In March, Qin Yu met a beautiful woman at a comic convention. Together, they subdued a man who was attacking people with a knife over a relationship dispute.
In April, the woman moved into the apartment across from Qin Yu's.
"What a coincidence."
Qin Yu was carrying a stack of packages when she saw the beautiful woman greet her with easy familiarity, as if they had known each other for ages.
On their way home together, Qin Yu introduced herself and asked the woman's name.
She said her name was Zhou Guanqi.
Guanqi, as in "watching a game of Go in silence."
I think I've fallen in love with her at first sight.
Once Qin Yu vaguely realized what was happening, she began making the first move, flirting with her and calling her "big sister" at every turn.
Until one day, Big Sister slipped a little box into her palm. In the dim, yellow light, she leaned down and asked, "Want me to show you how?"
Qin Yu always thought she was the first to fall for the other woman. She didn't know that the best hunters often appear as prey.
*
After earning her master's degree, Zhou Guanqi easily found a job in her field and became a water conservancy engineer.
Zhou Guanqi liked everything orderly.
Work should be planned, life should follow a routine, and things should be prepared in advance.
If going to the comic convention in March was her first step away from order, moving across from Qin Yu in April was her second.
So what came next?
Next came testing the waters, then seduction. In May, they exchanged contact information. In June, Qin Yu moved in with her.
Lying in the same bed, Zhou Guanqi asked, "Want to see if I can still make your heart flutter?"
Unaware she'd fallen into a trap, Qin Yu asked, confused, "Big Sister, what makes your heart flutter?"
"Why don't you try chasing me?"
Qin Yu didn't refuse.
The young woman needed to be taught everything, and Zhou Guanqi had all the patience in the world.
Later, the young woman she'd taught took the lead and moved in close.
"Big Sister, I told you I learn fast."
Under the hazy lights, Zhou Guanqi looked at Qin Yu's foxlike, smiling eyes and realized she'd underestimated her.
*
Zhou Guanqi thought their days would go on like this forever, until the department head threw a stack of photos onto her desk and demanded, heartbroken and furious, "Didn't I tell you that this year, there could be no problems with your conduct?"
Zhou Guanqi retorted, "I don't know what rules I've broken."
"Don't you find it disgusting?"
Zhou Guanqi looked at the photo of herself and Qin Yu. How could it be disgusting? They were in love.
As everyone in the department pointed fingers at her and her superiors ordered her to write a report explaining her misconduct, Zhou Guanqi realized that order was a prison.
Later, under the gaze of the entire leadership team, she broke that order with her own hands.
And after that?
After that...
The cycle of life is so full of ups and downs,
It's inevitable that you and I get caught up in it.
*One-on-one romance: gentle, guiding older woman (water conservancy engineer) x sweet, sunny younger woman (freelance artist), eight-year age gap
*Bittersweet romance. The open ending also counts as a happy ending.
Theme: Those who love each other will meet again.
