwei and Su Xu sat across the table from Tan Yinqing, directly facing her. On the small sofa to the side, Chen Jing and Yaoyao sat next to each other.
The seating was unplanned, yet perfectly arranged.
While asking “What’s up, what’s up,” Tan Yinqing speared a piece of watermelon with a fork and put it in her mouth.
“Weren’t you curious about my special someone?” Su Xu began with this sentence.
Yaoyao excitedly gripped Chen Jing even tighter. The two had no interest in the fresh, chilled watermelon, huddling together as they sank into the sofa.
With her mouth full of watermelon, Tan Yinqing nodded, “Mhm, mhm.” She felt that everyone’s gazes and expressions were strange. “What is it? Why are you all looking at me like that? No way…” She suddenly made a mouth-covering gesture. “Ah Xu, you have a crush on me?”
Yaoyao: “…”
Chen Jing: “…”
Tan Xingwei: “…”
Su Xu: “…”
Tan Yinqing started laughing. “Hahaha, hurry up and tell me.” She forked another piece of watermelon. “What’s going on? Do you all know already?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Xu took Tan Xingwei’s hand and placed it on her own lap.
And so, Tan Yinqing watched as the two people sitting across from her slowly intertwined their fingers.
Tan Yinqing took a crunchy bite of watermelon. Her first glance fell on their clasped hands, her second on Su Xu’s face, and her third on Tan Xingwei’s face.
Everything in the living room seemed to freeze.
Silence.
A few seconds later, Tan Yinqing slowly frowned and sat up straight. She glanced again at Su Xu and Tan Xingwei’s clasped hands.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Tan Yinqing’s playful tone was gone.
Su Xu didn’t seem so composed either. She felt Su Xu’s hand gripping hers tightly.
“It’s Xingxing,” Su Xu said.
Tan Yinqing seemed not to understand. “What do you mean, ‘it’s Xingxing’?”
Su Xu clarified, “The girl I’ve been mentioning recently is Xingxing.”
Tan Yinqing fell silent.
The living room once again fell into a strange silence.
Tan Xingwei had always thought that when it came to her relationships, all she needed to do was inform Tan Yinqing. But now, whether it was due to the atmosphere or something else, she found her heart beating a little fast.
“Tan Xingwei,” Tan Yinqing spoke, her voice full of disbelief. “You’re a lesbian?”
Tan Xingwei made an affirmative sound. “Yeah.”
Tan Yinqing: “When did you become a lesbian?”
Tan Xingwei said, “I was born with the sacred body of a lesbian.”
Tan Yinqing: “…”
Tan Yinqing: “Is that funny?”
Tan Xingwei didn’t say it was funny, but a laugh came from Yaoyao and Chen Jing’s direction.
Tan Yinqing turned her head towards them. The two immediately covered their mouths. Chen Jing made a “please continue” gesture. “You guys go on.”
Tan Yinqing turned back with a frown, but soon her brow relaxed. She crossed her legs, folded her arms across her chest, and leaned back against the sofa.
She tilted her chin, closed her eyes, took a long, deep breath, and then exhaled slowly.
“Am I the last one to know?” Tan Yinqing asked.
“Not really,” Yaoyao raised her hand from the audience section. “I was only a minute ahead of you.”
Chen Jing also raised her hand. “Yaoyao and I found out together.”
Tan Yinqing: “Fine.” She took another deep breath. “Let me think.”
Because Tan Yinqing was thinking, the living room fell silent again. The silence probably lasted a bit too long, as Yaoyao and Chen Jing sat up and reached for the watermelon.
“So,” Tan Yinqing suddenly said through gritted teeth.
Yaoyao and Chen Jing shrank back again.
Tan Yinqing looked at them. “Go on, eat.”
Yaoyao sat up, ready to grab a piece again, but Chen Jing leaned back and said, “You go first, you go first.”
Yaoyao had no choice but to lean back too. “You go first, you go first.”
“You,” she looked at Su Xu and asked, “The person you mentioned on Moments, in the group chat, and just now… it’s always been Tan Xingwei?”
Su Xu: “Mhm.”
“You,” Tan Yinqing’s tone was ten times fiercer. “You’ve been acting so strange lately. I wasn’t wrong about you, was I? You really did have something going on.”
A second ago, Tan Xingwei had wanted to talk things out properly, but Tan Yinqing was being fierce with her.
So fierce.
In that case, the nature of the matter had changed.
“Yeah, so what?” Tan Xingwei sat up straight. “Why are you being so fierce?”
Tan Yinqing scoffed. “You hid this from me for so long, what’s wrong with me being a little fierce with you?”
Tan Xingwei: “Don’t be ridiculous, Tan Yinqing. Who made a rule that I have to tell you everything I do?”
