The Last Time Means Countless Times

Li Shiyan, with her simple and somewhat silly nature, actually pondered for a good ten minutes.

Belatedly, she realized Shen Nian had set a trap for her, just wanting her to think about this meaningless thing.

But she was genuinely quite curious about it, and even knowing it was Shen Nian's trick, she still thought about it for a long time.

Humans eating with their mouths is a result of biological evolution!

Li Shiyan straightened up proudly. Having figured this out, she felt even her period cramps weren't so unbearable anymore.

She felt absolutely wonderful, little pink bubbles practically floating around her.

Xia Yanchun glanced at her suspiciously. "Having low blood sugar?"

"No, no. Hmph, it's just a feeling of sudden clarity."

Xia Yanchun's eyes curved into crescents as she grabbed Li Shiyan's hand to play with it, teasing her that she smiled like a little pig.

Chinese class, honestly, attending or not was pretty much the same.

In many cases, scoring points on Chinese tests relied on formulas. The most common ones were having the beginning and end echo each other, and explicitly stating the theme in the middle while providing transition—getting points wasn't that hard.

Plus, for someone like Shen Nian who had already memorized everything he needed to, listening in Chinese class made no difference.

He could only be forced to... well, metaphorically 'cheat on' Su Kexi.

Sumimasen, Teacher Su, watashi...

Just kidding, Shen Nian actually didn't feel sorry at all.

Science subjects are awesome! Math is awesome! English is awesome!

It wasn't just him; even Xia Yanchun would appropriately slack off during Chinese class, and it was common for her not to listen for an entire period.

The only one getting hurt was Su Kexi.

What the students were doing was crystal clear from the teacher's podium.

How come all these top students in the class were like this? This was outright defiance right before the teacher's eyes!

Tears were about to fall. Just a helpless teacher here.

Shen Nian studied to his heart's content, and in the blink of an eye, it was the long break between classes.

Closing his book, Shen Nian walked a lap around the classroom and arrived at Chen Qiuyu's seat.

Chen Qiuyu had also been seriously 'cheating' earlier, with math materials still spread on her desk. Seeing Shen Nian approach, she looked up at him with wide, expectant eyes.

"Midterms are coming up. Confident you can pass?"

"Feel like... probably, maybe, perhaps, roughly."

"I don't want 'roughly'. I need you to definitely pass, otherwise I'll penalize you by making you pay me two thousand."

"What the heck?"

"This exam is very important to me. You absolutely must improve," Shen Nian said seriously.

"If it's important to you, why does it involve me..."

"Don't worry about that. Just do your best. If you pass, you're amazing. If you fail, you're a loser. Others might look down on you, so you gotta prove yourself."

A girl nearby who consistently failed math heard this and nearly cried, her face turning pale. So in Shen Nian's eyes, she had always been a loser.

Chen Qiuyu was confused. She got along just fine with everyone.

"Who would look down on me?"

"Haha, of course it's me. Couldn't you guess that?"

"..."

Did he think he was being funny?

Chen Qiuyu's expression shifted from adorably clueless.

To a sweaty, awkward emoji face in the next second.

She felt like having a very literary, very artistic, very youthful, very ancient-style little meltdown.

But Shen Nian ran off before she could, meandering over to Xia Yanchun's seat and leaning on her pile of books.

Chunbao is still the best.

Shen Nian just looked, staring at Xia Yanchun's clean, pretty face for a while, a subconscious laugh bubbling up inside him.

Such a cute little thing.

"Shiyan, do you see a hoodlum staring at me?" Xia Yanchun asked, not looking at him, and tugging Li Shiyan's sleeve.

Li Shiyan tilted her head. "N-no, I don't see..."

With Shen Nian right there, she didn't dare say anything bad about him. She decided to play dumb. After all, judging by the situation, their conflict had already vanished, returning to that old dynamic of being at odds yet having a great relationship.

If there was real major conflict, Xiaochun wouldn't have video-called Shen Nian first last time when she accidentally sprained her ankle, right?

She was just a little ball of cotton, it had nothing to do with her.

"How did you two become Dora the Explorer?" Shen Nian just found it amusing.

"Can't help it. Being watched by a weasel makes me feel all uncomfortable," Xia Yanchun said flatly.

"Ugh, I clearly didn't say anything, yet you've already pinned two labels on me. Unbelievable."

"Just stating facts."

Shen Nian clicked his tongue.

...

Lunch break.

Shen Nian didn't rush to the cafeteria today. Instead, he ate with Xia Yanchun.

There were five people at the table. Even with Shen Nian, the only guy there, the girls still chatted happily. Shen Nian just listened to the gossip, occasionally chiming in.

By noon, the rain had stopped. A thick seam had been torn in the cloud layer, and sunlight poured through, warm and comforting. No need to deliberately avoid this kind of sun anymore.

Every day at this time, only Shen Nian and Xia Yanchun remained in the classroom. Shen Nian liked Chunbao so much, he definitely had to play with her properly before her nap.

He had already claimed the little loli's seat as his own, and his hand naturally fiddled with Xia Yanchun's hair—her ponytail, the soft cowlick on top of her head, the hair at her temples and bangs—touching everywhere.

Xia Yanchun tolerated it patiently. Sometimes she didn't know what to say either. It seemed like she'd been turned into Shen Nian's toy.

It wasn't until Shen Nian gently brushed her cheek that she glanced at him with a hint of awkwardness.

"Why haven't you cut your nails yet?"

