Rain pattered softly against the window panes in the night.

A warm yellow pendant lamp illuminated the conference room, casting a cozy glow throughout the space.

The flesh on Lu Shuo’s cheeks quivered, his face turning a sickly pale blue. His stubby fingers, trembling from shock, curved as he pointed at Xie Huai.

His lips flapped as he sprayed spittle: “Pervert!”

Xie Huai sat across from him, lounging lazily on the soft sofa. Xia Xia sat beside him, holding a convenience store ice cream against his face where Lu Shuo’s punch had left a swelling.

He raised his eyebrows with a rebellious expression: “If I’m a pervert, what does that make you? The pervert of perverts, a dead pervert?”

“You pretended to be a woman to deceive me, seducing me like some little demon—more like a transgender demon!” Lu Shuo was so angered by his attitude that he could barely breathe. “You deceived my feelings!”

“When did I ever pretend to be a woman?” Xie Huai countered. “From start to finish, did I ever once say I was a woman?”

“Just because I use a female avatar and ID means I’m a woman? Can’t I have my special preferences?”

“Besides, the female avatar was just my camouflage. The internet is so chaotic—as a cute and vulnerable boy, don’t I need to find ways to protect myself?”

His sophistry left Lu Shuo speechless with rage.

Jiang Jingzhou, the student council vice president, sat on the main sofa in the conference room. He held Lu Shuo’s phone, browsing through his previous chat history with Xie Huai.

Xie Huai spoke carelessly: “How is this my fault? He rejected my friend requests eight times when I used a male account. When I changed the gender to female, he not only accepted immediately but sent me flirty messages morning and night.”

He glanced at Jiang Jingzhou: “Look who initiated the conversations each time.”

Jiang Jingzhou didn’t need to look carefully—a quick scan showed Lu Shuo was the chatterbox, speaking nine out of ten times.

Meanwhile, Xie Huai rarely spoke, either acting cute and praising Lu Shuo’s capabilities or asking about where to source blankets.

He asked puzzled: “What blankets?”

Xie Huai curved his lips: “Why don’t you ask him?”

Lu Shuo’s expression changed slightly as he tried changing the subject: “You say you didn’t pretend to be a woman, so why didn’t you correct me when I called you junior sister?”

Xie Huai wouldn’t let him dodge the issue, asking Jiang Jingzhou: “Did he sell blankets last year?”

“No,” Jiang Jingzhou thought for a moment. “As far as I know, you’re the first student to set up a stall selling things on campus.”

Xie Huai smiled: “Then what he said in the freshman group was deceptive.”

Jiang Jingzhou: “Lu Shuo, what did you do?”

Lu Shuo stammered incoherently, while Xie Huai silently observed him while touching his aching cheek.

The ice cream Xia Xia bought had melted. She removed it and carefully examined Xie Huai’s face.

The swelling had gone down by half, but there was still some asymmetry between the left and right sides.

She touched it with her fingertip, causing Xie Huai to hiss in pain.

“It hurts,” he frowned childishly. “Can’t you be gentler?”

Xia Xia turned to Jiang Jingzhou and said: “Senior Lu previously posted in the freshman group claiming he had earned good money selling blankets and thermoses on campus, and offered to teach freshmen how to make money for free, but only female students. Many girls, including me, added him as a friend.”

“Nonsense,” Jiang Jingzhou said. “Lu Shuo, when did you ever sell blankets? I never knew about this.”

Lu Shuo explained: “I never sold any. I just said that to get to know more freshmen, making it easier to recruit them into departments after school started.”

He turned his accusations back to Xie Huai: “But this bastard pretended to be a woman to deceive my feelings, then deleted me after the deception.”

Xie Huai asked calmly: “How did I deceive your feelings?”

Lu Shuo raged: “You kept calling me ‘senior’ with cutesy talk and sending me kissy emojis—isn’t that deception?”

Xie Huai sat with his legs crossed, speaking flippantly: “Just because I called you ‘senior’ means I had feelings for you? You’re full of yourself. You should know that in today’s society, many cute boys like me send kissy emojis to everyone—we feel uncomfortable if we don’t send kisses at least once a day.”

