SW - 22

After the sports meet ended, the senior three students plunged back into the intense rhythm of review.

“Where should we go to have fun this weekend?” Su Kexi asked idly.

Having been cooped up in school for half a month, she felt like she was about to grow mold. Maybe they could try some new restaurants and catch a movie afterward.

A beautiful plan.

“I’m meeting Lu Chi this weekend,” came Tang Yin’s casual voice from beside her.

Su Kexi, who had been listening attentively, suddenly turned shocked, her face filled with disbelief. “You’re going out with Lu Chi this weekend? Are you sure it’s him? Not someone else?”

Tang Yin gave her a strange look. “Who else would it be?”

“Holy cow, when did you two progress so quickly?” Su Kexi’s eyes widened.

Though she hadn’t spoken to Lu Chi much recently, she still gathered information about him—especially since her friend was pursuing him.

He didn’t seem like the type to just agree to go out on a whim, did he?

She scrutinized Tang Yin for a moment before finally whispering, “Sweetie, how did you ask him out?”

Tang Yin looked up from her test papers and casually replied, “Oh, I just said I needed him to help me pick physics materials.”

Su Kexi: “...”

It was such a classic “bookworm” way to invite someone out.

By mid-November, autumn had deepened, and the weather had grown cool.

Before the holiday began, Tang Yin cornered Lu Chi and told him to meet her at the bookstore entrance. Though she had wanted to visit his house...

The bookstore was called Shen Ma Bookstore .

Located near the entrance of First High School, it was known as the go-to place for the latest study materials. The store had two floors—one floor for stationery supplies, another for reference books and test papers—with a small section dedicated to novels and other genres.

Bored, Tang Yin wandered around the ground floor, then returned to see Lu Chi standing across the street.

Lu Chi’s height made him stand out among the bustling crowd. He appeared quiet and upright, drawing attention effortlessly. Once your gaze landed on him, it was hard to look away.

Clearly, he had noticed Tang Yin too. He quickly crossed the road, keeping his eyes forward.

Tang Yin waved at him. She had arrived early on purpose today.

“Did you miss me last night?”

Lu Chi kept a straight face, glancing at her sidelong with a faint air of disdain.

Tang Yin chuckled and walked into the bookstore alongside him.

Near the stairs were various magazines—romance novels, literary works, and more. Tang Yin casually picked up a romance novel and slipped it into her bag.

Seeing Lu Chi’s disapproving glance, she grinned. “It’s for Su Kexi.”

The wooden stairs creaked under their weight, narrow and steep like a small attic ladder.

Tang Yin tilted her head as she looked at Lu Chi. He was wearing a shirt again, though this time with a jacket over it, giving off that same aloof vibe she’d noticed the first time she met him.

An inexplicable sense of restraint.

The bookstore wasn’t crowded, with only a few people scattered among the shelves.

“Starfire seems to have enough material already. Bing, do you have any recommendations?” one student asked.

“I bought this last month, and it feels okay. But it might not suit you.”

“It’s fine—I’ll give it a try anyway. If you, who scores better than me, think it’s good, it’s probably challenging enough for me. Worth a shot, haha.”

Zhao Ruying had finished her Starfire reading comprehension book and come to buy a new one. Coincidentally, her roommate Chen Chen lived nearby, so they had arranged to shop together.

The two wandered between the shelves, occasionally picking up a book to browse through.

Soon, Zhao Ruying had chosen the materials she wanted, and Chen Chen had grabbed hers as well. “Let’s go. Buying too much at once means we won’t finish them all. The school will hand out materials later anyway.”

Jia Shui Private School provided a moderate amount of study materials—not too little, not too much. Each subject typically had two books: one focused on practice problems, the other on detailed example solutions, serving both homework and review purposes.

But for senior three students, natural talent alone wasn’t enough. Hard work was essential. These materials weren’t sufficient—they needed more practice to feel secure.

Chen Chen greatly admired Zhao Ruying as a roommate. Her grades never dropped, she was beautiful (easily one of the prettiest girls in the class), and came from a moderately wealthy family.

Their homes were close, but their backgrounds were worlds apart.

