Little Sweetheart

"…You!"

"You're speechless now, aren't you?" Lu Jiaye picked up his glass and sipped his drink with a smug grin.

Zheng Peipei, with her fiery temper, was about to explode. She aimed a kick at Lu Jiaye, who let out a yelp.

The two chased each other around, their shrill voices piercing the air. Xia Zhijun, who had been dozing lightly, was awakened by the noise and lifted his head slightly.

Gu Siyi turned to look at him. For the first time, she saw a dazed and confused look in his eyes, which was unexpectedly adorable.

However, in the next second, his face darkened. He rubbed his forehead and leaned back on the sofa. "So noisy."

Su Han stopped the boisterous Zheng Peipei and led her to sit aside. His gentle voice was like a soothing balm. "Let's not make a fuss. You'll hurt yourself. Do you want to play games? I'll play with you."

Meeting his deep, dark, enchanting eyes, Zheng Peipei instantly fell silent and mumbled, "It's nothing… It's just that jerk annoying me and teasing me again. I'm so mad."

"Let me do a magic trick for you." Su Han's lips curved into a smile. His fair, slender fingers circled his ear, snapped, and when he brought his hand back, it flipped over, revealing a small rose.

Zheng Peipei's eyes widened in disbelief, and the other students were stunned.

"This is for you. Can you not be angry now?" Su Han handed the rose to Zheng Peipei, his beautiful eyes reflecting only her image.

"Hey, why should I be angry with that idiot? I'm not angry anymore, not angry anymore." Zheng Peipei accepted the rose, her face slightly flushed, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up.

Lu Jiaye leaned back on the sofa, acting like a young master, and grumbled, "Xiao Susu, you've played this old trick so many times. Can you stop using it to fool this brainless tigress?"

Zheng Peipei flew into a rage and was about to explode when Su Han grabbed her hand. Turning her head, she met Su Han's gentle gaze, and her anger instantly dissipated. She glanced at Lu Jiaye and snorted softly, "I can't be bothered with you."

Zhou Xiao checked the time and said, "It's about time we head back to school. Get some rest early. We still have the competition tomorrow."

"Let's go, let's go, let's go…" Lu Jiaye jumped up in a hurry. Once they reached the school, they would each return to their dorms, saving themselves from witnessing certain unpleasant scenes.

Zhou Xiao called the waiter to settle the bill, and everyone got up to leave.

.

Zheng Peipei held the rose, beaming with joy all the way back to the dorm. She used a pen holder to prop it up and said, "I'm going to browse Taobao and buy a small vase to brighten up this boring desk."

Seeing her blissful appearance, Gu Siyi teased, "I'm so envious. I've never received flowers from a boy before."

"Huh? The study god has never given you flowers?… That means he's not attentive enough."

"Why do you have to bring him up every time?" Gu Siyi mumbled, clearly lacking confidence.

After showering and coming out, Gu Siyi routinely checked her wrist before going to bed. She remembered taking off the bracelet and looked for it on the desk.

She casually assumed it was in the small storage box, but it wasn't there. She looked again, and it really wasn't there. She carefully searched the entire desk again, but it was still nowhere to be found.

Gu Siyi started to panic. She searched from the bookshelf to the cabinet, to the desktop, and then under the desk, meticulously combing through every corner of the small space.

As she crouched under the desk, shining her flashlight repeatedly, the lively Zheng Peipei finally noticed something was wrong and asked, "What are you looking for?"

"My bracelet is gone…"

"Ah?" Zheng Peipei was taken aback, then realized, "The bracelet Xia Zhijun gave you?"

"Yes." Gu Siyi's voice was filled with anxiety.

"Then let's find it quickly." Zheng Peipei came over to help with the search.

The two thoroughly searched their side of the room again, then went over to Zheng Peipei's side and searched again. They asked their roommates, Xu Lin and Lan Xiaoqiu, "Have you seen my bracelet?"

Xu Lin's eyes widened in astonishment. "I haven't seen it. Did you lose your bracelet?"

Lan Xiaoqiu remained indifferent and replied without turning her head, "I haven't seen it."

Gu Siyi's heart sank, and her mind raced. "Maybe it's in the classroom? Did I remember wrong? Did I not put it in the dorm?"

Zheng Peipei said, "Then let's go to the classroom tomorrow to look for it."

How could Gu Siyi wait until tomorrow? She hurriedly said to Lan Xiaoqiu, "You have the classroom key, right? Can you lend it to me?"

