Hua Xin Really Wants to Eat Her Fill of Meat Today

Hua Xin chewed on a cookie while vigorously drying her wet hair with a towel.

Long hair was so annoying...

She initially thought it wouldn't be much different from short hair.

Heh.

She was wrong, meow.

But in the summer heat, it was stuffy, making her neck sticky, and washing her hair always took so long.

The girl impatiently tugged at her strands. The towel seemed to have little effect, her hair still feeling damp.

She draped the towel around her neck and climbed onto the bed, sitting on the edge. A cool morning breeze drifted in through the wide-open window, gently lifting Hua Xin's hair. The ordinary scent of shampoo wafted to her nose.

It was a special men's thirteen-in-one shampoo she'd been using for a long time, with a scent that reminded her of flowers.

Without a hairdryer, she'd have to rely on the natural wind.

Fortunately, it was summer, so getting her hair blown dry wouldn't cause a cold.

After that eighteen-plus, restriction-level, humiliating dream, Hua Xin could see Dong... uh, Xia Yan's face, twisted into a lecherous grin, the moment she closed her eyes.

She couldn't sleep at all.

So, she got up to wash up. After all, she had a whole day ahead of her, strategizing and battling with Xia Yan, and finally settling things.

For men, when doing something important or going out, washing their hair was a basic sign of respect.

The view outside wasn't particularly special, just ordinary buildings and roads, but she hadn't looked at it for a long time, even though it only took opening the curtains.

Not since she was left all alone.

But the sky was beautiful.

Half black and half blue, it was faintly illuminated by the light of the sun not yet risen. It was quiet, without the noisy sounds of daytime, nor the rumbling of vehicles on the road or the honking of horns.

Clouds drifted slowly, she wondered where they were heading.

When she was little, she loved lying on the grass outside, staring at the clouds. That way, she didn't have to hear the shouting and the sound of glasses shattering. Sometimes, if she met a kind old lady, she could even get a piece of fruit to ease her hunger.

But there were always more sour than sweet.

Now, only the chirping of crickets and the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves remained.

The usually optimistic and carefree girl sat unusually quietly on the edge of the bed, a hint of bewilderment in her eyes.

Today was actually a very important day for her, but if it were just for herself, it didn't seem so important.

Whenever the girl tried to forget completely, she would always remember it without realizing it.

Hua Xin didn't think it was particularly pitiful to continue living alone like this.

After all, she had managed to live this way alone for so many years.

For some reason, the girl slowly extended her hand, as if trying to grasp something. Her arm stretched out the window, and her body leaned forward slightly.

When she was a child, she always wished she could reach out and grab a star. Stars were so high, so precious. If she could pick one, she could surely exchange it for a lot of money.

Would that mean they wouldn't leave her either?

Would she be able to eat her fill and prevent that incident from happening?

If only time could change like her current gender.

Hua Xin slowly retracted her tightly clenched fist, then gently unfurled it.

"All for nothing?"

Hua Xin chuckled softly, her eyes filled with suppressed disappointment despite the smile.

Her hand held nothing but empty air.

Yes... what could she possibly grasp?

Once.

Twice.

Thrice...

She couldn't grasp anything. She could only continue to survive alone in misery.

"Am I some legendary lone star of misfortune?"

"It sounds rather impressive, doesn't it?"

Hua Xin propped herself up on the bed with her hands, closed her eyes, and let the breeze blow through her hair, which gently brushed her shoulders, feeling cool.

She seemed to have forgotten what had just happened, smiling and chattering to herself happily:

"Let's go home and eat meat today?"

"I want to eat meat."

"And be completely full!!"

It was six in the morning.

Xia Yan ran laps around the track, his breathing even, his t-shirt already soaked.

Even though he had to host the student performances and the speeches by school leaders today, as well as perform a solo song, his self-discipline couldn't be neglected.

After all, exercise and day were directly proportional.

"Hoo..."

Seeing ten kilometers on his fitness tracker, he slowly stopped. He sat down on a plastic seat nearby.

The track was large, and by morning, the stage and other necessary equipment were already being set up. This wasn't just for student performances, but also included segments like a "Rooftop Music Festival."

Watching the busy people in his line of sight, the usually quiet track was surprisingly lively.

Xia Yan gulped down his bottled water and then picked up his phone.

"Hm?"

He raised an eyebrow, looking at the message on QQ with some surprise.

Wife (Note): "Are you awake yet?"

Lao Shui: "I'm awake, Wife. Why are you awake so early today, Wife?"

Wife: "I had a very strange dream, so I woke up."

"What dream?"

Xia Yan replied while wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"..."

"I dreamed about someone I really dislike, that man who approached me earlier with unclear intentions."

A flame instantly ignited in Xia Yan's heart. His primal instinct for vigilance made him instantly serious:

"Don't be scared, Wife. I'm here."

"If he dares to bother you again, tell me. One punch from me will have him spitting out teeth all over the ground??????."

"What a perverted guy, doesn't he have any self-awareness??"

The girl's response wasn't her usual teasing, greetings, or calling him Shrimp Head, which was unexpected for Xia Yan. He stared blankly at the message the girl sent.

"Okay."

"I... I'm very happy."

There was no further message after that.

Xia Yan assumed the girl had fallen back asleep, so he didn't reply to avoid disturbing her.

Very happy?

Did something happen today that made her happy?

It doesn't quite fit her personality...

Well... maybe that person left today, and she's feeling a bit better?

Xia Yan crushed the water bottle, then stood up and threw it into the trash can. As he looked up, he happened to see a familiar figure.

"Caught you again?"

Lin Qingyu stood with her arms crossed, looking at him with a half-smile. Her attire had changed from her previous long sleeves and pants to a pure white, knee-length dress.

"Now it's my turn to be sweaty?"

"You won't mind me, Senior?"

Lin Qingyu shrugged, her gaze sweeping over Xia Yan's faint abs: "If someone could finally pay back the meal they owe, I might consider it."

Xia Yan thought for a moment, then chuckled and said, "How about hot and sour noodles? There's a really good place by the entrance, but do you think it might be a bit too heavy for you to eat in the morning?"

"I don't have any objections."

"Whatever you like to eat, I probably like too."

Lin Qingyu, surprisingly, abandoned her usual reserved and conservative approach, speaking quite boldly.

"Bzzzt."

Xia Yan's phone suddenly vibrated.

"I'll lead the way."

He smiled and walked past Lin Qingyu, not walking alongside her, and picked up his phone to check the message.

The VX avatar displayed several elegant, beautifully designed cursive characters.

Mu Fei Cake Shop.