In the end, they couldn’t go on their date because Sheng Xia had a lecture on Sunday.
Zhang Shu was utterly speechless but asked good-naturedly, “The National Day holiday should work then?”
But that wouldn’t work either, because Tao Zhizhi was coming to visit, and Xin Xiaohe and Yang Linyu would also be coming to the city.
It would be perfect for everyone to get together.
Tao Zhizhi entrusted the important task of booking accommodations to Sheng Xia. When Xin Xiaohe heard about it, she said she wanted to stay at the same hotel too. So, Sheng Xia simply booked a guesthouse near the school—three bedrooms, two living rooms, and even a kitchen.
In the group chat, Xin Xiaohe asked: “Are you and Zhang Shu coming to stay with us?”
Sheng Xia: “No?”
The school was so close, why would they stay outside?
Xin Xiaohe: “Then why did you book three bedrooms?”
Sheng Xia was puzzled: “Taozi, you, Yang Linyu, three rooms, right?”
Xin Xiaohe: “observing-secretly.jpg”
Sheng Xia: “It’s a duplex, you and Taozi can stay upstairs.”
Privacy shouldn’t be an issue.
With a guesthouse, she and Zhang Shu could still come over to hang out.
Tao Zhizhi popped up: “Xiaxia, is there a possibility that couples usually stay together? There would be an extra room this way?”
Xin Xiaohe tried to cover up: “No way, Taozi! I meant I’ll stay with you!”
Tao Zhizhi: “Really? Don’t force yourself, Sister Xin. I’m fine by myself.”
Xin Xiaohe: “…”
Sheng Xia hadn’t considered this question—would Xin Xiaohe and Yang Linyu stay together?
This early?
That doesn’t seem right…
Xin Xiaohe: “Xiaxia, come stay with us! The three of us can share a room, and those two can have another room!”
Tao Zhizhi: “Yeah! We can have meals together, watch movies, play cards!”
Xin Xiaohe: “Celebrate the holiday together!”
It sounded nice, so Sheng Xia went to ask Zhang Shu.
He replied: “What’s with Xin Xiaohe, why is she so keen on sleeping with you? No.”
Sheng Xia: “I haven’t seen her in so long.”
Sheng Xia: “puppy-eyes.jpg”
Zhang Shu: “Not seeing someone for a long time means you can sleep together? Is that the logic?”
Sheng Xia: “?”
Zhang Shu: “Then shall we meet next month?”
Sheng Xia: “…”
That’s cheating!
This person, his words were becoming more and more unfair!
And that “soft and cuddly” business—she hadn’t settled that score with him yet!
Despite Zhang Shu’s objections, on the first day of the National Day holiday, Xin Xiaohe appeared impetuously at Heqing University’s gate, hugging Sheng Xia tightly, even puckering her lips for an air kiss.
Mwah mwah—
Yang Linyu carefully glanced at Zhang Shu standing beside them.
Zhang Shu gave an unfriendly look: “Are you sure your girlfriend likes you?”
Yang Linyu: …
Zhang Shu stepped forward and pulled Sheng Xia to his side, creating some distance, “Weren’t you going to pick someone up at the high-speed rail station? Why aren’t you moving? Your silly sister is probably getting anxious and bothering the police officers about disturbing public order by now.”
As he spoke, he put his arm around Sheng Xia’s shoulders and walked ahead.
Xin Xiaohe was stunned for two seconds, then held back her laughter and walked behind them holding Yang Linyu’s hand, whispering: “Brother Shu’s mouth hasn’t changed one bit, tsk tsk tsk!”
Yang Linyu: “Who told you to kiss his girlfriend?”
Xin Xiaohe: “You have a problem with that? Besides, I didn’t kiss her!”
Yang Linyu shut up.
Then the group picked up Tao Zhizhi at the high-speed rail station, and the three girls embraced again, lost in their world—they were just short of spinning in circles.
Zhang Shu and Yang Linyu, holding the luggage on the side, exchanged glances.
Yang Linyu felt danger—was Brother Shu going to complain about Xin Xiaohe again? He hurriedly explained: “They’re close friends, haha.”
Zhang Shu stepped back: “That look in your eyes—want to copy them? Don’t dream about it.”
Yang Linyu: Right, Brother Shu hasn’t changed at all, that mouth of his!
At the guesthouse, they checked in according to Xin Xiaohe’s arrangement.
The three girls stayed upstairs, Zhang Shu and Yang Linyu downstairs.
After not seeing each other for several months, Xin Xiaohe had changed considerably.
She had lost weight all over, her hair had grown to her collarbone, and she had wispy bangs, giving her a delicate, feminine look.
Tao Zhizhi cupped her face: “I’m jealous, isn’t dating supposed to make you gain happy weight? I see this is just self-consolation for single dogs, I’m the only one growing sideways.”
“Military training saved me!” As soon as Xin Xiaohe opened her mouth—well, she hadn’t changed at all, still as boisterous as ever, “The food at the military training base in University Town was so bad even dogs wouldn’t eat it, I lost 8 jin!”
Sheng Xia: “I think Yang Linyu looks unchanged?”
Xin Xiaohe: “He ate with relish, he’s a dog.”
Sheng Xia: “Yu-ge is so innocent.”
Xin Xiaohe: “Dogs are innocent too, aren’t dogs cute?”
Tao Zhizhi: “What about Xiaxia? Didn’t you two say you would compare whose school cafeteria was better? How come neither of your figures changed at all?”
Sheng Xia: “I don’t know, haven’t weighed myself, probably not much change.”
She and Zhang Shu both didn’t seem to gain weight easily.
