Little Sweetheart

This bus was mostly full of students.

Zheng Peipei and Gu Siyi sat in one row, while Xia Zhijun and Lu Jiaye sat in the row behind them.

Xia Zhijun noticed that Lu Jiaye hadn't stopped smiling since they got on the bus.

However, after thinking about it, since Gu Siyi had brought Zheng Peipei, it was better to have Lu Jiaye along.

He couldn't make Gu Siyi ditch Zheng Peipei, but with two of them, it would be easier to "lose" her.

Thinking this way, Xia Zhijun found Lu Jiaye much more agreeable.

Lu Jiaye: I don't know why, but the top student's gaze suddenly became so benevolent?

When they arrived at their stop, everyone got off the bus.

Gu Siyi looked at the popular internet-famous tea shop across the street, her interest piqued. But seeing the long queue, she sighed, "Why are there so many people queuing on Christmas Day?"

Xia Zhijun asked, "Do you want to drink some?"

Gu Siyi: "Forget it, there are too many people. I don't want it anymore, queuing is too much trouble."

"Special times, special methods. Wait here." Xia Zhijun said.

"Eh…" Gu Siyi wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but Xia Zhijun's long legs had already carried him far away.

"The top student really pampers you." Zheng Peipei linked arms with Gu Siyi, envious.

Lu Jiaye hummed, "Isn't it just buying tea? I can do that too."

"You can't even understand the underlying meaning, how would you know to buy tea?" Zheng Peipei said with a look of disdain.

Lu Jiaye: "…"

He really didn't understand why the top student suddenly went to buy tea.

Before long, Xia Zhijun returned with four cups of hot drinks, distributing them to everyone.

Gu Siyi exclaimed in surprise, "You're so fast!"

"There's always a way." Xia Zhijun said lightly.

Just now, Xia Zhijun had asked the second person in line to help him buy the drinks. He had originally planned to offer a generous fee, but the moment the kid saw him, his eyes went wide, he nodded vigorously, and bought the drinks without a second thought.

After Xia Zhijun got the drinks, the kid wanted his WeChat contact, but Xia Zhijun said calmly, "Sorry, my friend is waiting over there."

After saying that, he left.

The kid watched his tall figure walk away, crying inwardly, Why are all the handsome guys someone else's boyfriend?

The streets were decorated with lights and bustling with activity, filled with festive cheer.

Zheng Peipei and Gu Siyi held hands, leaving no room for Xia Zhijun to hold Gu Siyi's hand…

A boyfriend's role had to take a backseat when a best friend was present.

They passed by an esports arena, and there happened to be a match going on. Both Zheng Peipei and Gu Siyi were interested. Lu Jiaye immediately rushed to buy tickets, and they went inside to watch the match from the VIP area.

Zheng Peipei sat on Gu Siyi's left, Xia Zhijun on her right, and Lu Jiaye on Xia Zhijun's right.

Taking advantage of this seating arrangement, Xia Zhijun grasped Gu Siyi's hand. As if feeling somewhat dissatisfied, he intentionally squeezed her hand.

"…" Gu Siyi blinked, her face slightly flushed, but she didn't struggle, obediently watching the screen.

One of the teams in the match was playing exceptionally well, chasing the other team and killing them like vegetables.

"Look, there are five stragglers!" A spectator shouted from the front. The people behind burst into laughter.

Zheng Peipei and Lu Jiaye often played games together, and they both laughed at this scene. They simultaneously leaned forward, over Gu Siyi and Xia Zhijun, and looked at each other, laughing heartily.

Mid-laugh, Zheng Peipei suddenly remembered that she was currently in a fight with this idiot. Her face stiffened, her laughter stopping with a distorted curve. She also rolled her eyes at him before sitting up straight.

"…" Lu Jiaye wore a pitiful and innocent expression.

After the match, they left the esports arena. Zheng Peipei said, "There's a performance at Jiangtan Park. I heard several top celebrities are going to make an appearance. Let's go check it out."

"Okay." Xia Zhijun responded, which was rare for him.

For this kind of New Year's Eve performance, apart from the few VIP seats in the front area, the rest of the audience stood outside in a dark crowd.

The stage was elevated, and since they were all tall, they could see over the heads of the people in front of them.

