WG - 16

During the break between morning reading classes, there weren’t many people in the corridor, especially on the third-year floor of the senior high school. Most students would lie down to sleep as soon as they heard the bell ring. Occasionally, a few students would come out for some fresh air or to get water from the dispenser.

The atmosphere in Class 3, the top science class, wasn’t much different, except that a few more students came out to breathe some fresh air through the back door.

A girl stood at the back door, looking at the tall boy in front of her and feeling inexplicably nervous. The boys behind her occasionally glanced over, and seeing the girl’s demeanor, they immediately understood what was happening.

Every year, just a few days after the new first-year students arrived, a few girls would always approach Xie Ye.

As the saying goes:

“Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers.”

Xie Ye had one hand in his pocket, leaning casually against the doorframe. He looked down at the girl in front of him with a faint smirk, “Nothing to say?”

When Xie Ye suddenly approached her earlier, the girl had been so stunned by his face that she forgot what to say.

Now hearing his voice, she snapped out of it and hurriedly replied, “No, no, I have something.”

She raised her head and accidentally met Xie Ye’s gaze. Her face flushed red, and she shyly lowered her head, holding out a paper bag in her hands. “Th-this... I hope you can accept this.”

Hearing this, Xie Ye’s eyes showed little emotion, only a hint of cold indifference.

The girl was too nervous to look up at him and hastily explained, “It’s nothing important, j-just a simple breakfast.”

After saying that, she closed her eyes, shoved the paper bag into Xie Ye’s hand without waiting for his reaction, and quickly turned around to run away.

The classmates who were watching this familiar scene didn’t react much, merely blinking and then turning their heads to look at Xie Ye.

Sure enough, he appeared calm and indifferent, naturally crumpling the paper bag in his hand and heading toward the trash can behind the door to throw it away.

“Hey, wait a minute!” Su Le stopped him. “How can you throw it away without even looking? At least open it and take a look.”

“I’ll open it for you.” Su Le took the paper bag, glanced inside, and saw a bottle of milk and a sandwich. “It really is breakfast.”

Xie Ye ignored him and returned to his seat, pulling out his chair and sitting down. Seeing the person next to him still sleeping in the same position, he assumed they were still asleep.

Su Le looked around for anything else but found nothing. Returning to sit in front of Xie Ye, he tilted his head curiously and asked, “Are junior girls confessing their feelings like this now? There’s no card telling you who she is?”

Xie Ye pulled out the book that Chi Zhiyu had been using as a pillow and placed it on the corner of her desk.

Seeing his movements, Su Le glanced at Chi Zhiyu, who was sound asleep under her hood, and chuckled, “This really proves what Pool Fairy predicted — trouble comes unexpectedly.”

Xie Ye gave a faint smile, “Do you actually believe her nonsense?”

“...”

Su Le gave him a thumbs-up and then looked at the paper bag in his hand. “Are you going to eat this anonymous breakfast?”

Xie Ye glanced at him, “Do I look like someone who’s hungry?”

“Alright, good thing I’m hungry,” Su Le picked up the paper bag. “If you don’t want it, I’ll eat it.”

Xie Ye didn’t care and glanced at the clock on the wall.

There were only eight minutes between morning reading sessions, so it wasn’t long before the bell rang for class. Chi Zhiyu was still dreaming.

Her consciousness was fuzzy, the air felt stuffy, and she couldn’t remember what she had dreamed about when the urgent ringing woke her.

Chi Zhiyu struggled for a while, eventually lifting her head.

With drowsy eyes, she turned to ask Xie Ye, “What class is it?”

Xie Ye lifted his chin slightly.

Following his gaze, Chi Zhiyu turned to see the teacher on the podium.

Biology class.

Feeling relieved, she closed her eyes for a moment, then reached lazily into her desk drawer, rummaging around for a while before finally pulling out a book.

Chi Zhiyu opened the first page and placed it on the desk.

Then, with one hand, she tugged off the sweater draped over her head, glanced at it, and turned to look at Xie Ye, expressionless as she said, “Do you know what I dreamed about just now?”

“?”

Chi Zhiyu: “I dreamed that I almost suffocated to death.”

Xie Ye: “...”

“So I thought, why am I feeling more and more stifled while sleeping? Turns out it was your fault.” Chi Zhiyu handed the sweater back to him and yawned, “Next time, leave me a hole to exchange some air, thank you.”

Hearing this, Xie Ye smiled faintly, “Looking forward to a next time?”

Chi Zhiyu: “?”

Xie Ye tilted his head, smirking slightly, and arrogantly replied with three words, “Dream on.”

“...”

Chi Zhiyu wanted to hit him.

Thinking it, she acted on it, slapping his hand and snatching back her sweater, glaring at him, “Freeze to death, will you.”

Even though it was summer, the classroom air conditioning was on, so everyone wore a jacket to keep warm.

Xie Ye’s lips twitched slightly, too lazy to bother with her antics.

The biology teacher on the podium began lecturing, and Chi Zhiyu stopped teasing him, focusing honestly on the class. Occasionally, she took notes and worked on problems.

The first class wasn’t difficult, but because she was still sleepy from morning reading, Chi Zhiyu listened half-heartedly, her eyelids drooping as she drifted through the lesson.

