In the first month after the farmhouse resort opened, Xie Huai barely returned to his dorm.

He put a folding bed behind the bar and slept at the store when closing time ran too late.

Mosquitoes were still rampant in Nancheng in November. Xie Huai’s arms were covered in red rashes from bites, but he was too lazy to buy medicine. Scratching them only made them more swollen instead of relieving the itch.

Xie Huai was good at business. During slow times, he would offer half-price promotions, but only for female customers, while advertising on WeChat, QQ Space, and student groups. With more girls coming, naturally more boys followed, so the store was packed every day during the first month of operation.

During the day, Xie Huai managed the store and served customers. At night, he cleaned, maintained the grills, did accounting, and restocked supplies, making himself dizzy with busyness.

A cold front arrived in late November. After working non-stop for a month until he was half-dead, combined with a lack of sleep and low immunity, Xie Huai caught a cold.

For a month, Xia Xia had been telling him to hire help, but he ignored her. When he was trying to set up rain shelters in the rain while running a 38-degree fever, Xia Xia finally exploded.

Xie Huai became meek whenever she got angry. He didn’t dare continue with the rain shelters and closed the store for a day to rest and recover.

Xia Xia brought him medicine. Xie Huai, wrapped in a blanket and curled up in the leather chair, grinned playfully. Seeing Xia Xia’s expressionless face, he reached for her, but she angrily pulled away.

Xie Huai hugged her, his voice hoarse from fever: “I’ll find someone to help once my fever breaks.”

His face was covered in mosquito bites, looking somewhat pitiful: “Don’t be angry, don’t ignore me.”

Xia Xia had been angry, but seeing him in this state, her heart couldn’t help but soften.

Xia Xia: “Hiring people wouldn’t cost much money. You’d rather struggle alone than spend money on help. It makes me feel like being with me is putting so much pressure on you.”

Xie Huai smiled: “You get excited for half a day over a bottle of moisturizer, what pressure could you give me? Yes, I want to save more money to give you a better life, but we do need help here. After getting through the first month, we can find someone to watch the store. I wouldn’t feel comfortable teaching everything to someone else right from the start.”

Xia Xia felt ticklish from his nuzzling and awkwardly pushed him away. Xie Huai persistently grabbed and pulled her back into his arms, but his fever had left him weak. When he tried to pull her back, his arms had no strength, and they both fell backward onto the ground.

Xie Huai had wanted to be domineering for once, but not only did he fail, but he also dropped them both. He used himself as a cushion to absorb the impact, protecting Xia Xia from the fall. His elbow hit the ground as he held her waist, trying to lift her, but accidentally fell again.

Xia Xia laughed: “Xie Huai, can you handle this or not?”

Xie Huai was embarrassed but still maintained his arrogant expression: “Laugh now. I’ll deal with you once I’m better.”

After Xie Huai recovered, he hired someone to help at the front desk. Liang Yuantai’s grandmother had nothing to do at home and wanted to earn money for Liang Yuantai’s future marriage, so Xie Huai hired her for 1,200 yuan a month to clean. The work wasn’t hard, just sweeping floors, wiping tables, watering plants, and cooking. Grandmother Liang got a small spotted dog from somewhere to keep at the store, and when idle, she would sunbathe and play with the dog at the entrance.

Xie Huai visited the store every day, staying all day when busy, or leaving quickly when not, either to date Xia Xia or check inventory with Xu Dalong.

After the farmhouse resort got on track, Xie Huai rented an apartment in the university town.

It was a fully furnished two-bedroom apartment, facing south with its back to the north, located between Nan Da and the farmhouse resort, less than ten minutes by electric scooter to either place.

Xie Huai viewed the apartment several times – checking for leaks on rainy days, dampness on cloudy days, lighting during the day, and noise at night.

The real estate agent was tormented to baldness before finally signing the contract on a windy, cold day.

Xie Huai paid six months’ rent upfront. While Xia Xia was away from her dorm, he boldly went in, packed up her belongings, tied them to his electric scooter’s back seat, and transported everything to their new home.

Xia Xia had gone to attend a career seminar, and when she returned to find her dorm empty, she almost called the police thinking there had been a thief.

Zhu Ziyu reminded her: “A thief wouldn’t steal just your things.”

Xia Xia calmed down and called Xie Huai.

At that moment, Xie Huai was hanging Xia Xia’s clothes on hangers in the wardrobe. He had set her underwear aside separately. After organizing everything else, he picked up a pair of her panties by the corners and held them up for inspection, examining them inside and out, not missing a single thread.

Xia Xia’s panties were light blue with a small pearl-decorated bow in front and cloud patterns printed on the back.

They were so small, they looked smaller than Xie Huai’s face.

“So small, can they hold everything in?”

Xie Huai’s ears reddened as he imagined how the panties might barely contain Xia Xia. Pretending nothing had happened, he quietly stuffed the panties back into the underwear storage box.

He then picked up her bra, like a child with a new toy, touching the straps and then the foam cups.

“This is so thick!” he exclaimed in surprise. “No wonder the size looks different with and without clothes, there’s secret padding!”

