Chapter 25: Doing These Things Between Girls Is Totally Normal!

At seven in the morning, at the school gate, the plane tree leaves rustled in the wind.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, scattering fragments of gold across the ground.

Today was lecture day. Students from all three grades had to attend.

I stood in the shade of the trees, fingers tugging at the hem of my sailor uniform skirt, pulling and releasing, over and over.

The fabric was soft, already creased from how tightly I had been gripping it.

I had tied my canvas shoe laces three times.

They were already fine; I just did not know where to put my hands.

When I looked down, the skirt swayed.

When I looked up, it felt like someone was watching.

So I chose the middle option.

I stared at the ground, pretending to count the tiles.

“Han Hanhan!”

The sound of a bicycle bell and a shout came at the same time.

Before I could even look up, Xiao Yan had already jumped off her bike.

Two steamed meat buns were sitting in the basket, still giving off heat.

One hand held the handlebar, the other reached out and hooked around my arm.

Her palm pressed against my arm, warm.

“What are you spacing out for?”

She tilted her head at me, her ponytail swaying behind her.

My shoulders stiffened.

“If classmates see… won’t it look strange?”

“What’s strange about it?”

She raised an eyebrow, reached out, and pinched my cheek, her fingertips brushing lightly against it.

“Girls linking arms is totally normal, okay? Have you ever seen girls not linking arms?”

After saying that, she leaned her head directly against my shoulder and rubbed against me, her hair tickling my neck.

“This is normal too.”

She sounded completely confident.

The tips of my ears grew hot.

I did not dare move.

She kept her arm linked with mine as we walked toward the school gate, dragging me along, my steps a little unsteady.

When we passed the security booth, the guard glanced at us, then lowered his head and continued drinking tea.

It really seemed like no one was paying attention.

Xiao Yan’s hand slid from my arm to my elbow, then to my wrist, and finally she intertwined our fingers, giving them a little swing.

“Your hand is shaking,” she said, frowning.

“…I’m nervous.”

“What are you nervous about?”

She tightened her grip slightly and tucked my hand into her coat pocket.

“There. Isn’t that better?”

Inside the pocket, it was warm. Her hand was warm too.

When we walked into the hall, I saw my desk mate glance up at me.

Their gaze lingered on us for a moment, lips curving slightly, then they looked back down.

As if saying, ‘I knew it.’

Xiao Yan stepped in front of me, her hand resting on my waist, pulling me a little closer to her.

I shrank my neck and did not look over again.

Xiao Yan lowered her head and leaned close to my ear, her voice very soft.

“Girls sticking close like this is normal. What’s wrong with blocking them a little?”

Her breath brushed against my ear.

I almost dropped the meat bun in my hand.

During the lecture, the teacher was speaking on stage while I sat below, drowsy.

Suddenly, a paper ball flew from the back, hitting my textbook, bouncing once, then rolling to the edge of the desk.

I unfolded it.

A crooked smiley face, with a line written beside it:

‘Don’t lower your head, or your crown will fall. —Your dear classmate Xiao Yan.’

I stared at the line, unable to stop the corner of my mouth from lifting.

When I looked up, Xiao Yan was already turning back to look at me.

She winked, then quickly turned around again.

I tucked the note into my textbook, right in the middle page.

When the music for break exercises started, I glanced out the window.

The field below was packed with people.

I pulled my head back and leaned against the corridor windowsill.

I did not want to go down.

“Why are you hiding here?”

Xiao Yan appeared out of nowhere, holding two drinks—one cold lemon soda, one warm strawberry milk.

She stuffed the strawberry milk into my hand and opened the cold one for herself, taking a sip.

“Girls should drink this. Warm. It’s better for your stomach.”

I twisted open the cap.

The sweetness of the milk spread, warm and comforting.

“How did you know I like strawberry flavor?”

“Last time you ordered strawberry milk tea. I’ve got a good memory, okay?”

She leaned closer and took a sip from my bottle, her lips touching the opening.

My fingers trembled.

“You!”

“What?”

She licked her lips, completely unapologetic.

“Girls sharing the same bottle is normal. Strawberry tastes pretty good.”

I stared at the trace of moisture she left on the bottle, my ears burning.

During P.E., the teacher let us move freely.

The boys went to play basketball. The girls scattered in small groups.

Xiao Yan grabbed my hand directly, fingers interlocked, and led me to the shaded corner of the field.

