Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

"Hehe, am I the first one caught by Brother Qing Fan?" she lifted her head, her smile innocent and bright.

Xu Qingfan tapped her nose, "Yes, duck, Wanning was the first one I caught."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanning's eyes lit up, seemingly quite surprised.

"Then as a reward, let Brother Qing Fan catch Wanning first!" No sooner had she spoken than Lin Wanning wrapped her arms around his neck and delivered her sweet kiss.

At the same time, unnoticeably to Xu Qingfan, she stealthily closed the wardrobe door with her foot.

"Go Brother Qing Fan, duck!" It was just a peck, and after releasing her hold, Lin Wanning's smile brimmed with cheer as she encouraged him.

On the contrary, Xu Qingfan was left wanting more, furtively glancing behind to make sure no one had seen, before he felt relieved.

He had originally planned to check the other side of the wardrobe, but now, charmed and intelligence short-changed by the encounter, he forgot all about it.

Xu Qingfan pinched Lin Wanning's face: "Stop messing around, I'll go find the others now."

"Mhm! Go Brother Qing Fan, duck!" Lin Wanning pushed Xu Qingfan out of the room and stood at the door, watching him continue upstairs.

After his figure had completely disappeared, she cheerfully turned around and went back into the room.

"Yiyi, Brother Qing Fan has left!"

Zhang Yiyi, having heard the cue, came out of the wardrobe. Quickly, with Lin Wanning's cover, she successfully fled back to the third floor, reaching the spot where Xu Qingfan had just been meditating. This meant they had effectively won the game of hide and seek.

"We won!"

"Brother is so silly!" Zhang Yiyi, too, was tittering with a sealed smile.

"Heehee!"

On the other side.

Having found Wu Lingyu behind the solar water heater on the rooftop, Xu Qingfan quickly located Xia Xiaoxiao, who was hiding in a nook in the living room on the first floor.

After searching for another seven or eight minutes without finding Xiao Ruawen, he had to admit defeat. And then Xiao Ruawen descended from right above his head.

From ancient times, 'CTs fail to look up', so it turns out Xiao Ruawen had climbed up a tree.

"Did you really have to go that far? I was wondering why Little White was tied in front of the door, it was to prevent giving away your hiding spot!" Xu Qingfan said, annoyed.

"Hey~ anyway, you lost, Brother Fan!" Xiao Ruawen boasted, shaking her shoulders triumphantly.

Xu Qingfan glared at her and then turned around to play Rock-Paper-Scissors again.

Zhang Yiyi and Xiao Ruawen hadn't been caught this round, so he had to play Rock-Paper-Scissors with Lin Wanning, Xia Xiaoxiao, and Wu Lingyu; the loser would be 'it' for the next round.

Xu Qingfan threw rock, while the three of them all threw paper.

"Damn, why is it me again!" He looked down at his fist in speechless frustration.

"Hahaha just go catch them, Brother Fan!"

"Quick, run!"

He wasn't really speechless, of course. Xu Qingfan was still thinking about the kiss Lin Wanning had just given him; if he caught her again, he definitely wouldn't let her off so easily!

[She's always so reckless, isn't she afraid of getting caught?]

"Sixty, fifty-nine!" he began the countdown, leaning on the tree.

The five girls exchanged looks and smiled. Except for Lin Wanning, who chose a hidden corner in the yard, the rest ran into the house to hide.

Lin Wanning looked up, saw no windows above, and knew she didn't have to worry about being seen; she just needed to wait quietly for Xu Qingfan to come.

In the yard, there was only one starfruit tree suitable for hiding. Lin Wanning hiding there clearly indicated she was giving herself away for free.

Zhang Yiyi chose the same wardrobe as before, evidently planning to replicate Lin Wanning's scene.

Xiao Ruawen and Xia Xiaoxiao bribed Yao Zixin with snacks to hide together on the second-floor balcony.

Wu Lingyu, not having much of a competitive spirit, still hid at the same spot on the rooftop, making sure Xu Qingfan would be able to find her.

From this angle, looking downstairs, she could see Xu Qingfan methodically searching the yard.

Remembering that Lin Wanning was hiding in the yard and about to be caught first, Wu Lingyu couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

Soon, after Xu Qingfan finished scouting the east side of the yard, he began searching the west side.

