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

In May, Beijing had a hint of summer heat.

The cicadas chirped tirelessly from the top of the old locust tree, and a passionate and restless atmosphere filled the air.

10:00 AM, Grand Hyatt Hotel lobby.

Because it was a free day, Xie Wang finally took off his black windbreaker today.

He changed into a high-quality pure white short-sleeved T-shirt with a loose fit, paired with black wide-leg pants and clean canvas shoes.

This minimalist outfit perfectly accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making him look clean, relaxed, and effortlessly handsome.

He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the lobby, holding the matcha cheese tea he had just bought for Su Qinghe.

"Thank you for your vain."

A familiar voice came from behind me.

Xie Wang turned around, his gaze falling on the newcomer, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes.

Su Qinghe walked over. Today she wasn't wearing her school uniform or her usual stiff shirt; instead, she was wearing a light blue French-style floral tea dress.

The V-neck design reveals her delicate collarbone and slender swan neck, while the skirt hem just falls below the knee, revealing a section of her fair and slender calves.

Her high ponytail, which she always wore, was now down, and her slightly wavy long hair was casually draped over her shoulders, giving her a cool and aloof look with a touch of summer's gentleness and languor.

"What are you looking at? Don't you recognize me?"

When Su Qinghe noticed him staring at her, she subconsciously straightened her skirt, her ears turning slightly red in the cold air.

"without."

Xie Wang's Adam's apple bobbed as he handed her the milk tea.

"I just feel that... Teacher Su's outfit today is more dazzling than the sun outside. I have to wear sunglasses to dare to look at her."

Su Qinghe took the water, gave him a reproachful glare, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes:

"Stop being so cheeky, it's hot outside, let's go."

……

Our first stop was an old alleyway deep within Nanluoguxiang.

Compared to the hustle and bustle outside, the depths of the alley are much quieter.

The old locust tree's massive canopy blocked the scorching sun, casting dappled shadows between the gray walls and blue tiles.

The two walked side by side on the bluestone path.

Xie Wang walked quietly to the outside, blocking not only the occasional passing electric bikes, but also using his tall frame to shield her from the glaring sunlight shining from that side.

"When I was a child, I only saw the hutongs of Beijing in books."

Su Qinghe stepped through the shadows of the trees, his voice becoming much lighter, "The book says that this place holds the soul of this city."

"I don't understand what a soul is."

Xie Wang bought two bottles of "Beibingyang" soda, a specialty of old Beijing, from a roadside shop, inserted straws, and handed one to her:

"All I know is that on such a hot day, I need something cold to keep me going."

Orange-flavored soda, with its bubbling sound, is icy and refreshing.

Su Qinghe took a breath, and most of the summer heat dissipated.

I passed by a small stall selling candied hawthorns.

Although it's summer, the candied hawthorns are now displayed in transparent refrigerated cabinets. The bright red hawthorns and vibrant strawberries are coated in glistening sugar, making them look incredibly tempting.

Su Qinghe's gaze lingered on the transparent cabinet for two seconds, and he slowed his pace slightly.

She was indeed a little tempted by the strawberry, but then she felt that eating a string of candied hawthorns on the street didn't quite fit her usual image, so she looked away and prepared to continue walking.

However, Xie Wang, who was beside him, suddenly stopped.

He strode over, scanned the code, and paid.

"Boss, give me a bunch of strawberries, the biggest one."

A moment later, he returned with the string of crystal-clear candied strawberries and, without saying a word, shoved it into Su Qinghe's hand.

"Take it." Xie Wang's tone was both domineering and natural.

Su Qinghe paused for a moment, holding the bamboo skewer: "I didn't say I wanted to eat..."

"Your eyes are practically glued to your face, and you still haven't said anything?"

Xie Wang raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a knowing smile in his eyes:

"Teacher Su, you don't need to be pretentious in front of me. Eat whatever you want. If you're worried about it sticking to your teeth, I'll hand you water. If you're worried about your hands sticking, I'll wipe them for you."

Looking at the bright red candied hawthorn in his hand, Su Qinghe felt as if his heart was filled with sparkling water, swelling up and sweet.

She stopped being coy, opened her mouth, and gently took a bite of the strawberry at the top.

The thin, crisp sugar coating crumbles between your teeth, and the sweet, sour, and icy strawberry juice bursts in your mouth.

"Is it sweet?" Xie Wang asked.

"Mmm, sweet." Su Qinghe nodded, a smile unconsciously spreading across his face.

Because she was so focused on eating, and because some of the sugar coating had crumbled, a small, glistening piece of sugar stuck to the corner of her lips, making them look especially tempting against her rosy complexion.

Xie Wang's gaze froze.

In that instant, the cicadas' chirping seemed to fade into the distance.

"Don't move."

Xie Wang suddenly spoke, his voice low and hoarse.

Su Qinghe, biting into a candied hawthorn, looked up blankly: "What's wrong?"

Xie Wang remained silent.

