Chapter 70: Outrageous Train of Thought

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Outrageous Train of Thought

Han Wenwen returned to the dorm, carrying her shopping.

She saw Xiao Heqing out on the balcony doing stretches. Her ponytail gave the usually sweet Xiao Heqing a resolute, capable look. She rested one leg high against the wall above her head and slowly leaned into the stretch.

"Wenwen, you’re back? Did you go film another video today?" Xiao Heqing quickly greeted her best friend.

Han Wenwen shut the door and nodded. "Yeah, I spent another whole day at the rental apartment. I picked up some dinner on my way back, too. Why the sudden workout in the dorm today, Qingqing?"

Xiao Heqing lowered her leg. "Just limbering up. I’m preparing for next year’s taekwondo tournament. Ever since starting middle school, I feel like my training has really slowed down. I haven’t made much progress in over a year, so I can’t afford to slack off anymore."

She stepped out to wash her hands and returned shortly after. "Otherwise, next year’s tournament is going to be a tough fight."

Han Wenwen sat on the edge of her bed, her fox-like eyes watching with curiosity as Xiao Heqing sat down beside her. "Oh? Now that’s interesting. What do you mean you’ve been slacking off for a year? Does that mean our Qingqing was so distracted by Lin Zhengran that she couldn’t even focus on taekwondo?"

She stared at Xiao Heqing meaningfully, covering her mouth to hide a teasing smile. "Then what exactly have you two been practicing on the weekends for the past year? Don’t tell me you haven’t been practicing at all and have just been sneaking off on dates every week."

Blushing, Xiao Heqing helped her open the takeout containers. "What are you talking about! We definitely practiced, it’s just... ugh." She lowered her head in embarrassment. "Wenwen, you know perfectly well what’s been on my mind every day. Ever since Jiang Xueli showed up, I’ve been completely distracted, which is why I haven’t been training well."

"Are you saying you don’t have to worry about her anymore?" Han Wenwen asked.

Xiao Heqing handed her a pair of chopsticks. "More accurately, I’m not afraid anymore."

Han Wenwen looked at her best friend and took the chopsticks. "Qingqing, did you confess to Lin Zhengran today? What did he say? You didn’t manage to say it yesterday, so surely you didn’t chicken out again today, did you?"

"I didn’t do it today either..." Xiao Heqing bit her lip, looking a bit conflicted before deciding to just tell Han Wenwen the truth. "Well, I guess I did confess in a way. As for his response, Wenwen, you know Lin Zhengran doesn’t like middle school girls. So of course he rejected me. Isn’t that obvious?"

She stated it matter-of-factly, without a hint of sadness in her voice. She even sounded like she was stating the obvious.

Han Wenwen sat there, completely dumbfounded. Her red lips slowly parted. "Huh?"

For once, the Little Fox had absolutely no idea what Xiao Heqing was talking about.

Clutching her chopsticks, Xiao Heqing continued to explain. "I mean, Lin Zhengran told us a long time ago. You know this too, Wenwen! He doesn’t like middle school girls because we’re too young. He has absolutely no interest, so there’s no way he would agree! Why would he ever accept a confession from a middle schooler?" She beamed, grinning widely.

Her cheerful expression only made things worse. It sent Han Wenwen’s brain spiraling into even deeper confusion.

"What are you even saying...?" Han Wenwen asked weakly. "If you already knew he wouldn’t accept, then what was the point of fussing over this confession for the past half-month?"

Xiao Heqing pursed her lips, her voice soft and sweet. "Well, before, it was because Jiang Xueli showed up after we started middle school. I was constantly terrified that someone else would steal him away, so I wanted to get closer to him. The strategy guide you gave me wasn’t really working, so I resorted to this desperate plan to close the distance between us."

