"Is it really okay to leave like that?" Chen Xin asked Xiao Wan, who was walking ahead of him as they left the teaching building.
"It's totally fine. Trust me, you definitely don't want to listen to old man Tom talk about the history of the harp. It's literally the most sleep-inducing lecture ever. Better than sleeping pills," Xiao Wan said with a completely serious expression.
Chen Xin reluctantly agreed. "Alright. So, what's next? Any other classes?"
"No more classes this morning! I'll take you around campus for some fun!" Xiao Wan said excitedly, swinging his hand back and forth. "Our school actually has lots of cool spots!"
"Okay."
"Hehe, let me see… Whoa, there's someone sketching over there! Let's go check it out!" Xiao Wan grabbed his hand and ran ahead.
Chen Xin saw the person she pointed at: a bespectacled boy sitting in front of an easel, sketching a scene of a small bridge, the river beneath it, and some bare trees nearby.
Xiao Wan hopped over, watched him draw for a while, and decided his skills were pretty good. "Hey, little junior, when you finish this sketch, can you draw one of me and my boyfriend? I'll pay you a thousand bucks."
The boy immediately nodded enthusiastically. "No problem! I can draw it for you right now!"
Xiao Wan gleefully pulled Chen Xin onto the bridge, snuggling against him sweetly. She waved to the boy. "You can start now!"
Chen Xin looked down at the girl in his arms. Her white mink fur coat made her skin look translucent and flawless, like fine porcelain. It wasn't hard to understand why so many people liked her.
Thinking of the number carved on the chair earlier, he couldn't help but ask with a hint of jealousy, "What number am I?"
"What number? Oh, you mean asking someone to sketch us? Hmm… let me think… Fifth, I guess."
Xiao Wan instantly caught on to his meaning, leaving him momentarily stunned. "I thought…"
"You thought I wouldn't understand what you meant? Do I look that clueless, Chen Xiaoguai?" Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. "You went to class with me, so you must've seen the number on that chair, right?"
Chen Xin awkwardly rubbed his nose. "Ahem. If that's the case, why is the chair marked with thirteen, but there are only five sketches?"
"I don't always run into people sketching when I feel like it. Plus, whether I do or not depends entirely on my mood." Xiao Wan said matter-of-factly, then fixed her cunning gaze on his expression. "What's the matter? Jealous? Or can't handle the fact that I've had so many guys in my life?"
Chen Xin gazed deeply into her mischievous, sharp exterior, which barely concealed the sorrow behind it. He tightened his embrace and murmured, "A little jealous, yes. But mostly, I regret not meeting you sooner."
"Ha! Don't tell me you have some kind of virginity complex?" Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. "Meeting me sooner wouldn't have mattered—I lost that ages ago."
Chen Xin pinched her cheek, both amused and exasperated. "I'm not talking about that! I'm saying that if I'd met you earlier, maybe you wouldn't have had to feel so sad for so long."
Xiao Wan froze for a moment, then stomped on his foot hard. "Who says I'm sad? Stop being so full of yourself!"
"Hiss…" She had stomped with real force. Chen Xin gasped in pain but held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. "Okay, okay, it's my bad for overthinking. Let's stop talking about it and let the student finish our sketch."
"Mm." Xiao Wan hummed softly, curling into his arms and breathing deeply, as though absorbing his scent.
The bespectacled boy worked earnestly, and by the time he finished the sketch, it was already noon. Xiao Wan happily admired the portrait of her and Chen Xin, saying, "You're really talented, little junior. When we get home, we should frame this and hang it up, don't you think?"
Chen Xin nodded. "Whatever you say."
Xiao Wan gently touched his ear. "Good boy. Let's go—I'll take you to eat at our school's cafeteria."
The cafeteria's design was striking—it looked like a massive violin plunged diagonally into the ground. The sound holes in the body of the violin framed the entrance. At this time of day, many students were flocking toward it after their last morning class.
Xiao Wan pulled Chen Xin through the crowd at a trot. "Hurry up! If we're late, all the good food will be gone!"
