Lin Xige widened her eyes and was about to reprimand him for his behavior when the teacher standing at the podium suddenly focused their attention on the two of them and pointed at her, saying, “You, the girl over there, stand up and answer a question.”
Lin Xige subconsciously snapped out of it, turned her gaze in the direction of the teacher, and coincidentally locked eyes with him. She closed her eyes for a moment and then obediently stood up, listening to the question the teacher asked, looking bewildered.
At the same time, Xu Fang nonchalantly pushed his book toward her, used a different colored pen to mark the answers, and pointed at them with his fingertips, making them very clear.
Lin Xige glanced at it quickly and gained confidence instantly. Following the handwriting in the textbook, she answered the question.
The teacher didn’t make things difficult for her and simply said, “Don’t talk during class,” before letting her sit down.
Perhaps because of this incident, Lin Xige was exceptionally quiet for the rest of the class.
Her lack of movement, however, affected Xu Fang’s mood to continue paying attention in class. He turned his head to look at her, his gaze fixed. When she noticed him, she also turned to face him.
After locking eyes for two seconds, she said, “Pay attention to the class.”
“…”
After the bell rang, Lin Xige packed up her things, and only then did she bring up what happened earlier. “What you said earlier…”
Xu Fang stood up and looked down at her.
Lin Xige hesitated for a moment and then smiled, saying, “It’s quite nice.”
“…”
“I found that when you study hard, you can actually help me a lot sometimes.” She remembered what happened earlier and raised her eyebrows, looking somewhat pleased. “It was the first time I had to ask for your help to answer a question.”
“…”
“I’m really touched.”
Xu Fang: “…”
At first, Xu Fang thought she was saying this out of spite.
But over time, he realized that it might not be the case.
Lin Xige seemed to genuinely believe that it was a good thing for him to prioritize studying over her.
Afterward, although she didn’t bring up this matter again, Xu Fang noticed that she seemed to genuinely think that he was more focused on his studies than she was.
As a result, from that day on, except for going to evening exercise and basketball team training, Xu Fang spent most of his time in the library.
In the past, they used to leave the library a bit early, find a quiet spot downstairs in the dormitory building to chat, talk about what happened during the day, and occasionally, as the main purpose of these conversations, get closer emotionally, sharing sweet moments and kisses.
Now, Lin Xige referred to this activity, which they used to cultivate their relationship and deepen their feelings, as “a waste of time.”
She had good reasons for her arguments, presenting them in a logical and persuasive manner. It seemed like she wanted to turn their relationship into a Platonic love.
Xu Fang found it amusing how she was trying to change things.
A week after this change occurred.
The next day, after Xu Fang finished training in the gym, he sat in the bleachers drinking water. He glanced at the message from Lin Xige on his phone and suddenly felt annoyed. He replied, “I’m not coming.”
Lin Xige didn’t seem to notice his mood and asked, “Huh? Do you have something to do?”
Xu Fang didn’t reply. He tossed the water bottle into the trash can, feeling irritated. He declined an invitation from his teammates to go out for late-night snacks and went straight back to the dormitory to take a nap.
He had barely slept for a few minutes when he got up again and looked at his phone.
She hadn’t contacted him again, as if she was trying to express her understanding.
Xu Fang sat on the bed, took a deep breath, put his shoes back on, and left the room.
He found Lin Xige in the library at their usual spot. He walked over and stood beside her.
When Lin Xige noticed his presence, she looked up at him, still cheerful. “Are you feeling better now?”
In the next moment, Xu Fang’s expression turned cold, and he pulled her up, leading her out of the library.
Once they were outside the library’s self-study room, Lin Xige asked, “Where are we going? My stuff is still inside, you should wait for me to pick up my things…”
Xu Fang didn’t pay her any attention, just continued to pull her out of the library.
He found a secluded spot with few people and then stopped, turning to look at her.
Lin Xiche felt a sense of unease under his intense gaze and cautiously asked, “What do you want?”
He replied with a stoic expression, “To argue.”
“…”
Lin Xiche was taken aback, then carefully inquired, “Do you want me to go easy on you?”
Expecting her to ask why they should argue, Xu Fang ignored her previous statement and got straight to the point, “Lin Xiche, reflect on your actions lately. How many things have you done wrong?”
Initially, she thought he was joking, but his serious expression made her nervous. After some contemplation, she reluctantly confessed, “I guess not much.”
Seeing his expression darken further, Lin Xiche nervously continued, “A few days ago, I used your Alipay to buy a box of snacks.”
Avoiding eye contact, she hurriedly explained, “But I wasn’t just buying them for myself! I planned to share half of them with you… Besides, as my boyfriend, what’s wrong with buying snacks for me? You even let me share them with you.”
