Chapter 167: Secondary CP (Yuri)
On the night everyone reunited, Zhong Yirou returned to Yang Erci’s home.
On the way, she didn’t know how to start the conversation. Fortunately, Yang Erci didn’t say anything either, silently driving the aircraft until they reached the house.
“Do you live alone now too?”
Zhong Yirou quickly caught up with Yang Erci, walking beside her.
“Yes.” Yang Erci stopped in front of her apartment door, scanned to open the door, and stepped aside to let Zhong Yirou in first. “I moved out some time ago.”
Zhong Yirou said thank you and walked in.
“Put these on.” Yang Erci took out a pair of new pink slippers from the cabinet and placed them by Zhong Yirou’s feet.
When she opened the cabinet door, Zhong Yirou noticed that almost all of Yang Erci’s shoes were black and white, making this pair of pink plush slippers seem particularly out of place.
“Are these new?” Zhong Yirou took off her high heels and changed into the slippers.
“Yes, bought them yesterday.”
Did you know I was coming yesterday?
Zhong Yirou followed her inside, feeling an inexplicable sense of joy.
Yang Erci went straight to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and quietly drank it.
Zhong Yirou felt somewhat restrained, not because she was at Yang Erci’s house. In the previous world, at the altar, she had already been alone with Yang Erci many times.
“Do you want some water?” Yang Erci turned to look at her, lightly shaking the empty glass in her hand.
Zhong Yirou nodded, “Yes, I’d like some cold water.”
Yang Erci responded with a hum, opened the refrigerator, and took out a bottle of water. Zhong Yirou immediately walked over, and the two stood in front of the fridge. Yang Erci unscrewed the cap and handed the water to her.
“Thank you.”
Zhong Yirou took a sip, then screwed the cap back on. The water was very cold, instantly clearing her mind. She looked up at Yang Erci. Probably because she had some alcohol, Yang Erci’s usually pale face had a bit of color. Her eyes were very beautiful, with long eyelashes and light pupils. The implanted lenses added to the aloofness in her eyes.
“Finished?” Yang Erci lowered her eyes, reaching out for the bottle, “It’s cold to hold, give it to me.”
Zhong Yirou instinctively tightened her grip on the bottle, her knuckles turning white.
“I…these years…” she hesitantly started, the words she wanted to say didn’t come out, and she suddenly smiled as if mocking herself, “Erci, we haven’t seen each other for so many years, do you have someone you like?”
Yang Erci, holding the glass, nodded, “Yes.”
Zhong Yirou’s heart was gripped tightly by an invisible hand, yet she still maintained her smile, “Oh…”
After a long pause, Zhong Yirou didn’t know what to say or whether she should say anything at all. But it was Yang Erci who brought her home, and it was also she who asked if she should take it seriously.
She didn’t even know if she should take it seriously.
“Do you have a romantic partner now?” Zhong Yirou asked.
Yang Erci shook her head.
After thinking for a while, Zhong Yirou sighed, “Erci, do you think I’m a coward?”
Yang Erci slightly curled the corners of her mouth, reaching out to touch Zhong Yirou’s hair, “Why do you say that?”
Zhong Yirou looked up, gazing into Yang Erci’s eyes, “What I said last time, I haven’t forgotten, and you didn’t respond directly to me.”
She couldn’t figure out Yang Erci’s heart. At that time, the situation was urgent, and she couldn’t care about her personal matters. Surviving was already difficult.
But Yang Erci didn’t seem to want to take the initiative to talk with her.
Zhong Yirou took a deep breath, grabbed Yang Erci’s hand, and pursed her lips, “I’ll say it again, I like you; I really like you. I don’t want to be friends; in the last cycle game, I realized that when you died in front of me, I felt really, really sad, I…I don’t want you to leave me.”
As she spoke, she looked up, her beautiful eyes a little wet.
“What about you? What do you think? Do you…like me? Or do you have someone else…”
Yang Erci laughed lightly, directly interrupting her unfinished words, “Do you still need to ask?”
She held Zhong Yirou’s hand and said, “I like you, probably earlier than you.”
Zhong Yirou looked surprised, “When?”
She had no clue.
“Guess?” Yang Erci tightened her grip on Zhong Yirou’s hand, took a step closer, lowered her head slightly, and her voice was very gentle, “Guess right and I’ll let you go home.”
Zhong Yirou almost cried, but now she laughed, hooking her hands around Yang Erci’s neck and saying, “Then I won’t guess.”
