Lu Xixiao’s words were truly malicious.

“Kiss me and I’ll forgive you.”

As if Zhou Wan had committed some great error.

Had she been less clear-headed, she might have fallen for his twisted logic. But Zhou Wan was too clever for that. Even though her face was burning so hot it was making her head fuzzy, she hadn’t let his sophistry confuse her.

Her face flushed red as she stared incredulously at the culprit before her, opening her mouth: “You—”

Zhou Wan was so shocked by his shamelessness that she couldn’t speak.

Lu Xixiao didn’t feel he was being excessive at all, raising an eyebrow: “I what?”

“Shameless.” Zhou Wan gathered her courage and couldn’t help but scold him.

As soon as the word left her mouth, that courage deflated like a punctured balloon. She didn’t even dare look at Lu Xixiao’s face, immediately lowering her head.

Unexpectedly, Lu Xixiao laughed instead of getting angry. He forcefully lifted Zhou Wan’s chin, pinching her cheek: “I’ve spoiled you too much, now you dare to scold me?”

His grip was rough and careless.

Zhou Wan’s cheeks reddened even further, the color looking almost blood-red.

She didn’t dare complain about the pain, just stood straight and took her “punishment” obediently.

Looking at her like this, Lu Xixiao figured the little girl was probably cursing him in her head. She was good at using that face of hers to act innocent and deceive people.

He snorted and released her, lightly scolding: “Get lost and go home.”

Zhou Wan didn’t move, looking up at him again: “Are you not angry anymore?”

Lu Xixiao gave a light laugh: “You scold me and still want me to not be angry?”

“…”

He had a point.

Zhou Wan was completely at a loss, not knowing what else she could do to appease him.

Lu Xixiao seemed to have run out of patience, lifting his chin: “Go home. Don’t blame me if you catch a cold.”

…

When she got home, Grandmother was sitting in the living room watching TV.

“Wan-wan, you’re back.” Grandmother stood up. “Have you eaten? Should I make you some wontons?”

“I’ve already eaten, Grandmother.”

Zhou Wan put down her backpack, not daring to get too close, afraid the smell of smoke and alcohol from the KTV would be noticed. “How are you feeling today?”

“Very good, I’ve been feeling well lately, no discomfort at all, don’t worry.”

After chatting with Grandmother for a while, Zhou Wan went to her room.

As soon as her bedroom door closed, she leaned against it and let out a long sigh.

Lu Xixiao was too much for her to handle.

He was too casual and willful.

Zhou Wan had thought that dating Lu Xixiao just meant staying by his side and keeping him happy would be enough. Only today did she realize that being a couple wasn’t that simple.

But she really couldn’t do those things he asked for.

Zhou Wan lowered her eyes, looking at her feet.

She wondered how long Lu Xixiao would maintain interest in someone like her.

*

Lu Xixiao rarely felt in such a good mood, but after getting home and showering, he still hadn’t received a single message from Zhou Wan. He wondered if his words earlier had scared her.

Lu Xixiao tugged at the corner of his mouth and put down his phone.

After a while, Jiang Fan called.

Lu Xixiao answered: “What?”

Jiang Fan was laughing uncontrollably on the other end: “Did I interrupt your romantic evening?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“Alright, alright, my bad, I’ll stop.” Jiang Fan laughed apologetically. “Is sister-in-law beside you?”

“She went home.”

“Not bad, our sister-in-law managed to appease you in less than an hour?”

Lu Xixiao snorted: “As if she knows how to appease anyone.”

“Still fighting?”

Though he said this, Jiang Fan could tell Lu Xixiao was in a decent mood. Even if he hadn’t completely gotten over it, most of his anger was gone. “Take it easy. Only someone with Zhou Wan’s good temper could put up with you. Don’t go too far and drive her away.”

“As if she’d dare.” Lu Xixiao lit a cigarette, tossing the lighter on the table.

“Oh, listen to you, showing off your relationship to me?” Jiang Fan’s laughter grew more inappropriate. “Don’t forget I was the one who first thought Zhou Wan was pretty. You’re the one who stole her away.”

Lu Xixiao exhaled a cloud of smoke, narrowing his eyes: “Jiang Fan, your bones itching?”

“Fine, fine, I’m running my mouth.” Jiang Fan said, “But seriously, this relationship is different from your previous ones. Don’t tell me you prefer the obedient type?”

“She’s obedient?”

“Isn’t she?”

Lu Xixiao sneered: “It’s all an act. She could eat you up and not leave a single bone.”

*

The next day, Saturday.

Zhou Wan woke up early, first accompanying Grandmother to the hospital, then going to the library alone.

Getting up early was difficult this season, and there weren’t many people in the library. Zhou Wan found a spot in the corner and took out her physics competition problems to work on.

Many physics problems used similar methods. Once you found the key, they weren’t very difficult to solve.

