Taking the familiar route to the place they’d arranged to meet Xie Ci and the others, Fu Xueli put on her mask and opened the car door to get out.

It was a fairly well-known private hospital in the neighboring city.

Famous for its maternal and child healthcare services.

Li Jieyi turned his keys twice, rolled his neck, and remarked with a sigh, “They’re really fast, aren’t they? Just got married and already pregnant. When will I get to look forward to something like this?”

Song Yifan followed along with the teasing, “Ah Ci is the most efficient.”

Just as they were talking, the two subjects of conversation pushed open the door and came out. Xie Ci wore his usual black jacket, his face handsome. Xu You had long hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a creamy white wool coat and a chunky knit scarf wrapped around her like a ball, looking especially warm. Her eyes curved with her smile as she stood there good-naturedly laughing, pure and harmless in a way that made Fu Xueli’s heart flutter.

She explained in a soft voice, “We just finished our afternoon nap, then came to the hospital for a prenatal checkup.”

“Wow, little cutie, long time no see!” Fu Xueli approached, extended two fingers, pinched her cheek and gave it a squeeze.

She had really been attracted to this delicate little southern girl from the very first time she’d seen Xu You in high school.

Gentle and quiet, when she got serious there was a particularly funny adorable quality about her. The key point was that she herself was a top student, very low-key without making a sound, yet in the first monthly exam she outscored Xu Xingchun, shocking a whole bunch of people in their grade. Not only were her grades excellent, but she also often helped Fu Xueli, who slept through classes, copy notes—truly a rare human treasure.

Back when she first learned that Xie Ci was pursuing her, Fu Xueli had been especially upset. How could such a good girl be ruined by this kind of scumbag? She hadn’t been optimistic about their relationship either, deeply feeling the two of them definitely wouldn’t last long.

Who could have predicted how things would turn out? Years later, in the blink of an eye, Xie Ci and Xu You were already married and having a baby.

Fu Xueli stared at Xu You with such an entranced gaze that Xie Ci standing beside them couldn’t stand it anymore. He swatted her hand away, “Fu Xueli, that’s my wife—what are you doing getting all handsy?”

Once again acting all cocky and arrogant, just like back in the day, with that cold and lazy foul temper.

Fu Xueli held back, drawing out her voice with a sigh, “I feel sorry for Xu You having to raise two sons in the future.”

Song Yifan and the others watched the excitement from the side.

Actually, over these past few years they would all make time to get together. Although their social circles were different, they hadn’t grown distant, and there was never any shortage of topics to discuss.

If she hadn’t heard about today’s class reunion from them, Fu Xueli really wouldn’t have known about it at all.

Though strictly speaking, this time it wasn’t a class reunion per se, but rather because this year happened to be the 100th anniversary of First High School’s founding, people from their graduating year had organized an alumni gathering, with the hotel and venue all booked together.

Xie Ci had driven his own car, so Fu Xueli still rode in Li Jieyi’s car.

“Heipi, come to think of it, you’re still single,” Li Jieyi tapped the steering wheel.

Song Yifan smiled slightly, touched his nose, then said in a low voice, “What’s my hurry? Being single is pretty good, isn’t it?”

Fu Xueli looked at him calmly and asked, “Heipi, is it because you’re too dark-skinned?”

Song Yifan put on a dignified expression, “Don’t I have a name? Men need to be a bit dark to be sexy, you know? By the way, Fu Xueli, you’re so concerned about other people’s love lives—what about your own?”

“My what?”

“Your love life.”

“Not telling you.”

Song Yifan quickly pressed on, “What do you mean ‘not telling me’—do you have someone? Not gonna lie, I often scroll through Weibo looking at you and your various rumored boyfriends’ scandalous gossip, and I find it absolutely fascinating.”

“……..”

Seeing her obviously choked expression, Song Yifan laughed heartily. Fu Xueli wanted to roll her eyes, “Are you sick?”