“If you’re accusing me of deceiving your feelings, you’d better have evidence,” Xie Huai said expressionlessly. “Did I ever say I liked you? Did I ever confess to you? Or did I agree when you said you wanted to be with me? I deleted you the very next day, okay?”

“Even if you didn’t deceive my feelings…” Lu Shuo refused to back down, “You still deceived me about the money-making secrets, right?”

“You have the nerve to bring that up.” Xie Huai laughed upon hearing this. “You call those money-making secrets? More like imaginary secrets.”

Xie Huai continued: “Before school started, I worked at a supermarket. I got the supplier information from my friend at the supermarket. If the supermarket accused me of stealing their trade secrets, I’d have nothing to say—but who are you to make such claims?”

Lu Shuo suddenly pointed at Xia Xia, who had been sitting quietly beside Xie Huai: “You two knew each other already and conspired to deceive me, right? Did you know all along that he was transgender? I trusted you so much when I talked to you about my heartbreak.”

Xie Huai, who had been sitting properly all evening and hadn’t fought back when hit, suddenly turned cold-eyed.

He stood up and slapped away Lu Shuo’s hand: “Who the fuck are you pointing at? Try pointing at her one more time.”

Jiang Jingzhou quickly restrained Xie Huai, worried his bad temper would lead to a fight with Lu Shuo.

“I understand now,” Jiang Jingzhou said. “Neither of you is innocent, so don’t blame each other.”

He looked at Lu Shuo: “Don’t make excuses about recruiting for departments. I’m giving you a face by not saying more here—you know exactly what you were trying to do.”

“And you, Xie Huai.” Jiang Jingzhou’s expression was complex. “Even if he thought you were a woman, couldn’t you have explained?”

“Since you asked me to mediate, I say this matter ends here today. Nobody brings it up again.”

Lu Shuo protested: “No way. This is the first time in my life I’ve been played like this. I can’t let it go just like that.”

Xie Huai didn’t respond, but Xia Xia spoke up: “I also think we can’t end it like this. Senior Lu was wrong before, and Huai-ge was wrong too—those cancel each other out. But just now you punched Huai-ge and he didn’t hit back. Senior, you need to apologize.”

Lu Shuo reacted as if he’d heard something incredible: “Me, apologize to him?”

Xia Xia’s gaze was soft, her smile equally gentle: “Yes, you apologize.”

Lu Shuo didn’t even think: “Impossible.”

Xia Xia turned to Jiang Jingzhou: “Senior Jiang, please also look at Senior Lu’s chat history with me.”

She smiled sweetly: “Senior Lu sexually harassed me.”

Lu Shuo froze: “When did I sexually harass you?”

Xia Xia: “If I remember correctly, on the evening of July 15th, you asked me on QQ…”

With her reminder, Lu Shuo suddenly remembered.

He said awkwardly: “I was just asking casually, and we’re all adults anyway…”

“I’m not an adult,” Xia Xia said. “My birthday is in November. I’m still half a year from being of age.”

She recited a legal text with a straight face: “Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome actions and language with sexual implications, excluding sexual violence crimes like rape, that lead to serious consequences… Senior, if you don’t understand, I can explain it to you.”

“Your words that day had sexual implications and made me uncomfortable. Furthermore, your persistent questioning was aggressively intrusive and caused me severe psychological trauma. Because of your few sentences, I had nightmares for several days and recalled many unpleasant memories.”

Xia Xia said: “To me, this constitutes sexual harassment. You’re a student council officer—is this kind of conduct acceptable?”

Jiang Jingzhou found Lu Shuo and Xia Xia’s chat history, glanced at it for a few moments, then slammed the phone on the table: “Lu Shuo, explain yourself.”

Xie Huai leaned forward to grab the phone and see its contents, but Xia Xia held him back.

She looked at Lu Shuo: “I don’t really want to trouble Senior Jiang with handling this matter. If you apologize to Huai-ge, I’ll delete the chat history and pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, since I’m now a staff member in your department, it won’t look good for you if this becomes an issue.”

Xie Huai shook off Xia Xia’s hand and reached for the phone again.

