I Want to Be Friends With You

Little Daily

The woman never appeared after that. Miaomiao was unsure whether or not her speech had any effect on the woman, but it was possible that, according to the woman herself at least, she didn’t harbor any ill will or malevolent intent during their meeting, but Miaomiao didn’t care.

On the Internet, there were no new tidings on this case; therefore, any uproar or attention concerning this case had slowly faded away.

Miaomiao’s life at home hadn’t changed much. It was the same as before.

The incident didn’t cause a rift to form between them, but rather it strengthened their family dynamics.

Soon, it was time for school to start again, and Miaomiao knew that she had to face the consequences upon her return.

Sure enough, when she had arrived, everyone’s gaze was on her.

One of her classmates asked, “Do you want to watch a romance movie tonight?”

Another classmate mimicked Miaomiao’s usual style of speech, “You shouldn’t watch any romance movies, unless you young people want to become infatuated with love. You should focus on your studies. The youths within the movie world have love, but our youth is filled with nothing but mountains of homework.”

Miaomiao: “…” Good thing that Zhou Yuan will be here soon. He’ll finally understand why I can’t make our relationship public.

“Class president, you’re amazing. You’re going to be inundated with both love and homework.”

“You guys shouldn’t jump to conclusions so quickly. Our class president still didn’t agree to be with Zhou Yuan, okay? Anyways, class president, you’ll still be in charge of our F regiment, correct?”

Miaomiao responded, “That’s for sure. I’ll always be the honorary chief of the Great F Regiment.”

Zhou Yuan walked in just then and interjected, “What’s the Great F Regiment?”

Someone next to him instantly replied to his interjection, “An army of single dogs, and lovers are burned to death.”

As the old saying goes, watching the unfolding excitement wasn’t a problem.

Zhou Yuan glanced at Miaomiao, “It’s amazing. You have the position of the honorary head.”

Miaomiao patted his shoulder, “Are you ready to join us?”

“Join in by sending my girlfriend? I’ll join when I have a girlfriend.” When he said that, he peered at Miaomiao.

Everyone from their class was present to hear this exclamation.

Miaomiao didn’t change her expression. In any case, she was also someone who has been the class president for so long. She responded, “It isn’t very popular to fall in love right now.”

The conversation between these two sounded so natural that it made the witnesses look dumbfounded.

What’s the relationship between these two now?

Based on their colloquy, the others reasonably believed that Zhou Yuan failed in his confession. He lost such a big face in front of so many people; therefore, it resulted in this interaction between these two. The other students mused over two possibilities for the relationship between the two. The first one was that Zhou Yuan really liked the class president. Even if his confession was unsuccessful, he had to constantly pursue her, but he shouldn’t do it with this kind of attitude. Another possibility was that Zhou Yuan was embarrassed and had become angry, leading to a rift to form between these two. However, this possibility was proven to be false since nothing like that seemed to have happened between them.

Could it be that they were in an alternate universe?

These two were far from being natural just like they thought. Upon returning to their seats, Miaomiao pulled out her mobile phone and sent a message to Zhou Yuan, “We did well. Maybe, they’ll only call your parents to school and not mine.”

The school’s policy forbade premature love, and Zhou Yuan’s confession was well-known among the masses. Therefore, the school invited Zhou Yuan’s parents for a conference. But this wasn’t the case for Miaomiao. She didn’t even agree in front of any witnesses; therefore, her parents weren’t invited to discuss the aftermath of his confession.

Zhou Yuan: “You said we would become a clandestine couple behind the scenes, but you also furtively became the honorary chief of the F Regiment.”

Miaomiao: “It’s called infiltrating the enemy’s forces.”

In reality, the school never called Zhou Yuan’s parents for a conference, for he had good academic credentials, so no one could say anything about him.

However, the students still indulged in their gossip, trying to locate some clues about how these two got along so well.

They got along quite well with each other, almost like good friends who didn’t want to be a couple.

Everyone: “…”

Miaomiao didn’t care about their surmises and conjectures, for she had other things to muse about at the moment.

On the other hand, Deng Feng and Jingjing had been a couple for a while now. They even had an entourage of supporters and fans at school.

Immediately after the start of the new school year, their parents were invited to school.

Of course, their parents would be called to school; after all, these two kept kicking up a fuss, for they had no idea how to keep a low profile at school. They went to the dining hall hand in hand every day.

Miaomiao thought it would be strange if their parents weren’t invited to school.

However, the school must’ve become even more enraged after their parents were called.

Jingjing’s and Deng Feng’s parents knew each other; therefore, their parents felt that, since their children had grown up together, it was good that they knew each other well, and they were thrilled about their relationship.

