I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 473. I'm just your sister.

"What? Speak up!"

Seeing Xu Qingfan hesitate, Xiao Ruanwen felt a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

"I agree." Looking into the girl's eyes, Xu Qingfan finally nodded in agreement.

"What? Be more specific!" Xiao Ruanwen reached out and grabbed his collar, her gaze fixed firmly on Brother Fan's eyes.

"That's right. We've spent so much time together, of course I'd develop feelings for you guys. I don't really know if it counts as liking you."

Xu Qingfan still habitually held back his words, mainly because he never expected Xiao Ruanwen to ask him this question, so he hadn't prepared a response beforehand.

Xiao Ruanwen never expected Xu Qingfan to answer like that, and said blankly, "Then what about Xiaoxiao? You still kissed Xiaoxiao!"

"Brother Fan, you still prefer Xiao Xiao, right?" She tightened her grip on Xu Qingfan's collar again.

Xiao Ruanwen didn't know what was wrong with her, but she really wanted to hear Xu Qingfan admit that he preferred Xia Xiaoxiao.

Because that would give her a sense of relief.

"I don't know, maybe, but you are all equally important to me." The dog of a man was somewhat frightened by the obsessive aura emanating from her, and answered weakly.

"Scumbag!"

"Fan Ge is a scumbag!"

Xiao Ruanwen released her grip on his collar and cursed him forcefully.

From the girl's perspective, Fan Ge already had a small amount in his bowl, yet he still insisted on saying that everyone was equally important to her. What else could he be but a scumbag?
Fortunately, the two were in a relatively secluded place, and no one was watching. Otherwise, if Xu Qingfan had uttered those two "scumbag" insults, he would have been infamous.

Faced with Xiao Ruanwen's rebuke, the scoundrel showed no shame whatsoever; on the contrary, sadness and disappointment were written all over his face.

"So, Ruan Wen, that's what you think?"

"So, Ruan Wen, that's how you feel about me?"

"I see."

Xu Qingfan hung his head dejectedly, as if his soul had been ripped out in an instant, and he was completely lost and disoriented.

"Isn't that right?" Xiao Ruanwen was taken aback by the dog man's sudden barrage of three questions and asked back weakly.

"Eh!"

"If that's what you think, Ruan Wen, then I have nothing more to say."

Let's assume it's what you think.

Xu Qingfan shook his head in disappointment and turned to leave.

“No.” Xiao Ruanwen stood there blankly, watching his departing figure.

"Hey!"

"Come back here!"

"You stinky Fan, you better explain yourself!"

Xiao Ruanwen was truly at a loss with him. Feeling wronged and angry, she chased after him and grabbed the back of his collar.

"What do you mean, 'just as I think'? Isn't that right?"

"If there's anything I don't know, just explain it clearly!"

"What kind of man are you, Fan Ge?!"

She said angrily.

Xu Qingfan almost started singing Jay Chou's "What Kind of Man Is He?" on the spot, but thankfully he stopped himself.

"You're not wrong to think that way."

"I know that what I'm saying now will seem like an excuse to you, but since you asked, Ruanwen, I'll say it anyway."

The scoundrel shook his head dejectedly, took her hand, and walked away talking.

"Speak!" Xiao Ruanwen only glanced at her hand being held, and quickly stopped paying attention to it.

"Didn't you guys keep asking me why we weren't in the same class in high school?"

"I can tell you now that I originally wanted everyone to continue studying in the same class in high school, but something changed my mind."

"What?" Xiao Ruanwen frowned slightly.

"After that incident with Xiaoxiao, I realized that I couldn't tell whether I liked Xiaoxiao more or any one of the four of you more."

"That's why I thought we should split up into different classes in high school. I thought that if we were separated for a while, I would have an answer in my heart."

“Originally, I arranged for you all to board at high school, while I would be a day student. But later, because Wan Ning was resistant, I decided to take it one step at a time.”

"So now you're asking me whether I like Xiaoxiao more or Ruanwen more, to be honest, I don't know myself."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

The scoundrel gripped the girl's hand tightly, looking at her with sincere eyes.

When Brother Fan said, "I still like you more, Ruanwen," all the resentment in Xiao Ruanwen's heart seemed to vanish instantly, leaving only confusion and panic.

[Fan Ge said he likes me, Fan Ge likes me, likes me.]
Seeing that Xiao Ruanwen still hadn't reacted, Xu Qingfan continued, "I know, from Ruanwen's perspective, I really am a scumbag."

"But I have really been trying to correct my behavior and not let myself go astray."

"I don't know if I can stay true to myself in the future, but at least I'm always trying, aren't I?"

Xu Qingfan was starting to get anxious. Why hadn't Xiao Ruanwen reacted yet?

He added fuel to the fire: "Of course, I like all five of you at the same time, that's an indisputable fact, and I won't deny it for now."

"If you were Ruan Wen and you hated me because of this, and wanted to sever ties with me, I would have nothing to say."

"Who said I hate you? Who said I was going to cut ties with you!" Xiao Ruanwen finally snapped out of her daze, her shout startling away several sparrows perched on the telephone pole. "When did I say I was going to cut ties with you, you stinky Fan-ge, what nonsense are you thinking!"

"Didn't you just say you didn't want to ruin our friendship? You're giving up at the first sign of trouble? Is this your attitude?"

The girl glared at him, looking both aggrieved and angry.

