SW - 19

Seeing his reaction, Tang Yin couldn’t help but laugh.

Since the evening study session had ended early, many students had already left. Though some remained in the experimental class, only about half were still present, and none of them paid attention to this corner.

Only two or three girls remained, including Zhao Ruying.

Zhao Ruying happened to be sitting a few rows ahead, and with just a turn of her head, she could see everything happening here. Tang Yin stood casually, and it was easy for her peripheral vision to catch the occasional glances Zhao Ruying threw their way.

Tang Yin inwardly sneered and sat down at Tang Ming’s desk.

Lu Chi had already turned his body, propping up his book as if blocking out the world around him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t completely shut out the person beside him.

Tang Yin casually asked, “Are you really not going to add me on WeChat?”

Then, she pushed the small strawberry cake toward him and added teasingly, “Please enjoy this delicious treat, my lord.”

What kind of nonsense was that...

Lu Chi’s mouth slightly hung open, startled by her odd title for him. He momentarily forgot about the earlier topic of adding her on WeChat.

After hesitating for a moment, he opened the packaging box and found a small cake inside, adorned with a few neatly cut strawberries. It looked incredibly tempting.

Meanwhile, Tang Yin’s gaze was fixated on his slender hands—the way his knuckles flexed as he untied the ribbon, his delicate finger bones captivating her.

Lu Chi pushed the cake back, stammering, “You... you eat it.”

He actually meant to say, “You eat it yourself.”

Tang Yin shook her head. “I’ll eat it if you feed me.”

Her words made Lu Chi’s cheeks heat up, and his ears followed suit. He felt an odd sensation wash over him.

He scooped a bite of the cake into his mouth, finding it overwhelmingly sweet.

Tang Yin noticed that he seemed to chew with his mouth closed—though not quickly, his movements carried an air of elegance that only increased her fondness for him.

After observing him for a while, she suddenly spoke up. “Lu Chi, take off your glasses.”

Lu Chi paused, twirling the spoon on the cake. Eventually, he shook his head, the lenses occasionally reflecting faint light.

Thinking back to past events, his mood dipped slightly.

Tang Yin keenly sensed the shift in his emotions and instinctively knew something had happened—likely from his previous school—but she refrained from asking further.

After a long while, only a handful of students remained in the experimental class.

Zhao Ruying stared at the draft paper on her desk, covered in scribbles. She had been working on a physics experiment problem.

Hearing the faint sounds behind her, she felt as though bees were buzzing in her ear.

After a moment, she exhaled deeply and sharply turned her head, coldly saying, “Could you please keep quiet? We’re trying to study.”

Chen Chen beside her was startled by her reaction.

At the back of the room, Tang Yin lounged casually against Tang Ming’s chair, responding indifferently, “No can do. I’m studying too, conveniently. Please ask your class genius to tutor me.”

Zhao Ruying was left speechless, unable to retort for a long while.

Chen Chen tugged at her clothes from below, whispering, “Don’t say anything. Tang Yin’s punches hurt—a lot. We can’t possibly win against her.”

The small cake was still unfinished, but Lu Chi had stopped eating.

He stood up, his calm features cast in shadow. Looking down at Tang Yin, he said softly, “I need... to go back.”

Tang Yin ignored Zhao Ruying entirely and stood up, grinning mischievously. “Then let’s go together—it’s on the way.”

Lu Chi: “...”

Their dormitory buildings were clearly on opposite sides.

It wasn’t until they exited the classroom that Zhao Ruying realized she had been blatantly ignored once again. Furious, she shoved her chair, creating a loud noise.

Chen Chen didn’t dare make a sound.

The teaching building was nearly empty now, with only one or two classrooms still lit.

The lights in the stairwell hadn’t turned on—it seemed the school was doing something again, cutting power to this area.

The two descended the stairs in the dark. Tang Yin walked on the inner side, following closely behind Lu Chi, who didn’t look back even once.

As they neared the first floor, lost in thought, Tang Yin missed a step and landed directly on the ground with a soft cry.

The footsteps ahead immediately stopped.

The next second, Lu Chi’s unusually steady voice rang out. “What... what happened?”

Tang Yin rolled her eyes, feigning distress. “I twisted my ankle—I can’t walk anymore.”

In the darkness, Lu Chi couldn’t see what had happened. Was Tang Yin genuinely injured or faking it? He couldn’t tell.

He cautiously asked, “Really?”

“What else?” Tang Yin replied.

The stairwell fell silent for a brief moment.

Lu Chi spoke again. “Let me... take you to the infirmary.”

“But I can’t walk. How am I supposed to get there, Lu Chi?” Tang Yin groped around for a bit before finally grabbing the edge of his uniform, holding onto it tightly.

The stairwell returned to silence.

A moment later, Tang Yin felt herself being lifted by the waist. Behind her was a firm chest, almost brushing against her through their uniforms. His familiar scent instantly filled her nose.

The school infirmary stayed open until midnight, and even after closing time, there was always someone on duty to ensure no incidents occurred.

Though Lu Chi had only transferred a month ago, he was already aware of this.

Once they exited the teaching building, the path was illuminated by dim streetlights, casting an uneven glow.