Luckily, the cafeteria wasn't too crowded yet. Xiao Wan managed to snag her favorites: lemon fried chicken bites and a strawberry milkshake. She sat happily at a table and said to Chen Xin, "Little Guai, feed me!"
Chen Xin picked up a fork, ready to feed her a bite of chicken, but Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. "Not like that."
She took a piece of chicken herself, then brought it to his lips, raising an eyebrow in playful challenge.
Chen Xin, embarrassed and a little shy, glanced around nervously before finally taking a bite. Xiao Wan munched the rest of the chicken noisily, then leaned in to kiss him on the lips.
"Hehe." She sipped her milkshake contentedly and asked, "Doesn't it taste better this way?"
Chen Xin gently wiped the crumbs from her mouth and said softly, "Hmm."
At that moment, Xiaowan's classmates happened to pass by. They greeted her warmly, and one male classmate even patted Chen Xin on the shoulder, saying, "Good luck, bro, I'm rooting for you."
As they left, Chen Xin overheard their conversation:
"Thirty?"
"More than that, I bet fifty. Did you see that Himalayan bag Xiaowan's holding?"
"Yeah, and that supercar parked at the entrance must be his too."
"But I still think the last guy was better…"
Xiaowan looked up from her chicken nuggets to see Chen Xin's puzzled expression. She blandly explained, "They're guessing how many billions of dollars you're worth. Honestly, it's been so long, and they still never tire of this game. If some girl comes over later to ask for your number, you better not talk to her."
Chen Xin chuckled, "How could I? No one here knows me."
"But everyone knows me, and they all know the man next to me can't possibly be poor," Xiaowan said as she played with her fork. "Trust me, you're already the prime target for those girls who look down on me."
Chen Xin adjusted her hair slightly, "Hmm, but I'm yours and yours alone."
"Oh, such a smooth talker." Xiaowan raised an eyebrow and fed him a piece of chicken. "This is your reward."
But before they could deal with the girls supposedly eyeing Chen Xin, an unexpected guest arrived—or rather, an unexpected group of guests.
The group of boys was a mix of various races, all students at the school. They walked in with cold, stern expressions, causing others in the cafeteria to quickly move away as if avoiding a plague.
Leading them was Leng Qing.
With a cigarette dangling from his lips and his hands stuffed in his pockets, Leng Qing strolled in. One of his buddies immediately approached to point out the direction, "Brother Yi, they're over there."
Following the direction, Leng Qing spotted Xiaowan chatting and laughing with Chen Xin while eating.
He snorted and strode toward them. Wherever he passed, the students gave way, allowing him to reach them unimpeded.
Chen Xin was the first to notice Leng Qing since Xiaowan had her back to him.
Looking up, Chen Xin saw Xiaowan's band drummer glaring icily at him. He smiled faintly and greeted, "Hello there."
Hearing his voice, Xiaowan turned and exclaimed, "Leng Qing? What are you doing here?"
"Having lunch," Leng Qing replied curtly. He pulled out the chair next to Xiaowan and sat down, motioning for one of his friends to grab him food.
As soon as Leng Qing sat down in his brash manner, Xiaowan smacked him in the face with her bag. "What's wrong with you? Why'd you bring your whole gang here? Tell them to scram!"
Leng Qing scratched where she'd hit him and told the group, "You guys can leave. Tell Jer to go too after bringing me my meal."
"Go buy it yourself!" Xiaowan smacked him again. "What do you think this is, some gangster movie?"
Reluctantly, Leng Qing got up, cigarette still in his mouth, and walked off to get his food.
His crew exchanged glances nervously, but Xiaowan shot them a fierce glare. "Get lost!"
One brown-haired boy stammered, "W-We haven't had lunch yet…"
"Then sit far away where I can't see you!"
The group scattered instantly, all traces of their earlier arrogance gone.
Xiaowan let out a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, he ruined my appetite. Let's go."
