It's Okay, I'm Forcing This Gift

The joyous shouts of children playing echoed from down in the neighborhood, and Xia Yanchun slowly woke up.

It was already dark outside. She groggily sat up in bed and stared blankly into space for a while before realizing she had accidentally fallen asleep while lying down.

Checking the time, she saw it was already half past ten...

Having accidentally slept for three hours, would she still be able to sleep tonight...

Xia Yanchun washed her face, gathered her energy, and started her live stream. She casually taught a lesson for an hour before ending the broadcast, treating it almost like clocking in for work.

She made over three hundred yuan in an hour, which was certainly worth celebrating.

Perhaps because she had earned some money, Xia Yanchun's mood lifted significantly. Wearing her slippers, she happily skipped over to Shen Nian's house. Shen Yue was taking a shower, and Shen Nian's bedroom door was open, so she walked right in.

"Playing games?" she suddenly popped up beside him.

"You scared the crap out of me..." Shen Nian sweatdropped, taking off his headphones in exasperation. "What do you want? I'm gaming."

"Hehe, is the controller I gave you good to use?"

"It's pretty good."

"Then shouldn't you thank me?"

"Thank you, Chunbao, for giving me such a great birthday gift. In return, I've decided to pledge myself to you, starting tonight."

"Ew, gross."

Xia Yanchun closed the bedroom door and threw herself onto the bed, kicking her feet in the air.

Now that their relationship was out in the open, she wasn't afraid of Shen Yue knowing she was in Shen Nian's room. Even if she didn't go back home, Shen Yue definitely wouldn't say anything.

Was there anything wrong with a girlfriend staying over at her boyfriend's house?

It was also perfectly normal for a childhood sweetheart to stay over, right?

And it was absolutely justified for an older sister to stay at her younger brother's place.

She had prepared three different excuses; Shen Yue could pick whichever one she wanted to hear.

However, after finishing her shower, Shen Yue went straight back to her own room without asking about them at all.

Xia Yanchun was in a great mood. She gathered the blanket around herself, lay down comfortably on her side, and watched Shen Nian play his game.

She didn't know how to use a controller, but seeing Shen Nian use it made him look really skilled. The buttons clicked away, and it seemed to have a vibration function too.

"Phew." Shen Nian took off his headphones, set the controller down, and let out a long breath.

"Done playing. It's a pretty tough game, but luckily my skills are superior." Shen Nian turned off the computer and lay down next to Xia Yanchun. "Of course, Chunbao's controller was also very helpful. What should I reward Chunbao with?"

"Get lost, I don't need anything."

"It's fine, I'll force it on you."

Shen Nian leaned over for their daily kiss.

Xia Yanchun didn't resist the sensation of their tongues touching. Her legs subconsciously pressed together, and her heartbeat was easily stirred up by Shen Nian.

When their lips parted, Shen Nian rested his forehead against hers and gave her a silly smile.

"I feel like your kissing technique is so dirty." Xia Yanchun's almond eyes fluttered as she covered her lips, as if trying to hide her little thoughts.

"We've kissed so many times, yet I don't see you learning a thing."

"Hmph, I hate you."

"That means you like me."

"Hmph, I like you."

"I know."

"..."

Shen Nian had said everything there was to say, so Xia Yanchun simply wrapped herself tightly in the small blanket and buried herself gloomily into his arms.

Her soft hair gently tickled Shen Nian's chest and neck. Some of the more playful strands even slipped past his collar and into his shirt, moving up and down with Xia Yanchun's breathing.

The room was completely quiet.

Shen Nian didn't have too many improper thoughts. He nuzzled Xia Yanchun's soft face for a moment, then honestly held her and went to sleep.

...

That was how it should have been.

But Xia Yanchun, who had already slept earlier, wasn't feeling sleepy at all right now. Although she lay quietly without moving, her mind was still wide awake.

Sure enough, it was hard to fall asleep once night came.

Xia Yanchun didn't dare make any big movements. She couldn't see Shen Nian's face. If it wasn't for the fact that holding the same position for too long made Shen Nian's arms go numb, she really didn't want to squirm around in his embrace.

"What the heck are you doing..." Shen Nian suddenly spoke up.

"My arm has gone numb..."

"I thought you were asleep."

