A fake date
What to wear on top: a short-sleeved shirt, a dress shirt, or layered pieces? And on the bottom: cropped pants or capri pants? Straight-leg or workwear style?
Should I wear a jacket? Now that I've decided on my clothes, what kind of shoes should I wear?
This was the problem that Ruan Xiyan was struggling with early Saturday morning, rummaging through his wardrobe. He had been agonizing over a mountain of clothes for two whole hours, his brow furrowed and chin creased, but he still couldn't come up with a solution.
With the appointed time fast approaching, Ruan Xiyan gritted his teeth and picked out a black T-shirt with a cartoon print and jeans to wear. Before leaving, he hurriedly turned around in front of the full-length mirror, feeling that something was not quite right. He then grabbed a red baseball cap from the clothes rack and put it on, which made him look much better.
"Do you think I should wear a jacket?" Ruan Xiyan glanced out the window and muttered softly, "The weather's nice today, wouldn't it be too hot if I wore one..."
Ruan Tang had been observing him for most of the day. While stroking the golden retriever's head, she said in a low voice, "Cousin, you're now incredibly handsome."
She gave a vivid performance, saying, "When passersby see my cousin, they will say, 'Wow, where did this idol come from? Can I get an autograph?'" When she said "Wow," the golden retriever under her palm barked twice in agreement.
“…” Ignoring her exaggerated flattery, Ruan Xiyan put on a thin denim jacket. “I can take it off if I get hot, but I’ll keep wearing it.”
Unperturbed by being ignored, Ruan Tang continued in a meaningful tone, "Dressing up carefully before going out means you either have something important to do or you're meeting someone special. Cousin, the way you're choosing clothes gives the impression that you're going on a date..."
Her words trailed off abruptly because Ruan Xiyan, who was leaving the house, bent down and flicked her forehead with her finger. Ruan Tang let out a yelp.
"High school students' business is none of elementary school students' business."
Ruan Tang rubbed the spot where she had been bounced, giving Ruan Xiyan's departing figure a resentful look. What's with the pretense of relaxation? Her ears were clearly a shade redder!
She's definitely going on a date; she just doesn't want to admit it because she was right!
Ruan Tang thought angrily.
-
Ruan Xiyan and Lu Er arranged to meet near a shopping mall. He arrived early, glancing at his phone and looking into the distance every now and then to ease the inexplicable tension in his heart.
Making such a request—to have someone wear the dress she gave her and accompany her on a trip—sounds really a bit off, doesn't it? But what's done is done, and Ruan Xiyan can't turn back time no matter how much she regrets it.
"...Ruan Xiyan".
A voice rang out, neither too close nor too far. Ruan Xiyan looked up and admitted that the moment Lu Er came into view, his heart skipped a beat.
She was wearing the light blue dress he had bought for her, with two layers of ruffles at the hem, ending just above her knees. Lu Er carried a shoulder bag, and her legs were as white as peeled lychees, appearing slender and delicate.
Realizing he had been staring at her legs, Ruan Xiyan blushed slightly and looked away. Her skirt... suited him better than he had imagined.
"You've arrived?" What a load of nonsense.
"……Um."
Lu Er changed into a dress, and whether she took the bus or walked here, she always felt awkward about herself, constantly tugging and stretching. Even when she stood before Ruan Xiyan, the awkwardness in her heart didn't dissipate; in fact, it intensified. Fortunately, Lu Er always maintained the same expression, so the other woman didn't notice anything unusual.
Perhaps it was because she hadn't worn a skirt in a long time, and also because she hadn't gone out with other friends for many years… Lu Er thought. Once her thoughts cleared, she looked at Ruan Xiyan and asked, "So…where should we go?"
To be honest, Ruan Xiyan hadn't thought about where to go. For some reason, his mind was like a jumble of mush, and he was feeling lightheaded and not quite clear-headed, so he vaguely said, "Let's go in first."
Air conditioning filled the mall, and the music video for "Pet" was playing on the central screen. Lu Er glanced at it; she vaguely remembered that this song seemed to be on Ruan Xiyan's playlist.
It was a day off, and the mall was bustling with people. Ruan Xiyan and Lu Er walked through the mall in silence, creating a subtle and strange atmosphere. After a while, Ruan Xiyan made a decision: "Let's go to the amusement park. I'll check the navigation; there's a pretty famous amusement park nearby."
At the far left end of the first floor was a haunted house, and Lu Er saw a group of children running inside. She wondered if Ruan Xiyan would be interested in exploring the haunted house, since, judging from Identity V, he seemed quite interested in horror games.
Lu Er was lost in thought when she was suddenly shoved from behind. She stumbled and fell onto Ruan Xiyan, who was looking at her phone. Ruan Xiyan instinctively opened her arms and caught her completely in her embrace.
The boy's hug was warm, carrying a refreshing scent of fresh grass, not unpleasant. Two images flashed through Lu Er's mind in a jumbled mess: one was him holding her hand tightly in the karaoke bar, and the other was the day she had a fever when the boy's hand touched hers.
As luck would have it, the music video was playing the rap section at that moment.
The song goes like this: "Just watching you breathe, your face flushed."
"In our hearts, you are my Disney."
"..."
How embarrassing. Lu Er's ears turned bright red. She pulled herself up from Ruan Xiyan's arms, and Ruan Xiyan, realizing what was happening, quickly helped her up as well. Amidst the children's cheerful laughter, one girl stopped to apologize, saying, "I'm sorry, sister and brother."