“…”
He didn’t utter a word in response.
Still, Xu Fang remained silent. Lin Xiche hesitated, then pursed her lips and took out a piece of candy from her pocket, trying to please him by placing it in his hand.
“I brought some today. I’ve finished the rest.”
Her frame was petite, and her hands were delicate and fair. Her fingertips were slightly cool, and when they touched his palm, it felt like a faint electric current.
Xu Fang’s irritation had completely dissipated due to her antics. He used his other hand to rub his face, but he still didn’t say a word.
“You’re still not happy!” Lin Xiche was starting to feel a bit upset, but her guilt prevented her from expressing her frustration. “Fine, I’ll go back to the dorm and get more for you—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Xu Fang had already unwrapped the candy and placed it in her mouth. He seemed somewhat dejected as he spoke with a stern tone, “Forget it.”
Lin Xiche held the candy in her mouth, her lips plump and rosy, adorned with a vibrant color. She licked her lips and blinked at him.
Xu Fang’s gaze faltered for a moment, and suddenly he cursed under his breath, “Damn it.”
He then reached out and grasped her chin, parting her lips forcefully, and kissed her deeply. His tongue delved inside, tasting her tongue, and his kiss was intense, rough, and dominating.
Feeling her instinct to pull back, Xu Fang pressed his hand against the back of her head and lightly nibbled her tongue, as if venting his frustration. Then, he withdrew, still holding the candy.
Lin Xiche looked at him, her lips still carrying his scent and the sweetness of the candy. Her mind was in a hazy state, not quite sure why she had been drawn into this, confessing her wrongdoing to him and then being kissed by him a second time. She even took back the candy she had offered herself.
Xu Fang used his thumb to massage her lips, his eyes smoldering with desire, and his voice husky as he said, “Ah, I kissed the wrong direction.”
“…”
“I just wanted to eat them myself.”
After a few seconds of silence, Lin Xiche made a small sound of realization. She looked like she had discovered something sweet. Lowering her head, she rummaged through her pockets and pulled out another pile of candies.
Her expression carried a hint of anticipation as she honestly admitted, “Actually, I still have this many.”
“…”
Their Platonic love affair lasted for only a short week before Lin Xiche succumbed to his charms. After that, she no longer pushed him to study every day as she did before. It was all up to his own willingness.
The final exams approached subtly, and as usual, Exam schedules for Xu Fang were arranged late. Lin Xiche, however, continued to accompany him in the library for revision, just as she did in the previous semester.
After the exams were over, the two of them returned to Xicheng.
Lin Xige’s high school entrance exam had been over for more than a month, and her results were already out. She had performed exceptionally well, better than ever before. During the time when she was choosing her major, Lin Xiche had even made a special trip back home to help her.
In the end, she chose psychology at S University as her first choice.
Choosing majors for the college entrance exam was a big deal, so Lin Xige still informed her parents. Knowing that she had done well in her exams, they didn’t pressure her to change her choice to B University.
During the long break after the high school entrance exam, which totaled three months, Lin Xige took up a part-time job at a cram school, mostly staying away from home. As for Xu Fang, the National Defense student, he had a month of military training every summer. He had just returned home for a few days, barely getting comfortable in his own bed, when he had to leave again.
Lin Xiche didn’t want to idle away her time. She saw an advertisement online for volunteers at an animal rescue center and after confirming that it was legitimate, she sent in her application.
Having found something to do, Lin Xiche was particularly excited, and she headed out.
Although Xu Fang’s mother had already prepared a lot of things for him, Lin Xiche still wanted to personally prepare some luggage for him so that he would think of her while he was away.
As she descended the stairs, Lin Xiche saw Xu Fang.
She happily ran up to him, putting her hand into his, and said with a playful smile, “Come on, let’s go shopping.”
“What are we buying?” Xu Fang held her hand with one hand and glanced at his phone, furrowing his brow. “We don’t need to buy food; we have plenty at home. If you want, you can take it all.”
“I don’t even know what to buy; let’s just see when we get there!” Seeing her in such a good mood, Xu Fang finally put down his phone and asked, “Why are you so happy?”
“Hmm,” Lin Xiche nodded vigorously. “Because I—”
But Xu Fang’s expression suddenly darkened, interrupting her words.
“Lin Xiche, I’m going to the military tomorrow, and I’ll be gone for a month.”
She paused for a moment, but there was no sign of a lingering or emotional farewell. She simply lowered her head and began counting on her fingers. “Then, when you come back, we still have a month to spend together.”
“…” Xu Fang smirked slightly. “You’re right.”
Lin Xiche squinted her eyes and smiled. “I will miss you.”
