Old Baldy's English classes were always back-to-back, so it was two hours later when class let out.
Xiao Yu followed Ye Qingli to the girls' dorm to get his jacket. She went upstairs while he waited downstairs. A few passing girls still stole glances at him—after all, he was the crush of many.
When Ye Qingli came down, she took in the scene. She suddenly felt that having a good-looking face in this era was a real advantage.
Back in the day, teachers would scold boys who didn't study, saying looks were useless and they'd end up doing manual labor to support a family. But not anymore. Just a couple of days ago, she saw a post from a former male classmate who was now doing live streams. Because he was good-looking, he could randomly stream for a few hours and make thousands a day.
This example made Ye Qingli think that someone with Xiao Yu's looks could always make a living anywhere. Even if he didn't like streaming, he could become a male model and earn well.
"..." What was she thinking?
Ye Qingli shook her head lightly. The paper bag she handed to Xiao Yu had a faint fragrance—the familiar scent of camellia.
It smelled just like her clothes: light and comfortable.
She pulled back her fair hand, which was faintly flushed from the cold, and turned to leave. "Here's your jacket. I'll head up now."
Suddenly, a force grabbed her wrist.
"Are you still mad at me?"
Ye Qingli paused, looking down at the large, bony hand on her wrist. The veins on the back of his hand were slightly pronounced. Xiao Yu's fingers were beautiful—long and straight, perfect for rings, like a hand model's.
She pursed her lips. "No."
Actually, there wasn't much to be angry about. She had been at the breaking point that night after being wronged, and he felt she had agreed to something and then gone back on her word. From either perspective, it was natural to blame the other. The mistake was that neither had been willing to lower their head and resolve it.
Besides, she later learned from Xu Yan that Xu Qingsong had said Xiao Yu had a fever after returning from Gu Cheng. He had lain in the dorm all day without eating a single meal. When he found out she had gone to see Huang Xu, he went out to find her despite the fever.
To her, Xiao Yu might have been angry that she broke her promise. But from his perspective, he was just afraid Huang Xu would hurt her.
There were no good people in Huang Xu's family.
Ye Qingli had learned that the hard way.
"I owe you an apology for what happened that day," Xiao Yu said. Seeing that she didn't seem in a hurry to leave, he relaxed and let go of her wrist.
"You already apologized that day," she reminded him, her curled lashes fluttering. Since he was giving her an out, she might as well take it. After a moment's thought, she added, "And I was wrong too. I failed to keep my promise. I'm sorry."
"So you really quit the Youth Association?"
It seemed Xu Yan had been bought off by Xu Qingsong. Xiao Yu knew everything about her now. After not seeing each other for half a month, he blurted out this question, a hint of impatience in his tone, as if he had been holding it in for a long time.
Ye Qingli took a deep breath. "Yes."
All along, she had desperately wanted to escape the conflict between Xiao Yu and Huang Xu. She felt she had been dragged in for no reason and thought quitting the Youth Association would make things easier. But when she actually stepped away, she found that wasn't the case. In fact, she felt a little unhappy.
She remembered all the ridiculous excuses she had made to avoid Xiao Yu's entanglements. Now that her wish had come true, her heart felt like a heavy stone was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe.
This outcome was something she had once longed for.
Just as she was lost in thought, Xu Yan's words suddenly popped into her head: "Honestly, do you kind of like Xiao Yu?"
In the past, she would have immediately denied it. But this time, she hesitated.
It seemed she already had an answer in her heart.
Xiao Yu rarely saw her absent-minded. He fiddled with the paper bag in his hand, thought for a moment, and said, "Do you have class later? If not, come have dinner with me."
Ye Qingli didn't have class, but she wanted to get her head straight. She clearly remembered why Xiao Yu had approached her. She was about to refuse when she suddenly remembered he hadn't accepted the money she had given him. She hesitated, then asked, "Are you paying or am I?"
Xiao Yu was about to say, "Of course I'm paying," but then she added, "If you're paying, I'm not going."
Xiao Yu was taken aback. He had dated quite a few girls. Although he never actively gave gifts, he occasionally treated them to meals. Those girls always thought he was rich and would try to take advantage of him, ordering things they couldn't normally afford and then acting cute to get things they couldn't usually buy.
He had encountered so many that he thought all girls were like that. This was the first time he met one who wanted to pay. He couldn't help but laugh. "Are you trying to save me money?"
Ye Qingli had to admit he looked really good when he smiled. Maybe she had been too annoyed with him before to notice his charm, but now she blushed and avoided the question. "I just think you've treated me several times, and I haven't treated you yet."
After a long pause, he laughed again. "Alright, you pay then."
"After all, I really want to have dinner with you tonight."
...
"I finally get to treat you, and you want to go to the night market?"
Winter nights always came early. The moonlight was like frost, hanging high in the dark sky. The alley was bustling with people.
Some vendors were so skilled that crowds were swarming in front of their carts. They passed a barbecue stall where the light on the cart made the stainless steel skewers shine. The owner sprinkled some oil on the meat, and a flame burst up. Though it was smoky, the smell was amazing.
Xiao Yu glanced down at her and said in a mock serious tone, "I'm just thinking of you. What if you didn't bring enough money and we get held hostage? How embarrassing would that be?"
"..." Couldn't he just say he was saving her money instead of saying something so annoying? Ye Qingli followed his lead and nodded. "I didn't think it through. I should have brought no money at all, so I could watch Princess Xiao wash dishes."
"...You're really hooked on that nickname."
"Don't you like it?"
"When have I ever liked it?" Xiao Yu felt she must have misunderstood him. The sharpness between his brows faded, replaced by a childlike pout. "I only played along that day, got it?"
Ye Qingli looked up at his profile, then shrugged. "Oh."
"..."
Somehow, now that they were closer, she seemed a bit more annoying.
They passed a stall selling soufflé pancakes. A few girls were in line. The vendor was also a young woman, who looked like she had just graduated and started this stall. Wearing a mask, she asked the customer what flavor they wanted, then poured some cream on the pancake. The bracelet on her wrist swayed with her movements, sparkling.