When Lin Xiche called, Xu Fang was getting ready to play games with a few dormmates.
Xu Fang had set a different ringtone for Lin Xiche than for others. Even though they were all system default ringtones, whenever this ringtone played, he would answer the call no matter how reluctant he was.
Due to the events of the previous day, Xu Fang was well aware that Lin Xiche was going to work part-time today. So, when he received her call, he was somewhat puzzled, wondering what she wanted.
If she wanted to invite him to hang out or something like that, that was fine.
If she had mentioned it earlier, he wouldn’t have been in the middle of a game right now.
Thinking about this, Xu Fang let go of the mouse he was holding, raised an eyebrow, and said to his dormmates, “Hold on a moment,” before picking up the phone.
Lin Xiche’s voice came from the other end, soft and ingratiating, “Pipi, do you have some free time?”
Hearing this opening, Xu Fang’s mood brightened, and he quickly closed his computer. He replied in a low voice, “Yes.”
But the next sentence—
“Geng Geng has come to our school. I don’t have time right now. Can you go pick her up for me? She’s at the subway station, so you can contact her directly…”
The curve of Xu Fang’s mouth slowly disappeared, and he fell silent for a moment. Then, with an expressionless face, he started his computer again and stood up. His tone became heavy and impatient, “Do I have so much free time all day long?”
“…”
“Why did Lin Xigeng come over for no reason? Are high school seniors these days so free?”
“…”
The others watched as Xu Fang spoke to the person on the phone with a cold expression, quickly put on their shoes, grabbed their keys and wallets, and headed to the door.
As he reached for the doorknob, Xu Fang turned his head to look at them and threw out a cold “I’m going out to pick someone up, I’ll be back soon” before leaving the room.
Lin Xigeng was two years younger than Lin Xiche, but her thoughts were hundreds of times more complex.
Xu Fang couldn’t remember when it had started, but whenever this brat saw him and Lin Xiche together, she would do everything in her power to separate them.
And she always wore that expression of “You better take back your filthy thoughts, I will definitely protect my sister, I won’t let her fall into your clutches,” which annoyed him to no end.
It was a rare holiday, and this high school senior who was going to take the college entrance exam next June had specially come to S University. Now, not only did she ask him to pick her up, but Xu Fang also wanted to just send her back.
Wanting to do something was one thing, actually doing it was another.
Xu Fang took Lin Xigeng to a bubble tea shop and looked at his dormmates’ messages on WeChat, which were coming in like a barrage. He glanced at Lin Xiche, not as decisive and speedy as when he had arrived, and his actions were considerably slower.
Originally, Xu Fang had wanted to say goodbye and leave, but the words that slipped out unintentionally turned into something else. He ordered four drinks.
And then he stood in front of her for a little longer.
After that, Xu Fang stopped chatting with her to avoid disrupting her work. He carried the four drinks back to his dormitory. He thought that since Lin Xiche had company for dinner tonight, she probably wouldn’t ask him to come out later.
So, spending a little money to steal a few more glances at her wouldn’t hurt.
However, after playing just two rounds of games, Xu Fang received a WeChat message from Lin Xiche.
Lin Xiche: [Pipi, can you come out at 6 o’clock? Let’s have dinner together!]
This message greatly improved Xu Fang’s mood for playing games. After finishing that round, he completely lost interest in gaming, much to the disdain of his roommates. He went to the bathroom to take a quick shower and then headed out.
Honestly, Xu Fang hadn’t overheard the conversation between Lin Xiche and Lin Xigeng. He wasn’t in the habit of eavesdropping, and besides, their conversation was hushed, making it impossible for him to hear.
But when he had walked up behind them earlier, he suddenly heard Lin Xigeng’s voice rise, saying, “No matter what, he’s still way better than Xu Fang, isn’t he?”
The sudden mention of him caught Xu Fang off guard. He didn’t have time to ponder the meaning of that sentence and immediately seized upon the most crucial three words: “better than Xu Fang.”
He instinctively reached out and pinched Lin Xiche’s cheek, as if they were already in a relationship, and interrogated her, “Why am I worse than him?”
He had completely forgotten that he hadn’t even successfully pursued her yet.
After hearing Lin Xiche’s explanation, he suddenly understood—they were just comparing him to another guy.
Xu Fang didn’t suspect anything else and completely forgot to wonder why Lin Xiche and Lin Xigeng were comparing him to He Ruliang for no apparent reason. At that moment, all he could think about was how his reaction had been too extreme, and he was afraid of revealing any further clues.
