Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

Late at night.

The secret base was quiet, except for Little White, who was still diligently standing guard; everyone else had entered dreamland.

A gust of wind blew, clouds covered the moon, and the night grew darker.

At 2:15 in the morning, a shadow as dark as ink silently left the room.

The figure had a clear target, opening the door and heading straight to the next room without stopping.

Quietly, and then quietly again, she climbed onto the boy's bed and settled in.

Slowly shifting her body, as soon as she felt the warm breath from her nose aligning with her lips, she didn't hesitate and pressed them together.

[1, 2, 3.....60, 61.]

Only after counting silently in her heart to the sixty-first second did she fulfillingly separate her lips.

[Now that it's covered, the first kiss is mine!]

...

Half an hour later, the room door was opened again.

[I want a kiss too!]

...

An hour later.

[Finally, I've given away my first kiss!]

...

Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning, sailor's warning.

At six in the morning, Xu Qingfan got up and pulled open the curtains of his room.

The sky was a clear blue with not a cloud in sight, promising good weather for the week.

He pushed open the patio door, stepped out onto the small balcony, took a deep breath of the fragrant plants, stretched with a crackling of his joints, while the chattering of sparrows echoed around him.

"Brother Qing Fan, good morning ya!" Lin Wanning said, entering with a toothbrush in her mouth, holding Xu Qingfan's toothbrush and a rinse cup in her hand.

"Wanning...morning?" He turned to look, saw Lin Wanning holding his toothbrush with paste already on it, and tilted his head in puzzlement.

"Hee hee~ Brother Qing Fan, let's brush our teeth together ya!" Lin Wanning grinned, passing him the toothbrush and the cup filled with water, her eyes shyly shifting away upon sneaking a glance at his rosy lips.

"Brushing our teeth in formation, huh? Never thought you'd come up with that," Xu Qingfan chuckled as he ruffled her hair and didn't refuse.

Lin Wanning happily stood beside him, leaning on the balcony rail and gazing into the endless horizon.

Below them was Little White, dozing off; they sneaked a few dry twigs fallen on the balcony and threw them at it, and when the dog got up to check, they quickly pulled their heads back in, both of them already in the ninth grade yet acting like primary school students when together.

"Here, Brother Fan," Lin Wanning said after rinsing her mouth, passing him the half-filled cup.

"Hmm," Xu Qingfan replied with a gentle smile.

In the blissful sunny morning, they shared a rinse cup and brushed their teeth together, life was so comfortable.

"Why aren't you up yet... Eh~ what are you guys doing?" Xia Xiaoxiao entered and saw Xu Qingfan and Lin Wanning standing side by side on the balcony, asking in confusion.

Both of them responded simultaneously with toothbrushes in their mouths, "Brushing teeth!"

"Speechless," Xia Xiaoxiao pursed her lips and said in annoyance, "Hurry up, otherwise we'll end up walking while having breakfast again."

"Just a moment!"

Xu Qingfan and Lin Wanning said at the same time, then exchanged smiles.

Xia Xiaoxiao curled her lip and turned away from the room.

If she got jealous over this and that, she would've become the Vinegar Queen of Asia, sour enough to pickle herself to death.

Nowadays, Xia Xiaoxiao had become immune to many behaviors, as long as it wasn't kissing or cuddling under the covers, she'd just turn a blind eye and not let it bother her.

Being able to stay in bed for an extra half hour during school days brought an incomparable sense of happiness.

So Wu Lingyu could have more time to sleep in the morning, they had stopped making breakfast at home long ago.

By the time Xu Qingfan finally sauntered down the stairs, the five girls were already wearing their shoes, waiting for him at the door.

The blue and white uniform and the clean, pure high ponytail were forever the top 0 'Bright Moonlight' in Xu Qingfan's heart.

"Brother Fan, hurry up!"

"It's almost 6:30, you're even slower than us girls."

It was like a scene out of a dream, five clear-eyed and bright-teethed, pure and elegant young girls waving at him to go to school, and this was just another day in the life of Xu Qingfan.

"Coming," he said, wearing a sunshine-bright smile as he walked towards the group.

After bidding farewell to Little White one by one, the six of them walked shoulder to shoulder on the road to school.

The mornings in October had begun to cool, and wearing a piece of winter school uniform made the temperature just right.

Leading the way, Xiao Ruawen hummed a cheerful tune, and everyone's footsteps lightened unconsciously.

"I want some noodle soup!" Xiao Ruawen declared.

"Then let's have it!" Xu Qingfan replied.

Just like how Sha Xian snacks had spread throughout the city, Chaoshan noodle soup had also proliferated in every corner, and every shop that stood the test of time definitely offered the authentic taste.

The shop they often visited had been open for thirty-odd years, passed down from father to son, and from son to grandson.

A bowl of meatball and meat slice noodle soup for three yuan, generously sprinkled with celery bits on the soup noodles, and the free-of-charge chili rings you could load into it, was enough to reward the hard-working students' hearts.

"The usual." After the six sat down, Xu Qingfan only needed to simply call out, and the owner already knew what they wanted.

Six bottles of Vitasoy and six bowls of noodle soup were promptly served.

"Here's yours."

"Brother Qing Fan, for you."

"Brother Fan, have some more."

"Brother, let me give you some."

Every such time, the five girls would first put some noodles into Xu Qingfan's bowl before starting to eat their own.

"That dude over there is Xu Qingfan from Class 6, right?"

"Damn, I'm so jealous."

"Keep it down, will you."

"If I could have that bowl of noodles, I'd be willing to live... one day less!"

"Dude, what are you talking about?"

"..."

At this time of day, the people coming in for breakfast were almost all Licheng Middle School students, their soft whispers were also part of the cherished memories of their youth.

In the year 2010, a bottled Vitasoy retailed for two yuan. After breakfast, Xu Qingfan paid the owner thirty yuan and the six of them picked up their backpacks to leave together.