But Chen Xin refused to back down in front of Leng Qing. "You're classmates and bandmates. Since he's here, let's eat together."
"We're also f*** buddies!" Xiaowan shot him a glare, grabbed her bag, and stormed off. "Stay if you want. I'm leaving. Goodbye!"
Clicking away in her heels, Xiaowan disappeared before long. When Leng Qing returned with his tray, he glanced at her retreating figure and asked Chen Xin, "Not going after her?"
Chen Xin smiled and met Leng Qing's icy gaze. "No need. I know she won't leave my side for long."
Leng Qing smirked coldly, extinguishing his cigarette in the tray. "Three months."
"What?"
"She won't play with you for more than three months," Leng Qing said calmly, as if he'd seen it all before—and in fact, he had.
Chen Xin didn't argue but instead asked, "I'm curious, how did you and Xiaowan meet? Care to share?"
"Ask her yourself. See if she'll tell you," Leng Qing replied. "But I doubt it. There are a lot of things about her only I know."
Chen Xin detected the pride in his tone, as if Leng Qing were the only one who truly understood Xiaowan.
Leng Qing added, "Take my advice: leave her while you still can. Otherwise, you'll end up in misery."
Chen Xin smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Misery? Are you planning to teach me a lesson, the man who knows everything about Xiaowan?"
"I won't have to. You'll start tormenting yourself," Leng Qing said indifferently. "After she dumps you. Every guy she's been with ends up that way. You're no exception."
Chen Xin laughed. "In that case, all I need to do is make sure she never leaves me, right?"
Leng Qing paused, then suddenly swung a punch at Chen Xin. But Chen Xin reacted swiftly, blocking the punch with his arm. His expression remained calm as he smiled. "You practice martial arts? I could tell from the way you walked in. Unfortunately, so do I."
Leng Qing sneered. "Then let's spar."
Before Chen Xin could reply, Xiaowan returned abruptly and smacked Leng Qing on the head. "Spar, my ass! What is wrong with you, Leng Qing? Fighting in a cafeteria? What are you thinking?"
Leng Qing rubbed his head, dropped his fists, and sat back down. Xiaowan turned her anger on Chen Xin. "And you! I left, and you didn't chase me? Got some nerve, huh? Want me to dump you right now?"
Chen Xin quickly stood, grabbing her hand apologetically. "Let's go, let's go. I was just joking with him."
"Oh, how funny of you." Xiaowan kicked him lightly. "Should I joke with you by keying your car?"
Chen Xin obediently replied, "Sorry, I was wrong."
Huffing, Xiaowan turned and walked away, with Chen Xin hurrying after her.
After they left, Leng Qing sat silently at the table for a long time before suddenly standing and striding out. His friends tried to follow, but he shook his head, refusing their company.
He rode his motorcycle back to his studio near campus—a dimly lit basement filled with clutter. Among the mess were motorcycle parts, daily necessities, and a tattered sofa bed.
But most striking were the numerous stone sculptures of varying sizes and subjects, each exquisitely crafted.
Leng Qing walked past them to a large sculpture draped in a dust cover. He yanked the cover off, revealing an unfinished piece of a woman playing the harp. Her long dress flowed as she sat with her fingers poised on the strings, her eyes gently closed as if lost in a dream.
Leng Qing stared coldly at the sculpture for a while before grabbing a sledgehammer. Taking a deep breath, he raised it high and swung it down.
A loud clang echoed, but the sculpture remained unscathed. The girl continued her dreamy performance, unbothered.
Leng Qing looked at the small dent in the floor where the hammer had landed at the last moment, along with the surrounding dents from previous attempts. A twisted smile appeared on his face.
"Lin Xiaowan…" he muttered through clenched teeth.
But when he placed his hand on the sculpture's cheek, his touch was as tender as ever.
Question
"Xiaowan, Xiaowan!" Chen Xin chased after Xiaowan, calling her name repeatedly. Finally, as they walked down a corridor, he managed to stop her.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault. From now on, no matter where you go, I'll follow you immediately. Is that okay?" Chen Xin said softly, trying to touch her face.
