Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

"Huh~ isn't this your high school?" Everyone recognized it, and Yao Jiping was the quickest to blurt out.

"That's a very good idea, transferring money directly to student meal cards, so there won't be any cases of missed or incorrect distributions," Lin Jing said approvingly after listening to the host's introduction.

Xu Qingfan silently shoveled rice into his mouth, keeping a low profile.

Xia Xiaoxiao sneaked a glance at him and thought to herself, [Xu doggie is really reliable when he needs to be!]

"I think this is a very good initiative, as it can help those who truly need it."

"I heard from Principal Song that it was the idea of a first-year student, although I don't know who it is, I think whoever came up with this must be gentle to the core."

"Licheng Middle School rocks!"

After randomly interviewing three students and hearing some high-level nonsense from Song Dongsheng, the news segment came to an end.

"What a pity they didn't interview you guys," Yao Jiping said with a tinge of regret.

"Good Taste Takeout is owned by Yiyi's mom, right? Didn't she just donate to a hundred Hope Schools? How come she's donating money again?" Lin Jing was purely curious.

[What else could it be for? Because I need to take a lot of leaves in the future.] Xu Qingfan thought to himself.

"This is also a form of advertising. Didn't you see the host just introduced our company? It's like spending a million for exposure," he explained.

"Can this make money? No matter how I calculate it, Sister Zhang's company seems to be going at a loss?" Yao Jiping, not noticing Xu Qingfan's slip of the tongue, did the math:

"New customers get their first order free. That must cost a lot, plus the delivery personnel's wages. I really can't see how making merchant entries free will earn money."

What is free is the most expensive—this principle clearly wasn't something Yao Jiping understood.

Xu Qingfan couldn't be bothered to explain any further and said, "That's right, so it's best you're not clear about it, and that's why you can only run a small convenience store while Aunt Zhang can operate a big company."

"You little scoundrel." Yao Jiping glared at him annoyed but soon she laughed first.

"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into hearty laughter at Xu Qingfan's joke.

The group quickly returned to the topic of the scholarship and enjoyed a delightful dinner.

After cleaning up the dining table, it was already 8 o'clock in the evening.

Xia Xiaoxiao gave him a look and then left, Xu Qingfan tacitly followed her out.

Even though it was after dusk, Xia Xiaoxiao clearly still wanted to go up to the rooftop.

Their new home had a total of twenty-eight floors; both of them started to get nervous waiting for the elevator.

"Hey." Xia Xiaoxiao elbowed him.

"What's up?" Xu Qingfan asked, turning his head.

Xia Xiaoxiao didn't really have anything specific to say—she just felt that not talking would be too nerve-wracking, so she randomly brought up a topic: "How is Good Taste Takeout supposed to make money?"

Xu Qingfan chuckled, "Why do you care about that all of a sudden."

"Just say it if you're going to, don't beat around the bush so much!" Xia Xiaoxiao, already on edge, pretended to be angry and glowered at him with raised eyebrows.

"Currently, we're expanding the market. If we start charging from the beginning, many merchants won't join. Once the cake gets bigger, we'll surely take a cut, plus there's advertising revenue, roughly these," Xu Qingfan explained in general terms.

"Oh." Xia Xiaoxiao wasn't truly interested, and seeing that the elevator had arrived, she stepped in.

Xu Qingfan followed her in quickly. After swiping his card, he pressed the button that illuminated for the 32nd floor.

The elevator slowly rose, with the sensation of being overweight transmitted to the calves, which then disappeared once it achieved a steady speed.

Because it was ascending, the elevator did not stop during its journey. In those tens of seconds, both Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao were unusually quiet.

They both knew what going up to the rooftop implied. As the numbers above their heads climbed one by one, their heart rates also increased bit by bit.

"Ding!" They reached the 32nd floor and the doors opened.

Xu Qingfan held the door open button until Xia Xiaoxiao stepped out, and then he slowly walked out after her.

The high-rise itself was quiet, and since a few units on the 32nd floor seemed unoccupied, the silence was even more pronounced.

Besides the "clip-clop" of their footsteps, they could even hear the sound of their own heartbeats.

