The nights in Jing City weren’t as bustling as those in big metropolises, but they had a warmer, more down-to-earth charm. The university district’s food street was packed with college students enjoying late-night snacks, savoring delicious bites while boasting and bantering.
Heading north along the street led to the moat, where the illuminated city gate on the opposite side shimmered with colorful lights.
Su Mo and Ye Qingyi sat by the moat, with Jingjiang University just behind them.
“Mmm~” Ye Qingyi let out a satisfied hum, praising, “So good.”
“You’re supposed to be a rich young lady, yet you’re acting like you’ve never seen the world before.” Su Mo pulled a tissue from his pocket and handed it to her.
Ye Qingyi, however, didn’t care. “When you’re out and about, your identity is what you make of it. No need to overthink it. Besides, when it comes to good food, everything else is irrelevant.”
Watching her shake her head carefreely, Su Mo suddenly chuckled. “You know what? You’re actually kinda cute like this.”
Ye Qingyi froze mid-motion, turning to look at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Don’t tell me the hormones are messing with you—are you starting to like guys now?”
“Don’t spout nonsense. I’m a real man. If it weren’t for this body of yours holding me back, I’d probably be out on a date with my girlfriend right now.” Su Mo was visibly resistant to the idea, even though he knew Ye Qingyi was just teasing.
At the mention of “girlfriend,” Ye Qingyi blinked rapidly, a knowing smile spreading across her face. “Speaking of which, after knowing you for so long, I still don’t know what kind of girl you like.”
“Why ask? It’s not like I can date anyone right now anyway,” Su Mo grumbled, answering half-heartedly.
“That’s exactly why you should say it! Bottling it up isn’t healthy.” Ye Qingyi spoke with mock seriousness. “Besides, right now, I’m probably the only one who can listen to you. If you don’t tell me now, you might never get another chance.”
Faced with her “threat,” Su Mo sighed. “Are all girls this nosy?”
“What do you mean ‘all girls’? Curiosity is human nature. People who aren’t nosy are probably a little off in the head.”
Su Mo’s lips twitched. This girl was truly unpredictable.
From what he knew, Ye Qingyi wasn’t this lively at home—in fact, she was even a bit aloof. So how had she ended up like this now?
He blamed himself. After all, she had the biological advantage right now, while he had to watch his words, avoid being too crude, and maintain his image at all times… How unfair!
To satisfy her curiosity, Su Mo finally described his ideal partner: gentle, beautiful, understanding, elegant yet down-to-earth, capable in both social and domestic settings…
The more he talked, the more absurd it sounded, and he couldn’t help but recall a stand-up comedian’s joke: Might as well add ‘blind’ to the list—because why else would someone like that ever fall for me?
Ye Qingyi gave him a strange look. “You’ve got pretty high standards. Have you ever met someone like that?”
She didn’t even realize it herself, but a flicker of anticipation flashed through her heart as she asked.
“Of course not. A girl that perfect doesn’t exist in real life—she’s just a fantasy,” Su Mo said matter-of-factly.
“Oh.” Ye Qingyi lowered her eyes, fingers idly plucking at the grass, her earlier enthusiasm gone.
Seeing her sudden gloom, Su Mo’s heart skipped a beat.
Did I say something wrong?
Well, not really—he hadn’t met anyone like that… Wait, maybe that wasn’t the point.
“Actually…” He scrambled for something to say but found himself at a loss for words. After a long pause, he finally managed, “You’re not bad either.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. In context, it sounded… weird.
No take-backs.
Ye Qingyi pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them, her face unreadable—except for her ears, which turned bright red, followed by her cheeks and neck.
Su Mo stole a glance at her and immediately understood.
She’s blushing!
He distinctly remembered the last time Ye Qingyi had been this flustered—back at the base, when a girl had showered her with compliments—but even then, it hadn’t been this obvious.
“Qingyi.”
“Hmm?” Her voice was so soft it was almost a whisper.
“Do you… like me?”
The question short-circuited her brain for a few seconds. “W-What nonsense are you spouting? Of course not…”
In that moment, she seemed to forget she was still in a male body—her expression, mannerisms, and tone all betraying her true self.
“Oh, just asking. Figured you wouldn’t like a girl anyway.” Su Mo laughed it off, defusing the awkwardness.
Ye Qingyi huffed. “You just love bullying me!”
Su Mo, instead of backing off, pressed further. “Well, by your logic, you’re the only one I can bully right now. If I don’t take advantage of that now, I might never get another chance!”
Mimicking her earlier tone and gestures, he even managed to look a bit like her, which only provoked her further.
What followed was a chase—sometimes him running, sometimes her, roles switching back and forth.
After a while, they flopped back onto the grass by the riverbank, side by side, lost in their own thoughts.
Their relationship was… complicated. More than friends, but neither would admit to anything romantic.
Yet to outsiders, they probably looked exactly like a couple—bickering, teasing, even play-fighting.
The moat’s water rippled in the breeze, circles upon circles, the night lending them an air of mystery.
Ye Qingyi picked up a pebble and tossed it into the river, catching Su Mo’s attention.
“Su Mo.” Her voice was quiet.
“Yeah?”
“Let’s make a promise.” Her tone was calm, her face unreadable.
“What promise?”
Her cheeks tinted pink as she gazed at the distant, glittering city gate, speaking as if it were an afterthought. “Well… let’s not date anyone for now, okay?”
Su Mo blinked. “You mean guys or girls?”
Ye Qingyi glared. “Neither.”
He averted his eyes, staring at the distant lights instead. “Why?”
“Because you’re in my body right now, so what I say goes.” Her voice wavered slightly, but she held her ground.
Su Mo turned to look at her. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, both saw a flicker of panic in the other’s gaze.
“Also, you can’t get too close to other girls from now on, because…” She trailed off, suddenly at a loss for a reason, and in her fluster, she punched Su Mo’s arm. “Otherwise, I’ll have too many ‘girl friends’ to deal with later…”
Su Mo’s lips parted slightly, but in the end, he said nothing.
Ouch.
His shoulder actually hurt. This girl didn’t hold back—even against herself. She had the makings of a real tyrant in the future.