Xiaowan swatted his hand away. "If you dare to follow me, I'll kill you."
Chen Xin chuckled lightly and, ignoring her struggle, pulled her firmly into his arms. "Go ahead and hit me. As long as it makes you happy, you can hit me however you want."
"You said it yourself," Xiaowan wasted no time and bit down hard on his hand, leaving a deep tooth mark.
Chen Xin gasped in pain. Though it hurt, he didn't pull away. Instead, he gently caressed her face.
Xiaowan, like an angry kitten soothed by a gentle touch, slowly calmed down. She let out a small whimper and leaned into his embrace.
"I hate you! Why didn't you chase after me when I left? You said you liked me, but it's all lies!" Xiaowan complained, her fingers digging into the muscles of his chest.
Chen Xin endured the pain and said, "It's not that I don't like you. I just had some questions about you that I wanted to ask Leng Qing."
Xiaowan stomped on his foot. "If it's about me, then come and ask me! Why would you ask him? Are you stupid?"
"I originally wanted to ask you, but Leng Qing told me that even if I asked, you wouldn't tell me the answers." Chen Xin glanced at the girl in his arms, testing her reaction.
Sure enough, Xiaowan froze. After a brief silence, she said, "Fine. Let me hear what you want to ask first."
"How did you and Leng Qing meet?"
Xiaowan blinked, pretending to be nonchalant. "Oh, that's it? We met in a language class when we first came to the U.S. Then we ended up in the same high school and university. That's all."
So, they've known each other for a long time. Chen Xin suppressed a small pang of jealousy and continued, "And… what about your family? I'm not trying to criticize you, but don't your parents care about you skipping school like this?"
Xiaowan's expression darkened, and she responded in an icy tone, "Oh, them? They've all been dead for a long time."
Chen Xin froze. Before he could say anything, Xiaowan suddenly lifted her gaze and stared at him sharply. "Chen Xin, Leng Qing was right. There are some questions you're not qualified to know the answers to yet. So please, don't ask further."
Xiaowan rarely called him by his full name so seriously. Normally, she would use a playful tone to call him "Little Xin." Chen Xin knew she was genuinely upset now.
He realized he shouldn't pry into someone else's deeply buried wounds, but being shut out of her heart like this by the girl he loved still left him feeling dejected.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Xin adjusted his emotions and hugged Xiaowan again. "Alright, I won't ask anymore. You can tell me when you feel ready."
Xiaowan buried her face in his chest, mumbling, "If you dare treat me like you did today again, don't even think about me telling you anything ever."
"I won't do it again." Chen Xin smiled. "By the way, Leng Qing told me earlier that we wouldn't last more than three months together. He seemed pretty confident. So, tell me honestly, are you planning to dump me when the three months are up?"
"How could that be?" Xiaowan lifted her head from his chest and pinched his cheeks. "It wasn't easy to catch someone as fun as you—plus, you're still a virgin. At the very least, I'd keep you around for four months before dumping you."
"…"
One Month Later
Chen Xin had thought that, even if Xiaowan's interest in him wouldn't last forever, they would at least make it past three months. But only a little over a month in, countless issues had already arisen.
The root of these problems lay in Xiaowan deliberately disrupting his original life trajectory.
She was like a cat, gradually invading his life with a playful demeanor. At first, she only asked him to come home earlier each day. Once he managed that, she demanded he be home by 8 p.m. Chen Xin complied, but then it became a problem.
If he was even one minute late, Xiaowan would angrily claw at his face and yell, "I told you to be back by 8, and now it's 8:01! You liar!"
Chen Xin could only try to appease her. Once she calmed down, she would come up with a new demand—like asking him to watch horror movies with her every night.
Although Chen Xin explained that he had a lot of work to do in the evenings and couldn't possibly spend every night watching movies, Xiaowan ignored his reasoning completely, looking at him with big, pitiful eyes.