Wu Lingyu, anticipating his movements, moved to another corner of the rooftop ahead of time and instantly spotted Lin Wanning in the corner.

She lay leisurely on the railing, watching the show, as Xu Qingfan's steps drew nearer, and Lin Wanning rose from her crouching position to stand.

"Wow!"

The next second, Lin Wanning jumped out from around the corner and gave Xu Qingfan a scare.

"Ah~"

"Hehe~ Brother Qing Fan, are you surprised?" Lin Wanning was proud of herself for being able to give Xu Qingfan a scare.

"Naughty again!" Xu Qingfan stretched out his hand to pinch her face.

"Oooh~" Lin Wanning pressed her hands together in prayer, looking pitifully pleading.

"Pfft." Although Wu Lingyu couldn't hear what they were saying, the sight of the scene below made her lips curve upward in laughter.

The streetlamp outside the courtyard was taller than the wall, casting the two below in clear illumination.

Wu Lingyu propped her cheeks in her hands, quietly enjoying the show.

[Later, I'll scare Brother Fan just like that!]

In her mind, she fantasized about her sweet interaction with Xu Qingfan that was about to happen.

[Just like Wanning, I'll give Brother Fan a scare, then hug his neck... and then... and then!!!]

Wu Lingyu's thoughts were abruptly cut off by the sight that unfolded before her, leaving her dumbstruck.

"Brother Qing Fan caught Wanning again, his reward is a kiss!"

Lin Wanning pulled Xu Qingfan back to the corner, and then things that were not suitable for children followed.

Time ticked away slowly, and Wu Lingyu didn't know how long had passed—it felt like half a century—before the two at her feet finally separated from one another.

She witnessed Xu Qingfan go from being passive to taking the initiative, from reluctance to eagerly exploring.

Xu Qingfan suddenly made a move to look up, and she backed away in fright, falling squarely on her butt with a solid thud.

"Wuu wuu~"

"What's wrong, Brother Qing Fan?" Seeing him look up, Lin Wanning also looked upward.

Xu Qingfan shook his head, helping to arrange the bangs on her forehead, "The moon is really beautiful tonight."

Lin Wanning blushed, lowering her gaze, "Mhmm!"

Seeing Lin Wanning's expression, he couldn't help but smile softly. After looking up in the direction of the rooftop again, he ruffled the girl's head saying, "Don't be so reckless in the future, it's no good if someone sees."

"There are no windows up there, no one will see!" Lin Wanning looked up again, her nose wrinkling cutely.

"Alright, I'm going to catch the others now." He affectionately scraped her nose.

"Yeah, go for it, Brother Qing Fan!" Lin Wanning's eyes curved into a smile, watching as Xu Qingfan left.

Wu Lingyu finally came to her senses, and when she peered downstairs again, only Lin Wanning with her overflowing smile remained.

Wu Lingyu felt a hollow feeling inside, exceptionally uncomfortable.

[So Brother Fan and Wanning are in love... Wanning is so great, Brother Fan must really like her. If I were a boy, I'd like Wanning too...]

[But... I like Brother Fan too...]

...

The rooftop.

After being delayed by Zhang Yiyi, Xu Qingfan found Wu Lingyu half an hour later.

"Haha, Yu, you're hiding here again!"

Yu was squatting in a corner, and Xu Qingfan rubbed her head with both hands.

"Mhm, Brother Fan." Wu Lingyu stood up from the ground, her smile uglier than a cry.

The lighting on the rooftop was poor, so Xu Qingfan didn't notice her state, "Xiao Xiao and Ruan Wen haven't been found yet. Go downstairs to enjoy the air conditioning, I'll catch them both in no time!"

Xu Qingfan took her hand to leave, and Wu Lingyu obediently let him lead her.

"Mhm..."

"Brother Fan!"

Just before they stepped off the rooftop, Wu Lingyu suddenly called out his name loudly.

"What's..."

Before he could finish his question, Wu Lingyu had already firmly crashed into his embrace, tightly hugging his waist.

Xu Qingfan was slightly stunned; Yu was normally not like this. He immediately asked with concern, "What's wrong, Yu? If there's something, just tell me, I'm sure I can solve it."

However, Wu Lingyu didn't respond to him, instead burying her face in his neck, inhaling deeply the scent of his body.

[It turns out, there are things that Brother Fan can't solve...]

...