She hadn't paid much attention before, but after his nail pricked her yesterday, she noticed his nails. Now, whenever he reached over, she'd subconsciously feel for it. The sensation of a nail sliding over skin was way too obvious.

Shen Nian looked at his fingers. "Forgot. They're not that long, are they?"

"They are long. Haven't you heard? If you don't cut your nails, the bacteria under them can be worse than what's in a toilet!" Xia Yanchun poked at him, emphasizing her point.

"I'd dare to bite my nail. Would you dare to lick a toilet?"

Hearing this, Xia Yanchun's face darkened. She grabbed a book and whacked Shen Nian a couple of times with it.

Books as weapons are loud when slapped, but unless you really try to hurt someone, they aren't very damaging. Shen Nian took the hits, even finding it somewhat comfortable.

Seeing him grinning like an idiot, Xia Yanchun sighed inwardly. She rummaged for a nail clipper, pulled his hand over to her side, and said helplessly, "So unhygienic. I'll cut them for you, alright?"

"You're being this nice?" Shen Nian was taken aback.

His hand was being maneuvered by Xia Yanchun's two small hands into a position easy for clipping. Usually, he was the one actively holding Xia Yanchun's hand, but today...

"Who told you not to cut them yourself? If you don't, don't touch me," Xia Yanchun muttered, head bowed low as she carefully began clipping his nails with the clipper.

The hair that fell forward as she bowed her head was brushed back by Shen Nian again. Her clean, serious profile was completely visible to Shen Nian, making Xia Yanchun feel inexplicably self-conscious. She gave his finger a firm squeeze.

How come this guy could stay so calm and composed while she was touching him like this?

If it were her hand being handled by Shen Nian like this, she'd probably be blushing.

She really didn't want to admit it, but it was true. Xia Yanchun hummed softly, suddenly wanting to see Shen Nian blush too. She just didn't know, with his thick skin, what it would take to make that happen.

"The other hand," she said flatly.

"You're clipping them so well," Shen Nian praised. Were girls always this meticulous about nails?

"There's no 'good' or 'bad' to clipping nails."

"You're doing it really well. Love it, love it."

"If you love it, then hold still. If I clip your skin by accident, you'll regret it."

Being praised, Xia Yanchun felt a little smug inside, about to burst into bloom with joy.

After meticulously trimming Shen Nian's fingernails, Xia Yanchun wiped away non-existent sweat. "Whew, I've really worked hard. You should be secretly thrilled to have a sister like me, even trimming your nails for you."

"Trim my toenails too."

"You really take me for a servant, huh? Get lost!"

Shen Nian chuckled softly; he just couldn't resist teasing her.

Looking back on these eighteen years, he felt like a fool, having been blinded by hatred for so long.

Chunbao just needs to be fiercely ambiguous, y'know. He loved seeing Chunbao's shy but trying-to-act-nonchalant expression. He didn't know why she was so fixated on this 'sister' identity, but Shen Nian knew that every time he acknowledged Chunbao as his sister, she would become as light and floaty as a cloud in the sky.

An impulse surged in Shen Nian's heart. He pulled the two chairs closer, bringing himself very, very near to Xia Yanchun.

"Chunbao..."

"Why are you getting so close...!"

"Feel like a hug. You said to just say it if I want a hug."

Xia Yanchun's almond-shaped eyes trembled slightly, not daring to look at him. Her voice was small. "I already said yesterday was the last time..."

"You've also said 'this is the last time I'll boss you around' many times when ordering me about."

Shen Nian grinned, flashing his teeth. When it came to 'the last time,' he had way too much authority to speak.

'Last time, I promise! Get me a tissue!'

'Buy me a bottle of water, please? After this, I'll never make you run errands again!'

'Shen Nian, get this for your sister, quick! It's really the last time!'

'...'

"You're so vindictive!" Xia Yanchun felt a pang of guilt. At times like this, she'd start reasoning. "Boys should be magnanimous. Don't be so petty, okay? You're a boy, you know!"

"If I weren't vindictive, how could I get back at you? I'm going to reclaim every disadvantage I suffered before. This is just the beginning."

Xia Yanchun felt her life was over.

Shen Nian was too overpowering; she was struggling to hold her ground. Her face finally took on a noticeable layer of pink. The shyness in her eyes couldn't be hidden no matter how much she blinked. Lifting her gaze, she met Shen Nian's inscrutable eyes again, and her heart grew even more flustered.

"Your mouth is always full of twisted logic."

Xia Yanchun complained, then quickly gave Shen Nian a hug, only to be embraced back by him again, just like yesterday.

Out of sight, her toes curled into a ball, the tips of her shoes touching. She felt uncomfortable inside and out. Their relationship should have been adversarial, yet Shen Nian had used all sorts of this and that reasons to take every advantage.

When they were young, she not only bullied Shen Nian but also handed him so, so many bullets. Now those bullets were starting to hit her.

Her heart rate reached an unprecedented high. Xia Yanchun couldn't take it anymore. Feeling the hug had lasted long enough, she began to push lightly against Shen Nian's chest. Unlike yesterday, today she couldn't easily slip out of Shen Nian's embrace.

Shen Nian was holding her so very, very earnestly.

Xia Yanchun only felt heat rushing to her head, steaming her eyes shut. In her indignation, she bit Shen Nian's shoulder through his clothes.

.

♥ Five thousand words! Asking for a little gift and more updates! ♥

Yanxi reminds you: Due to Tomato's request for over three million daily updates causing excessive server pressure, it is now recommended you use other sources from big players.