She suspected Yang Erci deliberately pushed her to the brink of tears before admitting she liked her.
The kitchen light was cold, and Zhong Yirou’s eyes were bright, like reflecting snowlight. Yang Erci lowered her head, their noses touching.
“It reminded you of bad memories.” Yang Erci’s voice was very gentle, “I’m sorry.”
Zhong Yirou shook her head, leaned in, and kissed Yang Erci on the lips, “Anyway, you’re by my side now.”
Yang Erci wrapped her arms around her waist, pressing Zhong Yirou against the refrigerator and kissing her, their fingers intertwined. During the kiss, she recalled many scenes, mostly Zhong Yirou’s smiles, her beautiful eyes curved into crescent shapes, and the pleasant scent she carried, just like what she was smelling now.
Zhong Yirou gradually sank into the kiss, her hands unconsciously loosening, and the water bottle she had been holding fell to the ground with a thud.
“Erci…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Yang Erci’s slender fingers threaded through her hair, gently stroking it.
The neon lights outside the window stayed on all night, and the air was thick with a humid, ambiguous atmosphere. Death and separation, all those tragedies they had experienced—were forgotten, leaving only the merging of their souls.
Yang Erci didn’t need to sacrifice herself, and Zhong Yirou didn’t need to turn into a pollutant to protect everyone. They were just two girls in an ordinary world, in love with each other.
During the holiday, Zhong Yirou didn’t go home. She made an excuse that her friend’s parents were not home, so she went to stay with her for a few days. Zhong Yirou’s parents were very open-minded and agreed.
Just like that, she stayed at Yang Erci’s place until the day they returned to school. They shopped together in an unmanned supermarket, complained about the expensive vegetables, and kissed in front of the milk-filled shelves.
They only slept at dawn the previous night, but Yang Erci’s biological clock woke her up quickly. She kissed the still-sleeping Zhong Yirou beside her, quietly watched her for a while, then got dressed and went to make breakfast.
The alarm rang three times, and Zhong Yirou finally couldn’t resist waking up. Her eyes were still closed when she suddenly heard Yang Erci’s voice.
“Is today the end of the holiday? Don’t you have classes in the morning?”
Zhong Yirou, still not fully awake, complained and acted coquettishly, “How can you talk about something so unromantic as soon as you wake up…”
Halfway through, she woke up fully and sat up abruptly.
“Oh no, what day is it today?”
“The 8th.” Yang Erci placed the fried egg on the table, walked towards Zhong Yirou, bent down, and lightly pecked her on the lips, “Wash up and eat breakfast. I’ll take you to school.”
“Oh,” Zhong Yirou immediately started putting on her underwear, fumbling with the buttons, “I need to hurry; there’s a roll call.” She suddenly realized her clothes hadn’t been washed, so she looked up and said, “Erci, can I borrow your clothes?”
“In the wardrobe, find them yourself.” Yang Erci was choosing shoes.
Yang Erci’s wardrobe was filled with black, white, and gray clothes, mostly shirts and suits, with few casual clothes. She chose a gray shirt that reached her thighs.
“How about this?” Zhong Yirou ran to Yang Erci and twirled around.
Clearly, Yang Erci was not satisfied. She tilted her head, “Don’t you think it’s a bit short?”
“Not really?” Zhong Yirou glanced down.
Yang Erci wore a black shirt with a gray long suit jacket and gray pants, looking both professional and a bit restrained.
“I have a tracksuit.” Yang Erci pulled Zhong Yirou back to the wardrobe and made her change into a full set of her white tracksuit.
“I’ve never worn anything so unsexy.”
Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhong Yirou shook the overly long sleeves, cupping her face with a hint of helplessness.
“It’s a good chance to change your style.”
Zhong Yirou, still puzzled, looked at Yang Erci and said, “You say that, but you’re also dressed…”
“What about it?” Yang Erci was about to land.
“I can’t quite say.” Zhong Yirou muttered, “Doesn’t feel like you’re going to work.”
Yang Erci smiled but said nothing. She dropped Zhong Yirou off at school, saying she was going to park the aircraft.
Zhong Yirou hurried to the aerial classroom. Fortunately, the bell hadn’t rung and the teacher hadn’t arrived.
Her classmate and friend Julie stood up and waved at her, “Yirou! Why are you dressed like this today?”
“Ah…just trying a different style.” Zhong Yirou chuckled awkwardly.
“This set looks pretty good too.”
While they were talking, a voice came from outside the classroom.
