The “16” Misunderstanding: A Childhood Sweetheart’s Scheme

The desire for the latest technology can be a persistent itch that refuses to be ignored. For me, that itch was the newly released iPhone 16. However, growing up under the roof of my frugal parents, I knew the chances of them sponsoring such an upgrade were absolute zero. The more I thought about it, the more restless I became.

Impulsively, I opened the chat pinned at the very top of my list. The contact was nicknamed “The Money-Waster,” known to the rest of the world as Gu Jia.

Gu Jia had lived across from me since our kindergarten days. Our families were so close that we were practically one large household, constantly exchanging gifts and food. As a child, I didn’t have many friends, making Gu Jia my most important—and often only—companion. He started out as a quiet, introverted boy who rarely initiated conversation, but over the years, I discovered his true nature: he was a “fake introvert” with a penchant for quiet mischief.

We went to the same schools from primary to high school, and even in university, we were only a street apart. But there was a glaring gap between us. Gu Jia was a top-tier student, a perennial scholarship winner with a wealthy family and a generous allowance. He always had the latest gadgets. I, on the other hand, was perpetually broke, surviving on his “charity”—snacks in primary school, cafeteria meals in high school, and food court dates in university.

I was certain he already had the new phone. I shot him a quick text:

“Do you have 16? Let me play with it.”

His reply was short and disappointing: “Don’t have it.”

Frustrated, I snapped back: “Then what good are you? Go practice more, I’m finding someone else to play with.”

I didn’t wait for his response. I got distracted by a long video call with my friend, Sister Kha, gossiping about university drama and fashion until the late hours of the night. By the time I hung up, it was well past midnight. I threw my snack wrappers away, washed up, and crawled into bed, intending to scroll through my old phone before sleeping.

Suddenly, a strange scratching sound came from the window. My parents were asleep at the other end of the hall. Terrified by thoughts of burglars, I broke into a cold sweat. I looked for my feather duster—my only weapon—but remembered my mom had taken it.

A dark shadow loomed outside the glass, preparing to climb in. In a panic, I grabbed my blanket, intending to pounce on the intruder and scream for help. But the shadow was faster. He dodged my clumsy lunge and pinned me down onto the mattress.

Just as I opened my mouth to scream, a warm hand clamped over it. A familiar, deep voice whispered into my ear, “Don’t scream. It’s me.”

The tension left my body. I shook him off and flicked on the bedside lamp. It was Gu Jia.

“Put some clothes on,” he muttered, his voice dropping an octave as he looked away, his ears turning a bright shade of red. In the scuffle, my pajamas had slipped, exposing my collarbone and a bare shoulder.

“What are you shy for? I’ve seen you without clothes when we were kids,” I grumbled, though I quickly wrapped myself in the duvet. “What are you doing climbing through my window at midnight? This is the second floor! You could have ended up paralyzed.”

“I have 16,” he said, his voice urgent. “Don’t go looking for anyone else.”

My eyes lit up. I forgot my anger instantly. “Then give it to me! Let me play.”

“Play? How?” He looked confused.

“What else? You climbed a wall just to brag that you have 16 and you won’t even let me see it?” I eyed his pockets suspiciously. He was holding a measuring tape in one hand, but his pockets looked empty. I reached out to feel his pocket to see if the phone was hidden there.

He flinched as if struck by lightning, jumping back.

“Are you lying to me? Do you actually have it?” I challenged.

“I have 16,” he said, his expression intensely serious. He handed me the measuring tape. “If you don’t believe me, measure it later.”

I was baffled. Why would I need a measuring tape for a phone? Had the design changed that much?

“Can we… turn off the lights first?” he asked, his voice thick with a strange sincerity.

I didn’t think twice. If playing with the phone required darkness, so be it. I reached over and flicked the switch.

The moment the room went dark, I felt a hand seize mine. Before I could retreat, I was pressed against the cold wall. A wave of heat radiated from his body through my thin clothes. A hand slid around my waist, and suddenly, his lips were on mine.

The atmosphere turned suffocatingly intimate. My mind went blank. The measuring tape hit the floor with a dull thud. My legs felt like jelly, and I began to slide down the wall until he scooped me up and laid me on the bed. He didn’t stop. His kiss became more demanding, leading me into a rhythm I didn’t understand.