In the end, Chen Xin gave in once more. Every night, Xiaowan would lounge comfortably on his lap, eating popcorn and watching movies, while Chen Xin, exhausted, balanced his laptop on the side, working and trying to keep track of the movie plot in case Xiaowan started a conversation about it.
But none of this was the biggest issue.
The real problem was that Chen Xin still wouldn't let Xiaowan sleep with him.
At first, Xiaowan managed to hold back. But soon, her attempts grew increasingly audacious—sneaking into his room at night, touching him during movies, and even barging into the bathroom while he was showering. It had taken all of Chen Xin's energy to get this little troublemaker to leave last time.
Now, as Chen Xin stood at his doorstep, tired after a long day, he wondered what kind of mischief Xiaowan would come up with tonight.
He glanced at his watch—7:50. Good. He wasn't late today. His face would remain scratch-free.
But as soon as he opened the door, he saw Aili standing in the hall with a worried expression. "Good evening, Mr. Chen."
Chen Xin asked helplessly, "What has she done this time?"
Aili pointed toward the wine cellar. "Your wine…"
Chen Xin's eyes widened, and he rushed to the cellar. Pushing the door open, he saw Xiao Wan sprawled on the floor with several empty wine bottles at her feet, her eyes glazed with drunkenness as she looked up at him.
Clutching his chest in anguish, Chen Xin scanned the scene. His cherished Lafite, Petrus, and Mouton Rothschild—wines he had treasured for nearly a decade without drinking—were now all gone, consumed in one sitting!
The most heart-wrenching sight was Xiao Wan holding an unopened bottle of Romanée-Conti, the crown jewel of his collection. A priceless treasure that he had hoped to showcase as a masterpiece among connoisseurs, now at her mercy.
Cautiously approaching her as if she were a thorny cat, Chen Xin whispered, "Xiao Wan, we can talk this out. Just put the wine down, okay?"
Xiao Wan hiccupped, pointed the bottle at him, and slurred, "Let me sleep with you, and I'll give it back."
For a moment, Chen Xin regretted all he'd done to make this woman fall for him. Was the price he paid too high?
But before he could decide, Xiao Wan yanked out the cork without hesitation. The "pop" was accompanied by his anguished cry—
"Nooo!"
Xiao Wan stuck out her tongue at him and took a big gulp. Smacking her lips, she shook her head. "Meh, it's nothing special. Not as good as that $5 bottle from the supermarket."
Chen Xin clutched his chest in despair, stretching out a hand. "If it's not good, just give it back to me!"
At least let him taste it before she ruined it entirely!
But Xiao Wan narrowed her eyes mischievously. Suddenly, she raised the bottle and poured the wine over herself. The red liquid trickled down her neck, soaking her white shirt, which clung to her body, revealing glimpses of soft, pale skin and a slender, delicate waist.
Swaying unsteadily, Xiao Wan walked up to Chen Xin and, with a husky voice, said, "You want a taste? Come on, it's all over me."
Chen Xin's chest heaved violently as he tried to restrain himself. Turning abruptly, he said, "I'm going to run you a bath."
"You jerk!" Xiao Wan stomped her foot in frustration and threw herself onto him like an octopus, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Gritting her teeth, she whispered into his ear, "If I, Lin Xiaowan, don't sleep with you today, I'll take your last name!"
No matter how much Chen Xin struggled, he couldn't shake her off. Left with no choice, he used a martial arts maneuver to free himself, spinning around and pinning her against the wine cellar wall.
Staring at the suddenly dominant yet gentle man before her, Xiao Wan froze, thinking she'd finally provoked him to anger. But to her surprise, he gently caressed her face and said softly, "I won't let you sleep with me, but a kiss? That's negotiable. Want one?"
Sniffling in mock grievance, Xiao Wan said, "Yes."
Chen Xin smiled, leaned in, and kissed her. He held her tightly, stroking her back reassuringly as she melted into his embrace like a docile kitten.
