A new week began.
The school’s lights-out was at eleven-thirty. When Shi Sui returned, she went to sleep after washing up.
Early the next morning, she opened the chat box and saw that Yan Tingli had replied to her message in the early hours.
A single number [1], meaningless, probably just indicating he was alive.
Shi Sui thought about the several calls she had wanted to make last night, and pressed the screen off without expression.
Between them, it had always been him controlling all her movements.
She was always hiding and avoiding, seemingly ignoring the fact that when Yan Tingli didn’t want to be found, she actually couldn’t find him at all.
She had full classes in the morning. When Shi Sui and her roommates came out of the teaching building at noon, she received an unexpected call from Song Jie.
Her fingers tightened, her expression momentarily stunned.
“What’s wrong, Suisui?” asked Xue Jing, who was linking arms with her.
Shi Sui looked down at her phone: “You and Anran go to the cafeteria first, I have something to handle.”
“Okay, should we save you a seat?”
Shi Sui waved her hand: “No need, it’s fine.”
She quickly walked away from the crowd to a quiet place and answered the call.
She said formally, “Auntie.”
“Suisui,” Song Jie called her, “are you busy?”
Shi Sui: “Just finished class, not busy.”
Song Jie made an acknowledging sound and casually chatted with her for a few sentences, her voice carrying faint weariness.
Shi Sui didn’t meet Song Jie often, and speaking alone with her could be counted on one hand. Guessing that Song Jie likely had something to say, she proactively asked: “Auntie, are you…?”
“It’s like this, I can’t get through to Tingli’s phone, and my legs aren’t convenient right now. Since you’re at the same school as him, if it’s convenient, could you help me see him and ask him to call me back?”
Shi Sui was stunned: “Auntie, what happened to your leg?”
“Twisted it a bit, nothing serious.” Song Jie seemed unwilling to elaborate, “Is it convenient for you?”
Shi Sui had no reason to refuse: “…Convenient.”
They didn’t have much to chat about. After exchanging pleasantries, they hung up.
Shi Sui looked at her phone, still processing the information from the call.
Yan Tingli wasn’t answering Song Jie’s calls.
Had they fought yesterday?
Shi Sui’s hand paused over Yan Tingli’s chat box.
Suddenly, she had a headache.
Could it be that from Song Jie’s perspective, she and Yan Tingli were close? If Song Jie couldn’t do something, how could she possibly manage it…
Shi Sui sighed, deleting and editing for a long time before finally sending Yan Tingli: [When are you free today?]
He didn’t reply immediately.
That was normal – he was habitually busy and rarely chatted online.
Shi Sui wasn’t free today either; on the contrary, she had classes all day. Just as she was hesitating whether to call directly, thinking about where her afternoon class was, she changed her mind.
They had several professional courses that required computer labs. The School of Cross-Disciplinary Information had top-tier domestic equipment. The Academy of Fine Arts had applied many times before the School of Cross-Disciplinary Information reluctantly approved it.
This semester, Shi Sui’s major was fortunate to experience it here. Although they had already attended classes here several times, she was still inevitably shocked by this golden, gleaming, and extremely futuristic academic building.
As a top domestic science and engineering university, A University naturally allocated increasing funds to these flagship schools, not to mention the huge donations from industry leaders each year.
Although the Academy of Fine Arts was also impressive, compared to this place, it was like the difference between a legitimate son and a concubine’s daughter.
In the evening, Shi Sui finished her last class and came out of the computer room.
The Cross-Disciplinary School building was over twenty stories high, and Shi Sui’s group was on the eleventh floor.
Students coming and going all looked hurried, some still wearing lab coats, others drinking coffee while studying – everyone busy with their own affairs.
The academic atmosphere was so intense that Xue Jing and the other girl didn’t dare make a sound, quietly arriving at the elevator.
Entering the elevator, Shi Sui habitually stood toward the back, taking her phone from her bag. She guessed Yan Tingli should be attending classes here and estimated she could call him out for a meeting.
The elevator descended about two floors.
Suddenly, there was a “ding” sound. The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and a crowd of people stood outside, surging into the elevator.
Shi Sui glanced and stepped back.
Just as she saw Yan Tingli’s reply message, her sleeve was suddenly tugged excitedly by someone.
Turning her head, she saw Xue Jing silently screaming, pointing quietly toward the door with her finger.
Shi Sui followed her gaze.
Her pupils contracted in shock.