Ye Xi didn’t let his hard work that month go to waste—burning the midnight oil, pushing himself to the limit.
He probably had a lot of room for improvement, because his rank jumped up by twenty-eight places, exceeding expectations.
Li Rui, next to him, was red with jealousy.
He had only moved up thirteen places. He tried to pass it off to Sheng Yuhe as “thirty reversed,” but all he got was a cold laugh in return.
Not only did Sheng Yuhe refuse to treat him to dinner, he even express-shipped him a copy of Mathematics: 72 Lessons.
“Heaven has no justice,” Li Rui groaned, collapsing dramatically on his desk.
Ye Xi didn’t even have time to console him—Li Rui wasn’t even on his radar right now. He was gleefully packing up his bag and heartlessly waving goodbye.
“I’m off to see Bai-ge!”
He was as happy as a little white dove flying out of the dull gray classroom.
Li Rui watched him leave, his stomach practically aching with resentment.
Seriously, where was the fairness? One guy was off dating his crush on Christmas, while another was stuck crying over test papers in the classroom.
Same humanity, different fate.
……
Ye Xi stood by the school gate waiting for Bai Yue. The back gate was crowded with students, many waiting just like him, or chatting with friends.
It was an unfamiliar feeling.
Usually, only the family chauffeur came to pick him up. His birth parents had never shown up—not even for parent-teacher conferences, which the butler always attended.
But now, he was waiting for Bai Yue.
Ye Xi touched his face. Though he didn’t show much expression, the happiness in his eyes was clear.
He had already told Bai Yue what reward he wanted a few days ago—a Christmas date. Dinner, a movie, and if it got too late, he’d stay at Bai Yue’s place.
Bai Yue had agreed immediately.
But he also gave Ye Xi a curious look. “That’s it? That simple?”
He smiled and said, “You can ask for more if you want. Don’t you have something you want as a Christmas gift?”
Ye Xi shook his head quietly.
“This is enough,” he had said.
He just wanted this one Christmas—with no Zheng Yang, no one else—just him and Bai Yue.
So, when the exam results came out at noon, Ye Xi immediately sent his score sheet to Bai Yue.
Bai Yue replied right away, praising him sincerely for his progress—so sincerely it felt a bit exaggerated, making Ye Xi wonder if he’d accidentally scored top of the grade.
But that didn’t matter.
What mattered was Bai Yue had agreed to meet him after school so they could go to dinner together.
Three minutes later, Ye Xi spotted Bai Yue’s car in the crowded traffic outside the school.
Bai Yue hadn’t brought the Maserati that day. Instead, he was in a bright yellow Lamborghini—extremely eye-catching.
Ye Xi leapt over like a little deer, weaving through the cars blocking the road until he slipped into the vehicle.
Bai Yue stopped the car and let him in.
The moment he got in, Ye Xi was hit by the car’s warm interior.
Bai Yue, seeing his pale face, instinctively reached out and touched his cheek.
“Was it cold outside?” he asked with concern. “Are you dressed warm enough?”
Ye Xi blinked, then shook his head.
“Not cold,” he unzipped his jacket, showing Bai Yue, “I’ve got a sweater underneath.”
Bai Yue glanced over and noticed something different.
Ye Xi wore a blue V-neck sweater, cut just right at the collarbone. Around his neck was an irregular four-pointed star pendant, small and silver, gleaming quietly against his skin, nestled in the dip of his collarbone—so tempting to reach out and play with.
But Ye Xi usually didn’t wear accessories like this.
Bai Yue knew that well.
Throughout all their tutoring sessions, the only accessory Ye Xi ever wore was a dark-colored watch.
He looked away and casually asked while watching traffic,
“That necklace looks nice. I haven’t seen you wear it before—did you just buy it?”
“Hm?”
Ye Xi looked down, took a second to register, then shook his head. “No, my deskmate gave it to me. He bought two and gave me one.”
“Deskmate?” Bai Yue’s eyes cooled slightly, though his voice didn’t change. “That guy named Li Rui? He’s your roommate too, right?”
Ye Xi talked about him often, and Bai Yue vaguely remembered the guy always hanging around him. But since he never really paid attention to anyone except Ye Xi, he hadn’t formed a strong impression.
But now… it felt a little off.
Two matching necklaces—how was that not a couple’s set?
“Yes,” Ye Xi replied cheerfully, completely unaware of the tension in the air. “He’s really nice, and we’re close. I’d love for you to meet him sometime.”
Now that he was more comfortable around Bai Yue, he was no longer so cautious—he even wanted to introduce his friend.
Bai Yue smiled faintly.
“Sure.”
He definitely wanted to meet him.
Christmas traffic was jammed everywhere, but Bai Yue still took a shortcut to reach the hamburger place Ye Xi had been craving.
That night was entirely up to Ye Xi.
Despite Michelin options on the table, Ye Xi insisted on trying the viral roadside burger joint—and naturally, Bai Yue went along with him.
