Ch.39
On the day of the concert, Song Yu Meng drew on her makeup and she spent half the day at home debating on what to wear to meet Yi Ran. She held out outfit after outfit in front of the mirror.
After giving a whole bunch of clothes a pass, a retro-styled navy blue plaid skirt at the bottom of the drawer caught her eye. This was a skirt meant for fall, and it would be incredibly cold if she wore it out.
But Song Yu Meng had a sneaky idea.
She thought, since it was so cold outside, if she were to wear such a short skirt out with her legs exposed, Crazy Yi would definitely feel pain on her behalf, right?
The winter in the 12th lunar month was exceptionally cold, but she was willing to withstand the bone-piercing cold and eagerly changed into the skirt. She took a few glances in the mirror and she was already anticipating Yi Ran’s reaction.
She thought, when Crazy Yi sees me wearing a short skirt out, she must be angry and concerned at the same time. She’ll call me dumb, then take off her jacket and force me to wear it with a demanding “wear it, you’re not allowed to take it off.”
Thinking about it, the reflection of Song Yu Meng in the mirror suddenly smiled shyly.
But then things didn’t go according to plan.
She hadn’t even worn the skirt out of her room when Yi Ran sent a QQ message across.
【It’s cold outside, wear something warmer.】
【I just saw a girl wearing a super short skirt in the neighbourhood just now. Tsk tsk tsk, don’t you think she’s crazy? She’s not scared even though it’s such a cold day.】
Seeing these two messages, it was like cold water was splashed all over her heart. Song Yu Meng couldn’t find it in herself to be happy. Wasn’t Crazy Yi indirectly calling her crazy!
Clearly, it was her who couldn’t get it!
Song Yu Meng replied with an “oh”, then added three exclamation marks and two rows of that smiley face. It would be impossible to not know she was angry.
【Oh!!! (Smiley emoji)】
【……】
【Seriously, you’re upset? What did I say wrong? (Innocent expression.jpg)】
【I’m not.】
She purposely even added a full stop at the end, but Yi Ran couldn’t hear her tone and didn’t care about the full stop.
【That’s good then.】
【Hurry up and come out, my feet are all numb from waiting outside. It’s really cold.】
【(Crying emoji)】
Yi Ran didn’t know that because of her “that’s good then”, Song Yu Meng was throwing a massive tantrum in her room.
“What’s good! Idiot!”
The poor phone was flung onto the bed and she sat on the bed in a huff to calm down. Then, she took off the short skirt and changed to a pair of tight-fitting black pants.
This idiot who can’t read the room, she’s not going to brave the cold and wear a short skirt for her anymore.
On the other hand, Yi Ran, who didn’t know she had angered Song Yu Meng, was waiting at the entrance of the neighbourhood for her. She was trying to pull her neck into her clothes as much as possible and rubbing her fingers. Her face had been blown raw by the wind and her feet were all numb.
Lucky, after sneezing, she finally saw Song Yu Meng coming out.
When she arrived next to Yi Ran, Yi Ran asked: “Why did you take so long? I waited till my feet went numb, you don’t care about my feelings at all, do you?”
Yi Ran stomped her feet to get the blood flowing again as she looked Song Yu Meng up and down, then nodded happily. “You’re wearing thick enough clothes, you shouldn’t catch a cold.”
Song Yu Meng huffed. “You only noticed that I’m wearing thick clothes?” She raised her face, as if afraid Yi Ran couldn’t see.
“Um, then what else should I notice?” Yi Ran looked at her reddish face and seemed to understand her hint. “So you put on makeup too, no wonder you took so long at home.”
Having specially put on makeup for her, Song Yu Meng was dispirited when she just casually threw out a “no wonder you took so long at home”.
What was even more frustrating was Yi Ran continued with: “Actually, I think you might as well not put makeup on. I prefer your bare face, it looks much better.”
Song Yu Meng was really angry now. She had spent so much time applying makeup for Yi Ran to compliment her. Now, she didn’t even get a compliment, but Yi Ran even said it didn’t look good.
“I’m happy putting it on, can’t I?” Song Yu Meng was angry and petulant at the same time. “Anyway, I didn’t draw it for you to see, so why are you voicing your opinion?”
Yi Ran found it funny. “Please, you came out to meet me, who else would you put makeup on for? Yourself? But you can’t see it either.”
Song Yu Meng wasn’t willing to give up. “What the hell does it matter to you! I put it on for my idol to see, okay?”
She glared at Yi Ran viciously, hinting her to shut up and not anger her more.
Yi Ran kept her mouth closed obediently, complaining in her heart: Did I anger her again???
The two of them didn’t speak on the way. They even stood far apart at the bus stop when waiting for their bus, with space enough for two or three people in the middle.
A cold wind blew by, and Song Yu Meng sneezed. Seems like the cold air had gotten in through her clothes.
Yi Ran realised her smooth, pale neck was completely exposed, no wonder the wind could chill her.
Yi Ran was wearing a sweater paired with a trenchcoat, along with an orange scarf around her neck and a white beanie.
She loosened her scarf, then when Song Yu Meng wasn’t paying attention, she reached out and pulled her over. She used a bit too much strength, and Song Yu Meng fell straight into her arms.
Yi Ran’s lips quirked up, it was hard not to suspect that she had purposely used that much strength.