On the drive to the hotel, they passed by First High School. Located in the busy downtown area, this stretch of road had speed limits, and it was also during dismissal time, so with many cars it was rather congested.

Fu Xueli rolled down the car window.

The first and second years got out around five in the afternoon. Playful shouts, footsteps, and bicycle bells all mixed together as many high school students in uniforms walked out through the school gates.

After all these years, everything seemed unchanged.

Sitting in the car with one hand resting on the window frame, Fu Xueli smiled with a touch of nostalgia.

Her phone vibrated continuously. She looked down and saw the incoming call was from Xu Xingchun. Before answering, she coughed forcefully twice, then put it to her ear, “—Hello?”

Her voice was so gentle that even the people beside her couldn’t handle it, turning to look.

“Where are you?” The voice on the other end was extremely low.

Fu Xueli said, “Oh… Li Jieyi and the others came to pick me up, we’re on the road now, going to some alumni gathering.”

Belatedly happy, she thought of something, “You’re back in the neighboring city? You finished your work?”

“These few days are my rotation break, just arrived in the neighboring city.”

“Then will you come? If you don’t come I’ll go find you.”

Xu Xingchun’s tone was equally casual, “The two class advisors from high school contacted me a few days ago.”

The implication being he would go?

Fu Xueli laughed out loud, “Wow, you’ve got such clout, so well remembered.”

Speaking of being well remembered, apart from teachers, Xu Xingchun really was quite memorable to his peers.

Over all these years of class reunions, he rarely made appearances. Quite a few people had asked Fu Xueli about him.

The hotel booked this time was in the city’s most expensive prime location, very upscale.

Fu Xueli sat at a table with Xie Ci and the others, many of them old familiar faces from Class Nine back in the day. But because they’d been separated into different classes later, Xu You wasn’t sitting at their table.

Before the main courses were served, the host was on stage running activities to warm up the atmosphere. Fu Xueli kept shrinking into a corner playing with her phone, lowering her presence.

Amid all the noise, she suddenly heard someone exclaim, “Class president?!”

The source of the voice came from the adjacent table where Xu You was sitting, with those who had been at the top of their class back in school—now all in suits and ties, elites returned from overseas universities.

Fu Xueli froze for a moment, involuntarily turning her gaze over. The two of them made eye contact across the space for a few seconds. Xu Xingchun’s face was like jade, wearing a black coat, sitting down calmly at that table.

Shifting her gaze away, their table also began discussing.

“Holy shit, haven’t seen the class president in forever.”

Those in the know couldn’t help but let their eyes fall somewhat cryptically on Fu Xueli.

Because of the nature of her work, Fu Xueli looked much younger than her actual age. She had always given people a very languid feeling, as if her eyes couldn’t focus. Always casual and indifferent, without much enthusiasm for many things. A willful personality, with a temper that had never been good, grades even worse, stubborn and imperious, not reasonable in the slightest.

Back on campus, male gods at Xu Xingchun’s level—handsome yet cold, with impeccable grades, carrying that cool jade-like sense of cleanliness about them—fulfilled every fantasy of a girl’s dream lover. That he would actually date someone like Fu Xueli, this kind of tyrannical queen who walked sideways, was truly incredible.

Seeing Fu Xueli’s absent-minded appearance, Song Yifan coughed twice to break the awkward silence, “I just… was scrolling through my Moments and came across a question.”

“What is it?” Li Jieyi asked.

Song Yifan held up his phone and read seriously, “If someone wanted to rape me, would you want me to bring a knife or bring condoms?”

Fu Xueli wasn’t in the mood. She picked up her chopsticks, picked up a slice of bamboo shoot and put it in her mouth to chew, “You’re overthinking it.”

“No, I just want to hear your answers,” Song Yifan said. “I think bring condoms.”

After a moment of silence, Fu Xueli casually said, “For an ugly bastard like you, just bring a smile.”

