The sky was clear, without a cloud in sight.
The bright sunlight poured down freely over the green grass, with no hindrance at all. White sneakers stepped on the red track, the ends of hair lifting in a graceful arc as she ran.
Not far away, the basketball court was just as lively as the track.
The sharp squeak of sneakers against the ground echoed, and the basketball passed back and forth between a few hands. The same group from their basketball team was still on the court. As the whistle blew, signaling the end of the second quarter, the game paused.
Xie Zhen, a chubby boy, was drenched in sweat and hurried off the court towards the bench. He was dying of thirst.
Before he could reach the bench, Lin Ran tossed a bottle of water his way.
Xie Zhen caught it swiftly, grinning. “I’m telling you, my reflexes are seriously impressive.”
Lin Ran shot him a glance but stayed silent.
Inwardly, he thought, This kid’s confidence really hasn’t wavered a bit over the years.
He Mo walked over, grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat, and sat down next to Lin Ran. “Brother Ran, are you really not going to play today?”
Lin Ran hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t explain.
He raised his gaze toward the track, where Sheng Qingxi was running happily. Others had already finished two laps and wandered off to do other things, but she was still running, lap after lap, completely absorbed in it.
It’s just running, yet this silly girl is so happy about it.
After watching her quietly for a while, Lin Ran turned to He Mo and said, “I’m going out with Sheng Qingxi tonight. I’ll go ask Old Qu for permission later. I won’t be having dinner with you guys.”
As soon as Xie Zhen heard the word “going out,” his ears perked up. Lin Ran was taking Sheng Qingxi out again? He asked cautiously, “Brother Ran, what are you and the fairy sneaking off to eat this time?”
He Mo slapped Xie Zhen’s shoulder in exasperation. “Eat, eat, eat. All you think about is food.”
He thought to himself, Why do you insist on tagging along when Brother Ran and the fairy are going on a date? You’re just asking for trouble!
Talking about food made Xie Zhen feel a bit wronged. He had lost nearly ten pounds this semester alone. When he went home, his parents thought something was wrong with him. They kept calling him “sweetie” and practically threw money at him, urging him to buy more food.
Xie Zhen pouted. “Studying is so hard.”
He Mo patted his round head with a sigh. “Zhen, it’s probably unlikely that we’ll end up at the same school as Brother Ran and them. But we could at least aim for the school next to Ningcheng University, right?”
Xie Zhen sighed. “I was originally planning to stay in Chucheng. But when I think about how no one will be there to keep an eye on Brother Ran for the fairy, I get worried. With her personality, I bet even if she got dumped, she wouldn’t say a word about it.”
Lin Ran: ?
Wasn’t he still sitting right here?
He Mo shook his head, looking profound. “I don’t think so. It’s more likely that Brother Ran will be the one getting dumped. Just look at the fairy. Do you think she won’t have tons of people chasing after her in the future?”
He glanced over at Lin Ran. “As for Brother Ran, with that spoiled attitude of his, girls won’t want to deal with him.”
Xie Zhen thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “You’re right.”
Lin Ran: ?
All he said was that he was going out!
Lin Ran realized that ever since Sheng Qingxi had become their backing, these two had grown bolder with their words. In the past, a single cold glance from him would have shut them up. Now, it was as if they didn’t even notice.
Not wanting to stay there any longer, Lin Ran stood up, deciding to go find his Xiao Xi.
Only his Xiao Xi was truly kind to him.
The weather was perfect today, with a light breeze.
When the wind blew, it felt as soft as cotton gently brushing against your face, like a tender caress.
As Sheng Qingxi ran near the side of the track closest to the basketball court, she noticed Lin Ran standing not far away, quietly watching her. His eyes were expressionless at first, but when they met hers, a faint smile appeared in his gaze.
He stood there silently, just watching her.
Her running pace changed, and instead of continuing around the track, she turned and sprinted towards Lin Ran.
Not only did she not slow down, but she actually sped up.
Lin Ran opened his arms and caught the little figure rushing towards him.
Given that they were still at the sports field, he only held her briefly before letting go. The girl’s forehead was lightly coated with sweat, her cheeks flushed, but her eyes remained as bright as ever as she looked at him.
Lin Ran lowered his head and wiped her sweat away, his voice soft as he said, “No more running. Take a break. After class this afternoon, we’ll go out for dinner.”
Sheng Qingxi tilted her head up, allowing Lin Ran to fuss with her face. She didn’t ask why they were going out and simply nodded before pulling him along towards the basketball court.
By the time they got back, Xie Zhen and the others had already started the second half of their game.
Lin Ran twisted open a bottle of water and handed it to Sheng Qingxi. She was staring at the basketball game, took a sip of water, and then casually handed the bottle back to him. Throughout the entire exchange, she didn’t even glance at him.
Lin Ran felt a bit disgruntled.
He placed the water aside, grabbed her head, and turned it towards him, raising an eyebrow. “Do you even understand what you’re watching?”
Sheng Qingxi blinked. “At work, they often held basketball games at the unit.”
Lin Ran thought about it and realized that made sense. He was about to let it go when a more pressing thought occurred to him. He suddenly recalled what He Mo had said earlier—no matter where Sheng Qingxi went, people would be chasing after her. A pretty and lively girl like her, joining the Criminal Investigation Unit, there was no way she wouldn’t attract suitors.
His expression tightened, his voice lowering with suspicion. “Sheng Qingxi.”
Sheng Qingxi looked confused. “Hm?”
