Leave a Basic Sense of Decency Between Adversaries (Two-in-One)

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian felt as if ten thousand thunderclaps exploded in his mind.

What the hell kind of question is that? Is that something a girl should even ask?

Did she install a camera in my brain?

"No!" Shen Nian answered without a moment's thought.

Regardless of whether he had or not, that's all he could say. Even if he really had done it, what sane person would dare admit it outright?

Shen Nian was just extraordinary, not insane.

But since Xia Yanchun had actually asked, it just proved that calling her crazy before wasn't wrong.

Afraid she wouldn't believe him, he added emphatically, "Really, I haven't."

Xia Yanchun didn't quite dare to look at him. Covering her mouth with one hand and glancing away, she said nothing, her lightly trembling eyes filled with panic.

"Say something, dammit," Shen Nian was genuinely at a loss, reaching out to nudge Xia Yanchun's shoulder.

Xia Yanchun flinched, shaking him off, and quickened her pace. "If you haven't, you haven't. Why... why are you touching me?"

"If you don't say anything, how am I supposed to know what you're thinking?"

"I... I have nothing to say! On the other hand, you're blushing. Feeling guilty, aren't you?"

"Anyone asked that kind of question would lose their cool..." Shen Nian scratched his cheek, really tempted to angrily ask Xia Yanchun if she had ever ( ) herself, just to see if she'd blush too.

Especially if it involved thinking about one specific person.

Forget it. Better not be a creep.

Xia Yanchun, her ears now red, had already walked ahead. She refused to listen to Shen Nian, hanging her head and muttering to herself, "Anyway, I wasn't thinking anything. It's best if you've never thought of me that way. If you have, I'll expose you!"

"Really, I haven't..." Shen Nian was a child who loved to lie.

"I believe you, I believe you! Stop talking!"

"...You're the one who insisted on asking, and now you won't listen. Unbelievable."

Xia Yanchun hmphed. As they neared the apartment complex entrance, she took off running without looking back.

Shen Nian was momentarily stunned, then hurried to catch up.

The elevator, called down earlier by an auntie also heading in, was about to close its doors when a small figure dashed inside, followed by a boy. Before the auntie could express her surprise, the small figure frantically pressed the close button, and the elevator doors sealed shut just before the boy could reach them.

"Did you run into a bad person?" the auntie asked curiously, leaning sideways to show concern.

"No..." Xia Yanchun's voice was tiny.

The auntie wasn't sure of the situation. The girl seemed a bit flustered but not obviously scared. Besides, the boy who didn't make it in looked familiar—she'd probably seen them take the elevator together before.

Must be a lovers' quarrel, right?

Otherwise, why would this young girl's face be so red.

......

Shen Nian's mood was sinking fast, not knowing what to say.

That damn Xia Yanchun, suddenly running off to steal the elevator and go upstairs, leaving him to wait for the next one. Fine, but her backpack was still with him... They'd still have to meet in the hallway later for her to get it back.

Truly unhinged. Someone who could ask that kind of question was really far from normal.

They were both adults. Surely Xia Yanchun knew what questions were appropriate and what weren't. He seriously suspected she asked on purpose to mortify him. What a ruthless move.

Answering 'no' left him embarrassed while Xia Yanchun acted like nothing happened.

Answering 'yes' would be disastrous; Xia Yanchun would definitely use it against him forever.

"So you've been using me as material, huh? What do you have to say for yourself now, you little creep?"

"Ew, keep your distance, you pervert Shen Nian."

'You're disgusting. We've known each other since we were kids, and you actually... You must have started a long time ago, right?'

—If it came to that, he'd never be able to hold his head up again.

If he avoided a direct answer and changed the subject, it would just seem suspicious, like protesting too much. In short, Xia Yanchun had covered all the angles. No matter how he answered, she wouldn't lose anything. But if he slipped up even slightly, Xia Yanchun would have leverage over him for life.

Shen Nian took the next elevator up, thinking Xia Yanchun would be waiting in the hallway for her backpack.

The hallway was empty. Xia Yanchun's door was already closed.

Shen Nian gave a humorless smile. No matter how you looked at it, he was the innocent party here. He hadn't even said anything, and Xia Yanchun was the one who ran off first.

He was so angry he almost laughed.

Returning home, he took a frustrated shower. In no mood to study, he lay on his bed playing with his phone.

Given his current academic level, he could take the college entrance exams without preparation and ace them, let alone a mere midterm.

At midnight, as Shen Nian was considering going to bed early to get more exercise the next day, his phone vibrated. A QQ message from Xia Yanchun.

He opened it.

[Xia Yanchun]: (Images: a steel pipe, a muscular deer, an alarm clock.jpg)

[Shen Nian]: ?