Xia Zhijun, holding Gu Siyi's hand, said, "There are too many people here, come this way."

Gu Siyi let him lead her, following him as he moved.

"The view is better here, come a little closer." He continued to lead her.

"Oh… oh…" The crowd was dense, shoulder to shoulder, and she had lost all sense of direction. Her only security was the hand that the top student held.

Lu Jiaye, standing in the crowd, felt uncomfortable being squeezed from all sides. As a young master, he was used to VIP treatment and wasn't accustomed to standing like this to watch a performance. He turned to look at Zheng Peipei beside him, who also looked uncomfortable.

Lu Jiaye put his arm around Zheng Peipei's shoulder and said, "Let's go to the front. I'll find a way to get us seats inside."

"If you can, that would be great." Zheng Peipei turned, wanting to take Gu Siyi's hand and go forward together. However, when she looked around, all she saw were strangers… Where was Yi Ge? Where was the top student?

"Where did they go? Did they get lost?" Zheng Peipei asked anxiously. "Did we get separated from them?"

"Don't worry, with Zhijun there, he'll definitely keep a close eye on Little Dimple." Lu Jiaye said, "They probably slipped away on purpose, wanting some alone time. Be smart, don't go and be a third wheel."

"Hey, who's the one who insisted on following Xia Zhijun and has the nerve to lecture me?" Zheng Peipei retorted.

I did that to spend Christmas with you… Lu Jiaye couldn't say those words, so he could only admit defeat, "My bad, my bad. I was being arrogant, I'm a thousand-watt lightbulb myself and I still dared to lecture you."

Zheng Peipei snorted softly.

"Let's go, we'll go to the front ourselves, don't mind them." Lu Jiaye put his arm around Zheng Peipei's shoulder and led her forward.

Xia Zhijun had subtly led Gu Siyi away, and the two of them stood in the crowd watching the performance.

Originally standing side by side, he was afraid that the people next to them would bump into her, so he stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her, completely protecting her within his embrace. Gu Siyi looked up, and Xia Zhijun happened to lower his head, seeing her bright eyes, deep, warm, like the sea, like the stars.

Smiling for no reason, Xia Zhijun asked, "What are you smiling about?"

"I won't tell you!" She chuckled to herself. How can I have such a handsome boyfriend?

Someone who had never won a prize in her life had suddenly won a super prize.

Losing interest in the current performance, Gu Siyi's attention wandered. She remembered the gift she had brought and decided to give it to him while Zheng Peipei and Lu Jiaye were away, otherwise, she wouldn't have a chance later.

Gu Siyi casually said to Xia Zhijun, "By the way, I have a Christmas present for you."

Xia Zhijun looked at her playfully, "By the way? So casual? Did you pick up your gift on the road?"

"…Of course not." Gu Siyi huffed.

Xia Zhijun gently pinched her cheek, "It's okay even if you did. Even if you picked up a leaf on the road and gave it to me, I would treasure it."

"…" Gu Siyi's heart fluttered, but she retorted, "That's impossible."

"There are too many people here, let's go over there." Gu Siyi led Xia Zhijun to the side of a wall where it was relatively less crowded, making it easier to take out the gift.

She took out an exquisite gift box from her small backpack and handed it to Xia Zhijun.

Xia Zhijun took it with a faint smile and opened it.

Inside the gift box was a red Givenchy men's braided bracelet.

His smile faded slightly, and he asked, "This wasn't cheap, was it?"

"It was okay…"

"A bracelet from this brand must cost at least a few thousand. Where did you get the money?" He looked at her, a hint of concern in his eyes.

"I earned it myself!" Gu Siyi patted her chest, sounding righteous. "I submitted a short story to a magazine, and it got published! That's the payment I received!"

"You write too?" Xia Zhijun raised an eyebrow, quite surprised.

"I got a high score on my essay during the mid-term exams. And I used to read a lot of magazines and novels in junior high, so I wanted to try submitting something…"

Actually, she had been spurred on by Xia Zhijun. Before the mid-term exams, when they went out for tutoring, she wanted to treat him to a meal, but he refused, saying she shouldn't spend her parents' money. So, she racked her brains thinking about how to earn some extra cash.

