What a Pity

Bad news!

That yell I let out in the hallway—"Everyone, look at me, Xiaoguang is my girlfriend now"—got reported to the teacher that very afternoon by a few jealous jerks.

Lowlifes!

And so... now Xiaoguang and I are standing in the office.

The class teacher is sitting behind his desk.

He looks at us with a complicated expression.

"Fang Qi, do you know what this counts as?"

Would I back down? Of course not!

"Yeah, I know."

I puff out my chest.

"Free love!"

The class teacher's face twitches.

Xiaoguang is beside me, head down, shoulders shaking slightly.

"You know, puppy love affects your studies?"

"Teacher," I say seriously.

"This time, I ranked thirty-ninth in the whole grade!"

The class teacher goes silent.

"Xiaoguang ranked third!"

He stays quiet.

"And," I press my advantage, "at the start of last semester, I was only in the three-hundreds!"

"If it weren't for Xiaoguang tutoring me every day, if we weren't dating, would my grades be this good?"

"Teacher, don't you think so?"

The class teacher seems to have lost his voice.

Just then, Xiaoguang lifts her head, flashing her trademark sweet, obedient smile...

Then she sneakily winks at me!

I wink back!

Right in front of the teacher, we're making eyes at each other!

The class teacher looks like he's swallowed a fly.

But he still can't get a word out.

Finally, he just lets out a helpless sigh:

"You two... keep it in check."

"Got it, teacher!"

As soon as we step out of the office, Xiaoguang pinches my waist.

"That whole pack of nonsense you just spouted nearly tricked the teacher."

"Nonsense? That was the truth!"

But honestly...

I think I finally get why she made me promise to get into the top fifty before she'd say yes.

Grades—they're the perfect shield for everything!

My Xiaoguang really thinks ahead!

Mwah!

...

...

After I shut the class teacher up in the office last time, I thought the whole thing was over.

But a few days later, the teacher still called our parents in.

No fair play!

So for the first time, I met Xiaoguang's dad.

He sat down in the office, and the moment his gaze swept over me...

I felt every hair on the back of my neck stand up!

Holy cow!

I felt like I was about to be eaten alive!

Before the class teacher even said a word, Xiaoguang's dad glared at me and spoke:

"So you're Fang Qi?"

"Y-Yes, Uncle, nice to meet you..."

"So you're the one making my daughter run over to your place every day?!"

Sweat was pouring down my back.

But then Xiaoguang stepped right in front of me!

"Dad, I went on my own!"

She stared him down!

And her dad's stern face instantly softened.

Yep, total daddy's girl.

Then... my mom made her grand entrance!

My mom? She’s the kind of person who can go from haggling over vegetable prices to debating international politics with a street vendor.

"Oh, so you're Xiaoguang's dad?"

"Oh my, Aqi always talks about your Xiaoguang—she's such an outstanding girl!"

Xiaoguang's dad had been trying to keep a straight face, but after my mom's string of compliments, he couldn't hold it anymore.

He forced a smile and replied a few words.

Then the class teacher started in on how "puppy love affects studies."

My mom nodded along: "You're absolutely right."

But as soon as the teacher finished, she switched gears:

"Still, our Aqi made it into the top forty this time."

"Before, he was always ranked three or four hundred—that's quite a change!"

The class teacher went silent again.

And then my mom actually started chatting with Xiaoguang's dad!

"What line of work are you in?"

"Why didn't Xiaoguang's mom come today?"

"Oh, with grades like Xiaoguang's, she's definitely getting into the best university!"

As they talked, the two parents somehow ended up... discussing family backgrounds.

And Xiaoguang's dad realized I wasn't some delinquent.

My family's not badly off!

My grades are decent!

And most importantly...

His daughter was gripping my sleeve and glaring at him!

The class teacher just sat there, stunned.

I was stunned too.

...Huh?

How did things end up like this?

Xiaoguang was covering her mouth, trying not to laugh.

...

...

After that meeting between both sets of parents... our relationship just got implicitly accepted.

But before he left, Xiaoguang's dad pulled me aside.

"I'm warning you, unless you actually plan to get married one day..."

"don't you dare do anything like that with Xiaoguang."

"You hear me?"

I nearly choked on my own spit.

Like that?!

And...

"Get ma-married?!"

"What, you're thinking of playing her and then dumping her?!"

"No, no! I mean... isn't it too soon to talk about that? We're still in high school..."

Beside me, Xiaoguang let out a quiet humph.

After her dad left, I was still reeling.

What the heck? We'd only just become boyfriend and girlfriend, and we haven't even graduated high school yet!

"Xiaoguang, your dad's way too over the top. Talking about marriage in high school..."

I turned to her with a laugh, but found her staring at me with an unreadable look.

"What, you don't want to?"

"...Huh?"

She tilted her head, smiling.

That familiar smile.

My back went cold!

"Oh," she said, eyes narrowing.

"So you were just messing around with me."

"Of course not! I—I swear I'll marry no one but you!"

"Oh?"

She raised an eyebrow.

That night, my study list was three times longer than usual.

Three times!

I nearly collapsed at my desk from exhaustion!

Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, my arms too sore to lift.

But then I suddenly felt like laughing.

Marriage?

Me and Xiaoguang?

...Marriage?

Does that mean we'll always be together?

Forever?

I rolled over under the covers and let out a couple of silly giggles.

...

...

When the final exam bell rang for the last subject of the college entrance exams, I sat in my seat for a while, dazed.

Time flies so fast!

High school was tough.

It felt long. Hard to get through.

But once it's all over, looking back...

You still feel like those days passed in a flash.

