Serenade

Chapter 24

After taking a shower, Jin Xi walked straight to the corner and sat on a small stool.

Bo Yan put down his phone and looked at her.

After blow-drying, her jet-black hair was exceptionally fluffy. Her fair skin was flushed pink from the steam, making her look delicate and charming.

The little girl was even sneaking peeks at him.

Bo Yan casually turned off the bedside lamp and the room instantly sank into thick night.

"I'm going to sleep," his voice was low and mellow.

Jin Xi responded with an "Oh," and leaned against the back of the chair.

After midnight, the rustling noises outside the door gradually died down. This group of best buddies finally made enough noise and went back to their rooms to sleep.

Jin Xi was increasingly overcome by drowsiness and let out a yawn.

Soon, her elbows could no longer support the weight of her heavy head. She nestled into the seat, curled up with her knees to her chest and rested her head on the back of the chair, dozing off like a woodpecker.

He gently coughed and Jin Xi immediately woke up.

"Come sleep, I won't touch you," he said.

Bo Yan's voice had a sandy texture in the darkness.

The bit of guard in Jin Xi's heart could no longer resist the strong drowsiness. She got up and stumbled over to the empty bed.

"Don't move," her voice was tender and delicate, especially tempting in this quiet night.

With his back to her, Bo Yan's figure stretched like a mountain range—

"I won't move."

Jin Xi lifted the quilt and got in, moving gently and carefully, seeming afraid of disturbing the wild beast sleeping next to her.

The bed was very warm, filled with this man's temperature.

Jin Xi sank into the soft pillow.

As he had promised, he did not move, not even turning around.

Jin Xi closed her eyes and tensed her nerves to feel for more than ten minutes. Determining that the man next to her would not make any further moves, she finally relaxed.

Gradually, sleep washed over her and she fell deeply asleep.

In the darkness, Bo Yan opened his pitch dark eyes.

The girl's breathing next to him gradually steadied, but his sleepiness had completely faded away.

The quilt was filled with the girl's body fragrance.

How the hell could he sleep like this!

He could only look and smell but not touch.

So what kind of self-torture was he inflicting upon himself?

**

After the New Year holiday, the coursework of the first semester officially entered its final stage, and students throughout the school began intense exam reviews.

The relationship between dorms 409 and 410 had subtle changes after New Year's Eve.

Whenever Chu Zhao saw Xu Chaoyang, she no longer called him Instructor Xu. Her tongue began to tangle and she could barely speak a few sentences.

They were next-door neighbors who used to see each other all the time. Now whenever they met, they would blush and avoid each other like strangers.

Compared to them, Jin Xi and Bo Yan were relatively harmonious.

Afterward, under Shen Pingchuan’s repeated questioning, Jin Xi confessed to him that although she had slept in the same bed as Bo Yan, nothing happened between them and Bo Yan didn't touch her at all.

Shen Pingchuan stroked his jaw and frowned, “He didn’t touch you all night?”

“Yeah.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Jin Xi stamped her feet, “Are you a little disappointed?”

“Of course not!” Shen Pingchuan quickly waved his hand and explained, “At first I thought he had ulterior motives towards you. Now that you've slept together, he can still remain so steady. So I feel relieved.”

“Why do you feel relieved?”

Shen Pingchuan smiled, “It means Bo Yan isn’t interested in you.”

Jin Xi paused, “Maybe he's just well-behaved.”

Shen Pingchuan put his arm around her shoulders as they walked toward the library, trying to instill his theory in her, “What well-behaved. Men are all beasts once their pants are off, don't I know that.”

Jin Xi felt a little uncomfortable, “He's not like what you said.”

“You still don't believe me,” Shen Pingchuan patted her little head, “What kind of person is Bo Yan? The girls surrounding him are all devilish figures with tiny waists and big breasts. How could he be interested in a country bumpkin like you?”

Jin Xi's face suddenly flushed red, “Who's a country bumpkin!”

Shen Pingchuan laughed, “Dare to say you're not wearing thermal underwear?”

Jin Xi felt guilty and walked faster, mumbling, “What's it to you that I wear thermal underwear.”

When she bought thermal underwear to keep warm, she didn't forget to buy a pair for Shen Pingchuan too. Ungrateful as he was, he even mocked her for it.

Having a brother was really annoying.

The girls walking towards them wore high-waisted miniskirts with stockings and boots, dressed lightly with tall and slender figures.

Jin Xi lowered her head to look at her own oversized down jacket, feeling bulky and a little depressed.

At the entrance of the library, Chu Zhao was waiting for her.

“You're so late, there are no seats left already.”

“Gone so fast?”

“It's exam review season now. All kinds of weirdos are coming to the library. There's a long line outside by 6am.”

The two wandered around the self-study room several times but couldn't find a single vacant seat, all taken.

Some girls even used pens to occupy several seats.

Chu Zhao walked over and asked one long-haired girl, “Can we sit here?”

