When Xia Fu finished changing and went to the dormitory hall, Fang Jingcheng was chatting with the dorm supervisor, and she could hear their voices even from a distance. He sat there, legs apart, elbows on his knees, looking carefree and with that sunny, handsome smile of his. It was hard to reconcile this laid-back image with the breathless and trembling one he’d shown less than half an hour ago.

“We met through a competition. She’s amazing at studying, super careful and responsible in everything she does. I totally admire that about her, plus, she has the cutest smile… so, of course, we ended up together!”

“Since we found out we’ll be in the same class next semester, I was so happy I stayed a bit longer. I’m really sorry! I promise I’ll be extra careful in the future!”

Although he had dyed hair and a tattoo, embodying every stereotype of a “bad kid,” Fang Jingcheng just happened to have a ridiculously good-looking face, and his silver tongue—able to say whatever anyone wanted to hear—made him quite popular around campus. With his hands clasped together, brows arched in an almost pleading expression, he looked like a little dog begging for food, and even the dorm supervisor, who had been scolding him, couldn’t hold back a smile.

“Alright, but no more of this next time! Since you’re staying in the dorms, remember that all students need to maintain a respectable distance!”

“And fix that hair of yours. Black hair looks so much better on a young man like you—clean and tidy!”

The supervisor seamlessly shifted the topic to his appearance, like any typical elder, and before he knew it, Fang Jingcheng had managed to sidestep the earlier mishap without any real consequences. Fang Jingcheng noticed this and gave a slight, satisfied grin, his attention already drifting elsewhere.

“Huh? My hair? I used to watch a lot of cartoons as a kid, and there was this hero, super cool, who would save people in need, so I dyed my hair to look like him.”

“What was it? White hair, youthful face?”

He casually made up stories as he glanced up at the clock, and almost as if on cue, he turned the instant he heard Xia Fu’s footsteps, raising his hand cheerfully to greet her. “Ah, my girlfriend’s here! We’re off to dinner now. See you later, Teacher!”

Fang Jingcheng was always so meticulous that it made Xia Fu feel like, even if he was a bit out of line, there’d be someone covering for him. As she felt the warmth of his hand clasping hers, the lingering awkwardness from the dorm supervisor’s watchful gaze melted away. Following Fang Jingcheng’s lead, she sweetly said, “Goodbye, Teacher,” and left the dorm with him.

Their fingers interlocked, he wrapped his hand firmly around hers, and his muscular arm brushed against her own, the dark tattooed serpent on his arm seeming ready to crawl onto her skin. The closer physical connection made their relationship feel even more intimate, yet a touch of uncertainty lingered as they didn’t know exactly how far they wanted to take things.

After a moment of silence, Xia Fu broke it by wrinkling her nose and catching a faint whiff of soap mingling with the moisture on his skin, and, thinking of the dorm supervisor’s words, she asked, “Are you staying in this building too?”

Fang Jingcheng gave a soft “Mhm,” and said, “I stayed on the second floor for a bit before, actually. Left quite a few things there, so I thought I’d clean it up a bit and take a shower.”

He’d rushed through a quick shower before coming down to explain things to the supervisor, and now, drops of water still clung to his silver-white hair, tracing down his neck and dampening the edge of his collar. Though he’d rinsed off the stickiness of his sweat, he couldn’t shake the surge of desire he’d felt earlier, the emotions adding a slightly sensual tension to their relationship. But mixing intentions wasn’t his style, and he certainly didn’t want his girlfriend to think he was shallow. Choosing his words carefully, he lowered his gaze and explained sincerely, “I was going to tell you once you’d moved everything, but… well, I just wanted to spend a bit more time with you.”

Xia Fu caught on to the underlying meaning in his words.

So, this was his response to their earlier conversation during exams? Because she’d mentioned wanting him around during the summer, he’d gone ahead and applied to stay in the dorms too?

It was always nice to get what you ask for, but when he gave it wholeheartedly like this, it felt especially touching.

She stood there, quickly glancing around to make sure no one was around, before wrapping her arms around his waist. Leaning close to his chest, she left a swift kiss on his cheek. “Okay.”

These were the freest days yet.