Writing code like Xia Zhijun was impossible; she was a computer illiterate. Doing online part-time jobs would be too time-consuming, and her parents would kill her if they found out. After much thought, she had a flash of inspiration and decided to write for a magazine. She hadn't expected to actually earn her first pot of gold. Although it wasn't much, she was extremely satisfied. The first thing she did after receiving the payment was to plan a Christmas gift for Xia Zhijun. She'd also save some money to treat her friends to a meal.

Then… the payment was 3,700 yuan, the bracelet was 3,700 yuan, and she spent every last penny.

As for treating her friends to a meal… she'd have to wait until next time.

"Does it look good?" She looked at him expectantly.

She hadn't felt the slightest bit distressed about spending all her savings at once; she just wanted to hear him say it looked good.

Xia Zhijun gazed at her intently and said in a low voice, "Not as good as you."

"…" Gu Siyi blushed and said coyly, "I'm being serious… Do you like it or not…"

Xia Zhijun was admiring her charming appearance and was about to speak when a commotion suddenly arose in the crowd.

As several top celebrities appeared, a group of young people surged forward, and the scene suddenly spiraled out of control. In this shoulder-to-shoulder environment, the biggest fear was a stampede. The crowd kept shifting, some pushing forward, some trying to escape. The originally joyful and cheerful New Year's Eve performance turned into a chaotic scene.

More and more people surged past them. Xia Zhijun quickly said, "Don't move now, stand against the wall."

Gu Siyi nodded. She knew that trying to escape now would be dangerous; if someone fell, it would be disastrous.

Xia Zhijun encircled her, his forearms against the walls on either side, creating a protective space for her.

People brushed past him from both sides, some shouting, some carrying cameras and other things, bumping into him.

Gu Siyi suddenly reached out and hugged him.

"Let go!" Xia Zhijun said in a deep voice.

Gu Siyi didn't make a sound, her arms tightly wrapped around him.

"Gu Siyi, let go!" Xia Zhijun said again, his eyes showing a deep anger, his voice tinged with harshness.

"I won't let go! You let go first! Aren't you also protecting me!" Gu Siyi was equally stubborn.

For the first time, Xia Zhijun felt helpless. His arms were braced against the wall to prevent people from bumping into them, and he couldn't free his hands to pull her arms away. Why couldn't she just obediently stay in a safe environment?

On the other side, Lu Jiaye and Zheng Peipei were near the VIP area. They hadn't gone inside but were standing in the outermost area closest to the center. They were even more affected by the chaos here, as a group of crazy fans broke through the barricades, causing the crowd to stumble and fall.

Lu Jiaye decisively kicked over the barricade in front of them and protected Zheng Peipei as they moved forward; otherwise, they would have been knocked down by the people surging forward from behind.

"Let's go backstage," he said, pulling her along.

As they were walking, a security guard ran over and pushed Zheng Peipei, "Move back! Get out!"

Lu Jiaye pulled Zheng Peipei into his arms and shoved the security guard hard, shouting angrily, "Damn you, try me again!"

The security guard wasn't as tall as Lu Jiaye, and his aura was much weaker. He stubbornly said, "You can't come in here!"

Lu Jiaye glared at him coldly, "Get lost! An Chen is my sworn brother! I'm looking for him!"

He had wanted to contact An Chen to pull some strings and get them into the VIP area, but he hadn't brought his personal phone to work and couldn't reach him.

The celebrity An Chen, who was being escorted backstage by security personnel, heard Lu Jiaye's booming voice. He turned his head and quickly said, "Those are my friends, bring them over!"

He had finally managed to get to know someone from the Lu family and wanted to maintain a good relationship with the young master.

With staff coming to escort them, Lu Jiaye immediately put on airs and said to Zheng Peipei, "See, I told you, An Chen and I are buddies."

Zheng Peipei, for once, didn't call him an idiot, just snorted.

Police sirens wailed at the scene as they dispersed the crowd.

Fortunately, the chaos was quickly quelled.

Where Xia Zhijun and Gu Siyi were, the crowd thinned, and under the guidance of police officers, people began to leave in an orderly manner.

Xia Zhijun held Gu Siyi's hand and continued walking until they reached the mall and finally stopped.

Sitting in the resting area, Xia Zhijun pulled up Gu Siyi's sleeve to check her arm for injuries.

