Wang Zicong sat cross-legged on the bed, his chubby little hands hesitating over the tablet. In the end, he held back his urge to ask Xu Xing about topics related to his “ex”-girlfriend.

Wang Zicong placed the tablet on the nightstand, then leaned back onto the soft bed, his gaze somewhat vacant.

After school in the afternoon, Wang Zicong took his girlfriend to a dessert shop that he was particularly fond of. Since it was the weekend, the shop was packed with young people meeting up, and both Wang Zicong and his girlfriend were in school uniforms. At a glance, they almost looked like they were wearing matching couple outfits.

Standing in front of the counter, Wang Zicong scanned the menu with his finger, sliding it down a row of items. He turned to his girlfriend and said, “I’ve tried all the cakes and pancakes on this left side. I recommend this one without mango.”

Wang Zicong had once overheard one of her friends mention that his girlfriend was allergic to mango, and he had kept it in mind ever since.

His girlfriend smiled faintly at him and agreed, though with a touch of indifference. Her gaze drifted to the LED sign on the left side of the counter.

Nowadays, Singles’ Day has transformed from a special day for singles to celebrate into a promotional event for couples. On the LED sign, cute handwritten words read: “Couples/Besties, KISS here and enjoy 50% off the entire store! Long live true love, no restrictions on gender (＾＾).”

With amused interest, his girlfriend tilted her head, her right hand supporting her left elbow as her left fingertips brushed the outline of her lower lip. She looked at Wang Zicong with a smile and suggested, “Hey, kiddo, how about you try the right side of the menu today?”

Wang Zicong looked at her, blinking in confusion. “Huh?”

She leaned in slightly, her slender, fair index finger sliding along his chin, and said, “Half off the whole menu, can’t lose.”

The young woman behind the counter suppressed a smile, taking the opportunity to promote the store’s special offer.

Wang Zicong’s face turned a shy shade of pink as his gaze flickered toward the LED sign near the smiling young woman. Feeling like his vision had been seared, he quickly looked away, his cheeks turning even redder.

Wang Zicong hesitated, but quickly gathered his resolve again, looking up with a serious face and saying earnestly, “It’s fine. I have plenty of money.”

The clerk was speechless.

His girlfriend burst out laughing.

Unaware of Wang Zicong’s unusual reaction, she just found his response amusing. She said, “I know you have money, but… this is my excuse to kiss you. Are you really going to turn me down?”

Her eyes sparkled with laughter, her tone teasing.

Wang Zicong took a step back, his gaze lowered, answering in a small voice, “No need to kiss.”

His voice was so soft that, to his girlfriend, it sounded like, “Don’t want to kiss.”

She assumed he was just shy and didn’t mind. Instead of pressing him to kiss for the discount, she casually ordered a few of the shop’s recommended desserts and paid.

They found seats in a corner. Wang Zicong placed the waiting card in the holder, looking expectantly for the server to bring their order.

His girlfriend rested her chin in her hand, watching him with a smile in her eyes. The more she looked at him, the cuter she found him, which only made her more affectionate. She reached over, took his hand, and playfully squeezed his soft, chubby palm. “Are you shy?”

Wang Zicong turned, looking puzzled. “Huh?”

With a gentle gaze, she coaxed, “Too shy to kiss in public? Then… let’s kiss in private.”

Half-joking, half-serious, she expected to see him blush and stammer, but instead, he gently withdrew his hand from hers, occasionally glancing at her with downcast eyes, stammering, “N-no need.”

She blinked, holding back laughter. “No need for what?”

Wang Zicong pressed his lips together, twisting his fingers under the table, and whispered, “No need to kiss… being like this is already nice enough…”

Her smile faded a bit, finally noticing that something was off. Throughout, Wang Zicong had been saying “no need” instead of “don’t want.”

She moved closer, took both his hands, and asked softly, “When you were at the counter just now, did you really mean ‘no need to kiss’? Why would you say that?”

He mumbled, “People will laugh at you…”

“…”

She was momentarily speechless. She had always taken the lead in their relationship, finding his soft and food-loving personality incredibly endearing. But, because her carefree nature was so well-established, she had unwittingly overlooked his sensitivity.

Gently, she asked, “What’s there to laugh at?”

Wang Zicong didn’t want to talk further, glancing toward the counter and trying to change the subject. “Hey, why haven’t they brought our order yet?”

She wasn’t going to let it slide. “Do you think that because we’ve been dating a while and haven’t kissed, I’m avoiding it out of concern for what others might say?”

Wang Zicong looked down and shook his head, staying silent.

Suddenly understanding, she asked, “Or… do you think I’m with you because you have money? Is that why you keep giving me gifts?”

She’d noticed that he started giving her gifts often since the start of the semester. She had assumed it was simply because he liked her more, and thought it was a good sign. But now, she felt otherwise.

