The Price You Must Pay for Loving Chunbao

The lingering charm of the New Year didn't last long. After returning to work, everything began to get back on track.

Shen Nian only had a few things to do every day.

Waking up and saying good morning to Chunbao, breakfast, lunch, live streaming, dinner, going downstairs hand in hand with Chunbao for a walk to digest their food, occasionally eating some fruit as a midnight snack, and saying good night together in the evening.

Before they knew it, school was starting tomorrow.

At eleven in the morning, Xia Yanchun stayed in bed for half an hour before stretching her arm out of the warm covers, waving it around until she grabbed her phone to check the time.

"Done sleeping in?" Shen Nian asked softly.

"I'm hungry, I want breakfast." Xia Yanchun threw off the blanket, gave a super comfortable stretch, and giggled, "School starts tomorrow, so I made plans to hang out with Shi Yan. We're going shopping at the mall together."

Shen Nian rubbed his chin. "I don't really have anything to buy. Well... maybe getting a mouthwash cup would be fine. I accidentally dropped mine the day before yesterday, and it leaks."

"Whether you have something to buy or not isn't important. What's important is that you come with me."

"..."

So Haji-Chun was dropping the act, huh.

Xia Yanchun quickly got out of bed, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. She had eaten very little yesterday, so she was genuinely starving now.

If she had known, she would have told Shen Nian last night to go work out this morning and buy her breakfast on his way back. She miscalculated.

As a day student, she didn't have much to pack even with school starting. However, she still had a small blanket in her single dorm room that she wanted to bring back and wash.

Compared to last year's freezing winter, the temperatures this winter were quite high. With spring approaching, the small blanket in her single dorm room wasn't really needed anymore.

She and Shen Nian would at most just take a midday nap there. They didn't need a super comfortable environment; a bed was more than enough, and it was ten thousand times more comfortable than sleeping on their desks in high school.

Hmm... she inexplicably missed those high school lunch breaks a little.

Those two hours of lunch break were her private time with Shen Nian, a small space belonging exclusively to the two of them, unnoticed by anyone else...

Shen Nian had been so, so bold.

Even before confessing his feelings, he dared to touch her hand and poke her arm during lunch break. After confessing, he did even more outrageous things. Just thinking about it made her blush furiously.

To think she actually allowed him to be so intimate with her back then!

Could it be that I really am a bad woman?

It was terrifying to think about. Xia Yanchun didn't dare dwell on it. She quickly finished her skincare routine and urged Shen Nian to brush his teeth and wash his face so they could go down for breakfast together.

Xia Yanchun pressed the elevator button first. While waiting for Shen Nian, she pondered whether she should buy a new toothbrush and mouthwash cup to keep at her place, so Shen Nian wouldn't have to run back home every time he needed to freshen up...

Since they were going to the mall tomorrow anyway, and those things weren't expensive.

"I'm here." Shen Nian, having changed into a hoodie and long pants, squeezed into the elevator. He pressed the button for the first floor, and his large hand subconsciously wrapped around Xia Yanchun, pulling her into his arms.

"Your treat. I want a large portion of soup dumplings."

"Alright, you can have a large portion."

"Cut it out. I mean the large portion out of small, medium, and large."

It only took Xia Yanchun a split second to realize what Shen Nian was thinking. You come and try it too!

Shen Nian pretended not to understand and ignored her.

It was almost noon by now. The breakfast carts had long since packed up, though some breakfast shops a bit further away were still open.

Xia Yanchun was starving, so she bought two portions of soup dumplings. Shen Nian wasn't very hungry, so he just bought two fried dough sticks, three braised eggs, two portions of steamed dumplings, and a bottle of corn juice.

For Shen Nian, finishing all of this was basic operation; not finishing would be an anomaly.

"The weather is so nice."

With blue skies and white clouds, it was incredibly pleasant. As the warm sunlight fell upon her, Xia Yanchun felt comfortable all over.

Her energy was fully restored!

