“This year makes it eleven.”
“I didn’t have the chance then, but now I want to tell you in person.”
“I really like you.”
Very, very much.
—
“I really like you.”
The girl’s voice was soft and sweet.
Those words lingered in Lin Ran’s ears all night. He couldn’t sleep, staring blankly at the two stuffed animals by his bed, his mind completely empty, like an overinflated balloon. It wasn’t until dawn broke that Lin Ran finally managed to pull himself out of the overwhelming web that was Sheng Qingxi.
He couldn’t even remember what he had said the night before, nor how he had managed to get Sheng Qingxi home.
Lin Ran had always known that Sheng Qingxi liked him. Her feelings were different from others—there was so much devotion, so much intensity in them. But it wasn’t until she spoke those words last night that he truly understood what was happening now—
It had nothing to do with the fire, nothing to do with death.
It was only about her long-held love over the years.
For the first time, Lin Ran wanted to live—so deeply, so intensely.
Every nerve and cell in his body screamed at him: Lin Ran, live.
“Brother, wake up.”
Lin Yanyan’s soft, cat-like voice called from outside the door, followed by a gentle knock.
Lin Ran glanced at the clock on the bedside table.
08:00:47
He responded and got up, heading to the bathroom.
…
The meeting point for the No. 1 High School’s summer camp was at the school itself.
Since they would be staying there for a month, Lin Ran didn’t bring his bike; a driver picked them up. After dropping Lin Yanyan off at their grandfather’s house, he headed to the west of the city to pick up Sheng Qingxi, and the two of them went straight to No. 1 High School.
Sheng Qingxi only had a small suitcase, pink and covered with cartoon designs.
Lin Ran, of course, wouldn’t let her carry it, so when their classmates saw the school’s notorious delinquent pushing a cute, kawaii suitcase behind the school’s star student, they couldn’t help but stare.
The school star looked beautiful and well-behaved, while the delinquent appeared as fierce as ever.
The onlookers whispered among themselves, worried that Lin Ran might get dumped again.
At the entrance, Sheng Qingxi tried to take back her suitcase and head to Class Six. After all, the new semester hadn’t started yet, and she wasn’t ready for Lin Ran to find out about her transfer.
But Lin Ran wasn’t about to let her run off so easily. He knocked gently on her head and said, “Wait here. If you’re not here when I get back, I’ll go home and get rid of that little furball 2018.”
Given Sheng Qingxi’s habit of running off, Lin Ran had no choice but to use their cat as a threat.
Childish as it was, it worked.
Sheng Qingxi: “…”
During the last month of the second semester, Lin Ran practically lived in the office, so he had already gotten familiar with the teachers. Without any hesitation, he went straight to Jiang Mingyuan to ask for a favor.
Lin Ran slung an arm over Jiang Mingyuan’s shoulder, acting like they were old buddies. “Teacher Jiang, summer camp only happens once in our high school life. How about lending us your class’s treasure for a month?”
Jiang Mingyuan glanced at Lin Ran.
The teachers in the office were well aware of the gossip, no less than the students in the class. But since Sheng Qingxi’s grades were excellent, they turned a blind eye to it.
When Jiang Mingyuan heard Lin Ran’s request, he realized Sheng Qingxi still hadn’t told him about her transfer.
Jiang Mingyuan gave a fake smile after hearing Lin Ran’s request. “A month? I can only lend her to you for the trip, not for a whole month. Don’t even think about it.”
With that, Jiang Mingyuan walked away without looking back.
Lin Ran: “…”
What’s going on with Teacher Jiang? Just two months ago, he was fine, but now he turns hostile the moment Sheng Qingxi is mentioned.
When Lin Ran returned to Class One, he couldn’t resist going over to ask Old Qu, “Old Qu, has Teacher Jiang been in a bad mood lately? Every time he sees me, his face turns dark.”
Old Qu smiled mysteriously and didn’t say a word.
Lin Ran felt like both Old Qu and Jiang Mingyuan were acting strangely, but he couldn’t quite figure out what was off.
At exactly 10 a.m., the buses began to depart.
Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi sat together in the back, while He Mo and Xie Zhen sat in the row ahead. He Mo stole a glance behind them, feeling that Lin Ran had no shame. How could such a tall guy lean on someone as delicate as Sheng Qingxi? It was just absurd.
Meanwhile, Lin Ran himself felt nothing of the sort.
He leaned lazily against Sheng Qingxi’s shoulder, saying, “I didn’t sleep well last night. Let me lean on you for a bit.”
Sheng Qingxi tilted her head slightly and glanced at him.
Lin Ran’s tall frame made it obvious that leaning on her like this was uncomfortable, with his neck bent awkwardly.
She lifted her hand, gently brushing his hair. “Lin Ran, just lie down on my lap and sleep.”
Lin Ran: ???
Is this real?
Without any hesitation, Lin Ran stretched out on Sheng Qingxi’s lap, his long legs sprawling across the empty seats.
After pulling the curtain closed, Sheng Qingxi looked down, only to meet Lin Ran’s gaze.
He stared at her without blinking.
In his eyes was a burning intensity she was all too familiar with—pure, undisguised affection. There was love, desire, possessiveness, and a hint of something more—something slightly predatory.
Sheng Qingxi raised her hand and gently covered his eyes, softly saying, “Sleep.”
Lin Ran obediently closed his eyes, his long lashes brushing against her palm.