Xia Xia’s underwear carried the lavender scent of laundry detergent, mixed with a hint of milky fragrance from being worn against her skin. Xie Huai, like a thief, held it to his nose for a sniff.

Restless and hyperactive, dizzy with joy at the prospect of living together, he went from playing with her clothes to examining her daily necessities. He curiously opened a sanitary pad and was pondering its structure and use when Xia Xia’s call came in.

Xie Huai: “You’re back already?”

He put everything away: “I’ll come pick you up, and we’ll go ask for leave from the teachers.”

Xia Xia was flustered: “Wait, this is too fast, I’m not prepared at all!”

“What do you need to prepare for?”

“Getting leave isn’t that easy! We need a long-term absence note from the counselor, the dean’s office stamp, and parent confirmation. How could my mom possibly agree to be living with a boy outside!”

“Don’t worry,” Xie Huai said, “I’ll find you a mom.”

Xie Huai had returned Xu Dalong’s car a few days ago and rode his little electric scooter at full speed back to school to pick up Xia Xia.

Xia Xia waited for him downstairs. Xie Huai put a helmet on her and took her to get the leave note stamped.

Although Yi Meixian didn’t want to agree, she was afraid Xie Huai might clash with her again if his temper flared, so she didn’t dare block their leave request. The long-term dormitory leave process was complicated, but with Xie Huai leading the way, it went smoothly.

Xia Xia had wanted to get the stamps separately from Xie Huai, thinking their goal would be too obvious if they went together – anyone could tell they were planning to live together.

But Xie Huai didn’t care. In each office, he would knock on the door, warmly greet the teacher by name, and say with a grin: “Please stamp this for me and my girlfriend.”

His face beamed with smiles and pride as if he wanted everyone to know Xia Xia was his girlfriend.

In the dean’s office.

Xie Huai called his mother, and soon a woman answered.

Xie Huai immediately put it on speaker: “Mom, I’m going to rent a place off campus.”

This was the first time Xia Xia heard Xie Huai’s mother’s voice.

Her voice was clear and delicate, her words gentle and extremely polite and measured.

Qiao Ru first asked why he wanted to live off campus, and after getting Xie Huai’s response about wanting to be with his girlfriend, she turned to tell the dean she agreed.

Just as Xie Huai hung up, Xia Xia’s phone rang – the contact showed “Mom.”

She froze.

After falling out with Wei Jinhai that year, she never returned home. During holidays, she always stayed near school doing part-time jobs to earn tuition. She rarely contacted Wu Li proactively, and Wu Li, perhaps afraid of Wei Jinhai, only occasionally texted to ask how she was doing, rarely calling.

Xia Xia answered the call, but Yan Jie’s voice came from the other end.

“Xia Xia, give the phone to the teacher,” Yan Jie said directly.

Xia Xia then remembered that on the way there, Xie Huai had taken her phone – he must have changed Yan Jie’s contact name to “Mom” at that time.

After leaving the office, Xia Xia was still in a dazed state.

Just moments ago, she had been at the career seminar, caught between hope and confusion about the future. The next moment, Xie Huai dragged her out to complete the long-term leave procedures. All her confusion and uncertainty had been scattered. Even though the future was still unclear, being with him seemed like the best possible future she could envision.

A light, biting rain began to fall, and the north wind blew into their collars, instantly chilling their skin.

All of Xia Xia’s clothes had been taken by Xie Huai, leaving her in just a thin knit sweater, shivering from the cold.

Xie Huai took off his jacket to wrap around her, but Xia Xia shook her head: “You just recovered from being sick, you should wear it- achoo!”

Xia Xia sneezed, a glistening bubble appearing from her nose. She quickly covered her face and reached for a tissue to wipe it.

Xie Huai wiped it away with his finger, making Xia Xia blush furiously: “That’s gross, go wash it off quickly.”

Xie Huai laughed: “How old are you, Sister Xia? I haven’t had a runny nose from sneezing since I was six. Your health is so poor, you should wear the jacket.”

The rain remained light and cool but not enough to soak through.

Xie Huai stopped at the market on the way, taking Xia Xia to buy groceries. Though they had occasionally gone to supermarkets together when living together that summer, the feeling was completely different now. Back then, they had both been awkward – one hiding feelings, one hurt, each lost in their thoughts, even having to carefully consider what kind of look to give each other to avoid showing anything unusual.

But now, they held hands like a young married couple.

Xie Huai followed behind Xia Xia, watching her select vegetables and bargain sweetly with vendors for discounts.

He looked up and noticed a vending machine on the street outside the market.

The machine was in a discreet location, barely noticeable unless you looked carefully.

Xie Huai stood in front of it for a while, then took out his phone to search online about different types.

When Xia Xia came out carrying groceries, Xie Huai was halfway through his research but hastily inserted coins to buy one.

“Brother Huai,” Xia Xia asked, “what are you looking at?”

Xie Huai stuffed the small box into his pocket and turned to embrace her, preventing her from peering at the machine.

He turned his face away, speaking casually: “Nothing.”

Xia Xia wandered curiously around the apartment.

