The Young Miss Refuse To Love-Chapter 79: Xu Yichen

"So, you do have your own white moonlight?" Qi Jianyi remarked, her voice tinged with amusement as her gaze settled on He Zeqing’s face, where a hint of nostalgia flickered. It was more of a statement than a question. She didn’t expect an answer but wanted to see how he’d react.

He held her gaze for a moment, a shadow passing over his features, as if her words had touched something long buried. "I don’t," he finally replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Then why do you look so... longing?" She tilted her head, her curiosity genuine.

"I was just thinking, that’s all. You’re speculating things," He Zeqing brushed off her observation, shifting his tone to something cooler, as though determined to sweep the topic away as quickly as it had surfaced.

Qi Jianyi opened her mouth to say something, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she watched him carefully, reading the subtle tension that lingered behind his stoic exterior. Finally, she murmured, "You know, cousin, I’m quite skilled at reading people’s emotions. But I’ll accept your lies, just this once."

"You act as if you know what’s in my head," he teased, a faint smile playing at his lips as he stood up, the conversation drifting back into their usual lightheartedness.

Straightening his sleeves, he prepared to leave. "Anyway, I have somewhere to be."

With a smirk, Qi Jianyi followed him to the door, her tone playful. "I might not know what’s in your head, but I can certainly tell when you’re lying," she teased, her expression softening.

I’ve learned to recognize liars, she mused internally, recalling her own experiences. It was a skill she’d had to acquire.

He Zeqing paused at her words, turning to look back at her, a low chuckle escaping his lips.

"We may not be as close as some others in the family, but I like you the most." His voice was calm yet surprisingly warm, and for a brief moment, the usual distance between them softened.

This was his declaration—an unexpected admission of affection. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Qi Jianyi raised her brows, amused by his words. "But you’re not my favourite, though." A mischievous smile crept onto her face.

He Zeqing’s half-smile returned, and in one swift movement, he reached out and tousled her perfectly tied-up hair, disrupting the neat ponytail she’d so carefully arranged. But before he could pull his hand back, Qi Jianyi caught his wrist firmly.

"Stop touching my hair, will you?" she warned, her eyes narrowing.

"Or else?" He Zeqing smirked, still mischievous, his other hand now reaching over to continue messing with her hair. So this was why his friends preferred their little sisters—this small satisfaction in playful irritation.

Rolling her eyes, Qi Jianyi released his hand and retaliated swiftly, reaching up to ruffle his neatly combed hair.

"Two can play this game," she declared innocently, watching his baffled expression with satisfaction.

I am the eldest daughter, the big sister, in both worlds, she thought with pride. If anyone understood how to push a sibling’s buttons, it was her. She’d once teased her younger sister to tears, after all. He Zeqing’s efforts to keep his cool? Child’s play.

"Don’t treat me like a child, or I’ll do the same to you," she teased, giving him a light shove toward the door.

He Zeqing bristled, standing his ground with a displeased huff. "I’m older than you."

"Yes, yes, you’re old," Qi Jianyi nodded, her tone faux-conciliatory, drawing out each word to irritate him further. "So old that you don’t even understand a joke."

The corner of his mouth twitched, but he held his serious expression. With a final look of disapproval, he stepped outside, leaving her smirking in the doorway.

"Call me as soon as that jerk finishes reading your manuscript. I’ll be your second reader," He Zeqing said, settling into the driver’s seat with a look that seemed half-command, half-support.

Qi Jianyi nodded with a small smile, "I promise," she replied, her voice soft yet sincere.

Qi Jianyi watched as He Zeqing’s car disappeared down the road, her expression slowly shifting. The teasing, playful glint faded from her eyes, replaced by a cold, hollow stare. Her shoulders slumped, and her gaze fell to the ground as if weighed down by a burden only she could see.

"Favourite?" she murmured, her voice barely audible, tinged with an edge of bitterness. "Was it me he meant... or was it her?" The question lingered, twisting through her mind like a shadow.

But why should it even matter to me? She clenched her fists, willing herself to regain control over her spiraling thoughts.

"Qi Jianyi, get a grip!" she whispered fiercely, brushing back a few stray strands of hair that had fallen into her face.

Taking a slow, grounding breath, she straightened her posture and turned back toward her house. Her expression steeled, Qi Jianyi stepped inside, closing the door behind her as if shutting out the mess of thoughts that had started to unravel.

