This holiday was too short, just one day longer than a weekend, and when they returned to school, it didn't even feel like they had been on vacation.

On the podium, Old Xu had emphasized the end-of-term exam for three or four days in a row. He also repeatedly mentioned that after this end-of-term exam, they would face the gaokao* in just one year.

*T/N: Major examination that will determine the universities you can enter

Jiang Cheng lay on the desk, resting his chin on his notebook, half-closing his eyes and listening to Old Xu earnestly advising them from the podium. The students below were buzzing.

In this atmosphere at No.4 High School, what Old Xu said about the end-of-term and gaokao, the main point that the students in this classroom could grasp was probably the summer vacation in the middle.

Although they heard that the third-year students had to start school early, even if there was only half a summer vacation, it was still much better than the holiday that had just passed. The people around had already started discussing it in advance.

"What are you going to do during the summer vacation?" Jiang Cheng turned his head and asked Gu Fei who was lowering his head playing with his cellphone.

"Work, sit in the shop and listen to Li Yan chatter, occasionally go out for a meal," Gu Fei said, "Accompany Er Miao, there will be time in the summer vacation to take her for systematic rehabilitation training."

"...Oh." Jiang Cheng was stunned for a moment. Just listening to it, it sounded like a boring and tiring summer vacation.

"Do you want to work together?" Gu Fei said in a low voice, "Ding Zhuxin has jobs open, her own, and also her friends'."

Jiang Cheng had never thought that one day the word "work" would appear in his summer vacation life. But living expenses, rent, utilities, phone bills, tuition for next semester, and uncertain future expenses, suddenly made him feel that relying solely on the card in his hand was somewhat insecure.

Only then did he feel how sweet it was that he was still thinking about relaxing as much as possible by doing exercises during the summer vacation. He was stunned for a moment: "Are you going?"

"Yeah," Gu Fei answered, "I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't going."

"Still taking photos of models and stuff?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Not really, also other things, products and such, it's easier to take some photos without people," Gu Fei smiled, "There's also time to take some pictures to submit, haven't submitted anything this year."

"Damn," Jiang Cheng said in a low voice, "Why are you so awesome? Where have you submitted them before?"

"Just some magazines, for photography, travel," Gu Fei put down his phone, "Not much money, but it gives me room to negotiate prices when I get other jobs."

"Mm." Jiang Cheng nodded.  

Gu Fei didn't care about studying at all, and didn't seem to have ever considered these things, but he was really awesome in other ways when he put his mind to it.

Maybe in the future, Gu Fei wouldn't need a grade or a school to rely on.

But Jiang Cheng was probably used to measuring himself in this way, so the nonchalant Gu Fei always made him a little uneasy.

After Pan Zhi went back, he quickly sorted out the photos from this trip and posted a lot on Moments, and also sent a separate package to Jiang Cheng.

"I found out," Jiang Cheng said as he flipped through the photos, "Pan Zhi is simply suitable to be original emoji model."

"Yeah," Gu Fei leaned over to look for a while, "Even your face can't compete with his level."

"Should I compliment you back?" Jiang Cheng said.

"No need," Gu Fei looked at him, "I know how handsome I am."

"Pff," Jiang Cheng glanced at him, "Do your fangirls know you're this narcissistic?"

"I hide it deep," Gu Fei smiled, "But I know how narcissistic you are."

"Piss off." Jiang Cheng said.

Before leaving school, he went to Old Xu's office and took all the papers he had finished writing in the past two days.

Old Xu looked at the papers with a satisfied expression on his face: "I'll go find some other teachers in a bit to grade these papers for you. Don't lose momentum, keep working hard for the end of term exam."

"Mm." Jiang Cheng responded.

Gu Fei's "injured" leg was much better now. He only needed a little support to walk slowly, and no longer needed to hop around with his arm propped. Doctor Gu said it would probably be another week before the splint could be removed.

Supporting Gu Fei and walking out of the school gate together, Jiang Cheng saw Gu Miao whom he hadn't seen for almost a week.

...And a doll hanging on Gu Miao's butt.

"This..." Jiang Cheng was stunned for a moment, walked over and bent down to look. The doll wasn't big, but it was definitely larger than even a large purse charm. It just hung there by a rope tied around its neck on the belt loop of Gu Miao's pants.

The visual effect was indescribable.

"She asked for it herself," Gu Fei said, "It took me two days to teach her how to tie the rope on."