As for the impact on their learning, Deng Feng was a sports student, whereas Jingjing was an art student.

These two good-for-nothings..

Miaomiao couldn’t help but ruffle Jingjing’s head as she commented, “Jingjing. You two…you really really…what happened all those years ago?”

They clung to each other so much after being together for so long.

Jingjing looked at Zhou Yuan, who sat quietly in the corner, and she asked, “What’s the deal between you two? Why are you two so low-key? There’s a girl in our class who wants to pursue Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan raised his head and looked at Miaomiao, “It has nothing to do with me. I don’t know any of the girls in her class.”

Jingjing: “…you two get along for sure.”

Miaomiao: “…” Not as well as you two.

On their way back, Miaomiao held Zhou Yuan’s hand, “What about telling everyone we’re a couple? My mother has no opinion about you. But I do have an opinion about my early love, but since I’m still studying hard, it’s okay I guess. What about your parents? Have you told them?”

Her abrupt questioning stunned Zhou Yuan for a transitory moment, but then he responded, “I didn’t tell them about us yet.”

Miaomiao hummed in understanding. It was normal for them not to tell their parents since they were still very young. 

Zhou Yuan expounded, “I was busy. And they were also busy, so we haven’t contacted each other recently. I also felt that I could handle almost anything by myself; therefore, I can make my own decisions.”

Miaomiao held Zhou Yuan’s hand, “God forbid my child would inherit your traits in the future.”

Zhou Yuan was quite pleased to hear her say that, “You’re already thinking of children. What do you think their names should be?”

Miaomiao glanced at him, “I’ll leave the decision up to you. So, do you want to call your parents or not? It doesn’t have to be about us. You can chat about anything.”

Zhou Yuan: “I have no idea what to talk about, but I’ll try.”

After returning home, Zhou Yuan contacted his father.

“Do you want to come back home for dinner?”

Zhou Yuan pondered for a while, and then he decided to head back home for dinner.

After Miaomiao’s arrival at school the next day, she discovered Zhou Yuan’s absence.

Miaomiao found it strange.

Why didn’t he come to school?

After the end of her first class, she called Zhou Yuan, but he had cut her off, and instead sent her a message, which stated, “I might not be able to go to school today, but I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

How could Miaomiao not be worried when he stated that he couldn’t come to school because of something?

She called Zhou Yuan again, but it was his father who answered, “He had an allergic reaction to mangoes, so he’s recuperating at home.”

Miaomiao…mango allergy…what a familiar image.

When school ended in the afternoon, Miaomiao decided to go see Zhou Yuan, but she was a little worried that he wouldn’t be there.

She had the key to Zhou Yuan’s house. Within a few days of being together, Zhou Yuan gave her the key.

Miaomiao couldn’t comprehend why he had given her the key. She explicated that it was to affirm their relationship.

So, Miaomiao accepted it.

Miaomiao didn’t use the key directly to open the door; it would be awkward if Zhou Yuan’s parents were present when she opened the door with the key.

She rang the doorbell first, but no one answered.

Miaomiao was unsure if Zhou Yuan wasn’t at home. By the same token, she wasn’t sure if he was staying at his parents’ house or if he was asleep in a room alone, so he didn’t hear the ring of the doorbell.

The key squealed into the lock, and she opened the door; then, she pulled out the key. She opened the door and entered; it was quiet inside.

Miaomiao went to the bedroom and saw Zhou Yuan sleeping. His face…was swollen…

His face was still vaguely recognizable. After scrutinizing his face, Miaomiao also came to a realization: fat destroys everything.

At this time, Zhou Yuan opened his eyes and peered out at Miaomiao.

“Why are you here?” he asked with a hoarse voice.

“Why is the swelling so bad?” Miaomiao asked, the distress apparent in her voice, “Did you already take your medicine? Aren’t you aware of your mango allergies?”

Zhou Yuan nodded in assent. When he was eating candy with his brother today, he didn’t notice this until he ate one and realized that it tasted familiar. He also had an allergic reaction to this taste. Even though it was familiar, it was quite savory to his taste buds, so he ignored it.

He only realized what it was when he swallowed it.

And this was the result.

Miaomiao simultaneously found this funny, but distress also found its way into her heart. She was very distressed, so she leaned over and kissed his forehead, “Okay, but remember one thing. If I decide to eat mango in the future, I definitely won’t kiss you.”

Zhou Yuan immediately pulled the quilt over his head. From inside the quilt came a voice, “Then you don’t get to eat any mangoes tomorrow.”

Miaomiao answered, “I didn’t eat any mangoes today either.”