Xia Xiaoxiao's hands shook uncontrollably, aware that Xu Qingfan was right behind her, ready to wrap his arms around her at any moment.

The last half-floor distance felt so interminably long for both of them.

But time is an objective existence; soon, the door to the rooftop appeared in front of them.

Taking a deep breath, Xia Xiaoxiao stepped over the threshold into a new world.

The rooftop wind was strong, and strands of hair danced in the breeze.

"Ah~"

Before the girl could marvel at the beauty of Li City's nighttime scenery, Xu Qingfan suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Xia Xiaoxiao's hands were clenched together, and as Xu Qingfan pushed her forward, she moved forward, guiding her to the left, she went left.

As for Xu Qingfan, he had already been teased all afternoon by Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi, and it was a teasing that went a bit too far, yet there was no follow-through.

Now, under the cover of darkness with a howling wind, and deserted surroundings, for him to persist in his principle of not initiating, not rejecting, yet being responsible, was clearly a bit hard on his 'Fat Tiger'.

Xia Xiaoxiao was wearing only a knee-length floral dress, and when Xu Qingfan leaned in, she instantly realized something was off.

She felt her heart might leap out, struggling to breathe even before anything had started.

After walking to a viewing spot with his arms around Xia Xiaoxiao, he stopped.

Of course, a few meters from the edge of the balcony, Xu Qingfan definitely did not want to experience a literal "thrill flight."

"Xu Qingfan..." Xia Xiaoxiao spoke in a voice as tiny as a mosquito's, devoid of her usual haughty spirit.

"It's windy on the rooftop, and I saw you shaking, so I was afraid you'd get cold," the scoundrel was making excuses for himself.

"Mm-hmm." Xia Xiaoxiao despised him inwardly, but she didn't dare to contradict him at the moment.

He rested his chin on the girl's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Xia Xiaoxiao."

"Mm~" Xia Xiaoxiao's legs went weak, and if it weren't for Xu Qingfan holding her, she would have nearly fallen.

He too was thirsty and restless, already in a state of eager anticipation, yet he still hoped Xia Xiaoxiao would take the initiative.

"You were quite impressive last night," Xu Qingfan whispered in her ear again.

"I didn't... sorry." Xia Xiaoxiao was trembling all over, "Ah~"

Xu Qingfan bit her earlobe and said unclearly, "You said so yesterday."

"I... I'm apologizing to you," Xia Xiaoxiao was nearly brought to tears, nowhere near her usual petulance.

"How do you apologize?" Xu Qingfan held his breath, pressing the matter.

"I... you... are you a dog or something!" Xia Xiaoxiao felt like she would die of embarrassment.

Such a collapse in her persona, how could she face Xu Qingfan after this!

"Woof, woof."

"Pfft~ Cough, cough, cough!"

The previously tense young girl couldn't help but burst into laughter at the two barks by her ear.

After a while, she finally stopped coughing.

Xia Xiaoxiao turned around with an angry glare, took a deep breath, and yelled, "Are you satisfied with this apology!"

Without giving Xu Qingfan a chance to reply, she cupped his face and fiercely pressed her lips onto his as soon as she finished speaking.

[Satisfied.]

Xu Qingfan closed his eyes as well, and slowly, the journey began.

Rowing through stormy seas, scaling high mountains.

The sea's water dampened their clothes, and after some effort, the girl became familiar with steering.

Half an hour later.

"Xu Qingfan, you're a dog!"

After leaving behind this profound truth, Xia Xiaoxiao staggered away from the rooftop.

[How could he do this!]

Only after she reached the light did she stop, simultaneously embarrassed and angry.

[Just this once, don't even think about it again!]

Xia Xiaoxiao looked at her hands, smelling them near her nose, then quickly pulled them away as if they were a raging flood or fierce beast, then brought them close again, and away again...

Wary of being caught on camera by the elevator's surveillance, she dared only to continue down the stairs.

[How humiliating!]

Xu Qingfan, supporting his tired waist, also quickly left the dangerous place.

"It really wasn't my fault..."

...