Chapter 41: There Must Be a Master Behind the Scenes

Class was over, and among the crowd hurrying to leave, Zhu Niao and her friends were always the most unhurried.

They said it was because they always arrived just in time, walking at a leisurely pace, so naturally, they should leave the same way.

“Can’t we just elbow our way through this whole crowd? And this classroom—only one door to get in and out, and it’s only half open.” Zhu Niao crossed her arms and complained with a hint of dissatisfaction.

Ye Qingchang nodded in deep agreement beside her.

Finally seizing the right moment, Ye Qingchang was the first to give Liu Xie, who was walking in front of her, a sharp elbow.

But then, her swinging arm was caught by someone behind, forcing her to stop in her tracks.

Turning her head, she saw it was Xiao Yi’an, his face as cold as ever.

Of course, when Ye Qingchang’s beautiful eyes landed on him, the eternal ice seemed to melt in an instant.

It was as if a sliver of pure, silvery moonlight from the internet had been brought into reality, and that moonlight was now gazing at him with a look both puzzled and caring.

In that moment, all the courage that had accompanied him suddenly vanished, as if he had been knocked back to his original form.

He couldn’t understand it. It was just a few small actions, a few simple words.

But they were so much like that sliver of moonlight, so alike that he even felt a little dazed.

“Xiao, is there something you need?” Ye Qingchang asked softly.

Right now, she truly hoped Xiao Yi’an had something important to say, otherwise she might not be able to escape unscathed from Liu Xie, who had just taken her elbow and was now gritting his teeth.

Xiao Yi’an paused, organizing his words a little.

“President, I signed up for an event in the sports meet. If you’re not busy, could you come practice with me?”

“Of course!” Ye Qingchang beamed.

Liu Xie left, still waving his fist, reluctant to go.

Zhu Niao and Gou Yu chattered away as they left.

Yang Shuli was lured away by Xu Nian with a few lollipops.

In the blink of an eye, it seemed the classroom was left with just the two of them.

“And, President, I also want to learn more about love.” Xiao Yi’an stammered, only managing to get the second half of the sentence out after a long pause.

Ye Qingchang raised her eyebrows, showing a gentle, almost motherly smile.

This kid, if you want to go on a date, just say so!

Wait.

Ye Qingchang frowned, giving the now slightly nervous and fidgety Xiao Yi’an a once-over.

This guy would never make a move unless she pushed him. For him to take the initiative and ask her out was definitely suspicious.

There must be a master behind the scenes guiding him.

“What else do you want to learn?” Ye Qingchang still used that soft, tolerant tone.

Like a spring breeze brushing through one’s very soul.

Xiao Yi’an was at a loss for words.

He didn’t even know what he wanted to learn. He just wanted to see what Ye Qingchang was like when it was just the two of them.

Like savoring a taste and wanting more, he wanted to see Ye Qingchang again, to see what that sliver of moonlight would be like when alone with him.

He wanted to stay with his President.

Maybe he was poisoned, but ever since that day they parted, he couldn’t stop replaying it in his mind.

Only she could say things like that, only she would treat him this way.

But Ye Qingchang clearly wasn’t her.

His actions now were a bit ridiculous, not like he was preparing to pursue that sliver of White Moonlight.

It was more like quenching his thirst with distant plums.

A substitute—he knew this word well. He used to look down on protagonists in those kinds of stories, thinking it just meant they didn’t love their moonlight deeply enough.

But now it seemed he was the same, because Ye Qingchang was just too similar.

He was afraid of failing, afraid that the bright moonlight had only ever shone on all the world, and he was nothing special, unworthy of her favor.

At least, here with Ye Qingchang, he could quench his thirst.

Anyway, he wouldn’t fall for her. His President used to be a guy.

So let her quench his thirst for now.

“Just… let’s get along normally.” he said.

“Really?” Ye Qingchang reached out and tapped her cheek. “Then hand me your glasses for a second.”

They wore almost the same style: plain black-rimmed glasses, as simple as could be.

“Has anyone ever told you, Xiao, that your eyes are actually really beautiful?”

Xiao Yi’an froze.

Yes, online, she had said his eyes must be beautiful and that she wanted to see them someday.

Now, with just a casual line, Ye Qingchang once again made Xiao Yi’an’s heart blur as much as his vision after taking off his glasses.

“How nearsighted are you, Xiao?”

“Three hundred.”

“Wow.” Ye Qingchang took off her own glasses and then tiptoed to hang them on Xiao Yi’an’s head.

Seeing clearly again, Xiao Yi’an was startled. This was one of the rare times he’d seen Ye Qingchang without glasses.

Those almond-shaped eyes were beautiful too, but he couldn’t find the words to praise her, just like when chatting with her online.

“Same prescription as mine. You can get by without glasses in daily life, right?” Ye Qingchang tilted her head. “Hiding such good-looking eyes is a waste, isn’t it?”

“It’s not that…” Xiao Yi’an tried to take off the glasses to return them, but was stopped.

“I really like them.”

“What?” The boy wondered if he’d misheard.

“I said I really like them. From now on, you have to show them to me.” She tiptoed up, patted Xiao Yi’an’s cheek. “Next time, don’t be so tall. It’s tiring for me to stand on tiptoe.”

The boy paused, finally realizing he should bend down a little.

“But I need my glasses for daily use.” Xiao Yi’an still tried to take them off and switch back to his own.

“Nope.” Ye Qingchang grinned and put Xiao Yi’an’s glasses away. “From now on, just use mine. We’ll share a pair—whoever needs them can use them.”

Ye Qingchang’s frames were a bit big, but they fit Xiao Yi’an’s face well enough.

“This… this is too much trouble.”

Xiao Yi’an, imagining that overly intimate scene, blushed and tried to refuse.

“What trouble? We’ll just always be together, right?” Ye Qingchang said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

She looked straight at the dumbfounded Xiao Yi’an, a bit smug, as if she had no idea her words might be misunderstood.

Then she saw Xiao Yi’an take a deep breath, a bit of his cold expression returning.

Only to crumble again the moment he met her gaze.

“Come on, let’s go practice for the sports meet.” Ye Qingchang cheerfully pulled Xiao Yi’an’s arm.

Xiao Yi’an, infected by her happiness, followed the girl’s lead with a smile.

“I feel like now that I’ve switched to the girls’ team, even if I’m not first, I’ll at least get a gold medal.”

Twenty minutes later, a thoroughly exhausted Ye Qingchang, realizing just how weak this body was, lay sprawled by the track like a dead dog.