At twelve years old, I was in middle school, an age when many dream of a beautiful romance, and I was no exception.
Yet, I had no idea how to pursue a girl or how to woo her. Moreover, being younger and smaller than most boys my age, I felt insignificant. I wondered if any girl could like me.
I had countless such questions, perhaps stemming from a lack of confidence, but these were minor issues.
Ever since kindergarten, any interaction with the opposite s*x left me trembling. For my mental health, I had always kept my distance from girls, even mumbling responses when they spoke to me. As a result, I had no female friends.
If I didn’t address this issue, it would surely affect my future life. So, on a Sunday, I went to the school’s counseling office.
As I paused, I noticed the prominent sign: ‘Counseling.’ The door was slightly ajar, and I gently knocked three times.
‘Come in,’ a very soft and pleasant voice replied. Although I hadn’t seen her yet, I knew the person inside must be a very attractive girl.
Pushing open the door, I entered a simple room with a single bed, a desk, and two chairs. The desk was covered with psychology books, and a pure, lovely face caught my eye.
Her wine-red hair casually fell over her shoulders, and her clear eyes curved into crescents as she looked at me. In a daze, I saw her eyes smiling; her face showed no other expression.
She wore a pristine white sundress, elegantly crossing her legs while sitting. At some point, her lips curved into a perfect arc.
This beautiful girl seemed unreal to me. She was like a painting come to life. If I were to fall in love with or marry a girl, this one in front of me would be perfect.
‘I, I, I think I… I am in love with her, and it’s not just about her appearance,’ I thought, feeling a strange emotion. When I met her gaze, I instinctively looked down.
For a moment, I didn’t know what to say or how to start a conversation. My eyes fixed on the smooth, bright floor, reflecting her milky-white legs. I was excited to see her figure, but also felt a sense of shame.
I knew I was admiring this lovely girl in a sickly way, or in simpler terms, I was peeking. I feared being caught, even if it meant being just a passerby. I didn’t want the girl I liked to dislike me.
Anxiously, I closed my eyes and clasped my hands in front of me.
‘Sit down, little brother. Don’t be nervous,’ Xia Yinuo leaned back in her chair at a 45-degree angle, smiling faintly. A slender finger pressed against her lips, moving left and right three times.
Xia Yinuo’s beautiful face, gentle voice, and natural familiarity made her seem like an old acquaintance. She had no air of coldness or distance.
‘I wish I had such a gentle, lovely, and beautiful sister,’ I thought, not daring to speak or look at her, especially not her expressive eyes. I looked down, focusing on the floor as I sat on the stool.
Xia Yinuo’s face was full of smiles, and her red lips parted: ‘How shy you are, little brother. What’s your name?’
‘I, I, chirp!’ I glanced up at the girl who looked about 15. She was gazing at me with a doting expression. For some reason, my face and ears felt hot.
Even without a mirror, I knew my face was as red as a hot iron, and I quickly looked down.
Huff! Huff!
I breathed heavily, as if someone was pressing on my chest, making it difficult to breathe. Even with my head down, I could feel her gaze on me, perhaps what is called the ‘third eye’ in theology.
‘Chirp! Chirp! Lovely, lovely name! This is my student ID!’
A sweet fragrance entered my nostrils, and I heard movement on the desk. I knew it was her body scent, but I dared not look at her face.
Thud!
A soft sound, and I saw a red rectangular object fall to the floor, right under her stool. It was our school’s distinctive student ID.
‘Chirp, my student ID slipped out. Could you, could you help sister pick it up?’ Her voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of coquettishness. My face turned even redder, and my heart raced.
I didn’t respond, bending down to pick it up. The ID was in a tricky spot, and bending over wasn’t enough. I had to crouch and reach out my arm.
My hand was just five centimeters from the ID when a pair of red sandals blocked my way. A pair of fair, rosy feet appeared before my eyes. These feet were flawless, but sadly, they weren’t wearing stockings.
Perhaps her skin was too fair, and I thought black stockings would suit her better. Her slender, rounded legs were flawlessly perfect, unlike anything I had ever seen. They were a masterpiece of nature, my first impression.