When he saw a bruise, his expression changed…

Gu Siyi said softly, "Someone bumped into me with something, it's nothing serious…"

"You wouldn't have been hurt if you had listened to me. Why didn't you listen?" Xia Zhijun asked in a deep voice, his face still grim.

"Then should I just watch you be a human shield for me?" She retorted, her eyes slightly reddened.

"You're a child, so weak, what can you do?" He questioned again.

"…" Gu Siyi turned her face away, biting her lip.

It was the first time Xia Zhijun had scolded her so sternly, and she felt terrible.

She suddenly stood up and walked away.

Xia Zhijun watched her retreating figure and sighed deeply, his heart still pounding from the earlier events.

He had never thought about protecting anyone before, but now all he wanted was to cherish this child. Even the slightest injury to her was unbearable for him.

Seeing Gu Siyi's figure about to disappear from his sight, Xia Zhijun immediately stood up and chased after her.

At the mall entrance, Xia Zhijun caught Gu Siyi's hand.

Gu Siyi turned her back to him, refusing to look at him.

Xia Zhijun sighed softly and said, "I won't scold you anymore, okay?"

Gu Siyi didn't respond, she pulled her hand free and continued walking, still refusing to look at him.

Xia Zhijun followed beside her, not knowing what to say. He didn't feel like apologizing, nor did he have any experience coaxing a child. The top student was at a loss at this moment, only able to quietly follow beside her.

As Gu Siyi walked, she managed to control her overflowing emotions. She stopped and turned to look at Xia Zhijun.

Xia Zhijun also stopped and looked at her.

Gu Siyi stared at him with her watery eyes, "I'm angry, don't you know how to coax me?"

Xia Zhijun: "…"

"If you say sorry to me now, and that you shouldn't have yelled at me just now, I'll forgive you." Gu Siyi huffed.

"…" Xia Zhijun felt his heart melting. He stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

"Who wants you to hug me…" She struggled in his arms.

Xia Zhijun held her tightly and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you just now. I was too anxious. And…"

Gu Siyi quieted down, "And what?"

"And, I really like the bracelet you gave me." Xia Zhijun nodded. "Actually, that's what I wanted to say. I don't know which idiot said those things earlier, it wasn't me."

Gu Siyi couldn't help but chuckle, "You know how to shift the blame, huh…"

Hearing her laughter, Xia Zhijun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Siyi pushed him away and asked with concern, "Are you okay? You were bumped around quite a bit just now…"

"I'm fine, I'm a man, physically strong." Xia Zhijun said lightly.

For some reason, the image of his physique flashed through Gu Siyi's mind… and she blushed.

Xia Zhijun took out the bracelet from his pocket and said, "My gift, put it on me."

Gu Siyi quickly dismissed the distracting thoughts, took the bracelet, and fastened it around Xia Zhijun's wrist.

His skin was very fair, and the bright red braided bracelet made it look even fairer and smoother.

Gu Siyi was happy just looking at it, but what she didn't know was that Xia Zhijun had never worn anything on his hands before. Back in junior high, when bracelets, pendants, and even earrings were popular, he never wore any of them, including jade pendants and blessed beads given by relatives and friends during festivals; he would just put them away in a drawer after receiving them.

He was a minimalist, completely uninterested in such superfluous things.

However, he didn't resist at all when Gu Siyi put this bracelet on him.

He accepted it willingly, bound by the sentiment behind the gift.

After putting it on, Gu Siyi lifted his hand and looked at it again, smiling, "It looks really good."

Xia Zhijun looked at the red band and smiled, "Are you marking your boyfriend?"

"…" Gu Siyi blushed crimson, "What are you talking about!"

"Hey, where's Peipei? And Lu Jiaye? Are they okay?" Gu Siyi suddenly remembered that it wasn't just the two of them on a date tonight; they had come out as a group of four.

Xia Zhijun said, "They're fine. I called them just now. They went backstage at the performance."

"Oh, oh…" Gu Siyi felt relieved.

Xia Zhijun took Gu Siyi's hand and said, "We don't need to meet up with them specifically. We agreed to go back to our respective schools separately."

Gu Siyi: "Oh…"

As they strolled hand in hand, Xia Zhijun finally felt the atmosphere of celebrating the holiday with his girlfriend.

Xia Zhijun said, "I have something for you too."

"Really?" Gu Siyi asked excitedly.