Without heavy coursework or the constant need to interact with classmates, Xia Fu had a lot of time to herself. After wrapping up her daytime project work, the long, warm summer nights were spent in private meetings with Fang Jingcheng.

Once they’d crossed that line, intimacy naturally followed. The secluded garden in Yingcai Courtyard, empty study rooms, or even the soft orange glow of the parking lot became their cozy meeting spots. Whenever Xia Fu felt like it, she’d lean close to him, as natural as two animals grooming each other.

Lips grazing his nape, fingers slipping beneath his shirt, they’d share warmth until just a tiny spark could ignite things further. But just as the moment grew intense, Xia Fu hesitated, breathing his breath as her fingers traced the broad muscles of his back, head resting on the soft leather seat, faintly seeing their reflections embracing in the car window.

Fang Jingcheng’s body was undeniably attractive. During workouts, stylish women often approached him, asking about gym equipment or for his contact details.

But what about her? With the help of her boxing trainer, Lin Na, she’d gotten healthier, bringing her grades from nearly failing up to average by the end of the semester. Still, she wouldn’t call her body beautiful.

She was too shy to let him see her scrawny frame; she’d even put off their planned swimming lessons for ages, constantly making excuses. “It’s too crowded during summer break. I don’t want to accidentally get stepped on.”

The thought of all those enviable bodies flashed in her mind, and Xia Fu, annoyed, gave his silver hair a tug. The prickling of jealousy reached him too.

“I’m tired. I think I want to go back and rest.”

“There are still things you got for me that I haven’t even packed away.”

He looked up at her, momentarily startled, like a puppy that had been playfully kicked, furrowing his brows at the sudden pang, with a look of puzzled innocence as if he was about to whimper and ask her what he’d done wrong.

But the slight dejection on her face made Fang Jingcheng hold back his complaints.

“Oh… right, you have a train ticket for the 9th. Only three days left.”

He leaned his head on her shoulder, sighing louder than usual, a bit more clingy than before.

With the return home approaching, Xia Fu, usually a stickler for planning, hadn’t prepared to pack at all, while it was Fang Jingcheng who had pointed it out, prompting them to buy a few things last minute. Fang Jingcheng had clearly wanted to play the role of a “gracious host,” so the car trunk was packed with his purchases of local specialties from S City.

Back at the dorm, seeing the pile of pricey gifts, a hint of guilt settled in Xia Fu’s heart.

Was she letting her anxiety about returning home turn into misdirected annoyance at Fang Jingcheng?

Besides these gifts, her suitcase would be packed with clothes, her laptop, and a dress sent by Xia Changqing.

Since Xia Changqing had insisted repeatedly that she change into the dress at the train station so he could spot her right away, she had washed it in advance and used a fragrant fabric softener recommended by Ji Xiaowei, hoping the sweet smell would make her feel better about the dress.

But in truth, all this effort only turned a pink rag into a nice-smelling pink rag.

… Maybe it’ll be different once I put it on?

She consoled herself, slowly pulling on the dress. Her younger brother must have gotten her measurements from their mom, but she’d gained a little weight thanks to Fang Jingcheng’s care, filling out like a blooming flower with an A-line skirt barely covering her knees, her curves clear against the lightly stretchy cotton.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Xia Fu felt both embarrassed and frustrated, feeling like a bright, juicy caterpillar. She couldn’t picture herself showing up at the shabby train station in this dress.

She’d been teased in school just for buying a new hair tie, and now they wanted her to dress up in this?

They say no one knows you better than family, and her grandmother’s favorite line had always been, “I can see right through you, you lazy girl.” Xia Fu sighed, realizing that maybe this out-of-date style was just her true self, and nothing would change it.

It’s for their eyes; what could be worse than this anyway?

Confidence wasn’t making her brave, but the pressure of not wanting to care anymore gave her an odd kind of determination. She left the dress crumpled on the bed, revealing the new swimsuit she wore underneath, finally feeling more at ease.

Biting her lip, she adjusted the bow on her chest and dialed Fang Jingcheng’s number.

“Do you remember that hotel pool you said we could rent out? Let’s check it out tomorrow.”