The library was exceptionally quiet on Friday night.
A light rain had begun to fall outside, and the library’s heating was running at full blast.
Lin Mo, however, felt his palms grow slightly cold — he had been stuck on a complex Electromagnetic Induction problem for twenty minutes.
“Here.” A fair hand reached over, a fingertip pointing at a specific condition in the problem. “You missed the phrase ‘neglect air resistance.'”
Shen Qingyue had stood up beside him at some point without him noticing.
She leaned down slightly, her long hair sliding off her shoulder until the tips nearly brushed Lin Mo’s arm. That faint, book-like scent drifted over again.
Lin Mo blinked in a daze and reread the problem. It was exactly as she said.
“I…” He felt a bit frustrated. “I was too careless.”
“It’s not carelessness; it’s a fixed mindset.” Shen Qingyue straightened up and sat back in the seat opposite him. “You habitually assume this type of problem requires considering air resistance, so you subconsciously ignored the negative condition.”
She didn’t look at him while she spoke, keeping her head down as she wrote something in her notebook.
A moment later, she tore the page out and pushed it toward him.
The paper featured a clear diagram of the problem-solving logic. Every step was annotated, and she had even used different colored pens to highlight common pitfalls.
“I summarized seven variations of this type of problem during my first year of high school.”
“If you need them, I can lend you all my notes.”
Lin Mo looked at the paper.
The handwriting was neat, and next to one of the annotations, that familiar little doodle appeared — this time, it was a tiny person clutching their head in distress.
“Did you draw this too?” Lin Mo couldn’t help but ask.
“…Habit.” She turned her face away, the tips of her ears turning red. “I draw when my mind wanders.”
“It’s pretty cute,” Lin Mo said, only to regret it immediately — it sounded a bit flippant.
But Shen Qingyue didn’t get angry. She simply remained silent for a few seconds before taking a small box out of her bag and placing it on the table.
“This is for you.”
It was a small, palm-sized, navy-blue velvet box tied with a silver ribbon.
Lin Mo was stunned. “This is…”
“A thank-you gift.” Shen Qingyue’s voice grew even quieter. “Thank you for… helping me move those books last week.”
Last Wednesday, a new shipment of reference books had arrived at the library. Lin Mo had happened to run into Shen Qingyue struggling to move the boxes by herself, so he had lent a hand.
He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, and he hadn’t expected her to remember.
“There’s no need to be so polite…”
“Open it and see,” Shen Qingyue interrupted him, her eyes still fixed on the table.
Lin Mo untied the ribbon and opened the box.
Inside was a Sagittarius Fountain Pen.
It had a deep blue body with a matte texture, and the cap was engraved with an exquisite constellation pattern — his sign, Sagittarius.
“I didn’t know what would be best to give you…”
Shen Qingyue finally looked up, her eyes darting away behind her glasses. “This pen writes very well. I’ve used the same model for two years. This one is new.”
“This is too valuable,” Lin Mo said.
“It’s not.” Shen Qingyue shook her head. “Your help was more important. Also, thank you for buying me that cold medicine last time.”
The sound of rain outside grew louder, leaving only the two of them in the library.
Wang Hao and Li Wei had already left early. The so-called “group study” had essentially turned into a private session for just the two of them.
Lin Mo gripped the Sagittarius Fountain Pen.
Shen Qingyue’s kindness toward him was pure and direct, untainted by any ambiguity. It was simply mutual help between classmates, the kindness of a Top Student toward a struggling peer.
But why… ‘But why is my heart beating so fast?’
“Lin Mo,” Shen Qingyue suddenly spoke.
“Yeah?”
“The Electromagnetism section will make up a large portion of next Wednesday’s Mock Exam.” Her expression returned to its usual seriousness. “If you have time… I can help you go over everything again this weekend.”
“Would that be too much trouble for you…”
“No.” Shen Qingyue packed her bag and stood up. “I’m at the library every weekend. If you come, it’ll be here at 10:00 AM again.”
With that, she slung her bag over her shoulder. She hesitated for a moment, then pulled a light blue thermos from her bag and poured some into Lin Mo’s cup.
