Xiao Zhou was sleepwalking.

Chapter 97 The Sweetness and Troubles of First Love

When Qin Tian returned home that evening, he received good news while playing games with his patron, Boss Wang.

Wang Hao’s relative, his aunt, agreed to meet him.

However, as he had requested, it would only be for the duration of a coffee.

It was clear that the other party didn’t take this matter seriously, perhaps agreeing reluctantly at Wang Hao’s request.

Qin Tian didn’t mind this.

Having experienced the ways of the world in his previous life, he knew that besides parents, no one would treat you well without expecting something in return.

The other party was a big boss of a company and a complete stranger; an offer of a coffee’s worth of time was already quite considerate.

Qin Tian expressed his gratitude repeatedly and arranged with Wang Hao that he would head to Jiangcheng the next morning.

“Alright, then message me when you get on the train, and I’ll drive to the station to pick you up.”

“No need, no need. Wang Hao, can you help me find a place? I’ll just take a taxi there.”

“It’s fine, I’m free anyway. We agreed I’d treat you when you came to Jiangcheng, and after your meeting, we’ll head straight to the internet cafe for some games.”

“Okay, then I’ll have to trouble you!”

Qin Tian said with a chuckle.

“What trouble is there? Come on, come on, their jungler seems to be nearby, and that foolish marksman is luring them so aggressively.”

“Haha… alright, I’m coming right over!”

After playing two games, the time reached eleven-thirty.

“It’s getting late, I’m logging off.”

Qin Tian bid farewell to Wang Hao.

“Alright, see you tomorrow then, we’ll contact each other by phone.”

“Okay, okay, logging off.”

“Mhm!”

Then, Qin Tian exited the game and shut down his computer.

After taking a shower and turning off the lights, he lay back on the bed. Qin Tian picked up his phone and sent a message to Xia Nuannuan.

“I have something to do tomorrow and need to take leave to go to Jiangcheng. I won’t be going to school in the morning.”

Thinking that Xia Nuannuan might have already gone to sleep, Qin Tian prepared to put his phone down and sleep after sending the message.

“Ding dong!”

The notification sound for a replied message chimed.

Qin Tian paused for a moment, hurriedly opened the app, and looked closely.

Indeed, it was Xia Nuannuan who had replied.

“Why are you suddenly going to Jiangcheng? What are you doing?”

“Remember those clothing design sketches I drew before? A boss is quite interested, and I’m going to meet him tomorrow to discuss it.”

Qin Tian didn’t hide anything and directly typed out the situation.

“Oh, so how are you going to ask Teacher Li for leave?”

“I’ll discuss it with my mom tomorrow morning, and she can help find a reason to call Teacher Li and ask for leave.”

“Is that so? Will you be back tomorrow then?”

“I don’t know, it depends on the situation!”

“Okay!”

After Xia Nuannuan replied with two words, there was no further response for the time being.

Qin Tian typed quickly, but suddenly felt that typing was a bit troublesome, so he directly made a phone call.

In her pink-themed boudoir, Xia Nuannuan, who was sitting at her desk, flinched, almost dropping her phone onto the table.

She subconsciously glanced towards her mother’s bedroom next door, answered the phone, and brought the phone to her ear, lowering her voice as much as possible.

“Hello?”

“Why aren’t you asleep this late? What are you doing? Cultivating immortality?”

Qin Tian’s magnetic voice came through, with a slight tone of reprimand.

“I’m doing a past college entrance exam paper from another province. I’ll go to sleep as soon as I finish it.”

Xia Nuannuan replied in a soft, sweet voice.

As she spoke, she slipped her small, fair feet out of her cartoon slippers, slowly lifted them, and placed them on the chair’s armrest. She hugged her calves with her left hand, resting her pointed chin on her knees.

“Don’t do it anymore, go to sleep quickly. You can’t push yourself like this. Do you understand work-life balance? You’ll fall asleep in class tomorrow, wouldn’t that be more trouble than it’s worth?”

Qin Tian’s tone was serious.

“I won’t. Don’t you remember who was punished by standing during morning self-study today for dozing off?”

Xia Nuannuan said with a playful smile.

“Alright, you dare to laugh at me?”

“Hehe…”

Xia Nuannuan couldn’t help but giggle, then realized, and quickly covered her mouth with her small hand.

“Alright, I won’t talk to you anymore. Student Xia Nuannuan, Teacher Qin orders you to hang up the phone now and go straight to bed.”

“Hehe…”

Xia Nuannuan laughed even more happily, then pecked her little head in agreement, saying, “Okay, Teacher Qin.”

“Don’t try to play dumb with me!”

“I know, I know!”

“Good, then I’ll hang up. I’m going to sleep too.”

“Mhm mhm, goodnight!”

“Goodnight, you hang up first!”

“Okay!”

Xia Nuannuan smiled sweetly, moved the phone screen closer to her eyes, and hung up the call with reluctance on her face.

This was the first phone call between them since Qin Tian bought a mobile phone yesterday noon, and it was her first time talking on the phone with someone other than her parents.

“He really cares too much.”

Xia Nuannuan pouted her small lips and mumbled, but she still obediently tidied her desk, turned off the light, and got into bed.

She pulled the soft quilt over her head, shrunk herself inside, and rolled around on the wide bed.

Beneath the thin bedding, the girl’s suppressed laughter could be heard.

Fortunately, the room had good soundproofing, otherwise Su Xia, who had already fallen asleep next door, might have been startled awake by her daughter’s sudden and creepy laughter.

After a long while, Xia Nuannuan’s small head emerged from the quilt, her big eyes shining in the darkness.

She picked up her phone, opened it, took a screenshot of her recent call with Qin Tian, and saved it in a specially created album.

After doing this, she turned off the phone screen, cradled the phone in her hands, and placed it over her heart.

“I won’t be able to see him tomorrow…”

Thinking of this, Xia Nuannuan’s mood inexplicably became a little melancholic.

The maiden experiencing her first love was feeling the sweetness and troubles of a nascent romance.

The next morning, while having breakfast with her mother, Qin Tian mentioned that he needed to take leave to go to Jiangcheng.

“Take leave?”

Tang Xiuxia’s delicate eyebrows knitted together, and she looked at her son sitting opposite her with a serious expression, asking, “Why are you going to Jiangcheng?”

“It’s what you know, Mom. That Brother Wang I play games with every day, he has a small business that makes money, and he wants to bring me along. He wants me to meet him to discuss it in detail.”

Qin Tian used the excuse he had prepared, his face not flushing and his heart not skipping a beat.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiuxia’s brows furrowed even tighter, and she questioned, “His business is making money, why would he involve you?”

“Mom, you know Brother Wang’s family is very rich. He’s just playing around with this small business, and he’s bringing me along for the ride.”

“No, you’re just friends who play games together. You’ve never even met him in person. It’s too unsafe to go alone.”

“Mom, it’s really fine, please don’t worry!”

“Stop talking. You’re not allowed to go. And the college entrance exams are coming up soon. What are you messing around with at this critical juncture? Having enough money is fine for now. Let’s finish the exams first.”

“Mom, I’m an adult now. You’ve seen my behavior during this period. Am I the kind of person who acts recklessly without certainty?”

Qin Tian asked solemnly.

Tang Xiuxia fell silent.

“Mom, this matter is really important. If it goes well, your clothing store will have something. Don’t worry, I have a phone now. I’ll call you immediately if anything happens. Is that okay?”

After much persuasion, he finally managed to get his mother to set aside her worries and agree to call the homeroom teacher to ask for leave on his behalf.