Chapter 6

Liu Miao and Xia Xue grew up under Yang Jingxing's watchful eye, from the kindergarten where he was in the senior class and the two girls were in the junior class. Now he is about to be a senior in high school, and the two girls are about to be juniors.

When they were young, the three children used to compare their heights. Yang Jingxing was once surpassed, but now he has grown much taller, leaving the two girls to compete for second and third place.

The latest data shows that Liu Miao is 1.66 meters tall, and Xia Xue is 1.65 meters tall. Although the height difference is not noticeable, Xia Xue bravely admits that she is slightly shorter than Liu Miao.

Another set of data shows that Xia Xue weighs 46 kilograms, while Liu Miao claims that her extra two kilograms are due to her love for drinking water.

Xia Xue's face is slightly smaller but has clear lines, with a square top and a pointed bottom. Her ponytail hasn't changed in years, and her side-parted bangs almost cover her untrimmed eyebrows. However, most people only notice her bright almond eyes and the long lashes on her monolids.

Because her face is not long, Xia Xue's nose bridge is also short, making her nostrils appear wider. Fortunately, her thin and tender lips are also wide, and her philtrum is long, making her face well-proportioned. She also has a set of delicate, white, and neatly aligned teeth that match her lips perfectly.

Xia Xue's slightly upturned mouth corners are connected to two fake dimples, which are present whether she is smiling or not, but they don't deepen much when she smiles.

Liu Miao, on the other hand, has an elongated oval face with smooth lines and a pointed chin. She often combs her long hair back, making her high forehead more prominent and her face appear longer. Her long nose bridge is also straight, but fortunately, her nose is not large.

Liu Miao's eyebrows are relatively thick and well-groomed. Although not a masterpiece, they lack a prominent arch and angle, but they are overall long and smooth, with a slight downward curve at the ends, parallel to her eyes. Her eye shape is very standard; once, she discovered that if you only looked at her eyes, she could pass for a boy.

Liu Miao's nostrils are narrow, and her nose tip is more prominent, but her philtrum is not very long. Her upper and lower lips are thick and short, making her look pouty when she presses them together, as if she is always about to pout or get angry, though she rarely does. One distinctive feature is her wide front teeth, which are especially noticeable when she is daydreaming and slightly opens her mouth.

In comparison, Xia Xue's skin is slightly darker but has a good texture, with a smooth and clean complexion and no noticeable blemishes. Liu Miao looks paler, but she has some fine particles on her forehead and the sides of her nose, and she has four small moles, two on the left side of her nose and one on her right cheek.

Both girls have their own unique features. To Yang Jingxing's friends, Lu Lin and Du Ling think Xia Xue is beautiful and cute, while Zhang Yang and Xu Wei insist that Liu Miao is prettier and more graceful.

Yang Jingxing is unusually quiet today, just watching the two girls eat without asking many questions. Liu Miao, feeling a bit self-conscious, asks first, "Are there many beautiful women in Europe?"

"Not as beautiful as you two... Oh, right, the gifts." Yang Jingxing pulls out the Roman numeral necklaces from his pocket, unwrapped. The two necklaces are different: one has hollow Roman numerals on a stainless steel ring, and the other is a long bar.

The two girls are pleasantly surprised, and Liu Miao takes the necklace in her palm to admire it with Xia Xue.

"Three, four, five, six." Xia Xue quickly recognizes the numbers.

"Which one do you want?" Liu Miao shakes the necklaces, making them jingle.

Xia Xue shifts on the sofa, "They're the same."

"You decide." Liu Miao calls out to Yang Jingxing.

Yang Jingxing shakes his head and smiles, "No, I don't want to be accused of favoritism."

Liu Miao pouts and lightly taps Yang Jingxing, "Take turns wearing them."

After a while, Liu Miao remembers to show Yang Jingxing some photos. They are from the school sports meet last semester, and she has already sent him a few online, but not all of them.