The seat-occupier was very rude, “Are you blind? Don't you see someone's here already?”

“Oh.” Chu Zhao withdrew awkwardly.

But Jin Xi said, “Just let us sit for a while. We'll leave when the person comes back, okay?”

“No way. Who knows if you'll actually leave later.” The long-haired girl was very impolite.

If Lin Luo was here it would be fine, but both Chu Zhao and Jin Xi were timid girls. Not wanting any conflicts, they could only leave.

Turning around, Chu Zhao poked Jin Xi’s waist and motioned with her mouth.

Just then, the boys from the dorm opposite were sitting in the last row of the self-study room.

Besides Jing Chi who was seriously reading and taking notes, the other three were either napping or simply lying on the table playing with their phones.

Seeing Jin Xi and Chu Zhao holding books, Jing Chi waved his hand, “Come over, juniors.”

Jin Xi walked over breezily, “Hello, senior.”

“Sit here.”

Jin Xi looked around. The small tables were clearly not enough for a few big guys to sprawl on and sleep.

Jing Chi kicked Xu Chaoyang’s stool, “Move over, make room for the junior.”

Xu Chaoyang lifted his head from the thick Introduction to Maoism book, bleary-eyed. Seeing Chu Zhao, the sleepiness instantly vanished and he jumped up.

The dramatic movement also woke up Bo Yan. His high brow furrowed slightly, the narrow eyes showing traces of just waking up. Just about to kick Xu Chaoyang, he saw Jin Xi standing next to him holding books.

So he retracted his long legs and murmured, “You came.”

“Bo Yan, you guys don't have space here either.”

“Come sit here, I have to go to class.” Xia You stood up with his Miumiu shoulder bag and left.

Xia You’s seat was right next to Xu Chaoyang. Jin Xi didn’t move, blinking at Chu Zhao.

Chu Zhao looked panicked: Why are you looking at me!

Jin Xi's meaning was obvious. They had their first kiss already. If Chu Zhao didn’t sit next to him, did Jin Xi have to?

The two girls battled with their eyes. Finally, Chu Zhao still sat down, red-faced.

Jin Xi put down her book bag, preparing to stand and review vocabulary.

Just then, Bo Yan’s outstretched long legs folded in and his knees gently bumped her legs.

Jin Xi threw him a “what are you doing” look.

The corner of Bo Yan's eyes curled up with a smile. He silently mouthed to her—

“Sit.”

Jin Xi lowered her head and saw his legs against hers. It looked like he wanted her to sit on his lap?

Jin Xi glared at him fiercely.

Bo Yan said to the others, “Squeeze together, make room for the little girl.”

The seats in the self-study room were adjoining. With the boys huddled together, a small space next to Bo Yan was freed up.

He tidied up his books and stationery on the table, leaving room for Jin Xi to study.

Jin Xi simply sat down, her little butt occupying the very edge of the seat, keeping as much distance from him as possible.

Even so, sharing a chair meant bumping against each other was inevitable.

He had a tall and sturdy build. Moving his pen and writing in his book, he couldn’t spread out and ended up reaching around Jin Xi from behind.

Now in this position, it was as if she was sitting in his embrace.

Through the thin fabric of their clothes, she could clearly feel his body temperature, his firm skin, and the scorching, lively heartbeat beneath.

She turned to look at him. His side profile was sharp and elegant, with long and delicate eyelashes, very good-looking.

He held a pen, continuing to sketch shapes. “Look at your books or look at me?”

Jin Xi hurriedly concentrated on studying.

Bo Yan circled some key points in the book. His knee nudged her thick, sturdy leg. He casually asked, “You’re wearing thermal underwear, right?”

Jin Xi: ......

How did my thermal underwear affect your studies?

She lowered her head to look at her chubby little radish legs, instantly feeling crippled.

Chu Zhao added a stab, “She's not only wearing thermal underwear, but two pairs.”

Jin Xi glared at her fiercely. She said, “It’s so cold. You guys aren't wearing any?”

The boys looked at each other, “Actually no.”

To prove their innocence, the boys pulled up their loose sweatpants one by one, revealing smooth bare calves without anything on except leg hair.

Jin Xi mumbled to herself softly.

An hour later, Bo Yan got up to leave. Jin Xi quickly asked, “Where are you going?”

“Got class, leaving first.” Bo Yan packed his books into his backpack, slung it over one shoulder, and pressed Jin Xi's little head as he left, “Don’t daydream, study hard.”

Jin Xi’s head was pressed into her book by him. “I'm not daydreaming!”

After Bo Yan's departure, the seat finally became more spacious. But the warmth behind her was also gone.

She savored the feeling of being held in his arms just now—not only warm, but a cozy sense of security.

The military academy students of dorm 409 had to get up at 5 or 6 every morning for drill practice. Therefore, they could always grab seats at the library.

After that day, the boys who got up earlier than chickens would reserve four seats for the girls.