“Really?” Xin Xiaohe suddenly leaned in mischievously, “Let me see if there’s any change?”
As she spoke, she buried her head in Sheng Xia’s chest. Sheng Xia was caught off guard and fell back onto the bed, “Xin-Xiao-He! Get off!”
“Hahaha!”
“There is a change, the soft one has gotten plumper!”
Sheng Xia couldn’t stand hearing that word now, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at Xin Xiaohe, “Shut up!”
“So fierce, I’m scared,” Xin Xiaohe caught the pillow steadily, lowering her voice, “Hey, is this Zhang Shu’s contribution?”
Sheng Xia was embarrassed and angry, chasing after Xin Xiaohe to tickle her waist, “Stop talking nonsense!”
While dodging, Xin Xiaohe kept babbling: “Huh? Isn’t it? Brother Shu’s not doing well!”
“Hahaha!”
“Giggle giggle giggle!”
The three girls chased and played upstairs, laughing together.
Downstairs, the two gentlemen playing games on the sofa were silently speechless.
This was an open-plan duplex, OK? It’s just a guesthouse, the construction materials wouldn’t be that good, OK? That door was so thin it might as well not exist, OK?
Did they think they were being quiet?
Zhang Shu shot a glance over, and Yang Linyu smiled apologetically: “Hehe, don’t blame them, Brother Shu, they’re close friends, hehe.”
“You really can’t control Xin Xiaohe at all?” Zhang Shu’s gaze returned to the game screen.
Yang Linyu rubbed his nose, muttering: “As if you can control Sheng Xia, they’re like wild horses, I’d say we’re both in the same boat…”
Zhang Shu: “…”
Everyone was quite tired today, so they didn’t bother cooking, instead finding a specialty restaurant for dinner. When they were about to split the bill, they discovered Zhang Shu had already paid, and he wouldn’t accept the red packets they sent in the group chat.
Sheng Xia had noticed the menu—they must have ordered at least six or seven hundred yuan worth of food.
She felt a bit distressed; going out inevitably meant spending money.
Hou Junqi had said Zhang Shu had long stopped using Zhang Sujin’s money, so it was all his earnings.
She hadn’t seen him tutoring or doing any part-time jobs, so he certainly wasn’t flush with cash.
This was also why she was reluctant to go out on dates.
Because he would never let her pay, and she couldn’t comfortably spend his money.
When they met, taking walks, talking, hugging, and kissing when they wanted to be close—that was already very nice. She didn’t think they needed to go out eating and drinking and playing everywhere to enhance their relationship. Just being with him was very nice.
Back at the guesthouse, Xin Xiaohe suggested everyone turn in early, as she had already packed the next day’s schedule full.
So they took turns showering and went to bed.
The three girls squeezed onto one bed, and the late-night chat began.
Xin Xiaohe: “Xiaxia, you’re so shy, how does Brother Shu usually coax you?”
Tao Zhizhi was also curious: “Hehe, does he playfully punch his chest?”
Sheng Xia was a bit confused, “Coax? Why would he need to coax me? We don’t fight.”
Xin Xiaohe: “Who says only fights need coaxing? Like today, when I did that thing to you, you were ready to hit me with a pillow!”
Sheng Xia still didn’t understand.
Tao Zhizhi rolled over, “Huh? Could it be that Brother Shu hasn’t…?”
Xin Xiaohe: “How is that possible? What guy doesn’t touch breasts while kissing?”
“…”
“…”
Complete silence fell.
Tao Zhizhi giggled: “Sister Xin, you don’t have to be so direct, have some consideration for this inexperienced single dog, won’t you?”
Sheng Xia couldn’t let it go—she’d been teased all day—and lightly asked back: “Oh? So you’re saying Yu-ge has touched?”
Silence fell again.
No one had expected these words from Sheng Xia.
Xin Xiaohe coughed lightly: “Heh, he wouldn’t dare.”
Sheng Xia: “Then isn’t this theory…” wrong.
Xin Xiaohe: “I touched him.”
Tao Zhizhi: “Hahahahahaha!!”
Sheng Xia lay flat between the two, hands properly placed on top of the blanket, eyes staring at the ceiling, blinking.
Do guys all touch while kissing…?
He seemed to have never done that.
No matter how passionate the kissing got, sometimes feeling like he wanted to swallow her whole, his hands rarely made any moves.
Thinking carefully, he usually had one hand supporting the back of her head, the other arm sometimes around her waist, sometimes…
Nowhere to be found.
More often, he just held her face with both hands.
Even their bodies maintained a distance.
Their closest kiss was their first kiss when he had held her so tightly like he wanted to merge into her body.
Other times, even that day on the lawn, with him above and her below in such an intimate position, he was still supporting himself, not pressing against her.
Every kiss since they started dating played like a movie in Sheng Xia’s mind.
Her face gradually reddened.
Kissing was already enough to make one lose their mind, and that other stuff…
Never mind, never mind.
Don’t think about it, don’t think about it!
“Go to sleep quickly! We have to get up early tomorrow.” Sheng Xia pulled the blanket over her face.
Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe exchanged knowing glances.
“Hehe, we’ll let you off for now!”
Sheng Xia couldn’t sleep at all. Feeling Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe’s breathing become even, she slowly opened her eyes and picked up her phone to message Zhang Shu.
“There are lots of attractions to visit tomorrow, just give Xiaohe our student IDs, and we can settle the costs together when we get back.”
“Don’t pay for everything!”
It was already midnight, but surprisingly he replied instantly.
Zhang Shu: “Up so late, trying to control my spending now?”