“Wheee…”
Anqing swung gleefully on the swing, Yuting pushing him energetically from behind.
One pushed, the other soared—they were having the time of their lives.
“Anqing, how’s this? I’m pushing you way higher than Jinxia did! I’m super strong—I’ll send you flying!”
Hearing the boy’s joyful cries, Yuting swelled with pride. Her earlier gloom had vanished completely.
Nearby, two other kids were also on the swings.
“Ziqing, you’re so heavy! I can barely push you anymore.”
The round-faced girl pushed the short-haired girl listlessly—her lack of enthusiasm was obvious.
She thought Ziqing was too heavy; pushing her was no fun at all. Pushing Anqing was way better.
“Wanna switch?”
Ziqing barely reacted, tentatively offering the words.
“No need. Let Yuting push you—she’s stronger.”
Watching Anqing and Yuting laugh together, Jinxia suddenly regretted trading her turn with the boy for candy.
“No way! I’m playing with Anqing. You two play yourselves.”
Yuting was having a blast pushing her favorite boy—no chance she’d swap back.
“I… I don’t want your candy anymore. Switch back with me.”
The round-faced girl grew more regretful by the second and bluntly voiced her change of heart.
“The teacher said be honest. Do you wanna be a liar?”
Yuting pulled out the teacher’s words just to keep playing with him.
To them, the teacher’s words were law.
“I… I’m not lying… I just wanna switch back.”
Jinxia’s voice wavered, but she held her ground.
“No.”
Yuting kept pushing Anqing without pause, flatly refusing.
“Switch or not?”
Jinxia puffed her cheeks, adorably pouting in mock anger.
“You two… please don’t fight…”
Noticing his friends arguing again, Anqing—still on the swing—timidly spoke up.
“If you both want Anqing so much, let’s do rock-paper-scissors. Winner plays with him.”
The round-faced girl had stopped pushing; Ziqing hopped off calmly and made the suggestion.
“Agreed.”
Jinxia’s hopeful eyes locked on the swaying boy, already imagining their next game.
“No! Anqing and I are best friends—we *should* play together!”
Yuting rejected it firmly. No rock-paper-scissors for her; she wanted Anqing all to herself.
“Yuting… just do rock-paper-scissors…”
Though he was the prize, Anqing hated seeing them argue. Peaceful resolution? Perfect.
“Anqing… okay, I agree.”
She always listened to him. Reluctantly, she gave in.
“Hmph! Rock-paper-scissors—I’m totally winning!”
The round-faced girl radiated unfounded confidence, hands poised behind her head.
“I’m joining too.”
Ziqing, the proposer, stepped in.
“Let’s go.”
Yuting glanced between the round-faced and short-haired girls, her expression shifting subtly.
“One… two… three…”
The girls huddled and threw their moves.
“Wah… Why did *I* lose?”
Yuting and Ziqing both threw rock. The round-faced girl threw scissors—first out.
“’Cause you’re the dumbest.”
Yuting didn’t hold back.
“Waaah…”
Jinxia felt hit by a critical blow. Tearful, she drew circles in the dirt.
“Jinxia… we’ll play next time.”
Anqing hopped down and knelt beside her.
“Waa… I’m the dumbest… the dumbest…”
She repeated it softly, clearly wounded.
“No! You’re way smarter than me. *I’m* the dumb one… I don’t know anything.”
Anqing fumbled the comfort, trying to lift her spirits.
“Then in rock-paper-scissors, whoever loses is the dumbest kid!”
Jinxia perked up, eager to shed the label.
“Mm, okay.”
Anqing smiled brightly and nodded.
“Wow… you’re kinda messy-looking, but your smile’s really pretty!”
The round-faced girl blurted it out honestly, mesmerized.
(Red marks dotted his cheeks, making him look scruffy—but his smile bloomed like a radiant flower.)
“Mm… then I’ll smile more.”
He brushed off the odd compliment with a gentle laugh.
“Anqing! When you smile, there are two little holes!”
Jinxia stared, fascinated, and gently poked his dimples.
“Hehe, Dad says they’re dimples. They show up when you smile.”
“Oh! Do I have them?”
Jinxia beamed—a round, apple-shaped face with baby-soft cheeks, utterly cute.
But no dimples appeared.
“Looks like you don’t!”
Anqing checked carefully and said so.
“Feel my face—maybe they’ll pop up!”
She guided his hand to her cheek.
Soft. Smooth. Wonderful.
“Still none. Let’s play rock-paper-scissors!”
Anqing tried to pull back, but she held his hand a moment longer.
“Fine! Rock-paper-scissors!”
She reluctantly let go and reset her stance.
Result came fast.
Boy: paper. Jinxia: scissors.
“Yay! Yay! Yay! I’m *not* the dumbest kid anymore!”
Jinxia spun in joyful circles, her white dress fluttering like petals.
“Mm. Jinxia isn’t dumb.”
Anqing stood by, genuinely happy for her.
“Anqing… you’re the dumbest now. Why are *you* smiling?”
Post-celebration, Jinxia blinked in confusion.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Labeled “dumb”? Boys were supposed to cry…
“’Cause Jinxia’s happy… so I’m happy too!”
Anqing didn’t care about “dumb.” Seeing his friend smile again was all that mattered.
