SC - 22

The title of the book was indeed quite interesting.

Afraid she hadn’t seen it clearly, Chen Yang held up the book and read it aloud deliberately: “Can I Kiss You? “

Le Ya truly wished she could find a crack to crawl into.

With one hand, she snatched the book from Chen Yang and hastily returned it to the shelf, pretending nothing had happened.

She honestly hadn’t expected such a thing. The books in this section were supposed to be collections of beautiful essays—how could there be something that sounded like a romance novel?

Chen Yang let her take the book without resistance, his lips curling upward as he exhaled softly, his tone filled with mock regret.

The gap between the bookshelves was narrow, barely enough for one person. Now, with only the two of them here, an odd atmosphere lingered.

Le Ya’s face burned with embarrassment. After a long pause, she awkwardly changed the subject. “I’m done; we can go back.”

She had already chosen a book earlier, but now she had lost the mood to continue browsing. She decided to leave it for another time.

Without waiting for his response, Le Ya turned around and headed toward the checkout counter.

Chen Yang watched her retreating figure, her ponytail swaying with each step. He pulled out the book she had just returned and followed her.

There were cash registers on both the first and second floors of the bookstore.

After paying, Le Ya didn’t take a store bag and simply held the book in her arms, with a cup of milk tea still in her right hand.

Before she could turn around, she heard Chen Yang’s voice: “This one.”

Le Ya turned her head to look and saw the book in his hand. She felt a bit suspicious.

She didn’t think he looked like someone who would read books, yet his grades were much better than hers, which made her frustrated.

With the midterm exam just a week away, she suddenly felt the urge to work harder. That thought took root in her mind and wouldn’t fade.

Chen Yang placed the book on the counter—it was the same book from before.

Le Ya asked, “Why are you buying this book?”

“Of course because it’s good. I’ll buy it to cultivate my taste,” Chen Yang replied. “Or do you think there’s a problem with it?”

Before Le Ya could respond, he added, “Only my girlfriend gets to decide what I buy. Do you have any more questions?”

Le Ya wanted to argue but couldn’t find a reason. She let out a small humph.

Tilting her head slightly, she said, “If you like it, then it’s fine.”

The cashier was a recent graduate. Seeing the atmosphere between these two, she couldn’t help but smile knowingly as she processed the payment.

High school students these days were much more open-minded compared to their generation. Early romances weren’t even considered taboo anymore, and the subtle flirtations of student life were incredibly endearing.

Why were so many youth campus dramas popular? It was because everyone had their own student days—and perhaps their own crushes.

And… she thought these two looked exceptionally good together. They were stunningly compatible. The girl appeared soft and delicate, making her want to pinch her cheeks.

“Here you go,” the cashier handed over the book.

Chen Yang took it and said to Le Ya, “Aren’t you leaving?”

Le Ya snapped back to reality and responded with a soft “Oh.”

After leaving the bookstore, the awkward atmosphere from earlier had dissipated quite a bit.

Many students had already finished dinner and were returning to school in groups of twos and threes. The lights at the entrance were bright, and some people recognized Chen Yang, glancing over from time to time.

Le Ya instinctively quickened her pace.

When they reached the senior three teaching building, Chen Yang hooked her collar. “Walking so fast—isn’t it tiring?”

Le Ya pulled her uniform free and turned to face him earnestly. “Of course not.”

Chen Yang nodded.

Le Ya said, “I’m going back to the classroom.”

Chen Yang replied, “What a coincidence—I need to go up from here too.”

There were no lights here—only the glow from the school gate reached this area. With his back to the light, Le Ya couldn’t see Chen Yang’s expression clearly.

She thought for a moment and didn’t say anything.

Some classmates passed by, playfully teasing each other.

By the time they reached the fourth floor, next to the back door of Class One, Le Ya spoke again. “Aren’t you going back to your classroom?”

Chen Yang asked, “Are you in such a hurry?”

Le Ya didn’t understand the meaning behind his words and looked at him blankly. Then, she handed over the milk tea in her hand. “Here, for you.”

Chen Yang rubbed the corner of his eye. “It’s yours.”

Le Ya said, “That won’t do. I promised to treat you. Both cups are yours. Even though I didn’t pay, I was the 999th customer, so it counts as treating you.”

Hearing her meticulous reasoning, Chen Yang found her utterly naive.

Where did this nonsense about the 999th customer come from?

He lifted the milk tea in his right hand. “I don’t have a free hand.”

Indeed, he didn’t—one hand held the book, the other the milk tea.

As they were speaking, a classmate came up the stairs and greeted them. “Le Ya, you’re back so early. I happen to have a math question to ask you. Are you free now?”

Le Ya hummed in acknowledgment and quickly glanced at Chen Yang.

