Chapter 6: The Appointment

“Hi, classmate! Starting today, we’ll be desk partners. I’m Xia Jin Nian — Xia as in summer, Jin as in violet, and Nian as in New Year. May I ask your surname?”

“Lin. Lin Xi.”

“Nice to meet you, Classmate Lin—”

The girl reached out her hand, clearly intending a friendly handshake, but the boy seemed less than enthusiastic.
He merely nodded, staring at her hand with hesitation.

‘You idiot, shake her hand! Hold onto Jin Nian and never let go!’

Lin Xiyue shouted out loud—then jolted awake.

She was still lying in bed.
Apparently, she’d just been dreaming—dreaming of the day she and Xia Jin Nian first met in her previous life.

‘Wait a second… whose hand am I holding now?’

It took her several moments to process what was happening.
Sure enough, she really was holding someone’s hand.
When she looked up—

Her mother stood beside the bed, eyeing her with confusion, one hand firmly caught in her daughter’s grip.

“What’s this? Half a day apart and you’re already dreaming about your best friend? You two are really close, huh?”

“Ahahaha—”

Lin Xiyue quickly let go, scratching her head awkwardly.
Thank goodness she hadn’t blurted out anything incriminating in her sleep.

“Come on, get up already! Didn’t you say you were going shopping with Jin Nian today? Do you even know what time it is?”

Xu Wei sighed helplessly.
Her daughter—always a little scatterbrained—could even forget something like this.

“Oh right! What time is it?”

Lin Xiyue grabbed her phone and checked.
She and Xia Jin Nian had agreed to meet at the school gate at nine o’clock.
But the time on the screen was—

“Eight fifty-five?!”

She sprang off the bed like a startled cat.
Right in front of her mother, she changed clothes, brushed her teeth, and washed her face in one whirlwind motion.
With a slice of toast hanging from her mouth, she tugged on Xu Wei’s sleeve and mumbled incoherently, voice sweet with instinctive pleading.

It wasn’t even a conscious act—her tone, her gestures—it was all muscle memory at this point.

“Mom, drive me there~”

In her previous life, she’d never need to trouble her mother like this.
But with her current frail body, if she tried running all the way to school, she’d probably collapse halfway—then get kidnapped by some weirdo on the street…

“Alright, alright, you win. I’m heading to the office anyway. Let’s go.”

Xu Wei sighed again.
It was her first time seeing her daughter get ready this fast.

Even so, by the time they reached the school, they were still fifteen minutes late—their home wasn’t exactly close.

As soon as Lin Xiyue spotted Xia Jin Nian waiting nearby, she jumped out of the car and ran straight toward her, throwing her arms around the girl.

“Waaah, I’m so sorry, Jin Nian! I didn’t mean to be late—please don’t be mad, don’t leave me—”

“Wh-what?”

The sudden and dramatic combo attack left Xia Jin Nian flustered.
It was only ten minutes late—was this really necessary?

“Silly girl, when have you ever shown up on time when we go out together?”

“Eh?”

Lin Xiyue froze.
Then she searched through her memories—
and realized Jin Nian was right.
Every time they’d gone out, she’d always been a little late.
Jin Nian was already used to it.

That realization eased her panic.
She was being too jumpy—too nervous, too attached.
If she wanted their relationship to grow deeper from a girl’s perspective, she couldn’t afford to act so over-sensitive.
She might scare Jin Nian away.

“Auntie, good morning!”

While Lin Xiyue was still collecting herself, Xia Jin Nian waved toward the car window, greeting Xu Wei with a bright smile.

“Morning, Jin Nian! This brat doesn’t give you too much trouble, does she? She’s a wild one—do me a favor and help keep her in line, okay?”

“Haha, got it!”

Jin Nian replied cheerfully, then reached out and pinched Lin Xiyue’s cheek.

“You hear that? You have to listen to me now, stinky Xixi~”

The playful gesture stunned Lin Xiyue for a moment.
So in this life, she was the one being spoiled?

In the past, it had always been her who pampered Xia Jin Nian.
Now the roles were reversed.

But… being the one doted on by her future wife didn’t feel so bad~

“Hey, stop smiling like an idiot. Where are we going first?”

Jin Nian tapped her forehead lightly with a finger.
The gentle warmth of her touch brought Lin Xiyue back to reality.

“Let’s grab some juice first. I’m still a bit sleepy from just waking up~”

“Alright~”

The two of them walked hand in hand down the street and found a small drink shop to sit in.

“I’ll have—”

“Two lemon waters, seventy percent sugar, light ice.”

Before Jin Nian could finish, Lin Xiyue had already ordered for both of them.
Jin Nian blinked in surprise.

“Wow, look at you, Xixi—you finally remembered what I like?”

“Of course. With my brilliant brain~”

Lin Xiyue smiled faintly.

How could she forget?
After Jin Nian’s death in her past life, Lin Xi had shut himself in his room, repeating over and over the things she liked to eat, to drink, to play… all the little quirks and habits she had.

“So, genius brain—how’d your college entrance exams go?”

Jin Nian propped her chin on one hand, gazing into Lin Xiyue’s eyes.

She still remembered how Lin Xiyue had come out of the exam room yesterday looking half-mad, scaring her half to death.
She’d thought the girl had failed and couldn’t handle it.

“Went great, easy stuff. You?”

“Pretty good too. Didn’t run into anything too hard.
But I’m sure I can’t beat our school’s beautiful genius, Lin Da Xiaohua.
Once the rankings come out, I’ll probably have to hear about it all over again~”

Jin Nian pouted, sipping her lemon water.
The sight stirred old memories in Lin Xiyue’s heart.

The first time Lin Xi ever remembered the name “Xia Jin Nian” was during high school registration.

Jin Nian’s mother had accompanied her that day.
The homeroom teacher had praised her impressive exam results—second place in the entire city.

But instead of being proud, her mother scolded her right there in front of everyone, asking why she hadn’t worked harder to become first.

Yes—Jin Nian had grown up in a home where even second place earned criticism.
That was the day Lin Xi remembered her name.

Not because of her looks—
but because he thought she was pitiful.

“Want to come stay at my place for a few days when things get bad?”

Lin Xiyue offered softly.
Every family had its own troubles, after all.

“Forget it. I’d just get yelled at worse when I got back.”

Jin Nian stuck out her tongue playfully…