Keep My First Kiss Safe For Me - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

After running at night for so many days, Fan Yue hadn’t lost much weight, but many people told her she looked thinner. To verify her progress, she pulled a dress out of her closet that Yu Ya had bought for her last year.

When she tried this dress on at the mall, she had to suck in her breath just to make it fit, but Yu Ya loved the look so much she bought it anyway. It was a white dress encrusted with beads and featured a very puffy skirt—the kind of thing one never has an occasion to wear in daily life.

Fan Yue stripped off her loungewear, slipped into the dress, and zipped it up in one smooth motion! No breath-holding or stomach-sucking required! She really had lost weight! As she was twirling happily in front of the mirror, admiring herself, Fan Shicheng called out to her several times from the living room: “Yue’er! Yue’er! come out here for a second.”

“Coming!” Too lazy to change, Fan Yue opened her door and asked, “What’s up?”

The family of three sitting on the sofa watching TV turned around. Seeing her, they were all stunned. Xie Rong let out an exclamation of praise: “Yue’er, you look so beautiful!”

Fan Shicheng also beamed with pride: “So lovely!”

Fan Yue usually didn’t bother with grooming or dressing up, but her natural features were quite good. Her soft, shoulder-length hair caught a hint of brown in the light, her eyes were big and bright beneath thin brows, and when she smiled, her eyes curved like crescents. With her fair skin and rosy lips, she looked like an exquisite little princess in that dress.

As long as she didn’t open her mouth.

“Stop taking pictures!” Fan Yue roared, pointing at Fan Xinghang. Being stared at so intently had made her self-conscious, and the little chubby boy playing with his dad’s phone had snapped several photos of her. When Fan Yue realized, she lunged to grab the phone, but Fan Xinghang took off running. Fan Shicheng watched from the side, his blood pressure spiking as he shouted, “Watch out for my phone!”

Just then, Xie Yanyan walked out of her room. Fan Xinghang darted behind her, yelling, “Second Sister, save me!”

Fan Yue, her face flushed from running, came to a screeching halt. Fan Xinghang poked his head out and made a face at her. Xie Yanyan looked her up and down from head to toe and teased, “Are you playing cosplay?”

“You’re the one playing!” Fan Yue glared at the “koala” hiding behind her. “Wait until I change my clothes, then I’ll deal with you!” With that, she stomped back to her room.

Having escaped disaster, Fan Xinghang held up the phone to show off, but Xie Yanyan extended her hand and said coldly, “Give it to me.”

Her younger brother obediently handed it over. Xie Yanyan turned around, quickly forwarded those photos to her own phone, and then returned the device to Fan Xinghang as if nothing had happened.

By the time Fan Yue came out in her loungewear, she was much more agile without the restriction of the dress. She quickly subdued the brat, snatched the phone, and deleted the photos.

Once the commotion settled, Fan Shicheng cleared his throat and said, “How about a spring outing tomorrow? The azaleas on the mountain are in bloom.” As he spoke, he showed them photos of spring scenery from someone’s social media feed.

It had been a while since they had gone out, so Fan Yue nodded, and Xie Yanyan had no objections. Seeing them finally agree to his proposal, Fan Shicheng clapped his hands happily: “Great! We’ll set off tomorrow and stay overnight on the mountain to watch the sunrise!”

The next day the weather was exceptionally fine—the spring sun was bright and mountain flowers were in full bloom. Fan Shicheng drove the family to the foot of the mountain and they began the ascent.

Halfway up, the young son gave up. He plopped down on the grass and refused to move, forcing Fan Shicheng and Xie Rong to agree to take him on the cable car. He asked the two sisters, “Will you join us on the cable car?”

Fan Yue waved him off: “I’m not taking it. We’ve barely started; I’m climbing up myself.” She continued forward. Fan Shicheng looked at Xie Yanyan, who also shook her head and walked on.

The mountain wasn’t particularly high, but it was steep and taxing. Fan Yue used to go outdoors often with her father, so she was familiar with the area, experienced in hiking, and fully equipped: a long-sleeved sun-protection shirt, quick-dry pants, a sun hat, hiking boots, and even a trekking pole. She made steady, rapid progress.

Xie Yanyan, however, wasn’t having it so easy. She had only been here once on a school trip as a child, and it wasn’t the difficult route Fan Yue had chosen. After following for a long time, she gradually grew exhausted, but her pride forced her to grit her teeth and persevere.

Slide!

The sound of someone slipping came from behind. Fan Yue turned quickly to see Xie Yanyan fallen at the base of a steep slope. She immediately jumped down and asked anxiously, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Xie Yanyan stood up and tested her ankle.

Fan Yue was still worried: “Did you hurt yourself?”

“No.”

When she had started up the slope, her foot had slipped. Fortunately, she had long limbs and quick reflexes, allowing her to jump down safely.

Fan Yue looked at the ordinary sneakers she was wearing and couldn’t help but blame herself for not reminding her beforehand. “Those shoes aren’t slip-resistant and have poor grip. You shouldn’t have taken this path.”

“Yeah,” Xie Yanyan said quietly, truly exhausted. “You were just walking too fast.”

“Was I?” Fan Yue had been so focused on the climb she hadn’t considered if her sister was keeping up. She set down her backpack and sat on the ground. “Then I’ll slow down in a bit. Shall we rest first?”

Xie Yanyan nodded; she couldn’t walk another step.