Zhou Wan could easily solve most problems, only occasionally encountering ones she couldn’t figure out and needed to check the solutions.

By noon she didn’t want to bother going home for lunch, so she ordered delivery for Grandmother and bought herself a cup of instant noodles from the library’s convenience store to fill her stomach.

After finishing the instant noodles, Zhou Wan thought for a moment and sent Lu Xixiao a message.

[Zhou Wan: Have you eaten?]

Lu Xixiao didn’t reply until three in the afternoon.

[6: Just woke up.]

“…”

Who knew what time he’d gone to sleep last night?

[6: At home?]

[Zhou Wan: Studying at the library.]

[6: Want dinner?]

[Zhou Wan: Where?]

[6: Up to you]

[Zhou Wan: I know a good clay pot restaurant.]

[6: What time are you done? I’ll pick you up.]

[Zhou Wan: No need to trouble yourself, I can go there myself.]

[6: What time.]

“…”

Zhou Wan rested her chin on her exercise book and replied: [Four thirty.]

After solving a few more problems, when the clock hand reached “20”, Zhou Wan packed up her bag and went downstairs.

Walking out of the library entrance, she saw Lu Xixiao sitting on the steps smoking.

His outstanding appearance drew glances from passing female students.

Zhou Wan quickly ran over: “Lu Xixiao.”

He turned around and stood up.

“Why didn’t you message me when you arrived?” Zhou Wan asked, “How long have you been waiting?”

Lu Xixiao glanced at her, saying flatly: “Two hours.”

“…”

It hadn’t even been two hours since he woke up.

Was he still angry…

Zhou Wan hurriedly caught up to his pace: “That clay pot restaurant is very close, we can walk there.”

“Mm.”

More silence.

Zhou Wan was someone who could handle silence well, not finding it unbearable or awkward, but this silence stemmed from Lu Xixiao’s anger.

But the method to make him not angry…

Zhou Wan pursed her lips, lowering her head to hide her chin and mouth in her coat collar.

That method, she really couldn’t do it.

“Lu Xixiao.” She broke the silence.

“Mm.”

“When you were angry about things like this before, did those girls always appease you that way?”

“What?”

Zhou Wan had trouble saying it, pausing for a moment before speaking softly: “You know… kissing you.”

Lu Xixiao suddenly stopped walking, staring at her for a good while before tugging at the corner of his mouth without emotion: “None of them had your guts, daring to make me jealous.”

“Were you jealous?”

“…”

Lu Xixiao’s face darkened: “Shut up.”

Zhou Wan: “…”

*

Before dating, Zhou Wan only knew from others and the internet that some girls would show a bit of temper in relationships called “acting up.”

After dating, she realized this “acting up” wasn’t limited to gender.

After finishing the clay pot meal, Lu Xixiao called a car.

Zhou Wan got in and only realized after a while that they weren’t heading home.

“Where are we going?” Zhou Wan asked.

“Where I took you last time,” Lu Xixiao said. “The motorcycle place.”

Zhou Wan made a sound of acknowledgment and sat back quietly.

It was the same small shop, but today there were many people and vehicles outside. Zhou Wan followed Lu Xixiao out of the car, and as soon as they entered, she saw those rough-looking boys from last time, who greeted her with smiles: “Long time no see, little sister.”

Lu Xixiao looked up: “What’s with the fake familiarity?”

Yellow Hair laughed: “I called her little sister last time too, how come I can’t today?”

Lu Xixiao couldn’t be bothered with him, picked up Zhou Wan’s backpack, and led her to a table in the corner: “You can study here.”

Zhou Wan was startled: “Ah?”

Lu Xixiao looked at her: “There’s a race inside, I’m going to watch. You stay here.”

“I can go with you.”

“You don’t like it anyway.” Lu Xixiao said flatly, “When’s the physics competition?”

“Next March.”

Lu Xixiao made a sound of acknowledgment: “Study then, I won’t corrupt you.”

Lu Xixiao quickly lifted the roller shutter and went inside. The roar of engines and cheering shouts came from within, diminishing somewhat as the shutter came down.

Zhou Wan was someone who could focus well, not easily disturbed by such an environment, and quickly buried herself in solving problems.

After finishing a unit of problems, Yellow Hair came over with a box of strawberries: “Have some, little sister. Studying takes brain power.”

Zhou Wan quickly waved her hands, saying she didn’t need any.

Yellow Hair sighed: “If only your boyfriend had even a tenth of your politeness.”

“…”

Yellow Hair laughed: “Alright, no joking. Eat up, it’s from the shop anyway, doesn’t cost anything.”

“But you still have to pay for inventory.”

“Oh right, no wonder A-Xiao said your grades were good. I almost forgot I needed to stock up. I was wondering why I haven’t made any money running this shop for so many years.”

