“No, I just thought I’d change my look. That way, you’ll be able to focus more during my class later and not get distracted.”
Chen Yuhe pushed the thin, white-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her apricot eyes curved into smiles.
“That’s what you say, but looking like this makes it even harder for me to focus.”
Ye Zhou showed a hint of confusion. “Wait, you said class? Weren’t you supposed to perform an Acting Spot-check on me?”
“Yeah, is there a difference? If I had to say, the last one was a surprise inspection, while this one is a prepared inspection.”
Chen Yuhe walked over slowly, flipped to the first page of a black notebook, uncapped a red fountain pen, and drew a thick circle around the title.
“Look closely and memorize this. This is what you’ll be tested on later.”
Ye Zhou took it and looked down, puzzled.
[Novice (Rookie) — Couple Kissing Strategy Notes]
1. Start with light pecks as a foundation; press lips together and suck gently. Wait until both parties are relaxed before gently opening your mouth.
2. The tip of the tongue should first lightly touch the other person’s tongue. Do not rush in. Once the other person responds, slowly probe further, gently swirling or sweeping. Keep the intensity light and slow, not rushed.
3. Coordinate with light lip sucking and keep breathing synchronized (don’t hold your breath). You can gently embrace the other person to close the distance. Pay attention to the other person’s reaction throughout the process; if there is any discomfort, stop immediately.
4. Slow down the movements when ending, returning to light kisses to finish, avoiding a sudden interruption.
Must note: Keep your mouth fresh beforehand. No violence, no forcing. Follow the other person’s rhythm. Beginners shouldn’t rush to probe deep to avoid embarrassment or discomfort!
The handwriting was crooked, looking like it had been rushed.
Ye Zhou reflexively flipped to the second page, then the third… until the very last page. They were all blank. As expected, Chen Yuhe had clearly gone through all this trouble just for a single motive.
“Hey! No need to look at the back! That’s where I’ll record future Acting Spot-checks, so there was no need to prepare them now!”
Chen Yuhe’s face flushed. She slammed the black notebook shut, forcing Ye Zhou to only look at the first page.
“If those are Senior Student’s words, then I really have no choice but to believe them.”
Ye Zhou shrugged and smiled. “But this time, the Acting Spot-check is for… uh, couple kissing?”
Chen Yuhe put her hands on her hips and nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Exactly. Is there a problem? Last time I checked your Acting for a Love at First Sight confession. Since you passed that, it’s only natural that we move on. The second check is naturally for a couple’s kiss.”
“But I still don’t think I need to learn this. After all, kissing is something you get better at the more you do it. Does it really need to be taught? I don’t think so,” Ye Zhou countered.
Chen Yuhe frowned slightly. “Are you saying that because you’ve kissed a lot, you’re already very skilled?”
Ye Zhou thought about it seriously. “Of course not.”
Chen Yuhe smiled. “Then isn’t that right? This teaching set is practically tailor-made for you. Besides, do you think Senior Student would harm you?”
Ye Zhou hesitated for a moment. “No.”
“Hey! You hesitated, didn’t you?” Chen Yuhe put one hand on her hip.
Ye Zhou replied without further hesitation, “No!”
Chen Yuhe clapped and laughed. “Good, good. Senior Student would never harm you. Anything I dare to teach you is, needless to say, part of my hidden expertise.”
“Let me tell you something else. Actually, the Vice President is very strict and insists on realism in certain parts of the plot!”
Chen Yuhe acted all mysterious, speaking without a hint of blushing or a racing heart. “So, having more skills is never a burden!”
“I’m not just making empty promises, either. As long as you follow me step by step, I guarantee that in the future, you’ll be able to surpass Jiang Yingxue and Shen Yuzhen!”
Ye Zhou hissed, “Keep your voice down. If they hear us, we’ll definitely be in trouble.”
Chen Yuhe nodded and lowered her voice as well.
“Don’t worry. They aren’t around here right now, which is why I dared to brag like that.”
She blinked her apricot eyes and added, “Anyway, I’ve said what I needed to say. Digest it yourself. I’m going to the bathroom to take care of some personal business. I’ll check your acting results when I get back.”
“Wait, what? We’re starting just like that? Shouldn’t Senior Student teach me once first?” Ye Zhou’s eye twitched. “Actually, you don’t know how to do it either, do you?”
“How-how-how could I not know how to do such simple Acting?” Chen Yuhe stammered. “I-I-I originally wanted to teach you a French Kiss, but since that’s too difficult for you, I chose this instead.”
“Haha… why are you so nervous? I was just joking.”
Ye Zhou scratched his head and smiled. “As a senior, you must be an expert in everything.”
“Little Ye Zhou, who gave you permission to be distracted in class? Teacher is angry. I’m punishing you to stand in the corner and reflect on yourself, hmph!”
With that, Chen Yuhe flicked her long, crimson hair. She came and went as quickly as a fragrant breeze.
—
When Chen Yuhe returned, she had already taken off the thin, white-rimmed glasses. Her lips were red and moist, and she seemed to have touched up her makeup.
“My dear Little Ye Zhou, what kind of cheesy words should I say? I just want to eat you up, eat you up, eat you up.”
“Ah, it’s still not working.”
“I feel like the ambiguous atmosphere between the couple isn’t quite there yet. That is to say, we haven’t reached the point where both parties can kiss…”
Chen Yuhe bit her nail and blinked her apricot eyes, unable to hide a hint of distress.
In front of her, Ye Zhou, who was within arm’s reach, scratched his head and asked, “I think it feels fine. I don’t notice anything wrong.”
“Maybe it’s because I can’t create that atmosphere proactively,” Chen Yuhe said. “After all, I was the proactive one last time. How about you try being proactive this time?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
Ye Zhou agreed.
To him, it didn’t matter who was proactive or passive; he just wanted to finish Chen Yuhe’s Acting Spot-check quickly.
Ye Zhou picked up a bottle of mineral water nearby and rinsed his mouth several times.
Chen Yuhe spat out the Doublemint chewing gum in her mouth and chewed a new piece. She said that if Ye Zhou could take back the gum from her mouth, his acting would be considered passing.
—
“I’ll kiss you, Yuhe. I’m yours completely, your little dog waiting for you. Kiss you, kiss you, and kiss you again.”
Ye Zhou took the initiative to embrace Chen Yuhe, whispering sweet words as his warm breath brushed against her ear. She stiffened for a moment, her fingertips curling slightly, but she didn’t pull away.
He lowered his head and covered her flushing lips—he finally succeeded this time.
The pressure was as light as a brush against flower petals. Chen Yuhe’s eyelashes fluttered, and she reflexively gripped the corner of his shirt. A clean, masculine scent mixed with a faint hint of lime unexpectedly drifted into her nose. Her heart skipped a beat, her body went weak, and thin beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Ye Zhou’s thoughts wavered. The sensation against his lips was sweet and slightly cool, mixed with the refreshing taste of mint, like holding a soft jelly candy in his mouth.
He clearly told himself over and over that this was just Acting, yet his heart still pounded uncontrollably in his chest.
However, he soon noticed something was wrong—when the tip of his tongue tentatively tried to go a step further, it was gently blocked by her teeth. No matter how he tried to maneuver, he couldn’t advance an inch.
‘Senior Student, what are you doing?’
‘How am I supposed to get the gum back and pass if you do this?’