◎ Just remember till your dream appears ◎

After dropping Teacher Seagull off at her hotel, Xu Tiancheng arrived home in the middle of the night. But because she had promised over WeChat to go out with him the next day, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep at all. He worried that he might be too exhausted in the morning and end up giving her a bad impression.

However, when he got up and looked in the mirror, he realized he had worried for nothing. His entire being radiated energy and enthusiasm, practically exuding the scent of someone eager to impress.

He took her to the old town, where a well-known breakfast shop was tucked away in an alley. It had been featured on television and in magazines multiple times, yet it had remained true to its roots despite becoming a trendy internet-famous spot.

Xu Tiancheng had grown up in this area, often playing around with Xu Tianyu as a child. Back then, it was purely a residential neighborhood, but in recent years, it had been gradually transformed into a scenic district. When he helped his parents sell their old house, he had visited a few times and found the area even more picturesque, with small bridges and flowing water creating a charming atmosphere.

As he introduced the surroundings with familiarity, Teacher Seagull listened with a smile. Then, she let out a long “Oh,” her eyes twinkling with mischief. “You know this place so well. Looks like you bring a lot of people here.”

Her expression made it clear she wasn’t actually upset—it was just playful teasing, a little hint of jealousy for fun.

Xu Tiancheng’s heart pounded as she turned to look at him with that amused side glance.

He had been hustling in the real world since before graduating college, thick-skinned enough to handle anything. But today was different.

She had abandoned last night’s sophisticated city-girl style, dressing instead in a beige hoodie and jeans, with a small crossbody bag. She walked with a light bounce, her high ponytail swinging behind her. She looked youthful and full of energy, perfectly blending with the gentle spring sunshine and soft breeze. It truly felt like first love.

Xu Tiancheng held her hand tightly. It had been so long since he felt this way that he actually found himself getting shy.

Who would’ve thought? A man hardened by life, acting like a lovesick teenager the moment he met the right girl. Blushing slightly, he confessed, “You’re the only one I’ve ever brought here.”

She responded with another “Oh, really?” but her lips curled in a knowing smile, as if she didn’t believe him at all.

“I mean it. I don’t have the patience to entertain just anyone. I’m usually too busy.”

That came out sounding a bit cold, but it seemed to convince her a little. “Really, just me?”

Xu Tiancheng tightened his grip on her hand. “I have no reason to lie to you.”

He wanted her to understand how special she was to him. She seemed to believe him—at least a little—but instead of looking pleased, she suddenly grew quiet, her smile fading. She propped her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

Xu Tiancheng knew her well. She was cautious, always overthinking, afraid that taking a step too far might push their relationship to an irreversible point.

He felt frustrated and impatient, but he couldn’t think of a better way to ease her worries. In the end, he simply kept buying her snacks and drinks, determined to keep her mouth too full to say anything he didn’t want to hear.

The old street stretched long, and they strolled from one end to the other. This date hadn’t been meticulously planned, just a spur-of-the-moment idea. Yet, judging by her reactions, she seemed quite happy.

They finally sat down to rest on a long bench near the end of the street. Teacher Seagull traced the weathered carvings on the bench with her fingers before leaning against his shoulder, her voice soft and sweet. “This is so fun, Teacher X. I’m really happy.”

Xu Tiancheng was just as happy. He was sure that even the clouds in the sky, the ripples in the river, and the budding leaves on the trees could tell how happy he was.

She shifted slightly, wrapping both arms around his arm and gazing at the clear blue sky. She spoke lazily, dropping words here and there. “You know, so many guys take girls out to fancy restaurants. They could swap out a hundred different girls, and the dinner table would still be the same one. And, well, fancy restaurant food is nice, I guess… but nothing as fun as today.”

Hearing that, Xu Tiancheng stiffened slightly.

Without a word, he pulled out his phone, turned away so she couldn’t see the screen, and hurriedly canceled the fancy rotating restaurant reservation he had made for lunch.

After resting for a bit, she perked up again, tugging him along for another stroll. Somehow, they ended up talking about travel, and Xu Tiancheng, who had been searching for the perfect moment to confess, finally felt like the timing was right—

But before he could set the stage properly, Teacher Seagull spoke first.

