Proud senior schoolgirl was tender and sweet, we fell in love

She pursed her lips and glanced at the person beside her, whispering, "Don't call me that randomly."

"But you just said you would tutor me, so you are my teacher," Xie Xiao argued confidently, and after he spoke, he looked at her with a face that seemed to say, you're not going to regret it, are you? Because that would really disappoint me.

Luo Yanran was at a loss for words.

She could never refuse him, especially not when he was like this.

Eventually, she turned away, murmuring, "Just don't call me that."

"You don't like it when I call you 'senior', and although you never refuse when I call you 'Ranran', you never respond either. Is 'Teacher Luo' also not okay?" Xie Xiao sighed as he spoke, "Do you just not like me bothering you?"

His tone was tinged with disappointment.

Sure enough, the girl beside him seemed a bit irritated as she replied, "Call me whatever you want, let's do the questions!"

Xie Xiao curved his lips, finding it hard not to give in to someone whose words contradicted their heart.

In the end, he earnestly began to lower his head and work on the questions.

If his grades didn't improve, they'd probably have to go through the whole process of persuading him all over again for the next exam.

By the time Xie Xiao had finished three multiple-choice questions, the drinks they ordered had finally arrived.

Luo Yanran frowned slightly at the two milkshakes, "Is there a mistake?"

The waiter looked surprised, and Xie Xiao hurriedly said, "No mistake, I ordered them."

Then he thanked the waiter.

Reassured, the waiter left.

Xie Xiao watched the puzzled look on Luo Yanran's face, "They were out of lemon tea. Which one do you want?"

After speaking, he saw Luo Yanran's gaze shift to the front.

Xie Xiao looked up just in time to see the waiter serving two lemon teas to the table next to them.

Xie Xiao: ...What a coincidence.

There was an awkwardness in the air, and he sighed internally.

He then reached out for the avocado milkshake, "Have this..."

"I want this one..." At the same time, a delicate, fair hand reached out as well.

Both of their hands, one following the other, reached out for the avocado milkshake.

Luo Yanran's hand didn't touch the cup but instead came into contact with the back of Xie Xiao's hand.

Neither of them spoke, just looking at the overlapping hands.

Xie Xiao felt the soft warmth of her small hand gently resting on his.

He knew that if he had reached out a bit later, he might have been able to envelop her small hand completely.

The small hand behind his, as if suddenly coming to its senses, slowly withdrew.

Luo Yanran watched the graceful hand pick up the milkshake and place it in front of her, "You have this."

"Okay," she replied, feigning composure, and took a sip from the cup.

Neither mentioned the fleeting contact that had just occurred.

Yet the corners of both their mouths were slightly upturned.

Although there was no significant breakthrough today, at least they were able to touch each other.

The gaze from outside shone in, making the problems on the workbook crystal clear.

The last multiple-choice question that Luo Yanran had worked on clearly had the word "Xiao" written in the margin, even though she had smeared it half away. Although it was no longer clear, she knew exactly what it was.

Teacher Luo just couldn't concentrate on solving problems.

...

At noon, the two went to a nearby mall for lunch. Xie Xiao had wanted to secretly pay the bill, but it seemed like Luo Yanran saw right through his intentions.

She looked at him seriously, "If you do this, I won't go out with you next time."

Luo Yan's threat was too severe, and her expression was serious as well.

So Xie Xiao backed down, and in the end, it was Luo Yanran who paid the bill.

As they left the restaurant, Xie Xiao suddenly asked, "So, will you go out with me next time?"

I behaved myself by not rushing to pick up the check this time.

Xie Xiao thought she would say something tough as usual, like "It depends," or something along those lines.

But surprisingly, she let out a soft "Hmm," "If you want."

Xie Xiao paused for a moment, then asked with some excitement, "Really?"

Luo Yanran still didn't look at him, only saying, "Really."

She moved forward, speaking quickly and softly, "I believe everything you say."

Xie Xiao reflected for a moment, and then realized she was referring to the time he explained that he wasn't dating Zhou Mianmian.

Originally, he thought her silence meant disbelief, but now it was clear she had kept her reply in her heart until this moment.

"How shall we get back?" Luo Yanran was actually a bit shy, giving such an ambiguous answer, and without caring whether Xie Xiao understood her or not, she quickly changed the subject.

"Do you still want to take the subway?" Xie Xiao had a gentle smile in his eyes, and the smile on his lips was even more pronounced. He was very happy.

Luo Yanran thought of the dreadful subway journey and felt a bit scared, but then remembered the brief contact they shared on the subway.

Actually, she didn't mind taking it.

But that was her inner thought. To Xie Xiao's question, all she said was, "Whatever, either is fine."

Xie Xiao also enjoyed the sensation from before, but it was really too crowded. If they couldn't find a corner to stand in, it would be torture.

And he didn't want to see Luo Yanran getting squeezed.

So, in the end, they chose to take a taxi.

Xie Xiao insisted on taking Luo Yanran home, and Luo Yanran insisted on hailing a cab herself.

On this matter, it seemed they temporarily couldn't reach a consensus.

After getting into the taxi, Xie Xiao sighed, "Miss Luo, this really hurts my pride."

When he said this, his tone carried a hint of helplessness, "It was me who asked you to accompany me to the bookstore, and then you paid for the meal, and now you're paying for the taxi home, too."

Aside from that milkshake, Luo Yanran adamantly refused to let Xie Xiao spend any more money.

Even the milkshake was something Xie Xiao insisted on ordering.

Luo Yanran seemed not to understand, "But we had agreed that I would treat you to a meal and accompany you to the bookstore. As for the taxi, why should you pay to go to my house?"

When she spoke, her tone was full of misunderstanding.

Xie Xiao, who was used to spending money on Zhou Mianmian: ...How could he say it was a habit developed from being a loyal follower?

Seeing that Xie Xiao didn't respond, Luo Yanran didn't ask further.

She just said, "Your way of thinking is so strange."

Xie Xiao was silent for a while, then suddenly smiled silently; he had been mistaken.

Luo Yanran and Zhou Mianmian were different from the start.

Zhou Mianmian was a parasitic vine, only capable of clinging on to others.

But Luo Yanran was not; she was a blooming rose, thorny, strong, and dazzling.

Applying the same approach he had with Zhou Mianmian to her was, in effect, an insult to her.

The two didn't talk much on the way back.

Upon reaching the villa entrance, Luo Yanran watched as Xie Xiao called a taxi home, staying with him as he waited for it.

When the car arrived, she finally spoke, "Xie Xiao, if I'm not misunderstanding your intentions, you should also be..."

She paused for a moment, choosing not to finish her thought and continued instead, "Then you should be clear, I am not the same as Zhou Mianmian."