Chapter 69: Little Rascal

Ye Zixuan let out a little sound of surprise, deliberately feigning astonishment as she raised an eyebrow and asked,
“What’s this? Are you really conceding defeat to little sister Lu Yi?”
She suddenly realized that Cheng Xingye really was something else. In the past twenty-three years, she had never seen him care about his reputation so much.
Now, with the person in question not even around, he was still worried the young lady might get jealous, standing far away from her, looking every bit like an outstanding graduate from a gentleman’s etiquette class.
Cheng Xingye, however, admitted it readily enough. His usually impassive face softened with a rare smile when Lu Qingyue was mentioned.
“What else can I do but admit it?”
He'd already held her in his arms—he had to take responsibility for her now, didn’t he?
Ye Zixuan had no idea how far things had progressed between them, but she clicked her tongue at his words, her face full of genuine admiration.
“I never expected you to be such a hopeless romantic. I really underestimated you.”
Tonight, the moon was full. The terrace was bathed in cool, clear moonlight, rendering the night even quieter.
They didn’t talk much longer. Ye Zixuan knew this whole affair had started because of her; she didn’t bother to justify herself, simply promising to resolve things as soon as possible so that her parents wouldn’t keep pestering or bothering him.
Cheng Xingye gave a low, quiet reply in agreement, when suddenly his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He took it out to see a message from a certain little scoundrel who had disappeared for a full twenty-four hours.
She must have been genuinely busy with studies lately. During the day, she almost never messaged him; only at night, after finishing her homework and before bed, did she have a few moments to chat.
Cheng Xingye stared at her profile picture for a while, thinking, So you finally remembered someone you ignored for an entire day, huh?
He grunted to himself before unlocking his phone and opening their chat.
Lu Qingyue had sent him a photo of her eating spicy chicken feet.
[Lu Dandian]: [photo]
[Lu Dandian]: It’s been so long since we held hands, even picking up a spicy chicken foot makes me tremble.
Cheng Xingye looked at her message and smiled silently.
Such a little clinger.
Just last night, she was secretly holding his hand under the table, and now, today, she couldn’t bear the loneliness again.
Knowing the girl missed him, Cheng Xingye pressed his lips together, his long, slender fingers typing out a reply.
[hOShinO]: You’re sneaking snacks before finishing your homework?
[Lu Dandian]: [crying emoji] Not yet.
[Lu Dandian]: I suddenly felt a powerful urge to study, but luckily my self-control is strong, so I suppressed it.
[hOShinO]: ...
Cheng Xingye suddenly felt that it was no wonder he’d fallen for this little rascal.
Ye Zixuan leaned her arms on the terrace railing, tilting her head to look at him as if she’d never seen a man so lovesick before, clicking her tongue in amazement.
“Tsk tsk, off to keep the little lady company again?”
Cheng Xingye glanced at her. “You got a problem with that?”
Ye Zixuan wouldn’t dare.
She laughed so hard she almost swayed, adopting the knowing look of someone who sees but doesn’t say, and asked nosily,
“No, I’m just curious. Young girls can be really clingy—can you handle that?”
Cheng Xingye shot her a look, thinking, What nonsense are you talking about?
If anything, he wished she were even clingier.
But Lu Qingyue really was different from other girls.

When she was with him, she could be incredibly coquettish, throwing little tantrums if he refused to hug her. Yet as soon as they parted, she would throw herself wholeheartedly into her studies, forgetting about him completely.
Cheng Xingye put on a show of heaving a sigh, sounding very helpless, though there was a hint of pride in his voice.
“What’s wrong with a girl being a bit clingy? If I don’t spoil her, should I just let someone else do it?”
He’d much rather spoil her himself—at least this way, no one else could lure her away with a few sweet words.
Ye Zixuan’s eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise.
In that moment, she had a feeling—her dog of a friend was in this for life.

...

