Shi Niannian was a girl who lived with a clear understanding of things. She knew she liked Jiang Wang but hadn’t thought about being with him—more precisely, she hadn’t thought about being with him while still in high school.

She was too obedient. Teachers had repeatedly instructed against dating early, and she didn’t dare disobey.

But after Jiang Wang told her about those things, she truly felt heartbroken for him.

So her actions followed her heart, bypassing her brain.

Only when Jiang Wang kissed her lips again did her thoughts return.

Are we together now…?

“Open your mouth,” Jiang Wang said in a low voice.

Shi Niannian’s back pressed against the wall, forced to lift her chin to accept his kiss, her face and ears red with embarrassment, feeling like her face was about to catch fire.

She kept her mouth closed, not letting him have his way.

Jiang Wang’s thumb caressed her lips, as if enticing her: “Be good, open your mouth.”

Shi Niannian, unable to bear it any longer, pinched his waist hard. Only then did he finally release her. Shi Niannian, her eyes reddened from the kisses, glared at him in accusation.

“Didn’t you say… You would listen to me from now on?”

“Yes,” he responded.

“Then don’t, don’t kiss me anymore.”

“…” Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow. “That’s not possible.”

He seemed addicted, bending down to kiss her again, but Shi Niannian quickly pushed him away, retreating two steps to the side, watching him warily before turning and running toward the hall.

Not watching where she was going, she bumped straight into someone.

“Why are you running so fast?” Xu Ningqing steadied her and asked.

She felt guilty for a moment: “…No reason.”

Xu Ningqing looked back and saw Jiang Wang following at a leisurely pace, then calmly raised his eyebrows: “Did Wang bully you?”

“No, no, he didn’t bully me.” Three denials in a row.

This girl usually kept her words as brief as possible. It was the first time Xu Ningqing had heard her repeat three words like this, making him even more surprised, but he didn’t ask further.

“The party’s over. Shall I take you home?”

“Okay.”

She walked a couple of steps forward, then remembered she was still wearing Jiang Wang’s jacket. Just as she was about to unzip it, the hood was lifted from behind and pulled over her head.

Jiang Wang said: “Keep it on. Give it back to me tomorrow.”

“Do you want to ride back with us in my car?” Xu Ningqing asked.

Jiang Wang glanced at Shi Niannian. The little girl was still standing behind Xu Ningqing, shaking her head and giving him eye signals. He pressed his lips together: “No need. I drove here.”

It was like a secret relationship.

Shi Niannian returned home with Xu Ningqing. Tomorrow was New Year’s holiday, and he was also staying at home. When they entered, the house was dark.

“Where are Uncle and Aunt?” Shi Niannian asked.

Xu Ningqing turned on the light and took a bottle of water from the refrigerator: “They must be out on a New Year’s Eve date.”

Shi Niannian nodded, preparing to go back to her room. Just as she opened her bedroom door, Xu Ningqing called out to her.

“What were you doing with Jiang Wang earlier?”

“Ah…” Shi Niannian was stunned. “Nothing.”

Xu Ningqing looked at her suspiciously for a few moments. Shi Niannian, feeling guilty, couldn’t withstand his gaze, quickly made up an excuse, and retreated into her bedroom.

After showering, Shi Niannian stood by the window, blow-drying her hair while looking outside. The day had passed in a daze. She didn’t know how, but somehow she was now with Jiang Wang.

Is this being together now?

If so, should she send Jiang Wang a message?

Good night?

Or something else?

Shi Niannian had been slow to these feelings for over a decade. Even though she was experiencing girlish emotions she had never felt before because of Jiang Wang, she had no idea how to interact with Jiang Wang as a boyfriend.

She sat at her desk with one hand supporting her face, looking at her phone screen hesitantly.

She wanted to be good to Jiang Wang, wanted him to be happy.

After hesitating for a moment, she opened her chat with Jiang Wang and slowly typed.

Wanan.

Good night.

Before she could press send, her phone screen jumped, and Jiang Wang called.

Shi Niannian quickly answered, putting the phone to her ear as she went to lock her bedroom door.

Jiang Wang’s voice came through: “Are you asleep?”

The street lights outside were dim yellow. Hearing his voice, she smiled: “No.”

“Want to go out tomorrow?” he asked.

“Tomorrow?”

“Mm.”

She leaned on the window, the night was quiet. She asked: “Where to?”

“I don’t know,” his voice was lazy and relaxed. “Where do you want to go?”

