Morning classes stretched in one unbroken marathon all the way until noon.

The second class ended, Dao Tu grabbed my arm and dragged me sprinting across campus toward the cafeteria like we were training for the Olympics. Her reason? Panic that the “legendary sweet and sour ribs”—the eternal love of her life—would sell out before we got there.

Just as we grabbed our food trays, my phone buzzed with a shared link from Sheng Yang.

I tapped it open, greeted by a glaring headline:

【How to Tell If Your Girlfriend Actually Likes You】

The list underneath read:

Does she share details about her day?

Does she check in on you?

Are there pictures of you on her social media?

…

Reading through it, a sudden, guilty wave of panic hit me.

Before I could even gather my wits, a follow-up text popped up on screen:

Sheng Yang: 【Well? Sound familiar?】

My chopsticks froze halfway to my mouth, a piece of rib dangling precariously. He was blatantly calling me out!

I furiously typed back a defensive reply:

【Not even close! Total nonsense, total clickbait!】

Desperate to change the subject, I snapped a quick photo of my lunch tray and fired it off:

【Eating sweet and sour ribs right now ~】

Sheng Yang: 【Going home this Friday?】

【Mhm, I am.】

Sheng Yang: 【I’ll come pick you up.】

Reading that, the corners of my mouth automatically curved upward into a secret, conspiratorial smile.

Dao Tu, still chewing away with a shiny ring of grease around her mouth, eyed me suspiciously.

“What on earth are you grinning about over there, Mian Mian?”

Startled, I tossed my phone face-down onto the table. “Nothing at all.”

Dao Tu shrugged and went right back to doing battle with her ribs.

We had the afternoon off, and all the way back to the dorms, Dao Tu was already floating on cloud nine. “This afternoon we’re taking a nap, watching shows, and eating junk food—that is the absolute peak of human existence!”

But the second we swung the door open, her dream shattered instantly.

Our dorm floor, already cozy to begin with, was practically swallowed whole by a mountain of freshly delivered express packages.

Xiao Ning and Dao Dao were already happily ripping open boxes. Catching sight of us standing in the doorway with identical wicked grins, they pounced, dragging us straight into an impromptu fitting session.

Ten minutes later…

I stood frozen in front of the full-length mirror, staring blankly at a micro-skirt that barely covered my backside and a pair of black lace thigh-highs. My expression was an absolute mask of existential dread.

Xiao Ning surveyed her “masterpiece,” throwing her hands in the air with a triumphant shriek:

“Mian Mian, you are the living incarnation of Misa!”

I blinked, utterly lost. “Who the heck is Misa?”

Xiao Ning grinned. “An anime icon! The ultimate goddess of every guy’s dreams!”

Ah. Cosplay. They’d clearly been plotting this festival outfit behind my back for weeks.

Xiao Ning looped her arm around my waist, batting her eyelashes in desperate pleading:

“Mian Mian, come with us to the convention over National Day. We bought this specifically for you—it fits like a glove!”

Taken aback, I pointed at myself. “You… bought this custom?”

Xiao Ning whipped out a vibrant blonde wig with a flourish: “Nailed it!”

I looked at my reflection again, a hesitant smile tugging at my lips. “Okay… actually, this is kind of cute.”

Dao Dao immediately shoved Dao Tu forward into a sweeping, floor-length purple gown.

Dao Tu gasped, staring at herself in awe: “Holy cow, I look gorgeous!”

And just like that, our squad of four reached a unanimous verdict: we were spending the holiday attending the convention in full group cosplay.

Friday afternoon marked the official kickoff of the National Day holiday.

Sheng Yang showed up early to pick me up. Catching sight of the mini-skirt folded neatly in my overnight bag sitting on the passenger seat, a slow, teasing smirk spread across his face.

“Babe, dressing up in secret anime outfits just for me now?”

I scrambled to defend myself. “No way! It’s for a cosplay thing with my roommates!”

He picked up the skirt with two fingers, measuring it against the air. “A bit short, isn’t it?”

I blinked back innocently. “That’s kind of the whole point of cosplay.”

He didn’t press further, simply taking me out for an early dinner before driving us back to the family villa.

The moment we walked through the front door, the place was dead silent. I called out a few times, but no one answered. My sister Nguyen Thu had undoubtedly vanished off to some vacation spot again.

