The Tea Isn't Ready Yet

Xu Mingxia would always remember that autumn night, and the dry, cool breeze on the sports field.

The boy sat on the ground, his voice low and clear. Amid the grand adoration of thousands, he sang of his love to her alone.

-

The day she left Luzhen, sunlight could not pierce the mountain mist, and fine rain veiled the view beyond the car window.

Under the dim sky, she deleted everyone's contact information, pulled out her SIM card, and threw it into the lake.

Everyone at No. 9 High School knew that Xu Mingxia's past had been full of drama and ended in utter misery.

For the sake of an early admissions spot, she could swallow her pride and enter a loveless relationship.

And once she got what she wanted, she could repay kindness with betrayal and walk away.

When they parted, she released thousands of paper cranes from the rooftop.

One landed in a treetop, wishing for a bright and splendid future.

One came to rest beneath the eaves, wishing their paths would never cross again.

One was buried in a flowerpot in an abandoned factory, with these words written on it:

Gu Fangchuan, I don't deserve you.

-

Years later, at a class reunion, people brought up Gu Fangchuan again. He was now the lead singer of the famous band BRAMBLE, a star since his youth, with countless fans, wild and carefree.

He had admirers by the score. In everyone's eyes, he was a heaven-blessed talent, as well as a drifter who never came ashore.

Xu Mingxia, meanwhile, had long since fallen from her pedestal and lost her former pride.

She tried every way she could to make him believe that she had truly loved him.

The song playing in the private room was languid. Gu Fangchuan's gaze swept over her face, mocking and distant.

He gave a scornful laugh and blew a smoke ring in her face.

"Just say it if you want me to help you."

"Using the same trick a second time isn't interesting."

-

Later, she did as he wished. She put away all her little schemes and stopped approaching him so casually.

And yet, in a narrow alley that pressed in around them, he walked toward her one step at a time.

Her back met the wall, and his warm breath brushed against her.

All her feigned composure crumbled in that moment, as her passion burned without restraint.

The corners of the man's eyes were red. He held the back of her neck tight and kissed her until she could barely breathe.

"Xu Mingxia, use me."

"Please, use me."

-

*Tea green refers to leaves freshly picked from a tea garden.

*Rekindled love, school life and city life, both leads are virgins.

*Heaven-blessed talent × gentle liar

A little heads-up: Some side characters aren't straight. If that bothers you, please don't click in~

Theme: At that ambiguous age, I once walked toward you step by step, and missed you step by step.