For someone from an ordinary family like Chen Chen, Zhao Ruying was like a goddess—kind, gentle, and never using foul language. She had always dreamed of becoming someone like her.

This opportunity to accompany her while buying materials felt like pure luck.

The bookstore had several pillars, each displaying magazines and digests.

Chen Chen picked up a digest she liked and was about to turn and recommend it to Zhao Ruying when her eyes suddenly widened.

Zhao Ruying approached, noticing her distraction. “What are you looking at?”

Following her gaze, Zhao Ruying’s smile froze.

“Ruying, is that Tang Yin? And is that Lu Chi with her?” Chen Chen whispered after snapping out of her daze, watching the pair closely.

Just as they finished speaking, they saw Tang Yin lean toward Lu Chi. The two were standing extremely close, seemingly engrossed in conversation.

Shen Ma Bookstore had divided its shelves into sections, with the senior three materials occupying a large area. English materials were tucked away in a corner.

The shelves were tall enough to nearly obscure people entirely.

Tang Yin reached around the corner and pulled out a book, handing it over. “Is this the one you mentioned?”

Lu Chi nodded, taking it and flipping through the pages.

Seeing his reaction, Tang Yin pointed toward the spot she’d found it. “I pulled it out from there—it seems to be the last copy.”

With that, she bent down to check again, but indeed, there was only one left.

Disappointed, Tang Yin stood up, only to accidentally bump her head against the top of the shelf. Several books tumbled down, landing with a series of thuds.

She barely managed to let out a startled “Eep.”

Lu Chi glanced over, his eyes narrowing instantly. His reflexes were faster than thought—he quickly pulled her aside, saving her from being hit by the falling books.

Then, he calmly picked up the fallen books and placed them back on the shelf.

Before he could turn around, Tang Yin’s soft, slightly pained voice reached his ears. “Lu Chi, it hurts.”

Her voice was sweet, soft, and a little sultry.

Lu Chi hesitated for a moment, seeing her clutching her head with a pitiful expression. He pursed his lips, then gently placed his hand over the spot, asking softly, “Where... does it hurt?”

A flicker of amusement passed through Tang Yin’s eyes, but she still pouted, leaning closer to him. “Here. I bumped it—it really hurts.”

She pointed to her forehead, where her beautiful widow’s peak drew attention. A small red mark was visible.

Lu Chi frowned, hesitating for a moment before carefully rubbing the spot.

The warmth of her delicate skin transferred to his palm, making his face heat up involuntarily.

After a moment, he swiftly withdrew his hand, tucking it behind his back, feeling somewhat flustered.

Finally, he cleared his throat. “We... should go.”

He was shy again.

Tang Yin stopped teasing him and obediently replied, “Alright.”

The second floor had a checkout counter, located near the stairs.

Tang Yin followed closely beside Lu Chi, occasionally sneaking glances at his reactions. Midway, she almost collided with a bookshelf, but Lu Chi quickly pulled her back.

Lu Chi sighed in exasperation, slightly flustered. “Watch where you’re going!”

Tang Yin spread her hands innocently. “I am looking at ‘Lu’ (路, meaning ‘road’).”

Her clever wordplay immediately made Lu Chi realize her double entendre. His face flushed red, and emboldened by her teasing, he glared at her.

“What are you thinking about?” Tang Yin feigned ignorance, teasing him further.

Her words only made Lu Chi feel like he had overthought things. His lips moved, but he couldn’t find a response for a long while. In the end, he simply turned around and placed the books on the counter.

Tang Yin stifled a laugh, covering her mouth to suppress the sound.

Teasing him was always so amusing—his reactions were absolutely adorable.

The girl at the cash register was named Ding Tong, a student at First High School. During holidays, she often helped out at the bookstore. The job wasn’t complicated, and she considered it good practice.

Since Lu Chi and the girl arrived upstairs, Ding Tong had been watching them closely.

She recognized Lu Chi—originally the top student of his grade, he had been in her class during the transition from sophomore to junior year. Even after transferring schools, his name still came up frequently. Teachers would often mention him, and sometimes his test papers were photocopied and circulated among students.

