At night, at a private little bar on the street.

The bar owner was Li Jieyi’s older sister, and this was a place they often came to for entertainment and relaxation.

Song Yifan was perched on a high stool, drinking and playing finger-guessing games with several other people. The table was a bit small, so several had been pushed together, with juice, champagne, and beer bottles scattered and lying on top.

The small bar didn’t have too many customers. It had a lounge-bar atmosphere, with board games available. On the small round stage in the dance floor, one or two people were playing guitar and singing slow songs.

Xie Ci sat leaning back on the sofa. Having just touched alcohol, he felt a bit buzzed. He casually grabbed a cigarette pack, propped his legs up on the coffee table, pulled out a cigarette, and with extreme familiarity bit it between his lips.

The flame licked the cigarette, and little red stars lit up, flickering on and off.

Li Jieyi came back from the restroom and sat down beside him naturally. “Your smoking addiction is quite heavy. Not going to play with them, just smoking alone here, brother?”

“Play what?” Xie Ci said lazily, tossing the lighter in his palm casually.

The lighter spun two circles in the air, didn’t fall back into his hand, and rolled gurgling to one side of the sofa.

“Your dad…” Li Jieyi had just asked two words when he stopped and looked up. Chen Jingyi sat down beside Xie Ci.

“What are you guys talking about?”

She brushed aside the hair falling on her chest and leaned forward to find a small kumquat on the little coffee table.

“We’d barely said two sentences before you arrived.” Li Jieyi began playing with his phone, his fingertips flying wildly across the keyboard with rapid tapping.

Chen Jingyi carefully peeled the outer skin off the orange, pulled off a piece of fruit, and fed it to Xie Ci’s lips. “Here.”

Her eyes were somewhat seductive, the corners tilted upward, her red lips vivid and tempting.

Xie Ci turned his head and yawned. His refusal was very obvious.

Chen Jingyi smiled, nonchalantly putting it into her own mouth, making conversation with Li Jieyi: “A’Yi, I heard from others that you broke up with your girlfriend again?”

“Ay yo, Auntie, could you please stop calling me A’Yi?”

Li Jieyi had a nickname “Auntie”—it came from a bunch of fair-weather friends calling him A’Yi, A’Yi, and eventually deliberately raising their tone when shouting it. Anyway, he didn’t like anyone calling him A’Yi, and he didn’t like the nickname Auntie either.

“Broke up again?” This time Xie Ci raised an eyebrow and looked up at him.

Li Jieyi was chatting heatedly on his phone with his new flame. He replied casually: “What do you mean ‘broke up again’? My girlfriend-changing speed isn’t as fast as yours, right?”

He was joking casually, taking a jab at Xie Ci in the process.

Chen Jingyi laughed beside them, gently lifting her calf to rub against Xie Ci’s leg, asking quietly: “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you have a girlfriend now?”

“No.”

The air conditioning in the bar was very strong, so Chen Jingyi pressed closer. Her breath was fragrant as orchid as she leaned by Xie Ci’s ear: “I don’t have one either.”

Xie Ci’s legs were crossed, looking quite calm. He held a half-burnt cigarette between his fingertips and said lightly: “Then go find one.”

“After breaking up with you, I haven’t liked anyone.”

She hesitated, these words half-true and half-false, with a bit of flirtation and testing. “What should I do?”

Unfortunately, the person in question couldn’t understand these little thoughts.

Xie Ci lifted his eyes slightly and told her: “I have someone I like.”

Li Jieyi hadn’t noticed the commotion between them. He scrolled through his phone, found a picture of a girl, and handed it in front of Xie Ci.

“Hey hey brother, take a look, what do you think of her looks?”

The girl in the photo looked very innocent—long hair, a fair doll face, wearing black colored contacts.

“What’s the meaning?” After two minutes, Xie Ci asked.

Li Jieyi smiled with bad intentions. “This underclassman from first year, my friend’s sister. I have her contact information.”

“And then?” Xie Ci glanced at him.

Li Jieyi laughed wickedly. “Since we don’t have the ability to pursue the real one… hmm? You understand, right?”

The other guys, tired of playing, all came over to this side to rest.

Song Yifan gulped down a large mouthful of ice-cold mineral water, snatched Li Jieyi’s phone, shouting: “Secretly sharing beauty photos? Let me see, let me see.”