Realizing things were spiraling out of control, I found a burst of strength and pushed him back, fumbling for the lamp. The light flooded the room, revealing my flushed face and his hooded, longing eyes.

“Gu Jia! What are you doing? I just wanted to see the iPhone 16!” I yelled, my voice trembling.

He froze. His breath was ragged. “iPhone 16?”

“Yes! I texted you! If you didn’t want to let me play with it, you should have just said so! Why would you steal my first kiss over a phone?”

“You didn’t say anything about a phone,” he hissed, trying to keep his voice down so as not to wake my parents.

“I did!” I pulled up our chat. “Do you have 16?” I looked at the text and bit my lip. Okay, I was missing one word. But still! “Anyone would know I meant the phone! What else comes in 16?”

There was a three-second silence. Then, my eyes drifted down to where his hand was braced beside me, and then further down. My face exploded in heat.

“Gu Jia, you pervert!” I shrieked.

“Susu? Are you still awake?” My mother’s voice came from the hallway.

In a move perfected by years of hiding late-night gaming, I grabbed the blanket and threw it over both of us, shoving Gu Jia’s head down and killing the light. My heart hammered against my ribs. It was the first time I’d ever shared my “hiding spot” with a boy.

His breath hit my chest, making me shiver, but I hissed, “Stay still!”

My mom cracked the door, saw the “lump” in the bed, and quietly closed it. We both exhaled in a rush of relief.

“Get out,” I whispered, pushing him toward the door once I was sure the coast was clear.

I barely slept that night. When I finally drifted off, I dreamed of Gu Jia. He was everywhere, kissing me, asking if I liked him. In my dream, I finally gave in and said yes, only to be kissed even more fervently.

I was woken up by my mother’s voice the next morning, followed by a lout of hair being tucked behind my ear. I opened my eyes to see the man from my dreams standing over my bed.

“You’re awake?” he whispered.

“You again?” I murmured, still half-asleep. I reached up, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him down for a kiss. It felt so real, so soft. I even gave his lip a playful little bite before letting go.

He looked stunned, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Susu… what are you doing?”

“Weren’t you the one who kept asking for kisses all night?” I grumbled, rolling over and burying myself back in the duvet.

“Susu… who am I?” he asked softly.

“Gu Jia… don’t be annoying,” I muffled into the pillow.

He chuckled, a sound of pure warmth. “Sleep a bit more then. I’ll be back.”

Later that day, the “introvert” was in my kitchen, wearing an apron and cooking lunch for me while my parents were out. He claimed he was there to tutor me for my finals. As he explained complex math formulas, I couldn’t help but stare at a tiny red mole on his neck—exactly like the one in my dream.

“Do you like what you see?” he asked suddenly, leaning in. “If we’re together, you can look every day.”

“We’re already together,” I teased, trying to change the subject.

“Susu, you know that’s not what I mean. After what happened that night…”

Weeks passed. Gu Jia played the role of the “doting boyfriend,” even claiming he had “partial amnesia” from a minor car accident to guilt-trip me into staying by his side. He started calling me “Baby” in front of our parents, leading our families to practically start planning a wedding.

The charade ended under a tree on campus after my last exam. He was scolding me for a mistake on my paper. “I told you this would be on the exam! I tutored you on this right after—”

He stopped. I smirked.

“Right after when, Gu Jia? I thought you had amnesia. I thought you didn’t remember tutoring me.”

He turned pale. “I… I didn’t mean to lie. I just saw you hug that junior at the cinema and I couldn’t take it.”

“I was rejecting him!” I laughed, hitting him lightly. “He said I was his first love, it was just a consoling hug.”

Gu Jia looked like a kicked puppy. “So… can I still call you Baby?”

“No,” I said firmly. He looked devastated until I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him properly this time. “But maybe you can call me ‘Wife’ later.”

The wind blew through the trees, carrying the scent of summer. Gu Jia smiled, a bright, genuine radiance that made my heart skip a beat.

“This is the second time you’ve kissed me first,” he whispered, pulling me close until our foreheads touched. “And if the first time was a dream… then I never want to wake up.”