The sports meet lasted a total of two and a half days. On the first evening there was an arts performance, and on the second evening there was a holiday—the school let students have free activities.

By the second day, there weren’t many competitions left, just high jump and shot put—unimportant events like that. Anyway, the homeroom teachers turned a blind eye, so the class students were naturally even more unrestrained. The sports meet felt like a rest day.

In order to take Xu You out to play, Fu Xueli specially obtained a leave slip. She knew that a good student as obedient as Xu You definitely wouldn’t agree to skip out during the day to go wild with her. Having no choice, she went to beg Xu Xingchun for half a day. He was the student council president and had plenty of school leave slips in hand. Fu Xueli racked her brains and finally got him to relent.

Heaven was kind—the weather today was especially good. The school gate was wide open, with students and vehicles coming and going past.

Fu Xueli came to school to pick up Xu You, lowering her head to play on her phone while sitting in the pavilion at the school gate waiting.

On the phone, after much coaxing and persuasion, Xu You finally agreed to go play after eating lunch at noon.

After waiting nearly ten more minutes, Xu You arrived late with her bag on her back.

She ran forward out of breath, patted Fu Xueli’s shoulder, resting her hand on top while panting slightly: “Sorry, Xueli, I went to buy some things midway.”

Fu Xueli looked up at her, her eyes brightening.

“You finally listened to me a bit and didn’t wear your school uniform to go out and play with me.” She put away her phone, stepped back two paces, and looked her good friend up and down with satisfaction.

Actually, what Xu You wore today wasn’t particularly special—still just an ordinary round-necked white dress past her knees, and a pair of white sneakers.

It was just that apart from the first day of school, she’d always worn her school uniform. Now changing into other clothes, it felt like she’d become a different person.

Fu Xueli nodded, then shook her head, sighing for who knows which time: “My god, Xu You, you’re simply too pale.”

The skin exposed on her calves and arms was white as frost and snow. Who knows what she ate growing up to have such good skin…

Being looked at by Fu Xueli’s intent gaze made Xu You embarrassed, her cheeks flushing slightly. She lowered her head, followed Fu Xueli, and put the things she’d just bought into her bag.

At this moment, a teasing voice suddenly sounded beside them: “Big Pear, where are you going to play?”

Both turned their heads simultaneously.

A group of people from Class 4 stood by the roadside, waiting for the traffic light just like them.

Seeing they were acquaintances, Fu Xueli casually greeted them.

“Going to play with a friend. Your class has so many people—having a class gathering?”

Class 4 and Class 9 were similar—most of the students inside were rather unruly, a pair of kindred spirit classes, and they usually got along well.

The person at the head over there said with a laugh: “Why don’t you and your friend come play with us?”

Fu Xueli refused. After crossing at the traffic light, she pulled Xu You in another direction.

“Where are we going?” Having just arrived here, Xu You found everything fresh. Walking along the road, she looked left and right.

“First we’ll eat, after eating we’ll wash our hair, then I’ll take you to the arcade.”

Fu Xueli answered her, checking directions on her phone and randomly hailing a taxi on the roadside.

As soon as they got in the car, she gave a name. The driver master acknowledged and in just over ten minutes, familiar with the route, drove the car to the place.

The place for lunch was at a hotpot restaurant. Xu You couldn’t eat spicy food and could only eat something mild.

Midway through, Fu Xueli forcibly fed her a piece of meat fished from the red spicy broth.

After chewing and chewing twice, Xu You couldn’t take it anymore. Choking, she coughed, grabbed the cup beside her, and poured water into her mouth.

Fu Xueli, sitting opposite, was very surprised. She quickly stood up and patted her back. “Little cutie, are you okay? You can’t even handle this little bit of spice?”

Xu You coughed twice more and waved her hand: “It’s fine, it’s fine. I just rarely eat spicy food. I choked just now.”

After the two finished eating and came out of the shop, they were covered in the smoky smell of cooking.

After walking two steps, Fu Xueli put her arm around Xu You’s shoulder, lowered her head to smell her hair, then raised her face seriously: “You You, your hair is all full of hotpot smell too. Shall we go wash our hair together?”

Xu You initially wanted to decline, but the smell was really quite strong, so after hesitating she agreed.

The two ran to a nearby hair salon.

Fu Xueli finished washing first and sat outside blow-drying her hair.

When Xu You came out after washing, she saw Fu Xueli on the phone with someone, she didn’t know who.

A young man behind her held Xu You’s shoulders, removed the towel from her head, and met her eyes in the mirror: “Young lady, what style would you like blown?”