By the time the classmate left, she had forgotten all about the milk tea.

Chen Yang suddenly reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice low as he reminded her, “Go back.”

Le Ya froze, startled by the touch.

When she finally came to her senses, she was already standing inside the classroom. Looking outside, Chen Yang was nowhere to be seen—he must have already left.

The classmate who had asked the question earlier was walking over.

Le Ya stared at the milk tea in her hand, feeling troubled. Should she drink it, or not? Or should she bring it over?

The evening was relatively uneventful, so Teacher Jiang decided to finalize the list of students eligible for financial aid and make it public to avoid any disagreements.

However, as soon as the list was released, murmurs began to spread.

Zhou Xiaoqing’s name was prominently listed.

The atmosphere in the classroom immediately turned awkward.

Everyone knew what this meant. Aside from those focused on solving problems, all eyes were now on Zhou Xiaoqing.

Had she really been selected as a financially disadvantaged student?

The selection process for financial aid recipients had been repeatedly emphasized by the homeroom teacher every semester. It was an absolute rule that each candidate must be thoroughly vetted since this assistance was crucial for students in need.

Most students were well aware of how important this financial aid was, especially in high school, where they were no longer under the compulsory nine-year education system. Beyond tuition fees, there were many other expenses, and this scholarship was vital for struggling families.

Teacher Jiang didn’t understand what was going on and turned to the class monitor, frowning. “Do you have any issues with this?”

No one dared to speak up.

Xie Qingyu whispered to Le Ya, “This is going to blow up.”

The number of slots for financially disadvantaged students in the class was limited, and now that Zhou Xiaoqing had taken one, someone else who was originally eligible had been pushed out.

They hadn’t paid attention earlier and didn’t know who had been disqualified.

Le Ya furrowed her brows and whispered, “It’s always been fine before—how did she get selected this time?”

Zhou Xiaoqing hadn’t been chosen in previous semesters, so why now? There had to be something behind this.

Just then, a mischievous boy in the class spoke up. “Teacher, how did Zhou Xiaoqing end up being selected? Isn’t she pretty well-off?”

Upon hearing this, Teacher Jiang instinctively looked at Zhou Xiaoqing.

Zhou Xiaoqing lowered her head, avoiding eye contact.

Xie Qingyu nudged Le Ya. “Don’t get involved.”

It was clear that their homeroom teacher would be furious, and if they got dragged into it, they’d be seen as accomplices, tarnishing their reputation.

Teacher Jiang frowned, thought for a moment, and said, “Zhou Xiaoqing and the selection committee members, come to my office. Everyone else, continue with self-study.”

Zhou Xiaoqing’s face instantly turned pale.

As soon as she left the classroom, fragmented whispers erupted, only settling down somewhat when the class monitor intervened.

There were only a few teachers in the office, so Zhou Xiaoqing breathed a sigh of relief, keeping her head low and following behind Teacher Jiang in silence.

Teacher Jiang sat down. “What exactly is going on?”

Several members of the selection committee were present, but no one dared to speak up. Some genuinely didn’t know what had happened—it had all been decided by voting.

Finally, Wang Ya stepped forward and explained, “… For the financial aid, Zhou Xiaoqing promised to treat me to meals for a week, so I voted for her…”

Teacher Jiang asked, “Is this how your selection committee operates?”

The others quickly tried to distance themselves from the situation.

In the end, everyone was dismissed except for Wang Ya and Zhou Xiaoqing.

“Look at your classmates,” Teacher Jiang said, exasperated. “The financial aid is meant for students in genuine need. Why are you trying to take advantage of this? If everyone behaved like you, how could truly needy students receive help?”

Zhou Xiaoqing nodded superficially, letting the words go in one ear and out the other.

________________________________________

After class, Zhou Xiaoqing and Wang Ya returned.

Many students had gone to the restroom, and those who remained only glanced at them briefly without paying much attention. However, in their eyes, it felt as though everyone was mocking them.

Wang Ya lowered her head and returned to her seat, now filled with regret for agreeing to Zhou Xiaoqing’s offer in exchange for a week’s worth of meals.

Zhou Xiaoqing, however, walked straight up to Le Ya.

Le Ya looked at her, puzzled. “Is there something you need?”

Zhou Xiaoqing asked, “Did you tell the homeroom teacher about this?”

Le Ya frowned slightly. “I didn’t.”

Xie Qingyu, who had been playing with her phone behind them, couldn’t help but laugh. “Zhou Xiaoqing, what’s gotten into you? Wearing designer clothes and trying to snatch financial aid—do you even have any shame?”

Zhou Xiaoqing snapped back, “I’m not talking to you!”