He took it in hand, squinting his eyes, examining it carefully for a while.

The more Song Yifan looked, the more his brows furrowed.

He turned his head, paused, and said hesitantly: “This girl… how does she look so much like that transfer student goddess scholar in our class…”

—

Xu You had been running a fever since midnight last night, all the way until three in the morning. Only after taking some fever-reducing medicine did she improve somewhat.

She lay in bed without much strength, her head groggy, and only fell asleep near dawn.

Her roommates woke her when they left. Xu You fumbled for her phone and sent the teacher a text message, asking for half a day off.

She slept groggily for a while longer, then Xu You climbed down from bed, went to the bathroom to wash her face, and changed into her school uniform.

Before leaving, she glanced at herself in the mirror.

Her palm-sized face was wet with water, without a trace of color. Her pupils were pitch black, her lip color extremely pale.

Looking sickly.

Sophomore year office.

Xu Huiru was grading homework when suddenly someone stood beside her. She glanced to the side.

Xu You covered her mouth with her sleeve, coughed lowly twice, and called out: “Teacher.”

“Oh my, aren’t you sick? What are you running here for?” Xu Huiru stopped her pen and pulled Xu You in front of her.

“What’s wrong? Is it serious?”

Xu You shook her head and said to her: “Teacher, my fever has already gone down. I can attend class this afternoon.”

Xu Huiru inwardly praised this child for being obedient—simply so well-behaved it made one’s heart ache. She patted Xu You’s shoulder. “Did you come to the office to find me for something?”

Xu You lowered her head, was silent for a while, then said quietly: “Teacher, I want to change seats.”

—

Friday was the day before vacation, and the students were all in good moods.

The classroom was full of roughhousing and playful noise, laughter never ceasing.

Zheng Xiaolin helped Xu You move books, watching her quietly pack up her things. “Master, are you really going to sit at my place?”

Xu You nodded.

“That’s so great! From now on I can ask you questions again.” Zheng Xiaolin was satisfied, a flower-like smile blooming on her face.

She sat in the first row of the second group.

That was a place nobody wanted to go—two seats total, both right under the teacher’s nose.

After this monthly exam results came out, Zheng Xiaolin had performed surprisingly well, which further motivated her fighting spirit to study hard. So she had voluntarily requested to sit alone in the first row. That position was undoubtedly the most hated place in the class—during lessons you couldn’t do anything but listen, so Zheng Xiaolin could only sit there alone.

Xu You crouched down and took out the notebooks from the drawer one by one.

Her books had already been moved to the new seat, and she was collecting the last few miscellaneous items.

Before long, a familiar voice came from above her head:

“What are you doing?”

Xie Ci had just come back from playing basketball, still holding a bottle of mineral water in his hand.

Song Yifan, following behind him, poked his head out, somewhat surprised: “Yo, little classmate Xu, are you changing seats?”

By this time, everything was pretty much packed up.

Xu You held a pile of scattered little things in her arms and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

She lowered her head, avoiding their scrutiny. “I’m sorry, my eyes are a bit nearsighted, so I need to sit in front.”

The reason was perfunctory—clearly she just didn’t want to sit here.

Xie Ci had one hand half in his pocket, his foot stretched across the aisle, not moving at all. His expressionless face blocked her way.

Although he didn’t say a word quietly, the surrounding air seemed to solidify, and even Song Yifan didn’t dare to joke around anymore.

This was the precursor to him losing his temper.

Xu You was silent for a while.

Since childhood, she had always been well-behaved and never made anyone angry. This time, her act of openly changing seats made Xie Ci feel somewhat embarrassed. Xu You knew inwardly that her behavior was wrong, and she felt a bit guilty too.

But she also couldn’t continue sitting here as his desk mate. More important than maintaining good relationships with classmates was academic performance.

This was also what her parents had always emphasized. She couldn’t afford to be willful.

All around them were noisy talking voices. Xu You stood there pale-faced, quietly and peacefully.

Outside sunlight streamed through the glass windows into the classroom, falling on her side, making her appear soft and fragile.

The two of them faced off silently.

Song Yifan looked at that slender figure and couldn’t help but bump Xie Ci, wanting him to let it go.

