Chapter 10: Youth Campus Romance (IX)

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Chapter 10: Youth Campus Romance (IX)

An eye-catching young man dressed in white stood in front of the shabby residential buildings. Equally eye-catching was the silver luxury car he leaned against. Although ordinary people couldn’t tell what brand it was, its distinctive appearance spoke volumes of its value.

“A’chen, why are you here? It’s Saturday…” Song Qingxin was confused at the sight of Miao Lichen who shouldn’t be here. She wiped her hands, still dirty from doing chores, on her clothes. Looking up at the young man in his unblemished white clothes, she felt a distinct sense of incongruity. No, it was the contrast between him, his luxury car, and this shabby neighborhood.

“I know, I just wanted to come and see you.” Miao Lichen said, straightening up. His face remained expressionless, but his words carried his usual gentle warmth. He approached her, seemingly oblivious to her washed-out clothes. Without her school uniform, she appeared much less energetic. Her low self-esteem even made her smile look uncomfortable.

“I thought you would be with Dongfang Yi today, so I just came by to take a look,” he said, tilting his head slightly as his long bangs fell and obscured his eyes.

But even without seeing his eyes, Song Qingxin could imagine the love in them. Although he always appeared cold and aloof to others, she knew that whenever she appeared, his eyes would focus on her. His eyes would be full of affection and joy, which was why she always enjoyed being with Miao Lichen and Lin Moxi. Compared to Miao Lichen, Dongfang Yi seemed like a rather inadequate boyfriend.

What was her boyfriend doing now? Was he planning a lavish banquet, or was he buying piles of luxury goods she could never even imagine? Bitterness slowly welled up in her heart, and the girl who had recently made her decision was already questioning it. She deliberately ignored the fact that they were still boy friend and girl friend right now, since she still hadn’t given him a proper answer.

“My lady, I wonder if I could spend a pleasant weekend with you?” The corners of Miao Lichen’s lips curled slightly, giving an even more infectious smile than Lin Moxi as he extended a hand.

Song Qingxin couldn’t resist placing her dirty hand into his. As she felt the warmth of his hand, she realized what she had just done and tried to pull back. But he held on, stopping her.

“You would also like to know how much Dongfang Yi cares about you, right? As long as you’re happy, I don’t mind using myself as the catalyst. And I believe you can give me an unforgettable memory, won’t you?” Miao Lichen understood her predicament and gave her the perfect excuse, one he knew she couldn’t refuse.

Song Qingxin stopped pulling her hand away and instead took Miao Lichen’s hand. She knew she would likely never be able to reciprocate his love. A man willing to sacrifice so much for a single memory would surely find his own happiness. Even without her, he could achieve it; and if he didn’t at the very least, he would have this memory. So, in a relaxed mood, Song Qingxin accepted the invitation.

“I… I’ll go change, wait for me.” Song Qingxin said, looking down at her clothes, her pretty face flushed with embarrassment. Her current situation left her feeling a bit lost. Ever since her father lost his job, her family’s financial situation had steadily deteriorated. She did not have any clothes that would match Miao Lichen.

It wasn’t that she didn’t have newer clothes; although her family wasn’t wealthy, they weren’t poor to the point of being broke. These faded-out clothes were just for home use since she wasn’t planning to go out. However, compared to the other students at Imperial Noble High School, her regular clothes weren’t suitable for public use. They were both in Class G, but the contrast between them was striking.

Song Qingxin paused mid-turn; normal people wouldn’t recognize that luxury car but she did. A Rolls-Royce Phantom. Could an heir of a minor wealthy family drive this? She thought back to the rumors she had heard recently, about how Miao Lichen’s family was comparable to Dongfang Yi’s. But because of his autism, he was removed from the line of succession and wasn’t considered important in school.

The affairs of the wealthy were something she couldn’t understand, nor did she need to. Despite this, her smile was noticeably brighter and more sincere. Her eyes held a tenderness that, although directed at a friend, seemed more suited to a lover. It was exactly this kind of ambiguous attitude that invited misunderstandings, especially when dealing with someone who liked them.

“Qingxin.” Miao Lichen spoke even more gently, with a hint of hesitation. His cautious manner made it seem as if Song Qingxin was a delicate beauty that would shatter at the slightest touch.

“Hm? Is there anything else you wanted to tell me, Young Master Miao Lichen?” Song Qingxin turned back around and joked.

“This is a dress I prepared. Since we’re going on a ‘date,’ it should be more formal. Only then will Young Master Dongfang Yi feel threatened.” Without a hint of guilt, Miao Lichen shifted all the blame onto the absent Dongfang Yi. In truth, Song Qingxin just needed a justification. A reason to entertain another man’s advances, so she could preserve her image of kindness.

