Mistakenly Yours

Li Miao scrubbed at her hot, puffy eyes. The tears might be gone, but the embarrassment burned hotter than any chili pepper. Thankfully, the manager had hustled them into a corner of the cafe - not exactly 5-star privacy, but better than being center stage.

 

The manager's jaw practically hit the floor, a half-chewed melon seed poised for escape. Her hands twitched, rearranging sugar packets not to tidy the table but to keep her hands occupied. She gazed at Li Miao and Xu Yue from across the cafe. 

 

Wow, aren’t their faces just too amazing? I’m a big fan of this aesthetic. 

 

Li Miao buried her face in a crumpled napkin. Xu Yue, with that infuriatingly patient smile, was slowly turning her into a boiled lobster.

 

“Don’t look at me right now, my eyes are swollen and ugly…” Li Miao said, her ears flushed red. 

 

"Nonsense," Xu Yue murmured, the sound a breath of cool air against Li Miao's flaming cheeks. With a gentleness that made resistance useless, she pulled Li Miao close to coax her little cat. “Maomao, you’re beautiful no matter what you do.”

 

Li Miao sputtered, scandalized, and more than a little charmed. "F-flatterer! And don't think a few sweet words make up for avoiding me!" She attempted a dignified wiggle out of Xu Yue's hold, succeeding about as well as a fish flopping on land.

 

And then, a cool hand pressed lightly over her eyes, a shock after all that heat. 

 

“Be good, Maomao.” Xu Yue's voice was a low hum, surprisingly soothing.  

 

Meanwhile, Tang Jia sank into regret.

 

Maybe I shouldn't have bothered helping... then I wouldn't be stuck being a lightbulb!

 

She cleared her throat, a brittle sound against the lovebirds' soft symphony. "Ahem, hello? You two academic tyrants with your heads in the clouds... With your memory how come neither of you remembered that I exist? Should I feel offended?"

 

Xu Yue regarded Tang Jia with a dismissive flick of her eyes, then returned her gaze to Li Miao. Tang Jia felt her jaw drop. After all her support, this was her reward?

 

This debt would be settled, oh yes. A mischievous grin bloomed on her face.

 

"So, Li Miao, a ‘fiancee.’ And here I thought our little Xu would be forever alone. Oh, how the fledglings leave the nest..." She dabbed a pretend tear, ignoring the daggers Xu Yue was shooting her way.

 

Li Miao felt the word ricochet through her. She sprang from Xu Yue's embrace, flailing in a frenzy of denial.

 

"I... I... it's not – I just said it... to make that guy leave!"  Her face burned, shame painting her a vivid crimson.

 

Fiancee… Can I really be with Xu Yue? 

 

She snuck a covert glance at Xu Yue, her face a study in delicate beauty, almost otherworldly. Li Miao's heart pounded in a startled rhythm. Never in a lifetime...had she imagined being so close to someone straight out of her favorite novel. Not just close – but this...this intimately.

 

But… would she accept me if she knew the truth? 

 

Xu Yue's expression was unreadable, but her heart ached at Li Miao's swift retreat. It was indeed make-believe. The distance that had been so delightfully closed yawned open once more.

 

She smiled at Li Miao, gently curving her lips. "It's okay, Maomao. I understand." I'll wait for you.

 

Tang Jia rolled her eyes and stood. "Third wheel, thy name is me! Fine, lovebirds. Be sickeningly sweet. I’ll go jump into the back of a truck somewhere!"

 

Xu Yue's smile widened a fraction. "Thank you, Tang Jia."

 

Tang Jia returned the smile, brushing her nose with her hand, a hint of bashfulness softening her features. "Just promise you won't forget about me next time," she said, then turned and skipped away, her ponytail a joyful metronome.

 

Xu Yue's gaze returned to Li Miao, softer now. A subtle shift, an invitation. She offered Li Miao her hand, seeking unspoken solace. Li Miao's fingers twined with hers, the warmth kissing her own fingertips.

 

"Maomao, let's go home," Xu Yue's voice was a gentle whisper.

 

"Okay." Li Miao nodded, and a genuine smile blossomed across her face.

 

---

 

Li Miao and Xu Yue crossed the threshold of the mansion, a shared weariness etched on their faces, yet softened by a quiet contentment.

 

"Welcome home, Maomao, Xu Yue." Aunt Mei's voice held a warmth that echoed the gentle glow of the foyer lamps.

