Xia Miao valued her personal space greatly. Of course, to avoid unnecessary conflicts, she didn’t live in the school dormitory but instead bought an apartment off-campus.
Apart from Luo Xiaoluo, she had never brought anyone else back to her apartment.
The young man before her was the first.
He had already changed out of the tattered bedsheet, taken a shower, and put on the white T-shirt and black pants Xia Miao had bought not long ago. Cleaned up, he looked much more presentable.
Starving, he devoured the simple bowl of noodles Xia Miao had prepared for him. Cradling the bowl, he didn’t even bother with chopsticks—just tilted his head back and poured the noodles and broth straight into his mouth.
His rough eating manner was almost beast-like. The only sign of swallowing was the movement in his throat, and in no time, the bowl was empty, not a drop left.
Then, he lifted his dark, glistening eyes and stared at her without blinking.
When he noticed Xia Miao looking back, the corners of his lips slowly curled upward in a sweet, obedient smile—sticky and clingy, as if he hadn’t had enough and now saw her as another delicious meal.
Xia Miao couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled out a tissue, sat beside him, and wiped the grease from the corners of his mouth.
The boy acted like a cat, interpreting her gesture as affectionate petting. Half-closing his eyes in contentment, he lowered his head willingly, giving her better access to continue rubbing.
Xia Miao asked, "Do you still want to eat?"
The boy nodded. "Yes."
So Xia Miao dug out all the snacks she had left and handed him a pack of biscuits.
He held it, examining it for a moment before opening his mouth to take a bite—but Xia Miao quickly grabbed his hand.
"You can’t eat it with the wrapper on!"
The boy looked utterly confused.
Xia Miao tore open the packaging and handed him the biscuit inside.
He glanced at it cautiously, then reached out, picked up a piece, and took a small, tentative bite. His eyes immediately lit up, and he stuffed the rest into his mouth, crunching loudly like a little hamster.
Xia Miao asked, "What were you doing lurking around in the woods?"
"Watching Xia Miao!" The boy was startlingly honest—too honest. He leaned into her, pressing against her as if glued to her side. "Xia Miao, Xia Miao, Xia Miao…"
Xia Miao couldn’t take it anymore and tried to push him away, but he had already surged forward, knocking her onto the sofa. Sweet, biscuit-flavored kisses rained down on her face, then lingered at the corner of her lips.
Clueless about intimacy, the boy acted purely on instinct—drawn to her fair skin, he kissed it; convinced her lips must be soft, he kissed those too.
Xia Miao’s scalp prickled. "Hey, didn’t you say you didn’t like me?"
The boy’s expression darkened abruptly. He bit her lip in anger, his voice seething. "Xia Miao should only look at me, only hug me, only kiss me! Don’t mention any other fakes!"
The more docile he had seemed before, the more vicious he appeared now.
No matter how innocent and harmless he looked, his true nature was petty, calculating, and venomous.
That disgusting impostor—how dare she even speak of him!
Cupping her face, the boy’s beautiful features twisted with jealousy, his breath practically dripping with malice. "Xia Miao, you’re mine. Mine alone!"
He kissed her again, this time more fiercely—his hot, wet tongue slipping into her mouth, tangling their breaths until they were indistinguishable.
He pressed, rubbed, licked.
Especially when he realized she wasn’t hitting him despite his audacity, his heart swelled with joy. A giggle escaped between their connected lips, like a child who’d gotten exactly what he wanted.
Only when they were both breathless did he pull back slightly, giving her a reprieve—but still clinging to her lips, his thumb gently tracing their damp edges. His dark, obsessive gaze locked onto his own reflection in her eyes as he listened to her ragged breathing.
Pleased, he kissed her once more, nuzzling against her, fingers twirling a strand of her hair. The way his eyes shimmered, he was nothing short of a seductive little demon.
"Xia Miao, let’s…"
The last two words were whispered into her ear, accompanied by a flick of his crimson tongue. Then, without hesitation, he started tugging at his pants, eager to play an adult game with her.
But what he got in return was a punch from Xia Miao.
Clutching his cheek, he stared at her in shock. "You hit me?"
As if she’d committed some unspeakable crime, his voice dripped with accusation, those three simple words laden with betrayal.
Xia Miao said, "Do I look that easy to you? I told you, relationships have to progress step by step! Right now, your progress bar with me is only at 20%. Unless it crosses 50%, there’s no way I’m fooling around with you!"
The boy pressed his lips tightly together, eyes brimming with resentment.
Luo Xiaoluo had been as busy as a dog lately. Though she seemed like a professional lackey, she was actually an excellent student, which was why teachers often roped her into research projects—not that she minded the benefits.
But coincidentally, her club was also gearing up for an event around the same time.
The Mountaineering Club had always been popular among girls—not because they loved hiking, but because the club boasted an incredibly handsome member: the school’s heartthrob, Leng Jingshen.
Xia Miao was the campus belle. At first, everyone speculated whether she and Leng Jingshen would hit it off—they were the perfect match, leaving no room for anyone else. But the two showed zero interest in each other, treating one another like strangers whenever they crossed paths on campus, which reignited hope for others.
Luo Xiaoluo was no exception. She had joined the Mountaineering Club and even climbed her way to vice-president, all for the sake of feasting her eyes on Leng Jingshen more often.
The closer she got to the clubroom, the more familiar faces she ran into. Today’s meeting was to plan next week’s hiking trip, so nearly all members were present.
"Look, it’s Leng Jingshen!"
"Leng Jingshen is as dreamy as ever today!"
"If only he’d smile at me more!"