[Shen Nian]: Explain yourself!

Shen Nian was genuinely at his limit now.

When they were together, she couldn't even meet his eyes, all evasive. The moment she's out of sight, she starts sending these pictures.

Has her 'bad girl' persona logged in?

[Shen Nian]: Idiot.

Shen Nian sent a video call request. It wasn't answered—in fact, it was instantly declined. No matter how many messages he sent to pester her after that, Xia Yanchun didn't reply.

The next day, Tuesday.

Shen Nian slept at midnight and woke up at 4 AM, starting his workout early.

At 4 AM, for some, the nightlife wasn't over yet, and some street food stalls were still open.

He skipped the park and went for a fast run around the neighborhood. Running twelve kilometers in an hour was a piece of cake for him.

By 6 AM when the sky brightened, he bought breakfast, went home, and took a hot shower, his body steaming faintly.

When Xia Yanchun came out of her apartment, he was already leaning against the wall waiting.

"..." No greeting. Xia Yanchun just blinked her eyes.

"Do you want your backpack or not? If not, I'm throwing it away," Shen Nian said, holding out her small backpack.

"I do..."

"You think I'll just give it because you want it?" Shen Nian pulled it back and, with a swing, hung it over his own shoulder.

"It's mine to begin with!"

"I figured you didn't want it yesterday."

Xia Yanchun's cheeks puffed up slightly with irritation. "I never said I didn't want it. Give it back."

"No."

Shen Nian went to press the elevator button. Xia Yanchun, still trying to get her backpack back, slapped his arm lightly. "Hmph, if you won't give it back, then carry it for me."

"I'll throw it in the trash bin downstairs in a minute."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I definitely would," Shen Nian scoffed. "You can watch me do it in a bit."

"Ugh, you're so mean! Are you even human? I'll bite you, I swear!"

"What, are you a dog? Fine, here."

"That's more like it..."

After the squabble, Xia Yanchun's face was pink again. In the elevator, she didn't initiate conversation, standing quietly with her arms crossed.

She then realized Shen Nian hadn't bought her breakfast and felt a little sulky.

Was he upset because she didn't wait for him on the elevator yesterday...?

"Why did you run off so fast yesterday?" Shen Nian asked nonchalantly as they stepped out of the elevator. "Afraid to face me?"

"I just didn't feel like waiting for you."

"Then why are you taking the elevator down with me today?"

"Yesterday was yesterday, today is today..."

"Six hundred sixty-six." Shen Nian looked at her, pulling a neatly wrapped corn cob from his backpack. "Eat this today."

"Hmph, you know what's good for you."

"You still act all high and mighty even when you're getting food?" Shen Nian chuckled, poking her forehead. "You little hamster, I really need to keep you in check. Give me your hand."

"No!"

"Come on."

"......"

Xia Yanchun pouted her lips slightly, humming a cute sound without opening her mouth to speak. Her hands, tucked in her pockets, didn't move either. But Shen Nian was merely informing her; before his words even finished, his hand was already delving into her pocket.

Their skin brushed lightly against each other. Her hand was easily captured, wrapped warmly within his grasp as he pulled it from her cozy pocket.

Her heartbeat quickened. Shen Nian's hand felt even hotter than the corn cob. Whether it was yesterday's embarrassing incident or today's ambiguous atmosphere at play, she didn't quite dare to look Shen Nian in the eye. Instead, she pretended nonchalance, glancing around here and there, letting her hand be held by him.

Best not to bring up last night's question if possible. So awkward.

She regretted asking the moment the words left her mouth last night—really couldn't control her own tongue. When she got home, she even punished herself by eating two 'Peanut Big Shao' ice cream bars.

But her curiosity was genuine too. After all, Shen Nian had been really clingy with her lately, so... it wouldn't be strange if he... did that, right...

Xia Yanchun felt she couldn't shoulder all the blame. Shen Nian had been holding her hand and hugging her a lot recently, so he bore some responsibility for yesterday's incident too.

After shifting the blame onto Shen Nian as usual, Xia Yanchun felt much better inside.

"What did you mean by that picture you sent yesterday?" Now that he was sure Xia Yanchun couldn't escape, Shen Nian began adding points to his attack.

"What are you talking about? I don't understand," Xia Yanchun said in a soft, cottony voice, finding an excuse to pull her hand back. "I want to eat the corn. Can you let go of me?"

"No. You can eat it later on the bike. You haven't answered my question yet."

"!"

Unable to divert the topic, Xia Yanchun squirmed. "It's just... I saw a really funny picture, and it happened to be... well... a reminder for you..."

"......" As if a girl needs to remind me about that.

The corner of Shen Nian's mouth twitched. He covered his face. "I said I quit..."

"You didn't do anything yesterday?"

