Scared to Tears by Xiaohongshu's Combo Moves

The city was steeped in pale gray daylight.

The wind had died down, and the streets were free of their usual chaos. The buildings stood in silent stillness, as did the treetops. The air was crisp and slightly cool, carrying an understated tranquility that drifted through the streets and alleys after the noon rest.

A winter afternoon was perfect for lying wide awake in bed and lazing about.

The young girl, looking radiant after her nap, lay on her stomach playing on her phone. She didn't forget to remind the certain someone lying just as lazily beside her, "Did you ask for time off?"

"Did it ages ago." Shen Nian couldn't even be bothered to open his eyes.

The room was quiet. When Xia Yanchun wasn't speaking, Shen Nian would rest his hand on her back like this, gently scratching it to soothe her itches.

"We skipped class and took time off just to lie in bed like this. If your parents or my parents found out, we'd be so dead!"

"If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, how would they know? Did your parents install security cameras in your house?"

"Well, no, I'm just saying... asking for time off for no reason makes me feel uneasy."

"That's just the psychological burden of a good student. You'll get used to it if you do it more often. Look at me, I don't feel a thing. There's nothing to it, just practice makes perfect."

"I'm definitely not an awful student like you, who deliberately works up a sweat and takes a cold shower just to catch a fever," Xia Yanchun said with disdain, not taking her eyes off her phone.

Shen Nian bared his teeth. "I'm a certified model student now, okay?"

"I was talking about the past."

"Why bring up the past? In the past, you blew up cow dung and got it right in your mouth."

"Get lost! I order you to get up right this second, pack your things, and roll back to your own house."

Shen Nian simply threw his leg over Xia Yanchun's thigh, determined to show her what it meant by 'it's easier to invite a spirit in than to send it away'.

Not actually planning to kick him out, Xia Yanchun gathered the blanket around herself and asked, "I'm going to change clothes in a bit. What do you think I should wear?"

"Whatever works."

"Your attitude is terrible. What us girls want is an attitude, a sense of emotional value. If you don't even have the patience to help me pick an outfit, it proves you don't care about me at all."

He was terrified to tears by her Xiaohongshu buzzword combo attack.

"Keep yapping and I'll flick a booger at you." Fortunately, Shen Nian was immune to the pressure.

"Ew, that's disgusting."

"Keep saying it's disgusting and I'll flick a booger at you."

Xia Yanchun immediately puffed up her cheeks in anger, put down her phone, and kicked him twice from under the covers.

At four in the afternoon, Xia Yanchun finally brought herself to crawl out of the warm bed.

"I'm going to take a shower, so you should head back too. Later, we can go buy some snacks to eat while watching the evening gala."

"Consider it done."

Her hands and feet, which had finally gotten nice and warm, gradually began to turn cold again. Xia Yanchun opened her closet, picked out a set of base layers, and ducked into the bathroom.

Since there was a New Year's Day gala tonight, Shen Nian also needed to shower.

However, he showered much faster than Xia Yanchun. He even finished hand-washing and hanging up his clothes. By the time he went back to Xia Yanchun's house, music was still playing from her bathroom.

She spent forty minutes taking a shower, which was enough time for Shen Nian to shower three times.

Xia Yanchun emerged from the bathroom with dripping wet hair. Her skin, moisturized by the hot water, looked even more delicate, and her small face held a faint shade of pink.

Wearing only her base layers, she looked especially cozy and domestic, the hems of her pants rolled up high.

"So cold, so cold," Xia Yanchun shivered. She went back to her room to throw on a warm coat before tossing her dirty clothes into the washing machine.

"You take forever to shower," Shen Nian couldn't help but complain, his legs crossed on the sofa.

"Washing my hair is a hassle."

"Your hair isn't even long."

"It's still a hassle even if it's not long." Xia Yanchun put her hands on her hips. "Sometimes, for convenience, I have to bend over for a long time, and my back gets sore. You have to help me dry my hair in a bit."

"Alright."

The hairdryer was left casually on the desk. Since Xia Yanchun lived alone, she was sometimes too lazy to tidy these things up.

When a girl dried her hair by herself, she often had to hold up the hairdryer for a long time, which was exhausting. It was amazing to have someone else do it for her—after all, she wouldn't be the one getting tired.

Xia Yanchun sat on the sofa, leaning back lazily. "You know how to dry hair, right?"

"Who are you underestimating? You think drying hair is rocket science?"

"I'm just afraid you'll pull my hair. It hurts."

"Would a gentle, Japanese-style nice guy persona like mine make such a rookie mistake?"

"I wouldn't know about that. Also, stop giving yourself completely irrelevant labels, okay? Your persona is more of a lecherous, careless, idiotic imperial commander."

Shen Nian tugged her hair. "Say that again."

"Hurry up and dry it for me." Having dripping wet hair was incredibly uncomfortable, and Xia Yanchun looked up to urge him.

Shen Nian tested the airflow, then turned the hairdryer toward Xia Yanchun.

Her hair wasn't long to begin with, so it dried much faster. In no time, the clumped strands began to regain their softness, and a few playful hairs started bouncing up.

As the warm air brushed past her ears, Xia Yanchun spaced out a little. In the time since school started, she and Shen Nian had grown so close.

The days when they used to trade blows and couldn't stand the sight of each other felt like they were just yesterday.