Unable to restrain Xie Huai, Xia Xia worried he would lose his temper after seeing the chat history, so she pinched his thigh hard.

After pinching him, she felt Xie Huai’s body stiffen, and only then did she realize what she had done.

Xie Huai wasn’t Zhu Ziyu—she had just casually pinched him.

Xie Huai seemed stunned by her pinch, stopping all movement and turning to look at her incredulously.

Without turning her head, Xia Xia could feel his gaze, each inch seemingly containing a hundred question marks:

Xia Xia pinched me? Xia Xia dared to pinch me?

Lu Shuo’s face darkened: “You should know the consequences of doing this. Once this matter is over, we’re enemies. From now on, don’t even think about the External Relations Department…”

Xia Xia dug at her ear: “Is the External Relations Department so great? If I can’t join, then I won’t.”

“Besides, even if I’ve offended you, is it appropriate to threaten me in front of Senior Jiang?” She smiled sweetly. “Does getting into the External Relations Department depend on personal relationships with the department head? Using your authority for personal gains and abusing public power seems a bit unworthy of a department head position, doesn’t it?”

Lu Shuo apologized to Xie Huai and stormed out, slamming the door.

The loud door slam startled Xie Huai from his daze.

Coming to his senses, he pressed one hand on Xia Xia while using the other to grab her phone to check Lu Shuo’s messages.

On the evening of July 15th, Lu Shuo had chatted with Xia Xia.

It started as a casual conversation, but after about fifteen minutes, Lu Shuo suddenly asked: [Does Xia Xia have a boyfriend?]

Xia Xia: [No.]

Lu Shuo: [Have you ever had one?]

Xia Xia: [I dated in high school.]

Lu Shuo: [So do you have any sexual experience?]

Xia Xia didn’t reply.

Lu Shuo asked again: [Don’t tell me Xia Xia is still a virgin? What’s there to be shy about talking with your senior?]

[Let’s talk about it. Senior has the experience, I can teach you what you don’t understand.]

…

Xie Huai returned the phone to Xia Xia and got up to chase after Lu Shuo.

Xia Xia jogged behind him, finally grabbing his sleeve near the college building’s main entrance.

“Huai-ge,” she was panting from running, “don’t chase him anymore. We agreed that once he apologized to you, the matter would be over.”

“Who said it was over?” Xie Huai’s expression was cold. “This isn’t finished.”

As Xie Huai tried to continue the pursuit, Xia Xia grabbed his slender waist to hold him back: “Those things I said earlier were just to fool him. I just wanted him to apologize to you. They were just words—I didn’t suffer any psychological trauma.”

She realized she was holding Xie Huai’s waist and blushed, letting go.

“Make him apologize to me? When did I say I needed his apology?” Xie Huai raised his eyebrows arrogantly. “Is his ‘sorry’ worth anything? Why did you need to use such methods to make him apologize? I don’t care at all.”

“But I care,” Xia Xia said softly. “You’re always looking out for me. I want to look out for you sometimes too.”

“This whole thing started because Lu Shuo had impure motives and deceived people first. Although you were a tiny bit wrong too, at most you’re even with each other.” Xia Xia looked at Xie Huai’s still-swollen face, her heart aching. “He hit you, so he should apologize.”

The rain grew heavier, pattering against the brick walls and tiles, forming a muddy puddle that meandered down the steps.

“Huai-ge, you’re not mad at me, are you?”

Her face looked pitiful, completely unlike her fearless demeanor when speaking to Lu Shuo earlier, resembling a little white rabbit that had lost all its ferocity after baring its teeth.

Xie Huai suddenly didn’t want to chase after Lu Shuo anymore.

He looked at Xia Xia for a long while, then suddenly smiled: “With such a bold attitude, how exactly do you plan to look out for me?”

Xia Xia lowered her eyes submissively: “I’ll just look out for you occasionally. The rest of the time, I still need Huai-ge to look out for me.”

Xie Huai didn’t say anything more.

Xia Xia stood under the eaves, reaching out to feel the rain: “I didn’t bring an umbrella. How will I get back?”