...

"I like you, Jianyi."

Qi Jianyi’s eyes snapped open, and her head jerked up, her heart freezing at the familiar voice. She stared, stunned, at the face of someone she had never expected to see again—a face she had long buried in the depths of her memory.

"Xu Yichen?" she whispered, her voice trembling as his name slipped from her lips, a name that once held so much of her heart yet had gone unspoken for years.

She blinked, almost not trusting her eyes. The boy in front of her looked exactly like her first love, Xu Yichen—same mischievous eyes, same lopsided grin, a younger version of the man she had known. He looked like a teenager.

"It’s me." Xu Yichen spoke again, his voice holding that unmistakable warmth. A wide, playful smile spread across his face, one that used to make her heart race. "Jianyi, did you hear what I just said?"

Qi Jianyi’s thoughts spun, struggling to catch up. "What?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper as she felt herself being pulled back in time.

"I said I like you. How do you feel about me?" Xu Yichen repeated, his gaze earnest, his nervous smile somehow both endearing and heart-wrenching.

Qi Jianyi stood there, dumbfounded, as his words truly registered this time. This was the same confession she’d heard five years ago.

Her mind reeled back to that day in high school when he’d leaned over her desk while she dozed, waking her with a quiet declaration of his feelings. She remembered how he had orchestrated a playful commotion in their classroom, creating a scene that made her cheeks burn with both embarrassment and delight.

It was the moment she had dreamed of, her efforts rewarded, her heart racing as he sealed his confession with their first kiss.

The memory had etched itself into her heart, a moment that had captivated the entire school, turning their whispered romance into the talk of the week. And now, as she stood before this young, familiar face, she couldn’t tell if she was caught in a memory—or if she was dreaming it all over again.

"Don’t tell me you’re planning to reject me?" Xu Yichen asked, letting out a nervous laugh as he fidgeted. His cheeks flushed, and the tips of his ears turned red, his gaze wavering under the intensity of Qi Jianyi’s stare.

"I’m not..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. A part of her felt rooted in the moment, and yet, it all felt like a surreal dream. "Is this... my dream?"

Before she could make sense of the scene before her, a loud, familiar voice pierced the silence, breaking her trance.

"Jianyi, do you like him so much that you feel like you’re dreaming?"

Qi Jianyi blinked, her gaze shifting to the girl who had appeared beside her, arms draped playfully around her shoulders, a mischievous grin lighting up her face.

"Qingqing?" she murmured, her heart skipping a beat. The sight of Lin Qingqing, her high school friend, took her by surprise. She looked just like she had in their teenage years—young, full of life, and still wearing that teasing smile.

Lin Qingqing raised an eyebrow, a slightly perplexed look crossing her face. "What’s with you, Jianyi? Why are you staring at me like we haven’t seen each other in ages?"

She didn’t dwell on the odd moment, though, her attention snapping back to the "main event" with an excited gleam. "Anyway, are you seriously just going to stand here looking dazed and not accept his confession?"

Qi Jianyi felt her heart racing as her mind raced back to the memory. Qingqing had been there, egging her on, playfully nudging her to seize her moment with Xu Yichen. The surrealness of seeing her friend and her ex-boyfriend felt overwhelming, as though she had stepped back into a long-forgotten yet vivid Chapter of her life.

Her mind drifted, almost unconsciously, as if watching herself from a distance. The scene was pulling her in, familiar in every detail: the light-hearted teasing, Xu Yichen’s nervous anticipation, and the way her younger self had felt swept up in the thrill.

The sight of Lin Qingqing before her was both bittersweet and surreal for Qi Jianyi. The friend she had once been so close to, who had filled her life with laughter and warmth, was now nothing more than a cherished memory from a past she couldn’t revisit.

They’d shared countless moments together, ones that were still vivid in her mind, yet time and her relentless drive to succeed had pulled them apart.

Seeing Lin Qingqing’s familiar teasing grin, her heart tightened with a sense of loss. It hadn’t been that long since they’d gone their separate ways, but it was long enough for her to realise how much she regretted letting their friendship slip away.

She missed Lin Qingqing more deeply than she’d ever missed Xu Yichen, and that longing struck her like a sudden ache she hadn’t known was there.;

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