Don't Call Me Stupid!

The weather gradually darkened, and the drooping willow branches swayed gently in the breeze.

The two of them strolled affectionately along the path by the lake. Red goldfish occasionally darted freely through the water, sending ripples lapping against the shore like dancing notes.

"Are you cold?"

Seeing Su Lexuan tuck in her neck, Shen Lang took the initiative to switch places with her, shielding her from the chilly wind blowing off the lake.

This was no trick. Having been tormented by his two younger sisters since childhood, Shen Lang was quite skilled at taking care of girls.

If he did not have a girlfriend, then Shen Lang, with his attentive nature in everyday life, could be considered a fusion of a troll and a fiery Goblin.

"I'm okay."

Su Lexuan's heart warmed. After hesitating for a moment, she slipped her slightly cool hand into Shen Lang's coat pocket and said with a smile, "Then I won't be cold anymore."

"Really? Let me see."

Shen Lang raised his hand into his coat pocket, took hold of Su Lexuan's warm, fair little hand, and found the right angle to interlace their fingers. He nodded in satisfaction.

"It really is warm. I never knew girls' hands could be so soft."

Before this, Shen Lang and Su Lexuan had only held hands palm to palm. This was the first time they had held hands so intimately, their fingers intertwined.

"You're awful..."

Su Lexuan's cheeks flushed red, but her fingers in his pocket took the initiative to clasp Shen Lang's large hand.

By the time they reached the middle of Nanting Lake, they noticed there were fewer and fewer pedestrians. The sky grew darker, and muffled thunder seemed to roll within the clouds.

"Ah? Is it raining?"

Su Lexuan touched the raindrops on her forehead and looked at the gloomy sky in surprise. "The weather forecast didn't say it would rain today."

"It feels like it's getting heavier."

Shen Lang touched the raindrops in his hair and pointed at the pavilion ahead. "It's getting late. Let's shelter there first. Once the rain stops, I'll drive you back to school."

Nanting Lake was huge; walking from one end to the other took more than an hour.

Shen Lang was near the center of the lake and far from the exit, so he took Su Lexuan's hand and ran into the pavilion to take shelter from the rain.

The moment they ran into the pavilion, the rain began to intensify.

It started with a few scattered drops, then grew denser and heavier. Rain poured endlessly from the sky, and all of Nanting Lake vanished behind a vast white curtain of water.

The rain pounded violently against the lake, splashing up blossom after blossom of water.

The surrounding paths had long since emptied of pedestrians. As far as the eye could see, there was only a sheet of white.

"Good thing we ran fast. What a heavy rain."

Su Lexuan wiped down the edge of a stone bench, then lazily knelt on it. Looking out at Nanting Lake being washed by the downpour, she teased in a relaxed tone.

She liked the atmosphere of torrential rain. It gave her an inexplicable sense of security, especially with a boy she liked beside her.

"Shen Lang, we probably won't be able to go back until later."

"Yeah."

Standing behind her, Shen Lang looked down at the soft curves of Su Lexuan's body and her slightly swaying, perky backside. His face reddened and his heart raced as he touched his nose.

Shen Lang knew Su Lexuan was not deliberately trying to tempt him. She was simply innocent and free-spirited by nature.

"Ah~~ We walked so much today. My legs are so sore!"

Su Lexuan turned around and sat down, stretching out her long jean-clad legs before giving a contented stretch.

"I can tell you don't exercise much. We barely walked anywhere."

Shen Lang smiled and sat beside Su Lexuan, holding her hand firmly. He thoughtfully pulled the fabric at her collar outward to block the cold wind.

"I'm just lazy."

Torrential rain fell outside the pavilion, and its noisy patter drowned out every other sound. The boy she liked was right beside her.

In such a romantic atmosphere, Su Lexuan leaned against Shen Lang's shoulder and coquettishly said, "Besides, military training is starting soon. I'll be lazy for as long as I can."

Shen Lang did not respond. He naturally wrapped an arm around Su Lexuan's slender waist, leaned slightly to one side, and gently smoothed the windblown strands of hair from her forehead.

"Are you cold? Do you want to wear my coat?"

"No need. I'm not that weak."

Feeling the warmth of Shen Lang's fingers, Su Lexuan wore a blissful, lazy smile.

The two of them nestled together like that, listening to the pouring rain outside the pavilion.

"Shen Lang, are we dating?"

At that moment, Su Lexuan straightened up and looked at Shen Lang with a slightly shy expression. "Do... do you like me?"

Su Lexuan knew that they were dating now.

Otherwise, they would not have eaten together, watched movies together, held hands, and wandered around Nanting Lake together.

Yet Shen Lang had never confessed to her from beginning to end, and Su Lexuan always felt that something was off.

Normally, wasn't it supposed to be the guy confessing first, then the girl agreeing, and only then would they watch movies and go shopping together? That was the usual relationship progression for couples.

But Shen Lang had not only failed to confess to her, he had already done everything couples did.

Su Lexuan had the little willfulness most girls possessed.

Although she knew Shen Lang liked her, she still wanted him to confess to her. Only then would it feel like a normal relationship.

1: Fool, if I didn't like you, would I chat with you every day and try so hard to coax you out on Saturday?

2: Su Lexuan, I like you. Be my girlfriend, and I'll always treat you well!

3: Don't answer. Kiss her passionately!

"Fool, if I didn't like you, would I chat with you every day and try so hard to coax you out on Saturday?"

Shen Lang raised a hand to stroke Su Lexuan's soft cheek, teasing her with a smile.

"I've never asked a girl out before, either. I spent a long time planning all the places we went today, and even now, I still don't know whether you were satisfied."

Shen Lang had originally wanted to choose option two. He already liked this beautiful and cheerful female elf, so naturally he wanted to become her boyfriend.

But Shen Lang felt that option one could not only express how much he liked her, but also indirectly show, through the latter half of the sentence, how much he valued Su Lexuan.

More importantly, those words did not count as a direct confession.

After all, liking you did not mean I wanted you to be my girlfriend.

That way, in their future life together, he could also curb Su Lexuan's somewhat willful and mischievously overbearing personality a little.

It was like buying something: once a guy took the initiative to confess to a girl, he had exposed his own neediness to her.

Then, in their future interactions, the guy who confessed first would more or less be put in a lower position.

"I was very satisfied, and don't call me stupid!"

Su Lexuan, sure enough, explained with flattered delight, "Those places were all really interesting, and it was also my first time spending so long out with a boy..."

"Hehe, as long as you were satisfied."

Shen Lang put on a relieved smile and wrapped an arm around Su Lexuan's slender waist as he gradually leaned down.

After running around all day, this sacred moment was what it had all been for!

But Su Lexuan felt that after "I like you," he should have added, "Will you be my girlfriend?" Only then would it count as a real confession.

Yet as she watched Shen Lang's face draw closer and closer, Su Lexuan seemed at a loss.

Thinking that Shen Lang had said he liked her too, she decided that counted as a confession.

Su Lexuan gently closed her eyes, clenched her hands into little fists on her thighs, and waited nervously yet excitedly.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Shen Lang suddenly interrupted, "W-wait a second!"

"What is it?"

Su Lexuan pouted, embarrassed and angry.

In such a romantic atmosphere, she had finally gathered her courage and prepared herself for another official kiss.

She had not expected Shen Lang to suddenly speak up and ruin the romantic mood.

"No."

Shen Lang coughed, held Su Lexuan by the shoulders, and asked earnestly and excitedly, "This time, can... can I use my tongue?"