Chapter 15: Can’t Sleep in the Middle of the Night

Watching Xie Wei’s retreating figure.

Song Xinran’s pretty face turned slightly red. What else would a man and woman do when they come to a hotel room? She hadn’t eaten pork, but she’s seen pigs run before.

“Did I ruin your good time, little brother?” Song Xinran teased Xu Shaochen. It had been a few years since they last met, and so much had changed about this once-timid tagalong.

“Xinran Sis, where are you staying? I’ll take you back. Your face is all bruised; let me boil an egg to help you with that.” Xu Shaochen replied, awkwardly changing the subject. After all, Song Xinran was his adolescent crush, and talking about another woman in front of her made him feel guilty.

They then started talking about their respective experiences over the years. Xu Shaochen didn’t have much to share, as today was the first day his life had shown some real promise.

“What? Auntie’s sick? At which hospital? I need to see her immediately.”

Hearing that Xu Shaochen’s mother, Li Xiaoli, had been hospitalized, Song Xinran became extremely concerned. After all, Li Xiaoli had treated her very well in the past.

Xu Shaochen quickly intervened, “Let’s go in a few days. Look at your face—there’s still a handprint on it. My mom would worry if she saw you like this.”

“Alright. Thank you so much for earlier. Those people were really horrible.” Only then did Song Xinran calm down, though she still ground her teeth in anger at the recent events.

“Alright, Xinran Sis. Worst case, you can just change jobs.”

“Why change? After what happened today, they wouldn’t dare bully me anymore. I might even get a promotion.” Song Xinran’s eyes gleamed with a cunning light, her tone proud.

Xu Shaochen smiled. As expected, she’s still the same slightly silly, slightly proud but kind-hearted older sister from next door.

However, her body had fully matured, making her even more beautiful than before.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Song Xinran’s place.

“Come in, no need to change shoes.”

Song Xinran opened the door and invited Xu Shaochen inside.

The living room wasn’t large, and the furniture and decor were minimal, but it gave off a clean, neat, and cozy vibe.

Xu Shaochen went to the kitchen and boiled an egg. When he came out, Song Xinran had already changed into a silky nightgown.

The black silk nightgown clung to her curvaceous figure. Her delicate skin contrasted sharply with the dark fabric, making her even more captivating. At least, Xu Shaochen found himself momentarily dazed.

There was a quilt on the sofa, probably prepared specifically for him.

“Hmph, you little pervert.”

Noticing Xu Shaochen’s reaction, Song Xinran blushed and playfully reprimanded him. She wasn’t too harsh, though, as they had often slept in the same bed back in middle school.

“Hehe, I guess it’s because you’re just too charming, Xinran Sis.”

Xu Shaochen laughed awkwardly but didn’t feel too embarrassed. He sat down beside Song Xinran and gently applied the boiled egg to her face.

“Ah! Softer, just like that. It’s warm and feels nice, mmm~”

Xu Shaochen nearly cried, “Xinran Sis, it’s just an egg. Could you not make such suggestive sounds?”

“What, can’t handle it? Haha.” Song Xinran giggled playfully, then put her legs on Xu Shaochen’s lap, causing him to stiffen.

Not daring to move, Xu Shaochen awkwardly said, “Xinran Sis, I’m twenty years old now. Could you stop treating me like a kid?”

“Alright, I’ll let you off this time. I’m going to sleep. You should rest too. But if you insist on joining me, I don’t mind.”

Song Xinran pouted, then snatched the egg from Xu Shaochen and walked barefoot into her bedroom.

Once inside the bedroom, Song Xinran’s demeanor changed. Her face flushed red, and her breathing quickened. The calmness she had just shown was nowhere to be found.

……………

Xu Shaochen lay on the sofa, unable to sleep. Several times, he had the urge to go to the hotel and conquer Xie Wei, but he managed to resist.

Unable to sleep, Xu Shaochen took out his phone and opened an app called ‘YQ’.

The app started as a messaging service, but after domestic apps like QQ and WeChat became popular, it became a platform for discussing more private topics.

Xu Shaochen never posted anything; he mainly read posts by women to satisfy his curiosity. After all, he used to be dirt poor and lacked the courage to post or respond.

“Huh? What’s this…”

Suddenly, Xu Shaochen’s eyes widened. He clicked on a post where the person in the picture hadn’t shown their face but was wearing a white silk nightgown, partially revealing their figure. However, what caught his attention was the necklace around her neck.

It was a silver necklace, identical to the one worn by his course instructor, Zhao Qingyu.

“Could it be Teacher Zhao?”

He checked the user’s ID, ‘Stranded Rain,’ which was the same as Zhao Qingyu’s WeChat name. He felt like he had stumbled upon a big secret.

Xu Shaochen commented: ‘The necklace is lovely, and so is the person.’

Stranded Rain: ‘You can’t even see my face, how do you know I’m pretty?’ To Xu Shaochen’s surprise, Zhao Qingyu replied. He immediately sent her a private message.

Since he knew Zhao Qingyu’s identity, their conversation revolved around her interests. Given the circumstances, the two quickly hit it off.

They went from text to voice chatting. Gradually, Xu Shaochen began to make more daring jokes, and Zhao Qingyu didn’t seem to mind. She even sent him some well-taken photos.

Stranded Rain: ‘I didn’t expect us to share so many interests. It’s almost too coincidental.’

Xu Shaochen shamelessly replied: ‘Maybe it’s fate. By the way, you have a great figure.’

Stranded Rain: ‘Hehe, it’s okay. The coincidences are almost unbelievable.’

Xu Shaochen: ‘I’ve had a great time tonight. Let’s talk tomorrow. Goodnight.’

This was a little strategy Xu Shaochen used. Don’t keep talking to a woman for too long. It’s easy to run out of things to say, and it makes you seem too eager, which can be off-putting. You have to know when to stop and hook the woman’s interest.

Stranded Rain: ‘I had a great time too. Goodnight ^ω^.’

Xu Shaochen was right—’Stranded Rain’ was indeed Zhao Qingyu. She was huddled in bed, holding her phone with a flushed face.

After all, she never thought she would be this bold. She used to be just a lurker, and this was her first time posting, chatting with someone, and even sending photos of herself.

But she didn’t expect to meet someone with such similar interests. The way Xu Shaochen conversed and the words he used were very much to her liking. His timely conclusion of their chat also left her with a subtle sense of anticipation for their next conversation.

“Could this be what’s known as an online romance?” Zhao Qingyu thought with a sigh. “Why didn’t he ask for my contact info, though? Could it be that he isn’t interested in a deeper connection? As a man, he should have already asked for my phone number or WeChat, right?”

For a moment, Zhao Qingyu, who was in her twenties and inexperienced in love, tossed and turned, feeling a mix of anxiety and anticipation.