The computer is in Xia Xue's room, and Yang Jingxing, of course, offers to help her. Xia Xue is quick to react, pulling her right elbow inward as soon as Yang Jingxing's hand touches it, trapping his fingers between her arm and armpit before quickly letting go. They are not at the age where they can play around on a bed together like they did when they were younger, when the three of them could turn a bedroom upside down in minutes.

Xia Xue's room is very different from when they were young, with a bed, curtains, and wall decorations that exude a girly atmosphere. There are only two chairs, and Liu Miao invites Yang Jingxing to sit, while she fetches another one to sit on either side of him and explain the photos.

The most impressive is the championship trophy for the girls' doubles table tennis, which Liu Miao says is at her house. Xia Xue admits there were only four teams in total.

Liu Miao also participated in the 800-meter race, though she didn't place, she looks very spirited in the photos.

Liu Miao tells Yang Jingxing not to scroll too fast, pointing at the screen, "Xie Yan, remember? She hangs out with a bunch of delinquents now... Give me the mouse!"

Another photo makes Xia Xue giggle, "Someone false-started, and she didn't notice, almost running to the finish line."

When they come to a group photo, Liu Miao quickly skips to the next one. The group photo includes Liu Sha, Yang Jingxing's girlfriend from junior high. Back then, they seemed to be a perfect match, and no one could say who pursued whom; others just saw them going to and from school together almost every day. Unfortunately, their relationship only lasted from the second year of junior high to the start of the third year, after which rumors spread that Liu Sha had dumped Yang Jingxing or that Yang Jingxing had dumped Liu Sha.

After silently flipping through a few more photos, Liu Miao finally finds something to talk about, "Zhang Yang and the others are so annoying! They always shout at us!"

Yang Jingxing says, "I'll deal with them at lunch."

Xia Xue asks, "Are you leaving?"

Liu Miao says, "Xia Xue is going to the hospital for a dressing change later."

Xia Xue gives her friend a reproachful look for calling her that. Miao Miao had learned to call her that from adults when they were young, while "Xia Xue" was a nickname Liu Miao came up with during a chat with Yang Jingxing last year.

Yang Jingxing says, "I'll take you to the hospital first, and we can have lunch together?"

The two girls decline, as they always do.

Liu Miao suddenly remembers, "Oh, we scanned some old photos at my mom's office." She opens another folder named "Hehe," which contains about a dozen scanned photos.

These are very old photos, full of childhood memories and significant milestones. The oldest and most precious one is from Children's Day in kindergarten, showing a five-year-old Yang Jingxing with a shiny side part, wearing a suspenders and a red flower on his chest. Xia Xue is in a white dress with two pigtails, holding an ice cream in her left hand and grabbing Yang Jingxing's belt with her right. Liu Miao is also in a dress, holding Yang Jingxing's sleeve with her left hand to ensure she doesn't fall while striking a graceful pose.

All three children have beauty marks on their faces, and their cheeks are painted red. Every time they look at this photo, Yang Jingxing is teased, and today is no exception, with Liu Miao and Xia Xue giggling.

There are also photos from elementary school. One is from the first grade, where all three received certificates and wore red scarves. Yang Jingxing was a bit mischievous and only joined the Young Pioneers in the second grade. Another is from a spring outing in the third grade, when the three were about the same height. There is also one from Yang Jingxing's elementary school graduation, taken by his mother, with Liu Miao and Xia Xue already growing up, smiling shyly on either side of Yang Jingxing, maintaining a distance to avoid being teased by classmates.

There are more photos from junior high. In the first year, Xia Xue had a medium-length haircut that resembled Yang Jingxing's long hair. One photo is from a trip to the reservoir, where the two girls are wearing capri pants and T-shirts, which is not very professional.

Another folder contains even older photos, showing the girls in open-crotch pants or even naked, but they have seen them before. Yang Jingxing compares the photos to the real girls and smiles, "You've all grown up."

The two girls look at Yang Jingxing curiously, and Liu Miao says, "We're not as big as you, and we can't beat you now."