Half past nine at night.
The villa district was aglow with lights; soft yellow lamps snaked along the stone path, and in the hushed silence, the world blanketed in moonlight felt gentle and enchanting.
Lu Qingyue had finished all her science assignments, neatly folding them and setting them aside before heading downstairs for a glass of water.
Just as she stood up, her phone vibrated on the desk. Even before unlocking the screen, she saw Cheng Xingye’s profile picture.
Normally, he never initiated small talk at night, afraid of disturbing her studies.
So Lu Qingyue was quite curious—if he was texting now, could something serious have happened?
She swiped open the screen, and sure enough:
[hOShinO]: Hello, I’ve found this phone. Are you a friend of the owner?
Lu Qingyue blinked in surprise, realizing that Cheng Xingye must have lost his phone and someone had picked it up. She quickly replied.
[Lu Dandian]: I am.
The other side didn’t beat around the bush.
[hOShinO]: Then please come retrieve it.
Such an honest finder, she thought.
Losing a phone was a hassle, so she needed to hurry over and get it back. She messaged to discuss the details.
[Lu Dandian]: Could you give me the address? I’ll come pick it up!
[hOShinO]: Turn right out the door. I bought you a strawberry tart.
[Lu Dandian]: ???
Lu Qingyue paused a moment, then suddenly realized what was going on.
Her heart pounded for a few beats, and she dashed out the door with her phone.
As soon as she stepped outside her room, she saw that Lu Yi’s door was still slightly ajar, so she instinctively tiptoed out, hunched over like a thief, and crept quietly down the stairs.
In the misty moonlight, a tall, slender figure stood out clearly.
Lu Qingyue raced over to him, nearly throwing herself into his arms.
“Cheng Xingye! Why are you here?”
Cheng Xingye wrapped his arms around her, lazily raising an eyebrow.
“I thought someone was missing me.”
Lu Qingyue tilted her head up, admitting openly,
“I did miss you!”
Then she stepped back two paces, glancing at the brightly lit villa behind her, and said in a whisper,
“But I can’t stay out long—my brother’s home!”
Cheng Xingye gave a soft “mm.” “I just wanted to see you.”

Just seeing her was enough.
After all, the girl needed to focus on her studies, and he didn’t want to distract her because of him.
Perhaps feeling it was tiring to keep looking up at him, Lu Qingyue stepped onto the edge of the flowerbed so their eyes were level, lowering her voice as she warned,
“By the way, when you sleep in the dorm lately, you’d better keep your left eye on guard and your right ear on alert.”
Cheng Xingye didn’t get it at first. “Hm?”
Lu Qingyue tiptoed closer, as if exchanging secrets with a fellow spy, whispering in his ear,
“I think my brother knows about us.”
Cheng Xingye: “...”
Her warm breath lingered at the hollow of his neck, sparking a restless heat inside him—both hot and itchy.
He turned his head aside, coughed lightly to suppress the tickle in his throat,
“Alright, I’ll be careful. You should head back now.”
If he hadn’t missed her so much, he wouldn’t have asked her out so late.
It felt like an illicit rendezvous, but not even as satisfying—at least in a real secret affair, they could kiss and hug. With this girl, he couldn’t do anything; every meeting left him unsatisfied.
Lu Qingyue was stunned at his words.
“What? You’re sending me back already?”
She’d just come out—now he was rushing her back?
Cheng Xingye gave her a sidelong glance. “What else would you have me do?”
What else, indeed?
He might be a little shameless at times, but he wasn’t a brute.
Calling her out at this hour was suggestive enough; if he didn’t send her back soon and the two idiots in his dorm found out, they’d probably slap a “pervert” label on him again.
Lu Qingyue stared at him in disbelief.
“When you said you wanted to see me, you really meant just see me, literally?”
Her little face was full of disappointment and indignation.
Cheng Xingye laughed so hard his shoulders shook. “If you want a hug, just say so.”
But Lu Qingyue refused to let him have his way, retorting with rare backbone,
“Hmph! I don’t want a hug!”
Yet in the end, she got hugged anyway.
Cheng Xingye pulled her into his arms, lowering his head until their foreheads touched, his smile tinged with meaning,
“What’s the use of acting tough? Don’t you feel cheated if you leave without a hug?”
Lu Qingyue snorted, and, taking advantage of his distraction, slipped out of his embrace, snatched the strawberry tart from his hand, and dashed off.
Just stubborn! Stubborn, that’s all! It wasn’t as if she was the only one who wanted a hug!
Lu Qingyue thought, her conscience clear, as she sped away.
His arms were empty, the tart in his hand gone.
Cheng Xingye watched her slender figure grow smaller and smaller under the night sky, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes narrowing in contentment.
Little rascal.