He suddenly stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His tall figure instantly loomed over her, enveloping her in a small patch of shadow.

With his slender fingers, he gently wiped away the sugar residue from the corner of her lips.

The fingertip brushed against the delicate lips, sending a tingling electric current through them.

Su Qinghe froze, his breathing momentarily erratic.

She could even smell the pleasant scent of mint soap on Xie Wang, mixed with the aroma of summer sunshine, wafting towards her.

Xie Wang withdrew his hand:

"She eats like a kitten."

Su Qinghe's face instantly turned bright red, and even her neck was tinged with pink.

She glared at him, but her gaze was not menacing; rather, it seemed to convey a sense of unspoken unspoken words.

"Xie Wang! You..."

She wanted to call him a pervert, but she swallowed the words back and could only angrily take a bite of a strawberry to hide her heart pounding in her throat.

Xie Wang was in a great mood when he saw her shy expression.

……

After passing through the alley, the view suddenly opened up.

We've arrived at Shichahai.

The vast lake shimmered with light, and the weeping willows along the shore swayed gently. Occasionally, a breeze would blow by, bringing a touch of coolness from the water.

"Are you tired?" Xie Wang asked.

"A little." Su Qinghe was wearing sandals and had been walking for several hours; her heels were indeed a bit sore.

Xie Wang looked around and waved down a rickshaw decorated with red silk cloth.

"Master, go to Yinding Bridge, ride slowly."

The two got into the back seat.

The rickshaw seats were not spacious, and as the driver started moving, the two inevitably squeezed together.

Summer clothes are thin, and Su Qinghe's arm was pressed tightly against Xie Wang's arm, and he could even clearly feel the warmth of the boy's body under his T-shirt.

"Hold on tight."

Xie Wang seemed afraid that she would be thrown out, so he placed one hand on the back of the chair behind her in a very natural way, forming a half-hug protective posture.

The wind blew Su Qinghe's long hair, and a few strands brushed against Xie Wang's neck, tickling him.

Xie Wang looked down at her.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her face, adding a touch of warmth and humanity to her originally aloof temperament.

"Qinghe".

Xie Wang suddenly spoke, but his voice was carried by the wind and was somewhat indistinct.

"Hmm?" Su Qinghe turned his head, their faces were so close that they could hear each other's breaths.

"if……"

Xie Wang gazed at the shimmering golden surface of the lake in the distance, his Adam's apple bobbing as he toyed with the empty soda bottle cap in his hand, as if casually chatting:

"If you don't win the gold medal this time, will you feel like your trip to Beijing was a waste?"

Su Qinghe was slightly taken aback.

She looked into the boy's dark, deep eyes, where a barely perceptible tension lurked.

She knew what he was thinking. He was wondering if he was good enough, if he could live up to her expectations.

Su Qinghe reached out from under the seat and gently grasped Xie Wang's hand, which was resting on his knee.

Her palms were slightly cool, carrying a calming power.

"Thank you for your vain."

She called his name, her voice gentler than the summer evening breeze:

"Gold medals are very important; they are proof of our strength."

"But for me, the most valuable part of this trip to Beijing wasn't that signboard."

Xie Wang gripped her hand tightly, as if afraid she would run away: "What is that?"

Su Qinghe turned his head, looking at the willow trees receding in front of him, a slight smile playing on his lips:

"You led me this way."

"You made me realize that the breeze at Shichahai is so comfortable, and that the soda in the alley is so delicious."

"It was you who made me feel... that Beijing in the summer wasn't so hot, nor so unfamiliar."

She paused, her voice lowered, but each word was clear:

"As long as you're here, whether we win a gold medal or not, this trip will be worthwhile."

Xie Wang's heart suddenly clenched.

It was a kind of ecstasy of being completely accepted and firmly chosen.

He turned his head to look at the girl's flushed profile, his eyes almost overflowing with love.

He didn't say anything, but instead tightened his grip on her fingers even more under the seat.

Ten fingers connected to the heart.

A thin layer of sweat seeped from their palms, sticky and hot, yet neither of them relaxed.

The rickshaw crossed the Silver Ingot Bridge, its bells ringing crisply.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two people, which eventually overlapped, making them appear as an inseparable whole.

"arrive."

The driver stopped the rickshaw.

Xie Wangxian jumped out of the car first, and then gentlemanly reached out to help Su Qinghe down.

He glanced at the terrace restaurant with the best view not far away, then touched the hard velvet box in his pocket.

"Let's go."

Xie Wang held her hand tightly, showing no intention of letting go.

He looked at Su Qinghe, his eyes gleaming with a light hotter than the setting sun:

"I'll take you out for dinner, and by the way... I have something I want to tell you."

Su Qinghe looked into his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

She sensed something was wrong, but she didn't back down.

She squeezed his hand back and smiled faintly:

"Okay, I'm listening."

A summer evening breeze swept across Shichahai Lake, causing lotus flowers to sway in the wind.

In this vibrant season, some unspoken thoughts are finally about to surface.