111. Shell Necklace and the Longing for the Sea
“Don’t buy it! If you buy it, buy it secretly, don’t let me know!”
Xia Zhibai stormed into the gift shop, seeing that Ruo Xiaoxi had already bought the gift and was at the counter paying and having it wrapped.
Goodness, she’s playing a lightning war with me here!
Fine, you buy it. Today, let’s see if you can even walk out of this shop’s door properly!
Ruo Xiaoxi took the wrapped gift, giving the cashier a sweet smile of thanks. As she turned, she saw Xia Zhibai behind her, eyes blazing with fury.
Ruo Xiaoxi held the small gift box in her hands. It was just a tiny box.
To be precise, it probably looked like a regular 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube. She didn’t know what was inside, but it was easy to carry, just toss it into her bag.
“Ruo Xiaoxi, if you do this, I’m really going to get angry…”
“Senior Xia, here.”
Xia Zhibai was about to gather her anger, but Ruo Xiaoxi took a light step forward, offering the small gift box in her palm, giving a shy, obedient smile.
Xia Zhibai’s anger dissipated again. She stood stunned. “Wh-what do you mean?”
“It’s a gift I bought for Senior Xia, a shell necklace. Senior Xia, do you remember you once gave me a little conch shell, the kind you can blow into?”
“That conch? Yes, I did give you a gift like that…”
“I remember you also said at the time that every time you buy these gifts, you can only get handicrafts from gift shops, and you really wished you could pick one up yourself at the beach. That would be more meaningful to give to me.”
“Ugh… I think I did say that. How do you remember those words so clearly?” Xia Zhibai lightly scratched her cheek with her slender, jade-like finger. Ruo Xiaoxi was surprisingly meticulous in some areas.
Ruo Xiaoxi held the small gift box higher. “So I’m also giving Senior Xia a shell necklace. When we have the chance, we must go to the beach together and pick up real conch shells and seashells on the sand.”
“Ruo Xiaoxi…” Xia Zhibai reached out and took the gift box from her hand.
Inside was indeed a shell necklace. Ruo Xiaoxi really had bought a gift for her. Then why did she deliberately say it was for Lan Yinuo, trying to annoy her first before showing affection?!
The art of contrast was perfectly mastered by the little green tea.
But it had to be said, Xia Zhibai was a little touched by Ruo Xiaoxi’s words.
Xia Zhibai had been to the beach many times before, on vacations with her parents. But she never really liked playing at the beach because she was always alone. She preferred staying in the apartment and browsing the internet.
She always felt that the beaches she visited lacked the true feeling of the sea, not as beautiful as in stories.
But at this moment, with Ruo Xiaoxi speaking of it, she suddenly felt a longing she had always held. She had never wanted to go to the beach so badly. This girl, whose name carried the essence of water, might just be the dazzling, ephemeral summer she had been searching for.
“Alright, when we have time, let’s go to the beach together.” Xia Zhibai revealed a gentle smile, lovingly stroking Ruo Xiaoxi’s head.
“You actually really want to go to the beach too, don’t you?”
“Yes, I’ve never truly seen what the ocean looks like since I was little.”
“Your name is Ruo Xiaoxi, yet you’ve never even been to the beach?”
“Mmm…” Ruo Xiaoxi lowered her head. This was true. Since she was little, she had only ever been to water parks with her sister. A trip to the beach for a vacation would probably be very expensive.
If Senior Xia could take her, she would want to bring her sister along too. Tianxin also really wanted to see the ocean.
Xia Zhibai always felt inexplicably touched by Ruo Xiaoxi. She thought Ruo Xiaoxi was a little pitiful, not from a wealthy family, and needing to apply for scholarships for school.
As the student council president, Xia Zhibai knew very well that very few students in this school came from difficult financial backgrounds. Scholarships were almost never needed by anyone.
Sometimes there were extra spots, which were usually voluntarily given to girls. These things could be manipulated.
But Ruo Xiaoxi genuinely needed it.
“Let’s go, to the Civil Affairs Bureau!” Xia Zhibai’s nose was a little red.
“Eh? What did Senior Xia say?”
“I’m going to take care of you! Let’s go register our marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau! Right now!” Holding the small gift box, Xia Zhibai grabbed Ruo Xiaoxi’s hand and started to run out.
“Eh eh eh eh!? Wait a minute, calm down, Senior Xia! And two girls can’t register for marriage!”
“Then… then anyway, I’m going to take you to the beach once. How about the next National Day holiday?” What Xia Zhibai said was decided. At that time, she could invite more classmates and friends to go along.
Ruo Xiaoxi nodded blankly, thinking, Is she really going to take me? Senior Xia is truly a gentle girl.
“I’m going to buy you beautiful swimsuits, several sets so you don’t wear the same one every day. And I want you to wear a bikini for me to see, show more!”
“Show more?! What the heck! So Senior Xia is lusting after my body in a swimsuit!”
“I’ve never seen you in a swimsuit! You must be adorable! It’s okay to crave a little, right?!”
From buying the gift, their conversation flowed to talking about going to the beach in the future.
But just as they were about to leave the gift shop, Xia Zhibai seemed not to notice that Ruo Xiaoxi had unknowingly hidden one hand behind her back, leisurely twirling another small gift box with her fingertips.
That’s right, it was the gift for Xiaonuo.
She had secretly conspired with the cashier. First, she took the gift for Senior Xia, then, while Xia Zhibai wasn’t looking, she quietly put her hand behind her back, and the cashier slipped the other gift box into her hand.
Because she cooperated so well with the cashier, Xia Zhibai didn’t notice anything at all.
Originally, she had intended to buy a gift for both of them, as compensation for the birthday gift mishap. Of course, buying two gifts in front of Senior Xia wouldn’t look good, so she secretly hid one.
As they left, Ruo Xiaoxi even made a heart shape with her fingers through the glass window to the cashier.
Although the cashier didn’t know what was going on, since it was a customer’s request, she naturally cooperated. She saw Ruo Xiaoxi’s hand behind her back, still twirling the gift box with her fingertips.
Judging by her demeanor, it was certainly not the first time she had played such little tricks. The cashier couldn’t help but sigh, She really knows how to have fun.
…After handling the scholarship procedures and going to Xia Zhibai’s house to get the camera, Ruo Xiaoxi felt it was quite heavy hanging on her chest, but it looked good quality!
At least, there were no problems with the equipment.
For the next period, Ruo Xiaoxi would have to rack her brain.
What kind of photo or series of photos should she take to break through the competition and defeat the Photography Club, to win first place in the photography competition…?
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