SW - 18

The hand was slender and long, with clearly defined knuckles and a pale, sharp elegance.

It was as if it were God’s most perfect creation.

Everyone in line at the convenience store counter glanced over secretly.

By now, everyone on the high school side knew about Tang Yin and the transfer student. They all watched with curiosity and a hint of schadenfreude.

Behind his glasses, Lu Chi furrowed his brows.

He withdrew his hand from the yogurt, picked up his draft paper, and turned away naturally, as if he hadn’t been involved in the exchange at all.

Of course, this would have been more convincing if not for the faint blush barely visible through his hair.

Tang Yin’s lips curled into a smile.

She knew it—how could she be wrong?

Lu Chi had already walked outside. With lightning speed, she grabbed the yogurt from the counter and chased after him, leaving everyone around her too stunned to react.

By the time her figure disappeared through the convenience store door, Yu Chun finally rubbed his eyes and asked someone nearby, “Did Big Sister Yin just smile?”

“Yeah, she did.”

“Wow, that guy has some tricks up his sleeve. We should ask him for advice later.”

“Our Big Sister Yin is beautiful and wild—one look and even a bookworm like him can’t escape falling for her.”

At Jia Shui Private School, whatever Tang Yin said went. A few people chatted as they walked, eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

The crowd from the convenience store had dispersed, walking in small groups along the same path. But Tang Yin could easily pick out Lu Chi’s figure among them.

“Lu Chi!” Tang Yin called from behind.

Lu Chi’s figure hesitated for a moment before quickening his pace. Though dressed in an ordinary school uniform, he exuded an otherworldly aura.

Tang Yin jogged up to him and gently tugged on his arm.

Only then did Lu Chi turn around, his clear black eyes meeting hers in silence.

Tang Yin held the yogurt, her smile radiant. “Did you do that on purpose? Why were you ignoring me earlier?”

When she smiled, her bright peach-shaped eyes curved into crescents, incredibly endearing.

Lu Chi shifted his gaze. “No... I didn’t mean... anything.”

His stuttering earnestness was utterly adorable.

Tang Yin let go of his arm, crossing her own as she stared directly into his eyes. She kept her gaze fixed until Lu Chi himself began to feel uncomfortable.

He took a step back, his thin lips parting slightly. “I... I’m leaving.”

With that, he turned and prepared to walk away. But just then, Tang Yin suddenly blurted out, “Are you jealous?”

Lu Chi’s heart skipped a beat. He denied it immediately. “I don’t... don’t know what you’re talking about.”

After finishing his stammered denial, he glanced sideways at Tang Yin, who was grinning from ear to ear. Instantly, he took long strides and left, leaving only his back in view.

Tang Yin didn’t chase after him.

Clutching the yogurt box, she stood in the middle of the road, her mouth curving into a wide grin as she exhaled softly.

________________________________________

Before the first evening study session ended, both Su Kexi and Tang Yin abandoned their test papers and headed off campus for dinner.

Though it was technically a school day, no one dared to stop Tang Yin. Leaving during class wasn’t a rare occurrence for her—it happened often enough.

The security guards at the gate recognized the two of them and greeted Tang Yin casually. “Come back early. It’s not safe outside. Sign here just in case.”

Signing was a precautionary measure—if anything happened, the blame wouldn’t fall on them.

Across from the school, construction was still underway, so only the street near the school had lampposts lit. The lighting was sparse, alternating between dark and bright patches.

Though the area hadn’t fully developed yet, a few shops remained open. Most were across the river near Second High School, but the only brightly lit shop on this side was a small cake shop.

The owner of the cake shop was a girl who had graduated a few years ago. She loved making desserts and introduced new creations daily, all handmade. Not only did they look appealing, but they tasted divine as well.

Because of the many students in the area, the shop also sold milk tea, drinks, and juices.

The two girls casually ordered a small cake and sat by the glass wall, gazing at the distant lights that glittered like stars.

This side, however, was mostly shrouded in darkness.

The shopkeeper approached with a warm smile. “Try this—it’s today’s new creation: blueberry rolls. On the house.”

Golden and inviting, it immediately whetted their appetites.

Tang Yin asked, “Something good happen?”

The shopkeeper shook her head and smiled. “You seem to be in a great mood today. Try it and remember to leave a review later.”

Having run the shop for nearly a year, she was familiar with many of the regular customers, especially Tang Yin and Su Kexi. As soon as Tang Yin walked in, she could tell her spirits were high.

Holding a roll, Tang Yin suddenly thought of Lu Chi’s figure on the basketball court that morning. She hadn’t expected others to notice how happy she felt.

“Don’t overthink it—eating is the priority.”

Su Kexi shoved a roll into Tang Yin’s mouth. “Eat up before doing anything else. I haven’t even asked you yet—what’s gotten into you today? You’re acting like you’ve eaten pounds of sugar. What did Lu Chi do?”

Though she didn’t know exactly why Tang Yin was in such a good mood, she was certain it had something to do with Lu Chi.

She added, “By the way, what happened Saturday night? I forgot to ask you.”

Tang Yin briefly recounted the events of that night. When she mentioned the final scene, her eyes involuntarily curved upward.

Su Kexi nearly spat out her milk tea. “So, all you got was a ‘good night’? You’re too easy to please. But still, it’s impressive—he actually said something.”