Lan Xiaoqiu found the key and gave it to her.

"Thank you." Gu Siyi took the key, put on her jacket, and left.

"Hey, wait, wait, wait… I'll go with you." Zheng Peipei chased after her.

Xu Lin and Lan Xiaoqiu, who were left in the dorm, exchanged glances and then went back to their own business.

Gu Siyi and Zheng Peipei walked quickly to the teaching building, arrived at their classroom, unlocked the door, and turned on the lights.

They both searched their desks, but it was nowhere to be found. The floor was clean, and the trash can had been emptied.

They couldn't find any trace of the bracelet in the common areas either.

Gu Siyi plopped down on a stool, her mind in a daze. "…Where could it be? How could it just disappear?"

"Don't panic, think carefully."

"Could it be that I didn't take it off? Did I lose it during the competition this afternoon? Should we go to the field and look for it?"

"How can you find it in such a big field? If you really lost it, someone would have picked it up. And there were people cleaning up the field after the competition. Why don't we post on the school forum and ask if anyone found it?"

Zheng Peipei had an ID on the school forum and said, "Send me a picture, and I'll post it for you."

"Okay." Gu Siyi nodded.

The two immediately divided the tasks.

After a while, Zheng Peipei put her phone in her pocket and said, "Let's go back to the dorm and wait for news."

Gu Siyi nodded.

Unlike their hurried pace when they came, Gu Siyi walked slowly on the way back, her head downcast and her face filled with dejection.

Zheng Peipei knew she was heartbroken. She put her arm around Gu Siyi's shoulders and comforted her, "Don't be discouraged yet. It can't just vanish into thin air, right? Maybe someone picked it up."

"It's too slim a chance…" As soon as Gu Siyi spoke, her voice was hoarse, with a hint of a sob. "I don't know how it disappeared. I remember putting it in the storage box on the desk…"

Seeing her like this, Zheng Peipei felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She knew how much Gu Siyi cherished that bracelet.

Moreover, it was the first gift Xia Zhijun had ever given her…

She could only comfort her by saying, "Maybe someone will reply to the post tomorrow saying they found it."

Gu Siyi didn't say anything, trying her best to suppress the fluctuating emotions in her chest, not wanting to cry.

The next day, the first thing Gu Siyi did when she woke up was to check the post Zheng Peipei had made for any replies.

There were only inquiries and jokes, but no real responses.

Her heart sank to the bottom.

However, the sports meet was still ongoing. Today, Gu Siyi was scheduled to participate in the 1500-meter run, the 400-meter final, and the 100-meter final.

Her outstanding performance yesterday had raised everyone's expectations. The track was surrounded by classmates cheering her on, with students from both Class Six and Class Eight gathered together.

Standing at the starting line, Gu Siyi's state was clearly not as good as yesterday. There was no relaxed smile on her face, only anxiety and solemnity in her eyes.

The starting gun fired, and Gu Siyi hesitated for a second before dashing out.

Lu Jiaye, who was watching, remarked, "Why does Little Dimple seem so tired today?"

Zhou Xiao said, "Maybe she overexerted herself yesterday and is tired."

Xia Zhijun, focused on watching Gu Siyi compete, didn't say anything.

The 100-meter and 400-meter races ended, and she won two third places.

It wasn't the best result, but in the competition among several schools, it was still a contribution to the school's honor.

The homeroom teacher and the PE teacher were both very happy. The homeroom teacher specifically came to encourage Gu Siyi, "There's still the 1500 meters to go. Keep up the good work, and good luck."

Gu Siyi nodded.

However, before the race, Xia Zhijun pulled Gu Siyi aside and said, "I see you're not in good shape. Can you still run?"

Gu Siyi had been trying to avoid Xia Zhijun all day. Every time she saw him, her heart would race even faster. Now, facing his concerned gaze, she lowered her head and nodded, then nodded again.

Returning to the track, Gu Siyi took a deep breath and adjusted her state.

Learning from the previous sprints, she gathered her focus and prepared to run.

The starting gun fired, and she instantly dashed out with great momentum.

However, long-distance running was not about explosive power but endurance. The 1500 meters required multiple laps around the field, which was quite a challenge.

The classmates watching from the sidelines cheered and waved their flags non-stop.

Zheng Peipei jumped up and down, shouting, "Go, Siyi! Go, Siyi!"