Lin Ran stared at her intently, watching every flicker of emotion on her face. His eyes narrowed, and he asked in a threatening tone, “When you were working, did anyone try to pursue you? How many?”
Sheng Qingxi: “…”
After a brief stare-off, Sheng Qingxi decided that honesty was probably the best policy. “Not at the unit. Most of my colleagues were already married. But I did go on a blind date with someone from another department.”
Lin Ran: ?
What did he just hear?
Sheng Qingxi explained in a small voice, “At the time, it was arranged by some of the older colleagues. I turned them down many times, but that time they told me it was just a department gathering. I only realized it was a blind date when I got there.”
Lin Ran gritted his teeth and growled, “What was that guy’s name?”
Sheng Qingxi blinked innocently. “I don’t remember.”
She really didn’t remember. The guy had been extremely nervous the whole time, barely lifting his head during the meal. His words were stuttered and awkward—it was likely he had been tricked into coming as well.
Lin Ran snorted. “You’d better really not remember.”
Sheng Qingxi looked at him, wide-eyed and innocent. “I really don’t.”
Lin Ran grabbed Sheng Qingxi and lifted her up lightly. “No more watching. Back to the classroom to rest.”
Watch, watch, what’s there to see? Just a bunch of sweaty guys.
Sheng Qingxi struggled in vain but ultimately had to obediently follow Lin Ran back.
She tugged at his sleeve with one hand while the other brushed her wind-tousled hair.
The sunlight gently illuminated their blue and white school uniforms, casting golden beams that streaked through their dark hair. Their figures—one tall, one short—walked neither too close nor too far apart, while the light tirelessly chased their footsteps.
Cheers erupted from the distant basketball court.
The wind blew softly, caressing the scene.
—
Afternoon, after school.
Unlike before, Lin Ran didn’t get up to let Sheng Qingxi out. Instead, he looked at the girl sitting inside with a puzzled expression and raised his eyebrow. “Pack your bag. We’re not going back tonight; I’ll take you straight home.”
Sheng Qingxi blinked in confusion. “… Weren’t we going out to eat?”
Lin Ran, seeing she was completely unaware, sighed in exasperation. “It’s your birthday today. Did you forget?”
Sheng Qingxi truly had forgotten.
Ever since she started working, she hadn’t celebrated her birthday. It was only when Sheng Lan called that she’d make time to go home. Most of the time, she was away on assignments and couldn’t return. To her, this day wasn’t particularly special.
She shook her head and softly replied, “I don’t celebrate birthdays.”
Lin Ran had learned about her birthday only once when Sheng Lan casually mentioned it. Her birthday was the day Sheng Lan had brought her to Shengkai Welfare Home, and it fell during the bloom of spring flowers.
Lin Ran smiled slightly at her, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “From now on, you’ll celebrate it.”
Sheng Qingxi pursed her lips and obediently started packing her bag.
Xie Zhen and He Mo watched as Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi left the classroom together, feeling an unexpected sense of melancholy. Ever since Sheng Qingxi transferred to their school, the three of them had always eaten together. Suddenly being left out like this made them feel a bit abandoned.
Xie Zhen frowned. “What exactly are they going to eat?”
He Mo gave him a confused look. “Didn’t you hear? Brother Ran is celebrating the fairy’s birthday.”
“What?!” The chubby boy was now genuinely upset. “The fairy’s birthday? No way, I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I’m going to celebrate her birthday too.”
With that, Xie Zhen bolted out without a second thought.
He Mo chased after him, shouting as he ran, “What are you doing? Who invites themselves to be a third wheel?”
Xie Zhen defended his case confidently, “Brother Ran hasn’t even confessed yet! How does that make us third wheels? The fairy’s been tutoring us so hard, the least we can do is buy her a birthday present!”
Hearing this, He Mo realized Xie Zhen had a point.
So, the two of them sprinted to catch up with Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi.
—
Ten minutes later, at the school gate.
Lin Ran, with a dark expression, found himself face to face with Xie Zhen and He Mo, both looking completely innocent.
He had barely managed to get a rare chance to spend time alone with his Xiao Xi on such an important day. Normally, he either had to bring Lin Yanyan along or deal with these two guys tagging along. Today, once again, he couldn’t shake them off.
Lin Ran’s face was ice-cold, a vein throbbing at his temple as he struggled to contain his frustration. “What are you two doing here?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Xie Zhen grinned. “We’re here to eat.”
He Mo coughed lightly. “And to celebrate the fairy’s birthday.”
Lin Ran was about to say something when he felt a tug on his sleeve.
Swallowing his words, he let out a soft grunt, ignored them, and simply ushered Sheng Qingxi into the car.
Seeing that Lin Ran wasn’t pushing them away, Xie Zhen and He Mo quickly rushed to get in their own car and followed closely, not wanting to miss out.
Earlier on the way, they had been speculating where Lin Ran would take Sheng Qingxi for her birthday. They even placed a bet: Xie Zhen guessed it would be some fancy restaurant, while He Mo thought it would be a private dining club.
Neither of them was right.
Half an hour later, helmets in hand, they stared up in horror at the roller coaster speeding through the air, shrieks of excitement echoing in the park. Both swallowed hard.
Sheng Qingxi hadn’t expected Lin Ran to bring her to an amusement park. She was also a bit dazed.
Lin Ran saw her staring at the roller coaster and couldn’t help but chuckle. “We’re not riding that. We’ll do something else. Let’s eat first, and then we can play.”