They had really underestimated how enthusiastic young people could be. Despite the shop not being particularly large, a long line stretched out from the entrance, and staff were actively maintaining order.
If it had been before, Bai Yue wouldn’t have bothered to wait even a second. In a city where so many seats were always reserved for him, why would he bother wrestling over a hamburger?
But that day, he obediently stood at the end of the line with Ye Xi.
Ye Xi tiptoed and looked ahead, feeling a bit guilty. He had actually known this place always had long lines—so he made sure to allow for plenty of extra time.
Still, queuing was something that drained patience.
He turned around and tentatively said to Bai Yue, “Maybe we should go somewhere else? Looks like we’ll have to wait quite a while.”
But Bai Yue shook his head.
“We’re already here,” he said with a smile. “It’d be a shame not to give it a try.”
They had only been in line for a little while when Ye Xi let out a small sneeze.
To look good on this date, he had chosen style over warmth. His coat was thin and fitted, offering little protection against the wind. Just a short while ago, he had been talking big, telling Bai Yue he wasn’t cold at all—yet now he felt chilly drafts creeping through his clothes.
Ye Xi thought Bai Yue hadn’t noticed—after all, Bai Yue was looking down and replying to messages. But after he hit the last key, he glanced over.
He naturally reached out, took Ye Xi’s hand, felt the chill of his palm, and without a word, began unwrapping his own scarf.
Ye Xi froze for a moment before realizing what he was doing and quickly tried to refuse. “I don’t need it, Bai-ge, I’m really not that cold…”
But just as he said that, he sneezed again—this time directly at Bai Yue—causing him to quickly cover his mouth in panic.
Bai Yue gently wrapped the scarf around Ye Xi’s neck.
“You’re so stubborn,” he scolded softly. “I was going to say this earlier—this is a wind tunnel area. You may not have noticed it indoors, but it’s different once you’re out here. Your hands are freezing.”
Still, knowing Ye Xi’s temperament, Bai Yue leaned down slightly, just as Ye Xi had earlier, and said with a small smile:
“Look, I’m the one who doesn’t get cold.”
Under his coat, he was wearing a mid-neck black sweater. The scarf had just been for show—loosely draped over his shoulders, never meant for warmth.
Ye Xi pressed his lips together, hesitating for a long moment, before finally accepting it.
Half of his face was now buried in Bai Yue’s scarf. He could smell a faint woody fragrance—same as the one on Bai Yue.
He took a deep breath, and his face started to feel warm again.
Ye Xi glanced around. The streets were lively with the Christmas spirit—couples chatting affectionately, taking selfies together.
He clutched the scarf and, muffled, asked, “Bai-ge… did I take up your date time today? It’s Christmas—there must be lots of girls who wanted to go out with you.”
After a second’s thought, he added, trying not to sound too obvious, “I didn’t really consider that when I invited you out… Am I holding you up?”
He looked at Bai Yue with clear, watery eyes—pure and innocent, like a fawn.
Only he knew the hidden motives behind his words.
Bai Yue shook his head. “No, I wasn’t planning to meet anyone else today.”
It was true. Many people—both men and women—had tried to invite him out. Some had even made their intentions very clear.
But he had turned them all down.
Because the only person he wanted to spend the day with had already invited him.
Bai Yue looked at Ye Xi. After asking the question, Ye Xi had dropped his gaze, looking a little embarrassed, as though sincerely regretting something.
Bai Yue’s lips curved faintly as he asked, “What about you? Didn’t anyone invite you out today? I bet you’re pretty popular at school. Weren’t there girls who wanted to see a movie with you?”
Ye Xi was caught off guard.
If he had to be honest—yes. Someone had slipped a love letter and chocolates into his desk drawer just that morning.
So he hesitated, not wanting to lie. Looking off at a nearby power pole, he said in a small voice, “There were… a few friends invited me to a Christmas party. But I told them I already had plans.”
I already had plans.
Just four simple words, yet capable of turning down any invitation, no matter how big.
Even though he knew Ye Xi didn’t mean anything ambiguous by it, Bai Yue still felt a jolt.
He chuckled softly and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind Ye Xi’s ear.
“Good answer,” he said.
…..
Another hour passed before they were finally let into the restaurant.
During that time, Ye Xi had eaten two chocolate egg tarts and a handful of almonds—all bought by Bai Yue from a shop across the street.
Once inside, Ye Xi’s appetite remained strong. As he looked at the menu on his phone, his eyes darted left and right before settling on a cheese mushroom beef burger combo.
When the meal arrived, Ye Xi snapped a photo—not for any special reason, just to show off to Li Rui.
But after putting down his phone, he stared at the tray, slightly stunned.
“What’s wrong?” Bai Yue asked, noticing his reaction. “Too full already?”
Ye Xi shook his head. “No.”
It was the small apple pie that came with the combo.
It reminded him of the one he had made for Bai Yue long ago.
The same apple pie that was thrown in the trash by Bai Yue’s classmate—mistaken as a prank because it had turned out so badly.
