Chapter 54

The storm of “ding ding ding” ringing in her mind made all of Yan Xiao’s courage combust into bright red embarrassment.
Before, she hadn’t thought much of the sound. But now that she knew every ding meant his affection level was rising, her heart felt warm, and her face felt on fire.
Meanwhile, Qiu Li stood frozen, completely dazed. The shock was so overwhelming that he thought he might be hallucinating.
Had he finally lost it? Was this one of those daydreams he kept having about her?
Then he saw Yan Xiao’s face slowly, slowly turning crimson.
And he realized, no, it wasn’t a dream.
This was real.
That single word, good, sat heavy in his throat. His chest tightened with emotion so strong he could barely speak.
It took him a long time before he managed a rough, trembling, “Okay.”
The tail end of his voice quivered faintly.
The “ding ding ding”s still hadn’t stopped. Yan Xiao’s face was so red she could hardly breathe. She didn’t dare look at him anymore and quickly turned her head away.
It was late autumn now. The morning air was crisp and cool, and the ginkgo leaves blanketed the campus in gold.
Walking along that golden path, Yan Xiao blinked furiously, as if she could blink away her awkwardness. But the more she tried, the worse it got.
They’d grown up together, she should be the most comfortable around him. And yet, now she felt like she barely knew him. Something unfamiliar and fluttery tangled in her chest, making her heart race for no reason at all.
Qiu Li, having finally calmed down, looked at her flushed cheeks and the tips of her ears glowing pink. His heart softened completely.
Of course he could tell she was flustered.
Should he give her some time to get used to this?
The thought lasted barely half a second before he dismissed it entirely.
Adaptation? What’s that?
He was far too full of joy, giddy, lightheaded, completely unlike his usual composed self. The aloof, unapproachable school idol image? Gone. Even the serious “President Qiu” from work seemed like another person entirely.
His eyes curved with laughter, and the corners of his lips lifted uncontrollably as he looked at her. Finally, he asked, smiling,
“Can I hold your hand?”
Yan Xiao: “!!!”
She stared at him, dumbstruck, then stammered, “O-okay.”
The word had barely left her mouth when his fingers were already intertwining with hers, long, warm, firm, fitting perfectly between her own.
Ten fingers, tightly interlocked.
Yan Xiao: “!!”
The ding ding ding sounds went off like fireworks.
Yan Xiao was convinced the system had lost its mind.
007 (defensive): [It’s not broken!]
After being scolded by Yan Xiao, 007 finally shut up. Yan Xiao, in turn, chose to completely ignore the obnoxious ding ding ding ringing in her head. Only then did her expression begin to look somewhat normal again.
After walking hand in hand for a while, she suddenly realized, wait a second. Hadn’t they held hands plenty of times before? Why did Qiu Li suddenly ask for permission this time?
He was doing it on purpose, wasn’t he!
When she looked up, sure enough, he was smiling so hard the corners of his mouth couldn’t even stay down.
That smug, teasing look made her a little mad. She tugged at his hand and deliberately raised her voice. “You didn’t ask me every other time you held my hand. Why are you asking now?”
Qiu Li lowered his gaze, lips twitching in amusement before he finally said, “It’s different.”
Yan Xiao frowned, still pretending to be stern. “What’s different about it?”
He raised their linked hands, fingers intertwined. “Before, I was holding my friend’s hand. Now I’m holding my girlfriend’s. Of course it’s different.”
Yan Xiao: “…”
Her entire face flushed bright red in an instant.
Qiu Li tried to pretend he didn’t see it, worried she’d only get more embarrassed, but then again, they were already dating now. If she kept getting this shy, how was that going to work?
So, instead, he reached out with his free hand, curled two fingers, and gently brushed them against her cheek. “Why are you always blushing?”
Yan Xiao: “…”
Her face turned even redder.
Qiu Li couldn’t hold it in anymore, he laughed.
Yan Xiao grit her teeth. “You’re not allowed to laugh!”
Qiu Li turned his head away immediately, shoulders shaking. “Mm. Not laughing.”
But watching his shoulders tremble and the corners of his mouth curve higher only made her angrier. Why was she the only one so flustered while he could act like it was nothing?
Totally unfair!
The more she thought about it, the more indignant she became. She jabbed him in the waist. “I said, no! More! Laughing!”
Qiu Li dodged half-heartedly, still chuckling as he nodded. “Okay, okay.”
She glared harder. “You’re just pretending to agree!”
Qiu Li turned his head toward her, eyes glinting. “I’m not. I swear I’m not.”
But the smile tugging at his lips and the brightness in his eyes betrayed him completely.
Yan Xiao narrowed her eyes. “Then why are you still laughing?”
He coughed lightly, trying to suppress the grin. “Um… can I make a request?”
She lifted her chin, motioning for him to go on.