"But that was because I wasn’t thinking straight!" she explained, staring at a completely short-circuited Han Wenwen. "I completely forgot about something extremely important! I only remembered it today after going to Lin Zhengran’s house! And that is..." She enunciated every word, practically glowing with joy. "The two of us have been boyfriend and girlfriend this whole time! There’s absolutely no need for me to confess! In fact, a confession wouldn’t bring us closer anyway, because when you’re already dating someone, confessing again is completely pointless!"

Han Wenwen was speechless.

"Huh?"

Nobody knew what was going through the Little Fox’s mind at that moment. Perhaps she wasn’t thinking anything at all. She understood every individual word Xiao Heqing was saying, but once strung together into a sentence, they made absolutely zero sense. She couldn’t comprehend it at all.

"We got together when we were super, super little!" Xiao Heqing exclaimed excitedly. "Back in our senior year of kindergarten, we promised each other that we would never be apart. He hasn’t forgotten that promise, and neither have I! So... do you get it now, Wenwen? I was looking at this all wrong!"

Flushing with sudden shyness, Xiao Heqing continued. "I shouldn’t be worrying about who he really likes. Instead, my job is to make sure he doesn’t become a playboy or cheat on me! I just have to make sure he likes me more than any other girl!"

The dorm room fell completely silent. The only sound was the faint noise of students roughhousing down in the courtyard.

Han Wenwen blinked several times. Then, clutching her stomach, she burst into laughter. She laughed so hard she couldn’t stop.

Xiao Heqing was mortified. "What are you laughing at, Wenwen? Am I wrong?"

Han Wenwen couldn’t take it anymore. She waved her hand dismissively. "No, no, I finally get what you mean. Honestly, you’re actually right this time. After all, back when we were in the South and you first told me there were other girls around him, weren’t we discussing the possibility that Lin Zhengran might fall for someone else?"

Han Wenwen followed Xiao Heqing’s logic, her laughter gradually subsiding as she muttered to herself in earnest analysis. "’Might fall for someone else’... If you analyze that carefully, the premise is that he already liked you in the first place. That’s why we were so worried he might move on when you were away. In other words, you two really *were* together all along."

Xiao Heqing nodded shyly. "Mhm, that’s what I thought too."

The bizarre brainwaves of the two best friends had miraculously synchronized. Having reached this conclusion, Xiao Heqing suddenly looked fired up.

"So starting today, my goal has changed! I’m not going to care about what Jiang Xueli is doing anymore. All I need to do is become better and show him that I’m not a little kid anymore. That’s how I can get closer to him! We can do the things that boyfriends and girlfriends are supposed to do!"

"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen our Qingqing this fired up." Han Wenwen pulled two cans of soda from her shopping bags and handed one to Xiao Heqing with a grin. "Then, to celebrate the fact that you two have been together this whole time—cheers!"

Xiao Heqing popped the tab on her soda and clinked cans with Han Wenwen. "Cheers!"

Both girls took a big gulp.

"Oh, right, Wenwen," Xiao Heqing said. "Today, when I went over to hang out at Lin Zhengran’s house, he said that if I win the town’s taekwondo championship next year, he’ll grant me one wish. What kind of wish do you think I should make?"

Han Wenwen let out an intrigued "Oh?" and chewed on her fingernail. "Well... since you two are already in *that* kind of relationship, there’s no need for us to beat around the bush anymore..." She beckoned Xiao Heqing closer and whispered something into her ear.

Xiao Heqing’s face instantly turned so red she was practically steaming. "Ah? I think I’d be way too embarrassed to make a wish like that... but it does sound pretty good..."

Amidst the girls’ highly amusing evening discussion, a long and eventful day finally came to a close.

Over the following week, both Xiao Heqing and Jiang Xueli seemed to be fired up with motivation. They kept busy with their own affairs, brimming with anticipation for the coming year—and especially for the high school life that awaited them the year after.

During the final exams a week later, Lin Zhengran made a point to set aside some time to tutor Han Wenwen. Thanks to his careful instruction throughout the semester, Han Wenwen successfully achieved an above-average grade on her finals.

Another week passed. The school officially announced the start of winter vacation. The New Year was fast approaching.