"It takes two days to learn how to tie a rope?" Jiang Cheng knew Gu Miao had a really hard time even with simple addition and subtraction, so he thought maybe she had trouble calculating but her hands-on skills would be better since she could skateboard so smoothly.

"Yeah," Gu Fei looked at Gu Miao, "Sometimes I feel... exhausted just thinking about it, she just can't learn no matter how I teach her."

Jiang Cheng didn't say anything. He and Gu Fei pushed the bike out together. As soon as he rode it forward, Gu Miao quickly followed on her skateboard.

Cool pose, contemptuous expression, wild hairstyle...

"Didn't you say you'd get Li Yan to cut her hair? It's been so long since you lied to get 50 bucks from me!" Jiang Cheng looked at Gu Fei who was slowly pedaling the bike one-legged.

"I'll call him over right now," Gu Fei took out his phone, "Let's go eat at the shop later? Keep me company for a bit."

"Mm." Jiang Cheng agreed.

They hadn't really spent time together properly during the recent holiday. And after school started, Gu Fei's mom had been holed up in the shop for several days in a row, seeming to have something on her mind. Gu Fei had to accompany Gu Miao, and also keep an eye on his mom...

"Is your mom okay now?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Who knows," Gu Fei sent a message to Li Yan, "Don't know who she's into again."

"Why is she like this..." Jiang Cheng sighed.  

"I told her to go see a psychologist, and she fought with me about it," Gu Fei said, "Now I don't even bother saying anything. As long as she dares to bring someone home, I'll beat whoever it is."

"...Like that guy last time?" Jiang Cheng said.

"Mm." Gu Fei smiled.

"Don't just beat people randomly either. What if a decent person comes next time." Jiang Cheng recalled the scene of that man being swung into a tree by Gu Fei, and felt a vague pain from his nose to his ribs down to his crotch.

"With that silly fantasizing in her heart, if she can find any decent person here, I'll streak down the street." Gu Fei said.

Jiang Cheng glanced at him and laughed for a long time before sighing again.

Li-the-Great-Stylist-slash-the-Great-Chef came carrying a bag of vegetables. As soon as he entered the shop and saw Gu Miao and the doll on her butt, he froze: "Filming a horror movie?"

"What horror movie?" Gu Fei sat behind the cash register looking at the inventory list.

"Little sister carrying a foreign doll." Jiang Cheng and Li Yan said at the same time.

"Er Miao," Gu Fei called Gu Miao, "Chase Li Yan out."

Gu Miao pushed her skateboard straight into Li Yan's legs. Li Yan retreated towards the door while pointing at Gu Fei: "You know what I really want to say when I see your character like this, don't you?"

"Lust over friendship?" Gu Fei said.

"Lust over friendship isn't very hurtful," Li Yan said, "How about saying you deserted me from beginning to end!"

"Yell it," Gu Fei pointed at the street outside, "Yell louder, if ten people don't hear it I'll break your leg."

"Gu Er Miao!" Li Yan yelled at the door, "What happened to our feelings over the years!"

"Li Yan..." Jiang Cheng hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the cash register and said in a low voice, "Knows?"

"Don't know, I didn't say anything," Gu Fei glanced at him, "But he can probably see it, and we don't normally talk about these things... Do you want me to say it?"

"No, no need," Jiang Cheng shook his head, "It would feel too deliberate. I'd feel awkward instead."

Although Gu Fei and Li Yan's group didn't stick together all the time, at first contact one could feel that the stable relationship between these people didn't come about in a day or two. So Jiang Cheng didn't want Gu Fei to deliberately explain anything - messing with the rhythm of a circle of friends like that, just thinking about it made one feel uncomfortable.

After colliding with Gu Miao at the door for a while, Li Yan came back in carrying the bag of ingredients: "Just us four, I'll just stir-fry some random dishes, okay?"

"Okay." Gu Fei nodded.

Li Yan didn't look like someone who could cook, but whenever cooking was needed at Gu Fei's place, as long as Li Yan was around, he would be the one to cook, although the taste was just so-so.

However, one thing he was good at was being quick. Jiang Cheng had just read a few pages of the review materials Pan Zhi had sent him last time, and the dishes were already set on the table.

"Eat up," Li Yan sat down at the table, "After eating, I'll cut Er Miao's hair. I still have stuff to do tonight."

"What stuff?" Gu Fei sat down too.  

"Play." Li Yan said.