Qiu Li’s lips twitched again before he managed to hold back his laughter. “Now that the girl I like has finally become my girlfriend, I’m a little excited. So can I request permission to laugh as much as I want today?”
Yan Xiao: “…”
His eyes gleamed like starlight. “Hmm?”
Yan Xiao: “…”
She could feel the heat crawling all the way down her neck.
Where on earth did he learn to say things like this?!
Wasn’t this supposed to be both their first relationship? How could he already sound like such a seasoned flirt?!
Seeing her cheeks as red as autumn apples, Qiu Li reached out again, brushing her face lightly. “You didn’t say no, so I’ll take that as a yes.”
He looked away after that, not wanting to tease her too much, she might get so flustered she’d trip over her own feet. But the moment he turned, his grin broke free, wide and unrestrained, like a little kid who’d just been handed candy.
She’s so cute, he thought. How can someone be this cute?
Her face, her voice, even her shyness, it was all irresistibly sweet. He couldn’t stop himself from glancing back at her again and again as they walked.
By the fifth time he looked back, Yan Xiao finally burst into laughter. She tugged on his hand. “What are you staring at?”
Qiu Li: “At my girlfriend.”
Yan Xiao: “…”
She paused for a moment, then muttered, “Hey… boyfriend, can I negotiate something with you?”
The word boyfriend clearly delighted Qiu Li. And immediately, that microwave-like ding ding ding sound started up again in her mind, refusing to shut up.
“Sure,” Qiu Li said gently. “Go ahead.”
“Could we maybe, I don’t know, act a little normal?” She waved her free hand for emphasis. “Just a little bit! If you keep being like this, I, I’ll…”
Qiu Li’s eyes curved with amusement. “You’ll what?”
Yan Xiao tried to pull her hand free, but he didn’t let go.
Leaning closer, his breath warm against her ear, he murmured, “Got it, girlfriend.”
The morning campus was quiet and tender, bathed in soft sunlight. A cool breeze swept through, scattering golden leaves. That low, teasing voice by her ear carried a trace of laughter and warmth, and it froze her completely in place.
She’d thought that since Qiu Li could adapt so quickly, she’d adjust soon too. Surely after a day or two, three at most, she’d be fine.
But by the fourth day, she was still blushing every time she saw him.
And it was driving her crazy.
Her roommate had teased her about it just last night, calling her dramatic.
She felt so wronged, but couldn’t even explain why.
That afternoon, as they walked by the lakeside after lunch, Yan Xiao finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“How can you get used to this so fast?” she blurted.
Qiu Li blinked, genuinely puzzled. “Why is it that after several days, you still blush every time you see me?”
Yan Xiao’s face instantly turned red again.
After a moment of hesitation, she decided she might as well be honest.
“It’s just weird,” she said carefully. “A little awkward. We were already really close before, but suddenly turning from friends into…well, this, it’s a big change.”
Qiu Li completely understood what she meant.
But understanding was one thing, accepting it was another.
What boyfriend could stay calm hearing his girlfriend say she felt “awkward and uncomfortable” being with him?
Still, Qiu Li wasn’t upset. Just a little impatient.
“Awkward?” he repeated, pretending to be confused. “Uncomfortable? Why? Do you not like me?”
Yan Xiao: “…”
That one sentence hit her like a thunderbolt. She froze, staring at him blankly.
Then, quickly, she shook her head, panicked. “No, no! That’s not it at all!”
Qiu Li frowned slightly, his voice low and tinged with disappointment. “Really?”
Yan Xiao panicked. “I do like you! I really like you!”
The corner of his lips twitched, struggling not to curl upward. “Like what?”
Yan Xiao instinctively wanted to blurt out, Like you, I like you! But just as the words reached her lips, her brain exploded with a storm of Ding ding ding ding ding.
Yan Xiao: “???” Are you kidding me right now?!
She bit her lip, ready to swallow the words back down and ignore him. But then he looked at her with those dark, wet eyes, gazing straight at her, not blinking once. Even though she knew he was faking that pitiful look on purpose, her heart still went soft.
“I like you,” she muttered.
Qiu Li raised an eyebrow. “What was that? I didn’t hear you.”
Yan Xiao: “…” You’re too much!
Seeing he was still pretending, she grabbed him by the collar, yanked him closer, and hissed right by his ear, “I said I like you. I like you! Did you hear that?”
Qiu Li’s lips finally lost the battle, they curved upward, almost reaching the heavens. His eyes sparkled with laughter as he looked at her. “Then, can you kiss me?”
Yan Xiao’s face flamed even redder. She leaned close to his ear and growled through gritted teeth, “Don’t push your luck!”
Qiu Li smiled, utterly unbothered. “Alright.”
Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, his voice, still smooth and full of mischief, came again.
“Then can I kiss you?”
Yan Xiao: “…”

Author’s note:
Yan Xiao: No. You. Can’t!
Qiu Li: If you don’t answer, I’ll take that as a yes.