Xia Xue agrees, "Even if we could split into multiple people, we still wouldn't be a match."

Yang Jingxing says, "If I had known you would grow up to be so beautiful, I wouldn't have teased you when you were young."

The two girls feel a bit embarrassed and distant, and Liu Miao scolds, "I can't stand you!"

Xia Xue is a bit disappointed, "You said we would go swimming, and I really want to eat the fish from Xiaodongting." Xiaodongting is a restaurant by the reservoir, famous in the surrounding counties.

Yang Jingxing says, "I'll take you tomorrow."

The two girls want to see Yang Jingxing's travel photos, but he says he doesn't have any. Liu Miao insists he should ask his classmates for some, as there must be a few photos of them together. Yang Jingxing still says no, but Xia Xue suggests a class photo, which should exist, along with a yearbook.

Liu Miao giggles, "To look at the handsome guys."

Yang Jingxing stands up slightly and turns, using his head to block the screen and show the front to the two girls.

Xia Xue giggles, her shoulders shaking, and Liu Miao, annoyed, punches Yang Jingxing's shoulder and scolds, "Why did you start shaving your beard!"

Yang Jingxing still goes to the Shangpu website to find the class photo of their sophomore year to satisfy the two girls. Their class has 43 students, 19 girls, and 24 boys.

"This one is pretty, what's her name?" Liu Miao, not looking at the handsome guys, points excitedly at Jiang Qing.

"This one is also beautiful." Xia Xue quickly finds Tao Meng.

"This one is also nice..." After a while, Liu Miao concludes, "There aren't many good-looking ones, what's her name?"

"Jiang Qing."

Liu Miao looks at Yang Jingxing and asks, "What does her family do?"

"How would I know!"

"Are you close with her?"

"We've never spoken."

Liu Miao is happy for Yang Jingxing, "You're taller than all of them, this one is about the same height, but not as broad or sunny."

After a while, Liu Miao says to Xia Xue, "Should we tell your dad not to come?"

Xia Xue hesitates and then calls her father, "Dad, you don't need to come to pick me up... Miao Miao and Yang Jingxing will take me... I came back yesterday... Yes."

Yang Jingxing shouts into the phone, "Uncle Xia, your bonsai is growing well."

Xia Xue giggles and hangs up, "He said to eat out."

Liu Miao looks at Yang Jingxing with disdain, "You're getting better at talking."

Not long after, Yang Jingxing's phone rings again. It's Lu Lin, "Are you up? Come out! Zhang Yang is here." You can also hear Zhang Yang shouting, "Warn him, I'm going to drink him to death!"

Yang Jingxing says, "Call Xu Wei, I'll be there at eleven."

"Watermelon, it's not even ten! What are you doing?"

"Xia Xue twisted her ankle, I'm taking her to the hospital."

Lu Lin immediately changes his tone, "Oh, Brother Jingxing is so nice... Should we call Du Ling?" You can also hear Zhang Yang's evil laugh.

The two agree that Yang Jingxing will go to the hospital first, and Lu Lin and the others will meet up, having lunch at Shuntai Restaurant.

Xia Xue, afraid of delaying Yang Jingxing, stands on one foot and says, "Let's go."

Yang Jingxing squats down, "Get on."

"Ah... We can walk and take a taxi." Xia Xue looks at Liu Miao.

Liu Miao says, "It's not convenient, let him carry you."

Xia Xue touches the hem of her skirt, "It's not easy to carry..."

"Change your pants, you go out!" Liu Miao opens the wardrobe to help find them.

So, Yang Jingxing waits outside Xia Xue's room for her to change her pants, then goes back in and squats by the bed. Xia Xue sits on the edge of the bed, stretching her hands out, trying to find a good position.

Yang Jingxing stands up a bit more to let Xia Xue climb onto his back. Xia Xue puts her arms on Yang Jingxing's shoulders, but can't quite get up.

Yang Jingxing reaches back with both hands, pushing Xia Xue's lower back with his left hand and supporting her thigh with his right, lifting her onto his back and standing up carefully.

