Chapter 43

When the first snow fell, Su Ci also welcomed her eighteenth birthday.

During the last self-study period that afternoon, the homeroom teacher tapped twice on Su Ci’s desk and called her to the office for a talk.

“Su Ci, this is one of the top universities in the country. Do you know how many students have studied for years just to get into a school like this? And how many people are desperate to force their way in, working every loophole in the policy, stuffing in money, using every connection they can, and still failing?”

The homeroom teacher couldn’t understand why someone who could be admitted to A University without taking the exam wouldn’t want to go.

“If you get guaranteed admission, you won’t have to come to school anymore; you won’t need to spend another year grinding for the college entrance exam. And A University waives your tuition and fees. There’s not only an incentive grant, but also all kinds of bonuses and financial aid. Su Ci, this is a great opportunity. If you don’t take it now, you’ll have to wait until next year to apply again.”

Su Ci said, “Then I’ll wait until next year.”

“You—” The homeroom teacher was nearly driven insane by her. She pressed a hand to her forehead, took a deep breath, and said, “Do you have some other plan? Which university do you want to go to? With your grades now, and all the prizes you’ve won in different competitions, it wouldn’t be hard to get guaranteed admission to other top schools. Tell me; I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

“Thank you, teacher.” Su Ci bit her lip and said, “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell you when I’ve made up my mind.”

…

On the way back from the office, the dismissal bell rang at just the right moment. The faster students had already packed their bags and rushed out of the classroom.

By the time Su Ci returned to the classroom, Zhao Panpan was tidying her desk. She hadn’t signed up for any clubs; every day after school, she went straight home in the driver’s car.

When she saw Su Ci come back, Zhao Panpan asked, “What did the homeroom teacher want?”

Su Ci was packing her bag too. She carefully folded her test papers and tucked them into her books before putting everything into her bag. “She was talking to me about guaranteed admission.”

Before Zhao Panpan transferred into this class, the homeroom teacher had proudly told her and her mother that Su Ci was the top student in their entire grade.

Her mother had arranged for her to be in this class precisely because there was a genius here. A little envious, she asked, “So how did it go?”

A pointless question.

Of course she’d succeeded.

Su Ci slowly pulled up the zipper on her backpack and said, “I didn’t go.”

Zhao Panpan let out an “Ah.” “Why?”

Su Ci said, “I want to wait until next year.”

“Why wait until next year?” Zhao Panpan found it strange. “If you take the guaranteed admission, you won’t have to come to class anymore.”

Seeing that Su Ci didn’t say anything, she added, “Or do you just not want high school to end so soon?”

No, that wasn’t it. Even if she got in through guaranteed admission, it wouldn’t stop Su Ci from staying at school to study.

She didn’t understand the thought process of a top student.

Zhao Panpan shook her head, then noticed the person standing in the doorway. Smiling, she said, “Your dear senior is here. I’m leaving first.”

Su Ci looked toward the door.

In the cold December weather, Yan Can no longer wore the high ponytail she had in summer. Instead, her hair fell over her shoulders, obedient and soft. Inside, she wore the school’s autumn-winter uniform; the dark green blazer showed a bit of collar, and over it she had a long black down jacket zipped up to her collarbone. Around her neck was a soft red hand-knit scarf, making her look wonderfully warm.

“Su Ci!” Yan Can was too lazy to come inside, so she just stood at the door and waved at her, her peach-blossom eyes curving with a smile.

Su Ci’s gaze ran straight into those smiling eyes; her heartbeat and breathing both faltered at once. She quickly slung on her backpack and walked toward the person at the door.

Today was her eighteenth birthday, and Wei Li had specifically taken the day off to celebrate it with her. Yan Can would also be coming to her house.

The two people she loved most in this world were by her side.

She didn’t have to do anything; just thinking about it made Su Ci feel warm in the chest.

The corners of her lips lifted before she even noticed it herself. Yan Can was the one who saw it first and asked suspiciously, “What are you smiling at?”

Su Ci: “?”

Yan Can leaned closer; the distance between them narrowed. Su Ci’s breath caught, and she turned her face away, her tone flat. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

Once they left the teaching building, a biting wind swept past, and dead yellow leaves flew everywhere. Yan Can sneezed, sniffled, and complained, “This damn weather—it's freezing me to death!”

She glanced at Su Ci beside her. The other girl wasn’t wearing any more layers than she was, yet she didn’t look cold at all.

Su Ci looked slender and delicate, but she was actually much sturdier than Yan Can.

The teaching building was only a few minutes from the school gate; before long, the two of them arrived.

Yan Can got into the car first. The moment she climbed in, she shed the gear she was wearing. Su Ci followed into the back seat, and her gaze lingered for a few seconds on the cake box between them.

Chen Shu, in the front, caught sight of it through the rearview mirror and said with a smile, “The young lady made it herself. Happy birthday, Su Ci.”

“Thank you, Chen Shu.” After saying that, Su Ci turned to look at the person beside her. “And… thank you, Yan Can.”

Why was she thanking her so seriously? Yan Can’s cheeks warmed slightly. She gave a soft mm and said, “It’s my first time making a birthday cake, so I don’t know whether it tastes good or not. You… don’t turn your nose up at it later.”

Su Ci looked at her steadily, her throat moving. “I won’t.”

“It’ll definitely be good.”

“You haven’t even tasted it yet, and you’re already saying it’s good. So perfunctory.” Yan Can said that out loud, but inside she was all soft and sweet.