"Have you been waiting all night?" Xia Zhijun looked at her with a smile.

Gu Siyi felt embarrassed. She had indeed been secretly anticipating it but was too shy to ask. Of course, she still had to try to save face, "No, not really."

They arrived at a resting area under a large tree, and Xia Zhijun took out a gift box from his bag.

Gu Siyi eagerly opened it and saw a blue digital photo album, a brand collaboration, with a beautiful design, like a piece of artwork.

She sincerely exclaimed, "It's so beautiful!"

Xia Zhijun: "Open it and have a look."

"…" Gu Siyi fiddled with it for a while, but the screen remained black. Helplessly, she looked at Xia Zhijun for help.

Xia Zhijun chuckled, "It's a good thing I gave it to you in person."

Xia Zhijun turned it on and handed it to Gu Siyi. Gu Siyi touched the screen—

There were photos of them on Mount Emei, photos in the capital, and photos of them watching the meteor shower not long ago…

One after another, filled with memories, all beautifully taken photos. As she looked through them, the corners of her lips curled upwards.

Looking at herself in the photos, she couldn't help but say, "Is this beautiful child really me? I look so good!"

"I think the photos you took of me look even better than I do in real life… I'm a catfish haha!"

"When did you take this one? I didn't even know…" "You took so many candid shots!"

Gu Siyi enjoyed looking through them, and when she saw the intimate photos with Xia Zhijun, her cheeks felt warm, and her heart felt sweet.

After admiring them for a while, she closed the album, looked at Xia Zhijun, and smiled, "Thank you for taking so many photos of me! I'm super happy!"

No wonder they said you should find a boyfriend who can take good photos… It's really useful!

Xia Zhijun looked at her deeply, "Before, you weren't my friend, so you said thank you for the gift. Are you still saying thank you now?"

"…" Gu Siyi seemed to understand what he meant.

Xia Zhijun didn't rush her, just looked at her.

Gu Siyi suddenly leaned forward and quickly kissed him on the cheek.

Xia Zhijun was stunned for a moment. Every time she kissed him, he needed a few seconds to recover and process the feeling.

Then, he pointed to his lips, "Here, okay?"

"No!" Gu Siyi stood up and left.

Xia Zhijun stood up and followed her, walking beside her.

Gu Siyi checked the time on her phone, "It's getting late, we should go back to school."

"Mm, let's go to the bus stop up ahead."

As they walked along the street, Gu Siyi thought of Zheng Peipei and Lu Jiaye and asked him, "Does Lu Jiaye really like Peipei?"

"Probably." Xia Zhijun said lightly.

"What about Su Han?"

"Probably."

After all, neither of them had clearly stated which girl they liked.

"Then what should Peipei do? Who should she be with?" Gu Siyi frowned. "They're both good guys."

"Don't overthink it, give it time."

"…Give it time?"

"Some things don't need immediate answers because there aren't any at the moment. But as long as there's enough time, there definitely will be."

Gu Siyi stared blankly at Xia Zhijun. Xia Zhijun met her complex gaze, "What are you thinking?"

"You're very mature, Xia Zhijun. You speak so profoundly, like an elder."

"…"

"Don't tell me your mental age is that of an old man? Oh no, I don't like old men as boyfriends, I want a young and fresh one… Ah, ah—"

Before Gu Siyi could finish her teasing, Xia Zhijun picked her up.

"Put me down…"

Xia Zhijun wouldn't let go, carrying her forward in public. This girl sometimes needed to be taught a lesson.

Passersby turned their heads to look at the young couple, sighing inwardly, Young love is so nice, youthful and beautiful, full of energy, even giving a piggyback ride and showing affection on the street.

Arriving at the bus stop, Xia Zhijun put Gu Siyi down and went to buy her a candied hawthorn stick.

When he returned, Gu Siyi happily reached out her hand, but Xia Zhijun said, "Sticky. I'll hold it for you."

"…" Since he wouldn't give it to her, Gu Siyi had no choice but to lean her head forward to eat it.

Just as she was about to bite into it, the candied hawthorn moved slightly away. She stretched her head further to reach it, and Xia Zhijun lifted the candied hawthorn higher and lowered his head, successfully kissing the lips that came towards him.

Their lips touched—

For him, this Christmas Eve was finally perfect.

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