Gu Siyi mechanically sprinted forward, her thoughts jumbled as she ran—

She clearly remembered putting it in the dorm and not wearing it to the field, so how could it be gone…?

Was her memory that bad? Could she misplace such an important item? But where could it be…?

Gu Siyi's mind was in a mess. When her foot caught on an empty bottle, she lost her balance and fell forward.

Zheng Peipei exclaimed in shock, "What happened? Why is there trash on the track?!"

Lu Jiaye and Su Han were so startled that they stood up from the stands.

Xia Zhijun was the first to rush down from the stands. Without bothering with the exit, he vaulted over the railing and sprinted towards Gu Siyi.

With the immense momentum, Gu Siyi crashed heavily to the ground, rolling for a short distance. The pain made her mind go blank.

When she came to her senses and was about to get up, a pair of strong hands helped her up. She turned her head and saw Xia Zhijun.

He stared at her, his face pale and his fingers trembling slightly. He said in a low voice, "Hold on, I'll take you to the infirmary."

"I'm fine…" Gu Siyi straightened up, paused for a few seconds, and said, "I can still finish the race."

"Don't run!" Xia Zhijun said sternly.

"No, I have to finish. Long-distance running is my strength. I can't give up." Gu Siyi shook off Xia Zhijun's hand and continued running.

She had been in the lead, but because of the fall, she fell behind a few places.

As she sprinted on the track, it was as if the fall had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience. In fact, once she started running again, she truly forgot about the pain and the injury. Her heart was already heavy enough, and the physical pain seemed insignificant in comparison.

Gu Siyi, giving it her all, crossed the finish line in fourth place.

The field erupted in thunderous applause. The person who was about to withdraw from the race had actually completed it and even secured a ranking!

Lu Ming watched Gu Siyi from the sidelines. The cheering squad he had brought was shouting their hearts out, but his brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with heartache.

After crossing the finish line, the belief that had been supporting Gu Siyi vanished, and she felt completely drained. Just as she was about to collapse, she was caught by a pair of arms and a warm embrace.

Xia Zhijun scooped her up in his arms. Gu Siyi had no strength left and went limp in his embrace.

"I'll take her to the infirmary," Xia Zhijun said to no one in particular, and strode away with Gu Siyi in his arms.

Zheng Peipei chased after them. "I'll go with you."

"No need. You go watch the others compete." Xia Zhijun said coldly, carrying Gu Siyi as he walked with large strides.

Zheng Peipei: "…"

Sensing Xia Zhijun's displeasure, she thought for a moment and decided not to intrude, lest she invite trouble. She felt relieved knowing that Xia Zhijun was taking care of Gu Siyi.

Xia Zhijun carried Gu Siyi to the infirmary. The medical staff lifted her tracksuit pants, and when Xia Zhijun saw the large areas of bruises and scrapes on her fair legs, his brows furrowed into a tight knot.

When they disinfected and applied medicine to her wounds, Gu Siyi winced in pain.

Xia Zhijun held her hand and said, "If it hurts, you can pinch me."

"…" Gu Siyi bit her lip and didn't make a sound.

After the medicine and bandages were applied, the doctor gave her some precautions and told her not to engage in strenuous activities.

Gu Siyi carefully got off the bed, and Xia Zhijun asked, "Can you walk?"

Gu Siyi nodded and said with feigned ease, "It's fine, just a minor injury."

"It's just a minor injury when it's like this?" Xia Zhijun chided with a frown. "I told you not to run, but you insisted on running. Is getting a ranking that important?"

"Yes, it's important." Gu Siyi lowered her head and said softly, "From elementary school to junior high, I participated in the sports meet every year. I was even on the track and field team in elementary school. I like sports, and I want to win awards. Is that wrong?"

She paused for a few seconds and continued in a softer voice, "After all, it's the one thing I'm good at."

Xia Zhijun took a deep breath, controlling the frustration welling up inside him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Let's go."

"Hey, I'm fine. You don't have to treat me like a frail old lady."

"Do you think you're invincible?" Xia Zhijun raised his hand and gently flicked her forehead.

She pouted and mumbled, "Anyway, it's not as serious as you think… Ah—"

Without warning, Xia Zhijun swept her off her feet and into his arms.

He looked into her startled eyes and said, "Then let me tell you, you are a delicate little thing who needs protection."

