Running away from the Love-Brain

The Confused Lightbulb

Q: Do you still want to kiss?

A: How is that possible! How is that possible! How is that possible!

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"How could it be possible!"

Chi Buyu suddenly shouted.

The road bicycle, which had been looping around the street, slammed to a stop.

The owner, clutching the almost falling-apart bike, looked at the two of them standing by the roadside, stunned, and mumbled, "Why is it still you two?"

The flashing red heart-shaped taillight reappeared. Chi Buyu slowly registered what had just happened and noticed that Cui Xijin seemed startled by her loud voice as well, slightly pursing her lips.

"What's impossible?"

"Just—" Half of Chi Buyu's face was buried in her scarf, her ears turning red.

She unconsciously glanced at Cui Xijin's lips, which were naturally slightly parted, with the scab on her lip creating a certain alluring beauty.

It was particularly eye-catching.

She shut her mouth tightly and suddenly found herself at a loss for words. So, she rubbed her chin, which was buried in her scarf.

In a rush, she blurted out,

"Don't forget to apply the medicine and drink water when you get back. Don't open your mouth too wide. My sister is calling me. I have to go upstairs. Bye."

It came out dry and emotionless.

Having said that, she turned on her heel and walked across the street, not daring to look back at Cui Xijin's reaction. She felt like she must have looked like a penguin scratching through the snow in Cui Xijin's eyes.

As she climbed the stairs, she hurriedly trotted up, inadvertently catching sight of herself reflected in a small round mirror stuck to the old staircase wall, causing her to stop.

She stared at her blurry reflection.

Her ears were so red! She worriedly bit her lip, replaying in her mind whether she had looked unattractive or if her voice had been too loud.

Had she scared Cui Xijin again?

When she got emotional, her voice would get a bit loud—a habit she had accidentally developed when she was younger by imitating her mother's way of speaking. As she grew older and became more self-aware, she remembered adults teasing her, saying, "Shui Shui, did you know that people of high status have low voices?" Later, her aunt would roll her eyes and retort, "What does that have to do with you?"

But she still felt quite wronged and began to control the volume of her speech. Occasionally, when she couldn't control it, situations like this would arise.

The small round mirror on the wall must have been there for years, its surface blurry and yellowed. Chi Buyu could still see her flushed face.

Instinctively, she lifted her gloved hands.

She noticed the wet stains on her gloves from the snow and mud. She paused for a moment, then took off the gloves, revealing hands that were damp from melted snow, still cool to the touch.

But they were relatively clean.

She cupped her red, hot face with her hands, slowly making her way up the stairs, but unconsciously recalled the sensation of Cui Xijin's knuckles brushing against her nose, which was a bit chilly. She quickly brushed that thought aside; it couldn't really be described as gentle, but...