“I didn’t knit you a scarf.”

Xia Xia didn’t notice the resentment in her voice: “Just because I knitted one for Yuantai doesn’t mean I have to knit one for you. Don’t think too highly of yourself.”

Xie Huai was slow to react, not yet noticing something was wrong with Xia Xia’s mood.

He said teasingly: “Then I’ll have to search your dorm myself. If I find one…”

“Go ahead and ‘get me’ if you find one!” Xia Xia shouted. “Even if you kill me it’s useless. I said I don’t have one, so I don’t!”

She turned and entered the dormitory building, leaving Xie Huai standing there.

Xie Huai shouted at her retreating figure: “Xia Xia, did you take the wrong medicine today?”

He grew angrier as he thought about it: “Damn, her temper’s getting bigger, now she even dares to be this fierce with me.”

Liang Yuantai came running up behind him with a paper bag: “Huai Ge, you left your things there.”

Xie Huai glanced at it: “Not mine.”

Liang Yuantai said: “It was taken from your box.”

Xie Huai took the bag and pulled out a scarf. His eyes suddenly brightened: “And she dared say she didn’t prepare a scarf for me.”

The scarf around Liang Yuantai’s neck was hand-knitted, while this one was wool.

Xie Huai turned it over and saw the brand label embroidered inside.

He asked: “Tell me clearly, where did you get this?”

“It was tucked under your box by the road. I saw it while helping you collect your things.”

“Under the box…” Xie Huai’s eyes darkened, and he asked, “The scarf you’re wearing was given by Xia Xia?”

Though Liang Yuantai was slow, he could sense the unusual emotion in his gaze.

He covered his neck with both hands: “Xia Xia gave this to me, you can’t take it. Xia Xia already said this one wasn’t for you.”

“Of course, I won’t take your things,” Xie Huai smiled. “Tell me, what else did Xia Xia say when she gave you the scarf?”

Liang Yuantai answered honestly: “Xia Xia said she was planning to throw this scarf away, so I asked for it. Such a beautiful scarf, it would be a waste to throw it away.”

Hearing this, Xie Huai pulled out his phone to make a call.

Xia Xia stormed upstairs after yelling at Xie Huai.

By the second floor, her anger had halved.

By the third floor, she couldn’t help thinking she might have been too harsh with Xie Huai.

By the fourth floor, she grew anxious, thinking this wasn’t Xie Huai’s fault at all, why had she lost her temper with him?

Xia Xia felt uneasy, wondering whether to go down and apologize, to coax Xie Huai.

She crouched at the dormitory entrance, pulled out a strand of hair, counting one by one: “Coax Huai Ge, don’t coax Huai Ge, coax Huai Ge, don’t coax Huai Ge…”

When she finished counting the hair, it landed on ‘Don’t coax Huai Ge.’

Xia Xia pondered for a moment, then said calmly: “I must have counted wrong.”

She pulled out another strand of hair to start over.

“…Don’t coax Huai Ge, coax Huai Ge.” Xia Xia got her desired answer and smiled sweetly. “I knew it, I just can’t help myself with Huai Ge.”

The dormitory door opened, and Zhao Shanqi ran out with flushed cheeks.

She didn’t see Xia Xia standing by the door, her skirt fluttering as she disappeared down the stairs.

Cai Yun stood by the door: “Stop looking. Xie Huai called Shanqi to go down.”

She said with a strange tone: “I don’t know if you saw, but Shanqi bought Xie Huai a scarf as a Christmas gift, over three thousand yuan. Isn’t Xie Huai usually so arrogant? Always indifferent to Shanqi, but as soon as he gets a three-thousand-yuan scarf, he calls right away.”

Xia Xia said coldly: “Oh.”

“You’ve been knitting a scarf in bed recently, why aren’t you knitting today?” Cai Yun said. “Do you think Xie Huai would want Shanqi’s branded scarf or your yarn scarf bought from a street stall?”

Xia Xia said: “What are you showing off about?”

She looked confused: “Was Zhao Shanqi’s scarf bought for you, or did you buy that three-thousand-yuan scarf? What right do you have to comment about my street stall scarf when you haven’t given Xie Huai anything?”

Cai Yun was stunned by her retort, realizing she indeed hadn’t given Xie Huai anything.

Xia Xia didn’t want to go down anymore and entered the dorm, stepping around her.

Cai Yun suddenly realized: “Wait, why should I give Xie Huai anything?”

Xia Xia sat glumly at her desk. She turned on the desk lamp, and the small space under the bed was lit up warmly.

She lay on the desk lost in thought. Under the lamp lay a small ball of yarn, leftover from knitting the scarf.

She poked it with her fingertip. She had thought the texture was nice before, but after seeing Zhao Shanqi’s scarf, she realized you truly get what you pay for.

Who wouldn’t like Zhao Shanqi?

Xia Xia thought dejectedly, Zhao Shanqi came from a good family, was beautiful, and had a nice personality. She was a girl raised in honey, even if spoiled or naive, no one would dislike her. In comparison, she was like a wicked Cinderella.

