Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 92

“No.”

Ji Qingqian shook her head. She didn’t go out much before, and besides, her hometown wasn’t by the sea. She asked, “Have you been?”

Lu Yibei nodded naturally.

Ji Qingqian made a soft, “Oh.”

A subtle, hard-to-describe ache settled in her chest.

It was as if Yibei had been to a world she had never stepped into.

It wasn’t exactly jealousy, but there was a trace of irritation at the thought that whenever he went to the seaside, she wasn’t lucky enough to be by his side.

“But I haven’t been to the grasslands.”

Lu Yibei said, “Heroine, you must have seen the grasslands. Endless green, mingled with the fresh scent of earth.”

Ji Qingqian nodded.

She had spent some time in northern frontier regions as a child.

Of course, not all of northern China was grassland, but her family’s livestock business meant she had seen plenty of it.

Still, she didn’t understand why Yibei suddenly brought it up.

“I want you to go with me to the grasslands someday.”

Lu Yibei said softly, “So this time, I’ll take you to the seaside first. How about that?”

Ji Qingqian paused for only a moment before answering without hesitation:

“Okay.”

That tiny ache vanished with his words.

His tone made it sound as if all his previous trips to the seaside had been just scouting trips, preemptively done to prepare for the day he could take her there.

Yibei always had this effortless ability to sense her emotions and lift her spirits.

Though her expression remained cool and composed, the gentle sway of her shoulders as she sipped her milk tea betrayed the delight she felt.

Lu Yibei chuckled. “Aren’t you going to ask when we’re going?”

Ji Qingqian shook her head. “Anytime is fine. We can leave right now.”

“Right now it’s raining, and the sea isn’t much to see,” Lu Yibei said.

Whether the sea looked beautiful largely depended on whether the sky was bright and blue.

Ji Qingqian didn’t care.

Even under gray skies, as long as she was with Lu Yibei, she could still watch the horizon blend with the sea, hear the wind and rain, and hold his hand to blow away the vast misty waves.

Still, since he mentioned it, she asked:

“When will we go?”

“On the 26th. It’ll be sunny that day.”

“Good.”

She agreed first, then began to calculate: “But it’s not a holiday.”

Not only was it not a holiday, but she also had class on the 25th and the 26th.

“Mm,” Lu Yibei said. “You don’t have class in the morning, right?”

“No.”

“Then we leave at two in the morning. We’ll catch the sunrise and can sleep a bit when we return.”

He outlined the plan, eyes filled with gentle apology. “Will that be too tiring?”

In recent days, he had been thinking about what paired best with a sunny day, and had finally decided it was the sun—specifically, the sunrise.

Where to watch it was another problem, but Ji Qingqian had unknowingly provided the answer.

And in September, the only clear day left was the 26th; other days would at most be cloudy… and the sun might hide behind the clouds.

In October, he had to go to Jiahe…

Lu Yibei didn’t want to delay this any longer.

Ji Qingqian shook her head. “No.”

Not only would she not feel tired, she was a little excited.

It was like, on a busy day, Yibei would whisk her away to a mysterious place far from the clamor.

The time might be short, and the busy routine would resume afterward.

But the mere act of escaping together was already romantic enough.

“That’s good,” Lu Yibei said.

“Then on the 25th, after class, go back to the apartment and rest a bit. If you return to the dorm, you’ll be locked in.”

Ji Qingqian pecked at him repeatedly.

“Come pick me up then.”

“Mm, I’ll pick you up,” Lu Yibei smiled.

“Good.”

Her eyes sparkled, and Lu Yibei felt her cuteness all over again.

This girl only knew she was going to the sea.

She didn’t know the exact location or how to get there, yet she trusted him enough to follow…

Facing her bright, shining eyes, Lu Yibei felt his heart soften even more.

He remembered a lyric he had heard a long time ago:

You’re old and gray, saying you’ll take me wandering.
I didn’t hesitate, just followed you to paradise.

…

Lu Yibei and Ji Qingqian didn’t plan to stay out too late.

After the rain eased, they strolled a little more.

Later, they found a restaurant near i77 called Jiangnan Gui for dinner.

The restaurant claimed to serve authentic Hangzhou cuisine. Yet, their menu had removed the famous West Lake Vinegar Fish and added Squirrel Mandarin Fish instead…

Warning! Suzhou cuisine is invading Hangzhou!!

It wasn’t bad, but nothing exceptional—just standard fare.

Ji Qingqian felt a little disappointed for missing the local specialty, but Lu Yibei thought she had dodged a bullet…

“I think maybe you just didn’t get the authentic version,” Ji Qingqian, the northeastern heroine, lectured Lu Yibei, the southern boy, with deadpan sincerity: “West Lake Vinegar Fish isn’t at fault itself.”

Lu Yibei wagged a finger.

“Wrong, my lady heroine. Do you know the ‘West Lake Vinegar Fish Paradox’? It’s made with fish from West Lake. The lake has lots of mud, giving the fish a strong earthy taste. Using fish from elsewhere removes that taste… In other words, authentic West Lake Vinegar Fish is naturally hard to enjoy! The tasty versions you’ve eaten? Not authentic! There’s no such thing as West Lake Vinegar Fish that’s both authentic and delicious!”

He reminded himself silently: just teasing her.

West Lake Vinegar Fish enthusiasts, don’t kill me!

Later, Ji Qingqian bought some small cream cakes at i77, and even asked if Lu Yibei wanted her to bring some back for his roommates.

He shook his head.

Hao Pangzi, for health reasons, had already decided not to eat after eight at night.

Zun’er didn’t like cake.

He had already eaten enough.

…Ah? Jie Ge? Today, his outstanding performance was being deliberately ignored by Lu Yibei.

On the way back, the rain stopped intermittently.

Though Ji Qingqian had picked him up, Lu Yibei still followed his usual habit of escorting her back to the dorm.

“Then I’ll go now.” Lu Yibei waved to her.

She lifted her hand in front of her chest, lightly waving, lips forming a faint line.

Even after countless farewells, seeing him leave still made her a little reluctant.

“Little girl.”

Just as Ji Qingqian turned to go upstairs, she heard the aunt call her.

The aunt’s kind face now carried a mischievous hint of humor:

“Back already?”

“…Mm.” Ji Qingqian nodded.

“Had a good time again, right?” the aunt asked.

Ji Qingqian was about to say “Yes,” but the word again caught her attention.

She suddenly remembered.

The last time she went out with Yibei to Haidilao, she had expressed her joy, and this aunt had overheard everything.

Her slender, pointed face flushed bright red.

She didn’t want to say a word to the aunt, lowering her head as she went upstairs.

Behind her came the aunt’s hearty laughter.

After just a couple of chuckles, the shy girl returned.

The aunt looked puzzled.

Ji Qingqian, still bowing her head, rummaged in the shopping bag she carried, took out a small cake, and pressed it into the aunt’s hand before wordlessly going upstairs.

The aunt looked at the girl’s retreating figure, then at the tiny dessert in her hand, and laughed even more brightly.

Upstairs, Ji Qingqian tucked away her shyness.

Thinking that Yibei would soon take her to see the sunrise by the sea, her steps grew lighter, almost wishing she could twirl.

She opened the dorm door.

Wang Jue was focused on something at the computer.

Chu Ru sprawled on the bed like a salted fish, playing on her phone.

“Want some dessert?”

Ji Qingqian asked the two. “The senior asked me to bring it for you.”