Cicada's Summer GL | Chapter 39 | The Best Treat | Novela.app

Xia Yinuo took Gu Yizhi’s extended hand. "Hello, Senior Gu. I’m Xia Yinuo. Please excuse my lack of manners just now." Tang Xiaotang fussily leaned in to inspect Gu Yizhi’s sprained ankle. "Oh, Yizhi, let me see! How bad is it?" After the cold compress, the pain had subsided significantly, and there was no obvious swelling. Gu Yizhi teased playfully, "It’s nothing serious. Didn’t my little Junior Sister already take care of it for me?" Xia Yinuo arched an eyebrow but didn't rise to the bait. Tang Xiaotang finally relaxed. "Stop being so polite to each other. Why don't you both come over to my house for dinner tonight? Should I ask Brother Shen if he’s free?" Gu Yizhi simply smiled and looked at the Junior Sister beside her, tossing the question to Xia Yinuo. Xia Yinuo felt a bit bewildered. She had no idea who this "Brother Shen" was, so she could only deal with the situation as it came. "The sports meet goes on until five in the evening. As you can see, I have to stay here the whole time. After it ends, I have to head back to the lab to finish an experiment." "Ugh!" Tang Xiaotang stomped her foot and shook Xia Yinuo’s hand, crying out exaggeratedly, "Is my old man exploiting you guys? Can't the experiment wait until tomorrow?" "How could it? Raising cells is like raising children—if you ignore them, they’ll throw a tantrum just to show you." Taking advantage of her height, Xia Yinuo reached out and ruffled Tang Xiaotang’s hair. The younger girl immediately bristled. "Hey! I’ve told you so many times, don't just rub my head! Besides, I’m not a child!" Xia Yinuo straightened the sleeves of her white lab coat, looking perfectly composed. "Now, now, little one, don't be so irritable." Tang Xiaotang was fuming and turned to her ally for support. "Yizhi! Look at her! She bullies me like this every time! She’s just pulling rank because she’s older!" For a moment, Gu Yizhi dithered. She remembered how, a long time ago, Lin Shen used to tease Xiaotang just like this. Back then, the young Xiaotang would run to her to complain, asking her to settle the score. "Yizhi?" "Hmm?" Gu Yizhi snapped back to reality and said softly, "Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking that I have some things to do tonight as well, so I’m afraid I won’t have time." Tang Xiaotang looked disappointed and lowered her head in silence. "It’s alright, we’ll make it another time," Gu Yizhi comforted her. She then turned to Xia Yinuo. "Besides, I’m sure my Junior Sister and I will have other chances to meet." Xia Yinuo squinted with a smile, offering no objection. Sunlight filtered through the large trees bordering the playground, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Not far away, on the noisy competition field, young people were pouring out their youth and sweat. Gu Yizhi realized it had been a very, very long time since she had felt this way. *** That evening, Xia Yinuo and Liang Juejun were curled up together at Liang’s residence. Liang Juejun asked casually, "Are you free the night after tomorrow?" "The night after tomorrow? Don't you have a class?" "I was supposed to, but because of Halloween, the students asked to reschedule. The International Exchange College is throwing a party, and I wanted you to come with me." "Ah? I thought you’d be teaching, so I made an appointment with Professor Tang to discuss my research project that night." Liang Juejun didn't mind and said, "Then never mind. Work comes first." Xia Yinuo tugged at the hem of Liang Juejun’s shirt, acting spoiled. "I'm sorry..." Liang Juejun laughed. "What are you sorry for? It’s my fault for forgetting to tell you sooner." She had originally wanted to use the opportunity to introduce Xia Yinuo to some of her friends. Since it wasn't meant to be, there was no rush. Xia Yinuo said, "I’ll see if Professor Tang is in his office tomorrow and ask if we can move it earlier." "Don't change it since it's already settled," Liang Juejun replied. "Professor Tang is very busy. Diandian told me that most professors his age are either in a meeting or on their way to one." "Huh? You even know about that?" Xia Yinuo was surprised at first, but then she thought of Chen Diandian and understood. "What about you? You’ve been back in the country for over a year now. Have you been bogged down by a lot of miscellaneous things?" Liang Juejun simply pulled out her work calendar and showed it to Xia Yinuo. It was filled with tiny English script: daily lab schedules, weekly lab meetings, and classes for international students every Thursday night. There were dates for an academic exchange at the college and a doctoral defense she had to attend. Xia Yinuo noted, "It’s December again—peak season for PhD defenses." "I’m actually not quite sure how the system at C University works," Liang Juejun admitted. "I can't tell who graduates in the winter and who graduates in the summer." "In theory, March, June, and December are all graduation seasons for Master’s and PhD students," Xia Yinuo explained. "It depends on the program—whether it’s a two-and-a-half-year Master’s, a three-and-a-half-year regular PhD, or a five-year direct PhD. Then there are the defenses for students who delayed their graduation. It’s hard to say exactly which month it falls in." "I see." Liang Juejun nodded. On the November calendar, one week was circled in pen—it happened to be during Thanksgiving. Xia Yinuo had considered that since Liang Juejun had lived abroad for so many years, many of their lifestyle habits would be different. She asked, "Besides traditional Chinese holidays, which ones do you usually celebrate?" Liang Juejun thought for a moment