The bus was air-conditioned, and though the curtains kept the blazing sunlight at bay, the heat outside still seeped in. Everyone had gotten used to sleeping in during the summer break, so being up early meant that many students were already fast asleep in the bus.
Lin Ran hadn’t intended to sleep at all; he just wanted to tease Sheng Qingxi for a while.
But resting his head on her soft lap, his face close to her warm stomach, and with her faint scent enveloping him, he drifted off without realizing it.
When he woke up, the bus had already stopped.
As they disembarked, Lin Ran instinctively reached for Sheng Qingxi’s hand, but she stepped to the side, avoiding his grasp.
Lin Ran raised an eyebrow at her.
Sheng Qingxi glanced around the bus, noticing the other students, and whispered, “It wouldn’t look good.”
Lin Ran thought to himself that everyone had already gotten used to them, so no one would really care. But when he looked into Sheng Qingxi’s clear eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything, so he let her be.
After getting off the bus, Sheng Qingxi immediately headed back to Class Six. Lin Ran refused to give her back her luggage, insisting that he’d take it to her dorm. Sheng Qingxi couldn’t argue with him, so she just grabbed her little backpack and hurried off.
Watching her retreating figure, Lin Ran chuckled.
Like a child.
She had been much more lively recently, which had put him in a better mood as well.
The summer camp was being held at a school that functioned like a training institute. It had all the basic facilities of a regular school, and some were even more luxurious than those at No. 1 High School, such as the dormitory.
The dorms were luxurious four-person rooms, comparable to apartment-style hotels. Each floor had two rooms, housing a total of eight students per floor.
This upgrade in accommodation slightly lessened the students’ resentment over having to attend summer classes.
The summer class schedule had been set long in advance, but since the administration wasn’t notified about Sheng Qingxi transferring in, when it came time to assign rooms, she ended up in a four-person room all by herself.
Before Lin Ran went to find Sheng Qingxi, he called her.
The girls’ dormitory consisted of three buildings, and Sheng Qingxi was staying on the sixth floor of the third building.
Lin Ran had only planned to drop off her suitcase and leave since it was a girls’ dorm. But as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed that the right door was open, and it seemed no one was living on the left side. He walked up to the doorway and glanced inside.
The modest-sized living room had only one occupant—Sheng Qingxi.
Hearing movement at the door, Sheng Qingxi turned and looked over. Lin Ran stood there, leaning against the doorframe, his gaze calm as it rested on her.
Sheng Qingxi waved him over. “Lin Ran, come in. I’m staying alone.”
Hearing that, Lin Ran frowned slightly. He picked up the suitcase and walked into the living room, scanning the area before asking, “Why are you staying alone? Is no one in the room across from you?”
Sheng Qingxi nodded. “All the other spots were filled. It’s fine, I’m not scared.”
“This isn’t about being scared,” Lin Ran muttered, proceeding to check all the windows and door locks. To him, Sheng Qingxi’s safety was paramount. Knowing she was staying on the sixth floor alone didn’t sit well with him.
But this was the girls’ dorm, so moving in himself wasn’t an option.
After thoroughly inspecting the place, Lin Ran told Sheng Qingxi to unpack while he stepped outside to make a phone call.
They didn’t have classes scheduled for the day, so after lunch, there was free time.
Lin Ran took Sheng Qingxi to meet up with He Mo and Xie Zhen for lunch, and afterward, he brought her back to the dorm. The summer heat was oppressive, and he didn’t want her staying outside for too long.
As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they noticed that the lock on Sheng Qingxi’s dorm had been changed.
While Sheng Qingxi stood there in surprise, Lin Ran casually took out a key from his pocket—the one he had picked up earlier while they were out. There was only one copy of the key, and aside from Sheng Qingxi, no one else had it.
Not even him.
As Lin Ran unlocked the door, he said, “I had all the locks replaced. Make sure you close the windows and lock the doors before you go to sleep. I’ll call you tonight to check.”
Sheng Qingxi followed him inside, mumbling, “I’m not a little kid anymore.”
Sheng Qingxi had lived on her own for years. Although Sheng Lan had always treated her well, most of Sheng Lan’s attention was focused on the other children, as Sheng Qingxi was already grown.
Lin Ran always treated her as if she were a little girl who needed protection.
It was a rare feeling for Sheng Qingxi.
He cared about her more than anyone else.
When Sheng Qingxi made her remark, Lin Ran couldn’t help but knock on her forehead gently. He reminded her, “Sheng Qingxi, I don’t care how things were before. As long as you’re around me, you’re just a little kid.”
In his mind, he silently added: My little kid.
Lin Ran knew Sheng Qingxi often felt sleepy during the summer, so he hurried her off to take a nap. “If you don’t have the habit of taking naps, it’s time to develop one. After you wake up, I’ll buy you ice cream. Now, be good and go to sleep.”
Sheng Qingxi, nudged by Lin Ran’s hand on her back, walked toward the room. She turned her head and asked, “What about you?”
Lin Ran gave her a mischievous smile. “Of course, your brother has to stay outside and keep watch. What if you wake up and don’t see me? You might cry.”
Sheng Qingxi glanced at him without replying.
He seemed to have a particular attachment to the word brother.
Slowly, Sheng Qingxi made her way into the room.
Lin Ran watched the door gradually close. Just as he thought it was about to lock, Sheng Qingxi suddenly peeked her head out from inside. Her beautiful eyes gazed at him, and in a soft voice, she said, “Good afternoon, brother.”
*Click.*
The door locked.
Lin Ran: “…….”
Fuck.
Why did he even bother changing the locks?