SW - 21

Tang Yin closed the notebook and gazed at it thoughtfully.

It was clearly new, likely purchased not long ago. Moreover, this particular notebook was unique to the school’s convenience store—she rarely saw it elsewhere.

All signs pointed to one conclusion—

Lu Chi had specially prepared this for her.

Tang Yin reopened the notebook, slowly flipping through from beginning to end. When she reached the last page, her fingertips traced small circles on the blank sheet of paper.

There were plenty of problems in senior three, so finding similar types wasn’t difficult—but it wasn’t easy either. While a few might be quickly located, compiling entire pages like this undoubtedly took considerable time.

Not to mention the detailed annotations and explanations included.

Every time she teased him, he would remain silent and coldly unresponsive, yet he always accommodated her—carrying her to the infirmary, helping her upstairs, even waiting outside for her the next day…

Because of one mistake she made on a problem, he had compiled countless similar ones.

Tang Yin’s heart softened instantly.

She pulled out her pen, biting it as she thought for a moment, then wrote a small line on the blank space.

—TangTangTang likes LuLuLu even more.

________________________________________

The sports meet proceeded as scheduled.

On the first morning, there was the opening ceremony; the competitions began in the afternoon.

The entire school gathered on the field and square, lined up in two rows. They watched as the flag bearers carried each class’s sign to their designated spots, accompanied by cheerful music playing over the loudspeakers.

Class 14 was adjacent to the experimental class, with similar numbers of students. Conveniently, the end of their line happened to align with the end of the experimental class’s line.

Tang Yin and Su Kexi were always at the back of Class 14’s formation.

By coincidence, Lu Chi, being tall, also stood at the end, resembling a stubborn white poplar tree. His stance gave off the aura of a disciplined soldier.

The school leaders were all positioned at the front, unable to see what was happening at the back.

Tang Yin quietly moved closer, looking up at him. “I have a competition later. Will you come watch?”

Lu Chi didn’t respond immediately, hesitating slightly.

She liked poking his chest now—it was firm yet soft, quite amusing. Playfully, she poked him a few more times, giggling mischievously.

Lu Chi caught her mischievous hand. “Don’t... do that.”

His voice was faint, like that of a small animal being teased.

Tang Yin felt herself becoming a little devilish. She smiled. “Alright, alright. Then will you come watch my competition tomorrow? Please?”

Seeing him hesitate again, she extended her other hand to poke him once more. Before she could touch him, Lu Chi finally responded softly, “Okay.”

He bit his lip, his voice low and husky.

After a moment, he casually pulled her slipping school uniform jacket back up onto her shoulder. The movement was completely natural.

Failing to make contact with any muscles, Tang Yin felt a tinge of disappointment. Still, she quietly cheered internally at his agreement, her joy genuine.

Unconsciously, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Lu Chi’s lips.

________________________________________

Luyang and Tang Ming, who had been secretly watching and listening, nearly popped their eyes out.

Was this really the Lu Chi they knew???

________________________________________

The long-distance races were scheduled for the second day.

Tang Yin’s competition was today.

The weather was perfect. She removed her school uniform, wearing a loose shirt that revealed her slender arms. A number tag was pinned to her back, leaving the boys around the perimeter parched.

“Hey, Tang Yin is great in every way, except for her temper. She seems ready to explode at anyone.”

“Just looking at her alone, no one in the school can compare. Compared to those online ‘most beautiful campus flowers,’ they’re nothing.”

A group of boys sat on the ground, discussing animatedly.

Since electronic devices weren’t allowed at school, these were the topics they could discuss. Among boys, conversations usually revolved around girls and cars.

During the sports meet, people mostly gathered in small groups, often with classmates from different classes.

Beside Luyang sat a classmate from before they were divided into science and humanities streams.

Students were split into arts and sciences at the end of their freshman year, but the bonds formed in their initial class tended to last longer. They often met and became familiar with each other.

The classmate nudged Luyang and whispered, “Is that guy from your class dating Tang Yin?”