Whenever Jin Xi went to the library, she could see the big boys sprawled over the seats napping.

That afternoon after class, Jin Xi had just come out when she was dragged by her dorm mates to the military training ground.

"There's a shooting test for the national defense students today. Let's go watch the excitement," Jin Xi said.

"What's there to see in shooting practice?"

"The point isn't the shooting, the point is the National Defense Academy! So many handsome boys in uniforms with long legs, how tempting!" Jin Xi said. With Bo Yan's pair of long legs swaggering around her all day, isn't that enough for her to look at?

The training ground of the National Defense Academy was located at the foot of the mountain behind the school. Short, dried grass grew around the site, the ground was rough, and many training obstacles were set up.

Quite a few girls had already gathered, attracted by the "uniform temptation" apparently.

Some boys in camouflage were shooting guns, eliciting screams and shouts from the girls regardless of whether they hit the target or not.

Jin Xi asked Chu Zhao in a low voice, "Real guns?"

Chu Zhao said, "Of course. The national defense students will all enter the military in the future. Who's going to give you fake guns!"

She swept her eyes across the training ground and immediately caught sight of Bo Yan's tall figure.

He wore a crisp military uniform, his figure was slender and upright, his fingers nimbly and quickly changing magazines. The gun was like a toy in his hands. He assembled it in seconds.

The girls let out another wave of screams.

Jin Xi covered her ears and fixed her eyes on him.

He straightened his back, his eyes deeply hidden under his brow bone. He turned his head, closed his eyes, adjusted the accuracy through the sight, and pulled the trigger.

Even from several hundred meters away, Jin Xi could still feel the tension he emitted, every taut movement, even the slight curl at the corner of his eyes, contained a certain profound force.

Jin Xi's heart inexplicably tightened.

"Bang!" A gunshot, steadily hitting the bullseye.

"Ah!" She suddenly screamed, pulling Chu Zhao and Lin Luo's sleeves excitedly, "He hit it!"

The two looked at her speechlessly. Others had hit it earlier too, how come she wasn't this excited then?

Facing her friends' questioning looks, Jin Xi embarrassingly let go of their sleeves, and said without confidence, "The senior is a good shot."

Bo Yan was indeed a good shot. The next few shots all hit the ten ring bullseye. This accuracy undoubtedly could win him first place in the academy.

Lin Luo said, "Last semester, Senior Bo Yan took first place in the ten events in the academy's final exam. He was first in every practical training. Such outstanding results are truly rare."

Chu Zhao said, "Like father like son. I heard he grew up in the army since childhood."

Jin Xi noticed that when Bo Yan finished shooting and went off the field, a girl in camouflage walked up to him and said a few words, a sweet smile on her face.

She seemed to be asking Bo Yan questions. After saying a few words, Bo Yan demonstrated the shooting stance to her.

Apparently she was a classmate.

Jin Xi finally understood what Xu Chaoyang said. It wasn't nonsense. Senior Bo Yan was never lacking beautiful girls around him.

Even sleeping in the same bed, he didn't even touch her little finger. To him, she probably looked insignificant.

Although she didn't actually want to "sleep" with him in that sense.

But as a girl, lacking the necessary sexual attractiveness was still frustrating.

She returned to the dormitory dejectedly.

That night, Jin Xi went into the laundry room. Bo Yan happened to be there too, wearing a black tee that showed off his smooth muscular arms. He was bent over washing his camouflage uniform.

Jin Xi dawdled and went to the corner of the laundry room, far away from him.

Half a minute later, Bo Yan walked lazily to her side holding a basin.

"Did you come to watch my shooting test today?" he asked.

"No, I had class."

"I hit five targets, all bullseyes."

He sounded a little impatient, as if intentionally showing off to her.

Seeing Jin Xi's silence, he thought she didn't understand, so he patiently explained, "In the whole academy, bullseyes on every target...only me."

"Oh."

Seeing she still had no reaction, Bo Yan frowned slightly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Bo Yan hoped to hear some praise and encouragement from her, but her indifferent "oh" left a bad taste in his mouth.

He didn't dwell on it, only said, "It was lively today, many girls came, I thought you'd be there."

Jin Xi put down the basin in her hands heavily, splashing water -

"Just because those girls came, I have to go too? You don't lack an audience like me anyway."

"Are you mad today?"

Just then, Chu Zhao entered the laundry room. Her first words to Bo Yan were, "Congratulations, senior!"

Bo Yan smiled faintly, "You came to watch the competition?"

"Yes!" Chu Zhao put down her bucket across from him and said, "When you hit the target, Xiao Jin Xi got so excited, yelping like a puppy, shouting 'Senior hit it, so awesome!'"

Jin Xi: ......

The slap came too fast like a tornado.

Bo Yan gave Jin Xi a meaningful look, murmuring, "You lied to me."

Jin Xi put down the clothes in her hands, turned on the faucet to rinse her hands, and splashed him with water as she left -

"Hateful!"