“Fine, fine, fine,” Tan Yinqing also sat up straight. “So you’re saying this now, Tan Xingwei.”
Tan Xingwei was about to retort, but an idea struck her. She switched tactics, letting out a whimper and hugging Su Xu’s arm, acting wronged. “Big Sister Ah Xu, look at her. She’s being mean to me.”
Tan Yinqing: “…”
Tan Yinqing: “I really can’t with you, Tan Xingwei.”
Tan Xingwei rested her head on Su Xu’s shoulder and glared at Tan Yinqing.
“You two,” Tan Yinqing found she was still annoyed. She tilted her chin, looking very fierce. “Was it fun?”
Tan Xingwei lifted her head again. “Yeah, it was fun.”
Su Xu patted Tan Xingwei’s head, signaling for her to be quiet for a moment.
“It’s not like that,” Su Xu began, her tone more serious. “It’s because I’ve been very busy lately with work and business trips, with almost no time. Plus, we hadn’t confirmed our relationship yet, so that’s why we didn’t tell you all.”
“Hadn’t confirmed our relationship yet,” Tan Yinqing repeated the phrase, a mocking expression on her face. “Tan Xingwei, can you even get the job done?”
Tan Xingwei was instantly at a disadvantage. “None of your business.”
But Su Xu said, “I’m the one pursuing Xingxing.”
Tan Yinqing: “…”
Tan Xingwei shot Tan Yinqing a provocative look, then shook her head smugly.
“Xingxing is the little sister, and she’s your little sister. I wanted to plan this properly,” Su Xu continued. “I also couldn’t find a suitable opportunity to come clean. Xingxing and I didn’t do it on purpose.” As Su Xu spoke, her voice grew softer. “You’re not mad at me, are you, Big Sister Yinqing?”
“Oh my god,” a voice came from the audience section again. Yaoyao clutched her heart. “Ah Xu, you’re so sincere.” She said to Tan Yinqing, “Big Sister, just let them be together, Big Sister.”
Chen Jing chimed in, “Big Sister, just let them be together.”
Tan Yinqing: “…”
Tan Yinqing finally couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. “You guys are crazy. Did I say I disagreed?” But then she immediately added, “Tan Xingwei, look at that smug face of yours.”
What kind of face did Tan Xingwei have? Because Su Xu had spoken up for her not once, but twice, her tail was practically wagging to the heavens. Her face was extremely smug.
Tan Yinqing looked at Tan Xingwei with disdain, but she still asked, “Tan Xingwei, when did you become a lesbian?” She added, “And don’t give me any funny business.”
Tan Xingwei said, “To be honest with you, I really have been since I was little.”
Tan Yinqing: “Why didn’t I know?”
Tan Xingwei: “Why should you know?”
Tan Yinqing: “…”
Tan Yinqing asked again, “When did you two…? You two didn’t… before?”
Su Xu understood what Tan Yinqing was asking. She said, “No, it’s only been recent.”
Tan Yinqing showed an expression that said, “That’s more like it.”
Now they could finally eat the watermelon. At Tan Yinqing’s command, everyone started munching away.
The living room fell quiet again. It seemed like everyone wanted to ask something, but no one broke the silence. In the end, they just finished the entire plate of watermelon together.
They had brought four bottles of wine today. With two left, they decided to settle them with a game of cards.
But as they were playing, Yaoyao suddenly asked Chen Jing, “By the way, when did you guess? Why couldn’t I see it at all?”
Chen Jing thought for a moment. “This story has to start from the last time we went to KTV.”
As she spoke, everyone present was intrigued.
“KTV?” Tan Yinqing was the first to ask. “What happened at KTV?”
Chen Jing glanced at Su Xu. “I’m going to say it, okay?”
Su Xu looked like she didn’t even know herself. She leaned in close. “Tell me secretly first.”
The other three: “Hey!”
Su Xu’s joke landed successfully. She smiled, “Go ahead and say it.”
Chen Jing slowly began her story. “That night, didn’t Xingxing pick that song, ‘The First Girl I Liked,’ and then sang it with you?” Chen Jing smiled. “I saw you secretly recording it with your phone.”
Everyone’s gaze converged on Su Xu.
Su Xu: “…”
Su Xu was clearly a little embarrassed. She pursed her lips and looked down at her cards. “Ah.”
Tan Xingwei was a little surprised. “Really?”
Su Xu let out a small laugh. “Yes.”
Tan Xingwei also pressed her lips together.
Tan Yinqing: “If you want to laugh, just laugh.”
Tan Xingwei couldn’t hold it in. “Hahaha.”
Yaoyao followed with a click of her tongue. “Ah Xu? Huh? You?”
Tan Xingwei: “Why didn’t you say you were recording? I was just singing casually.”
