Proud senior schoolgirl was tender and sweet, we fell in love

Xie Xiao hummed in acknowledgment, "What's up?"

"You and senior Luo, what's that about?" He clicked his tongue and reached up to touch his shortly cropped hair, unsure of what to say for the moment.

He always felt his buddy was a bit love-struck.

Just... hard to describe, I guess.

"Study hard, reach for the sky, young man," Lin Yu finally said with a pat on his shoulder and a sigh.

Xie Xiao: ??? Why am I feeling like old Lin suddenly?

By the time the two of them returned to class, many students had already come back.

Lin Yu asked somewhat gloomily, "Should I not have bought those close-to-expiry items just now? But there's still a month and a half to go, we should be able to finish them, right?"

Xie Xiao sighed, "Your reaction time could circle the globe twice. It's not that you can't buy them. Just, don't mention it..."

"Because it's embarrassing?" Lin Yu interrupted.

Xie Xiao looked at him seriously and said, "It's not embarrassing, it's just that if you mentioned it, I'm not sure if senior would mind. But it seems she doesn't."

Lin Yu fell silent for a moment, then clicked his tongue, "I should just transfer the money to her."

Xie Xiao reached out and patted his head, "Stop thinking all that nonsense, there's nothing embarrassing about this."

Lin Yu might seem like a careless cool guy on the outside, but due to family reasons, he was quite sensitive inside.

Today's purchase of close-to-expiry food wasn't a big deal initially, but since he wasn't familiar with Liu Ou, Xie Xiao was worried she would mind, hence his earlier explanation.

Liu Ou, laughing as she accepted it, seemed like she didn't mind too much.

But Lin Yu, with a young man's sensitive thoughts, might overthink it, so Xie Xiao was worried.

Lin Yu hummed in response, not saying much.

He sent thirty yuan to that Hai Ou profile picture.

As expected, it was declined immediately.

Then a photo came through, "You can't be serious, junior? I've already started eating, are you trying to buy it back now?"

Lin Yu looked at the photo of the half-eaten cookies.

He couldn't understand why but felt a sense of relief. She really didn't mind, did she?

From the other end, Liu Ou sent over fifty yuan, "Can you buy me 50's worth next time? 30 isn't enough for three days!"

Lin Yu: ...So, am I a personal shopper now?

On the other side, Luo Yanran, sipping her warm ginger tea, couldn't help but ask as she watched her best friend laughing joyfully, "What's so funny?"

"This junior called Lin Yu is quite amusing. He sent me another thirty yuan," Liu Ou said, shaking her phone. "He probably thinks the close-to-expiry stuff isn't nice, right? It's all because of your Xie Xiao, hurting the little feelings of the young man!"

The words "your Xie Xiao" made Luo Yanran's cheeks flush, and she couldn't help but retort, "What do you mean 'mine'? Stop talking nonsense from now on!"

"Ohoho, then why are you blushing?" Liu Ou teased with a laugh.

Luo Yanran, feeling a bit embarrassed, couldn't be bothered to engage and simply placed an extra bottle of jujube tea beside her, "Would you please shut up?"

"Hey, that's what he bought for you..."

"Please! Seriously..."

...

That evening, after evening self-study, Xie Xiao didn't leave with Lin Yu because he still had one more problem to solve.

Lin Yu went ahead on his own, he still needed to rush to help his grandmother close up shop.

Many students, mostly boarders, were still in the classroom, continuing their self-study.

By the time Xie Xiao finally finished his work, half an hour had passed.

However, the intense study session was somewhat productive as the knowledge points he thought he'd forgotten slowly became clear again.

Xie Xiao stretched his arms in a yawn and glanced at the countdown on the blackboard.

He didn't expect to see Zhou Mianmian still seated at her desk.

Xie Xiao glanced over, guessing Yan Shi must have already gone home.

He shifted his gaze and began to pack his things.

Checking his phone, he noted that half an hour ago, Luo Yanran had messaged that she was going home after class, so she should be home by now.

So Xie Xiao sent a message, "Are you home yet? Are you still feeling unwell?"

There was no immediate reply from the other side.

Xie Xiao slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out.

A male student saw him and asked, "Leaving now, Xie Xiao?"

Xie Xiao responded with a smile.

Zhou Mianmian, hearing the voice, turned her head and saw Xie Xiao's retreating figure leaving the classroom.

She picked up her backpack and chased after him.

Then, at the staircase, she caught up with Xie Xiao, "Xie Xiao, wait a second."

Xie Xiao stopped and gave her a look, "What's the matter?"

Zhou Mianmian's gaze was dim as she took out a bag from her backpack, "This is something you gave me before..."

She hadn't finished her sentence when she saw Xie Xiao reach out to take it, without looking at it, simply saying, "Alright, I got it."

Zhou Mianmian watched him take the bag, the words she had prepared lodged in her throat. In her expectations, Xie Xiao wasn't supposed to accept it...

But now that he had, what was she supposed to say?

Xie Xiao didn't wait for her to gather her thoughts and was already turning to leave, "It's getting late, I need to get home. Goodbye."

"Xie Xiao..." Zhou Mianmian reached out and grabbed him, "Don't you really have anything to ask me?"

Xie Xiao quickly shook off her hand, "I have nothing to ask."

"About Yan Shi, about me going out with other guys, don't you care anymore?" Zhou Mianmian's voice trembled slightly, "The whole world says you like me, but I can't see it, Xie Xiao, have you never actually liked me from the start?"

Xie Xiao was stunned by her accusing retort.

A cold light flashed in his eyes.

Finally, he looked directly at Zhou Mianmian, "What's your point in saying all this? To increase my guilt? But why should I feel guilty? Zhou Mianmian, have I been kind to you these past two years?"

Zhou Mianmian, looking at Xie Xiao before her, couldn't utter a word. Her face was a bit pale, of course he had been kind.

She had never encountered anyone who treated her as well as Xie Xiao did.

So during these days when Xie Xiao ignored her, she had insomnia every night, and couldn't concentrate during the day...

"You've been nice to me for so many years, why stop now?" Zhou Mianmian once again reached out to grab his hand, "Are you angry because I rejected your confession? Then, what if we can be together?"

"Xie Xiao, can you treat me like before? I've been afraid every day and can't sleep..." Zhou Mianmian's voice started to break with a sob, "Xie Xiao, I like you, I've always liked you..."

Xie Xiao silently watched her, then suddenly asked, "If one day, I became paralyzed, got hit by a car and could only lie in bed, never to stand up again for the rest of my life, would you still like me?"

Zhou Mianmian was clearly caught off guard by the question and paused.

Without much thought, she declared, "I would, I'll continue to like you! No matter what you become!"

Xie Xiao suddenly laughed, "Zhou Mianmian, think about it, if I were lying in bed unable to do anything, a complete invalid, even struggling to turn over, are you sure you'd still like me?"

Zhou Mianmian nodded, "I would, I will stay by your side."

Xie Xiao looked at the girl in front of him and suddenly sighed.

And then he turned and walked away.

Look at her, always making lies sound so convincing.

I used to believe her every time, but not anymore.