“…”

“Eat up, eat up. After you finish them, when A-Xiao comes out, I can charge him a hefty sum.”

“…”

Zhou Wan felt that Lu Xixiao’s friends were all quite peculiar characters.

As Yellow Hair spoke, he very casually sat down across from Zhou Wan, looking ready to start chatting with her.

“Little sister, how old are you?”

“16.”

Yellow Hair slapped the table: “That beast!”

“…I just started school early, we’re in the same grade.”

“Same grade…” Yellow Hair laughed, “That phrase sounds a bit odd when paired with A-Xiao, he barely goes to school, right?”

“Mm, he hasn’t gone these past few days.”

“A-Xiao used to be good at studying, very smart.”

Zhou Wan was startled.

Yellow Hair looked at her expression: “Surprised?”

Zhou Wan asked: “Was this before his mother passed away?”

This time it was Yellow Hair’s turn to be startled: “Not bad, little sister, you even know about that. You’re something else.”

“…”

“I met A-Xiao during that period after his mother passed away. He came to my shop to buy things. That kid was a beast from childhood, giving me attitude when buying my stuff. I forgot what trivial thing it was about, but anyway, I got into a fight with him.”

“I’m three years older than him, and at that age, I was quite a bit taller, so I gave him a good beating. Scared that little brat so much he cried and called me big brother on the spot.”

Zhou Wan felt this story probably had some artistic embellishment.

Lu Xixiao losing a fight was possible, but crying and calling him brother on the spot was completely impossible.

“When my dad found out about this, he dragged me to apologize to him. Feeling sorry that he was all alone, we brought him home for dinner. Who knew that shameless punk would end up staying at our place.”

Zhou Wan smiled: “Then what?”

“Then we became friends through fighting, and later he started racing motorcycles with me.” Yellow Hair said, “He was smart, good at studying back then, learned racing quickly too, and had guts.”

Zhou Wan looked toward the roller shutter: “I didn’t expect so many people to be into this.”

“Usually there aren’t many people, today’s because there’s a competition with prize money. First place gets ten thousand yuan. If A-Xiao competed, that championship would be his, but he’s not interested.”

“How old was Lu Xixiao when you met?”

“Elementary school.” Yellow Hair thought for a moment, indicating a height with his hand, “About this tall, maybe third grade.”

Third grade.

All those changes happened so early.

Yellow Hair was chatty and continued: “During those few days he stayed at my place, I saw his test papers, they were Olympic math problems, really difficult. Made my dad depressed, he’d scold me every day for being useless.”

“Actually, until middle school, his grades were always good, easily in the top ten of his grade just by taking the tests. Later his grandparents passed away too, and he seemed to have a big fight with his dad and moved out to live alone. After that, he rarely went to school, just messed around all day.”

Just then, Lu Xixiao suddenly came out: “What are you telling her again?”

Yellow Hair immediately made a shushing gesture to Zhou Wan, turning to say: “I was just seeing what problems your girlfriend was working on.”

Lu Xixiao snorted: “As if you could understand them.”

“Huh, like you could understand them either.”

“Even if I can’t understand them, she’s still mine.” Lu Xixiao somehow got fired up.

Zhou Wan: “…”

Yellow Hair waved his hand: “Get lost, just looking at you is annoying.”

Lu Xixiao ignored him, asking Zhou Wan: “Done studying?”

“Yes.” Zhou Wan quickly packed up her backpack.

“Then let’s go.”

Yellow Hair: “Really leaving? Isn’t the race not over yet?”

“Bunch of trash, nothing worth watching.”

“…”

Talking to him was infuriating.

No idea how his girlfriend put up with him.

Yellow Hair shot Zhou Wan a sympathetic look.

*

On the way back, Zhou Wan’s mind was full of what Yellow Hair had said earlier.

Although Zhou Wan didn’t believe studying was the only path forward—perhaps this was true for her, but for someone from a wealthy background like Lu Xixiao, it wasn’t.

Still, she felt it was such a waste that someone who had once had such good grades had been gradually beaten down by reality to reach this point.

He should have been shining.

“Lu Xixiao.” Zhou Wan turned her head to ask, “Are you coming to school on Monday?”

“Why?”

“Nothing.” Zhou Wan paused, “Just asking.”

He answered carelessly: “We’ll see.”

Zhou Wan: “Won’t you need to take the college entrance exam in the future?”

He laughed: “What, want me to study hard?”

“Mm.”

Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow, hooking his lips maliciously: “Studying needs rewards, otherwise I’m not interested.”

Zhou Wan asked: “What rewards?”

Lu Xixiao’s pupils glowed amber under the streetlights as he laughed lazily, his tone playful: “For example, improving by a few ranks means I get to kiss you?”

Zhou Wan’s whole body stiffened.

She never expected studying could be connected to this.

