Volume 1 Chapter 66: Can She Be as Pretty as Your Friend?
“Eh…?”
“Eh?”
For a moment, both Qin Xiyao and Bai Muxue froze. It felt like the whole world was left with only the faint sound of the wind.
Qin Xiyao instinctively stuck out her soft pink tongue and licked the milk tea from the corner of her lips. Then her face turned red at a clearly visible speed.
She coughed lightly and tried to calm her voice, forcing a shy smile.
“Ahem… sorry, I just… accidentally…”
Even though she was trying hard to keep a calm and elegant smile, Qin Xiyao was silently scolding herself in her mind.
So embarrassing… so embarrassing…! What was I even doing just now?! Why did my brain just stop working like that?! It’s all this cup’s fault for being so bad!
It’s over… I have no image left in front of Xiao Xue now… I spent so long doing my makeup… it’s all ruined!
She already realized how embarrassing she had been. Holding back the urge to cry, she quickly pulled out tissues from her bag and wiped the milk tea off her face.
“I just… acted on impulse for a moment… who knew this cup was such bad quality…”
Qin Xiyao tried to keep her voice steady while thinking of an excuse, but Bai Muxue’s slightly blank expression made her even more nervous.
Could it be… I still didn’t clean it properly?
She quickly wiped her face again, very carefully this time, then slowly turned her head and asked in a small voice.
“D-did I clean it properly now?”
Looking at Qin Xiyao, who was usually calm and elegant but now had milk tea all over her face and hair, Bai Muxue couldn’t help but laugh softly.
She first lowered her head and took a sip of her milk tea. The light sweetness spread in her mouth and flowed down her throat, slightly calming her own heat.
Hm… this actually tastes pretty good. No wonder Xingwan likes milk tea so much. But still, drinks like this are fine once in a while, too much isn’t good for health.
Of course, getting it all over your hair is definitely not good.
“Alright, don’t move, don’t move. Let me help you clean it properly.”
Bai Muxue calmly took out wet tissues from her bag, moved closer, and carefully started wiping Qin Xiyao’s face.
The soft, moist tissue gently touched her cheek. Qin Xiyao felt as if a small electric current ran through her body, making her shiver slightly.
“Hey, don’t move,” Bai Muxue frowned a little.
“Okay…”
Qin Xiyao secretly glanced at Bai Muxue.
Her face was right in front of her. Soft, delicate, and youthful. Her breath lightly brushed Qin Xiyao’s cheek, bringing a strange, tingling sensation.
So close…
For a moment, Qin Xiyao, who had just been panicking, completely froze again.
“Xiao Xue…”
As a girl who loved literature and poetry, before coming out today she had even imagined moments like this, being a little closer to Xiao Xue.
But she knew those were just silly fantasies… something fun to think about, nothing real.
And yet now… that imagined scene had actually become real. Bai Muxue was right in front of her, but Qin Xiyao found herself unable to speak a single word, as if she had completely lost the ability to form sentences.
Under the soft afternoon light, looking at Bai Muxue’s focused expression, Qin Xiyao felt her heart grow warmer and more shy.
It was just wiping her face, something so normal… but because of someone, it suddenly felt different.
Why doesn’t Xiao Xue feel shy at all…?
Even though she was confused, shy, and restless, Qin Xiyao still wished time could stop right here.
“Hmm… maybe I should get a little closer. It’s hard to clean like this.”
My arms are too short…
Bai Muxue silently complained in her mind, but she did not feel awkward or shy at all. Although staring at a girl this closely might seem a bit strange, she had also taken care of the troublesome Tang Xingwan like this before, so she didn’t think much of it.
As she spoke, she moved a little closer, until their bodies were almost touching.
“…!”
Qin Xiyao immediately sensed something was wrong. Her face turned even redder, and her expression slowly stiffened.
“Ah, is it a bit too close? Is that okay, Xiyao?” Bai Muxue asked casually when she noticed Qin Xiyao’s expression change slightly.
“N-no… it’s fine…”
Almost unconsciously, Qin Xiyao answered in a soft voice.
“Good then, I’ll keep going.”
Bai Muxue crumpled the used tissue into a ball and casually threw it into the trash bin. Then she took another tissue and continued wiping the milk tea off Qin Xiyao’s neck.
“Okay…”
Qin Xiyao looked a little flustered, with a mix of hidden shyness and nervousness.
So close… her heart is beating so fast…
It almost felt like she could faintly hear Bai Muxue’s strong heartbeat.
Looking at Bai Muxue’s smooth, fair face with a light blush, her long eyelashes, and her focused expression while cleaning so carefully at such close distance, Qin Xiyao felt like her entire view was filled by that delicate face.
Her thoughts slowly began to drift.
My heart is about to jump out… my face is so hot… she shouldn’t have noticed, right?
Too close… so close that if I reached out, I could pull Xiao Xue’s head right into my arms, and then I could kiss…
Xiao Xue is so soft and small… even if I did something, she probably couldn’t stop me. And maybe she wouldn’t even resist, right?
Stop, stop! What am I even thinking?!
Qin Xiyao quickly hit the brakes in her mind, snapping out of her strange imagination.
I clearly said I would start as friends with Xiao Xue first! If I do anything too much now and make her hate me, what will I do?!
Calm down, calm down, Qin Xiyao!
Barely holding back her embarrassment, afraid Bai Muxue might notice her thoughts, she quickly looked away awkwardly.
“Hm? Xiyao’s ears are so red. Are you shy?”
Bai Muxue’s casual teasing was like a bomb, making Qin Xiyao immediately shrink back.
“N-no! I-it’s not done yet?”
“It’s clean now. Just like before, pretty and nice.”
Bai Muxue leaned in again and carefully looked at Qin Xiyao’s blushing face, then nodded in satisfaction.
“Oh right, your makeup seems a bit smudged. Do you want me to help fix it? But I don’t really have any makeup tools…”
She said while rummaging through her bag.
“N-no need… I’ll do it myself.”
Qin Xiyao lowered her head shyly and took out her own small mirror, lipstick, and other makeup items to fix her face.
It wasn’t only because she felt shy. More importantly… Bai Muxue was usually helped by her family’s maid when doing makeup, so her own skills were honestly not very reliable.
Besides, putting makeup skills aside, Qin Xiyao still felt that with Bai Muxue’s cute face, there was no need for such mature makeup styles at all…
She sighed a little in regret, shook her head, and focused on fixing her makeup.
The earlier shyness slowly faded, replaced by a bit of frustration.
She had confidently said before leaving that she would leave a good impression on Xiao Xue… but before she could even show her charm, she had already made a mess because of a cup of milk tea!
Sigh… Xiao Xue must have been laughing at me in her heart…
Fortunately, the milk tea only slightly messed up her makeup, not as badly as she feared. After a simple touch-up, she pressed her lips together and turned to Bai Muxue.
“How is it? Does it look okay?”
“Mm! Very nice! Perfect score!”
Good thing Xiyao didn’t ask me to help her do it… otherwise who knows what kind of disaster it would have become…
Bai Muxue playfully blinked at her while adding silently in her mind.
“Xiyao is already very pretty. You don’t even need makeup, you still look great!”
“Tch… Xiao Xue is saying nonsense again…”
Qin Xiyao pouted slightly.
And even if she is pretty… can she be more beautiful than Xiao Xue’s friend?
For no reason at all, this thought suddenly appeared in her mind.