Watching her joyfully take the dress he had prepared, Miao Lichen’s smile remained warm as she returned to her apartment to change. He removed his silky white gloves and put on a fresh pair, his fingers lightly touching where his heart would be. If he truly treated her as his only sunshine, what would he do when the sunshine opened her world to him, then closed it without hesitation?

“A’chen, what are you thinking about?” It was said that every girl loves beauty, a saying that had held true since ancient times. Song Qingxin instantly fell in love with this long dress that suited her perfectly, but unfortunately she had no suitable jewelry to accompany it. After searching through her jewelry box, she found that everything she tried mismatched in quality and detracted from the beauty of the dress. In the end, she simply tied her hair with a light blue ribbon.

When Song Qingxin wore the tailored dress he designed for her, she looked like a fairy untouched by the mortal world. Standing next to Miao Lichen, there was no longer a sense of incongruity. The light blue ribbon that held her hair high gave her a lively energy. There was a saying: “Buddha relies on gold, and people rely on clothes.” If Song Qingxin had once been a six out of ten, she was now at least an eight.

“I’m thinking of you.” Miao Lichen said as he walked over and stretched out his white gloved hand. Their formal attire could have been mistaken for a wedding, if not for the blue ribbon that disrupted this aesthetic. “It is every bit as elegant and beautiful as I had imagined. But…”

“But what? Why didn’t you finish?” When Song Qingxin heard the first half of the sentence, she felt as if she was immersed in honey, almost forgetting her identity. For a moment, she truly believed she was his girlfriend. No girl can resist the feeling of being treated as their partner’s everything. However, when she heard the pause, she suddenly became nervous, a feeling she had never experienced in front of Dongfang Yi.

“Unfortunately… you do not belong to me.” There was clearly no sadness in Miao Lichen’s voice, but it still evoked a sense of melancholy in others.

Song Qingxin reached out and took his hand, pulling it closer to herself. The cold temperature under the glove seemed even more biting. “I belong to you today.”

“Okay.” Miao Lichen said as he opened the passenger door for her. The luxury car didn’t quite suit Miao Lichen, but it matched his mood. If this was a hopeless love, then it was time for the final madness!

He started the car and glanced sideways at the well-tailored dress. The fabric and design were clearly identical to the one he was wearing, but the dress had been altered. It had been modified from the original design. This dress had been designed and tailored by the original. Generally speaking, autistic people tend to be either fairly ordinary or exceptionally gifted in one particular area. Miao Lichen was clearly one of the latter, but no one knew about it.

Miao Lichen’s family background was indeed excellent and comparable to Dongfang Yi’s family. His family was based overseas, while Dongfang Yi’s was based in China. As for Miao Lichen, he was indeed abandoned by his family, treated as discarded trash. However, he had plenty of money and other resources, allowing him to book an entire amusement park without a second thought.

Watching Song Qingxin’s surprised expression, Miao Lichen took her hand and led her onto every ride in the amusement park.

Unlike the amusement park during normal operating hours, when it was crowded with people, it was now a world for just the two of them. The privacy and exclusivity were irresistibly sweet, and it was what this man brought to her.

Sitting on the Ferris wheel, Song Qingxin had no idea that one day, she would ask to ride it again at midnight. Legend has it that when the Ferris wheel reaches the highest point and a pair of lovers kiss, they will find happiness. She stared in a daze at his lips, but ultimately only held onto his arm and felt his warmth. The Ferris wheel descended from its peak, and Song Qingxin felt a hollowness in her heart, as if she had lost something precious.

When they landed on the ground and got off, she looked back at the high spot in the night sky. She had an urge to do it again. If she came back, would she do something like that to Miao Lichen?

“It’s getting late, so I’ll send you home. And I’m sorry, because of my selfish wish I didn’t tell Dongfang Yi. But you agreed to spend the whole weekend with me, so we can tell him tomorrow. Just having this memory is enough for me…” Miao Lichen reached out to carefully fix her scattered hair. The expression on his face was impossible to read, but she could feel his devotion.

“So it’s this late already, let’s go back.” Song Qingxin said reluctantly as she walked out of the amusement park. She didn’t hear the rest of what Miao Lichen said. She reached out, pried open Miao Lichen’s fingers one by one, clasped his hand, and they walked together into the night.

They really do look like a couple, don’t they? It was truly a “beautiful day.”

Miao Lichen gazed up at the bright lights of the cheap residential buildings and removed his silk gloves. Starting the car, he accelerated to top speed and casually tossed something into a roadside trash bin as he turned a corner. It was a pair of white silk gloves.

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