Xie Qingyu retorted, “I don’t care who you’re talking to, but you can’t talk to our Yueya. It’s not like Yueya encouraged you to apply for financial aid. After more than two years, you’re still applying for scholarships—you should be ashamed. If I were you, I’d feel embarrassed.”

Zhou Xiaoqing’s expression darkened. She glanced around—the surrounding classmates were all watching, making her feel as though she was being publicly humiliated.

She blamed Le Ya because Teacher Jiang had used her as an example to highlight the absurdity of Zhou Xiaoqing’s application.

Zhou Xiaoqing was furious.

After Xie Qingyu drove her away, she was still seething. “I’ve never met someone like her—instead of reflecting on herself, she blames innocent people.”

Le Ya said, “That’s just how she is.”

Xie Qingyu added, “True, same thick skin.”

Le Ya tidied her desk and said, “Let’s not talk about her anymore. There are a few minutes left—let’s go to the restroom.”

Girls often went in pairs, and Xie Qingyu agreed.

When they returned, class was about to start. As soon as they entered through the back door, they noticed a paper bag on Le Ya’s desk.

Xie Qingyu looked around. “When did this appear? It wasn’t here when we left.”

Le Ya was startled, shook her head, and guessed, “I don’t know—I didn’t buy anything. Maybe someone delivered it by mistake?”

The surrounding classmates weren’t around, and when asked, no one had noticed anything.

Xie Qingyu urged, “Just open it and see.”

Le Ya hesitated but eventually opened the paper bag since no one seemed to know anything. Inside were a card and a box.

She took out the box, and the card slipped out along with it. Quickly picking it up, her heart skipped a beat when she saw the words written on it.

She discreetly tucked the card into her desk drawer.

Le Ya felt as though she were doing something secretive, her nerves on edge. She exhaled deeply.

Xie Qingyu, unable to see her actions, urged, “Hurry up and open it, Yueya.”

Le Ya hummed softly and opened the box.

Inside was a red velvet cake encased in transparent packaging, layered beautifully with creamy yellow and red hues. It was adorned with small fruits, vibrant in color and rich in fragrance.

Girls couldn’t resist such visually appealing desserts.

Xie Qingyu remarked, “Oh, it’s a cake.”

Su Hui, who had just returned to her seat in front of them, exclaimed, “Wow, this red velvet cake looks amazing—it must taste great too.”

Le Ya moved her textbooks into the desk drawer to make space.

Su Hui admired it for a while and then asked, “Le Ya, do you mind if I take a closer look? Which shop is it from?”

Le Ya shook her head. “Go ahead.”

Su Hui cheered softly. The bakery’s name was usually printed on the box, and flipping it over, she recognized the familiar logo.

Her eyes lit up. “I know this shop! I’ve visited it before, but I only dared to buy their egg tarts because they’re so expensive… It’s intimidating.”

Ordinary classmates didn’t have that kind of pocket money.

Though Su Hui’s family wasn’t poor, she wouldn’t spend hundreds on a cake smaller than a palm unless it was a rare treat to reward herself.

Le Ya frowned. “Is that so?”

Su Hui nodded. “Yes, the shop is beautiful, and the service is excellent. That’s probably why the prices are so high.”

The prices were clearly marked, and there was no deception.

Le Ya glanced at it—she hadn’t been to this shop before.

After a while, Su Hui suddenly remarked, “Isn’t there supposed to be a card with it? I remember they usually include a pretty card with each order.”

She turned the box around but couldn’t find anything.

At this, Le Ya reached into her desk drawer, feeling the sharp edges of the card. The name she had glimpsed earlier was unmistakable.

Fortunately, Xie Qingyu and Su Hui hadn’t seen it. Otherwise, they would have gossiped endlessly, and it would have been hard to explain.

Why had Chen Yang suddenly sent her this?

Could it be because of the snacks she had bought him last time? Had he decided to reciprocate by sending her a cake?

Le Ya glanced at the pink milk tea on her desk, untouched, visible from the window. Chen Yang must have spotted her location this way, though she hadn’t been there earlier.

Watching the cake, both Xie Qingyu and Su Hui’s eyes sparkled.

The allure of dessert was undeniable, especially one that looked so beautiful and smelled so fragrant—it was irresistible.

Xie Qingyu teased, “Yueya doesn’t worry about gaining weight, huh? As for us, we can only stare and pretend we’ve tasted it.”

She gained weight just drinking water and had been consuming lemon enzyme drinks daily, hoping to see results on the scale in a week.

Su Hui turned to Le Ya. “Your dad is so thoughtful. Why don’t I have a dad who cares this much? Just looking at this makes my mouth water.”

Le Ya was bewildered. “Huh?”

Su Hui, oblivious, continued admiringly, “Even this late, your dad still worries you might be hungry…”

Le Ya opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words to respond.

This wasn’t from her dad…