So, he went to the restroom to regain his composure.
When he returned, the atmosphere at the table had changed dramatically.
Initially, the two girls were happily ordering dishes, with Lin Xiche even playfully telling Lin Xigeng not to order too much since Xu Fang wasn’t that rich. But suddenly, Lin Xigeng was still ordering dishes while Lin Xiche blushed, her eyes wandering, her lips pressed against her cup as if she were drinking, even though it was empty.
She seemed nervous.
Xu Fang suspected that Lin Xigeng had said something to her.
So, he became anxious as well.
Sitting idly by wasn’t helping, so Xu Fang decided to take the initiative and called out to her to see the current situation. Lin Xiche’s reaction was even more pronounced than he had anticipated, and she nervously asked if he had overheard anything.
This reaction indicated that she still didn’t know about his feelings for her.
But Xu Fang had never seen Lin Xiche so flustered before. Her face was as red as if she had applied blush, her almond-shaped eyes were shining, and her expression seemed to alternate between nervousness and anticipation.
Xu Fang found it all rather strange, but an inexplicable emotion began to swell within him, almost filling his entire heart.
After hearing his denial, Lin Xiche visibly relaxed. Her eyebrows curved, her mood suddenly improved, and she returned to her carefree demeanor.
Had she just told Lin Xigeng something she didn’t want him to know?
Xu Fang began to reflect on the words he had heard earlier. Unfortunately, there was very little useful information, as he had only heard one sentence, and it had come from Lin Xigeng.
Now that his mind had calmed down, he gradually fell into contemplation, piecing together the puzzle. Suddenly, he picked up on a question he had previously forgotten—why was Lin Xigeng comparing him to He Ruliang?
When he linked this with Lin Xiche’s blushing face and nervous behavior…
Xu Fang’s pupils dilated as an unbelievable answer surfaced in his mind.
And then…
He needed to go to the restroom to adjust his emotions again.
His thoughts shifted from memories to reality.
Xu Fang waited for a while, but there was still no reply from Jiang Zhengxu. He had been consumed by this matter all evening, neglecting his meal and barely speaking with Lin Xiche.
Now, he impatiently ran his fingers over his face and stood up, not bothering to think, and dialed Jiang Zhengxu’s number.
However, Jiang Zhengxu didn’t answer.
At that very moment, someone unlocked the door with their key, and the corridor lights spilled into the room, illuminating most of the dormitory. Xu Fang’s roommate, Yu Tong, entered, thinking the room was empty. But then, from the stillness of the air, a soft voice could be heard.
“Hey.”
Yu Tong was startled and took a few steps back before quickly turning on the lights. He relaxed when he saw it was Xu Fang and exclaimed, “Damn, buddy, are you trying to scare someone to death?”
Sighing with relief, Yu Tong closed the dormitory door.
Xu Fang now treated anyone he caught as an emotional expert. He licked his lips and, without any other considerations, asked directly, “Datong, why would a girl compare the conditions of two men?”
“Oh, I know about this,” Yu Tong stood in front of the wardrobe, casually taking off his shirt. “My girlfriend compared me to Wu Yanzu once and almost broke up with me.”
“…”
Xu Fang pursed his lips, and his inner certainty grew stronger. He murmured as if in a dream, his tone as if he were in a daze, “So, she really likes me.”
“Who?” Yu Tong, clad only in his underwear, walked around the dormitory, throwing his dirty clothes directly into the washing machine. “Big brother, don’t you have a girlfriend? Are you thinking of cheating?”
Xu Fang leaned back on his bed, lazily replying, “I mean Lin Xiche.”
“Lin Xiche…” Yu Tong repeated the name absentmindedly, feeling that it sounded somewhat familiar but unable to recall where he had heard it before. He tossed his socks into the washing machine as well. “Who’s that?”
Xu Fang glanced at him but showed no inclination to answer.
However, Yu Tong suddenly remembered, and his voice rang out loudly, “Damn, you haven’t pursued her yet? Seriously?”
Startled by his loud voice, Xu Fang reached for his ear and clicked his tongue, feeling impatient. “Is it that easy? Keep your voice down.”
“No.” Yu Tong scratched his head, recalling suddenly, and his voice became even louder. “I mean, how have you not made a move? She’s obviously interested in you.”
At his words, Xu Fang sat up, looking at him seriously. “Are you sure?”