Tang Yin didn’t respond. Instead, she mentioned Lu Chi and Lu Yu’s relationship. “Rather than dwell on this, let’s talk about something else.”

At the mention of “something else,” Su Kexi sighed. “Compared to you, I’m in a much worse situation.”

Thinking about it, she felt a pang of melancholy.

Lu Yu had once been aloof and taciturn. But after just one summer break, he became the big shot of Third High. The change was too drastic—if not for seeing him in person, she might have thought he’d been replaced.

They had never officially broken up. Now, he acted as though nothing had happened. He was at Third High, while she only had half-day holidays every fortnight. Time together was painfully short.

The table fell silent except for the sounds of eating.

Not long after, Su Kexi stood up and walked toward the cash register, saying, “I’ll take a matcha cake to go—it’ll be my late-night snack. Hurry up, what do you want?”

Tang Yin stayed where she was, thought for a moment, and picked up another small cake.

Both girls smiled as they paid.

________________________________________

The teaching building was quiet at night. The high school section was located at the far edge, separated from the middle school. Only senior three students passed through this area.

Each floor was illuminated by lights, creating a grid-like pattern that looked unique from afar.

The two girls had just reached the third floor when the bell signaling the end of evening study rang. Noise gradually filled the air.

“Wow, Big Sister Yin, you didn’t even invite us. And you went out for a feast!”

Seeing the two return, Yu Chun exclaimed dramatically.

A circle of envious classmates gathered around. The boys envied them—they rarely remembered to bring snacks. Usually, they relied on the convenience store. Today’s cakes made their mouths water.

They all knew girls always had the best treats.

Yu Chun approached with a grin. “Big Sister Yin, let us have some of that cake.”

Tang Yin glanced at him indifferently. “Buy your own.”

“We’ll get caught if we go out,” Yu Chun complained pitifully. “You girls have it easier. Eating at night will make you gain weight—why not give it to us?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Su Kexi couldn’t help but interject. “This cake already belongs to someone. Stop asking for it. Did you finish your test papers? Have you reviewed for tomorrow’s exam?”

“Wow, Su Kexi, you’ve changed. You used to hate studying.”

Tang Yin ignored them, placed the small cake in her desk drawer, calmly pulled out a test paper, and began solving problems with an air of indifference.

The group exchanged glances. Just then, the bell rang again, forcing them to return to their seats. Still, their minds lingered on the delicious cake.

As the evening study session neared its end, Yu Chun stared at a problem he hadn’t solved for half an hour. Suddenly, enlightenment struck, and he smacked his forehead.

Of course—it was for Lu Chi! How could he have been so blind!

She spoke gently, “Tonight’s evening study session is ending early. You should all head back soon—there’s maintenance work being done, and some classrooms will have their lights turned off.”

The entire class erupted into cheers.

Within a minute, nearly everyone had already left.

“Are you heading back?” Su Kexi asked.

Tang Yin glanced outside. Not many students from the experimental class had left yet, and Lu Chi was definitely still working on problems.

She shook her head. “You go ahead first.”

“Alright, but don’t stay out too late.”

After Su Kexi left, Tang Yin picked up the cake and headed directly to the experimental class. As expected, several lights in the front of the room had already been turned off, leaving only two still lit.

Lu Ye happened to be chatting with another student who hadn’t left yet. When he saw Tang Yin enter, he winked knowingly. “You’ve come at just the right time. There are barely any people left in the class.”

The implication was clear.

In fact, Tang Ming had also stayed behind, but because he had fallen asleep during Chinese class earlier, the teacher had called him to the office for this evening’s Chinese self-study session.

Chinese class was always a time for理科生 (science students) to relax since other subjects were so demanding.

The experimental class’s Chinese teacher was infamous for rambling endlessly. He could stretch a minor point into a lengthy lecture, filling two consecutive periods entirely with his talk, leaving only the last ten minutes to review test questions.

This was well-known throughout the high school division.

Lu Ye stood up and called out to the remaining boys, linking arms with those willing to return to the dorms. They left the classroom together.

Thoughtfully, he closed the door behind them.

Tang Yin walked over to where Lu Chi sat. As usual, he was engrossed in studying. Every time she saw him, he seemed to be reading or solving problems.

Silently approaching, she discovered that he was actually reading a novel—a rare sight. She never expected the bookworm to indulge in fiction.

Lu Chi’s face was undeniably handsome, something Tang Yin had always been acutely aware of.

Every time she entered through the back door, her eyes were immediately drawn to his striking jawline and prominent nose. His fair complexion softened the sharpness of his features, exuding an aura that was both cold and enticing.

His slightly pursed lips carried an intense air of restraint, stirring emotions within her.

His ears, partially exposed, were pale and delicate.

Why did he have to be so adorable?

Overcome by mischief, Tang Yin stealthily reached out and pinched his ear.

Before she could do anything more, the owner of the ear noticed. His slender hand quickly grasped her mischievous fingers, sending a cool sensation up her arm.

Lu Chi’s voice was slightly muffled as he stammered, “Tang... Tang Yin!”

Seeing his exaggerated reaction, Tang Yin grew suspicious and suddenly felt mischievous. With a faint smile, she responded crisply, “Yes, your humble servant is here.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Lu Chi’s face contorted into an unreadable expression.