The little girl’s soft voice saying “I’ll hug you, don’t be upset” was so obedient and adorable that Jiang Wang couldn’t help but bend down and hold her tightly in his arms.

Shi Niannian was so small that when Jiang Wang hugged her, she looked like an accessory hanging on him, which was quite amusing.

He held her tightly, causing Shi Niannian’s nose to press against his chest.

The embrace was too tight. Shi Niannian felt her waist being squeezed, burning like it was on fire. She pushed him slightly.

Her voice was muffled against his chest: “Jiang Wang, let me go.”

“I’m still upset,” he said righteously.

They lingered in the restroom for a long time. When they finally separated, Shi Niannian’s face was completely flushed.

Jiang Wang put on a thick jacket over his t-shirt, carrying his bag in one hand while his other arm rested on Shi Niannian’s shoulder as they walked out.

Xu Ningqing had already brought the car around and was waiting at the entrance. He rolled down the window, rested his arm on the window sill, and turned his head toward them: “Any later and we might as well have a midnight snack.”

Shi Niannian silently got into the back seat, and Jiang Wang immediately followed.

“…” Xu Ningqing sighed, “Am I your chauffeur? Both of you sitting in the back.”

It was already dark outside. They went to a restaurant together.

Xu Ningqing had eaten at this restaurant a few times before and skillfully ordered several dishes. Since they had missed the regular dinner time, the food came quickly. In no time, all the dishes were served.

Xu Ningqing opened a bottle of beer against the edge of the table and tilted it to pour into two glass cups. The foam rose to the top. He then raised his hand to ask a server for a glass of blueberry juice for Shi Niannian.

At the dinner table, Shi Niannian barely spoke. It was mainly Xu Ningqing and Jiang Wang chatting occasionally.

Although she and Xu Ningqing had a good relationship since childhood, they didn’t have many common topics to discuss, so she just kept her head down and continued eating.

Xu Ningqing’s choice of restaurant was excellent; Shi Niannian was eating with great focus until the sudden harsh sound of chair legs scraping against the floor beside her. A young man dragged his chair over to their table.

“Hey, what a coincidence,” said the young man standing beside them.

Shi Niannian sat to the side watching them talk, and from their conversation, she gathered that this person was their former high school classmate.

Li Zhan unceremoniously dragged his chair next to Shi Niannian and sat down, saying, “I came to eat alone, so I’ll join you guys. It’s more lively that way,” while looking over at Shi Niannian.

Shi Niannian looked back at him, a piece of vegetable dangling from her mouth.

Li Zhan turned his head to look at Xu Ningqing and Jiang Wang, raising an eyebrow: “Who’s this beauty? Shouldn’t one of you introduce her to me?”

Xu Ningqing glanced at Jiang Wang and said concisely: “My sister.”

So she wasn’t a girlfriend. Li Zhan’s gossipy interest waned. He was talkative, words bursting out like a machine gun, and the previously quiet dinner table immediately became lively.

He shared many interesting university stories, occasionally making Shi Niannian laugh.

Her laughter was gentle and soft, just the corners of her lips curving upward slightly.

Li Zhan noticed this and tried even harder to tell her jokes about everything around him.

Jiang Wang clicked his tongue, a bit irritated by the scene before him.

“Hey, little sister’s glass is empty,” Li Zhan familiarly picked up the beer bottle from his feet. “Today’s a happy day. What’s good about juice? Let’s drink beer and eat meat!”

“Wait…” Shi Niannian raised her hand to refuse.

Before she could finish, Jiang Wang suddenly reached over and pulled her chair directly to his side: “Minors shouldn’t drink alcohol.”

He ordered another bottle of blueberry juice, twisted off the cap, poured a glass for Shi Niannian, and placed it in front of her. “Drink this.”

“Hold on,” Li Zhan was shocked. He looked at Xu Ningqing, then at Jiang Wang, pointing his index finger. “Wait, what’s going on here? Whose sister is she?”

Jiang Wang crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, completely composed. He raised his eyebrows and smiled at Li Zhan.

The meaning was clear.

Li Zhan immediately understood, raising his wine glass and pushing it forward, dramatically saying, “My apologies, my apologies.”

Shi Niannian looked up curiously, not understanding what information had been exchanged between the two in those brief seconds. She turned her head to look at Jiang Wang: “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Wang simply ruffled her hair: “Nothing, keep eating.”

