Xie Xiao had been reborn, and at this moment, he stood inside a milk tea shop, somewhat dazedly watching the girl in front of him.

Her beautiful eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, were filled with a hint of nervousness, her delicate and small nose twitched slightly, and her mouth nervously pursed, all under a head of gorgeously long, curly hair tied high behind her.

This was a face Xie Xiao was all too familiar with, for in his last life, he had seen her nearly every day during the three years he was bedridden.

Watching Luo Yanran in front of him, Xie Xiao couldn't help but smile, and she, looking nervous, was watching him too. Despite her nerves, she tried to act calm, but her face started to redden the moment she saw him smile.

How blind had he been in his last life not to see that this girl liked him?

Just moments ago, when Luo Yanran had called out to him, Xie Xiao was brought back to the day before the start of the second semester of their senior year in high school, the day of their class reunion.

In his last life, Xie Xiao didn't remember if he had encountered Luo Yanran that day.

If he had, he definitely hadn't paid any attention to her.

At that time, Xie Xiao only had eyes for Zhou Mianmian, so he naturally didn't spare other girls a glance.

Even though, by that time, he had confessed to Zhou Mianmian many times and been rejected every time.

"Xie Xiao, I just want to focus on my studies right now, can we just be good friends for now?"

"Xie Xiao, you're the only one who understands me. The others just think I'm easy to deceive, but you're the only one who truly gets me…"

"Xie Xiao…"

Xie Xiao thought Zhou Mianmian was a very unique girl.

Many liked her. She was gentle and cute, beautiful too, and although her family wasn't well-off, she was very optimistic.

She lived with her grandmother, as both her parents had passed away, and she was very filial to her.

She was a girl who made one feel very protective.

Xie Xiao was no exception; he was always protecting this strong and beautiful girl.

Secretly using his scholarship and pocket money to top up her meal card, buying her practice books, buying things that little girls liked and finding various excuses to give them to her - a daily serving of milk tea was almost never missed…

Xie Xiao would always tell her, "Don't worry, whatever other girls have, you will have too…"

So even though he was rejected countless times, Xie Xiao would be disappointed but still pat her head and say, "No worries, we can talk about this later…"

He thus thought of her as a girl who thought about the future, who thought very far ahead.

Until the day the college entrance examinations ended, when he walked her home and confessed to her again.

Unsurprisingly, he was rejected once more; the recently rejective Zhou Mianmian blinked her innocent eyes to change the subject, even kissed Xie Xiao on the cheek as a reward and told him to buy her a bottle of milk from across the street, emphasizing again that Xie Xiao was her "best, best, best friend."

And it was that bottle of milk that left Xie Xiao bedridden for three years, yet his "best, best, best friend" only visited him once with other classmates and never appeared again…

Instead, it was the illustrious and supposedly proud school beauty Luo Yanran, whom he hardly had any interactions with, who turned up one day at his hospital room, her eyes red and looking a bit disheveled.

"I just heard you were hospitalized, came to check on you…"

Her eyes red, filled with distress, but the words she choked out still carried a bit of forced bravado…

She kept visiting like that for three years.

Until the day she died trying to save a little girl from drowning, and after that, that proud and lovely girl never appeared in Xie Xiao's hospital room again.

What was he thinking at that time?

Oh, if only he could really do it all over again…

…

…

At that moment, as she appeared before him seemingly proud but actually filled with trepidation in her eyes, Xie Xiao finally smiled and said, "Okay."

Luo Yanran was a bit stunned. In fact, she had just impulsively stopped Xie Xiao to ask if he could talk with her later, never really expecting him to agree.

Because everyone knew he liked Zhou Mianmian. As for other girls, Xie Xiao wouldn't even spare them a second glance...

Thinking of this, her originally bright eyes slowly turned somewhat dim.

Just then, a gentle voice came from the doorway, "Xie Xiao, haven't you bought it yet?"

Xie Xiao and Luo Yanran both looked over.

A boy and a girl walked in through the door; the girl was Zhou Mianmian.

Xie Xiao was holding a cup of milk tea in his hand, still hot.

Luo Yanran knew it was bought for Zhou Mianmian.

Zhou Mianmian walked over and immediately saw Luo Yanran standing in front of Xie Xiao, tall and tempting, with a trace of arrogance on her face.

She paused in her steps. She didn't like Luo Yanran, who was both beautiful and dazzling, making it seem as though one was a proud true princess and the other a Cinderella who had stolen some time, a contrast that made her feel inferior.

No girl wants to play the role of an overshadowed green leaf, and she was no exception.

Yet, when she met Xie Xiao's gaze, Zhou Mianmian suddenly let out a sweet smile, her eyes shining with a bit of triumph.

At that moment, she stood in front of Luo Yanran with great confidence because she knew that no matter how excellent Luo Yanran was,

there was one thing she could not win over her in, Xie Xiao liked her, not Luo Yanran. No matter how beautiful and dazzling Luo Yanran was, it was futile.

Thinking this, Zhou Mianmian, with a sweet smile, walked up to Xie Xiao's side, pressed close to his arm, and said to Luo Yanran, "Luo, senior sister, what are you doing here? What a coincidence~"

In fact, Xie Xiao and the others were already in their senior year. The reason she called Luo Yanran 'senior sister' was because she was actually a year ahead of them, but for some unknown reason, Luo Yanran had repeated a year.

Now she was in the repeat class.

After saying this, Zhou Mianmian then reached out to Xie Xiao in a habitual yet slightly deliberate manner.

Xie Xiao of course knew what this gesture meant. Under normal circumstances, he would insert the straw into the milk tea and hand it to her while gently advising, "Be careful, it's hot."

Now, Xie Xiao found it laughable that he had once been so compassionate toward her, spoiling Zhou Mianmian like a princess, whether in terms of money or daily habits, despite her family difficulties.

Yet, as it turned out, what he considered deep affection was, in the eyes of others, merely being a "lickspittle".

He put the milk tea on a nearby table and unpacked the straw, inserting it.

A look of triumph flashed through Zhou Mianmian's eyes, while a dimness flashed through Luo Yanran's.

Just as Zhou Mianmian was about to take the milk tea from his hand and modestly say thank you,

Xie Xiao handed the milk tea to Luo Yanran instead. He still remembered in his past life how she had complained to him that he had never invited her for a milk tea...

In this life, Xie Xiao hoped he could invite her for milk tea for a lifetime, if she was willing.

He smiled at Luo Yanran and said, "Want to drink? But it might be a bit sweet. You like it only lightly sweetened, and this one is quite sweet. How about I buy you another one..."

Luo Yanran looked at him incredulously, her eyes also filled with confusion.

From the side, Zhou Mianmian said in a somewhat aggrieved and low voice, "Xie Xiao, that's my milk tea..."

Ps: Asking for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and support for the new book

Also, here's a caveat: (see the comment section for specifics—)

Those who think that a man taking initiative in mutual affection is still 'licking', please step back!

It's mutual teasing, no chasing after men by women, just balanced exchanges!