Tan Yinqing mimicked with a twisted mouth, “Why didn’t you say you were recording~ I was just singing casually~”
Tan Xingwei: “What’s your problem? You’re so annoying.”
“Three Jacks,” Su Xu played the cards from her hand. “Two left.”
With two cards left, it was over in a second. No one could beat three Jacks, so Su Xu played her remaining two 8s.
It was a free-for-all. Since Su Xu finished her cards, the remaining four had to drink. But because Tan Xingwei couldn’t drink, it was as if Su Xu hadn’t won.
The four of them clinked their glasses in the air and drank up. Afterwards, Chen Jing suddenly said, “Actually, there’s more.”
Tan Xingwei sat up straight. “Say it.”
Chen Jing looked at Tan Xingwei and smiled. “This time, I’m talking about your phone wallpaper.”
Tan Xingwei un-straightened herself. “Oh.”
The phone was on the table. After hearing this, Tan Yinqing reached out and tapped the screen.
Everyone: “Ah…”
Yaoyao asked Chen Jing, “You’ve been hiding a lot, huh? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was just guessing,” Chen Jing suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, last time when Yinqing said in the group chat that she suspected Xingxing was in a relationship,” Chen Jing continued her exposé, “you all can go back and savor Ah Xu’s comments.”
She thought of something else to say. “Plus today, you two.”
Chen Jing was looking at Tan Xingwei and Su Xu. “You two didn’t even pretend to hide it today. It’s just that they didn’t see.”
Yaoyao asked, “What did they do?”
Chen Jing: “Holding hands and hugging.”
Yaoyao was curious. “When?”
Chen Jing: “Many times. I saw it all.”
Tan Yinqing dealt a new hand to everyone, casually remarking, “Ah Xu, do you even still need to pursue her?”
Su Xu smiled and turned to exchange a glance with Tan Xingwei.
The card game tonight went very smoothly for Tan Xingwei and Su Xu. Even though Su Xu was drinking for two, she didn’t end up drinking much.
After playing cards, they went out to the balcony again. The evening breeze was nice, and there were indeed stars in the sky. Not too many, though, just a few scattered ones and the easily recognizable Big Dipper.
They also chatted about their university days.
They talked about the singing competition when they were freshmen, the food street outside the university, Tan Yinqing’s university boyfriend, Yaoyao’s part-time job handing out flyers, and the time they waged war against a cockroach in their dorm…
Tan Xingwei loved listening to them chat like this. The Su Xu in these stories was so vivid.
The night gradually deepened. Someone started it with a yawn, and it spread from one to the next until everyone was yawning.
Yaoyao was the first to stretch. She said, “Honestly, I’m so sleepy.”
Chen Jing laughed. “How about we call it a night then.”
Just like that, the gathering broke up. Everyone stood up one after another.
“What, are you two going to stay a while longer?” Tan Yinqing asked.
There was actually nothing to that question, no emotion behind it, but Tan Xingwei felt guilty for some reason. She didn’t even know what she was feeling guilty about, but she shot up to her feet. “No, let’s go. Let’s go back and sleep.”
But as soon as she left the balcony, Tan Xingwei regretted it.
So what if the two of them stayed a little longer?
This regret stayed with her as she returned to her room, brushed her teeth, and got into bed.
Her body was actually very tired, but her mind was still restless.
After some thought, she opened WeChat and found the little bubble.
Tan Xingwei: 「Big Sister Ah Xu~」
Su Xu replied almost instantly: 「What’s wrong?」
Tan Xingwei: 「What are you doing?」
Su Xu: 「Just finished brushing my teeth. You?」
Tan Xingwei: 「I just finished brushing my teeth too」
Tan Xingwei thought for a moment, then continued typing: 「Do you think」
Tan Xingwei: 「I could」
Tan Xingwei: 「wait for Tan Yinqing」
Tan Xingwei: 「to fall asleep」
Tan Xingwei had only sent that much and was still typing when a message came from Su Xu.
Su Xu: 「Don’t wait」
Su Xu: 「Come now」
Tan Xingwei sat up abruptly.
This movement made Tan Yinqing, who was playing on her phone, look up. “You scared me. What are you doing?”
Tan Xingwei gave a mischievous laugh. “Sis.”
Tan Yinqing was speechless, looking as if she had seen right through her. “…Go, go, go.”
Tan Xingwei: “Alrighty!”
Tan Xingwei sent Su Xu a “Coming” message, then threw off her covers, slipped on her slippers, and went out the door.
As she closed her door, Su Xu’s door also opened. The two of them smiled at each other in the hallway. After taking two steps, Tan Xingwei couldn’t wait any longer and broke into a little run.
Pitter-patter, she ran up to Su Xu, pushed off her toes, and threw herself into Su Xu’s arms.
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