Chapter 030

Han Ting kept his brow furrowed, staring at Chu Xia. “What did you just say?”

Chu Xia looked at him and repeated, slowly and clearly, “I said I like him. Did you hear me this time?”

Han Ting’s expression darkened. “You like him? What do you even like about him?”

Chu Xia replied, “I like that he’s good-looking, I like that he’s tall, I like that he’s smart and capable—he can do anything. Whether in school or at the educated youth outpost, he handles everything with ease.”

Han Ting’s eyes were cold as he stared at her. “All you see are surface-level things. Have you even looked at his character? Do you even know what kind of person he is? You like him—but does he like you? That selfish, arrogant guy who looks down on everyone—do you think he’d ever like you? Girls prettier than you have shown interest in him. Do you think he gave any of them the time of day?”

“I don’t care,” Chu Xia said, meeting his gaze. It was hard to see clearly in the dark, which made her voice sound even more firm—more powerful and resolute.

Han Ting was so furious he felt like his lungs might explode.

He clenched his fists and turned away—but after a few steps, he turned back.

Trying to rein in his rage, he said to Chu Xia, “You remember what you said here tonight. If you get hurt by him someday, don’t say I didn’t warn you. And when that happens—don’t come crying to me!”

With that, he turned and walked away without looking back.

Chu Xia stood where she was, watching his figure vanish into the night.

Only when he had completely disappeared and even his footsteps faded did she finally relax—her expression softened, and her whole body unwound. She clutched her chest and took a long, deep breath.

Lying and putting on an act like that—it was still a bit of a challenge for her.

Once her breathing and heartbeat were back under control, Chu Xia didn’t linger.

It was late, the night pitch-black, and the quiet around her was downright eerie.

So she quickly turned and ran back to the educated youth outpost.

The fight between her and Han Ting was over—both had gone their separate ways.

Back at the riverside, Lin Xiaohan had listened to the whole dramatic scene but hadn’t moved.

Only after hearing Chu Xia’s footsteps fade into the distance did he start turning the harmonica in his hand again.

He idly spun it a few times, then lifted it to his lips and began to play into the night.

The river whispered along in soft chorus:

Beside the field and little stream, red berries in bloom,

There’s a boy I love so dearly, but I can’t tell him so.

I can’t speak the words my heart wants to say,

These feelings are trapped, with no place to go.

…

Han Ting was never short of company, especially when he was in a bad mood.

Not long after his argument with Chu Xia—after he stormed off and left her behind—Su Yun came to find him.

Having just been aggravated by Lin Xiaohan and now by Chu Xia, Han Ting was in a truly foul mood.

He didn’t return to the educated youth compound right away. Instead, he walked side by side with Su Yun in the night, venting his frustration.

“There are so many guys in the compound. Of all people, she had to fall for Lin Xiaohan. She knows I hate that guy the most. Is she deliberately trying to go against me?”

Su Yun stayed quiet for a moment before turning to Han Ting and saying, “Actually, I’ve been meaning to tell you… Is it possible that Chu Xia doesn’t see you as just an older brother? That she actually likes you—and because you’ve never responded to her feelings, she’s doing all this just to get your attention?”

Han Ting paused, visibly startled, then immediately rejected the idea. “Impossible.”

Su Yun continued, watching him carefully. “Why is it impossible? I don’t think she suddenly developed feelings for Lin Xiaohan out of nowhere. Before she started getting close to him, her eyes and heart were entirely on you, weren’t they? She treated you so well—can you really say it was just sibling affection? If that’s all it was, why would she suddenly act so extreme?”

Han Ting didn’t want to think too deeply about it. “We grew up together—known each other since we were in diapers. There’s no way she has feelings for me beyond that. You’re overthinking.”

Su Yun was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Do you really not feel anything for her? Nothing romantic at all?”

Han Ting came to a stop and grabbed Su Yun’s hand. His tone and gaze were firm and resolute. “No. Absolutely nothing. If I did, don’t you think something would’ve happened between us by now?”

Su Yun studied his expression in the moonlight and finally felt somewhat reassured.

She had always believed that Chu Xia was just a simple, naïve girl—easily manipulated by Lin Xiaohan, which was why she’d suddenly changed so drastically and started acting out.

And truthfully, Su Yun had never really considered Chu Xia a threat.

Chu Xia was so unremarkable it was hard to take her seriously—hard to even bother guarding against her.

Compared to herself and Tong Rui, Chu Xia wasn’t even worthy of stepping into the arena.

But lately, that confidence had started to waver.

She was beginning to see that Chu Xia wasn’t as simple as she seemed. The innocence must’ve been an act.

Now she thought Chu Xia wasn’t just not simple—she was calculated.

Given Lin Xiaohan’s usual behavior, it made no sense for Chu Xia to genuinely fall for him.