"You still haven't gone home, right." Gu Fei made a statement rather than asking.

"Go home my ass." Li Yan frowned.

Jiang Cheng silently ate on the side, Gu Fei had told him about Li Yan not going home. At that time, he had felt fortunate that no one was supervising him now.

No matter what, at least he wouldn't fight fiercely with his family because of this.

Although when he thought of Li Baoguo, his heart would still feel blocked up.

Li Baoguo hadn't contacted him again for so long, leaving him unsure whether he should feel relieved or uneasy, and uncertain about what other changes might be waiting for him.

Gu Miao was quite obedient during the haircut, sitting still wrapped in a sheet next to the cash register, letting Li Yan snip away at her head.

"Give her a suitable hairstyle for keeping long hair," Jiang Cheng leaned back in his chair with a book, watching Gu Miao while reading, "She's still a young girl after all."

"That's what I've always thought," Li Yan sighed, "But there's no way. She bites her hair when it grows long, and she flares up if washing her hair takes too long."

"Wear wigs in the future then." Gu Fei said.

"Aren't you afraid she'll eat a whole wig?" Li Yan said.

"Maybe she'll develop some new problem in the future and stop biting her hair," Gu Fei kicked Gu Miao's feet, "Right?"

Gu Miao looked at him expressionlessly.  

"Do you have any new problems you haven't shown your brother yet?" Gu Fei kicked her feet again.

Gu Miao continued looking expressionless.

"Hurry up and grow up," Gu Fei leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and looking at her, "Don't make your brother worry anymore, okay?"

Li Yan gave Gu Miao a very cute short haircut, neatly to her ear tips, round, making Gu Miao's extremely cool expression look much cuter.

"Your hair?" As Li Yan was cleaning up, he glanced at Gu Fei again.

"Hm?" Gu Fei's gaze flicked swiftly towards Jiang Cheng, "No need, I'll just shave it all off when it gets a bit hotter."

"Shave it all off?" Li Yan was startled, then laughed again after a while, "Okay, got it."

Jiang Cheng was wondering if Gu Fei's looks could withstand a shaved head, when Li Yan turned to look at him and asked: "Do you want a haircut?"

"No need," Jiang Cheng instinctively leaned back, "I..."

"Okay, got it," Li Yan laughed, "You're going to shave your head bald too?"

"No!" Jiang Cheng gave a firm negative answer.

"I'm leaving," Li Yan kicked the box of grooming tools under the cash register, "There's something I originally promised Liu Fan not to tell you, but I still feel I should let you know."

"Oh?" Gu Fei looked at him.

"He's hospitalized," Li Yan said, "He said..."

"What?" Gu Fei immediately stood up, "Injured?"

"No," Li Yan cleared his throat, "It's hemorrhoids, surgery's tomorrow. I was the one who drove him to the hospital the day before yesterday. Anyway, he didn't want me to say anything or visit, but I think..."

"We shoud go visit," Gu Fei sat back down in relief, "We can't miss something this funny."

"Yeah," Li Yan nodded, "So can you notify Luo Yu and the others? Let's go take a look tomorrow, I ordered a big fruit basket."

"Okay." Gu Fei smiled.

After Li Yan left, Jiang Cheng glanced at Gu Fei: "You guys are so cruel."

"Yes indeed," Gu Fei smiled, "This bunch loves doing stuff like this when bored. Are you coming along tomorrow? To see Liu Fan's butt."

"...Do they really have to be bare-bottomed for hemorrhoid surgery?" Jiang Cheng laughed as he imagined it, "If it's your butt..."

Before he could finish speaking, he hurriedly stopped. Gu Miao was still sitting next to them, diligently scratching at her newly-shortened hair with her fingers.

"Er Miao," Gu Fei grabbed her hand, "The new hairstyle looks very nice."

Gu Miao didn't react. As soon as Gu Fei let go, she immediately raised her hand to continue scratching her head. Gu Fei sighed, and scratched along with her fingers in her hair, before letting her be.

"Won't she scratch her hair out?" Jiang Cheng was a little worried.

"I tested it before, she's not using much force, she just feels uncomfortable with the short hair. She'll stop scratching after a while." Gu Fei said.

"...Oh," Jiang Cheng looked at Gu Miao, then sighed a long time later, "I didn't know she would react like this to a haircut, I wouldn't have nagged you to cut her hair if I knew."

"It has to be cut eventually, she bites it when it grows out," Gu Fei smiled, "And she doesn't react like this every time she gets it cut."

