It was about a lifetime commitment, about having a response for everything, about bearing another person's responsibilities, about giving the best of oneself unreservedly to the other.
Before she was fully prepared, she dared not to say anything carelessly.
Because she had come to realize that once you fail to become lovers, you might not even have the chance to be friends anymore.
She lowered her head to look at her own legs, then raised her head again to look at Yao Mingyue.
"And what about you, do you like... like him?"
The words Yao Mingyue was about to blurt out also paused for a moment.
She had discussed such a topic with Xu Musen several times as well.
Yao Mingyue knew her own flaws; she indeed hadn't truly realized what it took to like someone.
But there was one thing she was certain of.
"I like him, maybe not enough to marry and be together, but one thing I'm sure of is that he must like me too. As long as he's with me, I will never leave him in this lifetime."
Yao Mingyue's voice carried a firmness, initially like declaring war.
That was her confidence, after all, twenty years of being childhood friends, the memories and experiences between them could not be replaced by anyone.
Moreover, Xu Musen definitely liked her, just with some reservations, but one day, when all those reservations vanished.
Wouldn't they be the most perfect couple under the sky?
An Nuannuan was silent for a moment, her peach-blossom eyes swirling with emotions, yet showing no signs of urgency or loss.
She took a sip of her milk tea, then looked at the milk tea in her hands and spoke softly, "I like grape flavor, you like black tea flavor, he knows both, but do you know what he likes to drink?"
Yao Mingyue was stunned for a bit. Xu Musen had bought her milk tea before, but it was always whatever she liked to drink, and he would just go along with it.
Xu Musen liked sweet and sour spare ribs; because she liked them too, perhaps because the two had grown up together, it was normal for their tastes to align.
But if asked what Xu Musen liked, she seemed to be at a loss, since it appeared that he would make an effort to like whatever she liked.
"Do you know?" Yao Mingyue looked at her.
An Nuannuan shook her head: "Actually, he doesn't really like milk tea, but he always accompanies me to drink it. He's always so nice to everyone, adjusting to everyone's tastes, but he seldom mentions what he likes..."
Yao Mingyue looked at the milk tea in her hand.
Suddenly, she remembered that when Xu Musen was alone, he had never mentioned liking milk tea.
But whenever there was a chance, he would always buy it for her.
It wasn't the milk tea he liked, but because with that cup of milk tea, he could spend more time with Yao Mingyue.
Yao Mingyue's heart trembled.
"That's why, I think it's meaningless for either of us to say we like him; what matters is that he likes one of us."
An Nuannuan spoke softly, her eyes downcast at the milk tea in her hand: "He always remembers what I like, and I'm very happy when I drink the flavor I like, so, if he could get what he likes... he would probably be very happy too."
An Nuannuan's words made Yao Mingyue's heart quiver incessantly.
Her analogy was naive, yet... it struck the soul with its purity.
An Nuannuan gently pushed the lunch box towards her.
"So, I also don't know what liking someone means, but I want to become... someone he could like."
An Nuannuan's words were soft, with a hint of a young girl's shy coyness and seriousness.
Yao Mingyue found herself surrounded by warmth.
She seemed to understand in that moment why Xu Musen liked to spend time with her.
It was what she was missing...
She looked at the lunch box An Nuannuan had pushed in front of her.
"An Nuannuan, you should understand what I mean…"
Yao Mingyue and her were in a sort of "romantic rivalry" relationship.
Others in such a situation would be green-eyed with envy at each other's presence, it would be a miracle if they didn't come to blows.
Yet, she actually offered her a hot meal.
"I know." An Nuannuan nodded.
"Then why offer me a hot meal? Aren't you afraid that we'll become enemies later?"
Yao Mingyue really couldn't comprehend; in her mind, if another girl came to snatch him away, she would only try to make the other girl unable to eat.
An Nuannuan looked at her and started speaking softly.
"But we still need to eat first; Xu Musen wouldn't want you to be hungry."
An Nuannuan's tone was serious, without the slightest bit of sarcasm,
Yao Mingyue stared at the steamy and fragrant meal, then at An Nuannuan.
This was the first time she felt someone's naivety and purity so keenly.
Could this be the reason?
Yao Mingyue thought silently, then looked up again at An Nuannuan.
Yao Mingyue's thanks were not for the hot meal, but because she seemed to have grasped a reason to be better together with him.
So, I still won't yield him to you…