Shen Nian's movements were very gentle. He even massaged her scalp and kneaded the back of her neck from time to time. Right now, Shen Nian really was quite gentle. Xia Yanchun had to admit that she was thoroughly enjoying this.

Next time, she would definitely make Shen Nian dry her hair again.

Shen Nian pinched a lock of her beautiful hair, and as soon as he relaxed his grip, the strands slipped right through his fingers.

"I think that's about done."

Xia Yanchun touched her hair and nodded. "Yeah, that's good. What do you want to eat? I'll order some takeout."

"I'll have whatever you're having. Just order an extra portion of rice for me."

"Pig, eating so much."

"If I'm not full, I'll steal yours."

"I'll hit you."

Dinner was three portions of large meat wontons. To prevent Shen Nian from stealing hers, Xia Yanchun had no choice but to order an extra portion for him.

Judging by Shen Nian's appetite in the cafeteria, Xia Yanchun felt he wouldn't have a problem eating three bowls, whereas she was genuinely full after just one.

Even with a discount voucher, one bowl cost thirteen yuan and contained fifteen wontons. To be honest, it wasn't a small amount, but compared to Shen Nian's appetite, she seemed to eat like a bird.

Did people who exercised frequently really burn this many calories?

Wouldn't taking a dump clog the toilet then?

Next time, she would take Shen Nian to an all-you-can-eat buffet and forbid him from coming home until he ate enough to make their money's worth.

Shen Nian didn't steal Xia Yanchun's food, but he did take her leftover soup and drank it all. He looked like he could still chug a 900ml bottle of Pepsi.

He burped, leaned back on the sofa, and crossed his legs. Xia Yanchun curiously poked his stomach. "Can the Bottomless Pit still eat?"

Shen Nian clicked his tongue and simply lifted his shirt a little. "I have abs, how am I a Bottomless Pit?"

Xia Yanchun pulled his shirt back down. Her small face was flushed pink, and she was flustered and annoyed. "Aren't you freezing? Stop showing off your abs, literally zero people care, okay?"

"Let's go. Time to head to school, right?"

"Once I finish hanging up my laundry."

Xia Yanchun got up to find some hangers.

Since she lived alone, she usually let her laundry pile up for two days before washing it. Sometimes, when it was too cold to change clothes, she would let it pile up for three days. Only her underwear had to be changed every day.

After waiting a while for the washing machine to finish, Xia Yanchun loaded the clothes into a basket, hauled it to the balcony, pushed aside the dry clothes she hadn't brought in yet to make room for the wet ones, and hung them up one by one.

Shen Nian scratched his cheek. It seemed that his little kitten Chun exclusively loved light colors. Whether it was the clothes hanging on the balcony, folded in the closet, or freshly washed, they were all light-colored without exception.

Shen Nian also thought they looked nice and suggested she buy a few more pairs.

Xia Yanchun draped a thick, long coat over her shoulders. Her outfit gave off a bit of a teacher vibe. She even went out of her way to find a scarf, wrapping it around to cover her chin. Paired with earmuffs, her whole look was incredibly layered.

Wow, she even had on a pair of small black leather shoes.

Shen Nian circled her, looking her up and down, and then gave her a thumbs-up.

"Aren't you going to change?" Xia Yanchun tilted her head.

"Didn't I just change?"

"It doesn't look good. Let me pick something out for you."

She pattered over to Shen Nian's house, as naturally as if she were returning to her own home.

Having a key was just so convenient; she didn't even have to wait for Shen Nian to open the door and just unlocked it herself.

Entering Shen Nian's room was an even more familiar routine.

As she opened his closet, she felt a little flutter of anticipation, hoping to find some weird or quirky items so she could take the opportunity to scold, mock, and tease him.

What a pity. Shen Nian hadn't hidden anything bad.

Shen Nian's wardrobe was rather monotonous. After picking through it, it was still just the same few pieces. She felt the best-looking one was the jacket she had picked out for him before.

Paired with black dress pants, it would just have to do.

"You really need to buy some clothes. You don't even buy two items a year."

"Why buy so many?"

"If you buy too few, you end up with nothing to choose from like right now. Idiot. Let's go, to school."

"..."

Unlike the golden hues of autumn, the winter evening sky was a pale white. The clouds were a bit hazy and very sparse; it didn't look like it was going to rain.

Xia Yanchun always kept an umbrella in her small bag, so it wouldn't matter even if it rained. She could just squeeze under it with Shen Nian. At worst, they would just have to take another shower when they got back.

A large stage had already been set up on the school's sports field. Many staff members were still adjusting the equipment, and music was playing continuously. They had already done one rehearsal before.

"The Wind Rises"

"Deep Sea"

"Big Fish"

"Ten Years"

All very familiar tunes.

There were a lot of people in the classroom. Xia Yanchun went in first, while Shen Nian took a detour to the restroom.

As soon as she entered, Li Shiyan pulled Xia Yanchun aside to talk. "Little Chun, what happened to you this afternoon? You took a leave of absence out of nowhere."

"Um... I had a bit of a headache, so I asked for leave to go back and rest."

"Oh... Then why did Shen Nian go back with you?"

"He said he didn't want to attend class. When he saw me leaving, he wanted to leave too. He was purely slacking off."

"Oh."

Li Shiyan nodded, chattered away for a bit, and then dragged Xia Yanchun off to buy some snacks.

The two girls had already made plans to take some pretty photos around the school later.