"what!"

"So, Ruanwen, have you forgiven me?" The scoundrel's eyes lit up again as he cupped Xiao Ruanwen's soft hands in his hands.

"Hmph!" Xiao Ruanwen snorted and rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Xu Qingfan knew this wasn't the time to talk about this, so he pressed on, saying, "Ruan Wen, I'm not lying to you. I guarantee that every word I say is the truth, as true as it gets."

A fleeting look of joy crossed Xiao Ruanwen's face. Every word she spoke was true, which meant that liking her was also true!

"Who knows if it is?" The girl pulled her hand away and turned away from him.

"Yes, Bao. No matter what the future holds, I don't want to ruin the friendship that the six of us have always had, because it's my most precious thing."

Xu Qingfan came up to her.

Xiao Ruanwen pouted, which meant she accepted what Brother Fan had said.

[If I were Fan Ge, with Xiao Xiao, Xiao Yu, Wan Ning, and Yi Yi all being so wonderful, I would like them all too.]
[As for myself, hmph~ This girl is gentle, considerate, knowledgeable, beautiful, kind, and talented—a beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, a beauty that could shame the moon and put flowers to shame. How could Brother Fan not like me!]
"I've kept these words to myself, but now that I've told you, Ruanwen, I feel so much lighter." Seeing that Xiao Ruanwen was lost in thought again, the scoundrel continued to set the trap.

What does it mean to "keep it all in my heart, only tell you"? It means that you hold a special place in my heart, unlike anyone else!
"Ruanwen, it's so good that you understand me." Xu Qingfan tried to take Xiao Ruanwen's hand again, but this time, the girl dodged away immediately.

"Humph!"

"My understanding is my understanding!"

"But there's one thing, Brother Fan, you need to listen to me clearly!"

Xiao Ruanwen glanced sideways; if her look before was one of disdain, now it was as if she were looking at trash.

Xu Qingfan instantly felt as if he were being stared at from the abyss, and dared not play any more tricks, obediently standing up straight.

"Brother Fan, let me tell you!"

"I only see you as a brother. Even if I have a little crush on you, it's the kind of crush a sister has on her brother!"

"Don't try to scheme against me!"

"Understand?"

Hsiao Ruanwen said that this moment should be accompanied by background music—"I am the queen, my confidence shines!"

"I understand," Xu Qingfan replied weakly, nodding.

"Good that you understood!"

"Let's go back to class!"

Xiao Ruanwen turned and left, waving her sleeve to signal Xiao Bai (not really) and Xu Qingfan to follow.

Despite being scolded like a dog by Xiao Ruanwen, Xu Qingfan wasn't angry at all; on the contrary, he was very happy.

Of course, it wasn't that Xu Qingfan had any strange fetishes, but rather that he knew Xiao Ruanwen was just being tsundere.

[This guy's all about the contrast!]
Watching Xiao Ruanwen's graceful figure from behind, the scoundrel was genuinely happy.

He reviewed what he had just said, and it was all true, not a single lie!
It's true that I like all five of them, it's true that we were separated into different classes, and it's also true that I've been correcting my behavior—trying to find ways to make everyone get along harmoniously!
[I'm so honest!]
Xu Qingfan and Xiao Ruanwen spent two hours having dinner and a heart-to-heart talk.

By the time I returned to the classroom, it was getting dark.

The test paper that Xu Qingfan had placed on the table had disappeared; it seemed that a curious classmate had taken it and distributed it.

Nearly half the students were seated in the classroom, each holding their own or someone else's test paper.

"Brother Fan, I borrowed your math test paper to correct my mistakes. Do you want it back now? I'll return it to you." Xu Qingfan was just about to sit down when the girl from the next group waved to him.

"It's okay, just give it back to me when you're done. Ouch!" Xu Qingfan shook his head at her with a smile, but before his smile could fully form, Xiao Ruanwen next to him twisted his arm forcefully.

"Uh-huh, I'll return it to you when I'm done. I don't lend it out." Although the female classmate found Xu Qingfan's expression strange, she didn't say anything.

"Brother Fan, did you finish the last multiple-choice question in physics? I've asked so many people and no one got it right."

"Brother Fan, what was your score in Chinese? Can I see your essay?"

"Brother Fan, can I borrow your math test paper a second time?"

Many students who were too embarrassed to take things without asking also came over at this time.

"I'll take the Chinese exam paper; you can have the rest," Xiao Ruanwen said to everyone, pointing to the remaining papers after taking the Chinese exam paper from his desk.

"Thank you monitor!"

"Thank you monitor!"

"Thank you, sister-in-law!"

Someone took advantage of the chaos to shout "Thank you, sister-in-law," making Xiao Ruanwen blush.

Xu Qingfan secretly gave a thumbs up: [If you can talk, then talk more!]
After the crowd dispersed, Xiao Ruanwen whispered in his ear, "Remember what I just said, Brother Fan!"

Don't get any funny ideas about me!

Xu Qingfan suddenly turned around, catching Xiao Ruanwen off guard. His pink lips brushed across her cheek, leaving a faint drool mark.

"What are you doing!" Xiao Ruanwen quickly leaned back, almost touching Brother Fan's lips.

Xu Qingfan gave her a smile, and just as the girl was about to get angry, he said, "I understand, little sister."

After a long while, Xiao Ruanwen muttered softly, "It's good that you know."

(End of this chapter)