Hearing the question, Luyang reflexively glanced back.

Lu Chi sat cross-legged on the ground, a book resting on his lap. He quietly flipped through the pages, seemingly isolated from the world.

Even the students in the experimental class admired Lu Chi, the transfer student.

While natural talent existed, most of his success came from hard work. Lu Chi was not only intelligent but also loved reading, focusing his efforts on studying. It was no surprise that his results were exceptional.

His achievements were so far ahead that jealousy wasn’t even an option.

“You’re overthinking it,” Luyang shook his head. “Dating? That’ll happen when pigs fly. Hey, do you have any water? I’m thirsty.”

“No, I don’t have a competition today. Go buy some yourself from the convenience store.”

“You’re heartless, chatting with me like this.”

“Isn’t there a carton of milk beside your classmate? Just borrow it. We’re all guys here.”

“That makes sense.”

Luyang scrambled to his feet and jogged over to sit beside Lu Chi. “Lu Chi, I’m too lazy to buy water. Can I drink yours?”

Borrowing water among guys was common, so Luyang didn’t think twice. As he reached out, the yogurt in front of Lu Chi was suddenly snatched away.

“It’s... someone else’s,” Lu Chi said.

“Oh.” Luyang paused, confused. “Never mind.”

With that, he got up again and headed straight for the convenience store.

The convenience store had a few scattered customers. Luyang bought two bottles of water and coincidentally ran into Tang Ming. The two decided to leave together.

“Grab one for Lu Chi too. All he has is that carton of milk.”

Just as they reached the door, Luyang turned back and grabbed another bottle of water.

Tang Ming teased him. “Who drinks milk? Do you think it’s Wahaha? I’d rather drink grandma’s milk. Is Lu Chi still not weaned?”

“Everyone in the class is weaned except maybe Lu Chi,” Luyang retorted.

Tang Ming was puzzled. “But I’ve sat with him for almost a month now, and I’ve never seen him drink milk. He mostly drinks plain water, rarely even mineral water.”

“Oh, that’s someone else’s.”

This answer only deepened Tang Ming’s confusion. “Wait… whose milk?”

Luyang recalled, though he hadn’t noticed the brand, the appearance was clear enough. He casually described it.

By the time he finished, Tang Ming was laughing so hard he could barely catch his breath.

He had said that Lu Chi didn’t have many close friends, so why would he bring milk for someone else? Moreover, the boys in their class wouldn’t choose yogurt over other drinks.

Turns out, it was all because of Tang Yin.

He still vividly remembered the scene at the playground from the previous week.

“Participants in the 800-meter race, please gather at the starting line. Participants in the 800-meter race, please gather at the starting line...”

The announcement echoed throughout the field.

Lu Chi’s ears twitched slightly. He exhaled softly, closed his eyes momentarily, shut his book, and turned his gaze toward the green netting.

Tang Yin was highly popular among the high school division.

Ordinary spectators were not allowed inside the track and could only watch from outside. Boys and girls alike leaned against the netting, almost forming a wall so dense that no light could pass through.

Lu Chi appeared indifferent as he pushed himself up with one hand. His long legs immediately drew envious glances.

“This time, Tang Yin will definitely take first place.”

“Not necessarily. The girl in the lane next to her is a PE major. You don’t know about her? She’s incredibly fast at long-distance running. Even the boys can’t keep up with her during evening training sessions on the field.”

As Lu Chi moved closer, he overheard these whispers. His brows furrowed slightly, but thanks to his height, he easily peered over the crowd to see the scene inside the track.

Su Kexi happened to be inside. Since no one was monitoring entry at the start, she had slipped in to hand Tang Yin water after the race.

After running 800 meters, Tang Yin was bound to be thirsty.

________________________________________

The competing girls were doing their warm-up exercises.

Since they rarely exercised regularly, this was a rare occasion. Except for the PE major, who was accustomed to running.

Tang Yin casually stretched her body, loosening up.