"…"

"I'm afraid you'll get hurt if you fall, and I'm afraid you'll shatter if I don't watch over you carefully."

His gaze was intense and scorching, fixed on her without reservation.

Gu Siyi was the first to break under his stare. She turned her flushed face away, avoiding his eyes.

Xia Zhijun carried her all the way out of the building. Only after her vehement protests did he finally put her down.

Xia Zhijun took out his phone and checked it, saying as he scrolled, "Since you can't compete anymore, I'll take you out to have some fun."

Gu Siyi: "But you still have your competition!"

"It's not important." He said nonchalantly.

"How can it not be important?" Gu Siyi retorted.

Xia Zhijun raised his hand and placed it on her head, asking, "Can it be more important than you?"

"…" Gu Siyi was speechless.

"I can tell you're not in a good mood today. Let's go out and have some fun." Xia Zhijun reached out and took her hand.

Gu Siyi pulled her hand away. "You should go compete. I'll be your cheerleader."

Xia Zhijun put his hands on his hips and looked down at her, saying each word clearly, "Gu Siyi, if you refuse me one more time, I'll carry you out of this school."

"…" Gu Siyi lowered her head, biting her lip, and muttered, "So fierce, so overbearing."

"Then do you want to be carried out princess-style in front of the entire school?" Xia Zhijun made a move as if to pick her up, and Gu Siyi quickly jumped back in fright.

"Fine, fine… I can walk by myself."

"Do you want to call Pei Pei and Su Han? And Xiang Li, Xin Yi… They don't have any competitions."

"No." Xia Zhijun refused instantly. "I only want to take you out, not a bunch of third wheels."

"…" Gu Siyi raised her hand and touched her nose, her cheeks feeling a little warm.

Gu Siyi followed behind Xia Zhijun, awkwardly leaving the school.

Xia Zhijun had called for a car, and it was waiting for them outside the school gate.

After getting in the car, the radio was playing a cheerful old song called "Simple."

"I can't explain why I've become so possessive, as if everything is worth doing for this one person.

I want to announce loudly that I can't bear to part with you, even the next-door neighbors have guessed my current…"

As Xia Zhijun listened to the song, leaning back in his seat, he felt a pang in his heart.

He, who had always been pursued by others but never cared, had never been so possessive of a girl before.

Despite his apprehension and hesitation, he was already deeply infatuated with her.

Xia Zhijun turned to look at Gu Siyi, who was sitting there with her head down like a quail, not saying a word.

He couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

He reached out and ruffled Gu Siyi's hair, saying, "Why are you acting like I'm forcing you, hmm?"

"What are you talking about…" Gu Siyi swatted his hand away and chided.

The sweet and cheerful melody swirled in the car as Xia Zhijun looked at her with a smile in his eyes.

The car stopped at the edge of Central Park, and they got out.

It was a large open park built along the riverbank, a popular spot for citizens to relax and enjoy the view.

Even though it was Friday, the park was still crowded with people.

Xia Zhijun saw a vendor selling balloons and took Gu Siyi over to buy her a bunch, tying them to her wrist.

Gu Siyi laughed and said, "Hey, hey, hey, I'm not a three-year-old. Why are you giving me this?"

"Of course you're not three," Xia Zhijun said, "You're at most six years old."

"You're the one who's six."

"Come on, let's go for a bike ride." He took her hand, the one with the balloons tied to it.

Gu Siyi looked up and saw the bunch of balloons floating above their heads, and she couldn't help but smile.

"There are tandem bikes over there. Tandem bikes are fun."

"You have an injury on your leg. Let's just ride a single bike. You sit on the back."

Xia Zhijun rented a bicycle and let Gu Siyi sit on the back. With a push of his foot, they rode along the riverbank.

The river breeze blew gently, carrying with it the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of birds from the park. Gu Siyi took a deep breath, her heart filled with peace.

As he pedaled, Xia Zhijun sang, "I want to hold your hand like this and never let go. Can we stay innocent forever without sorrow? I want to take you for a bike ride. I want you and baseball. Like this, without worries, singing as we go…"

Gu Siyi sang along with him, "I want to hold your hand and never let go. Can we be simple and free from harm? You lean on my shoulder, you fall asleep in my arms. This kind of life, with you and me…"

At the end of the song, Xia Zhijun said, "This song is for you. It's very fitting."

Gu Siyi, who had been in high spirits, suddenly felt shy upon hearing his words.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Back to being a quail?" Xia Zhijun teased.

