Chapter 106

The first ray of sunlight pierced through the glass and shone onto Zhenzhen’s face in the dorm room. She opened her eyes and picked up the watch by her pillow for a glance—it was almost six o’clock. Half of the girls in the dorm were already up by then, but everyone was careful not to make any noise while dressing or folding their blankets, for fear of waking the others still asleep.

After washing up, Zhenzhen returned to the dorm and drank a glass of warm water before putting on a tracksuit and heading out. Xi Junjie was already sitting on the bench below the girls’ dormitory, silently reading English. This was the second language he had chosen as an elective since his sophomore year. In her past life, Zhenzhen had studied English, and in this one, she had relearned it with Mr. Wangwo. Now, whenever she and Xi Junjie were alone, they spoke in English or French to practice conversation.

When Zhenzhen came downstairs and saw Xi Junjie reading on the bench, she immediately ran over with a smile. “Have you been waiting long? I woke up a bit late today.”

“It’s okay, you’ve been tired lately. Sleep in when you can,” Xi Junjie said, heart aching at the sight of her, as he reached out to take the backpack from her shoulder.

“Well, I’m the one who chose to major in three fields,” Zhenzhen said with a stretch. “But graduation’s coming soon, and the days of running from one classroom to another will be over. I’ll finally get some peace. Still, it’s been a fulfilling time. I’m a little reluctant to leave campus, you know? They say the most carefree time in life is school.”

“But you’re different from others.” Xi Junjie took her hand and playfully tapped her nose. “Others enjoy their school days. You’re out here fighting like your life depends on it.”

“Hehe, I do enjoy it too—especially the part about being in love during college.” Zhenzhen lightly scratched the palm of his hand with a finger and grinned playfully. “Let me tell you, relationships that start in school like ours are the purest and most enviable. One day, when we have kids, we’ll tell them our story, and I bet they’ll be green with envy.”

The word “kids” made Xi Junjie’s heart skip a beat, and a beaming smile spread across his face. If it weren’t for the students passing by, he would’ve pulled her into his arms and kissed her right then. “Did you just say ‘our kids’?”

“Mhm.” Zhenzhen looked at him, puzzled at how wide his smile had grown. “We’re definitely having kids after we get married. What’s so funny about that?”

Xi Junjie’s cheeks turned slightly red. He grabbed Zhenzhen’s hand and pulled her toward the teaching building. After finding an empty classroom, he pushed her inside and locked the door.

“What are you doing? You look like you’re up to no good!” Zhenzhen asked, confused.

Xi Junjie turned around, visibly nervous and a bit shy. “So, when do we get married?”

Zhenzhen rolled her eyes, both amused and exasperated. “Oh come on, I thought it was something serious. Did you really need to find an empty room for this?”

Xi Junjie pulled her into a hug, nuzzled her neck, and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I just wanted to hug you properly somewhere private… and also talk about our wedding plans.”

Zhenzhen leaned back and gave him a mock-serious look. “You think you can ask me when we’re getting married just like that?” She pinched his cheek and tugged it gently. “I’m telling you, being good-looking isn’t enough. I want a real, unforgettable proposal before I’ll even consider it.”

Xi Junjie chuckled and touched his forehead to hers. “So, you’re going to make this hard for me, huh?”

“Exactly. You better give it some thought, or you won’t get a wife.” Zhenzhen wrapped her arms around his neck. Looking at the increasingly handsome boy in front of her, she couldn’t help but stand on tiptoe and plant a quick kiss on his lips.

“Flirting with me this early in the morning?” Xi Junjie laughed softly and lowered his head to kiss her deeply. Their lips met, a slight tingle spreading through them. They quickly lost themselves in the moment, forgetting time and place, until footsteps sounded outside the classroom. Then they finally came back to their senses. Xi Junjie reluctantly released her lips, but couldn’t help kissing her swollen red lips a couple more times.

Leaning in his arms, Zhenzhen looked as pleased as a cat that had stolen a fish. Xi Junjie kissed the top of her head, checked his watch, and tightened his embrace. “We won’t make it to the track now. Let’s just go eat.”

Zhenzhen glanced at the time, her bright eyes flickering toward his lips. “It’s still a bit early. Why don’t we kiss one more time?”

Xi Junjie looked down at her blushing face and gently pinched her cheek. “Li Mingzhen, are you getting thicker-skinned?”

Zhenzhen retaliated by pinching his face too. Seeing that he didn’t immediately lean down to kiss her, she slipped out of his arms. “Fine, no kiss then!”

But Xi Junjie stretched out his long arms, pulled her back into his embrace, and kissed her again. It wasn’t until they were both panting for breath that they finally separated. Xi Junjie was already sweating, and he rested his forehead on her neck for a while to calm himself. Holding her slender waist, he whispered temptingly in her ear, “If we get married, we can kiss all night long.”

“Sounds tempting,” Zhenzhen raised an eyebrow. Seeing him nod eagerly, she hooked a finger and thumped his forehead. “I told you, no charming your way out of this. Without a proper proposal, don’t even think about me marrying you.”