But he had an intuition in his heart—looking at his brother’s appearance, though he couldn’t say it clearly, anyway it was likely that in the future, he might just accept defeat at the hands of this girl.

Xie Ci still had no reaction, just staring at the person in front of him.

Xu You freed one hand, slowly reached into her jacket pocket, and fumbled out something.

A Want Want milk candy.

In her view, it was something that could make people feel better.

Xu You guessed he wouldn’t reach out to take it. So she set aside the miscellaneous things she was holding in her arms.

Still with her head lowered, she went to take Xie Ci’s hand.

For the first time, Xie Ci didn’t tease her, quietly watching her movements. He lowered his eyes, allowing his hand to be gently grasped.

“Xie Ci.”

Xu You calmly called out his name, releasing her five fingers to let the candy roll into his opened palm. For the first time, she spoke to him calmly and peacefully: “I’m sorry. Can you let me pass?”

Many years later, someone asked Xie Ci: how did that good girl Xu You manage to subdue a tyrannical rogue like you who had run wild for so many years?

The big boss pondered for a long time and said slowly: “It was quite simple.”

Wasn’t it simple enough?

One candy, one sentence.

Enough to make him utterly defeated.

All of it.

Being looked at by her like that, with a candy pressing into his hand, Xie Ci cursed silently in his heart.

“Xie Ci?” She called again.

Being called by name so softly over and over by her, he ultimately couldn’t resist and spread his legs to make way in the aisle.

Xu You felt relieved in her heart. She didn’t delay any further, took the things in her arms, and passed by him preparing to go to the front seat.

When she passed by him, her arm was grabbed.

Xu You didn’t struggle, stopping to look at him.

“You think you can bribe me with one candy?”

“Xu You?”

Xie Ci’s voice was low, with a bit of a laugh. As if he was repeatedly savoring these two characters.

Xu You didn’t know what he was thinking, so she just quietly listened to him speak.

This person was really strange.

When he smiled, he was like a child. When he was cold, he was like a mystery.

His temper was also unpredictable, like a melancholy boss with a girl’s heart.

“You still have to promise me one thing.” He had already returned to his usual cynical appearance, saying casually.

She didn’t refuse anymore, obediently saying “Okay.”

—

Without Xie Ci’s torment, Xu You’s life finally returned to peace.

Every day was three points and a line—cafeteria, classroom, dormitory. Apart from sleeping, it was studying, and time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was time for No. 1 High School’s autumn sports meet. First and second year held it together, with each class allocated their own position in the stands.

Xu You had been sick during that period and hadn’t signed up for any events, so she was idle with nothing to do.

The opening ceremony was in the morning, with competitions in the afternoon.

After her afternoon nap, she took a book of prose essays, brought her water cup, and sat down on the stands by the playground.

During the sports meet, there was an arts evening at night. No. 1 High School’s management was very lax, and many students would climb over the school fence to go out and play.

Like right now, for instance. Where Xu You was sitting, there were only a scattered few people. The other classmates were nowhere to be seen.

How unruly Class 9 students were became crystal clear during a sports meet.

She stretched out her hand to block the sunlight and gazed at the playground. On the track, students were already bending over to warm up.

Being blown by the gentle breeze was also quite pleasant. It was a rare moment of relaxation for her.

Xu You withdrew her gaze, lowered her head, and turned the pages of the book in her hands one by one, reading with great interest.

The broadcast on the playground started up, with occasional gunshots going bang bang bang.

“Xu You! Little cutie!”

Xu You was reading her book when she seemed to hear someone calling her. She looked up in confusion.

Fu Xueli was standing at the bottom of the stands. She had already changed clothes—a pink and white little dress and heeled sandals. She wore sunglasses and waved at Xu You.

“What’s up?” Xu You ran to the railing, placed both hands on top, and talked with Fu Xueli.

Fu Xueli looked up, putting her hands by her lips in a megaphone shape. “Come down first, I’ll tell you after you come down.”

Xu You thought she had something urgent, so she nodded and ran down from the stairs on the side. Holding the book in her hand, she turned around.

Raising her head, she saw a group of people walking toward her.

Xie Ci was in the lead, lazily talking with the male student beside him, not looking this way. Today he also hadn’t worn his school uniform, his short black hair a bit messy. His sleeves were loosely rolled up, and his jacket zipper wasn’t zipped properly either.