Jiang Cheng felt strangely dejected for no reason, and lowered his head to look at the book in his hand: "I don't understand her as well as Li Yan does."

"Li Yan and I have been friends since childhood," Gu Fei said, "He watched Er Miao grow up, so it's not strange. And if you put it that way, Li Yan must feel even more depressed. Er Miao has barely paid any attention to him all these years, yet she's quite close to you now."

Jiang Cheng smiled. That was true too.

But... after smiling, he still felt a little unhappy: "And I didn't even know you drink tea!"

"Hm?" Gu Fei didn't understand at first.

"Even Old Xu knows you drink tea," Jiang Cheng tsked, "You even took Old Xu out for tea, oh how elegant, this young man."

Gu Fei was startled then laughed: "Oh..."

"Oh what oh?" Jiang Cheng said, "I'm quite upset about this, I don't know anything. I don't even know what you like to eat now."

"Everything I've taken you out to eat is what I like," Gu Fei leaned closer to him, pressing up against his side and putting his hand behind Jiang Cheng's back, "And the tea, only Old Xu knows, I don't go often either. We can go now if you want to go."

"No," Jiang Cheng thought about it and felt he was being quite childish, "I'm just expressing that I feel a little regret for missing your first dozen or so years."

“It's good you missed those years,” Gu Fei looked at him. “I can actually tell you anything, but I don't want you to truly see it all. If you went through it with me we'd never have gotten together. And if you really grew up here during those dozen years, I might not even look at you twice no matter how good you look.”

“Piss off,” Jiang Cheng laughed lightly.  

Yeah, if he grew up here himself, at the steel factory, at Li Baoguo's...

“And I haven't even started talking about it and I'm already annoyed,” Gu Fei put his hand on Gu Miao's head where she was bent over homework, nose nearly brushing the paper. He nudged her head up. “I have to listen to you and your classmates talk about your shared past every day. Where can I go cry?”

“Damn,” Jiang Cheng looked at him. “My past was so simple, just going to classes and skipping them, competing for top three grades...”

“Didn't you date too,” Gu Fei said.

"That's not called a girlfriend," Jiang Cheng thought for a moment, "It's just, I can't explain it clearly, it's like going along for the ride. She brings me breakfast, makes small talk on the phone, sends me a few messages, and then she gets upset, I have to coax her, she gets upset, I coax her, she gets upset, I coax her..."

"Oh," Gu Fei said, somewhat surprised, "I didn't know you knew how to coax people."

"I coax her reluctantly, what else can I do, she's still a girl after all, anyway it's just annoying," Jiang Cheng frowned, "I'm like an idiot, didn't do anything but coax her all day."  

"Didn't do anything?" Gu Fei raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Jiang Cheng glanced at him, "Never even held her hand."

"So innocent," Gu Fei looked over at Gu Miao and whispered to him, "Why aren't you innocent at all now."

"Fuck," Jiang Cheng also whispered back to him, "Am I not innocent now? I'm still handsome and innocent."  

"Yes, right," Gu Fei continued whispering to his ear, "Just as innocent as me."

"No," Jiang Cheng glared at him, "Can you please keep your face away a little, you're squeezing me!"

Gu Fei laughed out loud, looking at him with delight that he couldn't seem to stop.

"What the fuck is so funny," Jiang Cheng sighed, straining to keep his voice down, "We just jerked off, don't laugh as if we did something else."

"Jerking off isn't considered doing something?" Gu Fei said with a smile, "Then what counts as doing something?"

Gu Fei probably didn't think too much when he said this. As soon as he spoke, the two of them instantly fell into a subtle, ambiguous, shameful state, wanting to blush but not daring to.

Jiang Cheng's first reaction was of countless shameless images floating before his eyes, and they naturally included shameless images of Gu Fei.

He didn't expect the first thought that came to mind would be so fanciful.

They're not 18 yet.

Protection of Minors Law.

How to rationally view premarital sex.

...What the hell?

By the time he came back to his senses, Gu Fei had already leaned over to correct Gu Miao's writing posture, her nose almost touching the paper again. He glared at Gu Fei's back.

At that moment, the indescribable images he had imagined finally exploded out.

Fuck!

He felt like he could burn Gu Fei's clothes off with his mind.

Fuck!

Turns out he had unknowingly seen so many pornos!

Fuck!

The internet really is a huge dyeing vat!