The next day was a day off, so there was no need to attend classes.
Xia Miao had stayed up late the night before and was still fast asleep even as the sun climbed high in the sky. She curled up in the boy's scorching embrace, feeling a bit too warm, and had unconsciously kicked off the blanket, simply nestling against him, much more comfortable now.
In Lu Yan's memory, he had never slept so soundly before. He, too, indulged in a rare lazy morning, until nearly noon when Xia Miao, roused by hunger, began tugging at his hair and brushing her fingers over his eyelashes, finally waking him.
Lu Yan cracked his eyes open, drowsily muttering, "What are you doing?"
Xia Miao, now fully rested and brimming with energy, wriggled on the bed, arching her back playfully. "Guess what I’m acting like?"
"A worm."
Xia Miao's fist shot out. "It’s an adorable little bear!"
Lu Yan, punched first thing in the morning, felt a pang of grievance. He wanted to insist that her performance was indeed worm-like, but seeing Xia Miao’s messy hair and the sparks of threat flashing in her eyes, he wisely chose to stay silent.
Xia Miao declared, "I'm hungry."
She sat up, the strap of her nightgown slipping off one shoulder, revealing more of her smooth, fair skin. The delicate curves of her chest peeked through, paired with her drowsy, just-woken-up demeanor and a rare dazed expression on her pretty face—what people nowadays might call a mix of innocence and allure.
Lu Yan couldn’t tear his gaze away, staring dumbly as a fire ignited within him.
The two of them locked eyes for a moment before, in a sudden motion, the boy pinned her down, hovering over her with an intense gaze. His fingers itched to touch her skin, yet he hesitated, afraid of angering her.
They were so close they could feel each other’s breath.
Her long hair fanned out across the bed like dark moonlight, her thin white nightgown barely concealing anything. With his knee wedged between her legs, she couldn’t close them, and Lu Yan’s gaze burned hotter, uncharacteristically predatory.
Xia Miao had been right before—he was strong. At the very least, with his hands pinning hers, she stood no chance of breaking free.
A flicker of nervousness crossed her face. "Wh-what are you trying to do?"
Lu Yan’s throat bobbed, his voice rough. "I... I don’t know."
He knew a thing or two about what could happen between a man and a woman, though his knowledge came solely from the foreign films he’d stumbled upon in the old gardener’s room.
"Learned" wasn’t quite the right word—back then, he’d only skimmed a few out of curiosity. The women’s moans, the men’s roughness—it had all struck him as revolting, devoid of any beauty. Compared to the thrill of blood spraying in battle, it held no appeal.
Yet now, he found himself wanting to do those very things with Xia Miao.
But no—Xia Miao wasn’t like those women.
What made her different?
Her gaze made his heart race.
Her touch sent him into raptures.
Her kisses filled him with joy.
In short, every little thing she did struck him with overwhelming force, dismantling all his defenses.
Lu Yan thought, She’s incredible. She must be the most powerful person in the world—there’s no way I could ever defeat her.
In other words, he chickened out.
As an adult, Xia Miao couldn’t possibly misunderstand the fire burning in the boy’s eyes. Her own pulse raced, and she’d half-resigned herself to letting him have his way—after all, she was curious to experience it too. But after a long pause, he remained frozen above her, unmoving.
Growing impatient, she nudged him with her foot. "What exactly do you want?"
"I... I..." Lu Yan stammered before finally mustering his courage. "Can I kiss you?"
Xia Miao blinked. "That’s it?"
He nodded, his face flushed. "That’s it."
After a brief silence, she relented. "Go ahead."
With her permission, Lu Yan slowly leaned down. His lips, still tinged blackish-purple like poisoned flesh, peeked out from the bandages—normal in shape and size—but the closer he got, the more nervous he became.
When they finally brushed against the corner of her mouth, he let out a tiny, barely audible "mwah."
It was strange. They’d shared far more intimate kisses before, yet this chaste, almost childish peck sent both their hearts pounding like thunder.
Lu Yan’s eyes shimmered, his gaze sticky with affection. "Miao Miao... can I sleep with you again in the future?"
Whether it was the first time he’d called her by that name or the raw, lovestruck sincerity in his youthful face, she found herself unexpectedly flustered.
Xia Miao fidgeted. "If you behave, then maybe."
He nodded eagerly. "I’ll behave. Can I kiss you again?"
Clearing her throat, she averted her eyes. "Fine."
By the time they got up, they’d missed the cafeteria’s lunch hours entirely.
Xia Miao bought two buns from the convenience store, tossing one to Lu Yan before kicking him lightly. "This is your fault! If you hadn’t made us oversleep, I could’ve had a proper meal!"
Since there were no classes, she hadn’t worn her uniform, opting instead for a simple pinafore dress. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, the red ribbon bow at the end—courtesy of Lu Yan—paired with white sneakers, radiating youthful energy.
Lu Yan, for his part, endured her scolding without protest, his eyes glued to her, his heart silently chanting, She’s so beautiful. No matter how she dresses, she’s always so beautiful.
Xia Miao took a bite of her bun. "Still so hungry. The store doesn’t even sell instant noodles. We’ll have to wait hours for dinner."
Lu Yan offered his bun. "Miao Miao, I’m not hungry. You can have mine."
She eyed him before suddenly reaching out to pat his stomach. "It’s flat. You need to eat too."
He blinked. "I don’t really need food."
"No way!" Xia Miao grabbed his hand, pulling him along. "I won’t let you tough it out. You haven’t eaten since last night. Even if it’s just a bun, if I have food, I’ll always share with you."
Lu Yan insisted, "I don’t mind going hungry."
She glared up at him. "How many times do I have to say it? Starving yourself is bad for your health. If you get sick, I’ll be the one who’s upset!"
Lu Yan froze.
Xia Miao quickly huffed, lifting her chin haughtily. "Don’t get the wrong idea. Just because I said I’d be upset doesn’t mean I super like you yet. I only kinda like you right now. Eat up, put on some weight, and maybe I’ll like you more."
Lu Yan stared at the bun in his hand, his vision inexplicably blurring. After a moment, he tightened his grip on her hand, as if clinging to her very existence.
He took a bite of the bread—pineapple-flavored, overly sweet—then grasped her hand and tucked it into his coat pocket. Softly, he murmured, "I'll make Miaomiao like me even more."
