Green Mountains, Flowers Ready to Blaze

During the summer vacation of her second year of high school, Xue Anning is dragged into a room by Yaozu after evening study so she can help him cover his tracks.

Yaozu is obsessed with girls' love. He pretends to be a girl online to flirt with women, using Xue Anning's name and photos to fool people. Now the girl he's been chatting with suspects that he's a man pretending to be a woman.

Furious, Xue Anning curses him out. “Are you out of your mind?!”

But she still picks up the video call.

The screen is pitch-black, but a clear, pleasant voice comes from the other end. “Xue Anning?”

Under Yaozu's frantic gestures, Xue Anning faces the camera and smiles faintly. “It's me, big sister.”

In her heart, she's already cursing the other girl to hell. Fuck.

*

A year later, Xue Anning gets into Xiwai University.

On the high-speed train back to campus at the start of the school year, Yu Ran sees a face that perfectly matches the one in the photo from her memory. That time, Xue Anning pretends to be sick to teach a mansplaining jerk in their carriage a lesson.

The second time is at school, where the other girl plays the part of a polite, well-behaved junior.

The third time, the fourth time, this junior shows a different side of herself every time they meet.

Later, on a club outing, Xue Anning, a little tipsy, slips into Yu Ran's tent and falls asleep with their necks entwined.

Yu Ran can't help quietly reminding her, “I like girls.”

Xue Anning says nothing. She simply tugs gently at Yu Ran's collar and presses her soft, cool lips against hers.

The moment their eyes meet, someone's heart skips a beat.

Yu Ran cups her chin and deepens the kiss. In their ears are the sound of their tangled, ragged breaths and their racing hearts.

Someone approaches the tent, and they have a moment of panic before realizing they're safe.

A sly glint shines in Xue Anning's dark, bright eyes. She lowers her head, parts Yu Ran's collar, and kisses her collarbone, then whispers hoarsely, “I think I do too.”

-I like girls.

-I think I do too.

Reading Guide:

① The heroine's name is pronounced with a fourth tone (ning): an ambitious social butterfly x a cool, proud upperclasswoman; singer x lyricist; a parasitic vine and the sturdy tree it clings to, growing together.

② From campus to the city. The story starts sweet, turns bittersweet in the middle, and ends sweet.

③ Chapter comments are open.

④ The professional details are entirely fictional. Please don't take them too seriously.

Theme: The river's blue makes the birds look all the whiter, the green hills make the flowers seem ready to blaze.