It was quite late last night when Xu Ningqing took Shi Niannian home. If her schoolbag hadn’t been at his place, he would have let her stay overnight and taken her directly to school in the morning.
“Niannian, explain this problem to me quickly!”
After two morning classes, Jiang Ling turned around from her seat and placed a math test paper in front of her.
It was a Tianli 38 practice test.
“Are you going to… find that teacher?”
“Yes, so explain it to me first, then I won’t embarrass myself when I ask him.”
Shi Niannian smiled, looked over the problem, took a piece of scratch paper, and wrote down the basic steps to solve it.
After she finished explaining, Jiang Ling confirmed her understanding and took the paper to Xu Zhilin’s office.
During the long break, everyone gathered to chat.
Shi Niannian’s phone vibrated. She took it out of her pocket—it was a text message from her mother.
It asked her to go to the hospital again in the afternoon to pick up Shi Zhe’s report.
She replied “okay” and put her phone back in her pocket, then picked up her and Jiang Ling’s cups to go outside and fill them with water.
The hot water room was crowded—it was a good place for girls to gather and gossip.
“Have you heard? Cheng Qi announced she’s going to pursue Jiang Wang.”
“Really? With the female school bully and male school bully together, things will get lively around here.”
“Whether she can catch him is another question. My brother who graduated two years ago said that before Jiang Wang stabbed someone, lots of girls chased him, but he never showed interest in anyone.”
“Don’t be stupid. Cheng Qi saying this is just warning others not to be interested in Jiang Wang. Isn’t she always like this? When she dates someone, she’s super high-profile and domineering.”
“Lower your voice,” the girl beside her pulled at her sleeve and whispered, “If Cheng Qi hears you, you’re finished.”
Shi Niannian filled both cups with water and tightened the bottle caps. Her eyelashes trembled slightly at their conversation.
Lost in thought, she walked out without noticing someone beside her.
Jiang Wang walked next to her. Her steps were small, so he had to restrain his stride to keep pace with her.
At the corner, she turned her head and saw Jiang Wang, clutching the water cups as she stepped back.
Jiang Wang curled his lips: “What are you afraid of?”
“Not… afraid.” Shi Niannian continued walking forward.
Jiang Wang was too eye-catching—many people looked their way as they walked.
Shi Niannian buried her head even lower.
“About last night,” he started, then paused.
Shi Niannian waited for a moment before asking: “What… about it?”
“Well,” he laughed lightly, somewhat mischievously, “the bed stuff, you know.”
Jiang Wang was used to being unruly—when guys talked among themselves, they didn’t filter anything. But Shi Niannian couldn’t handle such talk.
Her face reddened, and she glanced sideways. Fortunately, although everyone was watching them, they were far enough away that they shouldn’t have heard Jiang Wang’s comment.
“You’re… crazy,” she angrily cursed.
Jiang Wang was amused by her reaction and swore, “Fuck, little classmate, how come you’re cursing at me?”
Shi Niannian ignored him and walked faster, but Jiang Wang’s legs were much longer than hers, and he could keep up with a normal pace.
Jiang Wang reached out to grab her, but before he could touch her, she slapped his hand away with a loud “smack.”
Quite fierce.
“What did I do to offend you?” Jiang Wang asked with a helpless smile.
Shi Niannian didn’t answer. The gazes around them hadn’t ceased. When Jiang Wang smiled, those looks became more obvious, and whispers reached her ears.
Shi Niannian gently bit her teeth and simply ran toward the classroom.
Jiang Wang watched her retreating figure and licked his lips with a laugh.
He just stood in the hallway. It was the long break after two classes, and he still had his backpack on, clearly having just arrived at school. His laugh rumbled deep from his throat.
Magnetic, with a nasal tone.
Enough to make one’s heart flutter.
When Shi Niannian ran back to the classroom, Jiang Ling had already returned. She placed the cup of water she’d fetched on the corner of Jiang Ling’s desk and noticed her dejected expression.
“Niannian,” Jiang Ling rose from her desk, looking pitifully at her with downturned lips, “I think I’ve been rejected before I even started.”
Shi Niannian was stunned for a moment and glanced at the test paper on her desk. There were several steps written in red pen, not in her handwriting, nor Jiang Ling’s—Xu Zhilin must have taught her how to solve the problem.
“What happened?”
The class bell rang throughout the campus.
Jiang Wang entered the classroom just as the bell rang, with the English teacher following behind him: “Slow down! Go slower! By the time you reach your seat, class will be over!”
Jiang Wang clicked his tongue but had no other reaction.