Three years of high school. Over a thousand days and nights...

Just like that—gone.

Xiaoguang and I got into the same university.

Yep, the best one in the country!

I never knew I had it in me.

But of course, credit mostly goes to my girlfriend for being such an amazing teacher.

After the graduation ceremony, I took Xiaoguang back to our hillside meadow.

Our meadow.

The trees in the distance were the same as always—layers of deep and light green.

We lay side by side on the grass.

Her jet-black hair spread out among the blades.

"Aqi, now that we're in university with different majors, I won't be able to tutor you anymore."

"No way!"

I propped myself up to look at her.

"We still have to take the same classes—English, math, all those general requirements. You'll still have to help me!"

She smiled.

The wind blew, and the grass rustled softly.

On the way back, she sat sideways on the back of my bike.

Her cheek pressed against my back, and her arms around my waist were tighter than ever.

I could feel her breathing.

Gently, warmly.

I rode my bike, slowly gliding through the evening streets.

The sunset dyed the road in gold.

This road—we’ve been biking it for three years now.

…

Not long after university started, Xiaoguang came to find me in my dorm.

“Aqi, move out and live with me.”

“… Huh?”

I was lying in bed playing cards with my roommates, totally caught off guard by her words.

This is the boys’ dorm, for crying out loud!

How did you even get past the front desk grandpa?!

And…

“Why, though?”

I stared at her.

“You can’t live with three people your own age.”

“… They’re guys, not girls!”

“Guys aren’t allowed either.”

She smiled at me.

My new roommates were standing there—two of them wide-eyed, the third struggling not to burst out laughing, his face turning purple.

“… Fine then!”

I tossed my cards aside and sat up:

“Then I’m not letting you live with any other women either!”

“I was already planning to move out anyway.”

She tilted her head.

“So that means you have to come too.”

And just like that, we rented a small apartment near campus.

It wasn’t big, but it was tidy.

Xiaoguang stood in the center of the living room, spun around, and smiled, extending her hand:

“From today on, I’m your roommate. Nice to meet you.”

I went to check the bedrooms.

… Two.

This little apartment actually had two bedrooms?

Ugh…!

What a shame!

… But hey, nothing I could do.

I couldn’t touch her right now anyway!

Over the three years of high school, our families had shared dozens of meals together.

I’d even gotten pretty close with her dad!

We’d had a drink once, too.

That time, Uncle Li patted me on the shoulder and said, “Kid, you’d better treat my daughter right.”

I almost swore right then and there that I’d never cross a single line!

And now…

She was right in the next room.

Just one wall away.

My Xiaoguang, right there in sight…

But untouchable?

I collapsed onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow.

Pure. Agony.

…

During the club recruitment fair, the campus was packed with booths and banners.

I dragged Xiaoguang around everywhere!

“Xiaoguang, look! Photography club! We could learn to take pictures together!”

“Model airplane club! Building planes—how cool is that!”

“E-sports club! Whoa, our school even has an e-sports club!”

“Anime club isn’t bad either—I’m a total weeb, I love it!”

I wanted to check out every single booth.

But Xiaoguang kept lightly tugging at my sleeve, her expression indifferent.

I asked her,

“What are you staring at over there? Why don’t you come check it out?”

“Too many people.”

“How about this? Badminton club?”

“… Not really interested.”

I started to edge toward the street dance booth again.

I looked back—she was still standing there.

… Oh.

Suddenly, I got it.

So I grinned, walked back to her, and told the older students trying to recruit me:

“Sorry, guys, my girlfriend here gets way too jealous!”

“She wants me to stick with her all the time, so no clubs for me!”

Some of the girls nearby giggled behind their hands.

A few guys even started teasing.

Xiaoguang’s face turned red on the spot!

She shot me a glare: “That’s not true!”

Wasn’t it?

I’ve known you for over three years—I can totally tell when you’re jealous.

In the end, we didn’t join any clubs.

But that was fine!

With her around, the walk back to that little apartment was more fun than any club activity.

…

Today we got home late, and there wasn’t much left in the cafeteria.

I flopped onto the couch and pulled out my phone to order delivery…

Xiaoguang snatched my phone away!

“No ordering takeout. It’s unhygienic.”

“But I can’t just starve…”

I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes.

She shot me a helpless glare.

“I’ll cook for you.”

“… You can cook?!”

“What’s so surprising about that?”

She turned and went into the kitchen.

I followed, leaned against the doorframe, and peered in with wide eyes.

She tied on a little apron and pulled out vegetables—ones I had no idea she’d even bought.

Washing, chopping, firing up the stove…

I was completely stunned.

Before long, the aroma started drifting out.

When she came out with two plates, I was already drooling.

I took a bite—it was so good I nearly swallowed my tongue!

“Delicious! This is amazing!”

I stuffed my mouth full.

The flavors were exactly what I craved!

It was like she’d cooked just for me!

She barely ever cooked before, right?

My Xiaoguang—a born chef!

She sat across from me, chin resting on her hand, a faint smile curling her lips.

“Mmm… don’t just watch me—eat too!”

“Mm-hmm.”

I wolfed down both plates like a tornado, then eagerly volunteered to wash the dishes.

After drying the last bowl, I wiped my hands and sidled up to her, grinning shamelessly:

“Xiaoguang, Xiaoguang—from now on, I only want to eat food you make.”

“You can be my personal chef!”

“I’ll handle the shopping, the dishes, wiping the table, mopping the floor, making the bed…!”

She gave me a soft, dismissive roll of her eyes.

“Fine.”

Oh yeah!

I nearly cheered out loud right then.