Gu Siyi really didn't know what to say. She blushed and retorted, "You're the quail…"

"You're not a quail, you're a broken record."

"…Ah!"

Xia Zhijun suddenly sped up, and the sudden burst of speed startled Gu Siyi, causing her to instinctively wrap her arms around his waist, burying her face in his back.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her fair face was flushed with a mixture of excitement and shyness, sweetness and nervousness.

Xia Zhijun slowed down and stopped in front of a stall selling candied hawthorns. He asked Gu Siyi, "Want some?"

"Yes!" Gu Siyi nodded without hesitation.

Gu Siyi ate the candied hawthorns with relish as Xia Zhijun continued to ride with her, enjoying the breeze.

When he stopped again, he realized he still had half a stick left in his hand.

He handed it to her and said, "Here, half for you. I saved it for you."

Xia Zhijun smiled. "Good girl, that's a good habit."

After returning the bike, Xia Zhijun stood under a big tree, eating his candied hawthorn. Gu Siyi walked a few steps away, took out her phone, and snapped several pictures of him in a row.

Xia Zhijun generously let her take pictures. It was best if she took more so she could admire them later when she had nothing better to do.

Gu Siyi smiled as she took pictures. At this moment, the aloofness of the study god had faded, replaced by a touch of cuteness.

He looked more like a boy his age.

But he was just too handsome. Even when photographed eating candied hawthorns, he looked both adorable and dashing.

After taking pictures for a while, Gu Siyi looked at the photos on her phone, admiring her handiwork, a smile never leaving her face.

Xia Zhijun tossed the stick into the trash can and turned around to find Gu Siyi looking at her phone, smiling like she was looking at a delicious dessert.

He really… wanted to take a bite.

He quietly walked up behind her and suddenly hugged her.

"Ah—" Gu Siyi let out a small shriek.

Xia Zhijun leaned down and kissed her cheek forcefully.

"You… what are you doing…" She was flustered and at a loss, wanting to escape but unable to.

"Kissing you." His arms tightened around her, holding her firmly in his embrace. Now that he had taken the first step, how could he resist the second?

"You're a hooligan…" she accused, her face red.

He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Gu Siyi, I really like you."

"…" Gu Siyi froze, her mind buzzing for a long moment.

Xia Zhijun held her for a while longer before letting go and gently taking her hand.

Gu Siyi followed behind him like a lost little goose, walking closely beside him.

At this age, faced with these unfamiliar feelings, she didn't know how to respond or how to refuse. She didn't dare to move forward, but she also didn't want to retreat. Panic and dependence clashed violently within her, tugging at her innocent heart.

Xia Zhijun held her hand and said, "Don't be afraid. I won't overstep my boundaries with you before we graduate."

"…" Overstep… overstep… what did "overstep" mean…?

Gu Siyi's dazed mind vaguely understood, and her face turned even redder.

"You don't have to worry about your studies. Whichever university I get into, I'll make sure you get in too."

Gu Siyi couldn't help but say, "How arrogant…"

Xia Zhijun glanced at her. "That's called confidence."

"Just think, you'll get into a top university and have a handsome school heartthrob as your boyfriend. What's not to like?" His voice was low and persuasive.

"…" What's not to like? She didn't know.

Xia Zhijun spent the afternoon with Gu Siyi, taking her to Haidilao for dinner.

Gu Siyi said, "It's more lively with more people. Let's call Pei Pei and the others."

Xia Zhijun said, "Don't always invite a bunch of light bulbs. You need to get used to spending time alone with me."

Gu Siyi: "…………"

They had the quietest and most awkward dinner ever.

After dinner, they took the bus back to school together.

The bus rumbled along the road, stopping and starting. He held her hand the entire time, refusing to let go.

Once they entered the school grounds, Xia Zhijun reluctantly released her hand.

As dusk settled, they walked side by side through the campus.

Xia Zhijun asked, "How are your midterm exam preparations going?"

"I don't know…" Gu Siyi honestly wasn't sure about the difficulty level of Longxing's exams.

Xia Zhijun walked her to her dormitory building and said, "There's still one more day of competition tomorrow. Bring your books and stationery and come out with me to study."

"Is that really necessary… If I'm not competing, I can study in the dorm."

"It's necessary." He raised his hand and patted her head. "I don't know how well you've been studying. What if you fail the exams and come crying to me, saying it's all my fault?"

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