It was almost six o’clock by the ti Xue Yang got ho.
As November approached, the days darkened with exceptional speed. By six, the sky was completely pitch-black, as if devoured by darkness. The north wind howled mournfully. Xue Yang pulled his clothes tighter and quickened his pace toward ho.
The apartnt he rented was down a small alley. Although the alley was not long, it had no streetlights. Consequently, when looking out from the apartnt, a stretch of the path was particularly dark. Only by gazing into the distance could one see the myriad lights of the city.
For soone afraid of the dark, however, this patch of blackness was enough to inspire terror.
This was also the first ti since Lin Xi had co to stay that Xue Yang had been this late getting ho.
She was curled up on the bed, wrapped tightly in a blanket, not daring to leave even a sliver of a gap. Even so, she was scared out of her wits.
"Xue Yang, why aren’t you back yet?" she whimpered, her voice trembling and audibly nasal, a clear sign of her extre fear.
Just then, the sound of a key turning in the lock ca from the door.
Lin Xi’s fear intensified. She was not sure if it was Xue Yang. If it was not him, what would she do?
She shrank into a ball. It is said that in our most vulnerable monts, we first think of the person we depend on most. Right then, the only thing in Lin Xi’s mind was Xue Yang’s tall figure. She had never longed for him to be by her side so much.
When Xue Yang entered and did not see Lin Xi, he called out naturally, "Lin Xi, are you ho?"
Xue Yang’s voice was like a heavenly sound of salvation, seeming to breathe life back into Lin Xi’s chilled body.
Upon hearing his call, Lin Xi practically bolted from the bedroom. The mont she saw Xue Yang, it was as if a rainbow-colored aura swirled around him. Her knight had finally returned.
She hugged him tightly. Only after slling his unique, clean scent did she begin to feel a little better.
In that mont, Lin Xi’s soul finally felt grounded.
"Xue Yang, you’re finally back!" she sobbed.
Xue Yang did not even have a chance to put his things down before Lin Xi threw her arms around him in a bear hug. He quickly tossed his books aside and pulled her into his embrace.
The warmth from her body and her unique, clean scent filled his senses. Xue Yang suddenly felt that nothing could be more wonderful than this mont.
"Lin Xi, what’s wrong?"
"I waited for you for so long, and it got dark. I was so scared," she cried.
The first ti she had run away from ho, she had stood alone under a big tree in the middle of the night without crying. But now, despite having a roof over her head, she cried out of fear simply because Xue Yang was not ho.
Xue Yang had not expected her to be so frightened. He held her tightly, giving her all the security he could.
"I’m sorry. I went to the library after class, that’s why I’m late. I won’t co back this late again."
Lin Xi’s small head erged from his chest. Her eyes were red-rimd as she looked up at him. "Then let’s make a pinky promise."
With that, she extended her slender, pale pinky.
Xue Yang chuckled and hooked his own pinky with hers.
"Pinky promise, for a hundred years, no telling lies. Whoever lies is a little puppy."
Xue Yang repeated along with her, "Pinky promise, for a hundred years, no telling lies. Whoever lies is a little puppy."
Finally, Lin Xi burst out laughing.
If I had never seen the light, I could have endured the darkness. Xue Yang, you gave light. You are my superhero.
Sitting on the sofa, neither of them wanted to let go.
Lin Xi rested her face against Xue Yang’s chest and said, "Xue Yang, you were right. I shouldn’t be wasting ti. I should be studying hard."
The hand playing with her hair stiffened for a mont before he chuckled. "So, is the runaway girl planning on going ho?"
"Not at all. I’ve decided that when you’re at class, I’ll study hard at ho. Then when you get back, I can ask you about anything I don’t understand."
Xue Yang patted Lin Xi’s soft head, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Not bad, not bad. It’s good you’re finding things to keep yourself busy."
"However," she continued, "I still think I should try writing a novel, like I said before. Otherwise, our future will be tough. We can’t just live off our savings until they’re gone."
In the darkness just now, Lin Xi had thought a lot. This apartnt was so dark; she wanted to move to a brighter place. But with Xue Yang’s current ans, just keeping this apartnt was a struggle, let alone fulfilling her other wishes.
The best solution was to find a way to earn money.
Although her grades were not good, she could learn.
Her grades in Chinese had been excellent before junior high. She only started intentionally scoring poorly later, as an act of rebellion against her fate.
Her learning ability was actually outstanding. She essentially had a photographic mory, and her ability to extrapolate from a single example was a given.
People who are good at studying fall into two categories. The first may not have great natural ability, but they compensate for it with extraordinary perseverance. The second category consists of people with natural talent, who can learn anything effortlessly.
Lin Xi belonged to the latter group; she could learn almost anything she set her mind to in an instant.
"Don’t worry about money. I’ll figure sothing out. Your only job is to study hard."
Xue Yang knew better than anyone how grueling the final year of high school was. He could not let Lin Xi bear the burden of both her studies and their living expenses.
Lin Xi stared at Xue Yang with determination. "And get into Yanbei University, so I can go to the sa school as you."
Xue Yang’s pupils constricted slightly, and his hand around her waist tightened unconsciously.
Lin Xi’s brow imdiately furrowed. "Xue Yang, you’re hurting ."
He ca to his senses with a start, realizing his gaffe. He loosened his grip on her slender waist. "What... what did you just say?"
"I said I want to get into Yanbei University and go to the sa school as you. What, you don’t like that idea?"
Lin Xi blinked her large, watery eyes playfully. "You’re the one who took in, so is there a problem with trying to keep up with you? Let tell you, I’m very smart. If I say I can get in, I definitely will."
Xue Yang was stunned for a mont, then he smiled. "No problem. No problem at all. In that case, let’s start studying right now."
"Hmph. While you were out this afternoon, I was reading your notes the whole ti. I only stopped because it got dark and I was too scared."
"My fault, my fault. Please, my brilliant and adorable young lady, go and study hard to make progress every day!"
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