The afternoon classes always seemed to pass faster than the morning ones, especially the last period.
The entire class grew restless.
Unfortunately, the teachers weren’t so easily swayed by everyone’s wishes.
Five minutes before dismissal, the class representatives from each subject went to the office and came back carrying stacks of test papers.
“Damn! So many papers again?”
“This is so annoying!”
“Gotta get up early again tomorrow…”
These were the voices from the front rows, chattering incessantly.
The back rows were much more ‘harmonious’:
“Wanna hit the internet café after school?”
“No problem, my parents are working late tonight, so I can play for two hours…”
“I’m playing Yasuo!” Li Shuaishuai struck a stabbing pose, “Hasaki!”
When the dismissal bell rang, it was like opening the gate to a sheep pen—the herd scattered wildly, rushing toward the freedom of the big open field.
Within just a minute, only a handful of students remained in the classroom.
“Lin Ci, shall we go then~?”
“Bye-bye.”
“Shen Xiyan, take good care of the class monitor, okay?”
“Mm.”
Lin Ci nervously fidgeted even with her toes.
See, everyone had already assumed that Shen Xiyan was taking care of her.
As she bent over to pack her bag, her gaze fixed on her toes, but her ears were sharp, tuned in to every conversation around her, listening carefully for any gossip about her and Shen Xiyan.
For someone as always well-behaved as her, it was both embarrassing and a little exciting.
But she also knew very clearly—if the target of their teasing wasn’t her, but Shen Xiyan and Qin Sheng, she’d probably feel terrible just like before!
“Give me your bag.”
Lin Ci was already small, well… at least she looked very petite standing next to Shen Xiyan.
The schoolbag she carried to school and the one she took home were two completely different things.
On top of that, today she was wearing a long skirt; the straps dug into her shoulders, making the bag look like a heavy shell.
“No need.”
Her voice was low and quiet, mostly because she was too shy and embarrassed at the thought of her classmates possibly misunderstanding.
“Give it here. Is your period still bothering you? You’ve been so distracted all afternoon. Why don’t you find a stone to sit on for a bit?”
Shen Xiyan grabbed the shoulder straps of her backpack and took it off her slender shoulders.
Her dress collar lifted slightly, revealing extremely fair skin and a delicate collarbone.
“It’s heavy.”
“Then don’t carry so much. Your bag’s the heaviest among the girls in our class. Some stuff you clearly don’t even use, but you still insist on carrying it around…”
Nowadays, many just left their textbooks at school since they never reviewed them anyway.
At most, they brought home some homework, which they either copied from photos sent in the group chat at night if they had Wi-Fi, or hurriedly copied the next morning.
“I’m the class monitor… of course I have to set an example. Who else do you think I am, like Qin Sheng? She just carries a makeup bag to school.”
“Why do you sound so jealous?”
“No way!” Lin Ci was pricked in her heart and poked him angrily.
She really did think Qin Sheng was much more ‘carefree,’ totally unlike them ‘boring’ high school students.
“Let’s go, let’s go~”
Shen Xiyan, also wearing a backpack, slung hers over his chest as well, which made him look bulky.
Lin Ci felt much lighter, lazily looking around as she walked. The setting sun shone on her pure white dress, making it look soft and delicate.
Her hair fell over her shoulders, creating a lovely halo in the light. The long exposure to the sun had turned her cheeks a faint pink, and the wind lifting her skirt added a sense of lightness.
A girl so pure white naturally attracted the eyes of passersby, as if they wanted to soil her.
“Is it heavy?”
Shen Xiyan chuckled lightly and said, “Not heavy… If you carried that bag, I could even carry you like a princess. Believe it or not?”
“Hmph! I don’t believe it! Where would you get that kind of strength?”
“Wanna try?”
The ‘princess carry’ wasn’t just romantic, it was also effortless—as long as the girl cooperated, the boy could easily pick her up and even spin her around twice… but never mind, no use explaining, since no one here would ever do that.
Including the ‘train lunch box’ thing—everyone was basically a musclebound beast under the influence of hormones.
“No way!”
Hearing his casual reply and slightly flirtatious look, the modest girl felt a bit guilty.
“If the girl next door could carry a backpack during her speech, there’d be a standing ovation! High school backpacks can totally be used as bulletproof vests.”
“What are you saying?” Lin Ci rolled her eyes at him, her steps light and carefree.
She really enjoyed being cared for like this.
The last time someone helped her carry a bag was probably back in elementary school, when her dad was overly worried the bag was too heavy and would stunt her growth.
“If it weren’t for Qin Sheng, someone would definitely misunderstand us as a couple now…” Lin Ci muttered.
“Don’t worry, the rumors about Qin Sheng and me have always been so mysterious that people might even think it’s a misunderstanding. Actually, it’s not. When the time comes, I’ll clear things up and tell everyone there’s no misunderstanding.”
“???”
A little anger and maybe a bit of shyness made Lin Ci’s cheeks even redder. Despite the crowd at the school gate, she instinctively raised her small palm and playfully hit him, hit him, and hit him again.
“Hahaha, stop, stop.”
Boys really are born to be mischievous, and Shen Xiyan was no exception.
Even though she was hitting him, he didn’t feel much pain—it was kind of pleasant.
Plus, since he had to support Lin Ci, he shrugged his shoulders, dodging her hits. This little couple-like playful scene attracted quite a few onlookers.
