I think I've fallen for someone who doesn't like me

When they came out, they walked one behind the other.

Wen Ce noticed that she was distracted and had almost been run into by a child as she walked.

"Watch out." Wen Ce reacted quickly, pulling her aside just in time to keep her from colliding with the child charging around.

The child's mother took hold of the child and apologized sheepishly.

Only then did Luo Lianqing snap out of it.

Her gaze fell on the hand Wen Ce had around hers, and certainty flashed in her eyes.

"What are you thinking about? You're so distracted." Wen Ce sighed. "You're not even paying attention when you walk. Don't let someone run into you."

"Nothing. Just thinking about the movie." Luo Lianqing smiled at him and said nothing about having him let go. Wen Ce himself realized what he was doing and released her hand.

"What's there to think about? You could've guessed that ending..." Wen Ce sounded resigned. "Watch where you're going."

"I know. Let's go home," Luo Lianqing said. She was in a hurry now. She needed to get back and have Miaomiao help her analyze this.

Just as they left the cinema and were about to head home, they ran into Zhou Chi coming toward them.

The key point was that the man who kept declaring he wanted to pursue Luo Lianqing currently had a girl hanging on his arm.

The girl was quite pretty and had a nice figure, fitting the busty loli type Luo Lianqing had mentioned before.

Zhou Chi clearly hadn't expected to get caught out at the cinema entrance, and embarrassment flashed across his face.

Then his gaze shifted back and forth between Wen Ce and Luo Lianqing. His lips curved into a smile, understanding flashing in his eyes. "I was wondering why you were so hard to pursue, and why you'd come over without reading the room at the court. So you're a couple."

A hint of exasperation entered his voice. "You're a couple, but you don't even dare stake your claim. You're a real coward, Wen Ce."

Wen Ce couldn't quite understand how anyone could be so thick-skinned. Was he trying to seize the upper hand by speaking first?

He was just about to speak when Luo Lianqing, half a step behind him, spoke first. "Zhou Chi, being louder doesn't make you right."

Her gaze fell on the girl watching them curiously. "Since you already have a girlfriend, stop pestering me."

Zhou Chi looked even more embarrassed and tried to pull his arm free. "If you'd told me earlier that you had a boyfriend, I wouldn't have pestered you. Besides..."

"I'm not her boyfriend. We just happened to run into each other," Wen Ce interrupted evenly, his gaze falling on the girl beside Zhou Chi's arm. "We certainly haven't had any intimate contact."

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Zhou Chi's face at those words. They had indeed come out one behind the other. Could he really have misunderstood?

After listening for a while, his female companion had worked out what was going on. She pinched Zhou Chi in displeasure. "What's your deal?"

Luo Lianqing's previously expressionless face, however, grew a little pale at Wen Ce's denial. She looked at him, only to find him watching Zhou Chi and his female companion.

So he really did like the busty loli type?

Wen Ce had no idea her thoughts were running wild, nor did he intend to watch Zhou Chi explain things to his female companion. He simply turned toward Luo Lianqing, freezing for a moment when he met her somewhat sad gaze.

She'd been perfectly fine at first. Hadn't she said she didn't like Zhou Chi?

Why did she seem a little upset now?

Was she upset over Zhou Chi? Wen Ce couldn't help frowning at the thought.

He glanced at Zhou Chi with some irritation. "I hope you won't make things up. Neither Teacher Luo nor I want to be troubled by rumors."

Without looking at Zhou Chi again, he gestured for Luo Lianqing to leave with him.

Zhou Chi watched them leave, one behind the other.

The girl beside him was still demanding, "What do you mean by this, Zhou Chi? Is she prettier than me?"

Zhou Chi withdrew his gaze, a little annoyed. "That's enough. You're not even my girlfriend!"

The girl stared at him with her large eyes, which were filled with displeasure. "What exactly don't you like about me?"

"I just don't like you. I told you I don't like lolis." Zhou Chi looked at her in exasperation and yanked his arm free. "Let's just watch the movie and go home."

As he spoke, he turned to glance at Luo Lianqing's retreating figure again.

Since Wen Ce said they weren't dating, did that mean he could keep pursuing her?

Meanwhile, Wen Ce called a car and got in with Luo Lianqing.

But Luo Lianqing seemed a little down and hardly spoke.

Thinking it might be because of Zhou Chi, Wen Ce wasn't in a very good mood either, so neither of them spoke.

The middle-aged driver glanced at them several times in the rearview mirror, looking as though he wanted to say something but held back.

Finally, as they were getting out, the driver said, "Young man, cheer your girlfriend up. If you won't comfort such a pretty girlfriend, plenty of people would love the chance."

Wen Ce froze for a moment before hearing Luo Lianqing speak beside him. "Thank you, sir, but we're not dating."

At her words, Wen Ce lowered his eyes and said nothing.

His silent acquiescence made Luo Lianqing even unhappier.

And so, amid the driver's apologies, they left one behind the other.

When they reached the eighth floor and stepped out of the elevator, Luo Lianqing said without much inflection, "Goodbye."

Wen Ce murmured an acknowledgment. "Good night."

Then he watched her open her door and go inside.

Wen Ce stood outside for a while.

Then he, too, turned, opened his door, and went inside.

He didn't turn on the lights after entering, going straight to the couch and sitting down. Only after sitting there for a long while did he sigh. "Fuck. I finally meet someone I like, and it looks like she really doesn't like me."

He couldn't help frowning. Hadn't she said she didn't like Zhou Chi?

Why was she upset to see him with another girl, then?

It was fine even if she didn't like him, but Zhou Chi was clearly a playboy. What was so good about liking him?

Women really were difficult creatures to understand.

Wen Ce stood up irritably, went over to the TV cabinet, pulled open a drawer, and took out a pack of cigarettes. Then he went out onto the balcony to smoke.

Meanwhile, Luo Lianqing looked thoroughly unhappy. After coming home, she pulled Egg Yolk over and gave a couple of perfunctory strokes before going into the bathroom to shower.

After her shower, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty, wasn't she?

She wasn't any worse than Zhou Chi's female companion, was she?

These breasts, this waist, these legs, these proportions-weren't they all pretty good?

The thought of how Wen Ce had looked at that female companion made Luo Lianqing angry. And he'd denied it so bluntly, too!

Having only just realized she'd started to feel a little spark, Luo Lianqing was annoyed to death.

She grabbed a bathrobe, put it on, and went out.

Looking listless, she sat on the bed for a while.

In the end, she picked up her phone and called her good friend.

It rang for quite a while before the call connected. "Luo Lianqing, this had better be important!"

Miaomiao's voice had a through-gritted-teeth quality to it. "I'm on a date with my dream guy!"

Luo Lianqing gave an "Oh," sounding subdued. "Should I call you back later, then?"

Miaomiao noticed, and her voice became a little more normal. "What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood? Did something happen?"

She said something quietly to the person with her, then apparently left despite his attempts to make her stay.

Luo Lianqing sighed. "Miaomiao, you're so good to me. I've got a huge problem."

"I think I've fallen for someone who doesn't like me."