"Really quit. Can't you see I'm full of energy, in peak condition now?"

"Oh!" Xia Yanchun responded emphatically. "None of my business. Go push the bike!"

Squeezing the soft little hand in his palm, Shen Nian felt an urge to interlock all ten fingers with hers.

Suddenly, driving didn't seem so appealing anymore.

"How about we walk instead?" he cleared his throat.

"Looking for hardship where there is none? Go on!"

"Alright, alright."

Shen Nian had no choice but to let go of the thing he couldn't bear to part with, dutifully went to push the electric scooter, and sat at the front. Once Xia Yanchun steadied herself by holding onto his shoulders, the little scooter slowly left the residential complex.

Shen Nian had just showered; he smelled nice. Xia Yanchun secretly sniffed at his shoulder, finding him warm. Was this the 'youthful scent' mentioned in teen novels?

"Chun Bao, stop sniffing."

"Conceited. I wasn't sniffing."

"Okay, okay, my mistake then."

"I really wasn't sniffing, okay!"

Both tactfully avoided bringing up yesterday's absurd question again, and Xia Yanchun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

God knows how she dared to ask that yesterday. Taking a step back, even if Shen Nian really was thinking of her during... that time, what could she do about it? Storm into his brain and punch him?

Whether he had thought of her or not... she was just concerned, that's all. It would be best if he hadn't. But if Shen Nian really had fantasized about certain things, aside from calling him a perverted creep a couple of times, there probably wasn't much else she could do.

The deer emoji she sent Shen Nian late last night was just to show him she was cool with it, to tell him not to take it to heart...

...If he brought it up again, she really wouldn't dare to see him. Thankfully, Shen Nian didn't embarrass her too much. Even rivals should maintain some basic level of face between them!

The corn cob was fragrant and sweet, making her lips moist. Her little head would occasionally peek out from behind his shoulder to look around, making Shen Nian's heart flutter.

Not wearing a helmet early in the morning like this—if caught, they'd definitely be made to hold a sign at the intersection for half an hour.

Luckily, traffic police were rare at this hour. Even if there were, they'd probably turn a blind eye. Plenty of high school students rode to school without helmets; never seen anyone get caught.

After parking the scooter, Xia Yanchun tossed the finished corn cob into a trash bin and trotted after Shen Nian into the school gate, her steps light and bouncy.

As soon as Shen Nian entered the classroom, he saw Chen Dong at his seat, head down devouring rice noodle rolls. Getting closer, he could smell a strong soy sauce aroma.

Chen Dong had taken a day off yesterday. To not miss the exam today, he had no choice but to come early.

Chen Dong's desk had been tidied up by Ma Mingfan and Shen Nian. Probably aware of this, as soon as Chen Dong saw Shen Nian, he handed him a serving of soup dumplings—the pre-made kind, five yuan for six—along with a cup of soy milk.

Considering Class Monitor Xia Yanchun was also there, Chen Dong handed her a cup too.

Xia Yanchun, the polite Class Monitor, smiled gently. "Thank you."

"No problem, Monitor. Just don't say anything when Ma Mingfan asks why there isn't one for him."

"Heh, so you're giving me someone else's portion."

"People who aren't in the classroom at this hour are usually slackers. They don't deserve my breakfast," Chen Dong declared.

But that only applied today, since he often cut it close himself. Smart people don't insult themselves.

"You just insulted half the class with that."

"It's fine, as long as you guys don't tell."

"Seriously, dude, why are you so early? If it were me, I'd definitely cut it close." Shen Nian rarely stood on ceremony with Chen Dong, draining the soy milk carton with two big gulps until it crumpled.

"Just wanted to come early to sort my stuff out."

"No worries, I already cleaned up for you. Just give me twenty, no need to be polite."

"You dog."

The classroom was still sparsely populated. Shen Nian stood in the aisle, skewered a soup dumpling with the provided bamboo stick, and secretly offered it to Xia Yanchun.

"I'm not eating." Xia Yanchun's little tummy was already stuffed full from Shen Nian's corn cob on the way here.

"I was just showing it to you. Did you really think you could eat it?"

Xia Yanchun pursed her lips. "Saving face."

She left Shen Nian speechless for a moment, and he couldn't do anything to her in the middle of the classroom with everyone around.

It felt a bit like a young couple flirting. Chen Dong wasn't sure and decided to observe more.

Since the class assignments in first year of high school, Shen Nian and the Class Monitor had been bickering and joking. Being able to keep that up for two years precisely indicated a good relationship.

When the relationship is truly bad, people can't even be bothered to speak to each other. See: Shen Nian and Huang Chen. Though never stated outright, anyone with eyes could see the two didn't get along.

Generally, who doesn't have someone they're ambiguously involved with?

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