Doubt

"Xixi, did you know the First Mock Exam is next week?"

"I know. Why?"

"Can we discuss something?"

"What?"

"For this First Mock Exam, could you hold back a little and let me come in first just once?"

"Not happening." Chen Yanxi calmly turned a page of the book in her hands. "If I get first place by having you hold back, can that even count as first place?"

"I don't have that kind of pointless pride or competitiveness. Who cares how I get it? As long as I come in first once, it counts as a success."

"Please allow me to refuse."

"You're so heartless."

Wang Ge muttered under his breath, yawned, and sprawled across the desk. "I'm so sleepy. I need to sleep for a while..."

It was already Friday. These past few days, he had barely slept during class because he had been tutoring Gu Panyan, leaving him severely sleep-deprived. He could only rely on sleeping in the library during evening self-study every day.

What? You're asking what he did when he got home at night?

Of course he played on his phone.

Chen Yanxi looked up at him and said, "If you want to sleep, you can go to the infirmary. You'll sleep more comfortably there. There's no need to come to the library."

"I sleep better when I'm beside you," Wang Ge mumbled.

Chen Yanxi could not be bothered to respond. She continued reading on her own, and before long, the only sounds left in the library were the faint rustling of turning pages and Wang Ge's steady breathing.

After reading for a while, Chen Yanxi raised her head and glanced at Wang Ge.

Seeing him sleeping so soundly, she let out a soft sigh.

She was not in a very good mood.

It was Friday. They would be dismissed tomorrow afternoon.

That was how the rules at Changchuan First High School worked: every other Saturday afternoon was a holiday, Sunday was a day off, and students returned to school on Monday morning.

That meant the day after tomorrow was the day she and Wang Ge had agreed on—the day she would pretend to be his girlfriend.

Of course, Chen Yanxi was not in a bad mood because of that. Although she had no experience with this sort of thing, it was not enough to trouble her.

She believed that even if she made a mistake the day after tomorrow, Wang Ge would be capable of fixing it.

She believed Wang Ge had that ability.

The main reason Chen Yanxi was in a bad mood was that she had to go home again tomorrow.

She would have to return to that family, where even the air was so thick it made breathing difficult.

There was another First Mock Exam next week... How many points should she get this time? Seven hundred and thirty again?

She had not improved for so long. She would definitely be scolded when she went home, right?

Well, she would be scolded no matter how many points she got. It was all the same.

Come to think of it, letting Wang Ge have first place was not impossible... Apart from getting scolded even more harshly, it would not really make much difference.

After thinking for a while, Chen Yanxi gently shook her head and stopped dwelling on these vexing matters.

She picked up the book in her hands again and began reading quietly.

When Wang Ge woke up, there was still nearly an hour before school ended.

"Mm..."

After stretching comfortably, he greeted Chen Yanxi, who was sitting across from him. "Good morning, Xixi. It feels wonderful to open my eyes and see you right away."

Chen Yanxi could not be bothered to respond and continued reading by herself.

Wang Ge did not mind. He asked with a smile, "The day after tomorrow is the day we agreed on, right? Have you mentally prepared yourself?"

"More or less," Chen Yanxi replied.

Wang Ge thought for a moment, then asked, "You haven't really had much close contact with anyone else, have you? Should we practice in advance?"

Chen Yanxi frowned slightly and swept him a glance from beneath her large black-framed glasses. The meaning was obvious.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Wang Ge coughed and defended himself. "I'm only worried we'll get exposed..."

"Think about it. What if you act completely unused to it when the time comes? Wouldn't everyone be able to tell at a glance that you were pretending? Then I'd die of embarrassment and become a laughingstock. I'd never be able to face anyone again..."

As he rambled on, Chen Yanxi lowered her eyes without saying a word.

Several seconds later, she let out a resigned sigh. "Come sit over here."

At that, Wang Ge's eyes immediately lit up. He had only tossed it out casually, just his usual empty bragging. He had not expected such a pleasant surprise, so he hurried over and sat down beside Chen Yanxi.

Chen Yanxi closed her book. Without turning to look at Wang Ge, she lowered her head, took a light breath, and said, "You can start. Just don't go too far."

The corners of Wang Ge's mouth rose uncontrollably. He slowly reached out and put an arm around Chen Yanxi's shoulders, speaking gently at the same time. "Relax. I know where the line is. I wouldn't do anything that lowers your affection rating."

The clean, pleasant scent of shampoo filled his nose. The girl's soft, warm body was held in his arms. They were not actually touching much, but since neither of them had had much contact with the opposite sex, both of their bodies stiffened at the same time.

"Using game terminology for romancing NPCs to describe a girl isn't very polite," Chen Yanxi said, her voice still fairly calm.

"Sorry, my mistake." Wang Ge chuckled. Although his body had grown somewhat stiff, it did not stop him from moving.

He pushed his chair against Chen Yanxi's, then leaned Chen Yanxi's body against his own so she would be more comfortable. With his other free hand, he took one of her small hands.

Chen Yanxi did not resist at all. She lowered her eyes and quietly accepted Wang Ge's presumptuous actions.

Wang Ge also knew where to stop. He did not go any further than this.

With one hand around Chen Yanxi's shoulders and the other holding one of her small hands, he spoke in a low voice with a hint of laughter. "You smell so good."

Chen Yanxi was silent for two seconds. "Please don't be so lecherous. It makes me very uncomfortable."

How was that lecherous...? Wang Ge muttered inwardly, but he did not dare say it aloud. He was afraid of making Chen Yanxi angry and having her refuse to let him hold her.

He lowered his head slightly and looked at Chen Yanxi's beautiful face, his throat bobbing.

"Xixi."

"Mm?"

"You're so beautiful."

"...Thank you."

"I really like you."

Chen Yanxi fell silent again. "Then stop talking."

"Why?"

"Treasure this moment," Chen Yanxi said. "You won't have another chance like this in the future."

Wang Ge thought for a moment, then replied lightly, "I don't believe you."

Chen Yanxi: "..."

She pressed her lips together and did not speak again.

"By the way, after all this time, do you really not like me at all?" Wang Ge suddenly asked. "Do you really not feel even the slightest thing for me?"

"This isn't about whether I like you or not. It's that I don't want to..."

"Don't say any of that useless stuff. You only need to answer my question." Wang Ge interrupted her. "Yes or no."

Chen Yanxi fell silent once again.

Several seconds later, she closed her eyes. "Yes."

Wang Ge did not speak for a while, and silence once again settled between them.

In that silence, which seemed capable of suffocating someone, Chen Yanxi sensed that she was about to lose something.

But it was all right. She had prepared herself for this long ago.

If you wanted to gain something, you had to lose something first.

"Heh."

It seemed like a long time had passed, yet it also seemed like only a few seconds. She heard Wang Ge's soft chuckle, followed by two airy words:

"I don't believe you."

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