It was quite late by the time they left the restaurant. Only Xu Ningqing had driven, and Li Zhan shamelessly insisted on getting a ride back.

In the car, Jiang Wang and Shi Niannian sat in the back, while Li Zhan sat in the passenger seat.

She didn’t join the conversation, just listened to Li Zhan talking non-stop. She turned her head to look out the window at the scenery flashing by. The street lights had already come on, linking into a bright, straight line.

Suddenly, her fingertips hanging by her leg were touched by a warm sensation.

Shi Niannian turned her head.

Jiang Wang was leaning to one side, reaching his hand over to pinch her fingertip.

The car interior was dark and enclosed. Li Zhan and Xu Ningqing were still chatting in the front seats while they secretly touched fingertips in the back, creating a sense of hidden intimacy.

His fingers gently wound around hers, caressing her nail and fingertip.

It was a strange feeling.

Like an electric current.

Shi Niannian’s fingers curled slightly, but she didn’t pull away, looking up strangely at Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang withdrew his hand, took something out of his pocket and placed it in her palm, then interlaced their fingers to close her hand.

The young man’s fingers were distinctly bony, his blue veins visible under his fair skin. Now they were intimately interlocked with hers, transforming all the ambiguity and emotion into an indescribable flutter.

Shi Niannian’s eyes widened slightly.

She tried to pull her hand away, but couldn’t.

Jiang Wang tilted his head against the car window, looking at her complacently, the corner of his mouth curling upward.

She was clutching something in her palm that felt cool, yet her knuckles were enclosed in his warmth—two completely different temperatures.

Shi Niannian’s face reddened, thankful it couldn’t be seen in the darkness of the car.

They were sitting quite far apart, yet their fingers were interlaced. Shi Niannian looked back out the window and rolled it down a crack.

Xu Ningqing turned his head slightly to glance at her: “Why are you opening the window?”

“Hot.”

Xu Ningqing laughed and turned off the heating: “How can you be hot in the middle of winter?”

They dropped Shi Niannian off at home first. Xu Ningqing drove to the front door.

Only when she returned to her bedroom did she open her tightly clenched hand. The medal, now warmed by her body heat, appeared in her palm.

The New Year’s Eve party was very grand. After several rehearsals, Shi Niannian could speak quite well.

Backstage was bustling with people coming and going. Everyone had changed into their stage costumes, and many were sitting in front of mirrors applying makeup.

Shi Niannian had just finished her makeup, a very light application. Her skin was fine, white, and smooth, so she only had a very thin layer of foundation, a touch of lip gloss, and her eyelashes had been curled and lengthened with mascara.

Chen Shushu had changed into her ballet costume and was still sitting in the chair with her head tilted back, doing her makeup. After hanging up her phone, she turned around: “Niannian! Could you help me get my takeout? I haven’t finished my makeup and can’t leave.”

“Sure.”

Shi Niannian got up and walked toward the school gate.

Just as she reached the gate, she saw several boys getting out of a car. The car looked familiar, and Shi Niannian recognized it as Xu Ningqing’s.

The two people getting out were Fan Mengming and Li Zhan, whom she’d met a few nights ago.

After they got out, Xu Ningqing lazily exited the car, walking last.

Fan Mengming was the first to spot Shi Niannian and excitedly raised his hand to wave: “Hey! Little sister! How come you came out to welcome us?”

Xu Ningqing snickered: “Who’s paying attention to you?” He tilted his head slightly and asked, “Is the party about to start?”

“In another half, half hour,” Shi Niannian said. “I came to pick up some takeout.”

She ran to the other side where the delivered takeout was usually placed. Shi Niannian found Chen Shushu’s order, picked it up, and walked back toward the school with Xu Ningqing’s group.

Just as they passed the fork in the road between the teaching building and the arts center, they saw Jiang Wang coming out, his long legs eye-catching.

Jiang Wang looked at them and stopped: “What are you doing here?”

Li Zhan joked: “We’re famous alumni.”

Shi Niannian glanced at her watch. The party was about to start. She said a quick word to Xu Ningqing and ran toward the event venue with the takeout.

“You’re my lifesaver! I’m starving!” Chen Shushu’s eyes lit up when she saw the food. She looked up, “Hey Niannian, want to eat together?”