When they parted, Chen Xin licked his lips, tasting the lingering wine. With a sigh, he said, "Such a fine wine, and I didn't even get a proper sip. You're so cruel."
Twisting her hips, Xiao Wan teased, "You can still drink it—it's all over me."
Shaking his head in defeat, Chen Xin carried her toward the bedroom. "No more of this, okay? Even if it's not cold at home, you can't pour wine on yourself. What if you catch a cold in the middle of winter?"
Xiao Wan stared at him intently. "So I'm more important than your wine?"
Chen Xin glanced at her and said, "What else, silly?"
Xiao Wan was silent for a moment before suddenly grabbing at his shirt, growling, "I'm going to eat you alive right now!"
"Lin Xiaowan!"
Their days passed in this constant push-and-pull over whether or not they would "sleep together." A week later, Chen Xin remembered the company's quarterly "Employee Family Fun Day" was approaching.
As the name suggested, this event was a company-sponsored day of fun for employees and their families, complete with food, games, and activities. It was designed to foster camaraderie and attract top talent, making it a beloved tradition.
Most employees brought their spouses and children. Since this was Chen Xin's first time participating, he wanted Xiao Wan to come along.
However, when he brought it up to her, she immediately turned him down with a disgusted expression. "I'm not going."
"Xiao Wan, I know you might worry about what people at the company think of you, but I promise I won't let anyone say anything hurtful. I just want them to see how wonderful you really are—"
"Who cares what they think!" Xiao Wan rolled her eyes. "I have my own reasons for not going."
"What reasons? Tell me, and I'll see if I can help." Chen Xin hugged her.
"You can't solve this one," Xiao Wan said dryly. "Family events are full of kids, right? Unfortunately, I hate children—especially little boys. So unless you want me to smack a bunch of kids, don't make me go."
"You hate kids?" Chen Xin was stunned.
"Of course! Someone like me, who drinks and smokes, obviously only loves money."
"Stop talking nonsense about yourself," Chen Xin said, pinching her cheek. But he frowned. "I was hoping to have lots of kids with you after we got married. What should I do now?"
"Go have them with yourself!" Xiao Wan huffed, shoving him away. "I hate kids and will never have any in this lifetime. Give up already! And who's marrying you, anyway? Dream on!"
With that, she stormed off.
Chen Xin refused to give up. Catching her on the couch watching a horror movie, he hugged her and said, "Just this once, okay? I've always been alone, and now that I have you, don't you feel bad leaving me by myself when everyone else has their families with them? Besides, there will be lots of delicious food you'll love."
Glaring at him, Xiao Wan finally relented. "Fine! But you're not allowed to bother me while I'm there. I just want to play my games in peace!"
"Alright, alright, whatever you say."
Chen Xin breathed a sigh of relief. More than anything, he hoped the event would help Xiao Wan connect with others and shed some of her hostility toward the world.
Three days later, they arrived at a massive indoor family amusement park for the event. Xiao Wan, wearing a cream-colored dress and seven-centimeter black heels, reluctantly clung to Chen Xin's arm as they entered.
The cacophony of children's laughter and shrieks assaulted her ears. She turned to leave. "This is unbearable! I told you I didn't want to come!"
Chen Xin quickly blocked her way, but before he could say anything, a familiar voice called out, "Chen Xin, why are you so late?"
Turning, Xiao Wan saw it was Chen Xin's friend Ye Chen.
She stomped on Chen Xin's foot. "Why is he here? He doesn't even work at your company!"
Before Chen Xin could respond, Ye Chen smirked. "I'm his best buddy. Why wouldn't I be here?"
Xiao Wan snorted and gave him an innocent smile. "Because I was worried your face would scare the kids. Just because your hair grew back doesn't mean you're any less ugly."
"You dare bring that up!" Ye Chen roared.
"Oh, not only will I bring it up, I might just 'accidentally' burn it off again. Want to test me?"
The two glared daggers at each other, neither backing down.
Chen Xin sighed helplessly. He knew he couldn't stop this argument now.