Great Love Beyond Words!

This was Li Mu Yang's first gift from a female friend, aside from Li Sinian.

Li Mu Yang had no male friends.

The brocade pouch emitted a faint fragrance, he wondered if it was from spices sewn inside during its creation or if it had absorbed Cui Xiaoxin's natural scent.

Li Mu Yang brought it close to his nose and inhaled greedily, as if he had obtained a priceless treasure.

"Li Mu Yang, do you know you look like a lovesick fool right now?" Li Sinian pouted, saying with disdain.

"Being lovesick for flowers isn't something to be ashamed of," Li Mu Yang grinned. "People used to call me an idiot, isn't being lovesick much more advanced than being an idiot?"

"Brother, my dear brother, do you have any self-respect?" Li Sinian rolled around on the bed indignantly. "It's just a brocade pouch! Do you need to get this excited? Go look in my room, see how many gifts I've received in my closet—if I were like you, I would have fainted from joy!"

Li Sinian was beautiful and intelligent, and also incredibly loyal, making her the leader of her grade. She could get along with both boys and girls, and wherever she went, she was always surrounded by admirers. Every birthday of hers was like a grand festival, and her gifts required horse-drawn carriages to transport.

Therefore, back then, Li Mu Yang was a dutiful porter, like a diligent ant, carrying those gifts, piece by piece, to Li Sinian's room.

Li Sinian's room was much larger than Li Mu Yang's. According to their parents, it was because girls had more clothes and needed a room to store them. In reality, Li Mu Yang knew it was because Li Sinian had too many gifts, and they needed a room to store them.

"It's precisely because I rarely receive gifts that I'm so happy," Li Mu Yang said with a cheerful laugh. Li Sinian's jab couldn't dampen his good mood. "Sinian, you have more experience. Tell me, under what circumstances would you give a gift to a boy?"

Li Sinian got up from the bed, grabbed Li Mu Yang by the collar, and pulled him to the bedside. She looked at him with a sweet smile and said, "Li Mu Yang, what did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."

"I said you have more experience, under what circumstances—" Li Mu Yang couldn't finish. He realized he had made a serious mistake.

"Go on. Why did you stop talking?"

"Hahaha, you know I didn't mean it that way."

"Hahaha, but I heard you very clearly, and that's exactly what you meant—"

"Good sister, I'm sincerely asking for your advice—"

Li Sinian's smile vanished. She glared at Li Mu Yang menacingly and said, "I'm your sister. Shouldn't you have more experience with this sort of thing? Why are you asking me for advice?"

"I—" Li Mu Yang was on the verge of tears and quickly explained, "I just think you're smart, and there's no problem you can't solve."

"Your feeling is correct," Li Sinian nodded.

"Ah?"

"What 'ah'? Ask." Li Sinian released Li Mu Yang's collar and gently smoothed the wrinkled collar area with her small hands. Li Mu Yang's 'curved path to save the nation' was becoming more seamless.

"I mean, under what circumstances would you give a gift to another boy?"

"During holidays, on his birthday, when he achieves something, when he's sad, hurt, or bullied, when I'm out traveling and miss him, when I think he's adorably ugly and cute, when I think a gift is adorably ugly and cute and want to buy it for him," Li Sinian said with a giggle, looking at Li Mu Yang. "I'll give him a gift."

"Then do you like him?" Li Mu Yang eagerly pressed.

Li Sinian's answer hadn't hit the crucial point. Today wasn't a holiday, nor was it his birthday. He wasn't sad or hurt, nor had he been bullied. Therefore, there were only two possibilities for Cui Xiaoxin giving him a gift: One, to celebrate his rapid improvement in performance? Two, she thought he was adorably ugly and cute?

Both of these answers left him feeling empty.

"Yes, I like him," Li Sinian gave an extremely firm answer.

"Really?" Li Mu Yang became excited again. "You gave him a gift because you like him, right?"

"Yes," Li Sinian nodded repeatedly, her bangs swaying from side to side, making her look incredibly cute.

"I knew it," Li Mu Yang happily clasped Li Sinian's hand. "I knew it. Xiaoxin actually has some feelings for me too, otherwise, why would she give me a brocade pouch? I heard these things can't be given casually."

"Yes, yes," Li Sinian agreed. "If they don't like someone, girls wouldn't give boys gifts."

Li Mu Yang suddenly remembered something, his eyes fixed on Li Sinian. "Sinian, who is the boy you like? You're not—having an early romance, are you?"

"Early romance?" Li Sinian smiled sweetly. "Perhaps."

"What's his name? Do I know him?"

"Of course, you know him," Li Sinian took Li Mu Yang's hand. "It's you, my silly brother."

