The corner of Xu Fang’s mouth twitched, and he pushed her head away and said, “I’m not interested.”
“Then I won’t consider it a New Year’s wish,” Lin Xiche clung to his arm, deciding not to be greedy anymore. “This is my birthday wish.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Fang’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something but was interrupted by her.
“I’ll count to three, and if you don’t speak, it means you agree.”
Before she could start counting, Xu Fang withdrew his hand from her embrace in a slow and deliberate manner. He seemed to want to make it clear that he wasn’t interested in being her dad. “I’m not interested.”
“…”
Lin Xiche’s expression froze, and she stared blankly for a moment, trying to understand what he meant. However, she still didn’t get why he suddenly reversed the roles. “What are you talking about?”
“I said… Forget it. Just this once,” Xu Fang seemed to want to end this discussion. He leaned back in his chair, lazily narrowing his eyes. “Daddy loves you.”
“…”
This time, Lin Xiche stood there stunned for a whole minute.
Xu Fang’s lips twitched, and he glanced at his phone. When he looked up, she was still wearing that dumbfounded expression. He raised an eyebrow and waved his hand in front of her eyes. “Getting excited?”
Lin Xiche snapped out of her daze, swatted his hand away, and furrowed her brows. “Why did you interpret it like that? I asked you to call me ‘Daddy,’ not ‘Daddy loves you.’”
Xu Fang acted as if he hadn’t heard her.
Lin Xiche spoke sternly, “Don’t add your own twist to it.”
The bus arrived at the station just in time. Xu Fang picked up his bag, pulled her up, and acted completely deaf, not responding to her words.
“Let’s go.”
Lin Xiche: “…”
Lin Xiche’s impulsive idea was quickly stifled.
But she was no stranger to impulsive actions, especially when it came to Xu Fang. She often blurted out things without thinking, and this time was no exception. So, she didn’t dwell on the idea any longer and, after getting off the bus, she tugged Xu Fang’s hand, leading him in the direction of the school.
It was nearing 1 a.m.
The dormitory had already passed its curfew time, so they couldn’t go back. They decided to stay at a nearby hotel for the night. Perhaps due to New Year’s Eve, there were quite a few people out for an overnight stay.
They visited three different inns, and only the last one had an available room.
It was a standard double room, and there were no options for anything more.
Xu Fang stood there, deep in thought, his brow slightly furrowed. He hadn’t anticipated that they would stay out so late, so he hadn’t prepared for accommodations.
Although it was a double room, they wouldn’t be sharing the same bed. Still, they were of different genders, and it wasn’t entirely convenient. Moreover, their relationship had only just started to develop, and jumping into this kind of situation seemed too hasty. The key was that Lin Xiche might not even agree, but she might say yes just because she didn’t know how to refuse.
With these thoughts in mind, Xu Fang turned to look at Lin Xiche.
She stood behind him, her neck wrapped in a beige scarf that had wound around several times. Half of her face was hidden inside it, revealing only her bright and lively eyes.
Unable to resist, Xu Fang gently ruffled her hair and said softly, “Shall we check other places?”
“Isn’t there a room here?” Lin Xiche asked, a bit puzzled. Then she approached the front desk on her own and asked the girl behind it, “Is there a standard room available? Can we book it now?”
The receptionist replied, “Yes, there is one available.”
Lin Xiche, not at all as hesitant as Xu Fang, quickly took out her ID card and pushed it in front of him. “Then we’ll book it for two people.”
The receptionist took her ID card and then glanced at Xu Fang. “Would you like to book a room too?”
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiche patted Xu Fang’s arm as if she were seizing the opportunity, urging him, “Hurry up.”
Xu Fang remained silent for a moment, contemplating their options. Ultimately, he nodded and said, “Alright.”
The inn was well-equipped, and the environment was relatively clean. There were two single beds placed side by side, separated by a bedside table. The pure white bedsheets seemed to shimmer in the room.
Lin Xiche kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed, engrossed in her phone.
Xu Fang walked into the bathroom to adjust the water temperature. Soon, he emerged with a slight lift of his chin and said, “I’ll go take a shower.”
Lin Xiche didn’t move. “You can go first. I’m going to take a long one.”
Xu Fang didn’t linger on who should go first. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, pulled out the change of clothes they had just bought at the convenience store, and then entered the bathroom.
By this time, it was already half past one in the morning. Lin Xiche played with her phone for a while, her eyelids drooping with tiredness. She was on the verge of falling asleep when Xu Fang emerged from the bathroom.