His reaction made Yu Tong hesitate. “I’m guessing.”
“…”
Yu Tong scratched his head and approached his comrade-in-arms, trying to help him think. “But I always thought you two were a couple. Ask Zhang Laohuang and the others; not a single one of them has doubted your relationship.”
Xu Fang remained silent.
“Just go for it. Drive her to and from class, ask her out for meals, and watch movies together,” Yu Tong tried to recall what he had done before and advised him. “Or just confess; what are you so afraid of? If you keep this up, you’ll wear her out, even if she is interested.”
After a few seconds of silence, Xu Fang lowered his gaze, saying in a subdued tone, “Alright.”
“…”
Afraid of being wrong, afraid it was just his own wishful thinking. Afraid that her strange behavior was solely due to the fact that this was something he had yearned for for years, and that it had sparked that ember of hope within him. Afraid that if he confessed and she felt awkward, she would avoid him.
He couldn’t afford to take that risk, not even the slightest bit.
Especially considering her family’s current situation.
Finding his way back to the dormitory, Lin Xiche scolded Lin Xigeng again and forced her to start working on her test papers. Lin Xigeng had only a three-day break, and the tests assigned by her teachers were enough to keep her busy during the holiday. She didn’t have much time to play.
Lin Xiche was only halfway through her third year of high school, so she understood her current situation well. She planned to send Lin Xigeng back the next day after they had lunch. Lin Xigeng had already informed the store manager in advance. After lunch on the following day, Lin Xiche escorted Lin Xigeng to the high-speed rail station.
It was only three o’clock when she got off the subway. After some consideration, she returned to the store.
Coincidentally, as soon as she entered the store, she noticed two familiar figures sitting separately in the corner.
Xu Fang and He Ruliang.
For the next two days, they came to the store at the same time every day, seemingly competing with each other. However, on the third day, which was the fifth day of the holiday, He Ruliang didn’t show up.
That evening, Lin Xiche received a WeChat message from He Ruliang.
This was the first time they had discussed personal matters since becoming friends on WeChat.
He Ruliang: [Was that girl the other day your sister?]
Lin Xiche: [Yes, she came to visit me. She’s already gone back home now. Does Senior He have something to discuss with her?]
There was a pause.
He Ruliang asked again: [How old is she?]
Lin Xiche frowned, not sure why he was asking this, but she obediently calculated in her mind. Lin Xigeng attended morning classes, so even though she was two years younger, she was only one grade below Lin Xiche.
Today was her eighteenth birthday, so Lin Xigeng…
Lin Xiche: [Sixteen.]
This time, there was a long pause, and He Ruliang didn’t reply again.
Lin Xiche didn’t think much about it. She took a shower and went to sleep.
After Lin Xigeng returned to Xicheng, Xu Fang came over to have meals with Lin Xiche every day.
They had lunch together, and after finishing, there was still some time before Lin Xiche had to go to work. So, Xu Fang would accompany her to stroll around the area. When it was time for her to start work, he would drop her off at the store. After she finished work, they would have dinner together, and then Xu Fang would escort her back to the dormitory.
Moreover, his attitude toward her was noticeably more gentle than usual.
For example…
When Lin Xiche and Xu Fang went shopping together, they encountered a stray dog. She instinctively squatted down, staring at the dog with utmost seriousness and called out, “Pipi.”
Normally, Xu Fang wouldn’t pay her any attention and would scoff at her for such behavior, then walk away.
However, this time, he stood behind her and, in an unprecedented move, chimed in.
“It’s here.”
Another example…
Lin Xiche and Xu Fang went out for barbecue.
It was just the two of them this time, and Lin Xiche was completely clueless about how to barbecue. So, the task naturally fell to Xu Fang. But she was being picky, instructing him to add various seasonings and reminding him to flip the meat slices regularly, or they would burn…
All sorts of demanding quirks.
When they were eating, Lin Xiche made a disgusted face and said, “It’s not delicious.”
She expected Xu Fang to get angry this time, but instead, he simply looked at her calmly. After about half a minute, he spoke softly, “Okay.”
Lin Xiche was almost ready to kneel and apologize at this point. However, she saw Xu Fang pick up his chopsticks, take a bite, chewed twice, and then calmly said, “It really is not delicious.”
“…I feel like I’m eating poop.”
“…I’m sorry for troubling you.”
Lin Xiche: “…”
Author’s Note:
Pipi: What is dignity? I can give it up for a woman.
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