Xia Miao was truly running low on energy, no match for the boundless vigor of youth. Before long, she called for a break—she needed to use the restroom.
The moment Xia Miao stepped away, the young man inside the shop locked eyes with the one outside, their gazes crackling with hostility.
After taking care of her business and emerging from the restroom, Xia Miao was puzzled to find the boy nowhere in sight.
She called over a shop assistant. "Did you see where the guy I came with went?"
The assistant replied, "I think I saw him head out that way."
Xia Miao took a few steps forward.
"Miss, what about these clothes?"
"Pack them all up—I'll be right back!"
Stepping out of the store, Xia Miao followed the direction the assistant had pointed, eventually entering a dimly lit alley. There, she found someone crouched on the ground.
The boy was covered in grime, as if he'd been rolling around in the dirt, his body marred with fresh scratches. He squatted before a small fire, cupping his face in his hands, fingers tapping excitedly against his cheeks. His eyes sparkled with exhilaration, the flames reflecting in them—he might as well have been humming a tuneless song to express his joy.
Xia Miao asked, "Fu Lan, what are you doing here?"
His face lit up. He grabbed her hand and declared triumphantly, "I burned the trash! Now you’re mine alone!"
Xia Miao smacked him on the head. "Starting fires in random places will land you in jail!"
Luckily, there weren’t any flammable materials nearby—otherwise, she’d have worried he’d cause real trouble.
Pursing his lips, Fu Lan glowered. "Xia Miao, if you keep hitting me like that, I won’t hold back!"
She squared up, ready to strike again. "Oh? And how exactly won’t you hold back?"
Instead of retaliating, Fu Lan suddenly cupped her face and bit down on her lips. Xia Miao yelped in pain and kicked him away.
But he only grinned, smug with his victory. "If you keep defying me, I’ll kiss you again."
Xia Miao fumed. "Fu Lan, are you insane? You’re filthy, and you still dared to kiss me!"
Because of the unsanitary kiss, she ignored him the entire way back. Fu Lan sulked but didn’t dare actually scold her, resigned to trudging behind her with an armful of shopping bags as they returned to the apartment.
He carelessly tossed the bags onto the sofa, then prowled around the apartment like a king inspecting his territory. Only after confirming no other males had trespassed did he finally settle beside Xia Miao, satisfied.
Xia Miao was exhausted—shopping for him had drained her more than shopping for herself. She collapsed onto the sofa, too tired to move, while Fu Lan took advantage of her weakened state to press close again, showering her with sticky, insistent kisses.
When it came to kissing her, he acted like he’d discovered a new continent, his enthusiasm growing with each attempt. But sometimes, seeing the marks he left behind, Xia Miao wondered if he was deliberately marking her with his scent.
Fu Lan had figured out one thing about Xia Miao—as long as the kisses didn’t make her uncomfortable, she’d willingly indulge him.
His dark, brooding eyes shimmered with delight as he transformed from a sharp-tongued, infuriatingly pretty boy into the picture of a doting, perfect boyfriend. "Miaomiao, you must be exhausted. Let me carry you to bed."
For a moment, Xia Miao thought he’d genuinely changed. Too tired to resist, she let him scoop her up—until they reached the bedroom, where he gently laid her down and murmured in a suspiciously tender voice.
"Miaomiao, you must be so tired. Sleeping in your clothes can’t be comfortable. Don’t move—I’ll help you change into pajamas."
Not long after, he added, "Since we’re already taking off your outer clothes, and you need pajamas anyway… why not change your undergarments too? Stay still, Miaomiao, I’ll handle it."
And then—
"Sorry, Miaomiao, I’ve never dressed a girl in these before. I might accidentally brush against… other places. Don’t be shy, and don’t misunderstand—I really just want to help you change. After all, sleeping clean is much more comfortable, right?"
Finally—
"Miaomiao… Miaomiao… you’re so sweet here too… so good… hehe… give me more, just a little more…"
Late that night, Xia Miao woke up staring at the ceiling, her face haggard from overindulgence. She couldn’t fathom how she’d let Fu Lan gradually strip her bare without resistance!
Beside her, the boy slept soundly, limbs draped over her, his face smug with satisfaction—so infuriating she couldn’t stand it.
Xia Miao kicked him off.
With a yelp, Fu Lan tumbled to the floor with a heavy thud.
"So, the guy you were talking about—the mutual crush—was Fu Lan?!"
Luo Xiaoluo was stunned, especially as her eyes lingered on the suspicious marks on Xia Miao’s neck.
Xia Miao tugged her collar higher and took a sip of iced milk tea to soothe her throat. Last night, she and Fu Lan had competed in volume, their cries growing increasingly fervent until her voice was nearly gone.
Clearing her throat, she drawled, "I know things moved a little fast… but what can I say? Passionate youth, momentary lack of restraint."
Luo Xiaoluo still couldn’t believe it.
After all, everyone knew Fu Lan and Xia Miao had been at each other’s throats since the day he transferred to their school. Their relationship was notoriously hostile—every meeting ended in a fight, both vying for the title of "Campus King." How had these two sworn enemies ended up together?!
Xia Miao, unusually embarrassed, changed the subject. "Do you know that couple over there?"
Not far away, Leng Jingshen had cornered Lin Baobao. "Hey, Lin Baobao, my grandparents told me to look after you. I’m taking you out to dinner tonight."
Lin Baobao stood her ground. "No thanks!"
Leng Jingshen’s expression shifted. Once upon a time, Lin Baobao had chased after him—now, the tables had turned, and he was the one pursuing her.
As Lin Baobao tried to step back, her infamous "trip-on-nothing" skill activated. She stumbled forward, and Leng Jingshen swiftly caught her by the waist, pulling the slender girl into his arms. Amid the swirling autumn leaves, their gazes locked—spinning round and round, round and round…
Five full rotations later, they were still staring, hearts pounding.
Lin Baobao tried to snap out of it, but… but… this man was just too handsome.
Passersby came and went, casting curious glances at the scene.
Xia Miao suddenly remembered. "Wait, isn’t that guy your crush—"
"No! He’s not!" Luo Xiaoluo hid her face behind a book, cringing so hard she could’ve dug a three-bedroom apartment with her toes.
Damn it—how had she ever had such embarrassing taste?!
Just then, an unwelcome voice cut in. "Hey, you two pigs—how much longer are you gonna spin around like that?"
Fu Lan's strikingly handsome face was twisted with scorn and malice, his pitch-black eyes brimming with unmistakable irritation. "You're blocking my way to see my girlfriend. Do you have any idea how long it's been? One hour, thirty-five minutes, and forty-five seconds! Do you even know how much she adores me? How utterly dependent she is on me? If she falls ill from missing me, can you possibly take responsibility for that?"
This time, it was Xia Miao's turn to hide her face behind a book.
She, too, cringed hard enough to dig her toes into the ground, dying of secondhand embarrassment!
