Tang Yao felt she must have gone crazy.
What exactly had she been doing earlier?
She couldn't understand it at all!
Why did she kiss her?!
What an idiot! A complete fool! Acting without thinking!
Tang Yao buried her face in her arms on the desk, completely motionless, utterly devastated.
She didn't feel like she had suffered any loss.
Her main concern was her fear of her orientation being discovered, which might alienate Li Xue - after all, it was rare to make such a good friend...
Of course.
That wasn't even the most important thing. Tang Yao understood Li Xue's personality well. Even if she openly confessed her orientation, Li Xue probably wouldn't reject her, at most teasing her occasionally.
But the problem was.
She shouldn't have kissed her. Just because her own orientation was unconventional, did that an she should make others question theirs too?
Li Xue was in the pri of her youth, soone who still got teary-eyed over romantic scenes in comics... If Tang Yao had confessed openly, Li Xue might have just teased her. But now with this sudden bold move, how would Li Xue react? Would she think her good friend had feelings for her?
How should she handle this?
Given Li Xue's personality, how should she respond to such a sudden bold move from a close friend?
Wasn't this putting her in an awkward position?
Should she just go all the way and make Li Xue question her own orientation too?
Being so selfish and inconsiderate of others' feelings... Forget others.
Even Tang Yao looked down on herself now.
So ultimately, she shouldn't have done it in the first place, because besides making both of them awkward, it brought no benefits...
Then why had she done it?
"..."
Tang Yao's flushed face gently rubbed against her arms. She thought perhaps... because so things ingrained in one's bones aren't so easily changed.
Actually, throughout her interactions with Li Xue, she had been learning how to interact with soone of the sa gender.
She believed she usually behaved normally and didn't deliberately think about inappropriate things.
Because she needed to adapt to her new identity, she had been carefully navigating the boundaries between sa-gender friends. Most of the ti she didn't cross the line, like thinking nothing of sharing a drink from the sa cup.
Occasionally she would hug Li Xue too.
Because she clearly understood these actions were normal between close friends who wouldn't overthink it.
But what she did earlier couldn't possibly convince anyone, not even herself.
So...
Ah...
She was dood.
She had no idea how to face this situation now.
Tang Yao lowered her head further, hiding her eyes in her arms, feeling absolutely terrible.
Now that things had co to this, both of them were awkward.
And what did Li Xue hugging her at the end an?
Did that "I don't mind" imply that between friends it was okay?
Ah...
She couldn't figure it out.
She should have gone ho and kissed Tang Xun instead! Between sisters, it would be easier to accept and explain...
At the sa ti.
Li Xue, who had just said she was busy, went to the restroom.
She paced to an empty stall, closed the door, silently lowered the toilet seat, sat down, then scooted back and lifted her shapely legs onto the seat, revealing delicate, snow-white ankles.
Clang.
Soone exited the neighboring stall.
Li Xue froze, her face flushing as she glanced sideways as if guilty of sothing.
But soon.
She realized the partition still separated them and gradually relaxed.
Hearing the footsteps fade away.
She curled her shapely legs and hugged them gently.
Then.
Complete silence.
Li Xue hugged her legs, burying her face between them, curled up on the toilet seat, her exposed ear tips burning red.
What had she been thinking earlier?!
She couldn't understand it at all!
What an idiot! A complete fool! Acting without thinking!
Why did she have to go back and hug Tang Yao after leaving?!
What if Tang Yao hadn't been overthinking it at all, but was just playfully testing whether their earlier discussion about lipstick being waterproof was true?
After all, she had been sitting on Tang Yao's lap, and had deliberately leaned her face close...
Anyone would think they were just playing around in that situation.
Moreover, Tang Yao usually didn't resist physical contact and had imdiately told her to get up afterwards.
But she had gone back to hug her... Not just hugging, but squeezing so tightly, even lifting her up, saying she "didn't mind."
Wasn't this a blatant case of "protesting too much"?
Would Tang Yao notice? Would she be disgusted?
If she did notice, how should she react?
Ugh—
She had no idea how to face Tang Yao now.
......
Li Xue hugged her full, long legs tighter at this thought, lightly biting her glossy red lips, letting out a muffled groan as anxiety overwheld her.
After a long while.
She finally muttered gloomily: "What an idiot, saying 'I don't mind.' If you're really so brave, then kiss her back..."
......
Tang Yao and Li Xue had always been the most eye-catching pair in the entire company.
Both held important positions and sat together, with nurous staff seeking them daily.
So very soon.
After lunch, Avalon's employees returning to work noticed... sothing subtly off between the usually close boss and investor.
Hard to pinpoint exactly.
They still talked and smiled... but whether from content or support departnts, everyone felt their previous intimacy had diminished.
Tang Yao and Li Xue seed to be holding back, consciously or unconsciously maintaining distance, as if afraid of sothing.
An awkward tension constantly emanated between them... twisting the expressions of all staff who approached them.
Privately, they lanted never believing in genuine relationships in business again!
Even such close investor and CEO could quarrel!
Yes.
They assud it was work-related conflict.
After all, that was the most plausible explanation they could imagine.
Over what? Company direction, shares, profit distribution.
Plenty of potential conflict points.
No one ever considered.
They were simply worried about burdening each other, not wanting to make things difficult, driven by anxiety... thus instinctively keeping distance.
As long as one exists in society, they're inevitably bound by layers of restraints. Many dare not even tell parents they don't want marriage, because family and career are societal expectations and responsibilities, part of social conditioning chanisms - objectively existing shackles.
So can break free, disregarding such constraints, but not everyone can.
Let alone situations like Tang Yao and Li Xue's.
After all... neither could know the other's thoughts.
And both were sensitive souls unwilling to impose that pressure on each other.
"Tang Yao... The FGO collaboration promotional video and artwork are ready. Should we release them?"
Li Xue had been busy all afternoon.
Both tacitly avoided ntioning the earlier incident.
Only near dusk did Li Xue finally look up at Tang Yao to ask, straining to maintain her usual tone.
But precisely because she tried too hard.
Her voice ca out slightly odd.
anwhile.
Tang Yao seed not to notice, turning with a smile: "Send them to
then, I'll upload after reviewing."
"Okay."
Li Xue nodded and stood: "I'll have them sent to you now."
With that.
She left as decisively as ever.
Tang Yao blinked, then lowered her lashes which fluttered slightly.
If she knew the promo was ready, she must have already seen it. Why have soone else send it?
But soon.
Tang Yao raised her head, lightly patting her cheeks.
What was she thinking?
Li Xue might have other business.
Right.
She probably hadn't realized anything or minded the noon incident...
Thinking this far.
Tang Yao couldn't continue, her shoulders suddenly slumping dispiritedly like frostbitten eggplants.
Ah...
No more thinking.
Tang Yao took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on work instead.
Work...
Rembering work, she imdiately looked at her screen, glaring murderously at "Dark Night Decree" shalessly riding FGO's popularity!
Fa-chaser, huh?
You're dead!
As she thought this, she habitually reached for Li Xue's cup to drink.
But just as her fair fingertips were about to touch it.
Tang Yao suddenly rembered sothing, her fingers twitching back as she slowly withdrew her hand.
Never mind.
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