Fu Xueli glanced this way midway and made the decision for Xu You: “Help her blow big waves.”

After speaking, she continued her phone call, crossing her legs, eyes fixed on looking at her own shoes. “Mm, how many people?”

“………..”

“That many? Where to?”

“………..”

“Yeah, we’re outside.”

“………..”

“Beside me blow-drying hair.”

“………..”

“Really? What time?”

“………..”

“Oh, is it the location from last time? I’ll ask her and send you a message later.”

By Xu You’s ear was the roaring sound of the hair dryer. She didn’t let anyone blow any style for her, saying directly: “Just blow-dry it for me.”

That hairdresser young man lifted Xu You’s black hair with his fingers, swaying it, chatting with her while blow-drying: “Young lady, your hair hasn’t been permed or dyed, right?”

Xu You made a sound of acknowledgment.

The young man nodded: “Your hair quality is quite good, just a bit soft.”

Fu Xueli put her phone in her bag and turned her head to shout at Xu You: “You You, our plans have changed.”

The hair dryer sound was too noisy. Her voice came in fragments. Xu You couldn’t hear clearly. “I can’t hear you, tell me in a bit.”

The hairdresser young man provided thorough service. He didn’t violate Xu You’s wishes by blow-drying her hair into big waves, but he used a curling iron on that head of soft, flowing black hair to make small curls.

Xu You had an oval face that leaned toward round, with a bit of baby fat, and rosy red lips.

Fu Xueli moved closer and asked her a baffling question: “Little cutie, did you wear safety shorts under your dress?”

“………”

“Did you wear them? If not, I’ll go buy you a pair right now.” She added another sentence.

“No need, no need. I wore them.” Xu You interrupted her, saying quietly: “Why are you asking this?”

The two made eye contact silently for a long time.

Fu Xueli struggled with her wording, how to say it so she would agree.

A bit hesitant, she said tentatively to Xu You: “Shall we go ice skating?”

……

The ice skating rink was on the second floor of Zhengda Plaza.

All along the way, Fu Xueli explained to Xu You: “It’s that kind of very proper ice skating rink, not the kind of garish place you’re imagining.”

Xu You didn’t make a sound.

“And look, almost everyone from our class went. What are you afraid of?”

Fu Xueli reassured her, linking arms with her and saying: “Many people from our school usually go to this ice skating rink. Don’t worry.”

This time, she didn’t know who organized the activity. Classes 9 and 4 said it was a social gathering, finding a place to go play together. Everyone was young and loved to make noise, so the two groups hit it off. They turned the sports meet into a house party gathering.

At the entrance of the ice skating rink stood two servers wearing black and gold vests.

Seeing Fu Xueli and them come over, the two servers pulled open the glass door and called out in unison: “Welcome.”

Xu You had never been to this kind of place. Following Fu Xueli closely, she tugged at her sleeve and asked: “Do we need to go buy tickets or something?”

“No need.” Fu Xueli had obviously been here many times before, taking a familiar route around two turns.

The further inside they walked, the louder the music and crowd’s cheerful sounds became.

She took out two cards from a blue box and said to Xu You behind her: “This place is opened by Xie Ci’s older brother. Today he’s treating us to play for free.”

Upon hearing this name, Xu You felt uncomfortable all over.

But at this point, she couldn’t just leave…

By the time they arrived at the ice skating rink, many people inside had already started playing. Xu You hadn’t been here long and couldn’t distinguish who was from which class. Her gaze swept over the crowd—she could only see one or two who looked somewhat familiar.

Fu Xueli pushed open a waist-high door and entered one after another with Xu You.

The place to change into ice skate shoes was on the side. Staff had already placed shoes of various sizes in advance at each position.

“What size are your feet?” Fu Xueli crouched down to carefully select, asking the person behind her.

Xu You looked down at her own feet and thought for a moment. “36, I think.”

“That small?!”

Fu Xueli was a bit surprised, then looked Xu You’s height up and down, reacted and nodded. “It matches your height well.”

Xu You hadn’t heard the music playing in the rink, but the rhythm was very strong. Several light balls in the very center were flashing, dazzling people’s eyes painfully.

Xu You sat on the bench changing shoes. After forcing them on with effort, she carefully tied the laces properly, very afraid the shoes would fall off midway through skating later.

“Ready yet?” Fu Xueli had already changed into ice skates and skillfully skated over, stopping beside her.

Xu You nodded, supporting herself on the chair, slowly standing up.

This careful appearance—one look and you could tell she’d never skated before.

Fu Xueli found her cute and couldn’t help but laugh. Very patiently holding Xu You, she skated a few steps and said: “Come come, I’ll teach you first. Spread your feet apart.”

