Chapter 209 IF Route: Brother Yan, Do You Have Someone You Like?
Qu He descended the dormitory building and headed towards the west gate, under their expectant gazes.
She had already seen the figure when she was still some distance away from Ximen.
Zhuang Bieyan was wearing a dark gray shirt with the top two buttons casually undone, revealing a simple white T-shirt underneath.
He stood casually under the shade of the trees, dappled sunlight dancing on his body.
Just standing there quietly, it became a sight to behold, attracting the attention of many students passing by, and the frequent glances from female students.
Qu He's heart began to pound uncontrollably.
She had always known that Zhuang Bieyan was handsome, but perhaps her mindset had changed, and now, looking at him, she felt that he was more dazzling than ever before.
Just then, a sweet-looking girl, encouraged by her companion, blushed and timidly walked up to Zhuang Bieyan, looked up at him and said something, and then carefully took out her phone.
They want my WeChat.
Qu He stopped in her tracks, a bittersweet feeling gripping her heart, tightening ever more.
She had seen people ask Zhuang Bieyan for her WeChat before, but she usually just laughed it off.
But at this moment, the feeling was completely different. She was jealous, envious, and jealous that the girl could express her love and affection for him.
Qu He suddenly realized that she had no right to stop it or assert sovereignty.
She was just his "sister".
That's all.
The sunlight seemed to grow even more glaring, so she closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing the burning sensation welling up in her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she found that handsome face was already close at hand.
Zhuang Bieyan had already walked up to her without her noticing; the girl who had asked for her WeChat was nowhere to be seen.
He lowered his eyes and gazed at her silently.
What are you spacing out for?
His voice was deep and pleasant, with his own unique magnetism.
Qu He snapped back to reality, her cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.
Zhuang Bieyan gently patted her back. "Get in the car, it's hot outside."
His actions were intimate and natural; in the past, Qu He would have thought it was perfectly normal.
But at this moment, the warmth from his fingertips through the thin blouse felt like an electric current was passing through her, making her feel numb.
Zhuang Bieyan booked a Cantonese restaurant with a quiet and peaceful environment.
After we were seated, the waiter quickly served us pre-dinner drinks.
Zhuang Bieyan handed over a spoon, "This shop's bayberry shaved ice is very good, try it and see if you like it."
"Thank you, Brother Yan."
Qu He took the spoon and scooped up a small spoonful.
The ice cream is sweet and refreshing, with a hint of tartness unique to bayberries. It's delicious and not too sweet.
Normally, she would have already been enjoying it to her heart's content.
But today, she felt that beneath the sweetness lay a deeper sourness, just like her current mood.
To maintain a demure and ladylike image in front of her beloved, she ate in small bites.
But her gaze would always involuntarily drift towards the person opposite her, only to frantically lower it just before meeting his eyes.
Zhuang Bieyan frowned as he looked at Qu He across from him.
It's too quiet.
This is not like her.
As usual, from the moment she got in the car, she would share with him what happened at school.
But today, from the moment we met until now, she has barely said a word.
While in the car, I kept looking down at my phone. When we arrived at the restaurant, even though I was eating my favorite bayberry shaved ice, I wasn't happy. Instead, I was absent-minded and kept a spoonful of shaved ice in my mouth for a long time.
Are you unhappy?
Or is it that the shaved ice doesn't suit your taste?
Moreover, and most importantly, from the moment they met until now, she seems to have been avoiding his gaze.
A strange sense of unease and disappointment swept through Zhuang Bieyan's heart.
Qu He had some ice cream on her lips, so he pulled out a tissue and naturally reached out to wipe it off for her.
He has done this action countless times over the past decade.
When she was little, it was perfectly normal for me to wipe away rice grains and snack crumbs from the corners of her mouth.
However, this time, as soon as he reached out his hand, Qu He stepped back and dodged.