The sound of the door clicking open brought her back to her senses. Lin Xiche immediately got up, muttered, “You should go to sleep soon,” and then took her clean clothes and headed for the bathroom.
Due to the late hour, Lin Xiche hastened her shower, and she was finished in no time. After a hot bath, she didn’t feel as tired as before. She dried her hair and then left the bathroom.
Xu Fang hadn’t gone to sleep yet; he was leaning against the head of the bed, engrossed in his phone.
Lin Xiche walked over and turned off the light. Then, she crawled into the other bed, just like a cat, and nestled under the covers.
Seeing that she had finished washing and was lying in bed, Xu Fang turned off his phone screen, placed the phone on the bedside table, and lay down, making rustling noises in the darkness.
Lin Xiche’s drowsiness had mostly dissipated, and she couldn’t fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned in bed. Unable to resist, she asked him, “Are you asleep, Pipi?”
Xu Fang’s breathing was slow and regular. After a few seconds, he responded faintly, “Mmm.”
Due to the strict lights-out time for military cadets at 10:30, Xu Fang had developed a very disciplined routine, and he rarely stayed up so late. At this moment, he was genuinely too tired to engage in conversation.
Lin Xiche made an acknowledging sound and rolled around in bed. After transforming herself into a caterpillar, she asked lazily, “Pipi, can you wake up now?”
“…” Xu Fang turned over and pretended to be asleep, facing away from her.
Lin Xiche lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. “Can’t you wake up?”
“…”
“In that case, I’ll wait until you wake up before going to sleep.”
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Xu Fang sat up and asked, “What do you want to do?”
Upon hearing his response, Lin Xiche turned to look at him, smiling as she said, “No, I just wanted to see if you were asleep.”
“…” Xu Fang felt like he owed her something from a past life.
After a while, Lin Xiche asked again, “Pipi, did you ever invite me to celebrate New Year’s Eve together in the past?”
Xu Fang kept his eyes closed and took a long while before responding, “Just realized it?”
“Yeah, it suddenly came to my mind,” Lin Xiche said with a hint of drowsiness, her voice becoming muffled. “You didn’t tell me, so how would I have known?”
His voice was drowsy as well. “Who knew you were this clueless?”
“You’re the clueless one. Back then, I didn’t even think of it as New Year’s Eve. My mom said that the real New Year starts on the first day of the lunar year. And…” as if she had a lot to say, Lin Xiche kept talking non-stop about various things. She brought up how Xu Fang always used to invite her out to celebrate New Year’s Eve, and her voice paused for a moment as she curiously asked, “Did you like me back then?”
After saying this, she looked at Xu Fang, only to realize that he had already fallen asleep.
This time, it seemed like he was truly asleep.
Lin Xiche called out to him several times but received no response. She didn’t pester him with more conversation this time. She yawned, rolled over, closed her eyes, and soon drifted off to sleep.
When her breathing became steady and gentle, Xu Fang, in the darkness, opened his eyes and looked in Lin Xiche’s direction. The corners of his mouth curved imperceptibly downwards. After a long while, he whispered softly, “Yes.”
The hotel’s blankets were half as thick as those in Lin Xiche’s dormitory.
When she had just finished her shower, Lin Xiche felt all warm, and once she got under the covers, she found it quite cozy. She didn’t think the blanket was thin at all. However, in the middle of the night, Lin Xiche was suddenly awakened by the cold. She groggily picked up her phone to check the time.
It was almost five in the morning.
She sniffed, her two ice-cold feet shivering. Uncomfortable with the cold, she wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.
This blanket was so thin.
It couldn’t be that she was the only one feeling cold; Xu Fang must be feeling cold too.
When the air inside the blanket became thin, Lin Xiche crawled out and laboriously lifted the blanket, spreading it over Xu Fang’s blanket. Then, she carefully crawled into his blanket.
Two blankets would definitely keep them warm. Lin Xiche thought.
Although it was a single bed, it was quite spacious, providing ample room for two people.
Xu Fang’s body temperature was higher than hers, and as soon as Lin Xiche got under the blanket, it felt like she had entered a furnace. This warmth made her really want to snuggle closer, but she was afraid that she would immediately wake him up if she touched Xu Fang.
Lin Xiche curled up in the corner of the bed, thinking that two blankets were indeed different from one. Soon, she fell asleep.