Holding his hand tightly, she gently explained, “Do you know how hard it is for me to keep my distance from you? I know you only agreed to date me at first because you didn’t know how to turn me down—it wasn’t because you liked me. So, I wanted to give you more time, to wait until you actually liked me. But yes, I was selfish, too…”

She trailed off.

Wang Zicong gently pulled his hand back, turning to her and softly saying, “I honestly think things are fine just as they are. I’m okay; you don’t need to change.”

“…”

Her hand empty, she pressed her lips together in silence.

They finished their desserts by five o’clock.

Wang Zicong felt bad about the awkwardness that had developed between them. Following her, he asked in a casual tone, “Jiejie, shall we head straight to dinner?”

She replied, “Are you hungry?”

He shook his head. “Not really.”

She said, “Then I’ll just have you instead.”

Wang Zicong looked confused. “Huh?”

She smiled. “Don’t be scared.”

Having grown accustomed to her gentle side, he was completely taken aback by her sudden playful smirk and wink, making him blush instantly.

Dazed, he followed her to book a room, but when they reached the hotel elevator, he refused to go in. She grinned, threatening, “If you don’t come, I’ll kiss you right here.”

Startled, he ducked his head and obediently followed her to the room.

She closed the door, leaned her hand against the wall, and saw him clutching his bag, pressed against the wall by the door, ready to flee at any moment. He looked adorably helpless.

She couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “If you run, I’ll kiss you every time I see you at school. Come on~”

He shrank back, asking nervously, “W-why are you doing this?”

She lifted his chin and smiled lightly. “I’ve been waiting for you to accept me, and I’m still waiting. Originally, I was willing to give you more time, but now… I don’t want to wait anymore~”

Her voice remained gentle, but he felt the pressure. Swallowing nervously, he resisted her approaching kiss.

“D-don’t…”

He pushed her away, retreating to the corner. For the first time, he felt grateful for his size, as it prevented her from pulling him along.

Seeing the redness of his soft cheeks, she felt both heartache and an urge to tease him further. Squatting down next to him, she coaxed, “Are you going to undress yourself, or should I help you? Be good—undress yourself, alright?”

Wang Zicong was speechless.

With his eyes reddened, he gripped his collar’s zipper, biting his lip and shaking his head. His mind blank, he suddenly remembered his mom jokingly teasing him: “Sweetheart, with all that chubbiness… sigh… well, I found a school uniform that hides it best; that’s why you’re going to A High.”

His high school choice had been decided by a uniform.

He couldn’t bring himself to undress, fearing his girlfriend’s hidden distaste, despite her carefree demeanor.

Her sudden boldness felt, to him, more like a way to prove herself after he voiced his concerns.

At first, Wang Zicong had little interest in her and accepted her confession out of embarrassment. But over six months of her constant companionship, her kindness, and gentle care had slowly melted his heart.

Wang Zicong didn’t fully understand what love was, but he knew that when he was hungry, he’d still willingly give his last chocolate bar to his girlfriend. He genuinely liked her.

He liked her so much… that he felt it wouldn’t matter if she was only with him for his money. After all, he was truly wealthy and could give her anything she wanted.

Wang Zicong didn’t have high expectations. He didn’t harbor any unrealistic hopes about his girlfriend. All he wanted was for her to stay by his side.

…

He couldn’t quite remember what was going through his mind at the time; he only remembered that he eventually said to her, “We… we should break up.”

He stammered over his words, not even sure if he cried or not. In any case, there was nothing “cool” about the way he broke up with her.

With a sigh, Wang Zicong buried his face into the blanket, lying face-down on the bed and creating a little hill out of the covers. With a frown, he reached for his tablet on the bedside table. He chose not to mention the whole “we broke up because she wanted to sleep with me” story, not wanting Xu Xing to misunderstand or think poorly of her. Instead, he texted Xu Xing: “She’s really a good person, but I didn’t want her to feel any pressure, so I suggested we break up.”

Wang Zicong: There’s definitely someone out there who’s a better fit for her. I don’t want to hold her back.

Wang Zicong: [Sends a small flower emoji]

---

Author’s Note:

1. The reason his girlfriend held back was partly because Wang Zicong didn’t like her at first, and partly due to her own personal reasons. There were originally two possible traits for her character: (A) a slightly dominant older-sister type with a protective streak; (B) a big-shot with a certain aura.
2. Zong Zong’s relationship is the last of the supporting characters’ stories to wrap up. Now, it’s time for our main character, Xu “Always Asleep, Pretending to be Drunk, Subtle Tease, Fully Awake” Xing. I’ve been waiting for him!
3. This story progresses through the stages of different side couples. And yes, I do remember Xiao Shun and Jiang Ji Ze’s story, I really do…