Late that night, a random text from her confirmed my suspicions: she was currently tanning on a beach in the Maldives.

To make matters worse, even our housekeeper was on holiday leave.

Talk about terrible luck!

Lying all alone in my cavernous bedroom, an overwhelming wave of emptiness settled over me.

The thought of spending seven long, solitary days rattling around this empty house made my chest ache.

Unable to stand it a moment longer, I finally gave in and texted him:

【My sister isn’t home, I’m so bored I could scream.】

Sheng Yang: 【Babe, keep talking like that and I’m going to end up showing up on your doorstep.】

I hesitated for a beat before typing out:

【Do you want me to come over to your place instead?】

Half an hour later, the deep rumble of an engine echoed from the street below.

My phone lit up: “Babe~ unlock the door.”

I bolted down the stairs, flung the front door wide open, and threw myself straight into his arms.

The sudden impact sent him staggering back a full step before he caught his balance, chuckling as he gave me a comforting pat on the back.

“Missed me that much after barely an hour apart?”

I buried my face deep against his chest, giving a quiet nod.

Stepping into Sheng Yang’s penthouse apartment—the bachelor pad he’d lived in since starting university—my heart pounded a frantic rhythm like I was willingly walking straight into the wolf’s den.

Perched stiffly on the edge of the sofa, I had no idea what to do with my hands or feet.

Sheng Yang tossed his keys on the counter, calling out over his shoulder:

“Saw your tablet and charger? I’m gonna go take a quick shower.”

Right as he finished the sentence—snap—he pulled his shirt straight off over his head right there in front of me.

I froze dead in my tracks, my eyes glued to his sculpted, flawless abs as my throat gave an involuntary, desperate swallow.

Catching me staring, he glanced back over his shoulder, a lazy, wicked smirk playing on his lips.

“Babe, I’m trying to seduce you here. Are you even going to acknowledge the effort?”

My face flared crimson. “Stop… stop saying weird things!”

He reached over to ruffle my hair. “Just teasing,” he murmured before disappearing into the bathroom.

Left alone on the sofa, my brain kept aggressively replaying the sight of his stomach muscles, keeping my face burning at a permanent fever pitch.

Hearing the shower water shut off, I bolted upright and faked a giant yawn:

“Where am I sleeping tonight?”

He walked out wiping his damp hair with a towel, casually gesturing with his chin. “Guest room down the hall.”

I scurried inside, slamming the door shut and locking it like I was defending a medieval fortress.

Though technically his room, it smelled faintly of his signature crisp mint and sandalwood, wrapping around me and making me feel oddly safe.

Just as I was finally starting to wind down, a sharp knock, knock echoed against the wood.

I cracked the door open an inch. “What is it?”

He offered an innocent shrug. “The bed in the guest room is broken. And crashing on the sofa is hell on my back.”

I picked up my pillow, holding it like a shield. “It’s fine, I can take the sofa.”

Instead of answering, he caught my wrist, pulled the door open the rest of the way, and firmly stepped inside, locking the door behind him.

I stood frozen, clutching my pillow to my chest, my heart hammering against my ribs.

He leaned down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my lips:

“You take one side of the bed, I’ll take the other. Absolutely zero crossing the line.”

I looked up skeptically. “Promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

The mattress was massive, and he dutifully retreated to the far edge, not making a single move.

Meanwhile, I lay rigidly on my side like a block of wood, utterly incapable of falling asleep.

He shifted slightly, and I instantly flinched backward.

A low chuckle rumbled in the dark: “Babe, keep backing up any further and you’re going to fall right off the bed.”

“Shut up and go to sleep!”

He laughed softly, a long arm sliding out to wrap around my waist and haul me flush against his chest.

“Relax, I’m just holding you.”

I tried to shove him away to no avail, eventually resigning myself to my fate.

He patted my back gently. “Go to sleep now.”

Curiously enough, nestled against his chest, the warmth made me feel wonderfully secure.

Just as I was drifting off into a hazy sleep, his voice murmured sleepily against my ear:

“Babe, my legs are freezing. Can I wrap them around yours to warm up?”

Half-asleep and entirely out of brain cells, I mumbled an incoherent “mhm.”

A soft chuckle brushed my forehead right before a tender kiss landed there, followed immediately by a warm, heavy weight tangling our legs together.