The date ended up not happening again because Sheng Xia had a lecture on Sunday.
Zhang Shu was utterly speechless but managed to ask patiently, "Surely National Day will work, right?"
Turns out, no—because Tao Zhizhi was coming to visit, and Xin Xiaohe and Yang Linyu were also heading into the city.
It was the perfect chance for everyone to get together.
Tao Zhizhi entrusted Sheng Xia with the important task of booking accommodations. When Xin Xiaohe heard the news, she said she wanted to stay at the same place. So Sheng Xia simply booked a three-bedroom, two-bathroom homestay near the school, complete with a kitchen.
In the group chat, Xin Xiaohe asked, "Are you and Zhang Shu staying with us?"
Sheng Xia: "No?"
The school was so close—why would they stay elsewhere?
Xiao He: "Then why did you book three rooms?"
Sheng Xia was puzzled: "One for Taozi, one for you, one for Yang Linyu—three, right?"
Xiao He: " sneaky observation.jpg "
Sheng Xia: "It's a duplex. You and Taozi can stay upstairs."
Privacy shouldn’t be an issue.
With a homestay, she and Zhang Shu could still drop by to hang out.
Tao Zhizhi suddenly chimed in: "Xiaxia, is there a chance that, you know, couples might want to share a room? That would leave one room empty?"
Xiao He hastily covered: "No way, Taozi! I meant I’ll stay with you!"
Tao Zhizhi: "Really? Don’t force yourself, Xin-jie! I’ll be fine alone."
Xiao He: "..."
Sheng Xia genuinely hadn’t considered this—would Xiao He and Yang Linyu share a room?
This soon?
Wasn’t that... inappropriate?
Xiao He: "Xiaxia, why don’t you and Shu-ge come stay with us? The three of us can share one room, and those two can have the other!"
Tao Zhizhi: "Yeah! We can have meals together, watch movies, play cards!"
Xiao He: "Celebrate the holiday together!"
It did sound fun, so Sheng Xia went to ask Zhang Shu.
He replied: "What’s up with Xin Xiaohe? Why does she love sleeping with you so much? No."
Sheng Xia: "I haven’t seen her in ages."
Sheng Xia: " pleading eyes.jpg "
Zhang Shu: "So not seeing each other for a long time means you can sleep together? That’s the logic?"
Sheng Xia: "?"
Zhang Shu: "Then let’s meet next month instead?"
Sheng Xia: "..."
This was cheating!
This guy—his words were getting more and more out of line!
And she still hadn’t settled the score with him over that "soft and sweet" comment!
No matter how much Zhang Shu objected, on the first day of the National Day holiday, Xin Xiaohe still showed up in high spirits at Heqing University’s gates, hugging Sheng Xia tightly and even puckering her lips for an exaggerated air kiss.
Mwah mwah—
Yang Linyu cautiously glanced at Zhang Shu beside him.
Zhang Shu’s expression was dark: "Are you sure your girlfriend likes you ?"
Yang Linyu: "..."
Zhang Shu stepped forward, pulling Sheng Xia to his side and putting some distance between them. "Aren’t we supposed to pick someone up at the train station? Let’s go. If your scatterbrained friend gets impatient, she’ll probably start bothering the police and disrupting public order."
With that, he wrapped an arm around Sheng Xia’s shoulders and strode ahead.
Xiao He froze for two seconds before stifling a laugh. She held Yang Linyu’s hand as they followed behind, whispering, "Shu-ge’s mouth is as sharp as ever, tsk tsk tsk!"
Yang Linyu: "Why did you have to kiss his girlfriend?"
Xiao He: "Got a problem with that? Besides, I didn’t even land one!"
Yang Linyu shut up.
At the train station, they picked up Tao Zhizhi. The three girls embraced excitedly, practically spinning in place.
Zhang Shu and Yang Linyu, left holding the luggage, exchanged a look.
Yang Linyu sensed danger—was Shu-ge about to complain about Xiao He again? He hurriedly explained, "They’re really close, haha."Zhang Shu took a step back: "That look in your eyes—thinking of copying me? Don’t even dream about it."
Yang Linyu: "He’s right. Shu-ge hasn’t changed a bit. That mouth of his!"
Upon arriving at the homestay, they checked in according to Xin Xiaohe’s arrangements.
The three girls stayed upstairs, while Zhang Shu and Yang Linyu took the rooms downstairs.
After months apart, Xin Xiaohe looked completely different.
She had slimmed down noticeably, her hair now reached her collarbones, and she had delicate wispy bangs, giving off a refined, delicate vibe.
Tao Zhizhi cupped her face in her hands: "So envious! Aren’t people supposed to gain ‘happy weight’ when they’re in love? I think that’s just single people comforting themselves. Clearly, I’m the only one expanding horizontally."
"Military training saved me!" Xin Xiaohe blurted out—okay, she hadn’t changed at all, still as loud as ever. "The food at the military training base near the university district was so bad even dogs wouldn’t eat it. I lost eight pounds!"
Sheng Xia: "Yang Linyu doesn’t seem to have changed, does he?"
Xin Xiaohe: "He ate it all with relish. He’s the dog."
Sheng Xia: "Yu-ge is so innocent."
Xin Xiaohe: "Dogs are innocent too. Aren’t they adorable?"
Tao Zhizhi: "What about Xia Xia? Weren’t you two supposed to compare which school’s cafeteria was better? How come neither of you has changed at all?"
Sheng Xia: "Not sure. Haven’t weighed myself, but probably not much difference."
