A Young Woman's Heart

Lu Chengyuan is the slightly chubby type of girl. If you were to hug her, she would feel quite comfortable, as soft and fluffy as a sticky rice cake.

"Why haven't I seen you these past few days? Didn't your family's fruit shop open a long time ago?" Mo Xueyao leaned back, half of the setting sun shining on her and the other half on Lu Chengyuan.

Girls who are close often use this kind of physical contact to express their affection.

However, Mo Xueyao wasn't sure if all girls were like this, or if everyone was influenced by Hua Yinyin...

It's absolutely impossible for close classmates not to influence each other.

Sometimes, after spending a lot of time together, even your catchphrases and habitual little gestures can become exactly the same.

Especially their catchphrases; these things can even be "infected" by the whole class.

"I'm doing my winter break homework at home. I'm afraid I won't want to do it anymore once I get back here, so—I'm going to do it all in one go!"

"No wonder I haven't seen you for so long. But it's been too long since you started writing on the eighth day of the lunar new year. It's been almost ten days."

"There's nothing I can do. I'm not as good as you guys. I'm a slow student when it comes to doing homework, but even so, I think it's fast."

"Okay, okay." Mo Xueyao leaned back a little more and asked helplessly, "Can you stand up now? It's so heavy..."

"Is it that heavy..." Lu Chengyuan pinched her own 'plump' thigh, then looked at theirs, "Wow, my legs seem to be thicker than Xiaoyao's!"

"My legs have never been thick, okay?" Mo Xueyao rolled her eyes, feeling her thighs go numb from sitting. She uttered each word slowly and deliberately, "Get up now—!"

Lu Chengyuan pinched her cheek one last time, then quickly stood up, while the latter pounded her thighs and stretched comfortably.

Did you go back to your hometown for the Chinese New Year?

"Grandma's house."

"Did the class monitor go too?"

"Of course."

“I went back to my hometown for the Spring Festival. The countryside is no fun at all. It’s tiring and troublesome. The only interesting thing is taking a bath in a big iron pot,” Lu Chengyuan muttered. “I hope to spend the Spring Festival in the city next year. I really don’t want to travel around anymore. It doesn’t feel like a winter vacation at all. It’s more tiring than going to school.”

"Agreed!" Mo Xueyao nodded vigorously. "Going to school is still the best. I'm looking forward to the start of school."

"Yes, I miss everyone, Lele, Yinyin, Youyou, Xiaoxiao..."

Li Wanyan took a sip of water and said calmly, "Being able to go to school is a blessing."

Her words seemed to carry a greater sense of vicissitude than those of the two girls, leaving them momentarily speechless as they hadn't experienced so much in life.

"Cheng Yuan's here to visit? Let's have dinner here tonight?" The mother, who had just returned from grocery shopping, asked with a smile, breaking the brief silence.

"No, no, my mom's cooking, I'll go eat in a bit." Lu Chengyuan quickly waved her hand, watching Yang Xiaoyu wash the vegetables at the tap next to her, before leaning close to Mo Xueyao's ear and whispering, "Xiaoyao, do you think it's okay to date in high school?"

"If you like someone, then go ahead and date them. Even if it doesn't last, it'll still be an experience—well, anyway, I'm not interested." Mo Xueyao scratched the mole on her collarbone and muttered somewhat shyly, "But if you ask Wanyan, she'll definitely say that students aren't allowed to date early or something."

"Studying is more important than dating." Li Wanyan had clearly heard her words.

"See?" Mo Xueyao shrugged.

"Class monitor, class monitor, but you might regret it when you look back!" Lu Chengyuan blinked. "Does the class monitor have someone she likes?"

They must be very familiar with each other, otherwise Lu Chengyuan wouldn't dare to be so 'bold' as to dig up her gossip.

Li Wanyan remained focused, and her answer was as everyone expected: "No."

"It seems the class monitor won't understand the feeling of being in love for the time being," Lu Chengyuan said with a sly smile.

Mo Xueyao nodded in agreement: "Wanyan is the bookworm type."

"Cough, pfft, how dare Xiaoyao say such a thing?"

"What? I'm not a bookworm. Do you think I don't know that so many boys like me? I can only pretend to be stupid."

"Oh my god, that's so infuriating to hear!"

“It’s the truth,” Mo Xueyao said, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Isn’t that right?”

"While that's true, it's like a millionaire casually telling a poor person, 'I'm not short of money,' which is really upsetting!"

"I wasn't showing off..." she said lazily, leaning on Li Wanyan's shoulder. "Those guys are just trouble, and it's not like they have any profound taste. Who doesn't like a beautiful woman?"

"Wow, this is the first time I've realized that Haruka has such a thick skin!"

"What? It's just a fact. I don't need that kind of empty affection. Anyway, they probably don't like any pretty girls. They might like Yin Yin and Le Le at the same time."

Lu Chengyuan pouted, crossed her arms, and glared at her: "You didn't even count me!"

"Cheng Yuan is pretty enough, but, well, she's still a little short in terms of level?"