and answered, "Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving." Seeing Xia Yinuo’s eyes fixed on the circled Thanksgiving week, she added, "I’m going back to San Francisco for Thanksgiving this year because Tracy is getting married." Xia Yinuo’s heart gave a little thud. Seeing that Xia Yinuo had gone quiet, Liang Juejun intentionally nudged her. "Tracy is the one I told you about—the person I used to like." "Oh," Xia Yinuo said sullenly. Liang Juejun stifled a laugh. "Don't you want to ask anything?" Xia Yinuo closed Liang Juejun’s calendar and said through gritted teeth, "You said it’s in the past. Why would I keep asking?" Liang Juejun poked Xia Yinuo’s shoulder. "I can tell you everything you want to know. Don't you know that?" Seeing Liang Juejun’s "comforting a child" expression, Xia Yinuo’s stubborn, brooding side took over. "Of course not. I trust you completely. And look at me—do I look like a petty person?" Liang Juejun gave a teasing smile that clearly meant: *You said it yourself, don't regret it later.* *** On Halloween night, Xia Yinuo and Tang Shuliang discussed research from six until eight. By the time Xia Yinuo got home and showered, it was only nine o'clock. Figuring Liang Juejun wouldn't be finished so soon, she curled up on the sofa to watch a movie. At eleven, the doorbell rang. Xia Yinuo was currently being moved to tears by the film; she grabbed a tissue to wipe her eyes and nose before going to open the door. To her surprise, as soon as the door opened, May—dressed as the gorgon Medusa—leaped in front of her and shouted, "Trick or treat!" Xia Yinuo stood there dazed, her eyes and nose bright red, tear stains still on her face. She stared blankly at Liang Juejun and May. Liang Juejun’s heart tightened. She stepped forward and pulled Xia Yinuo into a hug, cupping her "Little Treasure’s" face and asking anxiously, "What’s wrong?" Xia Yinuo finally snapped out of it and said with a thick, nasal voice, "I was just watching a movie. It was moving." Liang Juejun breathed a sigh of relief and patted Xia Yinuo’s back, signaling that everything was okay. Meanwhile, "Medusa," standing to the side and unaware of the situation, thought her costume had terrified Xia Yinuo and apologized profusely. Liang Juejun helplessly told May that she was fine, she had just been watching a touching movie. May stared at Xia Yinuo with her large blue eyes in disbelief. Embarrassed, Xia Yinuo buried her face against Liang Juejun, lightly biting her shoulder and murmuring, "This is so humiliating!" Liang Juejun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "My Little Treasure really is a shy, sentimental girl!" Xia Yinuo refused to lift her head from Liang Juejun’s shoulder. Facing an unexpected guest like this was simply too embarrassing! Liang Juejun smiled at May, who took the hint and remarked that it seemed she had come at a bad time and would visit another day. With that, she left alone, carrying a large bag of candy. Liang Juejun closed the door and led her "Little Treasure" to the sofa. She cupped Xia Yinuo’s face in her hands and smiled. "Alright, she’s gone. After the party, May found out we were together and insisted on coming to see you. I thought you’d still be awake, so I agreed. She said she wanted to give you a surprise, but she ended up scaring you—and me, too." Xia Yinuo pursed her lips and said nothing, pretending to sniffle before burying her head in a sofa cushion. Her shy, girlish behavior made Liang Juejun feel both tender and amused. She couldn't help but pull her into her arms, gently stroking Xia Yinuo’s back through her clothes. They embraced quietly for a long while before Xia Yinuo finally spoke. "I watched a movie called *The Way Home*. I couldn't hold it back; I cried like a mess. I’d just finished when you guys arrived." "What was it about to make you cry like that?" "A story about a little boy and his grandmother." "Do you miss your grandmother?" "Maybe my crying threshold was just low today." "Go back and see her this weekend. Next time you watch a movie like that, I’ll watch it with you." Xia Yinuo nodded. "Your eyes are swollen from crying. Go wash your face and get to bed early, okay? I’ll leave after you’ve fallen asleep." Xia Yinuo nodded again, but she showed no intention of leaving Liang Juejun’s embrace. "Oh, you’ve cried yourself silly." Liang Juejun laughed and pulled back slightly to create some distance. Xia Yinuo’s clear, bright eyes were clouded with a layer of mist. Liang Juejun leaned in and kissed her eyes. Xia Yinuo said softly, "Tell May I’ll treat her to dinner another day." Liang Juejun smiled. "You’re actually thinking about that at a time like this?" "I feel bad. I chased her away the first time she came over." "It’s fine, she won't mind." "Why didn't you dress up as some strange monster?" "No time. I went straight there after work." "Can you still celebrate Halloween even if you don't dress up as a monster?" "Mm-hmm." Xia Yinuo suddenly perked up. "Then if you don't give me candy, can I play a trick?" "Hmm?" Xia Yinuo felt that the way Liang Juejun’s "hmm" went up at the end was devastatingly sexy. "Trick or treat?" Xia Yinuo asked. Her eyes were still red, but her face was full of innocent purity. "OK, OK!" Liang Juejun had no immunity to this and raised her hands in surrender. "I don't have any candy, so you can trick me." "Then... can you not leave tonight?" Liang Juejun froze for two seconds, remaining silent. Suddenly realizing something, Xia Yinuo hurried to explain, "I didn't mean anything else, I—" "Okay." Liang Juejun interrupted her. She looked at Xia Yinuo, and in the corners of her mouth was hidden a century’s worth of tenderness. ***