Chapter Fifty-Three: Climbing Over the Wall

Xu Lin was so shocked her jaw nearly hit the floor, while Li Qing gaped, speechless. Guozi’s expression, as she looked at me, was as if she’d just seen a prehistoric trilobite crawling right before her eyes.

“How does Lin Fan have the guts to actually hug Sister Xinyu? Isn’t he afraid she’ll beat him up?” Guozi whispered furtively to Joly, who threw a conspiratorial glance our way and replied in a low voice, “Keep it down. Maybe Lin Fan’s just been starved of female company for too long. Or what, do you want to go comfort him yourself?”

Guozi’s cheeks flushed as she scolded, “Don’t talk nonsense! Look at you, acting all flirty!”

…

I hadn’t even noticed my own loss of composure until Xuehan whispered, “Had enough? Lin-jie is watching us, you know~!”

Seeing Xuehan’s face crimson with embarrassment, my heart skipped a beat, but I had no choice but to pull my hand back. Losing control before even drinking was a bit too much.

Xinyu kept stealing glances at the dishes on the table, her lips curled in a secret smile. Xuehan, her face still burning, murmured, “The hotpot is ready… we can eat now…”

The simmering pot was filled with chicken, richly seasoned—a savory aroma filled the air. Xinyu placed a box of sliced lamb in front of Xuehan and me. “Eat up—once you’re full, go to bed. I heard it’s going to snow heavily tonight~!”

“Snow heavily?” I looked at Xinyu in surprise. “It’s this early in the year? Winter’s come so soon.”

“But for some people, it seems spring has already arrived~” It was Xu Lin who spoke, her tone tinged with jealousy.

Xinyu and I fell silent, while Xuehan’s lovely face turned an even deeper shade of red. Fortunately, Xu Lin had enough sense to change the topic. “There’s only a month left before the New Year. Have you guys thought about going home to spend it with your families?”

Xuehan’s petite frame trembled as she replied in a timid voice, “No, I don’t want to go home.”

She must have had some irreconcilable conflict with her family, or she wouldn’t have ended up in this pink-lit place. She was so beautiful—claims of singing but not selling herself were likely untrue. If I hadn’t stopped her a few times, those lecherous men would have already had their way, and the innocence I’d long cherished for her would have been lost.

Xuehan had always been grateful to me. She never said it, but I knew.

Xinyu picked up a piece of meat and placed it on my plate, her expression unreadable. “My family stopped acknowledging me long ago. I don’t want to go back and spoil their new year.”

Unlike Xinyu and Xuehan, the others were all going home; their families didn’t know what they did out here. Xu Lin, single as ever, considered this place her home and had no plans to leave. That left me.

I took a sip of cola and grinned, “If I went home, it’d be ages before I got back. I’d probably start missing Xinyu and Xuehan too much. I think I’ll stay and spend the new year with everyone. How about that?”

“Of course!” Xinyu flashed a charming smile.

I wanted so much to pinch Xinyu’s lovely cheek, but glancing around at everyone, I restrained myself.

By the time we finished eating, it was already past one in the morning. Lying in bed with my eyes closed, I found sleep eluding me. Xu Lin’s words touched me—no matter what, at least I still had Xinyu and Xuehan, these beautiful girls, by my side. Of course, I wished I could go back to how things were. If given the chance, would I let Xiaoyu leave again?

Perhaps the result would be the same…

That’s just how people are—knowing that being weak only hurts themselves, yet they keep giving in to weakness.

With a faint sadness, I finally drifted off, plagued by endless dreams, as if watching a relentless slideshow of memories.

…

“Ring… ring…”

The blaring of my phone jolted me from my nightmare. I glanced at the screen—it was Murong Shanshan. The world outside was still white, dawn yet to break. What was she calling for at this hour?

“Hello, Shanshan? Why are you calling so early?”

“Lin Fan, get up! Dress warmly and come pick me up at the university!” Murong Shanshan’s excitement was impossible to hide.

“What for? At least tell me first. I’ve only slept three hours…” I checked my watch—it was four in the morning. The white outside was just the light reflecting off heavy snow.

“Just come, please! Call me when you get to the school gate~!”

Murong Shanshan had never begged me like this before. I couldn’t refuse. Reluctantly, I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and washed my face. It felt odd to just leave, so I thought I should at least tell Xu Lin. But I didn’t want to disturb her, so I quietly tried Xuehan’s door—and to my surprise, it opened.

So Xuehan doesn’t lock her door at night—she’s really not on guard around me, is she?

The air conditioning kept her warm, so she only had a thin blanket. One snow-white arm lay exposed, her beautiful face resting in a gentle smile, two dimples gracing her mouth—adorable beyond words.

“Xuehan, wake up!” I nudged her through the blanket, careful not to touch her skin and risk making a mistake.

She opened her eyes lazily, surprise flickering across her face. “Lin Fan? Why are you here? It’s still early, isn’t it? What’s wrong?”

I had no time for explanations; Murong Shanshan’s urgency wouldn’t tolerate delay. I decided to keep it short. “It’s like this—Murong Shanshan suddenly called and said she had something important. Could you tell Lin-jie for me in the morning?”

“That’s it?” Xuehan pouted, giving me a strange look. I felt like a man caught in the act, uneasy from head to toe.

“Yeah, that’s it. Thanks~” I nodded and rushed out. If I lingered any longer, I’d find myself kneeling by her bed, confessing my sins.

I locked the door behind me and stepped into the night. The last thing I wanted was a stranger barging in—seven beautiful women slept inside, after all. Most men wouldn’t be able to resist, but perhaps the wounds left by Xiaoyu hadn’t yet healed, and I hadn’t considered how to claim Xuehan’s tempting beauty for myself…

The streets were still dark, a thick layer of snow covering everything. Big flakes were still drifting down, and not a soul was in sight—only a few diligent street sweepers clearing the main roads. It was then I noticed all the Christmas decorations pasted on the shop windows, festive cheer in the air. Some say Chinese people shouldn’t celebrate these foreign holidays, but isn’t it these very festivals that bring a little color to otherwise dull lives?

When I reached XX University, I called Murong Shanshan. She was already impatient.

“Are you at the main gate? Listen—go around the main wall, walk west for 150 meters… Are you there? Do you see where the wall is much lower, and there’s a short tree beside it? Good. Climb the tree and jump over…”

I stared speechlessly at the broken wall and the little tree.

Excitement surged through me! After four years, I was finally going to climb over the school wall again…