 

"Thanks, Auntie Mei. We're heading upstairs,” Li Miao replied, a slight smile on her lips. She tugged Xu Yue towards her room, a familiar resting place for the two.

 

Aunt Mei watched them go, a fond smile crinkling her eyes. The young miss and Xu Yue... the frost between them seemed to have finally thawed.

 

The door clicked shut within Li Miao's room, enclosing them in a cocoon of soft lamplight. Li Miao led Xu Yue to her bed and sank onto the plush comforter. A delicate silence bloomed between them. Li Miao's thoughts whirred, a whirlwind of unspoken questions and hopes.

 

Xu Yue reached out with a quiet boldness. Her fingers brushed against Li Miao's, a tentative touch before settling, soft and reassuring.

 

Li Miao felt the gesture like a silent whisper of permission. She leaned closer to Xu Yue, wordlessly seeking solace, and rested her head on that familiar, comforting shoulder. Xu Yue's fingers threaded gently through Li Miao's hair, a silent caress.

 

How nice. A wave of warmth washed over Li Miao, and she nuzzled closer to Xu Yue.

 

Could we stay like this forever? Is it really okay? 

 

Li Miao’s heart beat faster and faster, her anxiety building. Wei Lin’s words echoed in her mind, “have you ever asked her?”

 

She was terrified. Terrified of losing Xu Yue. A shuddering breath, and then the words left her lips, hesitant but resolute.

 

"Xu Yue... I need to tell you something."

 

Xu Yue looked down at the girl nestled against her. Fragility clung to her form, a delicate ache in the way she trembled. Xu Yue felt a wave of protectiveness, her fingers tightening around Li Miao's in silent reassurance.

 

“What is it Maomao?” 

 

“I… I’m not the real Li Miao.” 

 

Xu Yue's eyes widened in surprise. So this was it.

 

"What do you mean?" Her voice held a bewildered gentleness.

 

“I… I know it sounds crazy… and I know you might not believe me. I’m not from this world.” Li Miao's voice dropped to a near-whisper, her gaze fixed on the threadbare carpet.

 

"I woke up after Li Miao's accident. I don't know why...or how...I ended up here."  A trace of helplessness colored her tone.

 

"In my other life... " She paused, as though gathering strength. "My family was simple, but filled with love. The kind of love that warms you from the inside out. Those were my happiest days." The faintest hint of wistfulness touched her voice.

 

"But the fire...changed everything. I don't even know what started it. Just my dad, carrying me out, rushing back into the flames... and then...nothing." Her voice cracked, and a single tear escaped.

 

Xu Yue's heart ached. How much had this gentle girl endured? She longed to pull Li Miao closer, to shield her from the weight of those memories.

 

Li Miao's breath deepened, a prelude to the torrent of words that followed. "From then on... it's like a curse. Every home. Every time I felt safe... everything crumbled. Fires. Accidents. Misfortunes. Always there, like a dark cloud…”

 

“I’m a walking disaster in human form... That's  why... you should stay away.” 

 

"No, you're not." Xu Yue's voice was firm, a defiant counterpoint to Li Miao's despair. "You're not a disaster. And even if you were, I wouldn't let go. Not for anything."

 

Li Miao’s breath hitched, and a sliver of warmth pierced Li Miao's fear. Her lips trembled into a smile. "Xu Yue... you always know what to say. How can you be so good to me?"

 

"I... I'm hardly perfect."

 

"But you are. In my world, there was a book and you were the main character. Struggle, perseverance, and a hard-won happiness at the end. I wanted to be just like you."

 

Xu Yue felt a familiar bewilderment. Am I the main character in a story? But why...?

 

"You beat down the villainess, won Zhang Wei's heart... it was all so romantic."

 

“Zhang Wei?” 

 

“Mhm… you two were the main couple.” 

 

Light dawned in Xu Yue's eyes. Li Miao's obsession with pairing her with Zhang Wei, her declarations of non-interference... it made a twisted, terrible sense. Yet something still nagged at her.

 

“Then… who is the villainess?” 

 

Li Miao froze. The air grew thick, and her whisper sliced through it: "Li Miao... me. I’m the villainess."

 

Silence descended, a heavy blanket smothering the room. Xu Yue pieced it all together. It all made sense. Her Maomao was an entirely new person.

