“This tastes pretty good!” After Lu Ke opened all the lunch boxes and spread them across the table, the golden-haired girl lazily lifted a bite, and the flavor bloomed on her tongue like a sudden sunbreak.
“If you like it, that’s enough.” He wrangled the food into order, tossed his bag onto the sofa like loosening a knot, undid a couple buttons at his chest, and sat across from Little Loli.
“Big Bro, how’d school feel today?” Xiao Qianxue looked up as he picked up his chopsticks, curiosity lighting her golden eyes like twin lanterns; she’d never been to college.
“From the vice principal down, a lot of the teachers are family. That’s the feel.” He sighed, mouth twisting, and bent to his meal, as if walking a family courtyard.
“Nice! Doesn’t that make you a mountain lord?” Her eyes glowed brighter, and she leaned in a little, like a cat edging toward milk.
“Am I that kind of guy? Eat.” Lu Ke grinned, set his palm on the golden-haired girl’s head, and eased her back to her seat like a soft cloud settling.
“Hmph, boring…”
—————————————————————————————————
A month slid by like calendar pages drifting off in a quiet breeze.
In that time, the golden-haired girl swept and tidied, watched anime, played games; her days flowed smooth as a lazy stream. Lu Ke ran to school each morning, then at noon and after class he sprinted to buy food and rushed home like a homing swallow to keep Xiao Qianxue company.
Classmates grew curious; after the bell he shot out fastest, and word rustled like leaves that many teachers and chairs were his kin.
Naturally, his popularity in college began to rise, as if sunflowers turning to face him. He dressed in white shirt and slacks, his looks were decent, and his ride was a neat Audi A5; so more than a few girls started to watch.
Lu Ke stayed blind to it all; he listened in class, chatted with relatives when idle, and his heart stayed tied by a red thread to the golden-haired girl waiting at home.
“Maybe change the flavor today. How about bringing a pizza?” He packed his bag like winding kite string, mind circling noon’s menu.
“Lu Ke?” It was the same girl from last time. Since her first attempt fell flat, she kept pressing in like a persistent drizzle, grabbing chances to talk; a few times he gave her a couple minutes.
He had learned her name was Gu Wen; the rest slipped away like sand through fingers.
“Gu Wen, what now?” He slid his bag behind him, clearly primed to leave, while Gu Wen sensed if she didn’t speak now, he’d blow off like wind.
“Um! How about lunch with me today?” She rubbed her hands, impulse and a touch of panic fluttering like a sparrow in her chest.
“Uh… maybe another time. I don’t have time today.” He paused two beats, shook his head, and then, “I’m going.” Lu Ke dashed out like an arrow loosed.
“What the…” Gu Wen craned from the classroom door, watching him shrink down the hall. “Does he already have a girlfriend outside? Is that why he runs off at noon and night to eat with her?” The thought climbed like ivy. “Next chance, I’m checking, so I don’t waste my effort.”
“Good afternoon, Third Uncle!” On the way, Lu Ke hailed a relative, hopped in, and drove home with tires rolling like river stones.
“Big Bro… welcome back.” Every time he opened the door, Little Loli’s sweet voice poured in like top-grade oil into an engine, power flooding him from head to toe.
She happened to be passing the entry: a simple home dress, long fair hair split into twin ponytails by ornate butterfly clips, and a face beautiful and cute, an art piece like porcelain in morning light.
Lu Ke flung his bag onto the sofa and flopped down with his phone, like dropping anchor in a quiet cove.
“Big Bro… what’s for lunch?” She yawned, drowsy as soft snow, and that adorable look made Lu Ke blank for a beat.
“Let’s order some pizza. Rice every day gets old, like chewing the same bread.”
“Ehh, aren’t you a med student? You know that stuff’s bad. Besides, I can boil noodles and jiaozi now. No need to worry.” She took a yogurt and sat quietly beside him; golden twin tails rested symmetrically on her shoulders, big golden eyes studying his profile like a curious fox.
“Once in a while is fine. Be good.” He set his hand on her head and stroked, and with practice he knew the angle that made the little cutie melt like silk under a warm palm.
“Mm… head-pats are… cheating… mm.” Comfort pooled on her crown, and Little Loli’s eyes went hazy, words breaking like soft petals.
“Okay, order done. Want to play a game to pass the time?” He put the phone down and lifted his hand from her hair like peeling back a warm blanket.
“Great idea! Let’s play this today!” Xiao Qianxue deftly pulled the Xbox from the corner and a Halo disc, hands smooth like a magician revealing props.
“Halo? I don’t remember buying this, though I wanted to.” Lu Ke rubbed his chin and examined the disc like a scholar weighing jade.
“I ordered it online yesterday.” She wired up the machine and slid the disc in, motion smooth as moonlight on water.
“Here, Big Bro, you go first.” She handed the controller to Lu Ke, who was leaning into the CG like a moth to a lamp.
“Oh… okay.”
And so, time flew like swallows past the eaves.
“Ding-dong!” The doorbell rang, crisp as a silver bell.
“Xue’er, get the door. I’m about to drop this Elite.” Lu Ke was riding the high, and Little Loli trotted to the door like a fawn, easing it open.
“Hello, your Pizza Hut deli— has arrived!” The delivery guy launched his line, then froze, tongue snagged like a fishhook, as a golden-haired girl peeked out, beauty and cuteness bundled into one.
“Thank you, uncle!” She took the bags, smiled, and closed the door gently, like a petal drifting down.
“Uncle…?” The delivery guy stood at the threshold, mind blank as white paper.
“Big Bro, stop playing. Food’s here!” Little Loli set the bags on the table and lifted each item from the plastic with care, like arranging a small offering.
“Coming!” Seeing the clear stage screen, Lu Ke dropped the controller and drifted to her side like a breeze.
— A few minutes later —
“Xue’er, let’s hit a furniture or decor mall this weekend. Keeping you home a whole month feels cruel.” Lu Ke spoke around a slice of pizza, biting like a hungry wolf, yet his tone warm as tea.
“Hmph, good thing someone noticed.” Luckily, Little Loli was a homebody at heart, so staying in felt right, like a cat napping in a sunlit window.
“Settled then.”