“……”

“……”

Song Yifan made as if to strangle Fu Xueli’s neck, but she dodged away.

Everyone at the table burst out laughing, making quite a commotion that drew sidelong glances from people at several nearby class tables.

Fu Xueli now mixed in the entertainment circle, shrouded in quite a bit of mystery, making her even more eye-catching.

“Get away from me, don’t touch me.” Fu Xueli couldn’t help laughing herself. As she looked up, her eyes met Xu Xingchun’s at the adjacent table again. A man beside him was leaning in talking to him.

Yet his gaze was on her, brows slightly lowered, dark brows and clear eyes, not a trace of worldly air about him. Like rain before the winter solstice, pattering down continuously, with a chill that penetrated to the bone. It made her involuntarily wilt, her movements slowing as she stopped her playfulness.

This small interaction happened to fall into Li Jieyi’s view. He couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows in wonder, “Tsk tsk. Fu Xueli, I’m telling you. Every time Xu Xingchun is around you’re super well-behaved, but when he’s not…”

“When he’s not?” Song Yifan smoothly picked up the thread, tidying his disheveled hair, huffing indignantly, “Fu Xueli, this woman, is simply a hyperactive poodle that humps everything! Remember that time we went ice skating, because of Xu You I think it was, we got into a conflict with some street thugs whose biceps were bigger than Fu Xueli’s face, and she still wanted to charge up and start cursing them out.”

Being called out like this was still a bit embarrassing and awkward. Fu Xueli kept her head down eating, “I didn’t hump you.”

Song Yifan’s lips quirked up, “Why are you saying such dirty things? Let me tell you first, I, Song Yifan, have never been able to resist temptation.”

“Knock it off, Song Yifan, stop being crazy.” Xie Ci suppressed a laugh, lowering his head, his five fingers gripping a wine glass, swirling it around.

Halfway through the alumni dinner, Fu Xueli received a message. She glanced at her phone, said something to the group, then put on her coat, stood up and prepared to leave.

“Hey hey hey, where are you going?!” someone called out to her.

Fu Xueli said hurriedly, “Something came up,” and then left.

Winter nights fell early. By now the sky was already dusk, completely dark. This hotel had Japanese-style decoration, with many exquisite courtyards on the first floor, making the paths somewhat winding.

After asking a server, she took the hotel’s back exit. Very few people came this way. The snowy night was somewhat desolate. Lanterns hung all along the path, their faint red glow quite atmospheric, with scattered flower petals on the stone walkway.

Fu Xueli had just knocked back some shots with Xie Ci and the others, feeling a bit dizzy. As she walked, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Fu Xueli turned around, startled then delighted, “Xu Xingchun?”

Turning around, she stood on tiptoe and hugged Xu Xingchun.

Fu Xueli was completely tipsy. She went to smell his scent—a cold, light fragrance that was very pleasant. Her lips couldn’t help but nuzzle against his neck.

Her skin was fair and smooth, and today she was dressed all in red. Now tinged with alcohol, she was like someone sinking into a down comforter, enticingly unguarded.

Xu Xingchun’s gaze lowered slightly.

Getting no response for a long while, she couldn’t help but lift her head.

Under the clear, cold light, Fu Xueli felt Xu Xingchun was suddenly so handsome. This kind of handsomeness had nothing to do with vulgarity—silent and cold. Even when his borderline personality disorder occasionally exploded, it was especially attractive.

Xu Xingchun also lowered his head, staring at her for quite a while.

This was a face he once knew by heart, yet it had been smiling so happily at others. He forcefully fixed her face in place, looking down from above, and kissed lightly at the corner of her mouth.

This kiss held only stillness, no eroticism.

His fingertips slid down, parting her lips. Xu Xingchun’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he asked softly, “Fu Xueli, what were you laughing about just now?”

Fu Xueli hummed, quickly biting Xu Xingchun’s finger, not knowing what had upset him again.