Her eyes scanned the perimeter of the field and suddenly locked onto a particular direction. She smiled faintly, her crescent-shaped eyes captivating nearly everyone nearby.

The next moment, the crowd saw Tang Yin suddenly make a gesture toward a specific direction.

Everyone followed her gaze and easily spotted the tallest figure among the crowd. Seeing his aloof demeanor, they were momentarily stunned.

Soon, someone realized—it was the new transfer student, Lu Chi.

A few boys in that direction were still distracted by the commotion, completely unaware of what was happening behind them. They laughed and joked with their companions: “Is she waving at me? Hahaha!”

“Keep dreaming. Go look in the mirror.”

Lu Chi stood there holding his book, the fingers of his right hand lightly gripping a carton of yogurt. He merely glanced at them before shifting his gaze away.

At the sound of the starting gun, the girls took off.

Tang Yin maintained a relaxed pace, securing second place. Her physical fitness was excellent due to her active lifestyle, making the 800 meters feel effortless.

As she passed by Lu Chi’s side, she secretly winked at him.

This time, it was Lu Chi’s turn to become the center of attention. He stood there with a cold expression, yet no one dared to approach or ask anything.

In no time at all, Tang Yin easily claimed first place. The PE major’s final sprint fell just short.

Su Kexi handed her water and draped her school uniform jacket over her shoulders. “You’ve just finished exercising—don’t catch a cold.”

Tang Yin hugged her briefly. “I’m going to find Lu Chi.”

The previously touched Su Kexi rolled her eyes. “Get out of here.”

Tang Yin patted her and jogged over. Those with good sense made way, creating some distance.

Thus, on both sides of the green netting, only the two of them remained.

The school’s budget was limited, and the netting wasn’t particularly tall—easy to reach if one raised their hand.

Lu Chi fixed his gaze on her. After a moment, he shifted his eyes slightly, feeling a bit uneasy as he shuffled his feet.

Then, he suddenly spoke: “C-catch.”

“Huh?” Tang Yin looked puzzled, but then she saw him raise his right hand and toss the yogurt over the netting. It landed perfectly in her outstretched palm.

It was the same flavor as before.

Tang Yin opened it immediately and said, “Do you remember everything I like?”

Lu Chi ignored her. His hair was tousled by the wind, giving him a disheveled charm. Holding his book, he walked away, revealing hands that were elegant and slender.

Tang Yin’s lips curved into a smile. Clutching the yogurt, she quickly headed toward the exit.

When she emerged, Lu Chi was no longer in his original spot.

She looked around and finally found him. There was a large empty space around him; the surrounding boys had instinctively kept their distance to avoid disturbing his reading, and no girls lingered nearby.

Tang Yin, still wearing her school uniform, plopped down beside him and sipped her yogurt.

The sound of her settling down wasn’t subtle. Lu Chi’s fingers on the page curled slightly before he turned another page.

Even watching him read felt like admiring a beautiful sight.

After appreciating him for a while, Tang Yin propped her chin on her hand and asked, “Are you going out this weekend?”

Lu Chi’s hand paused momentarily. Without lifting his head, he shook it slightly.

“But I want to buy physics materials. I don’t know how to choose...” Tang Yin pouted pitifully. “You’re so good at physics—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Tang Yin’s eyes widened slightly as she watched Lu Chi extend a finger and gently wipe the corner of her lips. The cool sensation beneath her skin sent shivers through her.

“M-milk stain,” he murmured softly.

By the time Tang Yin snapped back to reality, Lu Chi had already turned his head away. His ears, hidden behind his hair, were blazing red, almost as if they might bleed.

The blush even crept onto his cheeks.

So sensitive.

She placed the yogurt on the empty ground in front of her and slowly scooted closer. Suddenly, she lunged forward and hugged him tightly. “Lu Chi, you’re so wonderful.”

Her soft body swept over him like a gentle breeze, her shallow breaths brushing against his neck. His rigid spine nearly burned with heat.

So soft.