Han Wenwen carried her groceries back to the dormitory.


    On the balcony, He Qing was stretching, her ponytail swaying with her movements. Despite her usual sweetness, at this moment, she looked focused and determined.


    She raised one leg high against the wall, stretching it past her head before slowly pressing downward.


    “Wenwen, you’re back? Did you go record another video today?” Seeing her best friend return, He Qing quickly greeted her.


    Han Wenwen closed the dorm door and nodded. “Yeah, I spent the whole day at my rental place again. Picked up some dinner on the way. But why are suddenly working out in the dorm, Qingqing?”


    He Qing lowered her leg. “Just loosening up a bit. I’m preparing for next year’s taekwondo competition. Ever since I started middle school, I feel like my training progress has slowed a lot. I haven’t improved much in over a year, and I can’t afford to slack off anymore.”


    She stepped outside to wash her hands, then returned. “Otherwise, the competition will be really tough next year.”


    Han Wenwen, intrigued, sat on the bed, her fox-like eyes narrowing playfully as she patted the space next to her.


    “Oh? Now that’s interesting. What do you mean by ‘slacking off for a year’? Are you saying that ever since Lin Zhengran came into the picture, you’ve been distracted that you couldn’t even focus on taekwondo?”


    She smirked meaningfully and covered her mouth as she chuckled. “So, tell me, during all those weekend training sessions over the past year... what were you doing? Don’t tell me you weren’t training at all and were secretly going on dates instead?”


    He Qing’s face turned red as she opened their takeout containers. “What?! Of course we were training! It’s just... ugh.” She admitted reluctantly, “Wenwen, you what’s been on my mind this whole time. Ever since Jiang Xueli appeared, I’ve been distracted. That’s why I haven’t been improving.”


    Han Wenwen tilted her head. “So, what you’re saying is... you’re not worried about her anymore?”


    He Qing handed her a pair of chopsticks. “More like... I’m anymore.”


    Han Wenwen took the chopsticks, studying her best friend curiously. “Qingqing, did you finally confess to Lin Zhengran today? What did he say? Don’t tell me you chickened out after yesterday.”


    He Qing hesitated slightly but still answered honestly, “Well... I confessed, I guess? But you Lin Zhengran—he’s not interested in dating middle school girls, so of course he turned me down. Isn’t that ?”


    She said it so confidently, as if it was the most natural conclusion in the world, without even a of disappointment.


    Han Wenwen blinked.


    Then blinked again.


    Slowly, her lips parted in confusion. “…Huh?”


    For once, the little fox had what He Qing was talking about.


    He Qing continued, completely oblivious to Han Wenwen’s bewilderment.


    “I mean, Lin Zhengran told us, right? You know this too, Wenwen—he’s not into middle school girls. He thinks they’re too young, so of he wouldn’t agree! If a middle schooler confessed to him, there’s no way he’d accept.” She smiled as she spoke, completely confident in her logic.


    But ironically, her made Han Wenwen even confused.


    Han Wenwen’s brain short-circuited.


    “What are you even saying…” she mumbled. “So if you he wouldn’t accept, then what was the of working on your confession for the past ?”


    He Qing pursed her lips and answered softly, “Because after I started middle school, Jiang Xueli showed up. So I got scared that he’d be taken away. I wanted to get closer to him. The strategy you gave me didn’t work very well, so I had to think of another way to strengthen our relationship.”


    She looked at Han Wenwen’s frozen expression and earnestly explained,


    “But I forgot something really important! And I only remembered it today when I went to Lin Zhengran’s house!


    And that is...


    He and I have been together since we were little!


    I didn’t need to confess at all! In fact, confessing wouldn’t even strengthen our relationship!


    Because for us—a couple that’s already together—confessing is meaningless!”


    Han Wenwen: “……”


    Han Wenwen: “…What???”


    At that moment, the little fox’s mind went completely blank.


    For once, she was speechless.


    She understood He Qing had just said.


    But when those words were put together in order—


    What the hell did they even mean?!


    He Qing, however, was


    “When we were little, we promised to be together forever! Back in kindergarten, we decided we would never separate! He never forgot, and never forgot.


    So, Wenwen—I’ve been thinking about this all wrong!”


    She blushed slightly and said, “I shouldn’t be worrying about whether he someone else. What I be doing is making sure he doesn’t cheat!


    I just need to make him like the most—that’s all that matters!”


    The dorm was utterly silent. Only the faint sounds of students laughing outside could be heard.


    Han Wenwen blinked a few times, then suddenly burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.


    She couldn’t stop.


    This was too much.


    He Qing pouted, embarrassed. “Why are you laughing, Wenwen?! Am I wrong?”


    Han Wenwen as if surrendering.


    “No, no—now that I finally understand what you’re saying, I gotta admit… Qingqing, for once, you actually sense.” She exhaled and slowly got herself together.


    She muttered thoughtfully, “I mean, back when you first told me about him having other girls around, what were we worrying about? That he might start liking someone else, right?”


    She ran through the logic, then slowly nodded.


    “If we were afraid of him liking someone else... it must’ve meant that he liked you first.


    Which means… technically speaking, yeah—you two were already together.”


    He Qing, blushing, nodded. “Mhm! That’s exactly what I thought, too!”


    Finally, their wildly ridiculous thought processes were


    With newfound determination, He Qing declared,


    “So starting today, my goal has changed! Sёarch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I’m going to care about what Jiang Xueli does anymore.


    What I do is become a better version of myself—so that he sees me as more than just a little kid!


    That way, we can do the things that couples do!”


    Han Wenwen took two cans of soda from their takeout bag and handed one to He Qing with a grin.


    “Well, in that case—let’s celebrate the fact that you two have together all along. Cheers!”


    He Qing popped open her soda and clinked it against Han Wenwen’s. “Cheers!”


    Both girls took a big sip.


    After a moment, He Qing asked, “Oh yeah, Wenwen, when I was at Lin Zhengran’s house today, he said that if I win the town’s taekwondo championship next year, he’ll grant me wish.


    What do you think I should wish for?”


    Han Wenwen, intrigued, tapped her chin. “Oh? Well... since you two are in that kind of relationship, there’s no need to beat around the bush…”


    She leaned in and whispered something in He Qing’s ear.


    Immediately, He Qing turned bright red. “Huh?! That kind of wish would be so embarrassing... but… it sound nice…”


    And so, with their interesting conversation, the long day finally came to an end.


    For the next week, both He Qing and Jiang Xueli seemed motivated, each busy with their own plans.


    Excited not only for next year’s competition but also for —just one year away.


    A week later, final exams arrived.


    Lin Zhengran even set aside time to tutor Han Wenwen, and thanks to his guidance, her scores ended up in the upper middle range.


    Another week passed.


    And finally—


    The school officially announced the start of winter break.


    New Year’s was just around the corner.