“I also… don’t know.”

“Want to see a movie?” he suggested.

Jiang Wang rarely went out for fun. Before, he had spent a long time each day training, and on the rare occasions he went out, it was with Xu Ningqing and Fan Mengming. Those places weren’t suitable for a little girl like Shi Niannian; he wouldn’t feel at ease taking her there.

“Sure,” she agreed, even nodding.

After nodding, she realized Jiang Wang couldn’t see her, and laughed to herself, feeling happy.

They didn’t talk much longer before hanging up. Shi Niannian sent the “good night” message she had typed earlier but hadn’t sent, and after drying her hair and going to bed, she picked up her phone again. Jiang Wang had already replied.

“Good night, little one. Happy New Year.”

The next morning, when she woke up, it was snowing again outside. The tree branches were covered with snow, and the air seemed to hold a layer of frost. The first day of the New Year brought a big temperature drop.

Shi Niannian woke up very early. Today, she was going to see a movie with Jiang Wang.

For the first time, she felt the desire to dress up nicely.

She spent quite a while in front of her closet mirror before going out when her aunt called her for breakfast.

“Why are you dressed so nicely today?” Her aunt looked back at her while handing over the bowls and chopsticks.

“Ah.” Shi Niannian’s face reddened. “Just dressed casually.”

Her aunt didn’t notice her unusual behavior: “Your final exams are coming up soon, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s not easy for our Niannian to study. I never felt this way when your brother was studying. For him, studying was like playing. Only watching you study makes me realize how tiring it is.”

“It’s fine,” she smiled and took a sip of porridge. “I don’t find it… tiring.”

“Shall Auntie take you to the mall later? We haven’t bought new clothes for the New Year yet.”

Shi Niannian quickly shook her head: “No need. I’m going to see a movie with a classmate.”

“I see.” Her aunt didn’t ask more and didn’t suspect anything. “Then dress warmly, don’t catch a cold.”

“Mm, where’s my brother?”

Her aunt glanced up: “Still sleeping.”

Just after finishing breakfast, Shi Niannian’s phone vibrated. It was a message from Jiang Wang.

She quickly stood up, said goodbye to her aunt, and left.

The winter street greeted her with a cold wind. As soon as she went out, she saw Jiang Wang. He was standing under a bare tree, surrounded by withered yellow leaves at his feet, tall and straight. Melting snowflakes had dampened his hair tips and shoulders.

As soon as Jiang Wang saw Shi Niannian, he couldn’t help but smile.

The little girl was dressed very thickly, with hat, gloves, and scarf all in place, wearing a pair of fluffy snow boots. Her exposed black eyes were beautiful and clear.

He raised his hand to pat her head, smiling as he called her: “Girlfriend.”

He had never dated before. Although with his looks, there had been many girls pursuing him since he was young, Jiang Wang had never been interested. He was used to being alone. Sometimes when he saw Fan Mengming and the others bring their girlfriends out, he thought it was boring and troublesome.

Now he was eating his words.

Last night, he had barely slept at all.

Shi Niannian was his girlfriend now.

Those kisses on the dark sports field kept stimulating his nerves throughout the night. He had tasted something sweet and wanted more—the soft lips of the young girl, her clean fragrance, her hurried breathing—all like addictive drugs consuming his rationality.

Then he began to regret why he had invited her to see a movie.

So cliché and boring.

Their first real date should have been better planned.

But when he seriously thought about what else they could do on a date, some very inappropriate 18+ images flashed through his mind. Such things, for a 16-year-old girl like Shi Niannian, could naturally only be imagined.

But it still made him unable to sleep well the entire night.

He hadn’t driven today. There was a subway station nearby, so they walked there together.

Despite it being a holiday, the subway station was already crowded at this hour. Judging by their accents, they weren’t locals but tourists. The subway car was also quite noisy.

There were no seats.

The two squeezed into the middle of the crowd.

Shi Niannian was short and had to stretch her arm completely straight to hold onto the hanging ring, which was quite strenuous.

Jiang Wang watched for a while and then smiled.

She was too damn cute.

He faced Shi Niannian, raising his hand to hold the horizontal bar above, looking relaxed and at ease, his arm forming an angle.

“Hold this,” he said casually, looking casually.

Shi Niannian didn’t understand: “What?”

He patted his upper arm: “This is lower.”

She bit her lip, her breathing slowing down. First, she very lightly placed her hand on his arm, then slowly tightened her five fingers, using a bit of strength to grasp, as if afraid of hurting him. Her movements were slow and gentle.