She smiled and shook her head: “I’ve… already eaten.”

Without lingering, she took her speech notes and went out to the corridor. The backstage was busy and noisy; it was quieter here.

She opened her speech paper, faced the wall, rested her forehead against it, and practiced one word at a time for the final rehearsal.

Suddenly, a familiar scent enveloped her nostrils.

She sensed something and turned her head, her lips almost brushing against Jiang Wang’s cheek.

She stepped back half a step and looked up at him: “How… did you come here?”

On the day of the party, school uniforms weren’t required. Jiang Wang wore a black jacket, his entire figure enveloped by the dim corridor lighting, creating a blurred silhouette.

Jiang Wang raised his hand, the tip of his index finger poking her cheek, right at the dimple, and asked in a husky voice: “You’re wearing makeup?”

She suddenly felt embarrassed and nodded slightly: “Just… a little bit.”

His fingers brushed over her lips, leaving a faint color, ambiguously saying: “You even applied lipstick.”

“No, it’s lip gloss,” Shi Niannian explained.

He smiled: “What’s the difference?”

“I don’t… know either.”

Jiang Wang reached out and took hold of two of her fingers hanging by her side, squeezing them: “Good luck.”

She smiled softly, her lips curving upward, her eyes drooping, like a puppy’s: “Thank you.”

Those curved eyes made one’s heart itch.

Jiang Wang licked his lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing once, and looked away, tapping the top of her head: “Come find me after it’s over. I’ll be with Xu Ningqing and the others in the last row on the right side of the audience.”

She nodded obediently, saying, “Okay.”

Soon, the party officially began. The host went on stage, and Shi Niannian went to wait in the wings. She would be speaking right after the principal’s address.

Just before going on stage, she looked back. Jiang Wang was still standing there in the darkness, raising his hand to wave at her.

“Next, let’s welcome student representative Shi Niannian to speak,” the host announced.

Shi Niannian quickly turned back, took a deep breath, and went on stage with the microphone.

“Respected leaders and teachers, dear fellow students…”

The young girl’s voice was slow and steady, pleasant to the ear. She wore a thin autumn school uniform, illuminated by the spotlight from above.

Below was a sea of faces. Shi Niannian forced herself not to pay attention to the movement below, focusing all her attention on her speech. Although she rarely stood before people like this and had rehearsed many times, she still felt a bit unnatural.

“Thank you all.” Shi Niannian finally said the last four words, sighing in relief as she bowed to the stage.

At the same time, cheers suddenly erupted from the back of the audience.

“Little Shi is amazing!!!”

She raised her head at the sound.

In the dark back row of the audience, a light sign lit up with the characters “Little Shi” followed by images of a cow and beer.

“Little Shi is awesome.”

Oh God…

These people…

Everyone turned to look at the commotion, erupting in laughter and discussion.

The light from the sign cast a fuzzy halo, clearly illuminating Fan Mengming who looked extremely excited holding the sign, as well as the profile of Jiang Wang who sat lazily beside him.

“…”

Shi Niannian quickly ran down the side stairs.

Each class had its designated viewing seats. Shi Niannian first ran to find Jiang Ling in her class section. Everyone was still discussing the light sign.

“Was that arranged by your brother?” Jiang Ling grabbed her arm and asked quietly. “That’s so cool. I thought it was Jiang Wang at first.”

Shi Niannian didn’t know whose idea it was. When she had seen them at the entrance earlier, she hadn’t noticed the sign, and neither Xu Ningqing nor Jiang Wang seemed like the type to come up with such an idea.

“I’ll go… find my brother first,” Shi Niannian said.

Jiang Ling waved: “Go ahead, go ahead.”

Just as she was about to straighten up, Jiang Ling pulled her back and whispered in her ear: “You and Jiang Wang be careful. His father is here. Don’t get caught.”

Shi Niannian was startled.

“You didn’t hear?” Jiang Ling pointed for her to see. “The one in the middle of the first row. The host just introduced everyone in that row one by one.”

Regarding Jiang Wang’s father, Shi Niannian’s first thought was of the time she witnessed him hitting Jiang Wang. Then she remembered he was also one of the school’s board members.

She followed Jiang Ling’s direction and looked over. The man sat formally in a suit, showing no signs of being violent.

