Xu Yue's fingers fumbled against the pencil, the familiar weight suddenly foreign in her hand. Each word she managed to scratch out felt like lifting a stone. Textbooks blurred at the edges of her vision, a sea of meaningless letters. The lamplight stabbed at her heavy eyelids, each blink a surrender she fought to resist.
"Xu Yue…"
She nearly jumped, startled by the voice behind her. It was Li Miao, hand pressed to her chest, eyes wide with a mix of concern and a hint of exasperation.
"Oh… Maomao, it's you." Xu Yue steadied herself, a weary smile gracing her lips. Dark circles smudged the skin under her eyes.
Li Miao's gaze lingered on those shadows, then hardened with quiet determination. "Hmph, you stubborn idiot," Words muttered under her breath, yet the affection in them was clear.
She crossed the room in a few quick strides and snatched the pencil from Xu Yue's grasp with surprising speed. "How many nights has this been?"
"I…don't know. I need to-" Xu Yue began, a hint of desperation in her voice.
Li Miao held up a hand, silencing her. "You need to rest. Look at yourself!" She gestured towards Xu Yue's reflection in the window, a pale, exhausted echo against the night.
"But the bills, and my studies-"
Li Miao's voice softened, though her eyes held unyielding resolve. "And what good would it do if you collapse? Do you honestly think your aunt would want this? Didn’t you lecture me about overwork? Why are you doing the same?"
Defeat washed over Xu Yue, slumping her shoulders. Li Miao's heart ached. Moving closer, she offered a gentle hug, a wordless plea.
"If you won't go to sleep…" Li Miao paused, a teasing glint entering her eyes, "…then I guess I'll have to stay up with you."
“M-maomao… what's going on?” Unused to such boldness, Xu Yue's voice wavered from surprise.
A flicker of guilt pricked at Li Miao – maybe a night of relaxation wasn't what Xu Yue needed. But just as the worry took root… a rebellious grin spread across her face. After her conversation with Wei Lin and Zhang Wei's apology, a weight she hadn't realized she was carrying had lifted. Xu Yue would understand, wouldn't she? They were close now, closer than ever.
Maybe it's okay for me to indulge a bit, she thought.
Even if things work out between her and Zhang Wei, Xu Yue wouldn’t abandon me now that we're this close.
Li Miao leaned over, the harsh lamplight suddenly extinguished with a soft click. The room plunged into a softer darkness, broken only by a sliver of moonlight.
She slipped her hand into Xu Yue's, the warmth a surprising contrast to the night chill. A gentle tug, not insistent but determined, guided Xu Yue toward the bed. Xu Yue followed, her movements hesitant, weariness evident in each step.
"M-Maomao, what are you –" Xu Yue's protest died as Li Miao slipped under the covers and patted the space beside her, a grin playing on her lips.
"Come on, you're not going to make me sleep alone, right?" Li Miao's eyes glittered, half-pleading, half-challenging.
Spoil me already!
Xu Yue sighed, unable to resist. She slipped under the covers, the warmth a surprising comfort. Li Miao giggled, delighted at Xu Yue's reluctant compliance.
As she slipped under the covers, the warmth enveloped her like a gentle hug. Li Miao was so close, and in the moonlight, her lips seemed to glow with an almost otherworldly softness.
"So…" Li Miao began, but her confidence from earlier seemed absent. A blush crept up her cheeks. "What should we talk about?"
A soft smile touched Xu Yue's lips. The little cat was flustered after dragging her here? It was a funny and strangely endearing sight. "Something to keep you awake?"
Li Miao giggled, a sound like gentle chimes in the wind. "Maybe… I'm too sleepy to think of interesting things." Her shoulder nudged Xu Yue's, a playful invitation. "Your turn to entertain me."
Xu Yue's gaze lingered on Li Miao. Her eyes, gentle crescents in the dim light, held a warmth that sent a thrill through Xu Yue. Li Miao seemed bathed in an angelic glow, highlighting the delicate curve of her cheekbone.
“I don’t know, I’m not interesting…” Xu Yue murmured. She couldn't quite meet Li Miao's eyes, a hint of shyness breaking through her usual composure.