“No no no, don’t don’t don’t, don’t worry about me first. Go play by yourself.”

Under Xu You’s repeated refusals, Fu Xueli finally didn’t stay with her and was pulled away by another person to play follow-the-leader.

Xu You, alone, held onto the railing, slowly moving her body.

Actually, her balance was very poor. She always easily fell playing this kind of thing, so she had a habitual fear.

The people around were all playing excitedly, crowds in clusters, with boys’ playful noise and girls’ screaming sounds coming from time to time.

Xu You slowly skated along the edge, completely not daring to get close to them. She was afraid someone would suddenly lose control and rush out, knocking her down along the way.

The hair she’d just washed wasn’t tied up yet and now fell somewhat messily to her shoulders and chest.

Xu You gripped the railing tightly with both hands, constantly taking deep breaths, so nervous her calves were trembling.

Fumbling around in the corner for half a day, Xu You finally found a little trick.

She loosened her hands slightly, skated forward two steps—just one or two seconds—then grabbed back onto the railing with both hands.

Playing by herself like this for a while, Xu You heard someone laugh lightly.

In the direction behind her.

She whipped her head around.

Xie Ci was leaning against the railing, hands lazily folded across his chest, not knowing how long he’d been following her.

His brow bone was slightly raised. In the rather dark environment, his expression couldn’t be seen clearly.

Meeting Xie Ci face to face so unexpectedly, for a moment Xu You didn’t know how to react, her mind in complete chaos.

After he said that sentence yesterday, she’d directly cut off the phone call.

Now, this was also… too awkward…

Xie Ci had just made a movement to get up when Xu You yelled out: “Wait, don’t come over.”

After shouting, she realized her reaction was too extreme and stammered an explanation: “It’s, it’s just that I want to skate by myself first. I’m not very good at it. Don’t bump into me…”

Xie Ci raised the corner of his lips slightly. He deliberately wouldn’t comply.

In two or three steps, he skated right in front of her.

Gripping the railing tightly with both hands, Xu You unconsciously widened her eyes, feeling an impulse to take off her shoes and run away.

“Don’t panic. I’ll teach you to skate for free.” He tilted his head as if thinking, sizing up the her before him.

Wearing a white dress past her knees, hair softly draped down, because of her anxiety, there was bright watery light in her eyes.

The two were pressed very close together. Xu You’s heartbeat inexplicably became chaotic, and she took a step back.

Xie Ci felt her retreating movement. Without further ado, he wrapped his arm around her slender waist. Taking advantage of his great strength, he directly half-carried, half-dragged Xu You away from the rest area.

“Ahhhhh, let go of me, let go of me, psycho!”

Xu You struggled with her waist bent, but afraid of falling, she didn’t dare use too much force. She threw a tantrum like a child. “No no, I’m scared! I’m scared! Xie Ci, I’m scared!”

She was passively dragged along, sweat breaking out on her back from anxiety.

Having left the railing, Xie Ci became the only thing Xu You could use to support her body.

She had no choice but to lightly grab onto him, head lowered, her ears about to burn up.

Xie Ci bent down, moved close to her ear, and blew a breath of air. “Use a little less force grabbing me. My arm from yesterday still hurts.”

This ambiguous low whisper deliberately stirred people’s hearts.

Xu You believed it as true. She looked up in panic, making a sound of surprise. “Does it really still hurt?”

Not far away, someone whistled toward them, obviously having discovered this isolated pair.

Xie Ci’s fingers quietly twirled a strand of her soft, fragrant hair at his fingertips. His black tousled hair fell before his eyes, his pitch-black pupils searching her eyes. “It hurts a lot. What should we do?”

Under the continuously flashing lights, he heard Xu You’s calm and firm voice:

“Anything is fine except being your girlfriend.”

A moment of silence.

He lowered his eyes, using a slovenly voice, frivolous yet restrained, asking: “Kissing you is also okay?”

Kissing you is okay?

What about sleeping with you?

Xu You’s body trembled slightly. She raised her arm and, catching him off guard with a forceful push, pushed Xie Ci away. She skated forward crookedly.

After skating only a few steps, all the lights in the venue suddenly went completely dark, and the music suddenly stopped. The crowd on the floor erupted in excited screams.

She felt herself being embraced from behind by someone reaching out.

That person tightened his arms, circling Xu You’s waist, his chest pressed tight against her back.

Warm lips touched the skin behind her ear.

Xu You was distracted for a moment. Just about to struggle, she heard a low, hoarse murmur:

“Hey, you smell like milk.”