Coming to her senses, Lin Ci realized and nearly forgot they were still in public.
The shy girl lowered her eyes, embarrassed to meet others’ gazes.
Annoying! Didn’t Miss Lin Ci have any shame?
Afterward, they found Wenwen obediently waiting at the school entrance.
Because of what happened with Qin Ge earlier, she was quite well-behaved now—not wandering off after school but staying by the security office.
Walking toward the neighborhood entrance, Shen Xiyan handed Lin Ci’s bag back to her, then slung his own over Wenwen’s chest and said, “Wenwen, you escort Lin Ci home.”
“And you?”
“I’m going to the hospital for a bit. Auntie’s got some things going on over there, might be late getting back. If you get hungry, just order some takeout, or tell me on your phone what you want to eat, and I’ll see if I can bring something back.”
“I want to go too!!!”
“Wait until the weekend. Go home and do your homework today. I’ve got business to take care of, it’s not for fun.”
Shen Xiyan said this quickly and turned away, pulling out his phone.
Shen Xiyan: 【Where are you?】
Qin Sheng: 【In class.】
Shen Xiyan: 【Don’t start asking me to carry you after school.】
Qin Sheng: 【(^ω^) Am I that kind of person? You have to trust my character.】
There were previous messages above.
Shen Xiyan: 【How do you want to go after school?】
Qin Sheng: 【You come pick me up.】
Shen Xiyan: 【What about Song Wan?】
Qin Sheng: 【Why would she waste time on your aunt?】
Shen Xiyan: 【But I have to send Lin Ci home first.】
Qin Sheng: 【It’s fine, I’ll wait at school. Drop her off first, then come get me.】
Shen Xiyan: 【Can’t you have Song Wan send you? Coming and going wastes so much time, you know?】
Qin Sheng: 【Please! That’s your aunt, if it wastes time, then don’t send Lin Ci…】
Shen Xiyan: 【Song Wan said during the day she’d do pick-ups and drop-offs, right?】
Qin Sheng: 【Blah blah, anyway, that’s just how it is now. Whether you come or not, I’ll wait at school, or you can just go to the hospital and ignore me. I’m waiting for my boyfriend.】
Shen Xiyan quickened his pace.
Behind him.
Wenwen stomped her foot, complaining angrily: “Why won’t you let me go? I want to see Auntie too!”
“Wenwen! Wenwen! The hospital isn’t that way, right?” Lin Ci stared at Shen Xiyan’s back in a daze.
“Mm, I think so…”
“Then him?”
“He must be going back to look for Qin Sheng, right?” Wenwen bit her lip, feeling enlightened. “Right now, Qin Sheng is the one handling everything at the hospital. It wouldn’t be right for her not to go!”
Lin Ci felt a sudden panic and said without thinking, “Then you should go even more!”
“Hm?”
Wenwen snapped back to reality and noticed Lin Ci’s hopeful look.
“Xiyan won’t let you go because he’s afraid you’ll be too tired, but the trip won’t take much time—an hour is enough…”
“But my brother won’t let me go!”
“Then just do it and tell him later! It’s not like it’s a terrible crime. Just go wait at the hospital entrance. When he sees you, do you think he’d still send you back?”
Wenwen’s eyes showed a trace of thoughtfulness.
Lin Ci seemed afraid she wouldn’t go and whispered again, “Besides, Qin Sheng will be there too. With her speaking for you, it won’t be a problem, right?”
“Give me your bag, I’ll carry it home for you. You just go straight to the hospital.”
“No, no, I’m faster going to the hospital by myself! Let me take you back first.”
Lin Ci felt cunning, silently apologizing to Wenwen in her heart.
She really wasn’t trying to manipulate her—she just couldn’t help worrying about Qin Sheng and Shen Xiyan being alone together.
***
On the other side, Shen Xiyan hurried to school.
The Art Students’ Teaching Building was quite secluded. Half an hour after school ended, the entire building was silent, evoking a strange kind of fear.
Luckily it was summer, so it was still bright outside. In winter, it would be unimaginable, and no one knew how Qin Sheng dared to stay there so calmly.
Going upstairs, Shen Xiyan didn’t know why but subconsciously lightened his footsteps and unknowingly got closer behind her.
Qin Sheng held her phone with both hands, boredly scrolling through their chat records—though the conversation was utterly pointless, it still made her chuckle softly.
Suddenly, a gentle tap on her shoulder startled her.
“It’s time to go.”
Qin Sheng jumped, pulled back her shoulder, her heart pounding faster, then she gasped softly and turned to see Shen Xiyan.
Her eyes widened slightly, and then her fair face slowly blossomed like a flower, revealing a smile born from the depths of her heart.
Pure and clean.
“Xiyan! I knew you wouldn’t leave me behind!”
Her pupils seemed to light up. After a brief moment of stunned silence, she sprang up and threw herself into his arms.
Their noses touched, their eyes close enough to see each other’s pupils, breathing each other’s breath, they just stared for a while.
Shen Xiyan frowned, about to push her away.
Qin Sheng gently lifted her chin and kissed his lips.
“I’m going to eat you up sooner or later…”
Qin Sheng let out a playful “Awooo,” raising both delicate fists to her chest, making a cat-girl pose: “I’m super fierce!”