“That’s not true, I think you’re very interesting.” Li Miao's voice held soft sincerity, the pout on her lips unable to hide the genuine warmth in her gaze.
Xu Yue couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. In this moment, the elegant image painted in her mind fractured, replaced by her adorable and familiar Maomao.
“Mm… Tang Jia messaged me earlier. She was wondering when she could come over and visit.” There was a touch of mischief in Xu Yue's voice now.
“Oh?” Li Miao's voice held a hint of playful jealousy. "Why doesn’t she ask me instead?" Her eyes glittered with a flicker of warmth that lingered in their depths.
"I think she still feels a bit awkward. Maybe you should text her every day, like you did with me." The teasing look was back in Xu Yue's eyes.
"Y-you!" Li Miao flushed a deeper red, but the smile blooming on her face was undeniable. "Well, that makes sense. If it weren’t for that, would we have gotten so close?”
Xu Yue paused, fingers absently tracing a pattern on the bedspread. "Yes," she admitted quietly, a hint of vulnerability in her voice, “if I didn’t manage to trick you, I wouldn’t have found out how adorable you are.”
"Yeah! See?" Li Miao's eyes widened playfully, then narrowed as the meaning of Xu Yue's words sank in. "Wait, trick me!? Xu Yue you -" Laughter bubbled up, and playful swats landed on Xu Yue's shoulder.
"Ow, ow… Maomao, forgive me!" Xu Yue's laughter joined Li Miao's, filling the space with shared joy.
“Hmph, I’ll show you! Tease me again, and find out what happens!” Li Miao's fake anger was unconvincing, the pout only adding to her charm.
“I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.” Xu Yue's smile was a mix of sincerity and playful affection.
“Liar…” Li Miao murmured, the word more of a gentle prod than an accusation. Her gaze quivered away, and the whisper was just loud enough to be heard.
A comfortable silence settled between them, the rise and fall of their breaths a soft symphony in the darkness. Then, with a touch as light as a butterfly's wing, Xu Yue reached out. Her fingers brushed against Li Miao's, a hesitant question.
Li Miao's heart skipped as she met Xu Yue's gaze. A gentle smile bloomed on her face as she took Xu Yue's hand, their fingers intertwining with tender certainty. A wave of warmth washed over her, dispelling the last of her lingering doubts.
"Xu Yue…" Li Miao began, her voice barely breaking through the sounds of the night. "Would we be like this if I was… well, more like the old me?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Xu Yue's features.
The faintest of smiles touched her lips. “Maomao, you’ve already changed so much, you're not the same anymore.” Her voice was soft, laced with sincerity.
Li Miao let out a soft laugh, a hint of self-deprecation in it.
Xu Yue's fingers tightened gently around Li Miao's. "All that matters is the Maomao I love is the Maomao right here, right now."
A blush stole across Li Miao's cheeks. Xu Yue's words, so simple yet so profound, sent a thrill through her.
Why are you saying those words to me? Shouldn’t you be cozying up with Zhang Wei?
But her traitorous heart pounded loud in her chest, her gaze drawn to Xu Yue's gentle, moonlit features.
I don't like her like that. I can't… not for her sake. Right?
Xu Yue watched Li Miao's expression shift, a flicker of worry clouding her eyes. With a touch softer than moonlight, Xu Yue lifted Li Miao's chin, their eyes meeting.
Her gaze fell to Li Miao's lips, the warmth of her breath ghosting over Xu Yue's skin. With a tenderness that took her own heart by surprise, she leaned forward, her lips brushing against Li Miao's.
Li Miao closed her eyes, the scent of Xu Yue's hair filling her senses. There was no hesitation, only a sweet surrender to the moment. Their breaths mingled, then slowly fell into rhythm as they drifted to sleep, the gentle pressure of their intertwined hands a promise in the darkness.
Thanks for the chapter!
looking forward to some maid discovering them together in bed next chapter^^
gonna be fun for sure.
the even slower release sucks but IRL takes priority. Also take care not to burn yourself out... many a story has been relegated to a early grave because of it...
take care and cya next time!
I definitely am going to finish the story, it's just taking a lot of time and I wanna only spend like 30-40 minutes a day writing at most T^T
@Anchii take your time! The story is so good we are going nowhere.
Tftc!!