That had also been after Christmas.
He had tried to convince himself over and over that it was fine. Bai Yue had taken him and Zheng Yang out to go skiing—giving him an apple pie to say thanks wasn’t weird. And if Bai Yue found out, he’d just say it was a token of appreciation.
But in the end, the pie ended up in the trash, and Ye Xi never even knew if Bai Yue had seen it.
His mood sank briefly, but when he looked up and saw Bai Yue watching him with concern, it gave him a little courage.
He thought: It’s different now.
Last year, he could only hide in the shadows and secretly watch Bai Yue—too scared to even sign his name on a gift.
But this year, Bai Yue was right beside him, spending Christmas alone with him.
No Zheng Yang.
No dinner with his other friends.
Just the two of them, sitting in a tiny burger shop full of couples.
As if… they were one of those loving, inseparable pairs.
Ye Xi picked up the apple pie and took a bite. The hot apple chunks burst with juice in his mouth. After a moment, he hesitantly looked at Bai Yue and quietly asked, “Bai-ge… do you like apple pie?”
“I do,” Bai Yue replied, not understanding why he asked. “The aunt who looked after me as a kid used to make it often, so I grew fond of it.”
Normally, he didn’t eat sweets—but apple pie was an exception.
Ye Xi gave a small smile and looked out the window at the night. Girls in stylish boots walked by, hand in hand. The jingle of earrings and chains clinked softly. Under a streetlamp, one long-haired girl leaned in and kissed the short-haired girl beside her.
Ye Xi hesitated again, but finally spoke softly, “Actually… last year, I made you an apple pie—to thank you for taking me out for Christmas.”
Bai Yue’s hand, holding the knife, froze.
He searched his memory. “When?”
Ye Xi dropped his gaze and lowered his voice. “A week after Christmas. I heard from Zheng Yang that you liked apple pie, so I asked the cook to teach me. But I… I’m really bad at it. It came out burnt. I secretly put it in your desk drawer, but your classmate thought it was a prank and threw it away.”
Though he said it casually, there was still a trace of sadness in his voice.
Still, he lifted his head and smiled at Bai Yue.
“It’s really not your classmate’s fault. Looking back, I was being ridiculous—it turned out terribly.”
But Bai Yue’s expression had darkened.
Because he remembered that apple pie.
It had been a quiet winter afternoon. A classmate had mentioned someone left something strange in his desk and tossed it out.
He hadn’t thought much of it. Just gave a flat “Mm” and didn’t even glance at it.
It was Zheng Yang who’d gone to check it out, came back and told him it looked like a dessert. Maybe a girl had a crush on him.
“If that was a handmade treat from someone, that’s too sad,” Zheng Yang had said, nudging him. “That girl must be really upset.”
But Bai Yue had brushed it off.
What had he said at the time?
“I don’t need anyone’s affection.”
And now, that unknown, imagined admirer… had turned into the real, flesh-and-blood Ye Xi, sitting quietly across from him.
Ye Xi, who always watched him from a distance, too shy to even sign his name.
The “gift” he hadn’t even glanced at had come from the person he liked.
That realization hit Bai Yue like a boomerang straight through the heart.
He clenched his hands, unable to speak for a long time.
Ye Xi, seeing his expression, got a little scared.
He had never seen Bai Yue look so gloomy—like he was blaming himself.
“Bai-ge… what’s wrong?” he asked, grabbing Bai Yue’s sleeve.
Bai Yue stared at Ye Xi’s hand.
If he could turn back time, he would’ve rushed into the classroom, rescued that apple pie before it landed in the trash, and carefully kept it.
He wouldn’t have cared if it was burnt or tasted strange.
Because it was from Ye Xi.
“…I’m sorry.”
Bai Yue’s voice was quiet, his expression clearly defeated. “I didn’t know you made that…”
His lashes trembled slightly, and for the first time in his life, he felt regret for his arrogance.
“Or rather, even if it had been from anyone… I shouldn’t have treated it so thoughtlessly. I’m really sorry.”
“N-No, it’s okay,” Ye Xi quickly waved his hands. He hadn’t expected Bai Yue to take it so seriously. What he said earlier was really just a small regret he had let slip.
But seeing Bai Yue treat it with such sincerity, that last bit of sourness in Ye Xi’s heart vanished completely.
He thought, How nice.
So, if Bai Yue had known it was from him, he wouldn’t have thrown it in the trash.
That alone was already more than enough.
Ye Xi smiled at Bai Yue. He could see Bai Yue’s remorse and, after hesitating for a moment, still chose to speak.
“Really, it’s fine. I can make you another one. This time I’ll try hard—I won’t burn it.”
Bai Yue was slightly taken aback.
He looked at Ye Xi. Sitting on the high stool, Ye Xi had grown taller since last year and his features had matured. When he smiled now, he looked more handsome and cheerful, no longer shy or evasive in front of him.
“Alright,” Bai Yue said softly.