The person under the quilt paused, but he did not remove the quilt from his face. He…saw the swelling on his face, so he didn’t want her to see it anymore.

Miaomiao still had a rufescent tinge of red on her face the next day at school, but considering that they were both at school, they couldn’t allow others to know of what had transpired yesterday.

Of course, she refused to eat any mangoes. To be more apt, she hasn’t enjoyed mangoes since her childhood years.

When Miaomiao arrived into the classroom, there were a few girls surrounding Zhou Yuan at his desk. Everyone worked very hard to reach their third year of high school.

When Miaomiao ensconced herself into her seat, a hand had reached and pulled her, striving to get her attention.

Miaomiao: “…”

“Class president. I solved the question you had asked yesterday. Would you like to listen to the results?” Zhou Yuan exclaimed.

At school, Zhou Yuan had a habit of calling her class president just like everyone else.

Miaomiao: “…Listen.”

Zhou Yuan nonchalantly let go of her hand; then, he took out a notebook and began his explication.

Miaomiao actually didn’t ask anything of him yesterday, since he wasn’t at school. However, the question that Zhou Yuan was explicating to her was indeed the same one she had difficulty understanding.

He should have looked through her workbook.

Miaomiao could never quite understand his ingenuity nor how his train of thinking worked. Zhou Yuan expounded in great detail, and Miaomiao soaked in every detail carefully.

Miaomiao edged a bit closer to him because his voice was lower, and then as soon as she raised her head, she felt something touching her forehead…

Just then…Zhou Yuan kissed her forehead…

A crimson tinge immediately dyed Miaomiao’s face red.

Zhou Yuan asked her solemnly, “So, did you understand the question?”

Miaomiao nodded casually, and then she glanced at her classmates and found that the two of them buried themselves seriously in their book. They didn’t notice what had transpired.

Miaomiao breathed a sigh of relief, but a simultaneously sweet feeling was beginning to fill her heart.

After entering their third year of high school, everyone became very busy. Previously, they could watch movies or indulge in gossiping every week, but now…well, they could still watch movies…

Although it made no difference at this stage, Miaomiao now had to be more strict. People still watched some movies in order to relax, but they were limited to watching children’s films.

Horror, crime, or romance movies weren’t allowed.

Basically, they had officially entered their senior year of high school.

Miaomiao busied herself with filling out student information forms and organizing a photo shoot with everyone.

During their third year of high school, they didn’t take any new courses. All of their class credits were accumulated during their first and second years of high school, whereas the third year of high school was mainly for review.

Still, Miaomiao was a little too busy. Zhou Yuan took the initiative to help finish some of her tasks, which alleviated some of her stress; after all, he worked quite quickly with his assigned tasks.

“Aren’t you working too hard?” It was something she had to complete, and she was a little embarrassed since Zhou Yuan was doing it for her.

“What do you think your boyfriend is for? Do you think I’m just here for decoration?” Zhou Yuan mused, raising his eyebrow.

“From your point of view, what is your girlfriend for?” Miaomiao mouthed, raising her chin and looking at the person next to her.

“To marry.” Zhou Yuan replied.

Miaomiao: “…” His response doesn’t seem to be incorrect.

Miaomiao’s senior year of high school flew by extremely quickly. Miaomiao learned not only school knowledge but also about Zhou Yuan.

After being together with Zhou Yuan for some time, Miaomiao realized that Zhou Yuan was still quite different from what she had envisioned.

He was occasionally naive. For someone without a childhood, his childishness was terribly aggravating.

Miaomiao came with him to the playground; she played some games with him, and she also took him outside to play basketball.

There was nothing that could decelerate the pace of their college entrance exams. But Miaomiao didn’t panic over its coming. Zhou Yuan, of course, didn’t have to take the college entrance examination since he was already a Ph.D. student. His parents intended for him to return to high school so that he could experience a normal high school life and to help assuage his bad mood.

In fact, his parents wanted him to decide on his own whether or not to stay in that high school for a semester or two.

Since they could not resist his request to attend university early, he basically made every decision on his own.

Therefore, Zhou Yuan’s parents originally believed that he would only stay in high school for a single semester, and then he would focus all his efforts on his career.

What was unexpected was that their son actually finished high school. He was even preparing to take the college entrance exam.

Father Zhou was very ecstatic, “Big brother, have you heard the old saying that friendship is like hands and feet, and love is like clothing?”

This circumstance was unusual, for even Zhou Yuan couldn’t guess what he was trying to say.

Father Zhou continued, “Friendship is like the centipede’s hands and feet, and love is like its wintry clothes, right? I think that’s the saying anyways.”