The place was 80 square meters, not large but warmly decorated with clean furniture. Of the two bedrooms, only one had bedding laid out; the other just had a bare mattress.

While Xia Xia was wondering why Xie Huai hadn’t made up his bed, he opened the door and announced straightforwardly: “One room for us to sleep in, one for your study.”

Xia Xia: “…Did I agree to sleep in the same room as you?”

“No,” Xie Huai raised his eyebrows, “but what can you do if you don’t want to? Brother Huai doesn’t agree, so your resistance is like a fart in the wind.”

Xia Xia: “…”

She had never met someone so unreasonable.

“I’ll go cook first.” Xia Xia tried to move past Xie Huai but didn’t get far before he caught her around the waist and pulled her back.

“I don’t want to eat food right now,” he bit her ear, “—I want to eat you.”

Xie Huai carried her over his shoulder and tossed her onto the bed. Though Xia Xia’s head was spinning, the bed was sturdy and soft enough that it didn’t hurt.

Xia Xia pushed him: “You might not be hungry but I am! I want to eat!”

Xie Huai smiled mischievously, his long fingers undoing his belt: “Hungry? Brother Huai will give you a snack.”

Xia Xia yelped and tried to crawl toward the edge of the bed, but Xie Huai caught her ankle and pulled her back.

Her ankle was fair and delicate, small enough for his hand to encircle completely. His voice was hoarse: “Still trying to run?”

With nowhere to escape, Xia Xia pleaded: “Stop teasing.”

Xie Huai hugged her: “Xia Xia, Sister Xia—”

Xie Huai understood Xia Xia well. She was good at meeting gentleness with gentleness, and force with force. If he tried to be forceful with his “Brother Huai’s going to get you” approach, she would kick him to the floor within three seconds. But when he hid his craftiness in the corner of his eyes and acted like a puppy begging for a bone, Xia Xia’s heart would soften.

Usually, such a proud person, when acted coyly like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, but Xia Xia couldn’t resist. She relented: “Al…alright, but be gentle, okay? If you dare hurt me—”

Xie Huai took out the small box he’d bought from the vending machine. Xia Xia blushed again and asked: “Do you know what you’re doing?”

Xie Huai, relying on his extensive viewing experience, answered without modesty: “I know, I won’t hurt you.”

Outside the window, the rain grew heavier, cold wind carrying icy droplets that beat against the glass with loud taps.

The autumn room was damp, and staying still long enough made every bone feel cold. Xia Xia buried herself in the blanket, trembling almost imperceptibly. Her skin was smooth like freshly peeled egg white, seeming as if it would release water if pinched.

She heard Xie Huai tearing plastic wrapping, and nervously closed her eyes, but no touch came for a long while. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Xie Huai had taken out the item and was seriously trying to blow it up like a balloon.

Xia Xia: “……”

“Do you know what you’re doing?” she asked skeptically.

“Yes.” Xie Huai didn’t know, but not wanting to lose face, he stubbornly argued, “Have you seen Stephen Chow’s movies? This is how you use these things, you can even chew them like bubble gum and blow bubbles. What’s with that look? Don’t believe me? I’ll show you by blowing one up!”

Xia Xia: “Don’t, just hurry up.”

Xie Huai struggled greatly before managing to put it on crookedly, every movement revealing his inexperience.

Xia Xia was already nervous and now became even more rigid, her hands and feet turning cold.

“Do you know what you’re doing!” she confirmed again, “Brother Huai, don’t play with me! If you don’t know how we can try another day, I can wait…”

“I can’t wait.” Xie Huai grew angry from embarrassment, “What exactly are you doubting?”

“I’m not doubting you,” Xia Xia said pitifully, her hands and feet cold from nervousness, “I’m just afraid it will hurt…”

Xie Huai suddenly smiled. He lowered his head to kiss her, gentle and cherishing, his breath tickling her ear: “What are you afraid of when you’re with me?”

His arms were strong, his broad shoulders providing an indescribable sense of security.

Xia Xia suddenly wasn’t so afraid anymore.

…

…

Xie Huai murmured: “Don’t be tense.”

Xia Xia tried to force herself to relax, but it didn’t work. She gripped the sheets, her voice sounding close to tears as she pushed at Xie Huai: “It hurts—”

Xie Huai’s voice was hoarse: “Bear with it.”

“I can’t…” Xia Xia weakly grabbed his shoulders, pain overwhelming her reason.

Xie Huai remained unmoved, and Xia Xia hissed, speaking each word separately: “Xie Huai, damn your ancestors—”

Thunder suddenly crashed outside, the rain growing heavier, pouring down like beans being scattered.

A loud bang sounded inside the room.

—On their first day living together, the progress bar had barely moved and the main show hadn’t even started when Brother Huai, who claimed to know everything, was kicked to the floor by Xia Xia due to unmentionable technical issues. His head hit the floor as he landed, raising a large bump.

“Xia Xia, what the hell was that for?”

Xie Huai was about to confront her while holding his head, but then he saw her red-rimmed eyes with crystal-clear tears falling one by one, rivaling the rain outside.

Xia Xia’s face was flushed red as she sobbed: “I told you it hurt—”