In fact, even the teachers’ answers weren’t as concise as his.

Lu Chi was a well-known figure at First High School. The only downside was that he stuttered when he spoke.

Ding Tong had sat in front of him before and knew his personality all too well. In class, he rarely spoke to anyone except other boys, and even then, his responses were limited to nods or shakes of the head.

Forget interaction—it was like seeing the sun rise in the west if he ever smiled.

Just now, the scene she witnessed nearly made her pop her eyes out. She rubbed them repeatedly to confirm she wasn’t hallucinating or mistaken.

But the real shock came later.

The checkout counter was just a few steps away from the dictionary shelves. From there, Ding Tong had a clear view of their exchange and expressions, especially when Lu Chi’s face turned red!

She had never seen that happen in over a year of being classmates!

Ding Tong clicked her tongue in amazement.

Still, the girl with Lu Chi was undeniably beautiful. Even as another girl, Ding Tong found her pleasing to look at. There was something uniquely captivating about her, and her personality seemed pleasant enough.

When she smiled, it was like a gentle spring breeze brushing past, making everything else seem dull in comparison.

Zhao Ruying and Chen Chen also approached the counter behind them.

However, before they could reach it, Lu Chi turned and walked toward them.

Zhao Ruying greeted him with a smile. “Lu Chi, you’re here to buy study materials too?”

Lu Chi gave a slight nod, sidestepped past them, and disappeared into the aisles. His slender figure moved among the bookshelves, exuding an air of scholarly elegance.

He didn’t even pause...

Zhao Ruying’s expression darkened. She glanced at Chen Chen, who remained oblivious to her dismay. Thankfully, no one noticed her momentary loss of composure.

But seeing Tang Yin’s languid demeanor irritated her to no end. Unable to restrain herself, she muttered under her breath, “Little fox spirit!”

Tang Yin happened to be leaning on the counter. Her hearing was sharp, and though Zhao Ruying’s voice was low, the bookstore was quiet enough for her words to be clearly audible.

The voice sounded familiar.

Tang Yin turned around with interest, casually leaning against the counter. “Oh?”

She still remembered the way Zhao Ruying had looked at Lu Chi last time. Without the ability to back it up, Zhao Ruying dared to harbor feelings for someone she shouldn’t.

Being caught bad-mouthing someone to their face certainly wasn’t a bright move.

Chen Chen, timid by nature, tugged anxiously at Zhao Ruying’s sleeve from behind, whispering, “Ruying, let’s just drop it.”

Everyone knew Tang Yin’s father was the principal, and she was infamous for her fiery temper and love of fighting. Offending her wouldn’t end well—it might even lead to trouble.

Rumors said those who crossed her ended up regretting it...

Zhao Ruying’s face turned pale, but she still glared at Tang Yin, biting her lip lightly.

Seeing the flicker of resentment in her eyes, Tang Yin lost interest. With deliberate slowness, she asked, “Am I a little fox spirit?”

It was amusing how Zhao Ruying dared to say such things to her.

“You have your own hands, yet you let a boy rub your forehead. If you’re not a little fox spirit, what are you?” Zhao Ruying shook off Chen Chen’s restraining hand and raised her voice.

Chen Chen stiffened, shocked by her audacity.

Lu Chi happened to return with a book. Seeing the two standing together and overhearing the comment, he merely glanced at them, frowning slightly.

In a few swift strides, he stepped forward, gently encircling Tang Yin’s slender wrist, and murmured softly, “Let’s go.”

This sudden development left everyone momentarily stunned.

Ding Tong nearly jumped out of her seat. Did she really just see Lu Chi hold a girl’s hand? And speak so gently?

Though pleasantly surprised, Tang Yin subtly shook her head. She slipped out of his grasp and leaned directly against him, appearing soft and boneless.

Lu Chi froze, standing there expressionlessly. Everything around him blurred into the background as all his senses focused on a single point.

It felt like he was back at the sports meet.

Unaware of his thoughts, Tang Yin was elated. She raised an eyebrow at Zhao Ruying and teased sweetly, “Turns out this bookworm loves a little fox spirit like me. What can you do about it?”

Her words dripped with honey.