Zhou Yuan finally understood that he was trying to tell a joke. When he was in elementary school, Miaomiao’s friendship could not restrain him, but now Miaomiao’s love has now shackled him down…

Zhou Yuan: “…Dad, don’t be so naive. You’ll always remain my father.”

Father Zhou: “I might be your dad, but I’ll always remain naive.”

Zhou Yuan: “…”

Zhou Yuan finished his test early, so he sat in the exam room, and he had nothing to do. He remembered something that his father had said. He mulled over it and decided that it wasn’t entirely correct. 

I might have chosen that path if I had the chance to choose again.

Even now, he still thought the same way.

When he was young, it was more important for him to experience the outside world and to learn new things.

For now, after experiencing the outside world and expanding the ambit of his knowledge, all he wanted to do was to be by Miaomiao’s side. He wanted to be with her.

After their final exam, no one checked the answers on the Internet. Instead, they contacted the teachers to inform them of their completion, and then everyone headed outside to have dinner together.

Miaomiao, the class president, hosted the dinner party, and they ate together at a buffet.

Her classmates occupied six tables. Although Miaomiao didn’t drink any alcohol at first, several classmates came over to toast, and the emotional toll of their final farewell engulfed everyone.

Just like the teacher said in their final class, “With this goodbye, some people may never see each other again. At least, not during this lifetime. You high school students are very dear to each other, but you may never see each other again.”

Miaomiao only drank one cup, whereas Zhou Yuan drank the rest. Zhou Yuan’s tolerance for alcohol was very good.

The other students all responded with ‘Oh’ for half a day when they heard the two’s answer to their question, “Are you two together?”

Since they had graduated, Miaomiao wasn’t afraid of revealing their relationship, “Yes. We’re together.”

As a result, many toasts were made.

Miaomiao didn’t allow the girls to drink since their drunken stupor and what they might do when inhibited by alcohol did not relieve her one bit.

When they were about to part, everyone cried a lot. It was already night, and Zhou Yuan and Miaomiao were driving to Zhou Yuan’s house by car. Zhou Yuan sat very quietly on his seat.

The moon was lancing its albescent light into the car, which highlighted Zhou Yuan’s face with a lambent sheen of silvery moonlight. When she looked at this scene, Miaomiao realized something; he could possibly be drunk.  

Miaomiao leaned over to tease him, “Are you drunk?”

Miaomiao: “…” He actually said that he’s drunk. So cute.

Immediately afterward, Zhou Yuan edged over and hugged her waist, “Miaomiao, I’m very happy.”

“Huh?” Miaomiao couldn’t help but brush his hair, feeling its softness. He was acting meek like a small child at the moment. 

“Finally, we don’t have to keep our relationship under wraps…”

Zhou Yuan was very obedient and listened to every vagary and whim she had; therefore, she inexplicably felt indebted to him. She couldn’t help but kiss his forehead, “No more keeping it under wraps. I’ll take you to my house when I have time.”

As Zhou Yuan obediently lied down, he commented, “We have to get a home of our own together.”

“We’ll get our own home in the future.” She knew she was young, and she knew that things were always changing, but at this moment, she really wanted to fulfill his request in some way.

“But you have to live with my mom and dad in the future, right?” Growing up, Miaomiao lived with her great-grandmother and grandmother as well.

“Our child will also live with their grandmother in the future.”

Zhou Yuan hummed in assent, “I’ll listen to your every request.” 

Miaomiao: “…” Is he truly drunk? Or is he just pretending? Do people with high IQs act differently when they are in a drunken stupor?

The night treaded onwards. Eventually, the night yielded to the morning, and the morning sun sent golden shafts of light into Zhou Yuan’s room, illuming it with a flavescent sheen of morning sunshine.  

Zhou Yuan woke up with a splitting headache; then, he saw Miaomiao walking in from outside. Then Zhou Yuan realized that…he had no clothes on his body…

Miaomiao was amused by his expression, “Why are you blushing and acting shy?”

“I didn’t do anything last night, did I?”

Miaomiao couldn’t help but feel happy, “Your tofu was eaten* by me last night.”

When he returned home last night, he had to slip into his vestments by himself, but he had difficulty putting on his pajamas; therefore, he had to sleep naked. In the end, Miaomiao eventually sweet-talked him into falling asleep…

Miaomiao teased him on purpose, “Not only that, but you kept saying that if I refuse to marry you, you’ll cry and make a scene…”

Zhou Yuan: “…you little liar.”

Miaomiao leaned over, “I won’t lie to you.”

As soon as she uttered her last word, she looked at Zhou Yuan’s lips, and then she took aim and kissed him.

*To say that someone is “eating tofu,” basically means that they are taking advantage of someone.