She’d made the cake under the guidance of the housekeeper. She had failed who knew how many times before finally getting one finished in time for today.

She was actually looking forward to seeing Su Ci’s reaction to the first bite.

Last night the temperature had dropped below zero, and a light snow had fallen in the middle of the night. The ground was still wet, with puddles reflecting the shops along the roadside.

The car stopped at a familiar intersection.

“Chen Shu, you don’t need to pick us up later.” As she got out, Yan Can said this.

Chen Shu nodded and drove off.

Yan Can watched the car disappear into the distance and sighed to herself. If only she’d known that one day she’d be so young and already have a car, she would have learned to drive in college. Then she could have driven Su Ci out for rides.

Su Ci didn’t know what Yan Can was thinking. Her hair was being blown across her eyes by the wind, and she still looked dazed.

She took Yan Can’s hand and gave it a light shake. “Yan Can?”

Only then did Yan Can come back to herself. She was just about to say something when her nose suddenly tickled and she sneezed.

She sniffled, frowned, and started complaining about the damn weather again.

Seeing how much she hated the cold, Su Ci hesitated a little. Yan Can had also said that if it got late today, she’d stay over at her place.

“My house doesn’t have heating.”

Yan Can said, “I know.”

She had stayed there one night before; there was only an old air conditioner in the bedroom.

Su Ci turned her head to look at her. Though reluctant, she still said, “Go back earlier later.”

The moment Yan Can heard that, she was unhappy. “I haven’t even been to your house yet. And you’re already in such a hurry to kick me out?”

Su Ci didn’t speak. She clearly understood what Yan Can meant, but she just liked teasing her like this.

Yan Can’s fingers tightened around hers, and she leaned close to Su Ci’s ear, whispering, “If you want me to go home, you have to come with me too.”

“Want to, and, with, you, do it.”

Her voice was deliberately low and slow, like a feather brushing over skin. Su Ci felt as if an electric current had run through her; numbness and tingling spread through her whole body. Especially that one word—it made her face burn bright red.

By the time they reached Su Ci’s house, Wei Li had already prepared a table full of dishes. Hearing voices at the door, she immediately went to open it.

When Yan Can saw her, she greeted her sweetly, “Hello, Auntie.”

Wei Li smiled and was just about to take the cake from her hands when Su Ci reached out first and carefully held it against her chest, as if she were afraid Wei Li might miss it and drop it on the floor.

“Xiaocan, Auntie made some dumplings again this time. Take them with you when you leave.” At the dinner table, Wei Li said this to her.

Yan Can nodded. “Okay, thank you, Auntie.”

There was too much food; no matter how much Yan Can ate, she couldn’t finish it, so in the end it all went into the fridge.

Wei Li still had to go to work during the day tomorrow and would need to head back tonight. Before leaving, she watched Su Ci cut the cake and make her birthday wish, and only then did she go.

“Su Ci, how’s the cake?” Even though she had already asked once, Yan Can still wanted to hear Su Ci praise her again.

She had eaten a little too much, so she only took a few symbolic bites of the cake and tasted it.

Anyway, she thought the texture was good.

Su Ci still gave the same answer. “It’s very delicious.”

Yan Can smiled.

At last, her recent days of hard work and practice hadn’t been for nothing.

Su Ci’s house was a little cold. Sitting on the sofa, Yan Can unconsciously bounced one leg.

Seeing her like that, Su Ci said, “Why don’t you go home?”

Yan Can’s house had heating; it was much more comfortable than here.

“You forgot?” With no one else around, Yan Can dared to say anything. “If you want me to go home, you have to come with me. I already said it; I want to do it with you.”

Su Ci’s face flushed red. Seeing that, Yan Can laughed. She couldn’t even imagine how embarrassed this person would be if they really did it.

Thinking of that, she chuckled softly, her eyes curved and bright. Even when she was thinking dirty thoughts, her gaze was still clear.

“Then… I’ll go back with you,” Su Ci said.

She knew Yan Can was weak. Zhang Ru had said this person got low blood sugar all the time, ran 400 meters as if it were going to kill her, and had colds and fevers every few days…

“It’s too cold here.”

Yan Can blinked. Su Ci was really obedient to her. She looked at the serious-faced girl across from her and said, “No need; too much trouble.”

She leaned toward Su Ci’s lips and licked away a bit of cream from the corner of her mouth. Her gaze was hot. “Let’s do it here.”

“Can’t wait.”

She cupped Su Ci’s face with both hands and kissed those tempting red lips. Her soft tongue hooked dominantly against Su Ci’s, their breathing tangling as they lost themselves in it.

In the gap between breaths, Yan Can went for Su Ci’s earlobe and said against it, “Now… it’s not cold anymore. So hot…”

As she spoke, she lowered her head, pushing open the half-unbuttoned shirt. Her head buried itself in the soft swell of her chest, sucking one while greedily holding the other.

By then, the heat was no longer Yan Can’s alone. Su Ci felt hot all over; overwhelmed by the double stimulation, she felt as if she were about to melt in Yan Can’s hands.

“Mm… don’t…” Feeling Yan Can’s hand slide downward, about to reach a dangerous place, Su Ci caught her wrist and said hoarsely, “Don’t… wait…”

“Wait for what?” Yan Can’s words were muffled and hard to make out. “Not giving it?”

“No… not that. Mm… go… to the bedroom.”