40

Qin Ruan focused intently on Wen Yixin as a smile slowly spread across her face. "I won't go. We won't go."

It was just a boring banquet, so why bother going and creating trouble for herself? She would much rather spend her time with the person in front of her.

"Sister..." Qin Ruan couldn't suppress the smile on her lips. "You're so worried about me."

"Maybe... Sister does have some feelings for me."

"What do you think?" Qin Ruan raised an eyebrow.

Wen Yixin froze and fell into a sudden silence.

Qin Ruan's bright smile gradually dimmed as the silence stretched on, her eyes lowering.

For what felt like an eternity, just when Qin Ruan thought Wen Yixin would stay silent forever, Wen Yixin finally spoke.

"Maybe you're right."

"But I need some time to think about it. Once I have an answer, I'll tell you." She didn't deny that she occasionally felt something different for Qin Ruan, but most of the time, she saw her as someone who needed care, like a younger sibling.

Discovering Qin Ruan's feelings so suddenly had complicated her emotions, and she couldn't sort them out in a short time.

"Okay, I'll wait for your answer." No matter what the answer was, she wouldn't give up.

She still had time.

She would eventually get what she wanted.

Time slowly passed into July. After Wen Yixin's dance studio opened, it quickly attracted its first batch of students thanks to her reputation in the dance world.

Meanwhile, Qin Ruan gradually became a video creator, thanks to her cat, Xiaoli.

Their daily interactions remained the same, except that Qin Ruan could no longer spend every moment with Wen Yixin because Wen Yixin had to teach dance.

At the dance studio.

Qin Ruan sat on a bench, holding a cup of lemon tea, her fingers idly tracing the cool surface of the cup.

The soft yellow light of the setting sun streamed through the windows, casting dappled patterns across the room.

From her angle, Wen Yixin seemed to be bathed in a faint golden halo, every move she made was captivating.

Qin Ruan narrowed her eyes, sipping her lemon tea as she glanced briefly at the group of young children in the class.

Thankfully, they were just kids.

She refocused her attention on Wen Yixin.

She had come here to pick her up and take her home.

At 6 p.m., after all the students had left, Wen Yixin slowly walked over to Qin Ruan.

"Why did you come so early?" she asked, calculating that Qin Ruan must have been waiting for an hour.

"I had nothing to do at home, so I thought I'd come early. I brought you some tea." Qin Ruan stood up and handed Wen Yixin a blue thermos.

"Try it, Sister."

Wen Yixin smiled. "Thank you."

She took the cup, unscrewed the lid, and sipped it. Finding it not too hot, she took a few more sips, letting the sweet fragrance fill her mouth.

After a moment, she screwed the lid back on and smiled. "It's well brewed. It tastes good."

"As long as you like it, Sister."

Wen Yixin nodded. "I'm going to the dressing room to change. Wait for me a little longer."

Qin Ruan stepped forward. "I'll go with you."

"Hmm..." Wen Yixin hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright."

Qin Ruan smiled. "Let's go, then."

Wen Yixin agreed, turning to lead her to the dressing room.

Once in the dressing room, Wen Yixin casually grabbed a white towel hanging on the wall and wiped the sweat from her neck and face before going behind the curtain to change.

Qin Ruan glanced around the simple room, which only had a table, a bench, a cabinet, and a curtain. The only thing that stood out was the delicate mirror on the table, surrounded by a string of lights.

She sat on the bench and waited quietly for Wen Yixin.

She didn't have to wait long—just two or three minutes—before Wen Yixin emerged from behind the curtain.

She walked over and stuffed her clothes into her bag. "Alright, let's go."

"Do you want to eat out, or should we go home?"

Qin Ruan stood up and shook her head. "Let's eat at home."

"I've already prepared the ingredients, and we can have hot pot at home."

Wen Yixin thought for a moment. "That sounds good."

She placed her bag on the table and bent down to search through the drawer.

Qin Ruan approached her. "What are you looking for, Sister?"

"Just some small things," Wen Yixin replied without looking up, putting the items she found into her bag.

Qin Ruan only glanced at the items briefly before her gaze naturally settled on Wen Yixin's face.

The bright lights illuminated her face, making her skin look porcelain smooth, almost ethereal.

Without realizing it, Qin Ruan moved closer.

Noticing the presence nearby, Wen Yixin instinctively turned her head, only to find Qin Ruan staring at her intently. Her expression immediately became a bit unnatural.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Qin Ruan smiled. "It's nothing."

She reached out, grabbed a tissue from the table, and gently dabbed Wen Yixin's forehead. "I just noticed that you missed a spot of sweat. Let me help you wipe it."

As Qin Ruan's fingers pressed the tissue to Wen Yixin's forehead, her ring finger brushed against her slightly damp skin.

At the same time, her other hand rested on the corner of the table, effectively trapping Wen Yixin between the table and herself.

Qin Ruan's breath drew closer, and all Wen Yixin could see was her magnified face.

Her eyelashes were long and curled, her eyebrows delicate, and her lips naturally red. Her breath was as soft as a whisper, enticing when she spoke.

Wen Yixin's gaze lingered on those softly moving lips for just a moment before she found herself holding her breath.

She shifted her gaze, but her heartbeat gradually sped up.

"Sister..." Qin Ruan called out softly, lowering her hand and naturally propping herself up on the table.

Wen Yixin instinctively backed away, only to find her waist pressing against the edge of the table.

Noticing her movement, Qin Ruan smiled. "Why are you backing away, Sister?"

"Are you nervous, or are you afraid I might do something to you?"

Wen Yixin lowered her gaze. "I'm just not used to being so close."

"Is that so?" Qin Ruan chuckled, unconvinced by her answer, and moved even closer.

She stared at Wen Yixin, her smile deepening. "Sister, you said you'd give me an answer. It's been two weeks now. Have you thought it over?"

Hearing this, Wen Yixin's fingers gripping the edge of the table unconsciously tightened, and her breathing momentarily stopped.

She looked at Qin Ruan, her gaze tracing her brows and eyes, her heartbeat gradually quickening.

She thought she might have some feelings for Qin Ruan, but she wasn't sure how deep those feelings went.

But that didn't stop her from giving Qin Ruan an answer.

"Qin Ruan, let's try dating."