Xie Huai took off his jacket and draped it over his shoulder: “Wait here for me.”

He dashed into the rain, disappearing moments later.

The rain grew heavier. Ten minutes later, Xie Huai returned in the rain with an umbrella he’d bought from the supermarket.

He was completely soaked, his hair dripping wet, as he beckoned Xia Xia under the umbrella.

Deep puddles had formed on the ground as he escorted her with the umbrella to the entrance of the boys’ dormitory.

The girls’ dormitory was across the way. As Xia Xia was about to head back, Xie Huai grabbed her wrist.

He smiled brightly and cleanly: “Come to my dorm.”

There was no one in Xie Huai’s dorm room.

He pulled out a set of clothes from his cabinet: “I’ll change in the next room. Have a seat first.”

Xia Xia asked obediently: “Your roommates won’t suddenly come back, will they?”

“Xin Pu went to the internet café for an all-nighter, and the other two seniors rent places off campus,” Xie Huai said while drying his hair with a towel. “No one will come back.”

Xia Xia: “!!!”

It was already strange enough that Xie Huai invited her to his dorm so late at night, but even stranger that they were the only two people there!

Xia Xia’s heart suddenly started racing. She placed her hand over her chest.

On the way here, Xie Huai had kept the umbrella tilted toward her side, keeping her completely dry.

She looked down at what she was wearing today.

Simple jeans and a knit cardigan – the most ordinary clothes that neither showed off her figure nor exposed anything suggestive. Since Xie Huai probably wasn’t suddenly struck by her beauty, why did he invite her over?

Xia Xia worried – surely he couldn’t have a secret crush on her?

She walked around Xie Huai’s dorm room.

With just him and Xin Pu, the space was quite roomy.

Xin Pu’s desk was a mess, piled with electronic devices and gaming cards, shoes scattered everywhere, bed unmade.

In contrast, Xie Huai’s side was neat and clean, and everything was in perfect order.

Xia Xia lifted Xie Huai’s bed curtain. The sheets were freshly changed, carrying the fresh scent of Blue Moon laundry detergent.

As she was looking, Xie Huai returned.

He had changed into clean clothes and dried his hair next door.

He pulled out his chair and casually said: “Sit down.”

Xia Xia sat down nervously: “Huai-ge, did you call me over for something?”

Xie Huai made a sound of assent: “Didn’t you want to see Huai-ge’s dorm? Now that you’ve seen it, are you satisfied?”

Xia Xia said: “You’re so neat it’s unlike a boy. I thought all boys were like Xin Pu, leaving things messy and not washing their clothes.”

“I can’t stand Xin Pu. It takes half a month of nagging just to get him to wash his clothes,” Xie Huai said with a straight face. “Most guys are like that, but Huai-ge is an exception. Cleanliness is my basic principle – I can’t tolerate any mess or slovenliness.”

Xia Xia cupped her face as she watched him.

Xie Huai said: “Go get that insulated box from the table over there.”

Xia Xia went to carry the box, which was quite heavy, weighing about ten jin.

When she turned back, Xie Huai had set up a small table on the floor and taken out a cooking pot from the cabinet.

Xia Xia opened the box in her hands to find various fresh, washed ingredients.

—Sliced beef rolls, tripe, meat slices, river prawns, meatballs, along with mushrooms and vegetables. At the bottom of the box was a package of hotpot seasoning and two cans of cola.

Xie Huai poured water into the pot and plugged it in: “You’ve been with me for about a month now? Consider this the boss treating you to a month-end dinner. I just bought the pot and voltage converter the day before yesterday – let’s test how they work.”

Xia Xia was practically drooling when she saw the meat.

She stared hungrily at the gradually boiling water in the pot, but hesitated: “But it’s already 8:30, and school rules say we can’t stay in the opposite sex’s dorm after 9:00.”

“What are you afraid of?” Xie Huai said casually. “Later you can wear my jacket and put the hood up – no one will recognize you.”

So Xia Xia relaxed, eagerly sitting across from Xie Huai to watch him cook the hotpot.

