At nine in the evening, the video call connected.
As soon as it did, Samia noticed a lingering trace of amusement in her eyes—not joy, but rather the aftertaste of having watched an entertaining drama.
“What happened? Did something interesting happen today?” he asked.
Sitting on her bed, Ruan Chaoxi couldn’t help but laugh. “Miya, you know what? That ‘peacock’ today pulled off something ridiculously over-the-top…”
She began recounting the story with vivid detail, her tone laced with undisguised mockery and derision.
“…He really is quite ‘interesting,’” she concluded, shaking her head. “It’s like watching a reality show.”
When she used the word “interesting,” it was purely from an observer’s perspective, devoid of any personal sentiment. But to Samia, it carried an entirely different meaning.
She had noticed. She was observing.
She found that man’s behavior “interesting.”
His Xixi seemed to have just begun showing the faintest signs of awakening to “romantic feelings,” and now here was a somewhat attractive “specimen” putting on a grand, dramatic display of “pursuit” right before her eyes.
Even though the methods were utterly clumsy, even though she only found it “interesting,” he feared that through this “observation,” she might prematurely define what “pursuit,” “liking,” or even “love” meant.
Panic gripped him once more.
He wanted to tell her that it was nothing more than a low-level display of desire and a game of conquest. He wanted to tell her that real feelings weren’t like that. He wanted to ask, what kind of person… wouldn’t be an “interesting” specimen to you?
But in the end, he didn’t voice any of these questions. He was afraid of hearing an answer he didn’t want, afraid that his own urgency might scare away the delicate, newly emerging sensitivity in her heart.
“It is quite boring,” Samia remarked, his voice steady but with undercurrents swirling deep in his eyes. “That kind of approach isn’t worthy of you.”
He casually shifted the topic, softening his tone further. “You still have a few days of vacation left. Do you want to visit somewhere farther away? Or… is there anything you’d like to eat? Green papaya salad or fish soup rice noodles?”
Carefully, he used the familiar warmth of their bond as a lure, hoping to draw her attention back from that “interesting farce” and into the world that belonged only to them.
Unaware of the turmoil hidden within him, Ruan Chaoxi was instead enticed by the gentleness in his tone and the mention of hometown dishes, stirring both her appetite and nostalgia.
“Ah, that…” Her eyes lit up, and she unconsciously leaned forward. “I was just thinking the other day, there are so many Southeast Asian restaurants in the capital…”
Her attention was indeed diverted, and she began earnestly discussing with him which Southeast Asian restaurants in the capital might have more authentic flavors.
The video call ended amidst casual chatter about lime, lemongrass, and fish sauce, but Samia’s mood grew heavy because of Ruan Chaoxi’s budding—yet potentially misguided—”awakening.”
…
Jiang Yaoci seemed to interpret Ruan Chaoxi’s remark about “more environmentally friendly ways” as reverse psychology, stubbornly believing it was just another form of her “playing hard to get.”
Thus, in the following days of the vacation, his methods became even more “creative” and even more high-profile.Every morning, a neatly dressed delivery guy would appear punctually downstairs of Ruan Chaoxi’s dormitory, holding a breakfast box containing what was claimed to be exquisite Western-style dishes personally prepared by the executive chef of a top-tier hotel, accompanied by the message: “Commissioned by Mr. Jiang, this ‘morning sweetness’ is for Miss Ruan Chaoxi.”
At noon or in the afternoon, Jiang Yaoci would frequently and “coincidentally” appear in places where she might be, then “naturally” invite her for a drink or a meal. Even though he was rejected ten out of ten times by Ruan Chaoxi with reasons like “I have plans” or simply “I don’t want to,” he remained undeterred and even seemed to enjoy it.
The most exaggerated gesture was when Jiang Yaoci somehow acquired the one-day “naming rights” to a century-old ginkgo tree at Jing University. He placed an exquisitely crafted plaque under the tree, engraved with the words: “Today, this tree provides shade and coolness for student Ruan Chaoxi. May she shine as brightly as this ginkgo in the golden autumn.”
Without exception, all these actions were captured and spread wildly among the circles of students staying on campus during the break. Jiang Yaoci’s act of “the infatuated noble son desperately pursuing the mysterious Thai academic genius” became the hottest topic on campus during the holiday.
As a result, Ruan Chaoxi received unprecedented attention, feeling scrutinizing and gossiping eyes wherever she went.
She didn’t mind it much; in fact, she found Jiang Yaoci’s actions to be of greater “research value,” greatly satisfying her curiosity as an “observer.” She even described these recent “new discoveries” in detail during her nightly video calls with Samia.
Although her tone was always teasing, and her expression was often one of watching a circus act, with no signs of being moved or troubled, Samia’s heart sank deeper with each passing day.
Once was interesting—it was observation.
Twice was interesting—it was a sample.
But when she started mentioning it repeatedly, it meant that person was occupying an increasing “presence” in her daily life and thoughts, even if only as an “interesting sample.”
For her, who had just begun to experience the stirrings of emotion, that peacock’s clumsy performance was a negative “emotional education.” Would it make her mistakenly believe that so-called “liking” and “pursuit” were nothing more than these superficial displays?
And would such persistent, high-profile attention one day strike a chord in her newly sprouted heart, causing her to shift from finding it “interesting” to becoming accustomed to it, or even developing a faint sense of appreciation?
He longed for her to awaken emotionally, yet feared she would awaken in the wrong way, toward the wrong person.
His growing possessiveness and panic intertwined, silently gnawing at him during the tranquil nights of the holiday.
Until the last day of the break.
Ruan Chaoxi spent most of the afternoon in the library. When she stepped out, it was no surprise to find Jiang Yaoci waiting under the ginkgo tree once again.
Days of “setbacks” seemed not to have dampened his enthusiasm; instead, they had fueled his desire for conquest to unprecedented heights.
This time, he walked toward her, wearing a carefully adjusted expression of deep affection and confidence. His gaze was fixed intently on her face, as if nothing else around them existed.
“Ruan Chaoxi,” he called out to her, his voice slightly deeper than usual. “The holiday is about to end.”
Ruan Chaoxi stopped and looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue. She was curious about what new pattern this “sample” would display today.”Over these past few days together, even though you’ve always rejected me, I can feel there’s something special between us… a kind of chemistry and attraction.”
He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself, his gaze burning as he looked at her. “Everything I’ve done for you, you must have seen it. I don’t want to just be your senior anymore—I want to be your boyfriend.”
The word “boyfriend” was like a key, gently turning a lock somewhere in Ruan Chaoxi’s heart.
That title had been circling in her mind lately, always intertwined with Samia’s image, bringing shy flutters and confusion.
But hearing it spoken so bluntly and purposefully from Jiang Yaoci’s lips now gave her a strange sense of detachment.
She clearly realized that the “boyfriend” in Jiang Yaoci’s mouth felt more like a social label—a relational contract built on material displays and a desire to conquer. It was a completely different concept from the vague definition of “boyfriend” she held in her heart regarding Samia.
Looking at Jiang Yaoci’s face, filled with anticipation and a sense of inevitability, a thought flashed into Ruan Chaoxi’s mind:
If she observed this “specimen” after labeling him “boyfriend,” how would his behavior patterns change? How would he exercise the “rights” of a boyfriend? And how would he handle her unconventional moves?
Exploring this “specimen” seemed like it could enter a new, more interesting phase!