"I'm not sleepy right now. Shen Nian, are you sleepy?"

"Not sleepy."

"..."

Not being able to sleep and not feeling tired at night usually meant something was bound to happen. Perhaps they had both thought of this, because as soon as Xia Yanchun looked up, she met Shen Nian's hazy gaze.

It was as if their minds were linked.

Xia Yanchun immediately buried her face, not daring to look at him.

Wh-what am I thinking about! Get out of my head right now!

Xia Yanchun didn't dare make a peep. If Shen Nian knew what she had just been thinking, he would definitely call her a dirty girl!

I don't want that kind of thing...

"What are you thinking about?" Shen Nian squinted, poked Xia Yanchun's nose, and teased her.

"I'm not thinking about anything."

"But I've thought about quite a lot."

"I-I know!"

Xia Yanchun felt bashful and a bit flustered. She went along with Shen Nian's desires, soothing his restlessness. The gentle girl loved to give Shen Nian infinite tenderness.

However, Shen Nian's intentions didn't stop there.

"Chunbao, come a little closer."

"Mhm..."

Sensing Shen Nian's little intentions, Xia Yanchun shyly shifted backward, allowing Shen Nian's hands to draw nearer. Her breathing grew heavier, and unfamiliar feelings of arousal completely consumed her emotions once again.

It seemed they wouldn't be able to sleep early tonight.

...

On the third day of the new semester, the university organized a physical examination for all freshmen.

Xu Wanran handed out forms to everyone, detailing the various tests they needed to undergo, such as height, weight, blood pressure, and vision.

Shen Nian walked together with Xia Yanchun and Li Shiyan, heading to whichever line was the shortest.

"What the heck, you're actually only one jin lighter than me."

After finishing her weight check, Xia Yanchun curiously leaned over to Li Shiyan. Seeing Li Shiyan's weight of ninety-nine jin, she immediately curled her lips.

"I'm a bit shorter, only one meter fifty-nine..." Li Shiyan blinked and tilted her head. "Little Chun, you're one meter sixty-one and only a hundred jin?"

"Yeah, just a little over a hundred jin. What about you, Shen Nian?"

"One eighty-four, one hundred and sixty-two jin." Shen Nian didn't shy away from revealing his weight; his height and build were plain to see.

His height probably wouldn't increase anymore. At one meter eighty-four, Shen Nian was quite satisfied, feeling it was just right.

"So heavy, you pig!" Xia Yanchun scolded him. No wonder she couldn't catch her breath when he rested a single arm on her chest while sleeping; his salty pig trotter must weigh at least thirty jin!

"What are you muttering about?"

"Pig, pig, pig."

"Oh, you're not gonna stop, are you? Don't you dare run after school. Just wait and see if I beat you up once we're off campus."

Li Shiyan, standing next to them, was practically scared to tears the moment she heard the first word.

Dating was indeed terrifying.

Because they were all in the same college, Shen Nian coincidentally bumped into Chen Dong while lining up for the cardiopulmonary check.

"Yo, yo, yo, if it isn't my Brother Nian? Haven't seen you in a few days, how'd you get so bad?"

Shen Nian fell into deep thought as he looked at Chen Dong, who had tanned two shades darker.

"Bad how?"

"I meant bad as in badass." Chen Dong couldn't even keep a straight face.

"I'll let that slide since you're sweet-talking. How did you get so dark?"

"I rode my little e-bike everywhere every day during the summer break. Getting roasted by the blazing sun every day, how could I not get dark?"

"Did you get a summer job?"

"Nah, I got tanned going to my girlfriend's house."

"Oh." Shen Nian raised an eyebrow. "I remember your childhood sweetheart is from First High, right? How did she do on the exam?"

"Hehe, she originally didn't plan on retaking a year, but she was in the hospital for too long and didn't do well on the college entrance exam. She scored a little over five hundred and seventy, so she went to repeat the year."

"I see."

Shen Nian rubbed his chin. "Why don't you wait in line for me? Just looking at you makes me want to go wash my hands in the restroom..."

"Shen Nian, you bastard, I hope every supermarket you go to is out of Pepsi forever." Chen Dong cursed, then immediately bolted.

If he ran any slower, he was liable to be used as a human rag.