Her sudden closeness to Lin Xiaohan was more likely an act—pretending to be harmless while actually using him to provoke Han Ting.

And it was working. Han Ting was constantly agitated because of her.

If Chu Xia’s goal was to lure him in by pushing him away—make herself better, then make Han Ting realize her worth and fall for her—then Su Yun had to be careful.

She had already lost everything. Han Ting was all she had left.

If Chu Xia used her schemes to steal Han Ting away, Su Yun’s world would collapse into darkness.

Before, she hadn’t seen Chu Xia as a rival. In fact, she had happily tried to reconcile Chu Xia and Han Ting, thinking their friendship would ultimately benefit her.

But now, Chu Xia was making her feel threatened.

From someone who barely registered in anyone’s mind, Chu Xia was becoming impossible to ignore. Everyone was starting to notice her.

Having just tested Han Ting’s feelings, Su Yun felt a little more at ease.

Wanting to reassure herself further, she tiptoed up and kissed the corner of Han Ting’s mouth.

Blushing, she looked at him and softly asked, “Han Ting, ever since I got off the train and arrived here in the countryside, I’ve had nothing. I don’t know anyone here, and I don’t want to. Right now, I only have you. You’ll never leave me, right?”

At seventeen or eighteen, boys are still brimming with youthful impulsiveness.

How could Han Ting resist a girl like Su Yun—trusting him so completely, depending on him, her eyes filled with sadness, her demeanor delicate and charming?

Looking into her eyes, Han Ting replied, “Don’t worry. I’ll always protect you.”

Then he lowered his head and kissed her, pulling her into his arms.

Su Yun wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes to kiss him back.

—

After dealing with Han Ting, Chu Xia ran all the way back to the educated youth compound under the night sky.

Only when she reached the bamboo gate did she slow her steps.

As she walked into the courtyard and toward her dorm, she focused on steadying her breath—trying to calm her racing heart.

She quickly washed up once inside.

Afterward, she lay down on her bed and took several deep breaths to fully relax.

She thought to herself—after saying all that, Han Ting shouldn’t come bother her again.

As for Lin Xiaohan—she really wasn’t worried.

Han Ting and Lin Xiaohan were like oil and water. They could barely speak civilly to one another.

So it was almost impossible that what she’d said tonight in front of Han Ting would ever make its way to Lin Xiaohan’s ears.

Of course she didn’t like Lin Xiaohan.

She wasn’t some masochist.

With that settled, she had nothing left to worry about.

Chu Xia completely relaxed and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Later, when Li Qiao and the others returned from the boys’ dormitory, Chu Xia was just on the edge of sleep.

They didn’t care whether she was asleep or not—they were more curious about where Su Yun had gone.

Considering Han Ting hadn’t come back either, they naturally assumed the two of them had gone off to spend time together.

So, the four of them didn’t think much more about it, washed up in turn, and went to sleep as well.

They were all fast asleep.

No one knew when Su Yun and Han Ting had come back.

The first rays of morning sunlight spilled into the fenced yard of the educated youth compound.

In a corner of the yard where a small rain shelter had been set up, six chicks chirped sharply, stretching their necks inside two chicken cages.

The door to the girls’ dorm opened from the inside. Chu Xia stepped out, yawning, with a washbasin in her hands.

She went to the hand-pump to wash up, then began rinsing wild vegetables to prepare the chicks’ first meal of the day.

As Chu Xia was chopping the greens, Lin Xiaohan came out of the boys’ dormitory.

Hearing the door open, Chu Xia looked over and greeted him, “Morning.”

Lin Xiaohan responded with a quick “Morning” and walked over to wash up at the pump.

After washing, he too started chopping greens for the chicks and then headed into the kitchen to make breakfast.

He lifted the curtain and entered to find Chu Xia already sitting behind the stove, feeding the fire.

He placed the steamed buns into the pot and went to sit behind the stove as well, preparing to start the fire.

To get the fire going, he needed softer straw.

But all the soft straw was piled on Chu Xia’s side.

Lin Xiaohan looked at her for a moment but didn’t say anything or ask her to hand some over.

Instead, he suddenly leaned toward her and reached across without warning.

Startled by how abruptly he came close, Chu Xia instinctively drew back a little.

She tensed up and looked at him warily, asking, “What are you doing?”

Lin Xiaohan froze mid-reach, then suddenly smiled and said, “Getting fire-starting straw.”

Hearing this, Chu Xia relaxed a bit, shifted back further, and made room for him to grab the straw.

But the moment Lin Xiaohan grabbed the straw and sat back, his face darkened.

As he lit the fire, he thought to himself—
So I really believed her nonsense about liking me.

One simple test, and everything was exposed.

The way she instinctively reacted to his approach—there wasn’t even a hint of shyness or awkwardness. She was so on guard, it was like she was ready to pull a knife on him.