Casually! Said a single sentence!
Was it necessary?
A few seconds later.
She watched helplessly as Chi Yao’s door closed in front of her.
Lin Zhexia squatted outside Chi Yao’s door with her homework, refusing to leave.
While squatting, she took out her phone to send Chi Yao messages—
Please let me in orz—
The wind outside is so strong—
I’m so cold
Half a minute later.
Chi Yao replied, reminding her:—
You’re in the hallway—
I mean my heart, it’s drafty—
…
Inside the door.
Chi Yao leaned his back against the door, separated from her by just a door. Seeing this message, he muttered “idiot” under his breath.
Then his fingers paused on the screen, typing a few words: Open the door yourself and come in.
Before he could press send.
He heard new sounds from outside the door.
It was the sound of the neighboring door opening.
An elderly couple lived across the hallway. The old man was probably going out to throw away trash. Having lived here for many years, everyone was quite familiar with each other. Seeing Lin Zhexia, the old man greeted her: “Little Lin, here to see Chi Yao again? Why are you squatting at the door?”
“Grandpa Wang.”
Lin Zhexia’s voice grew considerably louder, deliberately speaking for the person inside to hear: “I’m here to ask about homework questions. This summer vacation, I don’t dare relax for a moment, I insist on doing practice problems every day, and I only have studying on my mind. The reason I’m squatting at the door is because—Chi Yao is too stingy, he’s worried I’ll become smarter than him, surpass him in grades, so he refuses to teach me, keeping me out—” outside.
But the words “outside” never made it out of her mouth.
With a “click.”
The door opened.
Lin Zhexia felt a force behind her, that force grabbing the back of her collar and pulling her inside.
Chi Yao pulled her while saying, “Bring your homework and get in here.”
The cicadas’ songs that August continued enthusiastically from the beginning to the end of the month.
Lin Zhexia’s memories of that summer were of the cool air conditioning in Chi Yao’s home, the fizzing lemon soda on the table, and the stack of homework that gradually thinned as she worked through it.
When she was doing homework, Chi Yao would play games beside her, being annoyingly smug.
He played games with his usual casual attitude, fingers tapping indifferently on the screen. Sometimes when Lin Zhexia glanced his way, she would often catch a prominent “PENTAKILL” notification.
Chi Yao’s desk was very spacious.
More often, he would nap at the other end of the desk.
One hand hanging over the edge of the desk, the other resting on the back of his neck, looking exactly like a student sitting in the back row of a classroom, not paying attention.
More than half of the vacation passed this way, and soon it was nearly time for school to start.
At the dinner table that day.
Lin He brought up the start of school: “School is about to start, so collect your thoughts, adjust your state of mind. High school is a very important stage, understand?”
Lin Zhexia listened, nodding while poking at the rice in her bowl.
“Oh, right, your Uncle Wei bought you some new notebooks too.”
Lin Zhexia quickly said, “Thank you, Uncle Wei.”
Lin He added: “And a new schoolbag. Check if you like it after dinner. New school year, new outlook.”
After dinner, Lin Zhexia sat on the sofa, unwrapping the gifts.
Wei Ping also came to sit nearby.
When Lin He wasn’t around, there was always a bit of awkwardness between her and Wei Ping.
Lin Zhexia broke the silence: “Thank you, Uncle. The schoolbag is very nice, I like it a lot. Would you… Like some water? I can get you some.”
Wei Ping wore glasses, looking honest and refined: “Ah, no need, thank you. Well, I’m glad you like it.”
Wei Ping then said, “Would you like some fruit? I can cut an orange for you.”
Lin Zhexia had just finished eating and declined: “I’m fine too, thank you, Uncle. No need to trouble yourself.”
After some polite exchanges, the conversation quickly ended.