It seemed that Ye Qingchang, who was showing symptoms of both low blood sugar and a cold, was dragged to the side by her good roommates to sit and rest.
“Is it really low blood sugar?” Liu Xie beside her frowned. “That’s a bit troublesome. Does anyone have anything to eat?”
She looked at Zhu Niao, who shook her head and turned all the pockets of her outer jacket inside out as well.
Gou Yu next to her was even lazier, not even bothering to shake her head, simply turning out all the pockets of her clothes and pants.
Liu Xie rolled her eyes and looked toward Yang Shuli, from whom she expected the least.
This girl was startled by Liu Xie’s gaze, then gulped loudly.
The air fell into silence.
“What did you just swallow?”
“Candy.”
“Any more?”
“That was the last one.”
Zhu Niao, after listening to this utterly hopeless conversation, volunteered by raising her hand: “I’ll go ask the teacher for some. If it really doesn’t work, you guys can take her to hide somewhere for a while; the teacher probably won’t say anything.”
Actually, when Ye Qingchang collapsed during PE class just now, that kind and gentle PE teacher instantly lost all composure, his eyes filled with panic. Compared to Ye Qingchang lying on the ground, his face turning ashen in that instant looked even more like someone physically unwell.
Not only that, there was also a trace of hope in his eyes, hoping that at least Ye Qingchang could leave his teaching area before collapsing.
But of course, as a teacher, he still did what he should.
After repeated concern and questioning, Ye Qingchang just waved her hand: “No need, teacher, I’m fine.”
So the PE teacher left, looking back at every step, and up until now, he still glanced over at Ye Qingchang from time to time.
“So what now?”
“What do you mean, what now? Just leave me here to rest for a bit.” Ye Qingchang waved her hand again, unexpectedly stubborn.
“I’ll do it.”
A familiar voice came, but it wasn’t any of the group.
Ye Qingchang, still in a daze, opened her eyes to see Xiao Yi’an standing before her, thermos in his left hand, a Snickers bar in his right, blocking the glaring sunlight for her.
The Snickers bar was brought directly to her mouth.
Knowing her own condition, Ye Qingchang didn’t stand on ceremony and took a bite.
Then she reached out to take it, looking up at Xiao Yi’an, who was unscrewing the lid of the thermos.
“Why are you here? Don’t you have class?”
“I have PE too, just on the other side of the basketball court.” Xiao Yi’an handed the opened thermos to Ye Qingchang.
Ye Qingchang didn’t take it, only frowned: “Are you following me?”
“No, I just came over with Xu Nian.” Xiao Yi’an pointed behind him, where Xu Nian was slowly walking over, and as soon as Yang Shuli saw her, she bounced over.
“You always carry a Snickers bar and a thermos around?” Ye Qingchang still found it a bit odd.
“The Snickers is from Xu Nian, just grabbed it from her, and the thermos has cold medicine in it. Both of us got drenched in the rain yesterday, it’s hard not to catch at least a little cold.” Xiao Yi’an patiently explained, “That thermos is new, never used before, so don’t worry, I’m not that kind of petty guy.”
Indeed, Ye Qingchang had never seen this thermos before in all their interactions.
“If anything happens to our Third from eating or drinking your stuff, watch if I don’t twist your head off and use it as a soccer ball for the kids next door,” Liu Xie rolled up her sleeves beside them.
Before Xiao Yi’an could reply, Ye Qingchang spoke up: “Don’t say that, we’re at least using someone else’s things.”
Then, she looked at Xiao Yi’an crouching before her: “Thank you, Classmate Xiao.”
“No problem, just a small thing. As long as it helped, that’s enough,” Xiao Yi’an finally let out a breath seeing Ye Qingchang drink the cold medicine and eat something.
“I really think you need to pay attention to eating regular meals. Your body isn’t like before—you can’t just skip breakfast every day and still handle all this exercise.” Xiao Yi’an’s words sounded more like a reminder.
“You’re acting strange now, Classmate Xiao,” Ye Qingchang frowned. “Who did you learn this from?”
“Xu Nian was telling me all this on the way over here.”
Ye Qingchang let out a helpless laugh: “So you just copy whatever anyone says?”
“I also know how to digest and apply what I learn,” Xiao Yi’an said, and there was a hint of firmness in his tone.
No need to think about it—the so-called ‘application’ was always about Ye Qingchang.
“Do you need me to stay with you?” Xiao Yi’an asked.
“No need, I have my roommates, go to your class.” Ye Qingchang waved her hand, making a shooing gesture.
“Alright.”
Then he took out a small notebook and a pen in front of Ye Qingchang, quickly jotting something down.
“What are you writing?”
Xiao Yi’an was truly the complete opposite of Ye Qingchang’s three other roommates.
Zhu Niao and the others wouldn’t even bring paper and pen to exams, but Xiao Yi’an brought them even to PE class.
“I’m taking notes on key points and common mistakes, hoping to improve myself and avoid making errors.”
“You treating me like some subject you have to pass or something?”
“Not a subject, but passing is a must,” Xiao Yi’an said. “Even if I fail in the end and leave decisively, I’ll always remember this period of time. And I won’t stop working on myself—not just for me, but so one day, I can be worthy of you.”
Even if, by then, Ye Qingchang was already gone.
“You’re full of it. Hurry up and go when you’re done writing, or if your teacher calls roll and finds you’re missing, it’ll count as skipping class.”
“If you needed me right now, then skipping would be worth it,” Xiao Yi’an said earnestly. “Besides, no teacher ever calls roll twice in one class. I can stay here until the period’s over.”
“I don’t need you.”
“Okay, let me know if you do.”
Xiao Yi’an shifted from crouching to standing, took one last look at Ye Qingchang sitting by the basketball court, and turned to leave.
Just as he took a step, a voice called out from behind.
“Xiao Yi’an.” Ye Qingchang called out to him. “What do you think of the book Wuthering Heights?”
“Literary value, plot, classic status…” Xiao Yi’an turned halfway, tilting his head to answer Ye Qingchang. “I think it’s a pile of crap, because I honestly can’t understand that kind of flowery language, don’t like it, and can’t be bothered to read it.”
Ye Qingchang suddenly laughed.
It wasn’t the kind of laugh you give when you’re furious, nor was it a helpless chuckle.
It was as if she had finally seen the true face of someone she’d known for a long time, and felt relieved.
This was exactly how it should be.
I don’t think any book that has the line Go to deuce, can be flowery.