“We’ll rest here.”

When we sat down, she did not let go.

She spread my palm open and placed it on her knee, lowering her head to compare.

“Your hands are so small.”

She placed her hand against mine, palm to palm, fingers aligned.

“See? Such a big difference.”

My fingers were shorter by a segment.

Her fingertips extended past mine, pale, with neatly trimmed nails.

I tried to pull back a little, but she would not let me.

She opened my fingers one by one, then pressed them back against hers, perfectly aligned.

“Comparing hand sizes between girls is normal.”

She smiled innocently.

“What are you being shy about?”

I was not shy.

My heart was just beating a little fast.

She took out a strawberry hard candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and instead of handing it to me, brought it directly to my lips.

I opened my mouth and bit it, my teeth brushing her fingertip.

She did not pull back.

Her fingertip lightly brushed against my lower lip before she withdrew.

Then she put the candy wrapper into her own mouth, licking it once.

I lowered my head, sucking on the candy, the strawberry sweetness spreading across my tongue.

My ears felt like they were about to burn.

I did not dare look at her.

When the final bell rang, Xiao Yan was already standing by my desk with her bag packed.

“Let’s go shopping.”

“Huh?”

“What ‘huh’? Come on.”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me up from my chair.

Fangda Plaza was two streets away.

She walked quickly, dragging me along, my skirt fluttering behind in the wind.

“S-slow down—”

“If we slow down, we’ll miss the good stuff!”

She turned back and smiled at me, her ponytail swinging.

The clothing store had a pink storefront, with rows of floral dresses hanging in the display window under warm lighting.

I stood at the entrance, looking at my reflection in the glass.

Sailor uniform, canvas shoes, slightly messy hair.

“Go in,” Xiao Yan nudged me.

“Wait—”

I did not even finish.

She had already dragged me inside.

The store was bright, racks packed tightly with dresses.

Xiao Yan’s eyes lit up like a geologist discovering treasure, weaving through the racks at incredible speed.

“This one’s cute!”

She stuffed a light floral dress into my arms.

“This one too!”

A blue and white pleated skirt.

“This one is a must-buy!”

Another suspender skirt.

Soon my arms were piled so high I could barely hold them.

“It’s too much… the clerk will laugh at me.”

“What’s there to be afraid of?”

She pushed me into the fitting room, leaning against the door.

“Girls shop like this. I’ll stand guard. Who dares laugh at you?”

The curtain closed.

Inside the small space, it was just me and a pile of dresses.

The first one was the floral dress.

Light blue with small white flowers, the hem falling to my knees.

I had slowly gotten used to wearing girls’ clothes, but I still changed slowly before opening the door.

Xiao Yan was leaning against the wall opposite.

Her pupils widened instantly, staring at me for a full five seconds.

She said nothing.

I grew flustered under her gaze.

“Is it not good…”

She walked over and adjusted the bow at my collar.

When her fingers brushed my collarbone, both of us trembled.

She did not pull her hand away.

Her fingers moved down, smoothing the wrinkles of the skirt, brushing past my waist, pausing slightly.

“It suits you perfectly.”

Her voice was soft, her eyes bright.

“Turn around for me.”

I spun once.

The skirt flared like a flower.

“Beautiful,” she said.

The second one was the pleated skirt.

Blue and white, similar to the uniform but shorter, more playful.

I had just changed and opened the door when Xiao Yan slipped inside before I could even look in the mirror.

The fitting room was small.

We stood face to face, shoulders touching, breaths mingling.

“W-why did you come in—”

“To help you.”

She reached behind me, pulling up the zipper, her fingers sliding along my back, stopping at the bow to tie it neatly.

Her hand did not leave.

From behind, she wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her chin on my shoulder, looking at our reflection.

“Beautiful.”

Her lips brushed my earlobe.

“Helping each other change clothes is normal between girls.”

In the mirror, my face was red like a boiled shrimp.

She looked completely calm, even smiling.

The third was the suspender skirt.

Denim, with adjustable straps. I got stuck halfway and had to call her.

“Xiao Yan—”

The curtain opened, and she slipped in, helping fasten the straps.

Then she did not leave.

She looked down at me.

I looked up at her.

Our noses almost touched.

“Your heart is beating so fast.”

Her finger pressed lightly against my chest.