Zhou Wan’s face was a complete mess of red as she turned away, really unable to bear it: “Lu Xixiao!”

But he just laughed.

As if he’d found something incredibly amusing, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably with laughter.

“Are you cursing me in your head again?”

Zhou Wan didn’t speak.

Lu Xixiao raised his hand, wrapped it around Zhou Wan’s shoulders, and pulled her forcefully into his arms, firmly gripping her neck, and forcing her to lift her chin.

He looked down at her from close range, raising an eyebrow: “Getting bolder and bolder seems like you still have some misunderstandings about me. Think I’m a pushover?”

Zhou Wan’s face grew redder and redder as she awkwardly struggled: “Lu Xixiao, let go of me first.”

“My girlfriend, I’ll do whatever I want with you.” He spoke like a complete thug.

The young man’s oppressive aura grew heavier.

The difference in strength between Zhou Wan and him was too great, she couldn’t break free at all.

Even if he were to lower his head and kiss her now, Zhou Wan couldn’t escape.

“Lu Xixiao.” Zhou Wan awkwardly avoided his eyes, her breath and voice trembling as she tried to reason with him, “We just got together, this is too fast.”

“We’re together but can’t kiss?”

Lu Xixiao had never been someone who liked such intimate gestures, but seeing Zhou Wan like this made him unable to resist teasing her.

“Then how long until it’s not too fast?”

“At least… at least… a year.” Zhou Wan randomly named a safe period.

In a year, Lu Xixiao would no longer like her.

He gave a light laugh, his tone flippant: “A year? Could have a child by then.”

Zhou Wan doubted her ears: “What?”

Lu Xixiao looked at her.

The little girl’s round doe eyes were wide with shock and astonishment.

Afraid he’d angered her, Lu Xixiao pressed his lips together and laughed: “Nothing.”

The arm constraining her neck finally loosened, and Zhou Wan quickly stepped to the side, straightening her collar and smoothing her disheveled hair.

Lu Xixiao watched her for a moment, then asked: “What did Yellow Hair tell you earlier?”

“…Nothing.” Zhou Wan kept her head down, “I just think that someone as smart as you if you studied seriously, could get into a good university.”

“What, want me to go to the same place as you?”

“Not really.” Zhou Wan maintained a safe distance from him, saying softly, “I just feel that this is how you should have been.”

The casual smile on Lu Xixiao’s face faded slightly when he heard her words. He took a drag of his cigarette and said lazily: “Get into university, and then what?”

“Then you could leave this place.”

Lu Xixiao’s eyelashes lowered, his jaw tightening as he remained silent.

“I think you’re a very free person, you shouldn’t be trapped here by the past, and you shouldn’t have to walk the conventional path others forced upon you.”

Mainstream ideas of success and achievement—when applied to Lu Xixiao, Zhou Wan felt they were incompatible and cliché.

He should be wild, should go explore, should walk paths with no visible end or destination.

He didn’t speak, and they continued walking along the quiet street.

Reaching the entrance to the residential area, Lu Xixiao stopped and smiled indifferently: “Forget it.”

Zhou Wan looked up at him.

His lips were curved but there wasn’t much smile in his eyes, which were dark.

Zhou Wan didn’t know how to persuade him, or how to comfort him.

Those wounds originated from too long ago, and even though Zhou Wan could glimpse a corner of them now, it was like scraping poison from bones—not so easy to heal.

“I’m going in,” Zhou Wan said goodbye. “Good night.”

“Mm.”

She walked a few steps inside, then suddenly stopped and turned back.

Lu Xixiao was about to ask “What’s wrong,” but before he could speak, Zhou Wan suddenly ran toward him.

The young girl’s slender waist was outlined by the wind as she ran, her soft black hair bouncing, the unique scent of laundry detergent on her body hitting him like a surging wave.

In the instant Zhou Wan threw herself into his arms, Lu Xixiao’s mind went blank, only managed to hold the cigarette in his fingers away so it wouldn’t burn her.

After just two seconds, Zhou Wan let go of him and stepped back.

She kept her head down, her face red to her neck.

“Lu Xixiao.” She didn’t dare look up at him, keeping her head lowered, “That thing you said… I really can’t do it, can we just do this instead?”

Lu Xixiao silently ground his teeth, feeling like something had scratched his heart with tiny claws.

Zhou Wan’s voice was barely audible: “If you study hard, I’ll just hug you, okay?”

Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow, feeling an itch in his throat and heart.

“That hug was too short, couldn’t feel anything,” he said.

Zhou Wan’s eyelashes trembled as she kept her head down and stepped forward again, opening her arms.

This time the hug lasted three seconds.

Her face was even redder.

Lu Xixiao estimated that the temperature could probably burn his hand now.

He laughed, his voice magnetic and deep, using a deliberate and malicious tone: “Just this? Then I think I’m still getting the short end of the deal.”