She also placed her notes and a bag of snacks on the table.
“Ginger Tea. I heard you cough a couple of times earlier.”
“Also, you haven’t eaten yet. You can have these snacks to tide you over.”
Then, she walked quickly toward the door without even saying goodbye.
Lin Mo sat there, staring at the items on the table for a long time without moving.
The Ginger Tea was still warm, heating his hands as he held it. He took a sip; the slightly spicy ginger flavor mixed with the sweetness of honey, warming him all the way to his stomach.
His phone vibrated at that moment.
It was a message from Su Qing: [Is it over?]
Lin Mo checked the time; it was already 8:30 PM. He replied: [Almost.]
[I’m downstairs at the library.]
Those few words made a chill run down Lin Mo’s spine.
He quickly packed his things, carefully tucking the Sagittarius Fountain Pen into the innermost layer of his pencil case and shoving the thermos into the side pocket of his backpack.
As he reached the door, he looked back at where they had been sitting — the diagram Shen Qingyue had left behind was still spread out on the table.
After a second of hesitation, he went back, folded it carefully, and tucked it into his physics textbook.
Under the eaves of the library, Su Qing stood holding a long-handled black umbrella.
She wasn’t wearing her school uniform today. Instead, she wore a long, cream-colored trench coat with the belt cinched tight, highlighting her slender waist. Beneath it were dark jeans and short boots. Her hair was tied in a loose, low ponytail, with a few stray strands dampened by the rain clinging to her cheeks.
Standing there, she looked like a cold, elegant painting.
Lin Mo walked over quickly. “Why are you here? Didn’t you say the Student Council had to work overtime today?”
“It’s over.” Su Qing interrupted him, her voice flat. “Get in the car. The rain is heavy.”
Only then did Lin Mo notice a black sedan parked at the curb.
“This is…”
“A car belonging to my mother’s friend. I borrowed it.” Su Qing had already turned toward the passenger side. “Hurry up. It’s cold.”
Lin Mo opened the back door and sat inside. The heater was on, making it comfortable, yet he felt a bit breathless.
Su Qing sat in the front passenger seat and didn’t look back. She simply said to the driver, “To the West City Villa.”
The driver was a middle-aged man in his forties. He nodded and started the car.
The vehicle moved into the rainy night. The street scenery flashed by through the window. The atmosphere in the car was incredibly oppressive.
“How was your studying today?” Su Qing suddenly asked, still not looking back.
“It was alright,” Lin Mo said. “We covered Electromagnetism…”
“Did Shen Qingyue teach you?”
Lin Mo’s heart tightened. “Yeah… She explains things quite clearly.”
“Is that so?” Su Qing’s voice was very soft. “She’s so good to you.”
Those words sent another chill down Lin Mo’s spine. He thought of the Sagittarius Fountain Pen in his bag, the Ginger Tea in the thermos, and the snacks. His throat felt dry.
“It’s just classmates helping each other…”
“Classmates.” Su Qing chuckled softly. “Right. You are classmates.”
She finally turned around to look at Lin Mo.
“Lin Mo.” She called his name, her voice very gentle. “Are you cold?”
“No, the car is very warm.”
“But I think you’re cold.” Su Qing unbuckled her seatbelt and suddenly climbed from the front seat to the back, sitting down beside Lin Mo.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror but said nothing.
“You…” Lin Mo froze.
Su Qing leaned over and reached out to touch his cheek. Her hand was ice-cold.
“Your face is warm, but your hands are cold,” she whispered, then she gripped Lin Mo’s hand. “See? Your hands are so cold.”
Her fingers were slender, yet her grip was firm.
“Su Qing…”
“Don’t talk.” She leaned in, resting her forehead against his shoulder. “I’m tired. Let me lean on you for a while.”
Lin Mo didn’t dare move. The faint scent on Su Qing was different from her usual one; it was like a cold-toned perfume.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“To the West City Villa my father left for my mother and me before he passed away,” Su Qing said, her voice muffled. “My mother is on a business trip this week. I need to go over to pick some things up and water the plants.”
The explanation was perfectly logical, but the unease in Lin Mo’s heart only grew stronger.