Chun Bao Stickers

There was a bookstore near the school.

These days, it seems people aren’t too fond of reading in bookstores. The spacious shop had only a handful of customers—students, middle-aged folks, elderly people—but no office workers, since it was a Tuesday and everyone was at work.

Shen Nian wasn’t much of a reader either. He only dropped by occasionally, or when the school required him to buy workbooks.

Today, he was here for the air conditioning. Heh.

The owner was a kind soul—three yuan would let you read books all day, with purchases priced separately. It was hard to tell if the place even turned a profit.

Shen Nian generously handed over six yuan, inviting Xia Yanchun into the bookstore for a nap.

"Sleep as much as you want. This one’s on me," Shen Nian whispered close to her ear.

Her ear tingled, warm and ticklish. Xia Yanchun rolled her eyes prettily. "What, am I supposed to repay you with my body for three yuan?"

"Nah. Just be my cow or horse in the next life. Not interested in you now."

"I’ll bite you to death outside."

Most bookstores didn’t allow drinks inside to avoid staining the books, but privately owned shops were more lenient—if you dirtied something, you had to buy it.

Shen Nian had already finished his iced fruit tea before even entering the store, while Xia Yanchun had only taken a few sips, delicate as a little bird.

Boys: Consumed one beverage.

Girls: Equipped one beverage.

A stereotype, sure, but Shen Nian felt he fit it perfectly.

Carrying her small backpack, Xia Yanchun found a secluded spot, took a sip of her tea, wiped the table clean with a wet wipe, and then fluffed up her tiny pillow.

A fan that didn’t blow hot air, air conditioning set at 24°C—bliss!

With a math exam in the afternoon, she needed her brain in top shape. A sweet, lovely nap was in order.

She settled down gracefully, then cracked her eyes open just a sliver to peek at Shen Nian, who had just returned with a book.

Shen Nian had somehow dug up an English textbook and was flipping through it seriously. Xia Yanchun frowned slightly.

Dummy Shen Nian. Not napping before a math exam is a death sentence.

"Seriously, you’re not even a little sleepy?"

"Not really. That’s just how us sunny, cheerful guys are," Shen Nian said with a grin. "Got any earphones?"

"Left my Bluetooth ones at home. Only have wired ones..."

"Hand them over. Gonna listen to something rage-inducing."

"..." Xia Yanchun reluctantly passed him her white wired earphones. "Clean them before giving them back."

Shen Nian nodded, slipping them on. But this time, he didn’t listen to English—instead, he pulled up an instrumental playlist.

There was some logic to listening to music while studying. If you could hear the songs, your efficiency was low. If you tuned them out, you’d entered a flow state—maximum productivity.

Results varied, but Shen Nian found it passable. Thanks to his system, his mental state was always sharp. Staying focused wasn’t hard; the challenge was staving off boredom.

Xia Yanchun filled that gap perfectly.

Her soft cheeks sank into the fuzzy pillow, squishing into an adorable curve. Her lips looked tender too, her almond eyes blinking slowly, Shen Nian’s reflection swimming in her pupils.

Gotta admit, Shen Nian’s profile was kinda handsome. Hmm...

Time to sleep. Good afternoon.

The midday sun was harsh, its light seeping through the curtains, bright behind her eyelids. Her lashes fluttered as the sound of pages turning—Shen Nian’s and others’—drifted into her ears.

Sometimes, absolute silence wasn’t the best for resting.

Her mind wandered, and in a fleeting dream, she saw herself and Shen Nian in their hometown, gazing at each other through windows across a narrow alley. In the hazy dream, she spotted a tiny Shen Nian—so, so cute.

Wanted to pat his head.

As she ran toward him, little Shen Nian raised his hand. A hug? Aw, it’s okay if little bro wants a hug from big sis.

Wait. Two middle fingers?

Are you telling me,

In my own dream,

I got flipped off by a mini Shen Nian?

Totally something Shen Nian would do. Fits his character.

Xia Yanchun cracked her eyes open, grumbling, a hint of grumpiness clinging to her. Felt like biting someone.

A glance at the clock: 1:50 PM. Just over an hour of sleep, but she felt refreshed. That was a good nap...

"Up already?" Shen Nian poked her fair arm, his fingertip sinking into cotton-soft skin.

"Yeah, slept enough." Xia Yanchun pressed her lips together, covering a yawn. Her breath didn’t smell, but her lashes felt sticky. A quick wipe with a wet tissue fixed that.

