It was on that very day—after accompanying Shen Chi to the hospital to treat his wounds—that on their way back that night, she dragged him into a hotel room, pinned him down on the bed, and took full advantage of his injured state, which left him unable to resist. With an unyielding attitude, she had her way with him.
That was their first time.
Recalling this, Xia Miao couldn’t help but cover her face with her hands, feeling a wave of embarrassment.
Gao Xiaozhu nudged Xia Miao with her elbow. "Hey, just so you know, Shen Chi is currently the top boyfriend candidate in every girl’s eyes. If you don’t like him anymore and decide to break up, I bet there’ll be a long line of girls waiting to date him. Since we’re such good friends, if you really do break up with him, give me a heads-up, okay? I’d love to be first in line."
Gao Xiaozhu’s tone was half-joking, half-serious, making it hard to tell how much she meant it.
Xia Miao shot her a glare. "Don’t even think about it. I won’t give any of you the chance!"
Gao Xiaozhu pouted. "You clearly still like Shen Chi, so why are you acting so cold toward him?"
Xia Miao: "Am I being cold?"
"Of course you are," Gao Xiaozhu said. "Before, whenever you had to part ways, you’d cling to him forever. But just now, I saw you say a few words to him at the door and then leave."
Xia Miao felt an inexplicable pang of guilt.
She realized one crucial thing: her relationship with Shen Chi was undeniably strong, and everyone knew they were an inseparable, lovey-dovey couple.
If even Gao Xiaozhu had noticed the change in Xia Miao’s attitude toward Shen Chi, then Shen Chi himself must have sensed it most keenly—yet he hadn’t said a word about it.
Xia Miao spent the entire afternoon’s classes restless and uneasy. When the final bell finally rang, she followed the stream of students out and immediately spotted the figure standing in the hallway.
Shen Chi was tall and well-built. Even when silent and motionless, he drew attention effortlessly.
No matter how many people passed by, his gaze remained downcast—until Xia Miao appeared. The cool detachment in his eyes melted away, replaced by a faint warmth.
It was as if the stone-cold boy had suddenly softened, and it was utterly disarming.
"Miao Miao," Shen Chi called, taking her hand and interlacing their fingers. "Let’s go home."
Xia Miao nodded instinctively. Only then did she notice the uneven scars on his palm—remnants of past wounds.
She looked up, studying his face, and was suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of intense self-doubt.
Was something wrong with her mind? Was that why she had those so-called "memories of a first life"?
Maybe it really was just a hallucination, a mix-up between reality and illusion, making her question the truth right in front of her.
After all, everything she saw and touched now felt undeniably real.
As they walked out of the school gates, Xia Miao belatedly realized something. "Where are we going?"
"Back to our place."
At his words, Xia Miao suddenly remembered.
Just two weeks ago, they had moved out of the school dorms and into an apartment Shen Chi had rented nearby.
Logically, it wasn’t unusual for soon-to-graduate students to live together off-campus. But considering they hadn’t been dating for very long, moving in together felt like an awfully fast progression.
Yet when Xia Miao thought about it carefully, she realized—she was the one who had suggested living together!
In a daze, she let Shen Chi lead her back "home," feeling like a wooden puppet.
"Miao Miao, rest first. I’ll make dinner."
Xia Miao sat on the couch, watching the young man busy himself in the kitchen while she did nothing, feeling utterly useless.
Their rented apartment wasn’t large—just one bedroom and a living room—but it was cozy and well-decorated. The familiar surroundings slowly brought back more memories.
Shen Chi was the one who watered the plants on the balcony, cleaned the apartment, cooked, did the laundry, and even handled minor repairs.
A pang of guilt twisted in Xia Miao’s heart.
After dinner, she unusually offered, "Let me wash the dishes."
Shen Chi, who had been clearing the table, paused in surprise before smiling faintly. "You just got your nails done. It’d be a shame to ruin them. I’ll take care of the dishes."
Xia Miao glanced down at her hands. Her pink manicure was delicate and pretty—she remembered now. She’d gotten it done just yesterday, and it hadn’t been cheap.
When they first moved in, Xia Miao had offered to split the rent, but Shen Chi refused outright. His reasoning was simple: he wanted to be a proper boyfriend.
He worked part-time jobs, spending most of his earnings on Xia Miao. After all, keeping up with a young lady’s lifestyle wasn’t cheap.
Shen Chi ignored the whispers about how "unsuitable" they were. He would never let Xia Miao lower her standards for him, nor would he ever consider breaking up with her.
Once he finished in the kitchen, Shen Chi returned to find Xia Miao still lost in thought on the couch. He crouched in front of her. "Miao Miao, aren’t you going to shower?"
Ah, right. Normally, while he was busy, she’d be occupied with her own things.
"I’ll go now," she said, starting to get up.
But Shen Chi didn’t let go of her hand.
Xia Miao looked at him, puzzled.
Shen Chi lowered his head slightly, his pale skin tinged with a healthy flush. His lips parted, but no sound came out, as if he were too embarrassed to speak.
Xia Miao felt inexplicably nervous, but she was bolder by nature. Tentatively, she asked, "Do you… want to shower together?"
Shen Chi’s eyes lit up like stars.
Not long after, Xia Miao realized she might have made a terrible mistake.
Warm water cascaded from the showerhead, filling the small bathroom with steam. In the hazy heat, something else simmered between them.
Xia Miao’s hands repeatedly pressed against the fogged-up glass door, leaving fleeting palm prints before Shen Chi’s fingers entwined with hers, pulling her back—allowing her to cling only to him.
Her feet left the ground as he held her up, leaving her no choice but to grip him tightly, like driftwood in a stormy sea.
When she was forced closer, Shen Chi kissed her again, capturing her lips, teasing them open before deepening the kiss, drawing her into a whirlpool of pleasure.
Xia Miao thought, maybe those gossiping people were right. She and Shen Chi must have been an incredibly close couple—after all, their bodies fit together so perfectly. A single kiss or embrace could send shivers down her spine.
After they were both thoroughly satisfied, Shen Chi still had enough energy to carry her to bed.
He hovered above her, pressing light kisses to the corner of her mouth. "Miao Miao, Miao Miao… do you still have energy left?"
Xia Miao yanked the covers over herself in alarm. "No! I’m exhausted!"
Shen Chi gave her a pitiful look but settled for hugging her through the blanket, burying his face in the crook of her neck and breathing softly. "Then I’ll just rub against you a little."
Xia Miao: "…"
Was this the infamous libido of a college-aged guy!?
