Shen Xiyan didn’t sleep well last night.
He dreamed of Qin Sheng’s snow-white hips, then woke up in a mix of numbness and a racing heart, his crotch burning hot.
Reaching down to touch himself… he was more than ready.
A huge wave of shame washed over him. He quickly pulled back the covers, rolled over with the agility of a carp, got up, changed clothes, and then sank into emptiness and confusion.
Is this what “overflowing vitality” means?
After all these years, he was still experiencing this kind of thing.
In his previous life, it only happened once—right when he was entering puberty, caught off guard.
After that, with the company of San Shang Teacher, Qiao Ben Teacher, and Shen Tian Teacher, he self-taught the joys of a boy in puberty.
Left hand, right hand, slow motion. Right hand, left hand, slow motion, replay.
It must be that Qin Sheng had been teasing him too much these days. His suppressed feelings transformed into heat inside his body, and the entire bathroom smelled faintly of heather blossoms.
The washing machine was definitely off-limits today; he had to wash by hand obediently.
After finishing, the sound of a door opening came from Wenwen’s room.
Shen Xiyan saw Wenwen step out with dark circles under her eyes, her gaze blank, hair a mess, and a sleepy little face clearly not fully awake.
“Really! You insisted on going to the hospital. If you hadn’t, you could’ve slept at least two more hours…”
Wenwen yawned. “Then I want to go too! Please squeeze some toothpaste for me, thanks.”
“Why aren’t you just lazy to death?”
Shen Xiyan squeezed the toothpaste for her, then moved slightly to the side.
Wenwen’s eyes went wide. “Hey… that’s my facial cleanser.”
“I know, but today I’m feeling very ‘oily’…”
After using it, Shen Xiyan had to admit that expensive products really were worth it.
His skin wasn’t dry at all; it was smooth and slippery, with a creamy scent.
Wenwen was even more meticulous. While she was massaging her cheeks in circles with her fingers, Shen Xiyan had already picked up his electric razor and started shaving.
“Why are you staring? You want to try too?” Shen Xiyan asked, looking at her reflection in the mirror.
“No… where did you get an electric razor?”
Wenwen remembered very clearly that her brother’s razor was just an ordinary stainless steel one, used for years, shaving every other day without fail.
“Lin Ci gave it to me.”
“Why would Sister Lin Ci give you that?”
“My birthday’s next month…”
“Your birthday next month, but she’s giving it to you this month?” Wenwen didn’t quite understand, her tone tinged with jealousy. “And my birthday’s next month too. Why didn’t I get one?”
“This one’s urgent. The manual razor always cuts my mouth. Lin Ci knows to pity me; your little sister doesn’t even care…”
“Bleh bleh bleh~~ You always bully me, why pity you?”
“Brush your own teeth; I’m going to see if Lin Ci’s awake.”
Sunlight streamed through the crack in the curtains.
On the soft big bed, the blanket was slightly raised in a lump.
Probably because she didn’t sleep soundly, the entire quilt was skewed to one side, with both edges hanging to the floor. Her delicate pink feet curled up from the cold, and she curled herself into a ball.
The alarm rang right on time.
“Ugh…!”
Lin Ci reached out with her small hand to grope beside her pillow, then pulled her phone into the blanket.
She played the voice message Shen Xiyan had sent.
【Hurry up and get up, or if you go out with your parents, how can I carry you?】
“Hmph! Who asked you to carry me?”
Lin Ci snorted, then held down the screen, turning it into a little clip: 【My foot is almost healed. I won’t need you to carry me today. Wait for me…】
Actually, Lin Ci really wanted Shen Xiyan to carry her.
But in this season, the mornings were stuffy and hot. Every time he carried her, Shen Xiyan would be drenched in sweat, and Lin Ci felt a bit sorry.
So Shen Xiyan waited right outside her door.
***
After a while, when he saw Lin Ci come out with her backpack on, he froze.
Today, she wore twin ponytails. With every step, those sweet arcs bounced on either side of her shoulders.
She wore a loose white crewneck T-shirt that exposed her delicate collarbones, paired with shorts that revealed her long, fair legs.
With Lin Ci’s looks, a little dressing up was enough to make Shen Xiyan’s eyes light up.
“Why the twin ponytails all of a sudden?”
“It’s too hot to wear it down…” Lin Ci was a little nervous. “How is it? Does it look bad?”
“Not at all, it’s got a certain charm.”
Shen Xiyan wasn’t sure if it was because his brain was overflowing with desire.
Seeing Lin Ci now, he kept wanting to open some little Japanese websites.
“What charm?”
Lin Ci thought she shouldn’t get too excited over such a simple compliment, but she couldn’t control the upward twitch of her lips, and the sparkle in her big eyes couldn’t be hidden.
Without thinking, Shen Xiyan replied, “Feminine charm, twin ponytails plus attack speed…”
Lin Ci shook her head. “What does ‘plus attack speed’ mean?”
Shen Xiyan silently slapped himself in the face.
… Never mind what I just said.
Lin Ci was truly beautiful, but unlucky.
Why? Because Qin Sheng overshadowed her.
It was like everyone knew the world’s highest peak was Everest, but how many knew the second highest was K2?
Some might say “people” and “mountains” are different, but both were stunningly beautiful.
But don’t forget, many high schoolers didn’t expect to date, so naturally, they went for the prettiest girl in school. Unless someone genuinely liked Lin Ci, she barely had any presence.
“Xiyan~~”
“I was complimenting you… so no need for me to carry you today?”
“No… we’re good. Let’s go.” Lin Ci smiled, satisfied.
Though she didn’t understand what Shen Xiyan said and felt a little embarrassed, deep down she held a secret pride.
Because Shen Xiyan’s eyes didn’t lie.
As for the twin ponytails… hmm, better ask Baidu.
She pulled out her phone.
【Twin ponytails… plus attack speed… what does that mean?】
Confirmed… search!
The group had just gone downstairs when Lin Ci’s face flushed red. She raised a hand and mercilessly smacked Shen Xiyan’s head, who immediately shrunk his shoulders and whimpered, dodging.
Feeling teased, Lin Ci’s heartbeat quickened. Just imagining the moment Shen Xiyan grabbed her hair and bopped her bottom made her heart leap up to her throat, stirring her blood hot.
Pretending to be angry was the best way to hide her shyness.
What exactly was this guy thinking?!
“Ah! Don’t hit! Don’t hit! Why did you suddenly hit me?”
“What nonsense were you just spouting?”
“I… ah! Easy, easy! There are so many people outside… Wenwen is still watching… I’ll hit you back when we get home.” Shen Xiyan hurried to defend himself.
Lin Ci “hmph”ed, pouted her lips, trying to look stern but couldn’t help bursting out laughing, the corners of her eyes and brows lifting with amusement.
She really felt that Shen Xiyan had been different these past few days—not just “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but genuinely more lively and less dull than before.
This kind of playful, sometimes naughty chatter was something she never dared to imagine before.
Was this the result of Qin Sheng’s “training”?
If so, shouldn’t she be thanking Qin Sheng?
Why did girls always like bad boys?
Because honest guys were usually wooden, and who wanted to live with a wooden person forever?
Lin Ci didn’t like bad boys, and Shen Xiyan wasn’t one.
She liked everything about Shen Xiyan; this was just icing on the cake.
Thinking that, Lin Ci recalled that blush-worthy mental image again.
Twin ponytails were apparently used like this?
Her legs felt hot and tingling, and she smacked his head harder.
Damn it!