Even through the fabric, I could feel the heat.

“Y-you should go out first!”

“No.”

She pressed me against the mirror, hands on either side, leaning closer.

Forehead against forehead.

Nose brushing nose.

I closed my eyes, my lashes trembling.

Her lips came closer.

Not on my lips.

On my forehead, once.

On my nose, once.

On my left cheek, then right cheek, soft and light.

Finally, she stopped near the corner of my lips and brushed against it.

I opened my eyes.

She was looking at me, something bright in her eyes, the tips of her ears red.

“This…”

My voice was hoarse.

“Is this also normal between girls?”

For once, she did not explain.

I stood there, stunned, my heart about to leap out.

Outside, the clerk’s voice came.

“Do you need any help?”

“No!” we both shouted at the same time.

We looked at each other.

And laughed.

I tugged lightly at her sleeve and whispered,

“Actually… I don’t dislike it.”

She looked at me.

Then pulled me into a hug, holding me briefly.

Her chin rested on my head.

“Got it.”

Her voice was muffled, smiling.

At checkout, Xiao Yan placed all three dresses on the counter.

I saw the total and panicked.

“It’s too expensive… I only need one.”

She had just taken out her card when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

She glanced at the screen, her brows knitting slightly, then quickly relaxing.

She placed the card on the counter without hesitation.

“All three. My Hanhan looks good in anything.”

The clerk handed over the bag with a smile.

Xiao Yan held the bag in one hand, the other hand holding mine, fingers interlocked, swinging.

“Let’s go, girlfriend.”

I froze.

She had already pulled me outside.

Her ears were red, and she walked quickly without looking back.

I stared at the back of her head, her ponytail swaying, the tips of her ears glowing red in the sunlight.

She did not explain what ‘girlfriend’ meant.

Nor did she say it was a joke.

She just kept walking fast.

I followed, my steps unsteady, but I could not suppress my smile.

In the evening, streetlights lit up one by one.

I wore the new floral dress, the hem lifting gently in the wind.

Xiao Yan’s hand rested on my waist, not moving away.

Near the bench at the entrance of the residential complex, I stopped.

Turned to face her.

Stood on tiptoe.

And quickly kissed her cheek.

Xiao Yan froze.

My ears burned red as I whispered,

“This… doesn’t have to be normal between girls.”

She looked at me.

And smiled.

She pulled me into her arms, holding me for a long time.

“Yeah. It doesn’t matter.”

I leaned against her shoulder, watching our overlapping shadows under the streetlight.

So this is how happy being a girl can be.

“This is for you.”

Xiao Yan took out a little rabbit hair tie from her pocket and slipped it onto my wrist.

I looked down.

Soft and fluffy, with upright ears and round eyes.

“Why a rabbit?”

“Because it’s like you.”

She pinched my cheek.

“Soft, and your ears turn red when you’re shy.”

She leaned close, her lips near my ear, her voice very soft.

“And…”

“This little rabbit has been tamed by me. It can’t run away anymore.”

My heart skipped a beat.

At my door, she let go of my hand and stepped back.

“I’ll come get you tomorrow morning. We’ll go to school together.”

“Okay.”

She smiled and turned to leave.

I stood there, watching her back.

Her ponytail swayed under the streetlight, her shadow stretching long.

After a few steps, she suddenly turned around.

“Han Hanhan!”

She ran back.

Held my face and planted a firm kiss on my forehead.

“Good night.”

Then she really ran off.

Fast, her ponytail swinging, the shopping bag bumping against her leg.

I touched my forehead, lying on the bed in a daze.

My whole body felt hot, flushed.

My phone vibrated.

A message from Xiao Yan:

‘I might not be able to go to school tomorrow. Something came up at home.’

My heartbeat suddenly sped up.

I looked down at the little rabbit on my wrist.

Soft, ears upright.

I slipped it onto my finger, spinning it once, then again.

Outside, it was dark.

The streetlight stood alone.

I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

I pulled the rabbit hair tie from under my pillow and spun it around my finger again and again.

My phone lit up.

A class group message.

Then another notification.

Then another.

None from Xiao Yan.

I opened our chat, typed a few words, then deleted them.

In the end, I just sent a little rabbit emoji.

No reply came.

I tucked the rabbit under my pillow and turned over.

The streetlight outside was still on.

The road below was empty.

Tomorrow… she should come, right?