C10 A Girl's Dream

Xia Liang was unaware that Gu Wenying hailed from a humble family background. Before the earthquake struck, her family of four squeezed into a cramped, two-bedroom house with a living room. Her parents occupied the smaller bedroom, while the main bedroom was divided with plywood into two tiny spaces for her and her brother.

The house was ancient, its walls a faded rice-yellow, with the lime plaster cracked and peeling. Whenever it rained, leaks sprang up everywhere, and the family resorted to catching the drips with plastic basins and any available cookware.

To this day, she still has occasional dreams of that damp, musty old house, with the persistent sound of dripping water. As a child, her first daydream wasn't of becoming a princess or wearing a bridal gown, but of studying hard, earning enough money to buy a spacious house, and providing a home for her entire family.

Yet, the earthquake five years ago reduced their home to rubble. She lost her family and the very house she had once resented. Left with no family or friends to turn to, she was discharged from the hospital to the care of social services, which honored her desire to continue her education and placed her in a middle school.

Her academic excellence later earned her a place at this prestigious high school in the province, with all expenses covered and a dormitory room to call her own. The school even offered to give her a private room due to her stellar performance, but she declined.

Having miraculously survived the earthquake, she found herself unable to sleep alone. In the darkness, without the sound of someone else's breathing, she would be overwhelmed by discomfort, anxiety, and panic.

The silence and darkness would transport her back to the ruins, clutching her mother's bloodied hand, awaiting the inevitable...

Despite her current fear of sleeping alone, she still harbors dreams of one day owning her own house—a large and beautiful one.

So, as she and Xia Liang stepped into the newly constructed, modern apartment complex, her heart swelled with both envy and curiosity.

"What are you staring at? Get back to school!" Xia Liang snapped, clearly annoyed.

"Is it yours? Did you buy it?" Gu Wenying asked, her face alight with excitement as she vigorously shook Xia Liang's shoulders, seemingly oblivious to his injuries.

"It's just a rental. I'm only staying for two months before I move out after graduation," Xia Liang replied with a resigned expression, clearly at a loss for words.

Over the past few years, he had moved between seven or eight different places, including stays at numerous luxurious hotels, which left him puzzled by the girl's enthusiasm.

"The rent must be sky-high, right?" Gu Wenying inquired, her fingers gingerly tracing the smooth walls. The delicate sensation sent a shiver down her spine, filling her with a sense of contentment.

"I wouldn't know. It's rented by someone else!" Xia Liang said, rubbing his temples as he watched Gu Wenying practically bouncing with excitement.

What a day it had been. Robbed, and now dealing with this whirlwind of a girl?

"Shouldn't you be heading back? The school's about to lock up," he reminded her softly.

"I'm really thirsty. Please, let me in for a glass of water," Gu Wenying pleaded, her curiosity piqued. She wondered about the layout of such a stunning apartment. Would it have a sprawling bed, a towering wardrobe, a private bathroom? Did it feature a squat toilet or a flush one? Perhaps a bathtub? Surely, it didn't have leaks?

The mere thought was exhilarating!

"Ah?" Xia Liang froze.

Images of his cluttered house, underwear strewn about, and a kitchen heaped with dirty dishes flashed before his eyes. He could almost see Gu Wenying's look of disgust followed by a hasty retreat.

With a jolt, he said, "There's no water. Buy some downstairs yourself."

Gu Wenying rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Stingy much? At least let me come in and sit for a bit! I'm exhausted from helping you earlier."

"Why sit here when you can go back to school and relax?" Xia Liang flatly refused.

"You..." Gu Wenying's eyes widened in frustration. Even though she was aware of Xia Liang's prickly nature, his blunt words left her speechless.

"I just want to have a look around. I've never seen such a gorgeous apartment, okay? Please?" She finally admitted her true intentions, dropping all pretenses. Her eyes, wide and pleading, took on the irresistible look of a forlorn kitten left by the roadside.

Xia Liang fell silent, unable to resist the pleading look on her face.

Her beauty and pitiful pleas had never swayed him before, but now, with the girl so close, he felt a sense of disorientation.

Until today, she hadn't been a part of Xia Liang's world or his vocabulary, despite her previous attempts to offer him tutoring.

However, her bravery in stopping Xia Liang from lashing out at a teacher, and then insisting the teacher apologize, coupled with her kindness in enduring his harsh words while insisting on taking him to the hospital, etched her deeply into his memory.

Xia Liang might have been prickly like a hedgehog, but even a hedgehog has a heart that can be touched.

So, in that moment, Xia Liang's feelings toward this academically gifted classmate shifted from cold indifference to warm friendliness.

"Tomorrow... Let's do it tomorrow! Today is really not a good time."

For the first time, Xia Liang's voice lost its edge, softening considerably.

"Oh, I see..."

Gu Wenying's eyes flickered as she looked at Xia Liang. Despite feeling a twinge of disappointment, she was genuinely pleased by the change in his tone.

It signified that Xia Liang was no longer antagonistic toward her; he had accepted her, marking the first successful step in what seemed like a long march.

"Fine, then! Let's meet up after school tomorrow at noon. Don't stand me up," Gu Wenying said earnestly.

"Sure!" Xia Liang agreed promptly.

A day was enough time for him to tidy up his place. That way, when she visited again, it wouldn't be an eyesore.

He seemed oblivious to the fact that for the first time, he actually cared about someone else's opinion of him.

"Get some rest early. I'm heading out," Gu Wenying said, casting a slightly regretful look at the security door before turning to leave without further delay.

"Thanks... Thank you!"

Xia Liang watched Gu Wenying walk away, waiting until she was a good distance away before he managed to utter a quiet word of gratitude.

"No need to thank me! We're classmates, after all!"

Somehow, she caught his barely audible thanks, and without looking back, Gu Wenying raised her arm in a wave and headed for the nearby elevator.

Xia Liang felt a slight warmth in his ears as he watched Gu Wenying walk away, unable to resist stealing another glance.

"She really is... an incredible girl."

Meanwhile, Gu Wenying, heading toward the elevator, smiled softly with her lips pursed and gave a gentle shake of her head.

"He's quite the charmer."

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