Shi Niannian withdrew her gaze and straightened up, walking toward the back rows.

The school auditorium was very large, and the back rows weren’t full. Fan Mengming sat with his legs crossed, holding the light sign, smiling as he greeted Shi Niannian: “Hey, little sister, what do you think? Do you like it?”

“…” Shi Niannian could only nod and say thank you.

Jiang Wang waved at her: “Come sit here.”

Shi Niannian looked at Xu Ningqing. He was focused on playing a game with Li Zhan, very concentrated. She walked over to Jiang Wang and sat awkwardly in the seat next to him.

There were many snacks and empty cans by their feet, probably from what everyone had been eating earlier.

Xu Ningqing and the others were all playing games. Shi Niannian didn’t know what to say, so she just focused on watching the program on stage until a weight suddenly pressed on her shoulder.

She turned her head.

Jiang Wang had draped his jacket over her shoulders. It had a very clean scent.

Shi Niannian’s heart softened: “Aren’t you cold?”

He held a can between his fingers, his wrist dangling, lazily half leaning on her, his voice equally lazy: “Not cold.”

“Actually… I’m not cold either.”

Jiang Wang said “Oh,” casually: “Then give it back to me.”

Shi Niannian was silent for a moment, biting her lip, as if gathering a lot of courage, and said, “No.”

Jiang Wang was surprised. He tilted his head to look at her. The little girl didn’t even spare him a glance, focusing intently on the stage. He laughed and leaned closer, bumping her shoulder.

He turned his head toward her ear: “Little one, do you like me?”

The tip of her ear burned from his hot breath.

“No, no!” She panicked, stuttering the two words, pressing her lips together, and then adding, trying to cover up: “I don’t.”

Jiang Wang dragged out his words, his tone lifting slightly at the end: “You don’t?”

“I don’t.”

“Rejecting me again?”

What was he talking about?

Shi Niannian stopped talking.

Shortly after, the others all stood up. Xu Ningqing bent down slightly to tell Shi Niannian that they were going to find Cai Yucai, who had been their homeroom teacher in high school.

Fan Mengming asked Jiang Wang: “Are you coming, Wang?”

Jiang Wang looked up: “Why would I go?”

He saw Cai Yucai at school every day.

After they left, only the two of them remained in the back row. It became much quieter. The light sign was turned face down on the chair, casting a rim of light around its edges.

Jiang Wang’s slender chin was tilted up, his gaze mild, occasionally raising the beer can to take a sip.

Shi Niannian stared at the writing on the can for a while, then asked: “Is that… alcohol?”

“Yes.”

And they were still in school.

As a performance on stage ended, the lights suddenly dimmed. Shi Niannian couldn’t see clearly, but her sense of smell became more acute.

She smelled the scent that suddenly came closer.

The smell of alcohol on the young man mixed with the soap scent on his clothes, creating an exceptionally clean yet ambiguous aroma.

A restrained and suppressed voice sounded from just inches away, far too close, well beyond a safe distance.

Jiang Wang’s jaw tightened, his gaze intense, falling on the girl’s faintly pink lips.

“Little stutterer, I’ve been drinking, and right now I want to kiss you. May I?”

Shi Niannian’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Before she could answer, she heard him add: “I can’t hold back this time.”

She hurriedly raised the back of her hand to cover her mouth.

The next second, a warm, moist sensation fell on her palm.

Jiang Wang half-embraced her waist with one arm, his other hand cupping her face, the touch smooth.

He kissed her palm just like that, not moving, but instead maintained the position and started to smile.

The young man’s voice was deep and husky, magnetic and pleasing to the ear. It emerged low from his throat, rippling outward like a feather tickling sensitive skin.

As he smiled, Shi Niannian’s palm tingled even more.

His voice grew lower, containing a hint of laughter as he softly cursed “Fuck,” his lips lightly brushing against her palm.

Shi Niannian’s eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, her entire body rigid and unable to move.

All sensations were amplified to the extreme.

She felt Jiang Wang tilt his head and suddenly bite the tip of her thumb, a very light nip.

“Ah.”

She gasped softly.

Jiang Wang then released his teeth, his fingertips caressing the delicate skin of her neck: “Won’t you let me kiss you?”

“…”

“Please.”