After Chen Ze and his girlfriend left, Lin Xinyuan cautiously peeked back at the retreating couple, her gaze lingering on Yu Xiaowei’s stylish silhouette.
Club activities last semester? You’ve got to be kidding me…
She couldn’t help but complain internally. That ominous premonition grew stronger, sending a shiver down her spine. She quickly turned back, intent on finishing her meal, but Qin Nanfeng’s intense gaze was impossible to ignore.
“W-What are you looking at me for! Go back to your own food…” Lin Xinyuan glared at him with feigned annoyance, looking like a tiny, angry kitten—devoid of any real threat.
“Heh,” Qin Nanfeng chuckled softly. “I’m looking at a little dummy. What, I’m not allowed?”
For some reason, when he teased her like that, Lin Xinyuan didn’t feel angry. Instead, she felt his words were strangely intimate. Suddenly, the “swimsuit” fantasy she had just had flickered through her mind again.
Blushing and flustered, she stammered, “You’re the dummy! You big idiot… just eat your food…” After that, she didn’t dare look at him again, burying her face in her bowl and pretending to be busy eating.
The two didn’t rush through their meal. By the time they finished, the sky outside had begun to dim. They took a short stroll around the campus to digest. Though Lin Xinyuan didn’t really want to leave him yet, she thought about how he had been busy all day and didn’t want him to get overtired.
Lin Xinyuan… you can’t be selfish! Be a good girl…
Qin Nanfeng saw the conflict and concern written all over her face. He chuckled inwardly but said nothing, preparing to walk her back.
Compared to yesterday, the campus paths were much more crowded. Students were everywhere. The sports field was especially lively; if not for the fact that many were still wearing masks, it would have felt as if the pandemic had never happened. Despite the school’s advice to stay in dorms, students who were fed up with online classes had too much pent-up energy to stay cooped up.
However, none of that mattered to the two of them right now.
Qin Nanfeng held her hand as they stuck to the smaller paths to avoid the crowds. While these side paths were also home to other couples—some even boldly pulling off their masks for passionate kisses—it was still quieter than the main road.
Lin Xinyuan’s eyes strayed, accidentally catching sight of a couple on a stone bench nearby. They were locked in a heated embrace, kissing so intensely they seemed oblivious to the world, their hands wandering over each other.
Her heart began to race. The blush on her ears spread all the way down to her neck. This… this is too bold…
She knew that people often did “that sort of thing” on campus or in the middle of the sports field at night, so this was technically mild. Back in high school, she had stumbled upon similar scenes and simply thought people were being adventurous. But now, whenever she saw this, her mind immediately linked it back to the man beside her.
Vivid images from her dreams and fantasies flooded her mind. As she projected herself into those strange, intimate scenarios, her heart trembled, and her legs instinctively rubbed together slightly.
At the same time, she thought back to the girl from the canteen. Although the conversation hadn’t seemed scandalous and she trusted Qin Nanfeng’s integrity completely, the memory still stung. She recalled the girl’s final look at her—was it pity? Or jealousy?
Probably both, she thought. My Brother Feng is so outstanding… everyone wants to steal him away from me.
But so what? I’m the one who’s going to be with him! I’ll stay by his side forever, as long as he doesn’t throw me away… I’ll make those girls die of envy! I won’t let them peek at my Brother Feng… absolutely not!
As these thoughts invigorated her, her gloomy expression vanished, replaced by a determined little look. She nodded to herself as if giving a pep talk, her stray tuft of hair (ahoge) swaying cutely.
The dim light of the path couldn’t hide her delicate features or the light in her bright eyes. Her dark, messy bangs danced on her forehead, matching her spirited mood.
Qin Nanfeng kept his eyes forward but watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her rapid shifts from gloom to the triumphant look of a “cat who caught the canary” were highly entertaining. He suspected she was overthinking things again, likely about the girl from earlier, but he chose not to explain further. Sometimes, over-explaining makes one look guilty; a concise, direct statement often allows the other person to fill in the blanks favorably.
They soon arrived at the girls’ dormitory. As they prepared to say goodbye, a recurring thought entered Xinyuan’s mind: If the pandemic ended now, could we live together? It wouldn’t be this troublesome… I could see his face every morning when I wake up! And then… a morning kiss…
The thought brought a mix of anticipation, shyness, and that familiar sense of “shameful” excitement. She shook her head vigorously to clear the images, but they wouldn’t fully disappear.
“Go on up and get some rest. I’m heading back to rest too,” Qin Nanfeng said, acting as if nothing was wrong. He patted her head and teased her stray hair one last time.
“Okay… okay…”
After a brief, tender moment, he turned to leave. Lin Xinyuan watched his tall figure until he vanished from sight. Only then did she snap out of her inner world and notice the eyes of the people around her.
Her heart rate spiked. There were so many more people today than yesterday. She felt a wave of discomfort, almost wanting to run or throw up. What is with those looks?!
Some girls had recognized the man who just left, and their glares toward Xinyuan were far from friendly. Even as she walked away, she felt those hostile gazes burning into her back.
Luckily, the “Damn Blonde’s” hardcore fangirls were a minority, and since they were in public, she didn’t think they’d actually “chop her up.” She hurried toward her dorm, her heart filled with indignation.
That damn blonde… Brother Feng… So many “rotten peach blossoms” (unwanted suitors)… What a total scumbag! Flirting and attracting flowers everywhere…
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