The two of them entered the supermarket. Lin Xiche had intended to head straight to the snacks section, but Xu Fang grabbed her by the collar and pulled her back. “What do you want to eat? I’ve got a whole stash for you; don’t buy more.”
Lin Xiche adjusted her collar and asked, “Did Auntie buy it for you?”
“Yes.”
“Then I should buy a little for you too, so you’ll think of me when you eat.”
Xu Fang straightforwardly said, “No need to bring any.”
Lin Xiche wasn’t discouraged by this response and remained resolute. “I asked Yutong, and he said we can sneak some.”
“…” Xu Fang was somewhat helpless, so he didn’t stop her.
Lin Xiche walked ahead, and Xu Fang pushed the cart from behind. She wanted to buy everything she saw and kept tossing items into the shopping cart. Xu Fang watched her choices and removed anything he considered unhygienic or high in calories, putting them back on the shelves.
After a round of this, only about one-third of the cart was filled.
Then Lin Xiche moved to the household goods section, but every time she picked up something, Xu Fang would say, “We have it.”
Shampoo.
“We have it.”
Shower gel.
“We have it.”
Toothpaste.
“We have it.”
In the end, Xu Fang didn’t even look at the items Lin Xiche picked. He would just say, “We have it,” every ten seconds.
After a while, Lin Xiche suddenly stopped and stood still. She held a pack of sanitary napkins in her hand, looking hesitant.
“…”
Xu Fang’s forehead twitched, and he grabbed her hand, pulling her towards another section. “We don’t need that.”
“This.” Lin Xiche still held it and jogged after him. “It can be used as insoles, just like during our military training…”
“I don’t need it.” Xu Fang interrupted her, his tone particularly harsh. “Put it back.”
“…”
After some back and forth, they ended up buying only the snacks Lin Xiche had initially chosen.
After paying, Xu Fang carried the shopping bags, and they took a bus back to Xu Fang’s home.
Xu Fang still lived in the Lanbei Villa area. The house across from his used to be Lin Xiche’s home, but it had been sold and occupied by new residents.
Lin Xiche glanced at it before following Xu Fang inside. His parents were in the living room, watching TV. Lin Xiche was a frequent visitor, and being here felt like visiting another home. There was no sense of awkwardness. She greeted them before heading upstairs and entering Xu Fang’s room.
Xu Fang’s room had a simple and clean design. White walls, wooden floors, a standard single bed with an unusual feature: four large wheels at the bottom. Above the bed, there were two shelves filled with various books. Next to the bed was a desk with a carpet laid out in front of it. There was a TV in one corner, two reclining sofas, and two game controllers.
Perhaps due to his experience as a military cadet, his room was nowhere near as messy as it used to be. The bedding was neatly folded like tofu, and items on the desk were placed in an orderly manner.
It looked exceptionally comfortable.
His luggage was only half-packed, scattered on the floor. Inside were some clothes, and next to it, various daily necessities and snacks were strewn about.
Lin Xiche sat down next to his luggage, and Xu Fang placed the bag he was carrying next to her. He then walked to the TV, grabbed a bean bag chair, and tossed it behind her casually, saying, “Sit here.”
“Oh.” Lin Xiche adjusted and sat down.
She lowered her head and began emptying the bag into the luggage. Xu Fang meticulously removed item after item, seemingly obsessive about organizing them by size and color.
Lin Xiche grew bored watching him pack and couldn’t resist the urge to tease him. She moved closer and poked his waist. But Xu Fang didn’t react to her tickling; he continued to pack without acknowledging her.
Lin Xiche switched to tugging his hair.
Still, he didn’t respond.
She moved her hand away and pinched his cheek.
Xu Fang just wanted to finish packing, completely ignoring her.
Lin Xiche blinked, propped herself up with one hand, pushed down on her legs with some force, and suddenly lifted herself upward, making it seem like she was about to escape.
It was a classic move, someone misbehaving and attempting to run away.
However, before she could get up, Xu Fang called out, “Come here.”
His lips were pressed into a straight line, and his dark eyes gazed at her. In Lin Xiche’s eyes, he looked particularly fierce, as though he were about to scold her.
Lin Xiche struggled but quickly realized the futility of her escape. She immediately began pleading, “Fangfang, don’t be angry. I’ll help you pack…”
Xu Fang released her ankle and pulled her up from the ground. He moved his hand to her back, pressing against it.
He let go of her ankle, then held her hand, pulling her down gently to sit beside him. His gaze remained fixed on her.
The scene froze for a few seconds.
Lin Xiche swallowed nervously, thinking about how to escape from this situation.
Suddenly, Xu Fang leaned in, his voice low and tinged with a hint of menace.
“You didn’t kiss properly earlier.”
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