Xia Xue's arms are straight, trying to support herself with just the point where her upper arms touch Yang Jingxing's shoulders.

Yang Jingxing scolds, "Relax, it's hard to carry you like this."

Xia Xue bends her arms, placing them loosely around Yang Jingxing's neck, and her body sinks a bit. Yang Jingxing's arms pass under Xia Xue's legs, his hands in front of his stomach, holding her politely and properly.

They set off, and Yang Jingxing descends the stairs lightly, with Liu Miao following behind to look after them. They encounter some familiar elders in the courtyard, who smile, "Oh, Yang Jingxing has grown so tall."

Xia Xue hides her face on the other side of Yang Jingxing's head, out of sight.

There are not many taxis in the small city, and they wait for half a minute at the courtyard entrance without seeing one. Yang Jingxing, ignoring Xia Xue's objections, carries her toward the hospital, as the sun is not too strong today.

With more people around and a wider view, Xia Xue can only bury her head, content as long as she can't see others.

Liu Miao follows behind, pulling Xia Xue's T-shirt down to cover her exposed lower back. Yang Jingxing's steps are steady, and she follows lightly. After a while, she starts swinging her arms in rhythm with their steps, slapping Xia Xue's butt alternately, singing, "You are my electricity, you are my light, you are my only myth..."

Xia Xue tries to stop Liu Miao with her right hand, but fails.

A tall girl walks toward them, recognizing them, she calls out, "Liu Miao... Xia Xue." It's really unfortunate to run into a classmate.

Xia Xue doesn't respond, and Liu Miao greets her, "Zhou Dan, your new clothes look nice."

Zhou Dan stares at Yang Jingxing, who nods at her, for a few seconds before asking Xia Xue, "What happened to your foot?"

Xia Xue answers softly, "I twisted it," and then spots an empty taxi, shouting, "Empty taxi, empty taxi!"

At the hospital, Yang Jingxing carries Xia Xue to the outpatient building for a dressing change. While waiting, he receives a call from Lu Lin, saying they have already gathered. Yang Jingxing tells his friends to wait at the restaurant, but Lu Lin says it's still early.

Xia Xue's worries are not unfounded. When Yang Jingxing carries her out of the hospital, she sees the group of people she fears from a distance. Lu Lin and Zhang Yang rush over, shouting loudly, "Brother Jingxing, Brother Jingxing!" This is the nickname Liu Miao and Xia Xue used for Yang Jingxing when they were young, and they never found it strange until they were teased in junior high and stopped using it. But others still remember.

Yang Jingxing feels embarrassed, "I don't know you!"

Lu Lin grins, "I know you, Brother Jingxing."

Du Ling sways her body and looks at Yang Jingxing with a sly, mocking smile, "Brother Jingxing, you're so busy." She glances at Liu Miao and then quickly changes to a concerned tone, asking Xia Xue, who is hiding her face behind Yang Jingxing's head, "Xia Xue, what happened to your foot?"

Yang Jingxing answers for her, "She twisted it playing table tennis."

Lu Lin still shows concern, "Is it serious?"

Xu Wei also asks, "Did you hurt any bones?"

Xia Xue finally shakes her head slightly and answers softly, "It's fine."

Liu Miao takes Xia Xue's phone from her pocket to prevent it from falling and pulls her T-shirt down. Xia Xue cooperates by straightening her upper body.

Yang Jingxing tells his friends, "I'll take them back first, wait for me."

Lu Lin grins, "Who knows if you'll come back."

Du Ling sincerely invites, "Xia Xue, have lunch with us, it's not far." She then scolds Zhang Yang, "Don't scare her!"

Zhang Yang is indignant, "Am I that ugly?"

Xu Wei also invites, "Come have lunch with us, don't keep carrying her."

Xia Xue insists, "Put me down, I'll go back on my own."

Lu Lin doesn't push, telling Yang Jingxing to take the two girls back quickly, and they will wait. Du Ling helps call a taxi.