Xie Huai, this fallen prince, had met his princess, who was generous, gentle, and devoted to him.

She, as Cinderella, not only couldn’t keep to her place but dared to feel hurt over a scarf and even lose her temper with Xie Huai.

Her phone rang – it was Xie Huai calling.

Xia Xia hung up, and Xie Huai called again.

She answered listlessly: “What do you want?”

“Come down.”

Xia Xia said: “No.”

“Come down.” Xie Huai’s tone grew heavier. “If you make me say it a third time, you’re dead.”

Xia Xia hung up and tossed the phone on the desk: “Stupid Xie Huai, you think I’ll come down just because you tell me to?”

She lay back down on the desk, but before long couldn’t help running to the window to look down.

Below, Zhao Shanqi had just run out and was standing nervously in front of Xie Huai. They seemed to be talking about something.

Xia Xia put on her coat. Zhu Ziyu asked: “Are you going to find Xie Huai?”

Xia Xia said, contrary to her heart: “I just want to go to the supermarket.”

Xie Huai handed Zhao Shanqi’s bag to her: “I found this on the road, it’s yours, right?”

Zhao Shanqi didn’t take it: “You called me down just for this?”

“What else?” Xie Huai asked.

Zhao Shanqi: “How could you possibly have found it on the road? This is clearly…”

“I did find it on the road,” Xie Huai cut her off. “Keep track of your belongings, don’t lose them without even knowing.”

“This isn’t mine, my name’s not on it, why say it’s mine?” Zhao Shanqi said. “Since you found it, it means you have a connection with it. You keep it.”

“Such an expensive scarf, who besides Young Miss Zhao could afford it?” Xie Huai’s arm was getting tired, so he stuffed it into Zhao Shanqi’s arms.

Zhao Shanqi grew frustrated: “If you don’t want it, fine, but why especially come to return it to me?”

She was usually gentle-natured, and even when angry didn’t have much presence.

Even angry, she didn’t dare vent at Xie Huai. She threw the scarf into a nearby trash can with a thud and turned to go upstairs.

“She’s so fierce,” Liang Yuantai said. “Xia Xia is still the gentlest.”

“That’s because you haven’t seen Xia Xia when she’s angry,” Xie Huai raised his eyelids slightly. “All fangs and claws even dare to scold me.”

As they were talking, Xia Xia came down from upstairs.

She cast a careless glance this way, but when she met Xie Huai’s gaze, she turned away indifferently.

“Xia Xia.” Seeing her attitude, Xie Huai grew impatient. “Come here.”

Xia Xia acted as if she hadn’t heard and walked toward the supermarket.

Xie Huai blocked her path: “I’m calling you.”

Xia Xia didn’t look up: “What?”

“Where’s my scarf?”

“Aren’t you annoying? I said I don’t have one,” Xia Xia frowned impatiently. “Besides, you already have a scarf, why ask me for one?”

“Where would I get a scarf from?” Xie Huai said. “I sit there every night with the wind blowing through my collar. If I had a scarf, wouldn’t I wear it?”

“You do have one,” Xia Xia said. “The one Zhao Shanqi gave you.”

Xie Huai’s face was expressionless: “Not only did you not knit me a scarf, but now you’re trying to frame me by claiming I have something going on with Zhao Shanqi? Where’s this scarf Zhao Shanqi gave me? Show it to me. If you can’t, I’ll have to deal with you.”

Xia Xia: “It’s in your box!”

Xie Huai: “Impossible.”

Liang Yuantai was about to speak but was silenced by one glare from Xie Huai.

Xia Xia said: “I’ll go find it and show you right now.”

“Oh?” Xie Huai said. “And what if you can’t find it?”

Xia Xia: “…If I can’t find it, you can do whatever you want with me.”

“Alright,” Xie Huai said casually. “Go now.”

Xia Xia searched through all of Xie Huai’s boxes but couldn’t find any trace of the scarf.

“Found it?” Xie Huai sat leisurely on his stool. “Show it to me. I’d like to see what kind of scarf Young Miss Zhao gave me.”

Xia Xia: “Someone seems to have taken it. Quick, help me look. That scarf was very expensive.”

But Xie Huai wasn’t anxious at all: “You want to pin this on me without any evidence? Do you know what you’re implying? Zhao Shanqi giving me such an expensive scarf for no reason – what do you take me for? Her kept man?”

“Your false accusation only took a moment to say, but the emotional damage you’ve caused me is something you can’t make up for in your lifetime.”

Xie Huai played with his Buddhist prayer beads.

He sat there quietly, bathed in cold moonlight, appearing somewhat spiritual, yet speaking nonsense.

“Who just said I could do whatever I want? I haven’t forgotten.”

“Count how many times since we’ve known each other that I’ve said I’d ‘get you,’ and how many times I’ve let you off,” Xie Huai flicked his prayer beads against his palm. “I’m saying this now – if you can’t produce the scarf, I won’t stop until you call me daddy, or my name isn’t Xie Huai.”

