After leaving the beach, Shen Lang and Su Lexuan, as if by mutual agreement, both conveniently forgot the intimate kiss they had shared. They continued walking hand in hand along the cobblestone path.
By around ten o'clock, they had explored the area thoroughly, and the lively lantern festival had ended. Shen Lang reluctantly put Su Lexuan on the bus.
"Wow, is this what being in love feels like?"
Back home, lying on his bed, Shen Lang touched his lips and couldn't help but laugh foolishly, "It feels pretty great…"
The only thing he regretted was not having the courage to use his tongue during the kiss at the beach. To Shen Lang, a kiss wasn't complete without it. But for a socially anxious homebody like him, just daring to kiss Su Lexuan was already a big step.
As it was their first offline date, he was too nervous to go further. He worried about how Su Lexuan might react. Despite the tension, he was not discouraged. This time, he saw it as preparing Su Lexuan for the next time. When they met again, she wouldn't be as surprised if he kissed her again.
Tomorrow was Sunday, and Su Lexuan had to go home to spend time with her parents. They agreed that if they were both free the next Saturday, they would meet again. With this in mind, Shen Lang smiled, already looking forward to next weekend.
Just then, he received a message from Su Lexuan: "I'm back at school. Had a great time today."
Shen Lang replied, "Get some rest. I'll take you out again next Saturday."
Su Lexuan responded, "Okay, also, here's the money for today's expenses."
She transferred 120 yuan to Shen Lang, covering even the 15 yuan sugar painting.
In the past, Shen Lang might have thought she wanted to end the relationship, hence the insistence on paying him back. Now, he saw her as a respectable girl with good character.
Shen Lang replied, "No need, it's just over 100 yuan."
Su Lexuan insisted, "You have to take it. We've only known each other for a short time. I can't just spend your money. Come on. {Angry Cat}"
Shen Lang suggested, "Let's say this time was my treat. Next time, you can treat me. No need to make a big deal over 100 yuan. {Dog Head}"
After a moment, Su Lexuan agreed, "Okay, I'll treat you to seafood next time!"
They chatted a bit more before Su Lexuan put her phone away and happily headed back to her dorm.
Su Lexuan was very pleased with the date, and her steps were light and cheerful. When she returned to her dorm, most of her roommates were asleep, except for her best friend, Ye Xinxin, who was playing on her phone.
"My dear Xuan, you're back?"
Hearing the door, Ye Xinxin poked her head out and teased quietly, "I thought you wouldn't come back tonight."
"It's so late. If I didn't come back, where would I sleep, under a bridge?"
Blushing, Su Lexuan avoided Ye Xinxin's knowing smile and went to the bathroom to wash up. After showering, she snuggled into bed with her Pikachu plush, reminiscing about her walk on the beach with Shen Lang. It felt like a fleeting dream.
Their relationship had progressed so quickly. They had only known each other for four days, yet they were already holding hands and kissing on the beach. And that was her first kiss!
"Is it really too fast? We've only known each other for a few days," Su Lexuan pondered, glancing at Ye Xinxin, who was still playing games. She considered asking her well-experienced friend for advice.
"But maybe it's okay… And…"
Thinking about the kiss on the beach, Su Lexuan's face turned red. She bit her lip, her cheeks flushed, and her chest heaved under her pink nightgown. She smiled sweetly, unable to help herself.
Eventually, she buried her face in her Pikachu plush, rolling around in bed, unable to sleep, with a silly smile and occasional serious self-reminders as if struggling with an irresistible urge.
"Can't believe it actually happened."
Ye Xinxin watched Su Lexuan roll around in bed and sighed, "Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of PDA from now on."
As expected, in the following days, Su Lexuan and Shen Lang were inseparable on WeChat.
At first, Su Lexuan was mindful of her roommates, feeling shy about openly chatting with Shen Lang. But over time, she let her guard down completely.
From typing messages to voice chatting, their relationship grew rapidly. Their lovey-dovey conversations drove her roommates crazy with both envy and frustration. All of them, including Ye Xinxin, were single, longing for their own sweet college romance.
Su Lexuan even secretly chatted with Shen Lang during classes, their phone calls growing longer each time. Once, they even talked through the entire night, ruining one of her power banks.
Her roommates realized that the school beauty, the dream girl of many boys at Zhuhai University, was indeed in love.
However, aside from Ye Xinxin, no one knew that Su Lexuan's boyfriend wasn't from their school but someone she met selling chestnuts. Her roommates promised to keep her relationship a secret, but the next day, the news that Su Lexuan was dating a guy from outside the school spread all over the university's forum.
As the campus beauty, many boys were envious, jealous, and curious about her rumored boyfriend.
Initially, Su Lexuan was worried about the commotion it might cause. She didn't even know she had been given the title of "campus beauty" by those boys. However, she soon realized it didn't matter. She wasn't a celebrity or influencer; she could date whomever she wanted. Even campus beauties were entitled to a normal love life!