Perhaps because she was sleeping in an unfamiliar place, she didn’t fully relax her mind. Despite going to bed around two in the morning, Xu Fang woke up as soon as it was light.
The sunlight pierced through the thin curtains, scattering across his body. Xu Fang squinted his eyes and instinctively reached for the bedside table. As he moved, he suddenly noticed that there seemed to be something extra in his arms.
Xu Fang’s mind was still not fully awake, and he lowered his head in a daze.
The young girl in his arms was sleeping soundly, her hair a bit disheveled, her delicate eyebrows faint, her curled and upturned long eyelashes, petite nose, and even her lips were still slightly curved in her sleep.
Ah, Lin Xiche.
Xu Fang sighed with relief, rubbing his eyes lazily.
After a few seconds, he suddenly froze, his gaze slowly shifting to the other bed, which was now empty. He lowered his head again and, to his surprise, found another Lin Xiche on his bed.
Xu Fang was baffled by the scene, his mind not catching up at first. He began to suspect if he had acted out of instinct in the middle of the night. He looked around and finally realized the situation, exhaling in relief.
This was his bed.
Xu Fang, in a disheveled state, rubbed his face with his hand, and just as he was about to get up and wash up, the Lin Xiche in his arms stirred. She slowly opened her eyes, staring blankly at him with a dazed expression.
The two of them locked eyes, and the air seemed to freeze.
It appeared that Lin Xiche was waiting for an explanation, and Xu Fang remained silent.
Soon, Lin Xiche’s gaze cleared a bit, and she looked somewhat guilty. She slowly hid her head under the blanket as if preparing to accuse first, “So, you wanted to sleep with me.”
Xu Fang, with a stern face, resisted the urge to pull her out, saying, “This is my bed.”
“Oh.” Upon hearing this, Lin Xiche, like a squirrel, revealed her face again. Then, she extended a fist and beckoned him with her index finger, changing her tone, “Last night, you suddenly made this gesture.”
Xu Fang looked at her hand gesture, his forehead twitching.
She repeated it again, beckoning to him with her finger, “Just this gesture.”
“…”
Lin Xiche continued, “Do you remember? You called me to come over.”
Xu Fang: “…”
Remember my foot.
The two of them had breakfast at a nearby restaurant and then returned to the university.
Using the key to open the dormitory door, it was quiet inside, as if no one had awakened yet. Lin Xiche entered stealthily, changed her clothes, and grabbed her study materials.
After hesitating for a moment, she also took her little notebook with her and then headed out.
Having spent the night outside, Lin Xiche suddenly found herself with a day that was empty of the writing she had been doing for months. She thought about spending ten minutes to finish it and then using the rest of the time to study.
Once this vacation ended, there would be another week of classes before entering the exam week. Students who completed all their exams could choose to leave the campus on their own.
The exam schedule was already out.
Due to the different arrangements for each subject, Lin Xiche would finish her exams a few days earlier than Xu Fang. She had exams on the 13th, while Xu Fang’s exams were on the 16th. They had booked a train for the 16th in the afternoon to go back home.
Because of the upcoming exam week, the library was overcrowded, and it was impossible to find a seat without going early.
At this time, it was still early, and quite a few people had already arrived. Lin Xiche took the elevator to the third floor, where she usually studied, and found an empty table. She took out all her things from her backpack and then opened her little notebook to start writing.
January 1, 2012, 69th day together.
Following the completion of the plan to hold hands within three months last time within a month, today I have completed the plan to kiss within ten years that was originally set. Although it was always Xu Fang taking the initiative, I believe it’s because of my guidance that he made these moves.
As she wrote up to this point, Lin Xiche’s pen suddenly stopped, and she looked around sneakily, as if worried someone might see what she was writing. Then she continued, “I also slept with him. Xiche is really amazing; either she doesn’t make a move, or when she does…”
She hadn’t finished her sentence when someone patted her from behind. Because they were in the library, the person’s voice was extremely low as they asked, “What are you doing?”
Lin Xiche immediately recognized the owner of the voice as Xu Fang and was startled, leaving a mark on the notebook with her pen. She quickly closed the notebook and hid it beneath one of the textbooks, pretending to look at the book.
“Oh, I’m just taking some notes.”
Xu Fang looked at the position of the book she had hidden the notebook under but didn’t ask any further. He pulled a chair and sat down next to her.
Seeing him, Lin Xiche still had lingering fear and asked, “Why are you here?”
This time, Xu Fang didn’t answer and changed the topic.