‘This is taking too long! You’re not peeking, are you!’ Her gentle voice came again, tinged with tension. Her sandal heels tapped the floor, showing her inner restlessness, unlike her calm exterior.
Hearing this, my heart raced, and I broke into a cold sweat. Had I been caught? No, no, I hastily explained, ‘N-no, I wasn’t peeking.’
I reached past her shoes, grabbed the ID, and placed it on the desk before sitting back down. To avoid looking guilty, I mustered the courage to look up at her.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed into a line, and her large eye shape made it seem like she was smiling. Just the act of narrowing her eyes made me uneasy, and I couldn’t hold her gaze. She seemed to know about my peeking and had seen through my thoughts, her mouth curving into a playful smile.
‘This is terrifying!’ I had only held her gaze for three seconds before looking away.
I didn’t dare look at her face again, shifting my gaze downward. Fortunately, her chest wasn’t too large; otherwise, it would have been blatant staring.
‘Haven’t you been peeking? Then what’s sister’s name?’ Her question was filled with doubt, implying that if I hadn’t been peeking, I must have seen her name on the ID.
I couldn’t say her name on the ID, which meant my attention was elsewhere. But that was the truth; I had been…
I nervously tugged at my clothes, shifting my gaze from her figure to the ID on the desk. But a slender, beautiful hand blocked my view.
‘Don’t lie, sister doesn’t like lying children.’
Xia Yinuo tapped the ID on the desk, seeming to see through my thoughts.
I felt each tap on my heart, as if she controlled what I knew and didn’t know.
Despite my lie, she didn’t scold me, and her tone remained the same. I didn’t dare insist, as I had indeed lied, lacked confidence, and didn’t want her to think badly of me.
So, I bravely admitted, ‘Sister, I’m sorry, I’m a bad child.’ My gaze shifted from her hand to my own.
I was sure I would be scolded. After all, she saw me as a little brother, but I had peeking at her in such an impolite way. I was ready to be kicked out, accepting whatever she said.
Such a pure boy is rare, Xia Yinuo smiled faintly, her cheeks forming two dimples: ‘Do you think I’m pretty?’
Hearing this, I was stunned, looking up to meet her excited gaze. Her expression was entirely different from what I expected. She seemed happy, her face radiant with inexplicable joy. For some reason, I nodded involuntarily.
‘So…’ Xia Yinuo glanced out the window, as if worried about something. She stood up, pulled the curtains closed, and locked the door before returning to her seat. The room suddenly darkened.
‘Chirp, do you think sister’s face is pretty, or her legs?’ Xia Yinuo’s voice was seductive, especially the tail end, carrying an unknown magic that made me hot all over.
The room wasn’t as bright, and her face wasn’t as clear. In the dim light, I only saw a pair of glowing eyes, and I felt a bit less tense.
‘Both are pretty.’
‘Hehe, chirp! Sister thought you were honest, but you’re a little tricky, full of sweet talk.’
‘N-no, I mean it. Sister is the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Every part of her is flawlessly perfect. If I lie, let me be struck by lightning.’ I feared she might confuse me with other boys, so I spoke from the heart.
‘Hahaha…’ A silvery laugh echoed, and in the dim light, I saw Xia Yinuo leaning back, laughing. If not for the sound, I’d have thought she had a fit.
But I couldn’t feel happy. Despite my clear explanation, she laughed, clearly not believing I was an honest boy. Because of the peeking incident, I was now ‘guilty until proven innocent.’
‘Chirp, you sure know how to sweet-talk a girl, sister is very happy!’ Xia Yinuo playfully winked.
‘What a shy boy!’ Xia Yinuo covered her mouth, laughing as she saw Zhaonan blush deeply, his skin flushed with embarrassment. Xia Yinuo moved her hand from the ID, seductively asking, ‘Do you want to… know sister’s name?’
‘Yes!’ I replied in my heart, but I didn’t dare say it aloud. My gaze slowly moved to the desk, finally seeing the ID with ‘Xia Yinuo, Grade 9, Class 2’ written on it.
I never expected her to be two grades above me, let alone the object of desire for all the boys in Grade 9. Although I hadn’t seen her, I had heard her name. Who would have thought the beautiful girl in front of me was Xia Yinuo?