Love and desire were naturally intertwined. Xu Tiancheng had always known she wasn’t someone who shied away from discussing such things. But when she casually suggested they exchange health check-up reports, he was completely caught off guard, stunned into silence.

They seemed to have a misalignment in their understanding of their relationship—

Even if their understanding wasn’t off, at the very least, their pursuit of it was.

Back in the car, Xu Tiancheng was restless, holding his phone and scrolling through review apps to find a medical examination center. He remained silent for a long while.

Sitting beside him, she was still smiling, but her voice carried a slight chill. “It was just a suggestion. If you don’t want to go, it’s fine.”

It wasn’t that Xu Tiancheng was unwilling to get a medical checkup, but he wanted more than just a casual fling. In a normal romantic relationship, would a couple agree to get tested before officially dating?

Would they?

Probably not.

Seeing that he remained silent, Teacher Seagull’s gaze gradually turned suspicious.

Xu Tiancheng found himself at a loss for words. There was nothing he could say at this moment. If he even slightly objected, she would undoubtedly see it as an excuse to avoid the checkup.

What else could he do? With a sigh, Xu Tiancheng realized he couldn’t get past this hurdle. If he didn’t agree right away, she would probably just call the whole thing off.

Thinking about it calmly, it actually wasn’t unreasonable. What was he to Teacher Seagull? At best, just an online acquaintance meeting in person. She didn’t know him well, nor did she have any reason to trust him.

No matter how many times he said, “I’ve never messed around outside,” a clean medical report would always be more convincing. Whether as a boyfriend or just a bed partner, this requirement was the same.

With that in mind, Xu Tiancheng decided to go through with the medical checkup first. Once she saw the results, he would confess his feelings properly.

No matter what, he had to secure his entry ticket first.

They went for the checkup together, and when they came out, Teacher Seagull was in a great mood. On the way to the restaurant, she hummed softly along with an English song playing on the radio—an insert song from Shrek.

“Just remember till your dream appears, you belong to me.”

(When your dream appears, remember that you belong to me.)

Xu Tiancheng glanced at her while steering the wheel.

“Is that your inner voice?” She bit her lower lip and turned to smile at him. Her lips were painted a soft, full pink.

Xu Tiancheng felt a heavy thud in his chest. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending to focus on the road, and stubbornly asked, “Whose inner voice?”

She didn’t answer. Lowering the car window, she gazed outside, letting the spring breeze lift her hair. She murmured, “Yeah, whose inner voice could it be?”

For lunch, they went to a well-known local private restaurant. She mentioned she had heard of it before—it was one of the most popular trending spots recently. Excitedly, she tugged on his sleeve and asked, “The sisters at Xiaofanshu all said this place is impossible to book! How did you get a reservation?”

Xu Tiancheng simply smiled without answering.

The restaurant had many creative fusion dishes, and the flavors were excellent. They sat in the best spot, enjoying a stunning garden view.

Teacher Seagull was clearly very pleased, taking out her phone and snapping numerous photos.

Xu Tiancheng sipped his tea and watched her. He had spent the entire morning pulling favors from several friends just to get this last-minute reservation. He owed quite a few people now, but at this moment, he felt it was completely worth it—just to see her bright, radiant smile.

In the afternoon, Teacher Seagull said she had to work late. Xu Tiancheng drove her back to her hotel, and their date ended there. At their age, it felt almost too innocent.

He had originally planned to keep things completely pure for the day, but Teacher Seagull was Teacher Seagull after all. Holding onto the corner of his sleeve, she blushed slightly and blinked at him. “Aren’t you going to give me a proper goodbye kiss?”

Who could possibly resist that?

She was full of little gestures—absentmindedly ruffling his hair as she spoke, straightening his collar, launching sudden sneak attacks to lightly bite his Adam’s apple. During kisses, she would rub his earlobe from time to time, and when things got heated, she would grab his hand and place it on her waist.

It drove Xu Tiancheng absolutely crazy.

He remembered one of his gym members who loved listening to audiobooks while running. The male leads in those stories were always saying things like, “My life is yours.” The first time he heard it, Xu Tiancheng almost burst out laughing on the spot.

Now, he realized how shallow he had been. Those novel scenarios were real. Right now, he just wanted her to swallow him whole.