“Ow.” Xi Junjie rubbed his forehead and sighed dramatically. “Wives are getting harder and harder to trick these days.”

Hearing the word “wife” from his mouth sent a strange flutter through Zhenzhen’s heart. A blush slowly crept up her face, and she suddenly felt shy.

Seeing her blush was such a rare treat that Xi Junjie looked like he’d discovered a new continent. He leaned close and whispered, “Wife!”

“Ah!” Zhenzhen stomped her foot and covered his mouth. “Stop that! I haven’t agreed to marry you yet!”

Grinning, Xi Junjie pulled her hand down and leaned into her ear, repeating, “Wife, wife, wife…”

Zhenzhen broke free from his grasp, opened the door, and ran out with a red face. Seeing her neck flush pink with shyness, Xi Junjie couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

The cafeteria was bustling. Zhenzhen bought two steamed dumplings and a bowl of tofu pudding, then took her usual seat—one she’d sat at for over three years. Xi Junjie brought over a big bowl of beef noodles and sat across from her.

The two of them had become a well-known couple on the Capital University campus. Both were exceptionally good-looking and had consistently ranked first in their majors for four straight years. More impressively, they were inseparable and never hid their relationship. Since their freshman year, the two had been together almost constantly—except during classes and sleep. In the mornings, classmates would see them jogging together, and at night, they were always side by side in the library. Even their window seat in the cafeteria had practically become their designated spot.

Other couples on campus couldn’t help but look up to them, though few could imitate them successfully. Zhenzhen and Xi Junjie’s looks made everything they did together seem picturesque, but when other couples tried the same things, it always looked slightly awkward by comparison.

Xi Junjie placed his beef noodles on the table and looked at Zhenzhen, who was focused on her tofu pudding. He lowered his head to peek at her face. “Still shy?”

“Shut up and eat,” she grumbled without looking up.

Chuckling, Xi Junjie picked up a piece of beef and held it to her lips. “Have some beef. Don’t be shy.”

Zhenzhen raised her head and gave him a suspicious look. “You think one piece of beef is enough to coax me? You’re underestimating me.”

“If one’s not enough, then have two.” Xi Junjie smiled as he held another piece to her mouth. Zhenzhen snorted lightly and opened her mouth to eat it.

Nearby, a girl watching them feed each other was overwhelmed with emotion, her heart thudding like a drum. She felt like she was bathing in honey and couldn’t help smiling blissfully. Eyes wide, she stared at the couple sharing food and then leaving hand in hand, looking sweet and loving. Covering her chest, she gave the boy across from her a swift kick.

“What was that for?” The guy looked up, totally confused.

Seeing his mouth still stained with broth, her romantic mood instantly deflated. With a sigh, she pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth clean before opening her own mouth in expectation. “Ah—”

“What?” he leaned in. “Got something stuck in your teeth?”

The girl’s face instantly turned green. She glanced around awkwardly and, seeing that no one was paying attention to her, said in a low voice, “You gave me beef.”

“Oh.” The guy lowered his head and rummaged through the bowl for a while, then looked at her innocently. “It’s all gone. I finished it. Want some soup instead?”

The girl turned her head away speechlessly, took two deep breaths, and suddenly stood up. “We’re done. Don’t come looking for me again.”

“Why? Just because you didn’t get any beef?” The guy was dumbfounded. “How about I go buy another bowl of beef noodles? Don’t be mad, hey…”

The girl bolted off with her backpack. The guy wanted to chase her, but when he saw the uneaten buns she had left, he was reluctant. While he hesitated, the girl had already disappeared. He stuffed a bun in his mouth and muttered in confusion, “Why did she get mad anyway?”

Although graduation was approaching, there were still some major-specific courses unfinished. Zhenzhen and Xi Junjie walked hand-in-hand into the French classroom, greeted a few classmates, and took their usual seats in the middle.

The girl from the cafeteria rushed into the classroom and chose a seat by the window where she could see the two of them. The girl next to her, Zhang Junbao, looked up and asked curiously, “Huang Ying, what’s wrong? You look upset.”

“I broke up with Cai Yajun,” Huang Ying sighed and pulled out her French textbook from her backpack.

“Why?” Zhang Junbao was puzzled. “Didn’t he visit your house during Chinese New Year last year? Did you two have a fight?”

“It wasn’t a fight.” Huang Ying tried hard to describe her feelings. “It’s just… I don’t feel like we’re in a real relationship. Honestly, watching Xi Junjie and Li Mingzhen from afar feels better than being with him.” Huang Ying turned her head and saw Xi Junjie lying on the desk saying something to Li Mingzhen, who burst into laughter and pinched his cheek.

Huang Ying turned back and saw Zhang Junbao also staring at Xi Junjie. She quickly whispered, “Just look at them. The way they’re together is so sweet that even an outsider like me can feel it. But when I turn back and see my own boyfriend—tall, burly, and stiff like a wooden stake—I instantly lose all mood.”

