A Soft Laugh

Next book: "Starlight Reflections"

1

Gu Xiao was the good girl in her teachers' eyes, but she fell for the rebellious boy in her class and quietly loved Shen Qingli for three years. One day, as Gu Xiao was collecting homework, Shen Qingli had just returned from outside school when he noticed the girl sitting quietly and sweetly at a desk in the corner. Smiling, he walked into the classroom, picked up his homework, and headed over to Gu Xiao.

"I didn't do my homework. Can I borrow yours to copy?"

Gu Xiao said nothing and turned to leave.

Shen Qingli followed her, pleading.

"Big Sis, could I please borrow your homework?"

Gu Xiao's heart began to pound, and she immediately softened. She quickly agreed.

Much later, the year they graduated from high school, summer was in full bloom. Everyone went their separate ways, and Gu Xiao never saw Shen Qingli again. Her cautious, secret crush came to an end along with that summer.

One day, Gu Xiao idly opened her yearbook. A yellowed page slipped out. She opened it and saw hurried but legible handwriting.

"Be good. You're the sweetest girl. In your next life, don't fall for me again."

2

Later, a chance accident brought them together again. Gu Xiao was on her way to a class reunion. Afraid of being late and of everyone blaming her, she grew nervous and self-critical, only to be stopped by a group of thugs on the street. Just as she felt helpless and powerless, a huge figure suddenly appeared in front of her. With this unfamiliar sense of safety surrounding her, Gu Xiao wiped away her tears.

Gu Xiao had met the boy she'd secretly loved for three years in her youth again: Shen Qingli. An unintentional confession once again widened the distance between them, and a rift grew between the two.

After hearing Gu Xiao's confession, Shen Qingli simply said, "I wish you a bright future." All the bitterness Gu Xiao had repressed for so long turned into hurt, and she let it all out.

Later, Gu Xiao pretended not to care about Shen Qingli, trying to move on from the past. She started meeting new people and stopped turning down the blind dates her mother arranged. One day, while walking down the street with a blind date, she ran into Shen Qingli, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Shen Qingli stared at Gu Xiao. When she avoided his gaze and turned to smile sweetly at the man beside her, he felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of jealousy and silently cursed.

Shen Qingli followed them to a milk tea shop. He stopped around the corner and hid to avoid being spotted. Only then did he realize what he was doing. From a distance, he watched the man go to line up and order drinks while Gu Xiao waited in place, taking out her phone to photograph the beautiful sunset in the west.

Then Shen Qingli ran over, grabbed Gu Xiao by the wrist, and pulled her around the corner. Gu Xiao was dragged there and pressed against the wall, unable to react in time. Shen Qingli had already braced one hand against the wall and leaned in close to her ear, his voice deep and powerful.

"I wished you a bright future, but I didn't tell you to flirt with someone else."

"..."

Before Gu Xiao could recover, Shen Qingli leaned closer. His other hand stroked her head, and he pressed his burning lips to hers. Gu Xiao's eyes flew open as she pounded his chest with her hands. Shen Qingli grew more and more heated, kissing her again and again.

Gu Xiao caught the fresh, lemony scent on the young man's body. Her cheeks burned, and her ears turned hot. Gradually, she sank into Shen Qingli's passionate kiss, stopped fighting, and closed her eyes. At that moment, time seemed to stand still. Everything around them faded into the background, and even the wind seemed to stop blowing.

[Rebellious school bully x well-behaved, quiet academic star]

Theme: A secret crush makes no sound, but a heartbeat does. Not everyone gets to see the light at the end of a secret crush, and a love that stays in the dark doesn't deserve every bit of happiness. May everyone get what they wish for and become brave enough to reach the pinnacle of their secret crush.

Theme: Love yourself first, then love someone else.