The male students inside were all looking slovenly, heading toward the basketball court.

As that large group of people passed by, they caused low murmuring and discussion among the people around Xu You.

“Are these sophomore boys?”

“Yeah, look look, that boy wearing the blue and white jacket.”

“I see him, what about him?”

“That’s Xie Ci I was telling you about. How is he? Very handsome, right!”

“He’s the grade boss?”

“I don’t know. People just say it for fun, but he probably knows a lot of people…”

“He looks pretty good-looking, even more handsome than the school heartthrob, just a bit fierce I heard…”

Xu You leaned her back against the wall, watching Xie Ci walk away before running in another direction to find Fu Xueli.

“Xueli, what’s up?”

Fu Xueli was playing on her iPad. Seeing that Xu You had finally arrived, she let out a breath and took off her sunglasses.

“You You, I need to ask you a favor.” Fu Xueli handed Xu You a black phone. “Help me give this to Xie Ci in half an hour. He’s at the basketball court.”

Xu You reached out to take it, belatedly realizing: “Huh? Give it to him…”

Fu Xueli sighed and patted her shoulder. “I have something to do right now. Sorry to trouble you.”

Before leaving, she seemed to think of something, turned her head, and shouted to Xu You who remained in place: “Wear something nice tomorrow, I’ll take you out to play.”

—

Xu You didn’t really want to go find that group of people, but since a good friend asked, she couldn’t very well refuse.

Even though it was sports meet day, the basketball court’s popularity hadn’t diminished at all.

Boys were sweating it out on the court, the ball bouncing with thud thud thud sounds, and below the court some girls were gathered around screaming.

Xu You was slightly nearsighted and couldn’t distinguish which waves were playing basketball—she could only see clearly by walking closer.

Among this group of people, shuttling through in her blue and white school uniform, she was somewhat conspicuous.

She was just thinking that maybe Xie Ci and the others weren’t playing basketball, that they’d climbed over the school gate to go play…

When someone called her name.

It was Song Yifan.

He had just left the court, running to Xu You’s side, his whole body dripping with sweat. He wiped his sweat and asked with a grin: “Looking for A’Ci?”

Xu You saw who it was and secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. She nodded and handed over the phone. “Oh, right, I came to give him something. Can you help me give it to him?”

Who would have thought Song Yifan would immediately wave his hands in refusal, saying without reservation: “No no no, if I give this to him, my hands would be twisted off.”

He pointed in one direction and said to her: “A’Ci is still playing ball. Wait a bit.”

Xu You never understood boys playing ball. She just watched them run back and forth on the court, shooting the ball.

After waiting good-naturedly for a while, cheers arose from the crowd. Someone made a three-point shot.

Xie Ci finally was willing to leave the court. Three or four girls surrounded him, offering him water and towels.

He refused them all, pulling up the hem of his basketball jersey and casually wiping the sweat on his face, walking toward the basketball hoop.

His lean waistline was exposed, rising and falling with his movements.

Xu You waited until the people had dispersed a bit before walking over.

Xie Ci was leaning back against the basketball hoop, sitting on the ground sprawled out. His Adam’s apple moved up and down as he tilted his head back, chugging water.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Xu You approaching.

She stopped at a distance of two meters from him.

She quietly waited for him to finish drinking water.

Xie Ci’s eyes stared straight at Xu You. The water bottle he’d finished drinking he crushed flat in his hand and tossed aside.

“Your thing.” Xu You walked forward two steps and handed over what was in her hand.

Xie Ci had both sleeves of his shirt pulled all the way up past his shoulder blades, one hand resting on his bent knee, just looking at her.

He sat, she stood. This position wasn’t very good.

Xu You hesitated for a moment, then crouched down, level with his line of sight. “For you.”

Xie Ci’s face was covered with sweat, his eyelashes also dampened, without his usual lazy appearance.

Since she wasn’t in class, her hair was casually tied up. At her collar, around her fair neck was wound a thin red string.

Sweat flowed down from her taut neckline. There was a dark light in his eyes.

“Xu You.” Xie Ci called her name, a bit hoarse, taking the phone from her hand.

Xu You made a sound of acknowledgment.

He said: “Don’t deliberately seduce me, okay?”