The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

Fortunately, that incident did not have any impact on Wen Yao.

After having one foot in the grave and being pulled back by Xu Bowen, Wen Yao returned to her usual carefree and cheerful self in just a few days.

On the contrary, Xu Xi felt extremely guilty.

She felt that if she hadn't invited Wen Yao to the beach, this dangerous incident wouldn't have happened.

So she went to Wen Yao's house three times a day, wanting to keep Wen Yao company and see what she could do to help her.

But every time, Wen Yao would drag him to watch anime together, and he would even get a lot of snacks from Wen Yao for free.

...

"Yaoyao, how about I watch the shop for you for a few days?"

After watching the entire anime series "Himouto! Umaru-chan" with Wen Yao, Xu Xi put down her cola and said to Wen Yao with a slightly guilty expression.

"Hey, I told you it's nothing~"

Wen Yao patted her shoulder casually, looking completely unconcerned.

She knew what Xu Xi was feeling guilty about.

But this is not Xu Xi's fault at all.

If I hadn't insisted on showing off and drunk so much alcohol, and hadn't fallen asleep while drifting in the sea, I wouldn't have encountered any danger.

And in the end, they returned safely, didn't they?

"But..."

"Okay, okay, there aren't that many buts."

Wen Yao tore open a White Rabbit milk candy and stuffed it into Xu Xi's mouth, interrupting her rambling.

"Even if you wanted to help me watch the shop, there are no seats available."

She pointed to Zhao Lin, who was sorting goods downstairs.

"Look, this Zhao Lin, to repay my kindness in letting me stay overnight, has volunteered to take on all the work at my family's convenience store."

"Others are already paying taxes eighty years into the future; I couldn't stop them, so how could it be your turn?"

Xu Xi scratched his head helplessly.

Just then, Wen Yao's phone screen lit up.

She looked up at her phone, a delighted smile spreading across her face.

"Xi Bao, I'm going out for a bit, so don't bring me any dinner~"

"Where are we going?"

Wen Yao quickly ran back to her bedroom, rummaged through her wardrobe, and found a dress that looked very elegant and dignified.

"Don't ask, it's a secret~"

After changing into that dress, Wen Yao sat in front of the makeup mirror, which was already piled with clutter, took out a long-forgotten makeup box, and started applying makeup to her face.

Halfway through applying the cosmetics, she ran to her parents' room and pulled out a set of cosmetics that her mother was reluctant to open for her own use.

"Yaoyao, are you going on a date...?"

Xu Xi sat cross-legged on Wen Yao's bed, silently watching the busy Wen Yao.

"That's not true, don't talk nonsense."

Wen Yao clicked her tongue and said guiltily.

"Who is it? Xu Bowen?"

"Aaaaaah, more spicy tonic!"

Wen Yao pounced on Xu Xi, angrily covering her head with the blanket.

But she still couldn't hide Xu Xi's silvery laughter coming from under the covers.

......

"Is it that obvious...?"

After pulling back the covers, Wen Yao blushed and asked softly.

Xu Xi nodded, suppressing a laugh.

"Since I've known you, you've always been completely natural, never wearing makeup~"

"What else could it be but sweet love that could make a homebody like me, who just wants to lie on the sofa watching anime all day, step out of the house and even dress up nicely?"

"Nothing like that. We're just friends, nothing more."

"Yeah, my boyfriend~"

Xu Xi joked with a grin.

"Aaaaaaah, you gave me a mouse!!!!"

......

After a bit of playful fighting, the two of them lay on the bed, panting and sprawled out like octopuses, to rest.

Seeing that she could no longer hide it, Wen Yao simply stopped pretending and admitted that she was with Xu Bowen.

Wow, that's progressing incredibly fast!

Xu Xi gave a thumbs up.

It's worth noting that less than a week after their beach trip, the two of them went from being sworn enemies who would fight every time they met to becoming a couple.

That speed is unmatched.

"Where... that blockhead, he's driving me crazy."

Wen Yao put her hands on her hips and said angrily.

"They say it's easy for a woman to pursue a man, but I feel like there's a mountain between us."

"I even went out of my way to him, but he was still all coy and hesitant, acting like I was going to eat him up."

"Huh? How did you stick it on?"

Xu Xi picked up the potato chips next to her and ate the melon with relish.

"Of course I'd pin him against the wall. If he doesn't agree to be with me, I'd cripple him."

Wen Yao replied without hesitation.

"Cough cough cough..."

Xu Xi choked on the potato chip she had just put in her mouth.

A phantom bubble floated from the top of her ahoge (cowlick), playing the images that were playing in her little head.

Wen Yao clenched her fist with one hand and used the other to press Xu Bowen's shoulder against the wall.

"Xu Bowen, I like you."

Xu Bowen's forehead was covered in sweat, as if he had been shocked by something that happened only once in a century.

"Big sister, you've had too much to drink. Turn left onto Yuncheng Street ahead and go to the First Affiliated Hospital to have your stomach cleaned."

"I'm not drunk! You like me, right? Then be with me."

"Seriously, are you kidding me? Even if I fell for a female monkey on Mount Emei, I would never fall for you!"

"Say it again?"

Wen Yao clenched her fist tightly and slammed it into the wall next to Xu Bowen's head, instantly creating a large crater.

Xu Bowen turned his head to look at the large pit, his heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong.

"Big sister... calm down, let's sit down and talk this out..."

"Stop talking nonsense! Do you want to be my boyfriend? Yes or no?"

Wen Yao paused for a moment, then continued.

"If you dare answer with just two words, I guarantee this dent will appear on your face!"

Xu Bowen's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

His lips moved, and he spoke in a trembling voice.

"Don't!"

"Bang!"

Another punch landed next to Xu Bowen's head, kicking up clouds of dust.

......

"Aaaaaaah, stop right there!"

Enraged, Wen Yao reached out and waved her hand forcefully above Xu Xi's head, shattering her illusions.

"Yaoyao, this isn't a confession, it's coercion."

Xu Xi laughed so hard she was shaking, even the ahoge on her head was swaying up and down.

"What are you thinking? I was just kidding!"

Wen Yao explained, blushing.

"If I hadn't taken the initiative, I wouldn't have known that idiot had actually liked me for three years..."

"Huh?"

Xu Xi's chin almost hit the ground. You have to know that the two of them are like oil and water when they are at school.

As if sensing her emotions, the ahoge (cowlick) curled into a question mark shape.

"That's right. When school first started, the physical education students were training on the playground. Everyone else had girlfriends bringing them water, but he was all alone and could only wipe his sweat on his own clothes."

"I had just become the class monitor at that time, and I wanted to care about every classmate, so I bought a case of water and gave it to him. That's when he started to like me."

"But he didn't know how to pursue girls, so he asked his friends for advice. As a result, those cunning advisors gave him bad ideas, such as teasing me to get my attention. So he started bothering me every day."