Lu Er waved her hand slightly, wondering to herself, "What's wrong with her and Ruan Xiyan? They've been bumped into by children time and time again."
The children ran off, leaving Lu Er and Ruan Xiyan standing there silently. Lu Er's face was burning hot, and she tried to fan herself to cool it down so Ruan Xiyan wouldn't notice.
If she were to look up now, she would find that Ruan Xiyan was in the same situation as her. The girl in her arms was cool and soft, like biting into a cream puff and instantly grasping a large cloud of cream.
It's a strange feeling.
It wasn't that hot today, but Ruan Xiyan felt like lava was flowing down his face. He involuntarily reached out to cover it, thinking...
He really didn't mean it.
The two of them blushed for a while, oblivious to each other. Lu Er, who was the first to calm down, tried to appear composed and said, "Let's go."
"..." Ruan Xiyan, who was still not fully awake and had her head slightly lowered, looked at the tip of her shoe and said, "Your shoelace is untied."
Lu Er was startled and looked down, and sure enough, it was so. It seemed that her shoelaces had come undone in the chaos. Without thinking, Lu Er was about to squat down to tie them when Ruan Xiyan suddenly stopped her, saying, "Let me do it." He half-squatted down beside her feet, "Your skirt is a bit short, it's not very convenient."
Looking at his fluffy hair, Lu Er thought that Ruan Xiyan looked a bit like a puppy.
If I tell Ruan Xiyan, he'll probably get angry.
It's also possible that it might not.
While Lu Er was still lost in thought, Ruan Xiyan had already stood up, smiled at her, and said, "Let's go to the amusement park."
-
The amusement park was packed with people—cosplayers, mascot costumes, couples, students… it was overflowing. Lu Er and Ruan Xiyan bought roller coaster tickets and waited in line for about half an hour before it was finally their turn.
The crowd was dense, and Ruan Xiyan and Lu Er couldn't squeeze on, so they stood at the very back. When they boarded the ride, they paused for a moment. Because the roller coasters were arranged in pairs, all the seats at the back were full, leaving only the front rows available.
Ruan Xiyan didn't care where she sat. He went straight to the first row and sat down. When he pulled Lu Er's hand to sit down with him, he noticed that her shoulders were trembling slightly.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Ruan Xiyan leaned closer and asked softly.
“…” Lu Er shook her head, thought for a moment and then said, “I’m a little afraid of heights. But it’s nothing serious.”
Ruan Xiyan fastened her own seatbelt and, while fastening it for Lu Er, patiently confirmed, "Are you really okay? We can still get off now, or we can wait for the next car."
Lu Er shook her head: "It's been too long. It's okay, I'll just close my eyes tightly when the time comes."
That being said, as the roller coaster slowly approached its peak, the weightlessness and the thrill of being nearly suspended in mid-air still made Lu Er panic. Her fear of heights was a symptom she had since childhood; in more severe cases, she couldn't even stand flying.
Lu Er felt as if she were carrying a soccer ball instead of a heart in her chest, her body swaying violently. The roller coaster reached its highest point, paused for a few seconds, and people held their breath, waiting for the thrill of the final plunge. Lu Er felt a slight, instinctive dizziness.
As the wind whistled past her ears like a sharp whistle, Lu Er felt a pair of hands cover her eyes.
His hands, with their long, slender knuckles, easily obscured most of her vision. The summer sun and wind lashed at her, yet Lu Er's senses seemed to be filled only with the scent of that hand. Clear, gentle, and utterly unfeeling, it calmed her heart.
"I was afraid you'd be scared if you opened your eyes," Ruan Xiyan said to her after they finished riding the roller coaster.
The two then went to ride the carousel and bumper cars. After queuing and playing, time flew by and it was already afternoon. Lu Er and Ruan Xiyan sat on the swings to rest for a while. In the distance, at the Flying Pigeon Fountain, there was a giant little octopus doll posing for photos with passersby.
"Teacher Xiaolu."
"Teacher Xiaolu?"
Ruan Xiyan called her twice before she snapped out of her daze, so he teased her, "Are there words over there? Why are you looking so intently? Shall we go see a movie after dinner?" Lu Er leaned closer and saw that the movie was called "My Family Bought a Zoo." She nodded, "Okay."
Ruan Xiyan bought two tickets for the afternoon session, put away her phone, and noticed Xiao Ba in the distance: "...Want to take a picture with Xiao Ba?"
"Is there a charge?"
"Ask how much it costs." Ruan Xiyan smiled, her childlike dimples appearing. "I'd really like to take the picture. Teacher Xiaolu, you want to too, right?"
"……Um."
A group photo costs twenty yuan, with discounts for multiple photos. Ruan Xiyan and Lu Er each took a photo with Xiao Ba, and then the three of them took a group photo together. When Lu Er was taking the photo, Xiao Ba opened its arms and embraced Lu Er. Lu Er hesitated for a moment, then hugged the large plush toy next to it as well.
"Sigh." After the photo was taken, Ruan Xiyan, who was taking pictures with her phone next to her, tilted her head, pouted, and pretended to complain, "Why didn't you hug me when you were taking pictures with me? Do you have a problem with me?"
The photographer chuckled, "This little guy just loves hugging pretty girls. Little brother, are you jealous that your girlfriend's being hugged?"
Upon hearing the word "girlfriend," both of them paused for a moment. Ruan Xiyan smiled and explained, "We are not a couple."
"No?" The photographer looked at them with slight surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry. You two look so well-matched, I thought you were a couple."
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