The clear male voice was magnetic and gentle, yet it made the girl shiver.
“I… I…” Lin Xinyuan was panicking. She tried to break free from that large hand, but the result was predictable—a futile effort.
Moreover, there were people passing by. She didn’t want to humiliate Qin Nanfeng in public.
“I accidentally overslept… I’m sorry…”
The girl’s eyelashes trembled. Qin Nanfeng didn’t say a word; he just looked at her with a smile.
Just as her scalp began to tingle from his gaze and she started wondering what on earth this guy was up to, Qin Nanfeng finally spoke: “Let’s go. We’ll eat first.”
“Ah…” Lin Xinyuan looked dazed, somewhat shocked.
This guy… his reaction is so mild this time? Or is he still thinking of a way to tease me? That would be truly wicked…
“What’s wrong? Is Xiaoyuan not hungry?”
Qin Nanfeng squeezed her small hand and raised an eyebrow, acting as if nothing had happened, as if he had no grievances about waiting under the dormitory for so long.
Lin Xinyuan hurried to steady her mind, forcing her expression to remain calm. “No! I’m… I’m hungry…”
Forget it… why think so much? Maybe I’m just judging a gentleman’s heart with the soul of a scoundrel?
Bah… since when was this Stinky Blondie a gentleman!
Despite her thoughts, her guard remained high. She was truly afraid this guy was preparing some kind of trick.
However, throughout the walk, Qin Nanfeng really didn’t do anything. At most, he squeezed her hand or asked how she was getting along with her roommate.
Faced with Qin Nanfeng’s apparent indifference and his constant stream of caring questions, Lin Xinyuan—who already had very little resistance against him—found her vigilance slipping. Unconsciously, she forgot about the possibility of “calculated revenge” and gradually immersed herself in the Stinky Blondie’s tenderness.
Even at this point, Qin Nanfeng made no move, maintaining his gentle smile. By the time the girl realized how “infatuated” she was acting, she felt a wave of shame, convinced she had simply overthought things.
Approaching 8:00 PM, the main cafeteria had already closed. Only the small cafeteria on the first floor of the boys’ dormitory remained open, selling mostly noodles and snacks.
Perhaps the conversation along the way had been effective, as the girl was now acting very affectionately toward Qin Nanfeng. She had completely let her guard down, her small face flushed red behind her mask.
As they entered the small cafeteria, Lin Xinyuan immediately spotted a sign for “Northeast Malatang.” Smelling the fragrance in the air, she felt her stomach growling. Though she had eaten her fill at lunch, a long time had passed since then.
“Brother Feng, let’s have Malatang!”
Lin Xinyuan’s almond eyes sparkled as she looked expectantly at the young man beside her, her eyes looking as if they contained the stars. Come to think of it, she hadn’t eaten this in a long time; it was quite delicious as an occasional treat.
Since there weren’t many people in the cafeteria—mostly couples like themselves—the reduced crowd made her feel relaxed.
Looking at the girl’s bright, watery eyes, Qin Nanfeng felt as if he could see through the mask to the angelic, radiant smile beneath. A flicker of triumph flashed quickly through his eyes, hiding a trace of darkness. He remained calm on the surface, his mind calculating.
“Sure, we’ll do whatever Xiaoyuan wants.”
Seeing the young man acting as obedient as a large dog, Lin Xinyuan didn’t realize anything was wrong. She only felt that Qin Nanfeng was exceptionally gentle tonight.
At this thought, her heart rate accelerated. Her heart felt incredibly sweet, and she unconsciously gripped his hand tighter, even swinging it lightly as they walked toward the Malatang counter.
When eating Malatang, Lin Xinyuan’s favorites were the skewered tofu and bean puffs. She picked plenty of those, filling the rest of her bowl mostly with vegetables. She didn’t like the meatballs; in the past, she didn’t mind them while eating, but shortly after finishing, she would feel nauseous, her mouth would turn sour, and she’d feel an urge to gag. It was miserable.
So, she took as few of those as possible and added a portion of thin rice noodles. That was her dinner. Qin Nanfeng’s selection was much the same. In that regard, they were quite alike.
While waiting for their food, Lin Xinyuan watched Qin Nanfeng use his phone. Staring at his long, powerful fingers, her mind began to wander again.
Thinking about how in sync she was with Brother Feng made her incredibly happy. She suddenly had the urge to hug him and nuzzle against him…
Wait… what the heck! What am I thinking? How can I be so shameless!
The girl quickly caught herself. Her sweet mood was tinged with a hint of bashful annoyance; she felt herself becoming more and more dependent on the person beside her.
Am I… truly unable to live without this guy?
Amidst her random thoughts, their number was called. Dinner was quiet, with only occasional bits of conversation. With no one else around, Lin Xinyuan’s “true self” emerged; she ate until her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel.
Qin Nanfeng didn’t say much, stopping his chatter to ensure the messy eater wouldn’t choke. Lin Xinyuan soon felt full but had a small portion left over, which Qin Nanfeng finished for her—as if he had expected this outcome all along.
After finishing, the young man suggested a stroll around campus to aid digestion before heading back. Lin Xinyuan naturally agreed. After all, today was the first day of her reunion with Qin Nanfeng. She didn’t want to go back so soon. She wanted to stay with him forever.
In the university campus at night, the streetlamps hung high. A pair of lovers walked and paused, the lights stretching their shadows. They held hands, feeling each other’s warmth and presence.
Even though it was night and a “special period” (the pandemic), the playground was still lively. There were even more couples out at night than during the day.
Lin Xinyuan’s left hand was almost completely enveloped by the young man’s warm, large hand. They walked side-by-side along the edge of the field. The ambient noise seemed to be filtered out by an invisible barrier; she felt nothing but a total sense of security because of the man beside her.
This place…
Unconsciously, they arrived at a familiar spot. Lin Xinyuan’s footsteps stopped. She looked at the dark corner shaded by trees, and her mind instantly flashed back to several months ago.
At that time, Lin Xinyuan had been like everyone else, just a normal student going for a night run on this field. She never imagined that by a twist of fate, that strange jade bracelet would hit her on the head, triggering the bizarre transformation of her body.
When she first discovered she was turning into a girl, she had been filled with despair and panic. She had loathed herself, unable to accept the sudden change, even considering ending it all.
But now, she no longer gave up on herself, nor did she regret it. Perhaps there was still some lingering reluctance… but regardless, she felt a heartfelt sense of luck. It was because of that jade bracelet that everything happened.
Otherwise, she might still be wandering aimlessly, thinking only about working after graduation to contribute to her broken family. In the end, it would likely have been for nothing, and her relationship with Qin Nanfeng would have completely collapsed.
“What are you thinking about?”
The gentle voice came from beside her. Lin Xinyuan felt her earlobe itch. She turned her head, her beautiful eyes so watery they looked ready to overflow. Her head felt a bit dizzy from his excessive tenderness.
She instinctively retorted, “Nothing…”
The girl’s voice was soft and sweet, as delicious as iced grapes in summer.
“Is that so?”
In the dark corner, the young man’s breath was hot and ambiguous, brushing against her earlobe. Suddenly, he let out a low laugh, his tone shifting into something unsettling.
“Then that’s a good thing… wouldn’t you say? My Xiaoyuan.”
“…”
The girl froze, her pupils shrinking. But before she could break away from the large hand that was already starting to misbehave and run away, her mouth was covered, and she was dragged into the darkness.
“Xiaoyuan… you really are too disobedient…”
“Heh, daring to stand up your boyfriend… you need to be properly punished…”
“Mph… mph-mph!”