Rejected by the Campus Belle, I Find My True Love-Chapter 81: Courtesy Calls for Reciprocity
A tender call, a lifetime of affection.
Xue Yang’s lips instantly settled upon her small, crimson mouth.
He liked this girl too much. He didn’t want to let her go home. What should he do? He wanted to keep her by his side forever.
"Xue Yang~"
If... after I go home, I might not see Xue Yang again... then if I give myself to him now, I won’t have any regrets, will I? If... we had a child, would Father agree to let us be together?
Countless thoughts flashed through Lin Xi’s mind.
"Xue Yang~"
"Shh, don’t talk!"
The past two days had been too busy. Although they had shared deep kisses, they had never been as completely lost in the moment as they were tonight.
The room was dimly lit, but their hearts were pressed tightly together. Even without seeing each other’s faces, they could guess what the other wanted to do next.
Lin Xi’s mind went blank.
At a time like this, who cares if the sky is falling? As long as we have each other in our hearts, that’s all that matters.
After what felt like an eternity, Lin Xi felt something on her hand, followed by a soft CLICK.
Xue Yang’s movements stilled.
Both were gasping for much-needed air. They held each other tightly, listening to each other’s heartbeats and breathing the same air.
"Xue Yang, what did you put on my hand?"
"A gift!"
"A gift?"
Lin Xi raised her right hand. A beautiful bracelet now adorned her wrist, and she loved it at first sight.
"It’s a beautiful bracelet."
Lin Xi owned a room full of jewelry, including countless bracelets—rare treasures and one-of-a-kind pieces from all over the world. She could go for years without wearing the same piece twice. She had been wearing one when she ran away from home, but it had fallen off somewhere along the way.
Her wrist had been bare for several months. Now that Xue Yang had suddenly given her a bracelet, Lin Xi was overjoyed. This was the cheapest piece of jewelry she owned, but it was her favorite.
It was the first real gift Xue Yang had ever given her.
"Yes. It’s a bracelet that only I can open."
As he spoke, a heart-shaped key on a necklace appeared before her. It was clearly the matching half to the bracelet.
She wanted to bind Xue Yang to her for a lifetime, and he, too, wanted to keep her tethered to him forever. An invisible thread seemed destined to bind them tightly together, a bond no one could break.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it. I really love it! Xue Yang, thank you for the gift. Now, you’re Santa Claus too."
"Well, someone gave me a gift, too. It’s only right to reciprocate!"
Xue Yang gestured for Lin Xi to help him put it on.
Lin Xi took the necklace, but Xue Yang was so tall she couldn’t reach.
"Lower your head a bit. I can’t reach."
Xue Yang smiled and dipped his head slightly, showing Lin Xi the back of his head. Looking at the back of Xue Yang’s handsome head, Lin Xi was suddenly reminded of a novel she had read, which said that when a man willingly shows you the back of his head, it means he has fallen completely in love with you.
Her heartbeat quickened. She fastened the necklace around Xue Yang’s neck. It had been bare before, but the chain now gave him a kind of ascetic charm.
"Hmm. Now that you’re wearing the key to my exclusive bracelet... from now on, you’re mine."
"Lin Xi, after you go home, will you still come look for me?"
"Of course. I’ll definitely come find you."
"Then let’s make a pinky promise."
In the past, Lin Xi had coaxed Xue Yang into a pinky promise to make him come back sooner. Now, Xue Yang was using the same method to ensure she would come find him after she went home.
Xue Yang... he’s actually afraid I won’t come back, isn’t he?
Yet, even knowing she might never return, Xue Yang still resolutely persuaded her to go home. Because that was her home, with her loving family. She was still young, and her future held endless possibilities.
Loving someone wasn’t about holding them back, but about growing together. They would each shine brightly in their respective fields, and there would never be a situation where one felt lesser than the other.
Lin Xi extended her slender pinky and hooked it with Xue Yang’s. "Pinky promise. One hundred years, no changing. The liar is a puppy."
"Pinky promise. One hundred years, no changing. The liar is a puppy."
Their fingers locked together, and they looked at each other and smiled.
「...」
When Xue Yang woke up the next morning, Lin Xi was still sound asleep.
He gently brushed his hand over her cheek. She seemed to be having a bad dream, her pretty eyebrows furrowed tightly. Xue Yang used his thumb to gently smooth the crease between her brows before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He tucked the blanket around her, then quietly opened the door and left.
He went to the adjacent bedroom, changed his clothes, and before leaving, he glanced down at the lone, empty suitcase in the corner, saying nothing.
About half an hour later, Lin Xi was woken by her alarm clock.
She had promised the lovely children she would return, and she had also agreed to play Santa Claus for another day at Yonghui Supermarket. She figured she could ask to leave an hour early. That way, she wouldn’t get caught by Xue Yang like last night, and they would even have time to go out for dinner.
Glancing at the still-perfect Christmas tree on the windowsill, Lin Xi got dressed and left the house.
With the first day’s experience under her belt, her second day as Santa Claus went much more smoothly. The only issue was her feet. She hadn’t felt it yesterday, but today a stabbing pain radiated from her wound. Compounded by standing for a long time, her legs began to ache, and she felt tired after only a short while.
"Santa, are you tired?"
Lin Xi nodded.
"Then why don’t you sit down and rest? We’ll keep watch for you."
What ulterior motives could children have? They simply thought that if someone was tired, they should rest.
One little girl with big eyes took Santa’s hand and looked up innocently. "Santa, can I see what you look like? I want to know if you have a big white beard like the real Santa."
Lin Xi laughed. She looked around. Since it was still early and not mealtime, the supermarket wasn’t very busy. She took off the Santa mascot head, revealing her true face. The children stared, spellbound.
The little girl blinked her big eyes, which were full of disbelief. "Santa is a fairy!"
"I’ve never seen such a beautiful Santa before."
Lin Xi patted the girl’s soft little head and was about to put the mascot head back on when a familiar voice called out from nearby.
"Young Miss!"
A shiver ran down Lin Xi’s spine.
「...」