Basking in the sun was a wonderful thing. Back in her hometown, her favorite thing to do was to drag a lounge chair onto the balcony and soak up the sun.

Only during Lady Winter's reign, though. Miss Summer was a no-go.

"Here, have a sip." Shen Nian suddenly handed her his half-finished cup of corn juice.

Xia Yanchun didn't take the cup but just wrapped her lips around the straw and took a big gulp.

"Is it good?"

"It's pretty sweet."

"I spat in it."

"..."

Feeling a sudden wave of nausea, Xia Yanchun exaggeratedly dry-heaved a couple of times.

"I'm just kidding."

"I know. I'm just gagging to show you how much I despise your spit," Xia Yanchun grumbled.

Her nemesis had eight hundred hidden motives, but this girl was operating on level four, so little Shen Nian on level one shouldn't even try to show off.

The way she hummed triumphantly made her look like a little lamb, strangely adorable.

Shen Nian couldn't help but pinch her nose. "You're never like this when you're kissing me."

"!" Xia Yanchun's breath hitched, and she started chattering defensively. "Is that the same? Saliva gets dirty once it touches the air! Hehehe, you didn't actually think I don't find you gross when we kiss, did you? I just force myself to endure it so I don't hurt your feelings!"

"I wonder who it is that sometimes wants more kisses after we've already kissed."

"Ahhh, I'm going to hit you!"

As a result, Shen Nian's pant legs gained two dirty shoe prints.

This must be the price one had to pay for liking Chunbao...

Love was probably just like this. When you liked someone enough, you just had to endure even these unbearable, heavy tolls on your life.

Shen Nian had strong willpower. Because he liked Chunbao, he continuously bore this price.

Shen Nian was built different.

"There are two left, you can have them."

Xia Yanchun didn't really want to talk to Shen Nian, but she had overestimated her appetite. Even while starving, she could only eat twelve soup dumplings, mainly because she hadn't bought soy milk to wash them down.

"Feed me." Shen Nian opened his mouth. "Ah—"

"We literally just had a fight, okay!"

"Damn, you should've said so earlier." Shen Nian instantly stopped smiling, put on a serious face, and took two steps back, putting some distance between him and Xia Yanchun.

We're in the middle of a cold war fight, and you're actually telling me to eat your leftovers? Isn't that ridiculous?

Xia Yanchun: "..."

Pursing her lips, Xia Yanchun still used a skewer to stab a soup dumpling and brought it to his lips.

"You're actually using this method to make up with me? Chunbao, you rascal..." Shen Nian immediately turned the tables on her.

Everyone saw it. It was Chunbao feeding him to make up with him, not him asking for it.

The detestable Haji-Chun had impressive tactics. He had no choice but to make up with her.

The two-step distance didn't last long. Shen Nian quickly stuck to Xia Yanchun's side again.

"Last one, ah—"

"The ones fed by Chunbao are the most delicious."

"Hmph."

A little flower bloomed in her heart as Xia Yanchun linked her arm with his and walked together.

Even though it was winter, the flowers and plants in the residential compound were already blooming lushly, competing in beauty. As they walked past, they could smell the scent of fresh grass and flowers.

Xia Yanchun casually picked a small white flower and secretly dropped it into the hood of Shen Nian's hoodie.

"What are you doing?" Shen Nian cast a glance at her.

"Nothing."

"You're acting sneaky." Shen Nian shook his hood. Seeing that nothing fell out, he couldn't be bothered to care anymore.

Xia Yanchun pursed her lips in secret delight. Silly Shen Nian.

Seeing her snickering, Shen Nian also started laughing.

"I'm just teasing you. Did you really think I didn't know you hid something in my hood?"

"I really didn't!"

"If I find it, I'm going to punch you."

"Then find it!"

"If I find it, you're dead meat, I'm telling you."

Shen Nian dug vigorously into his hood but couldn't find a single thing. He searched so hard he was practically panting, which made the young woman beside him giggle uncontrollably.