Neither she nor Zhang Shu seemed prone to gaining weight easily.
"Really?" Xin Xiaohe suddenly leaned in mischievously. "Let me check if there’s any change!"
With that, she buried her head in Sheng Xia’s chest. Caught off guard, Sheng Xia stumbled backward. "Xin! Xiao! He! Get off me!"
"Ahahaha!"
"There is a change! You’ve gotten softer and plumper!"
Sheng Xia couldn’t stand hearing that word now. She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Xin Xiaohe. "Shut up!"
"So scary, so terrifying," Xin Xiaohe caught the pillow effortlessly and lowered her voice. "Hey, is it Zhang Shu’s doing?"
Flustered and furious, Sheng Xia chased Xin Xiaohe, tickling her waist. "Stop talking nonsense!"
Xin Xiaohe dodged while chattering away: "Huh? Isn’t it? Shu-ge must be slacking!"
"Ahahaha!"
"Giggle giggle!"
The three girls chased each other around upstairs, laughing uncontrollably.
Downstairs, the two guys on the sofa playing video games remained silent.
This was a duplex, okay? Just a homestay, so the materials weren’t top-notch, okay? That door was practically nonexistent, okay?
Did they really think they were being quiet?
Zhang Shu shot a glare at Yang Linyu, who chuckled awkwardly in apology: "Heh, Shu-ge, don’t blame them. They’re just close, heh heh heh."
"You can’t control Xin Xiaohe at all, can you?" Zhang Shu turned his attention back to the game.
Yang Linyu rubbed his nose and muttered, "Like you can control Sheng Xia. A runaway wild horse—seems pretty even to me..."
Zhang Shu: "..."
Everyone was exhausted from the trip, so they skipped cooking and went to a local restaurant for dinner. When it was time to split the bill, they realized Zhang Shu had already paid. Even when they sent money to the group chat, he didn’t accept it.
Sheng Xia had glanced at the menu earlier—their order must have cost at least six or seven hundred.
She felt a pang of guilt. Going out always meant spending money.
Hou Junqi had mentioned that Zhang Shu stopped using Zhang Sujin’s money a long time ago, meaning everything he spent was earned by himself.
She hadn’t seen him tutoring or doing part-time jobs, so his finances couldn’t be that comfortable.
This was also why she hesitated to go on dates.
Because he would never let her pay, and she couldn’t comfortably spend his money either.Actually, just meeting up, taking a walk, talking, and hugging or kissing when they felt like being close was perfectly fine. She didn't think they needed to go out eating, drinking, and playing around to deepen their relationship. Being with him was enough.
When they returned to the homestay, Xin Xiaohe suggested everyone go to bed early since she had already packed the next day's itinerary full.
So they took turns washing up and getting ready for bed.
The three girls squeezed onto one ** bed, and the pillow talk began.
Xin Xiaohe: "Xia Xia, you're so shy. How does Shu usually coax you?"
Tao Zhizhi was also curious: "Hehe, little fists pounding his chest?"
Sheng Xia was a bit puzzled, "Coax? Why would he need to coax me? We don't really argue much?"
Xin Xiaohe: "Who said coaxing is only for arguments? Like today, when I did that thing to you, you wanted to hit me with a pillow!"
Sheng Xia still didn't understand.
Tao Zhizhi rolled over, "Huh? Don't tell me Shu hasn't...?"
Xin Xiaohe: "No way, what guy doesn't touch breasts when kissing?"
"......"
"......"
Silence fell.
Tao Zhizhi giggled: "Sister Xin, no need to be so blunt. Have some mercy on this inexperienced single dog, okay?"
Sheng Xia, having been teased all day, couldn't take it anymore and lightly retorted: "Oh? So you mean Yu did?"
Silence again.
No one expected those words to come from Sheng Xia.
Xin Xiaohe coughed lightly: "Hmph, he wouldn't dare?"
Sheng Xia: "Then this theory is..." wrong.
Xin Xiaohe: "I touched him."
Tao Zhizhi: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Sheng Xia lay flat between the two, hands properly on the blanket, blinking at the ceiling.
Do all guys touch... when kissing?
He... never has?
No matter how intense the kiss was—sometimes it felt like he wanted to devour her—his hands rarely did anything.
Thinking carefully, he usually held the back of her head with one hand while the other sometimes wrapped around her waist, sometimes...
Disappeared.
More often, he just cupped her face with both hands.
Even their bodies maintained some distance.
The closest kiss they'd ever shared was actually their first one, when he'd held her tightly as if trying to merge into each other.
Every other time, even that day on the grass with him on top and her below in such an ambiguous position, he still supported himself without pressing down on her.
Every kiss since they started dating played like a movie before Sheng Xia's eyes.
Her face gradually turned red.
Kissing was already enough to make one dizzy with desire, let alone that...
Forget it, forget it.
Don't think about it, don't think about it!
"Go to sleep! We have to get up early tomorrow." Sheng Xia grabbed the blanket to cover her face.
Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe exchanged knowing glances.
"Hehehe, we'll let you off for now!"
There was no way Sheng Xia could sleep. When she heard Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe's even breathing, she slowly opened her eyes, reached for her phone, and texted Zhang Shu.
"Tomorrow when we go out, there are many attractions. Just give your student ID to Xiaohe, and we'll split the costs together when we get back in the evening."
"Don't pay for anything!"
It was already midnight, but surprisingly, he replied instantly.
Zhang Shu: "Up so late—want to manage my money now?"
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