Through the winter clothes, fortunately, she couldn’t feel his body temperature.

But Shi Niannian felt her heart beating faster.

Thump-thump.

This was the first time she held onto Jiang Wang’s arm like this.

At the next stop, with the momentum, she stepped forward and fell right into Jiang Wang’s embrace. He very naturally put his other arm around her shoulders, as if holding her in his arms.

Shi Niannian’s nose brushed against his collar. Looking directly ahead, she could see the young man’s well-defined collarbone.

He didn’t let go, looking down at her with a smile. The young girl’s eyelashes fluttered rapidly, not knowing what to do with this sudden closeness.

Jiang Wang was tall and had such an eye-catching face that as soon as he entered the subway car, he attracted the attention of several girls nearby.

They were wearing high school uniforms from this city, but judging by the emblem on their chests, they weren’t from No. 1 High School.

“Hey, look at that guy, he’s so handsome!”

“Ahhh, what a divine couple. Handsome guys all have girlfriends.”

“Wait, that handsome guy looks a bit familiar.” A few girls gathered together on the other side. One of them stared at the couple for a while, then hesitantly said, “…Isn’t he the campus heartthrob from No. 1 High School?”

“Jiang Wang?”

“Hey, it does look like him. When did he get a girlfriend?”

…

The surrounding discussions rustled softly.

Jiang Wang acted as if he hadn’t heard anything. He lowered his head, leaning into Shi Niannian’s ear: “Look up, let me kiss you.”

Shi Niannian was startled and pushed him again, frowning as she said softly: “How can you be so…”

“Hmm?”

She considered how to phrase it, finally saying: “Obscene.”

“…”

Jiang Wang was amused by her reaction.

Just a kiss, and she called it obscene.

“That’s obscene?” Jiang Wang pinched her chin, leaning into her ear, his voice lowered, like intimate whispers. “Do you know what real obscenity is like?”

Shi Niannian pinched him once, not saying a word.

During the holiday, everywhere was crowded, including the movie theater in the mall.

“What do you want to watch?” Jiang Wang asked.

“Anything is fine.”

There were many people around. Afraid of running into teachers or classmates, she tugged at Jiang Wang’s sleeve, urging him: “Jiang Wang, hurry up.”

He laughed and simply chose the next available showing, a comedy.

The theater was pitch black. Shi Niannian, carrying popcorn, felt her way to her seat and sat down.

Soon, the movie began.

Jiang Wang lifted the armrest between the seats, moved closer, and held Shi Niannian’s hand.

The air conditioning was on in the theater, and the temperature was high. She had taken off her outer jacket, wearing a fluffy gray sweater underneath.

Jiang Wang touched something cool, lowered his eyes to look.

He smiled: “You’re wearing this?”

“Mm,” she obediently answered.

“Did you especially wear it because you were coming out with me?”

Shi Niannian felt embarrassed, bit her lip: “The movie has started.”

Just as Jiang Wang was about to speak, two girls in the front row suddenly turned around. One of them raised her hand and waved, greeting: “Jiang Wang, what a coincidence.”

The light was too dim. Shi Niannian couldn’t see clearly, but she could vaguely make out that it was a very pretty girl.

Jiang Wang remained half-leaning against Shi Niannian, calmly raising an eyebrow.

He had no impression of the face before him.

The girl in front glanced at Shi Niannian and asked: “Is this your little sister? She’s so cute, little sister.”

Jiang Wang didn’t respond. The girl felt awkward and couldn’t save face. Shi Niannian hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly to her: “Hello, big sister.”

“…” Jiang Wang turned to look at her, scratched his eyebrow helplessly, then looked back at the girl, saying casually, “My girlfriend.”

“Ah.” The girl was taken aback, glanced at Shi Niannian a few more times, then quickly turned back.

Jiang Wang clicked his tongue, putting one arm around Shi Niannian’s waist, sitting lazily: “You don’t even know her, why call her big sister?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Shi Niannian felt something wasn’t quite right. She could only say faintly: “Since… you know her, I was just being polite.”

Jiang Wang savored the implied meaning in her words and smiled, his curved lips containing boundless indulgence and doting.

“Little scholar is impressive, making progress so quickly.”

He smiled, his fingertips lightly twisting the bracelet she wore.

“Even learning to be jealous now.”

“I’m not,” she denied.

“That’s good, be more jealous in the future.”