“But someone like Xi Junjie—so handsome and caring—there’s not another one like him in the whole school,” Zhang Junbao patted her shoulder and said earnestly. “When it comes to marriage, you need someone dependable. Graduation is around the corner. Soon, you won’t even see Xi Junjie anymore. I think you should just seriously consider marrying Cai Yajun.”

Huang Ying sighed gloomily. “Why is Li Mingzhen so lucky? With such a good-looking boyfriend like Xi Junjie—just looking at his face, I could eat an extra bowl of rice.”

Zhang Junbao glanced at her plump figure and shook her head speechlessly. “She’s not just lucky. She’s also pretty, smart too. Look around the school—what girl is more beloved than her?”

Huang Ying lowered her head in disappointment. Although she opened her textbook, she couldn’t focus on a single word. Eventually, she couldn’t help but lift her head to glance at Xi Junjie. “Actually, I think Xi Junjie and Li Mingzhen are a great couple. When they smile at each other, it’s like everything’s sweetened—they obviously love each other to the core. Hey, do you think if they get married, they’ll invite us to the wedding?”

“No idea,” Zhang Junbao shook her head. “I heard from the boys in Xi Junjie’s dorm that his family is quite influential. His dad works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and used to be a diplomat in France. Do you think people like that would invite ordinary folks like us?”

“Well, we could just ask.” Huang Ying straightened up, fists clenched excitedly. “Graduation’s so close—if I don’t speak up now, I might never get the chance.”

Just as Zhang Junbao was about to stop her, Huang Ying suddenly shouted, “Xi Junjie!”

Her voice was so loud that the previously noisy classroom instantly fell silent. All the students looked up, eyes full of gossip. At first, Huang Ying felt a bit embarrassed being stared at by so many people, but the moment she met Xi Junjie’s gaze, she seemed supercharged. Her brain blanked, and she blurted out everything in her heart: “I just wanted to ask, when you and Li Mingzhen get married, will you invite your classmates to the wedding banquet?”

The room erupted in laughter. Several guys from Xi Junjie’s dorm started jeering, “Of course!” “Junjie, when do we get to drink your wedding wine?” “Time to call her sister-in-law, huh?”

Xi Junjie smiled and turned to hold Zhenzhen’s hand, his face glowing with happiness. “Of course we’ll invite our classmates. You’ve all witnessed our journey.”

“Ahhhh!” Screams echoed around the classroom. Zhenzhen’s face turned as red as a tomato. She covered her face with both hands, wishing she could hide under the desk. Xi Junjie put his arm around her shoulder protectively and smiled at everyone, “My wife’s a bit shy.”

Zhenzhen suddenly lifted her head, strands of hair messy across her forehead and cheeks. She glared at Xi Junjie, who was clearly trying to hide his smugness, and pinched his waist in embarrassment and frustration. “Don’t say nonsense!”

“Okay, okay,” Xi Junjie immediately coaxed her gently. The laughter and teasing grew louder. Zhenzhen kept her face covered, too flustered to speak.

Just then, Professor Meng Huaishu walked into the classroom, covering his ears and striding quickly to the podium. “Hey, hey, hey! Quiet down! What’s going on here?” He dug at his ears and looked around at the seated students. “Graduation hasn’t even happened yet and you’re already celebrating. You’re making me sad.”

“It’s not that,” one cheeky guy raised his hand. “Xi Junjie just said he and Li Mingzhen would invite us to their wedding banquet.”

“Haha, such a great occasion and no one invited me?” Meng Huaishu leaned on the podium and grinned at the couple. “Xi Junjie, that’s not cool. If I hadn’t picked you and Li Mingzhen to perform that skit on stage back then, would she have even noticed you? Feels like you’re burning the bridge after crossing it.”

The class burst into laughter. Xi Junjie glanced at Zhenzhen, who was lying on her desk, ears bright red. He reached under the desk to hold her hand. “Of course we’ll invite you, Professor.”

“That’s more like it.” Meng Huaishu hopped off the podium and looked expectantly at Xi Junjie. “So, what’s the wedding date?”

Xi Junjie was stumped. He looked at Zhenzhen, who was laughing so hard she had the hiccups, and scratched his head awkwardly. “Uh… we haven’t decided yet…”

Meng Huaishu glanced between them and immediately understood. “So Li Mingzhen hasn’t accepted your proposal yet?”

Xi Junjie heard Zhenzhen giggling under her arm and gave her a helpless look. “We’ll let you know once the date is set, Professor.”

“Tsk, tsk, you’re useless.” Meng Huaishu clicked his tongue and shouted at Zhenzhen, “Li Mingzhen, don’t agree so easily! Make him work for it. Only say yes when he shows at least a 200% effort!”

Zhenzhen lifted her head, her face flushed with a bright smile, eyes curving into crescents as always. “Thank you for the advice, Professor. I’ll remember it.”