In the week following, most of the teachers were reviewing exam content and helping students prepare for their exams. Lin Xiche marked a lot of key points in her textbooks and planned to stay up a few nights to memorize them.
After the exams were over, they didn’t have to wait long for their train journey back home. On the 16th, in the evening, Lin Xiche started packing her belongings. She didn’t need to bring clothes back, so after some consideration, she decided to take her laptop and a few textbooks.
Calculating Xu Fang’s exam schedule, Lin Xiche shouldered her backpack and headed to his dormitory building.
As she arrived at his dormitory building, she happened to see Xu Fang coming out from the entrance. Lin Xiche blinked and walked up to him, curious, “Didn’t you just finish your exam?”
Xu Fang, carrying even fewer things than Lin Xiche, had a backpack and looked as if he were going to class. He responded casually, “I finished the exam early.”
Lin Xiche handed her laptop bag to him and asked, “Was it easy?”
This time, Xu Fang didn’t answer directly and steered the conversation in a different direction.
The two returned to their hometown on the same day, arriving around 8 in the evening.
Lin Xiche was dropped off at her grandfather’s house by Xu Fang.
Once inside the house, Xu Fang placed Lin Xiche’s laptop on the coffee table. Lin Xiche’s grandfather seemed to have gone somewhere and wasn’t at home. Xu Fang didn’t rush to leave and instead sat down on the sofa.
Lin Xiche went into her room and hung her backpack behind the door. Just as she was about to go out to find Xu Fang, her gaze was drawn to a change in her room. Her previously cluttered study desk was now neat and organized, with a stack of test papers and study materials placed on top.
Lin Xiche turned to look, and she noticed that the messy sheets she left when she went out had been neatly folded.
Her grandfather had never tidied up her room before…
Lin Xiche walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and saw that her clothes were still hanging inside. However, they had all been pushed to the far left. Two sets of high school uniforms had been added, and the rest were Lin Xigeng’s clothes.
Did Lin Xigeng come over here to stay? Lin Xiche speculated.
Due to these changes, Lin Xiche had spent more time in her room and hadn’t noticed the commotion outside. She closed the wardrobe and was about to go out to find Xu Fang when she realized that her grandfather had returned.
Her grandfather was sitting in the main seat on the sofa, and Xu Fang had moved to a side seat, sitting upright with a proper posture, looking quite energetic.
Xu Fang had grown up under Lin Xiche’s grandfather’s watchful eye, so he treated him like his own grandson and would always scold him whenever they met. Last time, Xu Fang leaned back in his chair when he was in front of him and was scolded for not sitting properly and lacking in manly spirit.
Although Xu Fang had a temper, he didn’t dare to be impudent in front of his elders, so he let him reprimand him. Probably remembering the words from last time, Xu Fang automatically sat up straight this time.
Seeing Xu Fang’s expression, Lin Xiche found it amusing. She walked over and sat across from him. Then she turned to her grandfather, obediently calling out, “Grandfather.”
Her grandfather looked over, his gaze stopping on the couple’s coat Lin Xiche was wearing, and then he glanced at Xu Fang. He stopped scolding Xu Fang and asked slowly, “Are you two wearing matching clothes?”
Lin Xiche was momentarily stunned and subconsciously looked at her own clothes.
The dark green couple’s coat.
“…”
After being scolded for ten minutes, Xu Fang finally let out a sigh of relief and took a sip of the tea in front of him.
“This isn’t matching clothes,” Lin Xiche said while tugging at her sleeve. She spoke seriously, “It’s couple’s clothing! Can’t you see that?”
“What kind of couple’s clothing are you two wearing.”
Xu Fang was about to explain when Lin Xiche spoke up.
She hadn’t said this in front of others before, but when she was with people close to her, Lin Xiche couldn’t help but show off. “I’m in a relationship with Xu Fang! He has secretly liked me for a long time, Grandfather, didn’t you notice?”
Her grandfather seemed rather nonchalant. “How long?”
Lin Xiche wasn’t quite sure about this. She thought that Xu Fang had started liking her around 2008, conservatively estimating it to be three years. But that sounded too short, and it lacked the dramatic effect she wanted.
She bit her lip and, in an exaggerated manner, added a zero to the number, making it thirty.
“Not thirty years.”
Lin Xiche immediately realized that she hadn’t even reached thirty years old yet. She corrected herself, “Thirteen years!”
Xu Fang: “…”
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