Tang Yin nestled comfortably in Lu Chi’s arms. He stared straight ahead, his jaw tensed, his expression blank. His thin lips exuded both sensuality and aloofness.

Suddenly, she reached out and tugged at his collar.

The part of her body pressed against his chest immediately felt him stiffen. Clearly, he was uncomfortable with such contact.

Yet, he still didn’t let her go.

For a moment, Tang Yin felt a pang of guilt. To her, this injury wasn’t serious—it was just a missed step on two stairs, causing a brief moment of pain.

She craved his closeness.

“Don’t... fall,” Lu Chi suddenly spoke, his voice calm yet tinged with concern.

Under the distant streetlights, tiny insects swirled in the air, casting faint shadows. The occasional chirping of bugs could be heard from the nearby grass.

Lu Chi walked slowly.

A cool breeze brushed past them, but Tang Yin felt no chill. Her long hair hung loose, brushing lightly against Lu Chi’s arm as it swayed in the wind.

The infirmary was located near the teachers’ dormitory building, not particularly close to the teaching building. Now, it was the only lit structure in the area.

Over the years of high school, Tang Yin hadn’t visited the infirmary more than a handful of times. The only time she recalled was when Su Kexi had fainted due to menstrual cramps.

As she gazed at Lu Chi’s subtly moving Adam’s apple, Tang Yin’s thoughts began to wander.

Inside the infirmary, the doctor was dozing off, his head bobbing slightly.

The door creaked open with a loud sound, startling the doctor awake. Seeing the scene before him, he paused for a moment, then stood up and asked, “What happened?”

A nurse who had just woken up on a nearby chair wiped her mouth. Upon seeing the attractive pair, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

Lu Chi ignored her and carefully placed Tang Yin on the examination bed. He spoke softly, “Her foot.”

The doctor approached to examine it. Tang Yin wore white sneakers, and her pant legs were rolled up above her ankles. Under the light, a small abrasion was visible.

After inspecting it, the doctor sighed in relief. “Good, it’s not sprained—just a scrape.”

Considering she was a young girl with delicate skin, unlike boys, he disinfected the wound and applied ointment. “That should do it. Avoid getting it wet, and it’ll heal in a couple of days. Be careful in the future; scars wouldn’t suit you.”

Lu Chi observed Tang Yin’s reaction. She remained completely nonchalant.

Had she really not lied to him?

He wasn’t sure anymore.

“What are you thinking about? You can go now,” the doctor waved dismissively. The boy before him looked refined, but this constant distraction wasn’t good. “Take her back.”

Lu Chi snapped out of his thoughts, glanced at Tang Yin, who was watching him intently, and quickly shifted his gaze. He gave a soft acknowledgment.

On the way back, he carried her on his back.

Tang Yin was tall for a girl, but fortunately, Lu Chi was tall enough to carry her without much difficulty.

Throughout the journey, Lu Chi remained silent. He rarely spoke to begin with, so expecting him to talk now was out of the question. His entire body was rigid, relying solely on instinctive movements.

Tang Yin stared at the back of his head, observing the whorl in his hair.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she idly recounted recent events in a soft, fragmented voice, blending with the ambient sounds around them.

Lu Chi didn’t interrupt her. The sensation of her soft touch against his hands made him uneasy. His mind wandered—one moment thinking of this, the next of that. He couldn’t recall a single word Tang Yin had said.

When the girls’ dormitory building finally came into view, he finally exhaled in relief.

He asked hesitantly, “Wh-which floor?”

Tang Yin snapped out of her reverie. “Second floor. Put me down—I can walk up myself. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

She had exaggerated her injury earlier, and after the doctor’s assessment, there was no reason to continue being carried upstairs.

With that, she prepared to climb down from his back.

Unexpectedly, Lu Chi tightened his grip on her instead, silently carrying her directly into the dormitory building.

The girls’ dormitory was cool and quiet. The dorm supervisor was still in her room watching TV, and as they passed by, snippets of melodramatic dialogue from the show could be heard—”I love you, you love me.”

Finally realizing the situation, Tang Yin patted his shoulder. “Put me down.”

Lu Chi showed no reaction.

“Lu Chi, did you hear me? I can walk by myself.” She wriggled a bit and finally managed to jump down from his back with effort.

To her surprise, Lu Chi’s strength was greater than expected—he didn’t look particularly strong...

The two now stood face-to-face on the landing of the staircase. The door behind them was closed, and no one noticed their presence.

Lu Chi glanced at her foot, his lips pressed tightly together, saying nothing.

Faint voices could be heard from behind the door, muffled and unclear.

Tang Yin tilted her head slightly and lowered her voice. “It’s late. You should go back. I can manage on my own.”

“Mm.” Lu Chi also realized it was late and responded in a low voice, though he made no move to leave.

Tang Yin had planned to wait for him to leave before going inside, but seeing him standing motionless, she poked his chest, deciding drastic measures were needed.

She moved her lips and whispered, “Bookworm, bookworm, listen to me.”

Lu Chi raised his eyes to look at her.

Tang Yin continued, “Your WeChat nickname is ‘LuLuLu,’ and mine could be ‘TangTangTang.’ We’re a match made in heaven!”

Lu Chi: “...”

His lips twitched slightly. The next second, he turned and walked away.