Fan Yue pulled out snacks and bread from her bag. Xie Yanyan had only brought a small shoulder bag with nothing in it. Fan Yue smiled: “How did you come prepared with nothing?”

Xie Yanyan replied, “It’s not like an elementary school field trip.”

Hearing this, Fan Yue immediately pulled back the bread she was offering. “Fine, then don’t eat!”

Xie Yanyan was quick, grabbing Fan Yue’s hand and snatching the bread. “I want to eat.” She tore open the package and began munching.

She ate very quickly. It was rare for Fan Yue to see her looking so disheveled. She teased, “Don’t tell me you didn’t even bring water?”

Xie Yanyan swallowed the bread with difficulty; having eaten so fast, she felt like she was choking. She replied stiffly, “I did… I finished it.” She had only brought one bottle of mineral water and had finished it long ago; her throat was now parched.

“Here.” Fan Yue handed over her water bottle. “Drink up.”

Xie Yanyan hesitated: “Will you have enough?”

“Plenty, and we’re almost there anyway. Just drink.” Xie Yanyan took a long gulp. The warm water soothed the dryness in her throat immediately.

Fan Yue ate some high-calorie snacks and drank some water herself. Once finished, she looked at Xie Yanyan: “Rested enough?”

Xie Yanyan nodded, and they stood up together to continue. This time Fan Yue slowed her pace, but Xie Yanyan was still struggling. Eventually, Fan Yue simply grabbed her arm and pulled her all the way to their destination.

At the mountain guesthouse, Fan Shicheng and Xie Rong, who were already rested, were about to take Fan Xinghang out for photos. The two exhausted sisters couldn’t walk another inch and both chose to flop onto the beds like “corpses.”

They didn’t recover until evening. After the family shared a rustic meal at the guesthouse, the two sisters laid on lounge chairs in the courtyard to watch the stars.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, time seemed to slow down. During a normal day, it felt like evening arrived before anything was done, but on the mountain, even after doing so much, there was still plenty of time left at the end of the day.

Fan Yue’s mind wasn’t on the mountain scenery at all. Xie Yanyan watched as she snapped a few photos of the guesthouse and the stars, only to dive back into her phone to chat. Even after they returned to their room and washed up, she wouldn’t put it down.

Feeling completely ignored, Xie Yanyan stared at her for a long time. Fan Yue didn’t notice at all. Finally, Xie Yanyan couldn’t help but speak up: “What do you and that Qi Yunqian have so much to talk about?”

Not noticing the irritation in her voice, Fan Yue replied casually, “Nothing, I’m not talking to her.”

Not talking to her? Xie Yanyan was instantly alert, her voice unintentionally hardening. “Then is it that boy?”

“Huh?” Realizing she had let it slip, Fan Yue tried to laugh it off. “I only chat with Yu Mingxuan occasionally.”

She was indeed messaging Yu Mingxuan. It had to be said that chatting with him was very pleasant; he sent many interesting things and was quite humorous. After talking so much, Fan Yue had started to develop some good feelings for him.

Xie Yanyan sat bolt upright. “Is he chasing you?”

“No,” Fan Yue shook her head quickly. “We’re just ordinary friends.”

“What do you think of him?” Xie Yanyan pressed.

Why are you so gossipy too? Fan Yue thought. She had just made a friend and was chatting with him, and everyone assumed she was in some early-love romance. She looked at Xie Yanyan helplessly: “He’s a good guy, but we’re really just ordinary friends.”

Xie Yanyan’s expression was exceptionally serious. “You don’t like him?”

Fan Yue dropped her phone and begged for mercy: “Please, what’s with all this ‘like’ or ‘dislike’! We’re just chatting casually!” Not wanting to continue the topic, she lay down and pulled the quilt over her head.

If you don’t like him, why such a big reaction? Xie Yanyan looked at the lump under the covers, and for some reason, she began to feel uneasy.

The alarm went off at 4:30 AM. The two washed up quickly and knocked on the door of the room next door. After knocking for a while, Fan Shicheng’s sleep-laden voice came through: “We can’t get up. You two go on ahead.” He didn’t forget to add: “Be careful!”

Hearing this, Fan Yue grumbled, “You were the one who wanted to see the sunrise, and now you can’t even get up!”

Before 5:00 AM, the mountain light had not yet broken. Everything looked as if it were covered by a dusty gray film. The best viewing spot for the sunrise was a short distance from the guesthouse. Walking on the silent mountain path, the two girls stayed close together.

Voices only began to drift toward them as they approached the viewing point. When they reached the top, Fan Yue was stunned by the sight. Twenty or thirty middle-aged men and women had set up DSLRs on the slope, waiting in formation. It was incredibly professional.

The two found a spot on the slope to sit and wait quietly for the sun. The temperature on the mountain in the early morning was very low; white mist dissipated in the air with every breath. Feeling a chill, Fan Yue moved to pull her jacket tighter. Suddenly, a wave of warmth wrapped around her. Xie Yanyan had pulled a large shawl from her bag and draped it over both of them. It was much warmer instantly.

“It’s coming out!”

“Look!”

Click! Click!

The sound of shutters firing rose from behind them. The crowd let out gasps of wonder as a beam of golden light pierced through the clouds. The rising sun shyly revealed a corner, then slowly emerged amidst the crowd’s exclamations, finally spilling its warmth across the land.

“So beautiful,” Fan Yue sighed, watching the sunrise.

Sitting beside her, Xie Yanyan turned her head to look at her, carving the girl’s profile and the rising sun into her heart.