"Tsk tsk."

"You haven't fallen for someone, have you?"

"Uh..." When Lu Chengyuan saw Li Wanyan also turn her gaze over, she became a little shy. After hesitating for a long time, she slowly nodded, "Um... yes."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you yet!"

"Tch, so mysterious. Just tell us, maybe we can give you some advice. What if that guy turns out to be a scumbag?"

"They're in the same class. There aren't any guys with really bad personalities in our class, maybe just someone like Liu Xiaowei."

Mo Xueyao, who had been a boy for over a decade, couldn't help but defend him: "Liu Xiaowei is alright...maybe he's actually quite reliable? He's just a bit sloppy."

"What's wrong? Do you like him? Xiaoyao's hobbies aren't that unusual, are they?"

"So you think speaking up for someone means you like them?" Mo Xueyao rolled her eyes at her, annoyed.

"Okay, it's fine to tell you, but you're not allowed to tell anyone else."

"Tell me quickly!" Mo Xueyao immediately perked up, but she wasn't actually that curious. She was just putting on this act to please Lu Chengyuan.

Otherwise, if everyone looked as uninterested as Li Wanyan, wouldn't that be too boring?

Friends should also try to make things interesting for each other.

"Well, let me tell you... um... it's Lele's ex-boyfriend..."

"Oh, him? Hmm...Is he alright?"

"right?"

"Hmm." Mo Xueyao lowered her voice, as if someone might overhear her. "Actually, it was Lele who broke up with him first."

"I know, I know, but I just don't understand why."

"It's not that he has flaws, but Lele doesn't feel like she's in a relationship with him. Hmm, I think it might be because he's too obedient?"

"Isn't it good to be obedient?" Lu Chengyuan bit her finger shyly. "I actually like this kind of thing..."

"So what are you planning to do? Girls who confess their feelings first are more likely to be taken for granted by guys." Mo Xueyao spoke as if she had been through it all, but in reality, she had never been in a relationship.

"Let me think... Does the class monitor have any ideas?"

Li Wanyan remained silent for a long time before simply replying, "Wait for him to confess his feelings to you."

"Forget it, you can't ask Wanyan, she's not an expert in this."

"Xiaoyao, you're not an expert either."

"Tch, I have... uh, I have quite a few male buddies, so I know a little bit about how guys think. I can help you figure something out, let me think..."

……

Chapter 57 Mo Xueyao and Male Psychological Analysis

　 The slivers of sunset light gradually moved downwards, and the long pole lamps on both sides of the road took their place, illuminating the dim road.

For a long time, Mo Xueyao couldn't participate in many of the topics the girls talked about, either because she didn't quite understand them or because she was too embarrassed.

But today's psychological analysis of the male student happened to be right up her alley.

Having been a guy for so many years, it would be a complete lie to say that I don't understand how guys think.

If someone has only been a woman for two years and has completely forgotten the male way of thinking, they are either talking nonsense or making things up.

Subtle influences can indeed change many things, but deeply ingrained habits are not so easily changed.

"Hello, Cheng Yuan."

"Splash—" Behind the fruit shop, her mother threw a handful of chili peppers into the oil pan. The pungent smell even reached the front, causing Mo Xueyao to sneeze.

"Hmm, I'm thinking about it..."

"Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it, listen to me... tell me." Mo Xueyao slurped her saliva, as if the spiciness had stimulated her appetite.

"Go ahead and say it."

Do you know how a guy behaves to show that he really likes a girl?

"How should we perform?"

"When I particularly enjoy teasing a certain girl."

"What if you like to tease several girls?"

"Uh...maybe that proves this guy is...more philanthropic?" Mo Xueyao coughed twice. "Actually, it's quite simple for a girl to pursue a boy. A little hint is enough. Boys basically can't refuse a girl's confession. As long as you're of average looks, that's fine. Cheng Yuan, you could say you're above average, even if you're a bit round..."

"I'll lose weight!" Lu Chengyuan said, clenching her fingers in embarrassment and annoyance.

"No, no, I mean, you're not actually fat. Some guys just like your type."

"Well."

"Also, if a boy approaches you with sweet talk, you must be wary. Generally, the more skilled a boy is at chatting with girls, the more likely he is to be a womanizer." Mo Xueyao said seriously, "I used to have a friend... a classmate, back in junior high, who changed girlfriends almost every one or two months. And he was very cunning; he wouldn't date girls from his own class, but girls from other classes or grades."

Do you know that many people?

"Yes, he's very good at socializing—you have to be wary of guys who are particularly good at socializing! The reason we don't look for him in class is to maintain a sense of mystery."

"Mystery...?"

"Because you see your classmates every day, you know them too well."

"I see." Lu Chengyuan nodded thoughtfully. "So if it's a boy from another class who often comes over to chat and then confesses his feelings after getting to know you, you should never believe him, right?"

"That's right! Especially those guys who are really handsome, but whose girlfriends are mostly just average... Do you know why? Because that makes it easier for them to succeed."