This was Sheng Xia’s first time sitting next to a male classmate in high school. Back at No. 2 High School, though they had mixed seating too, everyone liked to tease such pairs. She was worried about the same thing happening here.
During breaks, she particularly noticed that there were only three or four mixed-gender desk pairs in the class.
But throughout the day, there were no strange looks or weird teasing. Perhaps the class atmosphere was different – the students here didn’t care much about such things.
She and Zhang Shu got along without incident.
With the book cart occupying space between them, Zhang Shu usually faced outward, one leg casually stretched into the aisle.
Except for being physically closer, it wasn’t much different from when they were separated by an aisle.
Only when she needed to leave during breaks, she had to walk behind Zhang Shu. She couldn’t go without water for even one class period and needed frequent bathroom breaks, so she had to leave almost every break.
And he was almost always facing away from her.
So every time she needed to leave, she had to make some noise or call out to him.
The first time—
Sheng Xia: “Zhang Shu.”
He turned his head to look at her.
Sheng Xia: “I need to go out for a bit.”
He pulled his chair forward.
The second time—
Sheng Xia: “Zhang Shu, I’m going out for a bit.”
Without turning his head, he pulled his chair forward.
The third time—
Sheng Xia: “Zhang Shu, I…” need to go out.
Before she finished speaking, he pulled his chair forward.
Finally, she stopped saying much, just calling his name.
Zhang Shu, Zhang Shu, Zhang Shu…
After hearing the soft-spoken address all day, Hou Junqi couldn’t take it anymore. While Sheng Xia was out getting water, he turned around and raised his eyebrows, asking, “Shu, can you handle this?”
Zhang Shu didn’t look up: “What?”
Hou Junqi lowered his voice: “I think Sheng Xia’s no worse than Chen Mengyao, what do you think?”
Zhang Shu’s pen-spinning hand stopped, his eyelids lifting slightly, “If you like her, pursue her.”
Hou Junqi made a dismissive sound, appearing quite self-aware, “How could I? I’m talking about you!”
Zhang Shu threw a draft notebook at Hou Junqi’s face: “Mind your own business.”
–
Compared to her previous seat by the door, Sheng Xia was very satisfied with her current seat.
Next to the window, she could hear cicadas during the day and the rustling of camphor tree leaves at night.
It would be better if it wasn’t the cleaning supply corner outside – the brooms and mops spoiled the scenery.
Just as she was thinking this, that mop suddenly moved by itself…
Outside was pitch black, and suddenly the rustling leaves didn’t sound so pleasant anymore – the atmosphere became rather eerie.
Sheng Xia remembered the mop head she saw that day. A chill ran down her spine as she quickly pulled the window closed and shifted slightly inward, accidentally bumping her elbow against Zhang Shu.
Zhang Shu turned around to see the girl again almost trembling, her body leaning toward him as if hiding from something outside the window.
He looked up and saw the head crouching outside the window, with the mop head used as cover.
Zhang Shu laughed softly, his long arm reaching past Sheng Xia to open the window.
Sheng Xia quickly grabbed the arm in front of her, “Don’t open it, there’s something unclean out there…”
Zhang Shu: …
Hou Junqi who turned at the sound: …
The “unclean thing” Han Xiao outside the window: …
When Zhang Shu leaned over to open the window, they were already quite close, and now she was still grabbing his arm, her head timidly tucked near his chest, her loose hair brushing against his jaw…
A sweet fragrance entered his nose. Zhang Shu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he kept his forearm still, bent his wrist, and pushed with his fingers to open the window wider, announcing flatly: “It’s already open.”
Then he indifferently withdrew his arm.
Han Xiao mechanically imitated AI: “Miss, sorry to disturb you, I’m looking for Zhang Shu. I just took a shower, so I should be clean enough.”
Hou Junqi clutched his stomach, rolling on the desk, “I’m dying of laughter!”
Sheng Xia turned her head to see a head peeking out from behind the mop – small eyes behind large glasses, not exactly handsome but human.
Not a ghost.
She glanced at the supervising teacher in the main corridor and understood – he was using the mop to hide from the teacher.