C4 Bold Luh Xiaoya!

"Mr. Xiaolong, are you really not coming back to Yanjing with me?"

On a secluded country road outside Clear River Village, Luh Xiaoya looked up with a hint of hope and asked.

"No, I've decided against it," Zhang Xiaolong continued walking, feeling a bit awkward after learning about the engagement between their families. "If I'm feeling better, I'll consider going next year."

Zhang Xiaolong did want to attend university, but something was off with his health, and even he couldn't pinpoint the problem.

Lately, any time a warmth spread across his chest, he'd find a place to hide, dreading the thought of others witnessing his strange glow and the dark shadows it cast.

Attending university in such a state could lead to him being dissected and scrutinized under a microscope.

"But what if..." Luh Xiaoya caught herself mid-sentence, realizing her words were a bit off. She playfully stuck out her tongue and chuckled, "You're bound to get better quickly."

"I sure hope so," Zhang Xiaolong mused. He felt fine, except for the occasional inexplicable glow. "I haven't even thanked you for helping me with my leave of absence."

Luh Xiaoya grinned mischievously, "And how do you plan to thank me? Surely not just with a simple 'thank you'? I did rescue a Number One Scholar, after all!"

"Number One Scholar? That was just luck and a high score. If I took the exam again, I might not even pass," Zhang Xiaolong humbly laughed.

He had once taken great pride in the title of Number One Scholar, but after facing a life-or-death situation, the title seemed less significant.

"That's not acceptable. You're trying to weasel out of it, aren't you? No matter, I expect a proper thank-you," Luh Xiaoya said, her voice tinged with a playful whine. She remembered her roommate's words about girls using such a tone only around boys they fancied, and she blushed.

Zhang Xiaolong, oblivious to Luh Xiaoya's bashfulness, which made her even more attractive than usual, simply smiled warmly, "Alright, when you're on holiday, I'll thank you properly. Just tell me what you'd like to eat, and I'll have my mom cook it for you."

"I won't let you off that easily. Auntie already promised to make me whatever I want to eat. I'm even getting better treatment than you," Luh Xiaoya thought about what Liu Mei had told her and felt her cheeks grow warmer.

Zhang Xiaolong finally noticed something was different about Luh Xiaoya. Though he had never been in a relationship, he was still a teenager, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly offered, "Alright, whatever you say goes. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, maybe... you could come with me to buy some clothes?" Luh Xiaoya's voice softened as if she was mulling over the idea, but really, she was unsure about being so direct. Eventually, she lowered her head and murmured, "Just you."

In the countryside, it wasn't as common to be as open as in the city, where teenagers freely exchange "I love yous" and can be seen kissing on the streets for all eternity. More typically, in rural areas, engaged couples would go to the market together to pick out a few new articles of clothing for one another.

This was actually a tradition during engagements. Often, the two individuals weren't well-acquainted and might not have even met before. Such "dates" provided an opportunity to become better acquainted.

Because of this tradition, it was unusual for a girl to ask a boy to accompany her to buy clothes unless she was particularly fond of him.

Zhang Xiaolong might not have been the quickest on the uptake in such matters, but after observing her demeanor and putting two and two together, he grasped her implication. However, he immediately recalled Luh Dashan demanding betrothal money from his parents while he was unconscious.

Zhang Xiaolong fell silent for a moment before saying, "That might not be the best idea. It wouldn't look good for you if others saw us, and Mr. Dashan certainly wouldn't approve."

"I want to, I really do," Luh Xiaoya insisted, a bit petulantly. She paused, then looked at Zhang Xiaolong with a touch of hurt in her expression. "Mr. Xiaolong, my dad explained what happened that day. He was in the wrong. You're not going to hold a grudge against me forever because of it, are you?"

"I don't hold any grudges against you or your dad; I just prefer not to interact with him," Zhang Xiaolong stated with a hint of detachment.

Tears welled up in Luh Xiaoya's eyes, and despite her efforts, they began to fall. She quickly turned her head away and began to cry softly.

"Please, don't cry," Zhang Xiaolong implored, clearly flustered. He paced around Luh Xiaoya, unsure whether to touch her. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that your father's actions were quite unfair. I understand he was trying to secure more money for your education, but pressuring my parents while I was unconscious was going too far..."

Luh Xiaoya, seeing Zhang Xiaolong's obliviousness, leaned into him and wrapped her arms tightly around him, resting her head just below his chin.

Zhang Xiaolong, usually so astute, was taken aback by the softness of her body and the unique scent of a young woman. His mind went blank, and he stood there, completely immobilized.

"Mr. Xiaolong, I like you!" Luh Xiaoya declared, remembering her roommate's advice that she shouldn't let a good man slip away easily. She bit her lip, mustered her courage, and shyly confessed her feelings, even going so far as to stand on tiptoe and give him a quick peck on the lips.

"I... I... I don't know what to say," stammered Zhang Xiaolong, utterly overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

Luh Xiaoya laughed at Zhang Xiaolong's bashfulness, her rural boldness shining through as she proclaimed, "Regardless, I like you!"

Zhang Xiaolong paused, his blush subsiding as his composure returned. "What exactly do you like about me? Being the College Entrance Examination Top Scorer? That was just a high score on a test. If I weren't the top scorer, if I were just a farmer back home, would you still like me?"

Luh Xiaoya hesitated briefly, which didn't go unnoticed.

Zhang Xiaolong smiled wryly. "We're both so young. Perhaps in a few years, you'll realize how naive these thoughts were."

"I won't," Luh Xiaoya countered immediately. "And if, a few years from now, I still feel the same, would you... would you be willing to be with me?"

"I can't give you an answer right now, because I honestly don't know what the future holds," Zhang Xiaolong replied with uncertainty.

"Mr. Xiaolong, have you ever had feelings for me? Even just briefly?" Luh Xiaoya pressed on, her gaze fixed intently on him.

"I..." Zhang Xiaolong's cheeks flushed once more. At such a tender age, it's natural to harbor some fantasies about the opposite sex. "I've never really thought about it."

Seeing his cheeks turn pink again, Luh Xiaoya couldn't help but smile contentedly. "So, Mr. Xiaolong, what do you plan to do at home over the next year?"

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Zhang Xiaolong's eyes gleamed with determination. "In the countryside, what else is there to do? People call me the Number One Scholar, but I refuse to believe that in one year's time, I can't become the top farmer of Clear River Village!"