Zhong Yirou took out everything from her bag, feeling like something was missing, and searched again.
“Good morning.”
That voice…
Zhong Yirou, who was looking down for something, raised her head, stunned.
Isn’t that…Yang Erci?
Where’s the teacher? Why is it her?
The classmates below were also talking.
“A substitute teacher?”
“The teacher is so beautiful.”
“So young, feels like she’s our age…”
Yang Erci calmly said to everyone, “I’m your substitute teacher, or rather, your senior. The original teacher, Professor Erwin, was also my undergraduate mentor. The part you’re going to report on is my current research direction. Our lab is also establishing a collaboration with University A. The professor is on a business trip this week, so he asked me to substitute for this class.”
“I see.”
“You’re amazing, senior.”
She didn’t even tell her…
Zhong Yirou pouted.
Yang Erci glanced at everyone, her gaze lingering on Zhong Yirou’s face for a few seconds before looking away, a slight smile on her lips.
“Let’s skip roll call and start directly. Who wants to go first?”
“Me!”
A brown-haired boy went up to the stage, played his presentation, and began his report.
Yang Erci stepped to the side of the podium, focusing on the presentation and quietly listened to his report. Then she gave very professional advice and guidance.
Zhong Yirou sat at her desk, staring at Yang Erci, somewhat lost in thought.
“Hey,” Julie, sitting next to her, nudged her with her elbow, “She seems like your type.”
Zhong Yirou smiled.
Isn’t she?
She’s her girlfriend after all.
It’s not that she didn’t want to tell Julie, she just didn’t have the time right now.
Zhong Yirou realized she seemed to have forgotten her presentation.
She was sure she copied it; did she leave it in Yang Erci’s aircraft?
“Thank you, this student. Who’s next?” Yang Erci looked at the students below, but no one volunteered.
“If no one volunteers, I’ll randomly choose.”
She pretended to look at the roster and ask, “Is Zhong Yirou here?”
“…Yes.” Zhong Yirou raised her hand and stood up, “I’m here.”
“Come up and report your research results to everyone.” Yang Erci smiled at her.
“Oh.” Zhong Yirou felt a bit troubled but still braced herself and went up, thinking she might just explain and present directly, though it would be much less effective.
She walked up to Yang Erci and whispered, “Um… my presentation…”
But at that moment, Yang Erci casually extended her hand, holding a micro storage device.
She didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at Zhong Yirou, just handed it to her.
“Thank you,” Zhong Yirou whispered, quickly took the storage device, and opened her presentation, projecting it.
With the presentation issue resolved, Zhong Yirou’s nervousness disappeared, and she smoothly and fully engaged in presenting her well-prepared content.
Although she had been distracted by beauty over the holidays, after living two lives, she still had this level of professional ability.
“Very good.” Yang Erci quietly listened and gave a positive response, “Your research ability is impressive. If there’s an opportunity, you might try interning at Sha Wen’s lab.”
Zhong Yirou was flattered but also suspected Yang Erci was going easy on her.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you going to critique anything?”
Yang Erci simply said, “It’s very good.”
After speaking, she looked down at the roster and, in a very low, soft voice, said to Zhong Yirou alone, “I’ll critique it at home.”
Zhong Yirou’s face visibly reddened, and she responded with an “Mm,” took her things, and returned to her seat.
“This teacher is so good-looking.” Julie, also captivated by Yang Erci’s looks, teased Zhong Yirou as she returned with a red face, “No way, did you fall in love at first sight?”
“What do you mean fall in love at first sight…” Zhong Yirou put the storage device back in her bag.
“Look at you blushing.” Julie shook her head, “Don’t even think about it, such a pretty teacher probably already has a partner. You have no chance.”
“I have no chance?” Zhong Yirou smiled and leaned in to whisper proudly, “She’s my girlfriend, and she brought my presentation for me.”
“You??” Julie forgot to control her volume, her whisper turning into an announcement, “This teacher is your girlfriend?!”
Zhong Yirou’s hand froze, feeling everyone looking at her, including the classmate reporting and Yang Erci on the stage.
“Uh…sorry…” Zhong Yirou awkwardly didn’t know what to say.
Why did it have to be so loud?
What should she do now?
Everyone must be gossiping?
They might even think it’s fake…
The classroom indeed started buzzing with discussions.
But it didn’t last long because Yang Erci spoke up, her tone calm.
“Discuss it privately later.”
She casually glanced at the projected presentation and added.
“Zhong Yirou is indeed my girlfriend.”
