Redemption from the Abyss: The School Beauty Insists on Pulling Me Out of the Mire

The train of the second year of high school finally rumbled past its final stop.

What followed was a long and scorching summer vacation that lasted for two months in Jiangcheng.

[10:30 AM · Genting Music Room 1602]

The blackout curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out the scorching sunlight and the ear-piercing cicada chirping.

The room was well-cooled, dimly lit, and quiet.

Xie Wang was still asleep.

The intense preparation for the provincial unified exams, coupled with writing code late into the night to bypass Tianlong Group's firewall, had truly exhausted him. At this moment, he was nestled in the soft blankets, one arm across his forehead, his breathing long and steady.

"Beep—click."

The door lock clicked softly.

The sound of shoes being changed came from the entryway, very softly, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Immediately afterwards, a faint, pleasant scent of lemon shower gel wafted in with the flow of air.

Su Qinghe was wearing a simple white T-shirt and light blue denim shorts, her hair was casually tied into a bun, and she was carrying a bag of brunch she had just bought downstairs.

She went into the living room, put her things on the dining table, and then glanced at the open bedroom door.

Someone was sleeping soundly when they kicked off half of the blanket, revealing their lean waist and abdomen.

Su Qinghe walked over and stood by the bed, watching him for a while.

When Xie Wang was asleep, he lost his usual roguishness and sharpness, his eyebrows and eyes relaxed, and he looked like a harmless big cat.

She couldn't bear to wake him and turned to go to the living room to read.

As soon as I turned around, my wrist was suddenly grabbed by a warm, large hand.

"...Teacher Su."

Xie Wang's voice was hoarse from just waking up, languid like the low strings of a cello.

He didn't open his eyes; he simply grabbed her instinctively and pulled her slightly towards him.

"What time is it... and you're still doing rounds?"

Caught off guard, Su Qinghe lost his balance and fell to the side of the bed.

"Get up when you wake up."

She nudged his arm, her ears burning slightly.

"The sun's already high in the sky. Didn't we say we were going to the supermarket to fill out the fridge today?"

Xie Wang then slowly opened his eyes.

Her peach blossom eyes were half-closed, adjusting to the light for a moment, before she stared intently at Su Qinghe sitting on the edge of the bed.

He suddenly laughed, turned over and sat up, revealing his abs in full view of Su Qinghe.

"I'll get up now."

He scratched his messy hair, not only not trying to hide it, but deliberately leaning forward, his tone irritating:

"Now that we're on holiday, could you please not be so strict, Ms. Su? Let me get first place in my dreams again!"

Su Qinghe calmly looked away and stood up:

"You can have anything in your dreams."

"Also, you're not allowed to call me Teacher Su anymore."

"What's their name?" Xie Wang raised an eyebrow. "The Su family?"

Upon hearing these three words, Su Qinghe paused for a moment.

She recalled the scene of signing the document that day, and a slight smile involuntarily appeared on her lips as she glanced back at him.

"Yes, I'm the parent, so I'm ordering you to wash up, brush your teeth, and eat."

"Yes, ma'am."

Xie Wang gave a lazy salute, then threw back the covers and got out of bed.

Watching her retreating figure, he felt that this morning was brighter than ever before.

……

[12:00 PM · Nearby fresh food supermarkets]

The heat outside is so intense it could melt you.

Xie Wang pushed the shopping cart, with Su Qinghe walking beside him.

Like countless other young couples living in this city, the two were discussing what to eat for lunch.

"Buy some spare ribs, I want them sweet and sour." Xie Wang skillfully picked out a box of spare ribs and threw it into the car.

"You can do it?" Su Qinghe looked at him skeptically.

"I'll just learn it on the spot," Xie Wang said confidently. "I can code, how could sweet and sour pork ribs be harder than an algorithm?"

Su Qinghe didn't expose his near-explosion of the kitchen last time, but quietly put a box of frozen dumplings in the car as a backup.

As I passed by the fruit section, a sweet and refreshing aroma wafted over me.

A pile of round, plump gourds formed a small mountain.

Xie Wang stopped and tapped on the watermelons with his long, slender fingers.

"Knock knock knock".

"Puff puff puff".

"this."

He lifted a large watermelon weighing over ten kilograms with one hand, placed it firmly next to Su Qinghe's ear, and tapped it once:

"Did you hear that? The sound is crisp, even a little bouncy, it's definitely a Gratitude Melon."

Su Qinghe was amused by his childish behavior:

"What if it's not ripe?"

"If it's not cooked, I'll swallow it raw," Xie Wang said shamelessly.

When I checked out, my shopping cart was overflowing with items.

Besides vegetables and meat, there was also yogurt that Su Qinghe loved to drink, potato chips that Xie Wang loved to eat, and a whole box of electrolyte water that both of them needed.

These things are enough.

……

[2:00 PM · Room 1602]

When I got home, I put the things in the refrigerator.

The once empty refrigerator was instantly filled to the brim, and the warm, homey atmosphere of "home" immediately filled the air.

Xie Wang was studying a recipe for sweet and sour pork ribs, but he didn't blow up the kitchen; it was just slightly burnt.

Su Qinghe sat cross-legged on the living room carpet and cut the "gratitude melon" in half.

"Click—"

The watermelon split open on its own as soon as the knife tip made a cut.

With its red flesh and black seeds, and abundant juice, it is indeed a good melon.

Su Qinghe used a spoon to scoop out the very center, which was also the sweetest "heart".

At this moment, Xie Wang came out of the kitchen carrying two plates of food:

"Dinner's ready! Try my cooking!"

As soon as he put the plate down, Su Qinghe held the spoon to his lips.

The spoonful of bright red watermelon flesh trembled slightly.

"Here you go." Su Qinghe looked up at him, "This is the melon I'm giving you as a reward for your kindness."

Xie Wang was stunned for a moment.

He looked down at Su Qinghe, then at the spoonful of watermelon.

Then, instead of taking it with his hands, he lowered his head and, using her hand, put the bite of watermelon into his mouth.

sweet.

The icy juice bursts in your mouth, so sweet it makes your heart flutter.

"How is it?" Su Qinghe asked.

Xie Wang swallowed the watermelon, licked his lips, and his eyes deepened.

"sweet."

"Sweeter than winning a gold medal."

He sat down, not to eat, but to lean closer to Su Qinghe, his voice low:

"Su Qinghe, from now on, I'll pick out watermelons for you every summer, okay?"

The cicadas outside the window were still chirping noisily, and the sunlight made the balcony look white.

An old, unknown movie was playing on the television, and the air conditioner emitted a faint humming sound.

The two people sat around half a watermelon and two plates of slightly burnt sweet and sour pork ribs.

Su Qinghe looked into his eyes, which were so close to hers, and saw her own small reflection in them.

She scooped a spoonful of watermelon and put it in her mouth, trying to hide the smile on her lips:

"Okay."

"It depends on your performance."

This is their first day of summer vacation.

It's mundane and trivial, yet it's full of an addictive sweetness.

The tranquility was shattered by the loud ringing of the doorbell as evening approached.

"You scoundrel!! Sister-in-law!! Open the door!!"

Lu Wen's loud voice pierced through the door panel:

"I've brought my brand new game console to join you guys! My air conditioner is broken and it's unbearably hot!!"

Xie Wang's temple throbbed as he glanced at Su Qinghe.

Su Qinghe smiled helplessly, got up and went to open the door:

"It seems our time together as a couple has come to an end."