Outside, the rain grew heavier. The sound of raindrops splattering on the ground mixed with the noise of water rushing through the drainage pipes, creating a muffled and chaotic symphony.

The humid air seeped through the window screens, bringing a hint of coolness, while sitting around the cooking pot provided warmth.

The alternation between cool and warm was supremely comfortable.

It was perfect weather for hotpot.

Xie Huai prepared the dipping sauce for Xia Xia and opened her drink. All Xia Xia had to do was sit and eat.

Her mouth was covered in chili oil as she smiled blissfully: “It’s been so long since I’ve had hotpot.”

Xie Huai asked: “How long is ‘so long’?”

Xia Xia thought seriously: “About seven or eight years, I guess. That year on my mom’s birthday, my dad took us out for hotpot once, and we never went again after that.”

Xie Huai put a slice of meat roll in her bowl: “Ping Jiapeng never took you?”

Xia Xia: “…”

Her expression changed slightly as she put down her chopsticks: “How do you know Ping Jiapeng?”

Xie Huai chewed on a mushroom and said casually: “I don’t know him. When you fainted that time and I helped get your cup, I saw your names written on the bottom.”

Xia Xia made a soft “oh” sound: “The thermos was a gift from him. It was both unromantic and old-fashioned. There used to be a heart drawn on the bottom too, but it wore off later.”

Xie Huai’s face showed no emotion as he commented offhandedly: “Quite precise wearing.”

As Xia Xia reached for the chili oil, suddenly there was an urgent knocking at the door. Her hand shook, accidentally spilling half the bottle of chili oil on her knit cardigan.

Xie Huai made a “shh” gesture telling her to stay quiet, and called out: “Who is it?”

Li Zhelin’s voice came from outside: “Xie Huai, I need to talk to you about something. Open up.”

Xie Huai: “Not free now. Talk tomorrow.”

Li Zhelin went quiet.

Xie Huai said to Xia Xia: “There are tissues in my wardrobe. Take some to wipe your clothes.”

Xia Xia went to open the wardrobe door. Xie Huai suddenly remembered something and quickly said: “Wait!”

But Xia Xia was too quick – before he finished speaking, she had already opened the door.

In that instant, all the dirty bed sheets and pillowcases that Xie Huai hadn’t washed and had hidden in the cabinet came tumbling down on Xia Xia’s head.

Xia Xia removed what was hanging on her head, and three T-shirts and two pairs of pants rolled out as well.

Xia Xia: “…”

Xie Huai: “……”

“I…” Xie Huai grew uncharacteristically embarrassed. “It’s not that I’m not clean. I haven’t had time to wash them.”

Xia Xia knew that besides attending classes, Xie Huai had to earn money and was incredibly busy every day. She thought for a moment: “Isn’t there a washing machine downstairs?”

“I don’t like using the boys’ dorm washing machine,” Xie Huai frowned. “Some guys are so dirty and messy. It’s bad enough they throw in their underwear and socks, but they even throw in their sneakers.”

“I’ll help you wash them,” Xia Xia folded his dirty clothes. “I’ll use the washing machine in the girls’ dorm.”

Xie Huai: “Don’t bother. My clothes aren’t very clean – girls would definitely find it disgusting.”

“Then I’ll wash them by hand,” Xia Xia said. “I don’t have much to do anyway.”

She took a bag from the table and packed Xie Huai’s clothes.

Xie Huai held her back: “I said don’t bother. You’re not my girlfriend – what’s the point of having you wash my clothes?”

Xia Xia blinked and asked: “So if I were your girlfriend, I could help wash your clothes?”

“That would be even worse,” Xie Huai said. “I couldn’t bear it.”

Xia Xia looked at the time: “It’s 9:30, I need to go.”

Xie Huai didn’t let go, still holding her: “We’re only halfway through the meal. What’s the rush? Are you angry because I mentioned Ping Jiapeng earlier?”

Xia Xia shook her head: “No, if I were angry I wouldn’t help wash your clothes.”

“Then stay until we finish eating.”

Xia Xia explained: “I’m full, and it’s not appropriate to stay in the boys’ dorm so late.”

