Shen Chi's work shift ended, and he went to the prop room to change. Xia Miao followed him inside, helping him remove the heavy mascot costume.
Shen Chi had long been accustomed to doing everything himself, but now with Xia Miao assisting him, his gaze lingered on her, making him feel almost useless—as if he just wanted to wait for her to touch him more.
Once the mascot suit was off, the young man's slender frame was revealed. His white T-shirt was slightly damp with sweat, and his black trousers and white sneakers seemed to radiate heat, just like him.
Xia Miao took out a wet wipe and gently dabbed the sweat from his face. Something about her actions must have struck a chord in the usually aloof boy, because he suddenly leaned down, cupped her face, and pressed a sticky, feverish kiss against her lips.
It was the same clingy intensity he often showed her, as if he were some bone-deep demon slowly merging with her soul.
Xia Miao had initially thought about pushing him away, but remembering how he had deliberately locked the door when they entered, she let him continue.
His body was hot, the scorching air thick with hormones, quickly dominating the space between them until every breath carried the scent of each other—something they both loved.
"Miao Miao… I'm sorry."
He stroked her face gently, his gaze still sticky and lingering. His dark, glistening eyes were entirely filled with her presence. At this moment, this tall, lean young man seemed to draw strength only from her, as if he couldn’t stand without her support.
The reversal of traditional gender roles felt somewhat absurd.
Xia Miao asked, "Why are you apologizing?"
"Those people saw me." He pressed his lips together. "I embarrassed you."
Shen Chi was a self-aware person. The only bold thing he had ever done was overestimating himself by dating Xia Miao. But deep down, he knew very well that he wasn’t good enough for her yet.
So he studied and worked hard, hoping that after graduation, he could climb higher—so that people wouldn’t laugh behind Xia Miao’s back, mocking her for choosing such an ordinary man.
Shen Chi wanted to be Xia Miao’s pride. That was why he instinctively avoided her circle of friends. At least for now, it wasn’t the right time for them to know about him.
He hadn’t achieved success yet, hadn’t carved out a place for himself in high society.
Xia Miao suddenly reached out, pinching the small amount of soft flesh on his face playfully. Tilting her head, she giggled, "You’re so good-looking—how could you embarrass me?"
Shen Chi stared at her blankly, his face slightly distorted by her pinching, making him look comical and, naturally, more youthful and vibrant, fitting for his age.
Xia Miao burst into laughter. "Shen Chi, you’re my boyfriend, right? That means you’re someone I like, doesn’t it?"
Shen Chi nodded. "Yes."
"In this whole world, you’re the only one I like." Xia Miao rose on her tiptoes, leaning closer until her lips almost brushed his, teasing him with a mischievous temptation. "So, you must be the best guy in the world—otherwise, I wouldn’t even glance at you!"
She continued, "When I walk with the best guy in the world, of course I’m not embarrassed. People will just envy me!"
Shen Chi’s heart pounded wildly, a chaotic rush of unfamiliar sensations overwhelming him. The fire burning in his chest was so intense he could almost hear the boiling of his own blood.
At this moment, he truly felt—for the first time—what it was like to be treasured, to be genuinely loved.
Xia Miao grinned. "Do you want to kiss me again?"
Shen Chi nodded.
A teenage boy, still in the throes of adolescence, couldn’t hide his desire for the girl he liked. But that was only natural. At his age, especially when the girl he adored liked him back, his mind was filled with nothing but R-rated thoughts of entanglement and affection.
People often said Shen Chi seemed cold and detached, as if he had no desires. But he was just an ordinary man—his cravings were no less than anyone else’s.
Xia Miao took his hand, her eyes curving into crescents. "Then let’s go home!"
The word "home" wasn’t entirely accurate—the small apartment was just a rental, not really their "home." But the sensation of her hand in his was so real that suddenly, the concept of "home" became tangible.
Shen Chi obediently let Xia Miao lead him out. In that moment, absurdly, his tall frame seemed like nothing more than her marionette.
Xia Miao made no secret of her fondness for Shen Chi’s youthful body, so she was more than happy to let him express his love in adult ways. In a sense, they really were a perfect match.
The consequence of young people indulging recklessly in their youth was that, during class, Xia Miao couldn’t stop yawning.
Gao Xiaozhu, ever the gossip, nudged her. "What, did you and Shen Chi make up?"
She had seen it today—Shen Chi walking Xia Miao to class, and Xia Miao clinging to him with reluctance, just like her old lovestruck self.
Xia Miao propped her chin on her hands, grinning. "When were we ever not good?"
"Oho, looks like love’s been treating you well—glowing skin, radiant energy." Gao Xiaozhu clicked her tongue, teasing like a fox who couldn’t reach the grapes. "Alright, alright, I guess all those girls eyeing Shen Chi can give up now."
The teacher entered the classroom, and the chatter died down.
Gao Xiaozhu sighed. "Teacher Wu’s class again. Headache."
Xia Miao looked up, momentarily dazed.
Teacher Wu, with his thick, glossy black hair and energetic demeanor, was nothing like the balding old man he would become in ten years.
But soon, Xia Miao realized she couldn’t quite recall what that future version of Teacher Wu looked like.
The harder she tried to remember, the more her mind stubbornly fixated on those fading memories.
Suddenly, Xia Miao tugged Gao Xiaozhu’s sleeve. "Do you remember the most famous urban legend in our school?"
Gao Xiaozhu blinked, confused. "What legend?"
"The one about the library’s fourth floor—how at 2 a.m., a fourteenth step appears out of nowhere. Don’t you remember? Everyone used to talk about it."
As if to prove her point, amid Teacher Wu’s monotonous lecture, most students were whispering—and the topic of their gossip just happened to be the latest trending mystery.
