I wouldn’t consider myself an obedient child, but I had always stayed far away from these places. Thus, I was especially resistant to entering such places.

  I immediately said, “I don’t like skating! I’d better go home!”


  “No.”


  He put his arm around my shoulder and smiled. “Skating is fun. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll want to do it again!”


  “I haven’t finished my homework! If I start late, I won’t be able to finish it in time!”


  He snatched my bag and threw it to the high school students behind him. “Finish her homework!” he ordered.

  “Wait!”


  I stopped him. “The teacher can tell if the handwriting is different!”


  “I’ll get them to write it with a pencil. When you get back, erase and rewrite it according to the answer. It’ll be quick!”


  “But—”


  “No buts! I’ll treat you to a drink! Just take it as my apology for what happened previously!”


  “Apology?”


  “Uh huh!”


  As Su Qi spoke, he tapped my lips suggestively and smiled meaningfully. “Was it your first kiss that time?”


  When he mentioned this, my face started burning and I turned away from him.

  He leaned in again and lowered his voice to ask, “I wouldn’t be the first boy to kiss you, would I?”


  “No!”


  His expression immediately changed. “No?”


  Then, he said resentfully, “I saw your agitated reaction and thought that was your first kiss.”


  “My first kiss is long gone!”


  “Oh?” Su Qi asked me, intrigued. “So who did you give your first kiss to?”


  “My brother!”


  “Your brother?”


  “Yes!” I nodded. “Yin Dongyu!”


  Su Qi immediately smiled and said disapprovingly, “That doesn’t count!”


  I muttered in confusion, “How is it not counted?”


  “He’s your brother, so he doesn’t count! First kiss refers to the opposite sex other than family. How can kissing your brother count?”


  When I heard that, I became even more unhappy.

  But Su Qi’s smile deepened. “Does that mean I got your first kiss?”


  I said angrily, “If you continue to spout nonsense, I’m really going home!”


  “Fine! Fine!” Su Qi raised his hands in surrender. “I was wrong! I was wrong, great little missy! Come, I’ll teach you how to skate!”


  Even so, there was still a smile at the corners of his mouth. It was as if he had decided that it was our first kiss and it put him in such a good mood!

  I ignored him and looked up at the neon sign. Somehow, I didn’t push him away as he led me in.

  I was curious about skating. I was also curious, what sort of magical places skating rinks were, that made so many parents disapproving of them?

  When we entered the skating rink I saw throngs of people in skates playing freely on the skating grounds. Some of them formed long snaking lines, catching onto the clothes of the person in front of them.

  I scanned the room and noticed a number of guys and girls with weird hair and weird clothes. Especially the ripped jeans, the baggy pants, off-the-shoulder tops, hair that was dyed in a riot of colors, the weird aesthetics made me uncomfortable!

  Su Qi put his arm around me, bought a ticket, and then changed into skates. I found this a novel experience!

  It seemed quite fun!

  When I was young, I was full of curiosity about things I didn’t know about. I would feel inclined to explore and to find out more, I would be curious to experience.