CHAPTER 33: Sunshine Loudie and Flying Hearts

As Minghao smiled brightly, Jun burst into laughter, tapped his head affectionately, and walked off. Minghao turned his attention back to his phone and messaged Xuanye:

"What are you doing now? Do you have class?"

Xuanye smiled, shaking her head in disbelief at how sweet he sounded. She replied:

"I'm free today. Classes start tomorrow. Right now, we're about to eat dinner."

Minghao breathed out in relief and texted back:

"Okay, Ye~ I'll call you when I'm free. Don't skip your meals, alright? Also... I miss you."

Xuanye kicked her leg into the air and blushed as she replied:

"Minghao, you're really sweet with your words. Even with this distance, you still know how to make me blush."

Minghao froze, reading the message again with wide eyes, flustered and giggling as he leaned into the couch like he'd just won the lottery.

Meanwhile, Nian heard Xuanye laugh out loud and called out from across the dorm,

"Xuanye! Don't break anything while giggling! If you do, you're paying for it! Even the warden here is stricter than Professor Xi!"

Xuanye didn't reply. Nian narrowed her eyes and muttered,

"Who's really in love here, her or me?"

She rolled on her bed, punching her pillow in frustration.

Just then, her phone rang. Without checking the caller ID, Nian picked it up and answered in a grumpy tone,

"Who is it? Are you a scammer? I don't have a single penny to give!"

On the other end, DK stifled a laugh and said in a serious tone,

"Ma'am, I'm just an employee. Would you be interested in buying a loan?"

Nian paused.

"I told you—I already have a loan! Ask someone else!"

DK broke into laughter.

"How can I talk to someone else, leaving my own girlfriend behind?"

Nian froze. She shot up from the bed in shock, brain short-circuiting.

Wait. What?

DK called her name again between laughs, and Nian slowly picked her phone back up like it was a ticking bomb.

"Are you... DK?"

In his cheeky tone, DK replied,

"Nope~ I'm your boyfriend."

Nian smirked.

"So it really is you. Why are you pranking me like this?"

She sighed, still smiling.

"I just wanted to tease you, Nian. But think about it—you threw me earlier today!"

Nian huffed.

"I didn't throw you on purpose!"

"Aww~ you're angry so easily. I was just joking!"

DK chuckled.

"Anyway, what are you doing now?"

"Waiting for someone to call me. But they didn't," she answered in mock annoyance.

DK laughed softly.

"Sorry, I got your number from Xuanye. I realized I never even asked you for it."

Nian tried to stay cool.

"I was busy too! And you didn't give me yours either—did I complain?"

"Haha~ I can't win against you in words," DK admitted. Both laughed.

After a moment, DK said,

"By the way… don't call me DK."

Nian blinked.

"Then what should I call you? Should I use your real name? Or your nicknames like King Arthur, Happy Virus, Weird Man? You've got plenty already."

DK burst into laughter.

"Wow, you really do know all my names! But no—those are already taken. I want you to come up with a name just for me."

"What are you, a baby?" Nian asked, half-amused.

"Come on, Nian~ just one name," DK whined.

After a pause, she giggled and said,

"Okay… Sunshine Loudie."

DK was speechless.

"Wait, wait… what?! Nian, how can you… how can you call me that? If we go on a date, are you gonna yell across the cafe, 'Loudie~'?!"

Nian was flustered.

"You're getting ahead of yourself! Already imagining a date?"

"Of course," DK replied casually.

"Every time I'm free, I'm going to ask you out."

Nian hugged her pillow and smiled to herself.

---

Meanwhile, Minghao replied to Xuanye's earlier message:

"Are you really blushing, Xuanye?"

He added a heart emoji.

Xuanye giggled and wrote,

"Yeah~ I'm not lying. You always know how to make me smile… and give me butterflies."

Minghao smiled at the screen and messaged:

"Xuanye… we'll meet again. If I find the time, I'll come see you. Is that okay?"

There was a pause. Then Xuanye replied with a soft smile,

"Yeah… there's no problem."

Minghao held his phone close, completely red.

Just then, a crash echoed from the other side of the dorm. Xuanye had kicked her table while squealing, knocking over everything she'd kept on it. She bit her tongue in guilt.

Nian, who was still on the phone with DK, glanced over and saw the mess.

"DK," she said, smirking,

"That sound? It's Xuanye. I think she's talking to Minghao. That's why objects are flying."

DK laughed.

"Tell her to calm down! But more importantly—will you come see me?"

"I'll try," Nian replied with a smile.

"Why only try?"

"Because we're in our final year, DK. We have so many projects, assignments, exams… but I'll call and message whenever I can. And you—don't slack off in practice. I'll be watching your performances."

DK grinned.

"Yes, madam! I'll practice hard. And one day, you'll see the results."

He blew her a kiss over the phone before quickly hanging up, too shy to say more.

Nian stared at the screen, stunned.

Her heart raced as she hugged her pillow and chuckled.

"Loudie… you're really naughty."