"—"

Cui Xiaoxin came every day to tutor Li Mu Yang, rain or shine. Li Mu Yang also looked forward to it with joy every day; he loved the time he spent with Cui Xiaoxin.

Cui Xiaoxin and Li Sinian's relationship grew stronger. While Li Mu Yang was answering questions, the two of them would go to Li Sinian's room and chat for half the day. Of course, it was mainly Li Sinian talking, and Cui Xiaoxin listening. Cui Xiaoxin didn't say much.

Li Mu Yang's mother, Luo Qi, grew to like Cui Xiaoxin more and more. Every day, she would get off work early and bring boxes of pastries that Cui Xiaoxin liked. She repeatedly invited Cui Xiaoxin to stay for dinner, even wishing she could have Cui Xiaoxin stay overnight. Although she was rejected time and time again, these repeated rejections couldn't dampen her enthusiasm.

With Cui Xiaoxin's help, Li Mu Yang systematically reviewed the knowledge from previous years. Although it was a bit of a rush, there was no other way. Time was tight, and by the time he finished the last set of practice questions assigned by Cui Xiaoxin, the day before the written exam had arrived.

Cui Xiaoxin had kept her promise, helping Li Mu Yang with his studies right up until the eve of the written exam.

Tomorrow, Li Mu Yang, along with thousands of other candidates, would wield their pens as bows and their knowledge as arrows, striving to shoot towards the prestigious schools of their dreams.

Those who hit the mark would be recognized on the honor roll, preparing to receive flowers and applause.

Those who missed would lose their chance to continue the competition, or even lose their lives.

Amidst a thousand horses and ten thousand soldiers, who would be the hero?

Cui Xiaoxin once again declined Luo Qi's dinner invitation and bid farewell. Li Mu Yang, without needing his mother's reminder, smartly followed behind to see her off.

"Li Mu Yang," Cui Xiaoxin stopped under the smoke tree in front of the door and looked at him. "I did my best, and you did your best. I don't know how far you can go, but I have a feeling you'll surprise everyone—those who bullied you, those who mocked you, those who doubted or belittled you, they will all regret their past selfishness and narrow-mindedness."

"I'm not working this hard for them," Li Mu Yang looked at Cui Xiaoxin and smiled. "I'm doing it for you."

"Li Mu Yang—" Cui Xiaoxin's lips moved slightly, but she didn't know what to explain to him. How could she say it? That we're not from the same world? That we might be separated and never see each other again? That there's no possibility between us?

"Because we promised to watch the sunset together by the Weiming Lake at Xifeng University, right?"

Cui Xiaoxin's eyes brightened, and the corners of her mouth curved up slightly. She said, "Yes. So, classmate Li Mu Yang, please do your best."

Cui Xiaoxin waved goodbye to Li Mu Yang and walked forward with light, brisk steps.

"This way, you'll feel a little easier, won't you?" Li Mu Yang murmured as he watched her retreating back. His standing figure looked a bit thin under the moonlight.

When Li Mu Yang returned home, Luo Qi had already prepared dinner.

"Mu Yang, did Xiaoxin go back?" Luo Qi asked, smiling as she brought soup out from the kitchen.

"Mm. She went back," Li Mu Yang replied.

"Tidy up your books and get ready to wash up and eat," Luo Qi said with a smile. "Go call that lazybones upstairs to help wash vegetables, but she just clamored about going upstairs to do homework—"

"Okay," Li Mu Yang said with a smile. Li Sinian was excellent in all aspects, but like other girls her age, she disliked doing housework. As soon as she was asked to wash vegetables or dishes, she would find all sorts of excuses to avoid it.

As Li Mu Yang went upstairs, Luo Qi suddenly called out, "Mu Yang—"

"Mom, is there anything else?" Li Mu Yang turned and asked Luo Qi.

"You're planning to apply to Xifeng University, aren't you?" Luo Qi asked. A smile played on her lips, but her eyes held something Li Mu Yang found very unfamiliar.

"Yes," Li Mu Yang nodded. "Mom, you also think I have no hope, don't you?"

"Of course not," Luo Qi said with firm conviction. "My son works so hard, and Mom sees it all. How could there be no hope at all? If you want to go to Xifeng University, then go to Xifeng University. Mom will definitely support you."

Li Mu Yang grinned and said, "Mom, thank you."

"Silly child, why thank Mom?"

"Then I'll go call Li Sinian for dinner," Li Mu Yang said with a smile.

After Li Mu Yang turned to leave, the smile on Luo Qi's face froze. Her complexion turned pale, but her gaze was exceptionally resolute.