The post-nap drowsiness had vanished.

The bookstore was empty except for the two of them. Even the owner was nodding off at the counter.

Bored, she lazily propped her chin on the table and chatted with Shen Nian. "Finished memorizing the rest of the vocab?"

"Yep. Three thousand five hundred words—child’s play."

"Pfft. Getting cocky after memorizing a few, huh?"

Shen Nian shrugged, removing the earbud closest to Xia Yanchun. "Wanna listen?"

"Give me the other one."

"No."

"This side’s gonna be cramped..." Xia Yanchun sighed. Was his cerebellum shrinking or something?

"I know." Shen Nian was utterly nonchalant, not a hint of mischief or innuendo in his tone. "I just wanna be closer to you. I keep thinking—we’re childhood friends, so why do we argue all the time?"

"Not like I want to..."

"Then let’s stop. C’mere, Chun-bao."

"...Your head’s pointy."

Who was it that said they weren’t interested earlier? Now suddenly he wants to get close. Hmm, wonder who that could be.

Must be all that morning exercise Shen Nian’s been doing. Working out makes your head pointy and your brain cells fight each other.

Xia Yanchun took the earbud and slipped it into her other ear. The instrumental music was light and breezy, like drifting clouds.

Shen Nian’s slender fingers tapped the wooden table in time with the melody, rare tranquility in the moment.

He hadn’t lied to Xia Yanchun, nor was he trying to tease her now. His words were genuine—though there might’ve been some ulterior motives, he truly enjoyed being close to her.

Baby, you’re so soft and sweet. How did I never notice before?

Sunlight spilled over the bench by the window, painting everything warm. The distance between her and Shen Nian depended on the length of the earphone wire. If she pulled away, he’d scoot closer until their shoulders touched.

The AC was cool; Shen Nian was warm. Xia Yanchun’s mind buzzed faintly. She shifted away slightly, quietly analyzing Shen Nian’s intentions.

If you don’t wanna argue, does that mean you have to stick to me? Couldn’t even come up with a better excuse to take advantage. Who’s your best friend, huh?

"Mom wants me to go back home for National Day. You coming?" Shen Nian spoke abruptly, closing his book.

Xia Yanchun hummed. "Sure."

"Great. Then buy some fruit for my parents—a couple of durians or jackfruits. They love those. I remember yours like bananas, so I’ll get two bunches for them. Fair trade, right?"

"Go to hell!"

...

After tidying up her small backpack, Xia Yanchun yanked off her headphones and stuffed them back inside, cutting off Shen Nian’s listening session.

"Could you be a little gentler? You’re really something," he grumbled.

"Before demanding gentleness from others, maybe you should try being gentle yourself," Xia Yanchun shot back irritably.

"Who says I’m not gentle?" Shen Nian protested, gesturing animatedly. "Us fire-type players—when we’re about to win, we always send a head-pat emoji to comfort the opponent. It means ‘Don’t be discouraged, keep trying next time.’ Isn’t that gentle?"

"I don’t get it. Still not gentle."

Xia Yanchun, who rarely played games, often couldn’t keep up with Shen Nian’s meme-filled banter. Her gut told her it wasn’t anything good.

She might not know much about that Naruto stuff, but she knew Shen Nian well enough.

From a distance, the school’s midday break-ending anthem drifted over. Shen Nian had never voluntarily listened to "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies," but now he could practically sing it by heart. And that other one—"I’m Still That Same Boy..."—played on loop endlessly, grating on his ears.

The sun glared painfully into his eyes. "Where’s the umbrella? Hand it over, I’ll hold it."

"Go stand in the sun."

"Damn, don’t be so cruel, babe." Shen Nian refused to budge, squeezing under the umbrella with Xia Yanchun, one arm hoisting it up while the other draped over her smooth shoulders. "Let’s stick close."

"Who wants to stick close with you?!"

"Twelve-year-old you did."

"Absolutely not!"

Xia Yanchun tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the soft wisps half-hiding her flushed cheeks.

Her heart fluttered guiltily. What kind of person was he, always bringing up childhood memories? She’d just made the same mistake every older sister inevitably makes.

Wasn’t it partly Shen Nian’s fault for being so adorably clueless back then?

Yan Xi reminds you: Due to Tomato’s request for 3 million+ daily visits straining the servers, we now recommend switching to other providers’ sources.