 

Li Miao felt the silence stretch between them, a chilling echo in her heart. Each beat of that silence was a wordless scream, a plea for Xu Yue to understand, to not push her away. Her fingers, wrapped around Xu Yue's hand, trembled with the fear of losing this familiar warmth.

 

Then, like a whisper borne on the gentlest breeze, Xu Yue's voice broke through the tension. It held the same warmth she had grown accustomed to, a soothing melody against her rising desperation.

 

“Maomao… I already told you before, all that matters is that you’re the Maomao I love.” 

 

"But... you can't... Zhang Wei is the male lead." Li Miao's throat was ragged as her voice cracked.

 

Xu Yue's laughter, soft and genuine, filled the hushed air. "Maomao, how can I leave my silly little cat by herself? I promised to stay with her forever, and she'd be heartbroken if I were gone." She nuzzled her head against Li Miao's, a protective and playful gesture.

 

"I don’t care if this is a novel or not. My feelings… they're real. I want you. The adorable Maomao, bursting with excitement and wearing that mischievous grin. The beautiful Maomao, whose heart shines through her actions. The brave Maomao, who pulled me back from the brink today.

 

You're not the same Li Miao. You said it yourself. You're not a character from a story… you're my Maomao."

 

Li Miao's eyes, round and shimmering with unshed tears, sought Xu Yue's face. A flicker of frustration, mingled with desperate hope, warred within her.

 

"But you're not supposed to like me! I’m the villainess!" Her voice trembled.

 

"What kind of villainess catches a cold to save her rival?" 

 

"You'd be happy with Zhang Wei... there's a perfectly happy ending waiting for you!"

 

“I don’t want an ending without you.” Xu Yue met Li Miao's gaze, her eyes burning with a determination that softened at the edges with love.

 

Li Miao's protests softened, melting into a hesitant whisper. 

 

"I might disappear… just as suddenly as I came." The words hung heavy in the air, a fragile confession.

 

Xu Yue cupped Li Miao's face, her eyes luminous with a fierce resolve. 

 

"Then I will chase you down to the ends of the earth and find you. 

 

I swore I would stay by your side. Forever."

 

Thump… Thump… Thump. 

 

Li Miao's heart, a wild bird trapped in her chest, hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Every beat was a plea, an echo of an unspoken yearning. Led by a force she couldn't name, she closed her eyes, her face tilting instinctively toward Xu Yue's.

 

Xu Yue's heart answered with its own unsteady rhythm. Li Miao, with her moonlit skin, her trembling lips, and those eyes filled with a thousand unshed tears... she was a whirlwind of emotions etched against the dusk, a sight that stirred a protective tenderness within Xu Yue. 

 

She steadied Li Miao's face, fingers tracing the gentle curve of her cheek, her touch a wordless promise before their lips met.

 

The world tilted. Shifted. Lips touched. Soft. Gentle. Yet an ache thrummed between them. Breathless, an unspoken promise hung heavy in the air.

 

For a suspended moment, all they could do was look at each other. Xu Yue traced the faint flush on Li Miao's cheeks, lost in the vibrant sparkle of her eyes now free of those threatening tears. 

 

Li Miao, in turn, saw a softness she'd never seen before in the elegant lines of Xu Yue's face. This was not the unattainable goddess of her novel, but a girl whose every breath whispered her name.

 

The silence between them was not awkward, but filled with the soft echo of their shared heartbeat. Wordlessly, Li Miao shifted closer, and Xu Yue opened her arms, enveloping her in warmth. They settled back against the plush pillows, finding comfort in the simple act of being held.

 

Xu Yue's fingers threaded through Li Miao's hair with a gentleness that soothed her lingering doubts. Each light touch was a silent affirmation, telling her she belonged right here, in these arms. Li Miao nestled her head into the crook of Xu Yue's neck, the scent of lavender and soft cotton tickling her exhaustion.

 

With every slow breath, Li Miao felt her worries fade, replaced by a quiet contentment. Perhaps this happiness, this feeling of being home...maybe it would last this time. As tiredness washed over her, Li Miao gave in to the lull of Xu Yue's heartbeat, letting it carry her gently towards sleep.

 

The moon, a silent witness, cast its soft glow upon them, twined together in the quiet haven of Li Miao's room. For the first time that night, Li Miao was free from the tangled plotlines of the novel. There was only warmth, and the quiet promise of tomorrow.

 

---