There was only the two of them at the bus stop, so Song Yu Meng could lash out.
“Crazy Yi, what are you doing! You hurt me!” Her two little fingers rubbed against her nose which had knocked against Yi Ran, and her face was red and tempting.
Nobody could say if it was red because she knocked her nose, or if it was because she had fallen into Yi Ran’s warm embrace.
“You say I hurt you?” Yi ran smiled cheekily and lowered her volume, whispering in a raspy, sexy voice. “But miss, if I remember correctly, you’re the one who took the initiative to fall into my arms?”
“!!!” Song Yu Meng’s eyes were wide and her heart thumped. Her blush grew even deeper. She had been coughing because of the cold wind just now, and now, her whole body felt hot.
Yi Ran was satisfied with Song Yu Meng’s reaction. She wasn’t moving, so it was perfect for her to put her scarf on Song Yu Meng.
Yi Ran carefully and seriously wound her scarf around Song Yu Meng’s neck, there was still the residual heat from her body on it. Song Yu Meng didn’t say a thing, but her beautiful eyes were glued to Yi Ran.
The scarf was on her neck, but her heart was the one that was warmed.
Yi Ran smiled gently and looked down at her. Song Yu Meng’s blush was too enticing, it made Yi Ran want to kiss her.
It was the only thought in her mind.
Yi Ran lowered her head.
Song Yu Meng’s breath hitched and her eyes widened. She seemed to have realised it, but she didn’t move a muscle.
Just as lips were about to touch skin, the bus came, the beeping cutting through the intimate atmosphere.
Yi Ran quickly lifted her head to look at the bus and pointed at it. “The bus is here, let’s go.”
But her voice was trembling slightly, showing her nervousness.
Song Yu Meng hummed and followed her up the bus, but she was secretly disappointed and annoyed: If only this bus came a bit later.
The two of them sat together at the back of the bus, but nobody said a thing. Yi Ran held her head and looked out the window as if in deep contemplation, while Song Yu Meng stared absent-mindedly at the small screen on the bus.
The atmosphere was too weird.
But even such a tense atmosphere was nothing in the face of Han Fan’s concert.
It was electrifying, with fans passionately singing along and endless clapping and cheers. Nobody could be feeling down in a place like that.
The two of them had long forgotten their awkwardness, and it wasn’t clear who made the first move, but their hands were joined together. Two hands, tightly clasped together, and their faces red from exertion.
……
After the concert ended, the concertgoers started streaming out.
Their hands were still joined as they had been for hours. Both of their palms had a thin layer of sweat, mingling with the other person’s sweat.
Song Yu Meng was a step quicker than Yi Ran, she stood up while Yi Ran was still seated, and both of their gazes went to their hands.
They both felt shy, wanting to continue holding hands but feeling too embarrassed. Smiling at each other, they silently let go.
From the concert theatre to the bus stop outside, the two of them had been chatting with a sincerity and passion that they had never had before between them.
At the bus stop, they saw a couple. The boy had the girl in his arms, looking exactly like a couple.
Yi Ran and Song Yu Meng couldn’t be more familiar with the two, they were Xu Yuan and Liu Luo Yang.
Yi Ran wasn’t interested in whether they were dating or not, she was only worried about how Song Yu Meng would feel.
She turned her head slightly, glancing at Song Yu Meng in her peripheral vision. Yi Ran saw that she was glancing at Xu Yuan and Liu Luo Yang, but she had no expression on her face at all. It was as if she hadn’t seen them. Yi Ran started feeling a little concerned that this fool was hiding her unhappiness in her heart again.
She gently shook Song Yu Meng’s shoulder, asking softly: “Are you okay?”
Song Yu Meng tilted her head and asked calmly: “Why wouldn’t I be okay? You’re the one who’s not okay?”
Yi Ran shrugged. “I was just worried you might be secretly upset because of the two of them.” She looked from afar as Liu Luo Yang took his jacket off and gave it to Xu Yuan, then continued: “They should be dating now.”
“So be it if they’re dating. If that’s true, then I’ll congratulate them.” Her voice was as calm as a pond of still water, as was her heart.
Yi Ran seemed like she had heard the best joke in the world. “Did I hear you wrongly? You’re actually congratulating them? But didn’t you hate Xu Yuan hanging out with Liu Luo Yang?”
“That was in the past, okay!”
“Then now?” Yi Ran was very concerned about this.
“Now……” She thought for a moment. “Now, as long as he’s happy, it’s fine. It doesn’t really matter who he’s with.”
Seeing the two of them board the bus and leave, Song Yu Meng smiled in relief.
Yi Ran saw it and asked: “Then you don’t like Liu Luo Yang anymore?”
“I guess so.”
“You guess?” She immediately got nervous. “What’s called you guess? Didn’t you already congratulate him? That should mean you don’t like him right?”
Song Yu Meng felt Yi Ran was really dumb. “Oh please! Feelings are so complicated, how could I be 100% sure? Must you really quibble over these details?”
“Fine, I won’t nitpick.”
She thought, Song Yu Meng’s “I guess” should mean it’s 100% confirmed.
Realising this, Yi Ran’s mood lifted and the clouds parted in the sky as sunlight shone down on her warm smile.
YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS HERE WE GO FRIENDS