Zhuang Bieyan's hand froze in mid-air. Looking at Qu He's flickering eyes, the irritation and doubt in his heart deepened.
Qu He lowered her head guiltily, took out a tissue, and wiped her mouth haphazardly: "I can do it myself."
Her movement was a completely subconscious reaction.
After realizing her own "dirty" thoughts, she could no longer accept such overly intimate behavior.
She was afraid that this touch would cause her heart to race and reveal her deepest secrets to him.
Just then, my phone screen lit up with a message from Chen Huanhuan in the dorm group chat: 【How's it going? How's the battle going? Did you test the waters? [Evil grin]】
Upon seeing this message, Qu He remembered the important mission this meal carried.
After eating half a bowl of bayberry shaved ice without tasting anything, Qu He finally raised her head and met Zhuang Bieyan's gaze.
“Brother Ayan”.
"Um?"
Zhuang Bieyan put down his water glass, waiting for her to continue.
He loved the way she looked at him so intently, because at that moment, her eyes reflected only his image.
How long do you plan to stay in China this time?
Qu He hesitated before saying what she was about to say, deciding instead to lay the groundwork first.
Zhuang Bieyan looked at her tense little face and found it somewhat amusing, yet also curious about what was wrong with her today.
"About half a month. This time I'm back not only to see you, but also to start handling some affairs of the domestic group, in preparation for my future development back in China."
Qu He's eyes lit up instantly after hearing this for more than half a month.
This means they will have more opportunities to meet.
"Half a month? Then I'll treat you to a meal next time!"
Zhuang Bieyan was pleased by the gleam in her eyes, and the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up: "Okay. This trip back is also for long-term preparation."
"If all goes well, I won't have to travel back and forth between North City in England anymore. I will officially take over the Zhuang family business, and we can meet more often."
We can meet often!
These words, like honey, melted in Qu He's heart, dispelling much of the previous bitterness.
She nodded vigorously, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upwards.
Zhuang Bieyan felt much better when he saw the familiar smile finally appear on her face, and moved the dishes she liked closer to him.
The atmosphere seemed to have eased somewhat.
Taking advantage of this momentum, Qu He casually asked, "Brother Ayan, I have a friend."
"She...she seems to have fallen for someone, but she's not sure how they feel. She's worried that if she confesses rashly, and the other person doesn't like her back, they might not even be able to stay friends. Do you think she should confess?"
After saying this, Qu He's heart was practically in her throat.
Zhuang Bieyan tightened his grip on his chopsticks.
He was all too familiar with Qu He's current expression.
Conflicted, guilty, expectant, afraid.
They grew up together, and she shared almost all her secrets and worries with him, but he had never seen her show such a look, the kind of look a young girl in love has, troubled by love.
In his past experience, opening a conversation with "I have a friend" is almost equivalent to creating a friend out of thin air.
So, Qu He, does she have someone she likes?
The calm lake in my heart was stirred into a raging storm by those words.
It feels like something is blocking my throat; it's dry and tight.
He picked up the iced lemonade beside him and gulped down more than half of it.
The icy liquid slid down my throat, barely suppressing the churning discomfort and allowing me to regain my voice.
"Love is not a game."
His voice sounded a few degrees lower and more serious than usual. "Especially for girls, you need to be more careful. You... your friend, perhaps you can observe for a while longer, examine the other person's character and sincerity more thoroughly, there's no need to rush."
He gave a high-sounding reason, but in his mind he was quickly calculating how to have his assistant investigate all the suspicious men who had recently appeared around Qu He.
"Oh...I see."
The light in Qu He's eyes visibly dimmed.
She lowered her head, stirring the remaining shaved ice in the bowl with a spoon, her voice muffled, "Okay, I'll tell her."
Her hopes were dashed, but she wasn't giving up: "Then, Brother Yan, what about you? Do you have someone you like?"
When Qu He asked that question, she felt like her heart was about to stop beating.
She held her breath, awaiting her fate.
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