“……So, as expected, Meng Wange naturally followed her out of the classroom.”
Su Wanli, leaning against the railing near the back door of the classroom, noticed the footsteps about to step out. She quickly composed her expression, then turned around and pretended to walk nonchalantly toward the staircase.
“Tap, tap, tap.”
Behind Su Wanli came an unhurried set of footsteps.
…And, what then?
Even though saying this now makes me sound a bit anxious and hesitant…
It’s nothing more than Meng Wange giving up an English class to follow me out of the classroom. What does that even prove?
…Does it prove that I’m more important to her than studying?
No matter how I think about it, that conclusion is completely irrelevant.
In fact, it doesn’t even prove that.
As my personal maid, Meng Wange naturally has to stay by my side at all times, putting my safety first.
That’s right. Meng Wange only made an expected choice.
Even if I added an extra line about her being free to decide for herself, to Meng Wange it might have sounded like I was trying to cover something up, or some kind of veiled threat—like if she didn’t follow, there would be consequences…
Heh, from that perspective, in Meng Wange’s heart, my mood is at least more important than an English class.
Not that Su Wanli would take any comfort from that.
The footsteps behind soon caught up to Su Wanli, who was lost in thought.
Meng Wange walked up beside Su Wanli and gave her a gentle smile.
“So, Miss Su, where do you plan to go to rest next?”
Facing Meng Wange, whose demeanor was no different from usual, Su Wanli sighed and crossed her arms over her chest—
“What do you think? Let me be clear—that line I said earlier wasn’t a hint directed at you. It was just its literal meaning.”
“Hmph, I already said, didn’t I? I just wanted to take a casual walk and get some air.”
“I don’t need you to come out specially to accompany me.”
“Are you referring to the line, ‘If you want to come find me, I won’t bother stopping you’?”
Meng Wange shook her head at Su Wanli, still smiling—
“Miss Su, even if you hadn’t said that, I was planning to follow your footsteps.”
“After all, the moments I can spend alone with you at school are so precious. Even if you flat-out refused me, I would still find a way to follow.”
“…”
“So, can you tell me now?”
Meng Wange lightly took a few steps forward, then turned around to face Su Wanli, raising one index finger and placing it in front of her lips—
“When you get bored at school, where do you like to go?”
…Where do I like to go?
I don’t actually want to go anywhere.
I just got accidentally infected by the conclusions of a bunch of idiots, so I took this desperate measure to see if you’d follow me…
That’s the real truth.
But there was no way Su Wanli could actually say that out loud. She could only rub her forehead in frustration.
Damn it, so what am I supposed to do now? Where am I supposed to go?
I can’t really wander aimlessly with Meng Wange, can I?
I’m not a fan of walking. If Meng Wange gets the wrong idea, it’ll be bad. Honestly, I prefer staying still in a room…
Just as Su Wanli was about to randomly name some remote corner, Meng Wange lightly clapped her hands and said as if just realizing—
“Speaking of which, Miss Su, if you don’t have anywhere particular in mind and just want to stroll to a quiet, open space, then I have a recommendation.”
As she spoke, she naturally took hold of Su Wanli’s little finger.
Meng Wange’s fingertips had a slightly cool touch, and her grip wasn’t strong, but it carried a magic that was hard to break free from.
“Want to come with me? It’s a place that only takes a few minutes to get to. I think you’ll like it.”
Not knowing what to say, and somehow feeling a vague anticipation for Meng Wange’s suggestion, Su Wanli instinctively stopped resisting. She let Meng Wange lead her through left turns and right turns, up many flights of stairs, and along empty corridors.
…Why are we heading upward the whole time?
The path wasn’t long.
But as they climbed floor after floor, Meng Wange eventually brought Su Wanli to a rusty iron door that was sealed shut.
It seemed few people ever came here. Fine dust had gathered on the hinges, and the air carried a faint metallic smell of oxidation.
“Meng Wange, this is…”
“Hehe, it looks like no one’s been here for a long time. Like a forbidden zone at school.”
“But during one break, I accidentally discovered that the lock wasn’t very sturdy. With a little force, you can push the door open.”
Saying things that no good student would say, Meng Wange grabbed the lock’s knob and twisted it in one direction with a bit of effort.
“Creak—”
Instantly, a refreshing breeze met them, lifting the stray hairs on Su Wanli’s forehead.
Beyond the open door lay a vast, boundless sky.
There wasn’t a single cloud—just a clean, washed-out sapphire blue, so pure it had no flaws.
Below their feet was the entire campus, shrunk down like a miniature model.
“This is… the school roof?”
“Miss Su, actually, every time you go off to some place I don’t know about with Zhang Shiyu and the others, I start thinking unconsciously.”
Meng Wange gently released Su Wanli’s fingertip and walked straight to the edge of the roof.
“I thought, if I could find a place where you feel free and relaxed enough, would you start paying attention to me again, and enjoy spending every break with me from then on?”
She reached out and grabbed the cold wire mesh fence, about two meters high, at the roof’s edge, feeling the wind rush freely through her hair.
“And this place is what I thought was the freest spot I could find.”
“And since there’s a wire fence, it should be safe enough. What do you think?”
Meng Wange smiled and turned her head back.
Her face, bathed in the midday sunlight, looked especially soft.
“…Not bad, I guess? But…”
Sensing the question in Su Wanli’s mind, Meng Wange gazed into the distance and explained softly—
“I don’t know if you still remember, but I once told you about my time at the welfare school.”
“Back then, after every exam, I would habitually hand in my paper early, walk out of the classroom, and aimlessly head upward, eventually ending up on the roof of the welfare school.”
As she spoke, a nostalgic expression appeared on Meng Wange’s face.
“Thinking back now, it was really dangerous.”
“They didn’t have safety measures like Baiying Academy does. There was only a low ledge, where I could dangle my legs in midair.”
“But back then, I wasn’t aware of that. I only had strange thoughts swirling in my head.”
“You see, all the other students were obediently sitting in their classrooms, heads down taking exams, while I was the only one sitting up high, looking down.”
“The entire campus was dead silent, so empty it felt like I was the only person left in the world.”
“And at that moment, I would think…”
She turned around lightly, leaning her back against the cold wire mesh, and smiled at Su Wanli’s eyes—
“Maybe their time has all stopped, and only my time is moving forward alone.”
Feeling the wind threading through her hair, Meng Wange closed her eyes gently, then spread her arms wide, as if embracing the entire sky.
“And now, the ones who can move freely in this frozen time…”
“…are the two of us, Miss Su.”
“…”
Su Wanli stared at her, momentarily lost.
“So, Miss Su, since it’s a rare opportunity.”
Meng Wange opened her eyes again and took two steps toward Su Wanli, a subtle, ambiguous light flickering in her gaze—
“How about we try doing something… that can only be done at a time like this?”