Xie Huai still wouldn’t let go. Just as Xia Xia was about to speak, there was another knock at the door.

Knock knock knock, three heavy raps.

Xie Huai said impatiently: “I already said I’m busy now. Can’t you come back tomorrow?”

“Student, room inspection.”

Xie Huai and Xia Xia both froze.

Xia Xia: “Don’t they usually inspect at eleven?”

Xie Huai’s eyes darkened: “It’s that bastard Li Zhelin.”

Xia Xia bit her lip: “What should we do?”

Xie Huai thought for a moment: “No time to clean up. Go hide on my bed. Don’t let the teachers see you, or we’ll both get demerits.”

Xia Xia said: “Never mind, I ate hotpot with you, so I’ll take the punishment with you.”

Xie Huai pushed her toward the ladder: “Hurry up, don’t dawdle.”

Xia Xia climbed onto Xie Huai’s bed. Xie Huai hid her stool and dishes under the bed: “Hide under the blanket.”

Xia Xia was covered in red oil that hadn’t been wiped clean. If she got directly into the blanket like this, Xie Huai would have to wash his sheets tomorrow.

After thinking for a moment, she took off her knit cardigan, folded it, and placed it at the foot of the bed, wearing only a thin black-strapped top as she crawled under Xie Huai’s blanket.

The dorm light was dazzling. She covered half her face with the blanket, nervously staring at the pendant lamp on the ceiling.

Xie Huai opened the door to a crowd of people outside.

Two dorm supervisors and several students conducted room checks, with Li Zhelin at the back.

Xia Xia heard Jiang Jingzhou’s voice among the inspecting students: “Xie Huai, you’re cooking hotpot in your dorm?”

Xie Huai made a sound of agreement and said calmly: “Yeah, want to join?”

Dorm supervisor: “…”

Li Zhelin scanned the ingredients in the pot: “You can’t eat this much by yourself. Something’s not right – Xin Pu must be here too.”

“Xin Pu isn’t here,” Xie Huai said. “I’m eating alone.”

“Who are you trying to fool?” Li Zhelin went to lift Xin Pu’s bed curtain, but no one was there.

Xie Huai: “I already said it’s just me. What the fuck are you nagging about?”

Li Zhelin moved to lift Xie Huai’s bed curtain. Xie Huai pushed him away: “Li Zhelin, what’s your problem? Even if you suspect Xin Pu is in the dorm, why do you need to check my bed? He has his bed – why would he be in mine in broad daylight? You think I’m gay or something?”

Jiang Jingzhou couldn’t help laughing as he explained to the dorm supervisor: “Xin Pu couldn’t possibly be in his bed.”

Seeing the supervisor’s skeptical expression, he walked to Xie Huai’s bedside: “Teacher, since you’re suspicious, why don’t you just let her look?”

Xie Huai watched Li Zhelin coldly and warily, completely missing Jiang Jingzhou’s movement beside him.

Jiang Jingzhou lifted his bed curtain: “See? No one. Oh, you didn’t make your bed this morning.”

Following the principle of going all the way to help a good friend clear his name, he grabbed the corner of Xie Huai’s blanket: “Xie Huai is quite particular. He’s very obsessive about his things and never lets anyone on his bed. If there was someone in his bed today, I…”

He lifted the blanket and his words suddenly cut off mid-sentence.

Xia Xia’s hair was tousled from being under the blanket, and she was lying there wearing only a thin-strapped top.

All sixteen eyes from the eight people below simultaneously turned their gaze toward her.

The ceiling light shone on her bare arms and shoulders, making her entire form glow as white and bright as snow.

And within that dazzling whiteness was a hint of light crimson.

Though autumn in Nancheng was cool, last night’s mosquitoes had been aggressive, leaving several large bites on the most beautiful part of her shoulder.

Normally these would just be mosquito bites, but in this moment and this situation, they looked particularly striking, carrying a subtle hint of intimacy.

The air fell into an awkward silence.

Seeing Xie Huai’s mortified expression, Xia Xia thought this was truly a case of being caught red-handed with no way out.

She laughed awkwardly, waved her hand, and gave a dry greeting to the teacher:

“Hi…”