Xia Xia: “…”

“It’s just a scarf,” she glanced at the scarf around Liang Yuantai’s neck, wondering how to find one for Xie Huai.

“I don’t care, I want it,” Xie Huai lowered his eyes. “You can choose not to give it. See if I’ll follow through on my words.”

Hearing his childish threat, Xia Xia wasn’t scared at all and instead asked: “How do you plan to ‘get me’?”

Xie Huai: “Are you looking forward to it?”

He stood up and pulled Xia Xia away by her arm.

At first, Xia Xia didn’t take it seriously, thinking he was joking, but when she saw him walking toward the school gate, she started to panic.

Outside the school gate were love hotels, supposedly offering special Christmas Eve rates of ninety yuan per night.

She pulled at Xie Huai: “Huai Ge, Huai Ge — I was just joking, don’t take it seriously!”

Xie Huai stopped: “The scarf.”

“I don’t have it anymore.” Xia Xia didn’t dare say she’d given the scarf to Liang Yuantai, looking pitiful.

Xie Huai continued pulling her forward.

Xia Xia was preparing to scream when Xie Huai turned a corner, dragging her to the small sports field near the school gate.

A pillow fight was happening on the small field.

Hundreds of people gathered together, hitting each other with soft pillows filled with down feathers that didn’t hurt on impact.

Occasionally pillows would tear, sending feathers flying everywhere. The field was already covered in white fluff, and when the evening breeze blew, layers of down rolled like overlapping waves to Xia Xia’s feet.

Liang Yuantai, who had followed them, saw the lively scene and couldn’t help joining the crowd to play.

Xie Huai pulled two black disposable masks from his pocket, put one on himself, and hung the other on Xia Xia’s ears.

“Put the mask on first.” His voice was low as he bent down to press the mask’s edges against her face.

This was the first time Xia Xia had looked at Xie Huai from so close. His face was very near, and with just a slight upward glance she could see his clear, bright eyes.

Xie Huai’s fingertips inadvertently brushed her skin, sending tingles wherever his fingertips touched, like tiny electrical currents making her shiver slightly.

Thankfully she was wearing a mask so Xie Huai couldn’t see.

She thought silently that she seemed to blush easily whenever she was with Xie Huai.

While lost in these thoughts, she heard Xie Huai say softly: “Done.”

Before she could react, Xie Huai picked up a pillow from the ground and hit her head with it.

Xia Xia yelped and tried to run, but Xie Huai held her down.

His cold voice sounded in her ear.

“What makes you think I’d want Zhao Shanqi’s scarf?”

“Do I care about her things?”

“And you dare get angry with me?”

“And you dare give my scarf to Yuantai?”

“Xia Xia, you’ve gotten bold.”

With each sentence, he pressed down on her head and hit her once. The pillow didn’t hurt, but it shed feathers.

Pinned down and beaten by him, Xia Xia’s head was covered in a thick layer of down.

In this position, she was completely restrained by Xie Huai, and any attempts to resist were futile.

“You tricked me! You knew everything but still made me look for the scarf!” she accused Xie Huai. “How could you be like this?”

Xie Huai hit her a few more times: “This is how I am. If you don’t like it, hit me back.”

He raised an eyebrow: “Can you beat me?”

Liang Yuantai rushed over and hit Xie Huai’s head with a pillow: “Don’t bully Xia Xia.”

Xie Huai released Xia Xia and turned to hit him instead: “Take off that scarf, it was meant for me from Xia Xia.”

Liang Yuantai wouldn’t give it up, so Xie Huai fought with him.

He dominated Liang Yuantai like crushing a vegetable, soon pinning him down just as he had done to Xia Xia.

He asked Xia Xia expressionlessly: “Are you going to give me the scarf or not?”

“…I don’t have it anymore.”

Xie Huai gave a light “oh”: “If you don’t have it, that’s that.”

He brutally beat Liang Yuantai with the pillow. Though the pillow didn’t hurt, the puffing sounds of the impact made Xia Xia’s heart jump.

— Xie Huai was like a fierce evil king bullying the honest, pitiful Liang Yuantai.

Xia Xia, head covered in down feathers, grabbed Xie Huai: “Stop bullying Yuantai.”

Xie Huai wouldn’t listen: “What’s it to you if I hit him? He stole my scarf, I don’t like him, okay?”

Xia Xia said: “I’ll knit you another one, okay?”

Xie Huai was satisfied but asked: “When will you knit it?”

Xia Xia hesitated for just a second, and Xie Huai’s demonic right hand raised the pillow again.

Xia Xia hurriedly said: “As soon as possible!”

“How soon is ‘as soon as possible’?” Xie Huai released Liang Yuantai, casually tossed the pillow aside, and fixed his bright eyes on Xia Xia. “How soon exactly?”

His palm pressed against Xia Xia’s forehead, picking off the down feathers from her hair.

“Three days. If I don’t see my scarf in three days, I’ll…”

“Get me,” Xia Xia said cleverly and obediently. “I know, you don’t need to say it.”