By the end of the class, she felt a rare pang of conscience. She realized that staying seated all the time wasn’t helping her stay awake.

Her drowsiness hadn’t faded at all; she’d been wanting to sleep the entire time.

Chi Zhiyu rubbed her eyes, picked up her water bottle randomly, and decided to go get some water and fresh air.

Just as she walked out of the classroom, she bumped into Wu Xuan, who was coming out from the neighboring room.

Chi Zhiyu greeted her and yawned, asking, “Going to the restroom?”

“Mm.”

Wu Xuan walked up beside her, and together they headed down the hallway, scanning her. “Why do you always yawn whenever I see you?”

“Maybe...” Chi Zhiyu guessed, “You’re particularly hypnotizing?”

Wu Xuan: “... What nonsense.”

They walked toward the restroom and water dispenser at the end of the corridor.

“I didn’t say anything, don’t frame me.”

Chi Zhiyu casually placed her water bottle next to the dispenser and went to the restroom with Wu Xuan.

Inside, there were many girls, most of whom had come together to use the restroom.

Some were gathered in front of the mirror, touching up their makeup while chatting.

While washing her hands after using the restroom, Chi Zhiyu overheard bits of their conversation by chance.

But only a few scattered words reached her ears.

Something about breakfast, a first-year girl, and Xie Ye.

After quietly washing her hands, Chi Zhiyu dried them with a tissue and turned to leave, only to meet the curious gazes of a few girls from the neighboring class.

Were they scrutinizing her?

Chi Zhiyu calmly held their gaze for a few seconds, then turned and left without much concern.

Once outside, Wu Xuan, standing beside her, found it strange and asked, “Why were they staring at you?”

“I don’t know.” Chi Zhiyu blinked. “Maybe because I’m too beautiful?”

“...”

Wu Xuan accompanied her to get water and casually asked, “What did that first-year girl give Xie Ye this morning?”

“Hmm?” Chi Zhiyu raised her tone slightly, “A first-year girl gave something to Xie Ye?”

“?” Wu Xuan was confused. “You didn’t see?”

“No.” Chi Zhiyu picked up her water bottle to fill it and sniffed, “I was sleeping this morning.”

“Then you probably missed it.” Wu Xuan shook her head. “What a pity.”

Chi Zhiyu found it amusing. “What’s there to feel sorry about? It’s not a big deal.”

“No.” Wu Xuan said, “Someone confessed to Xie Ye.”

Chi Zhiyu blinked and nodded, “So?”

“...”

Taken aback by her nonchalant tone, Wu Xuan paused, suddenly realizing it wasn’t such a big deal after all.

Perhaps guessing what Wu Xuan was thinking, Chi Zhiyu smiled, “Don’t worry. With so many people confessing to Xie Ye, if he could be with any of them, would he still be Xie Ye?”

Wu Xuan: “Hmm?”

That made some sense.

Before she could respond, Chi Zhiyu added, “Besides, I’ve read Xie Ye’s fortune.”

“Before he turns 18,” Chi Zhiyu looked at her and slowly said, “he’s destined to have bad romantic luck.”

“...”

Who’s she kidding?

After filling her water bottle, the bell rang, and both rushed back to their respective classrooms.

Chi Zhiyu was no longer sleepy and focused on her lessons when she returned to her seat.

But halfway through the class, Chi Zhiyu felt a bit chilly. She sniffed and turned to look at Xie Ye.

He was wearing the summer uniform of the affiliated high school—white short-sleeved shirt, with the top three buttons fastened tightly, covering his collarbone area, as if to avoid being ogled, not exposing an inch of skin.

Unlike Su Le and Li Taoran, who preferred wearing jackets instead of switching to their own T-shirts underneath.

Very casual.

Is it because he’s handsome and can afford to be careless?

Chi Zhiyu raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to whisper his name, “Xie Ye.”

Xie Ye rested his cheek on one hand, lazily gazing at the blackboard ahead. Hearing her voice, he twirled his pen between his fingers without looking up, “What?”

Chi Zhiyu continued whispering, “Are you cold?”

“Hmm?” Xie Ye finally glanced at her, “What?”

“Nothing.” Chi Zhiyu blinked, “I was just asking if you’re cold.”

Xie Ye: “Oh.”

“...” Chi Zhiyu said, “So, are you cold?”

“Whether I’m cold or not,” Xie Ye appeared relaxed, “What’s it to you?”

Chi Zhiyu: “Isn’t this called caring?”

Hearing this, Xie Ye seemed amused, “You care about me?”

Chi Zhiyu lazily responded with an “Ah,” “Haven’t you heard that desk-mates should support and love each other?”

“Nope.”

“...”

Chi Zhiyu thought for a moment and kindly offered, “If you’re cold, tell me. I’ll return your jacket.”

Xie Ye turned to look at her, waiting for her to continue.

Sure enough, the next second.

Chi Zhiyu leaned closer, seemingly offering helpfully, “Just beg me and say something nice.”

Their distance closed.

Xie Ye caught a faint whiff of her subtle fragrance.

And the warmth of her breath.

He paused.

At this moment, Chi Zhiyu also realized how close they were. She raised her gaze and suddenly locked eyes with him.

The air froze for an instant.

“Not awake yet?” Xie Ye lowered his gaze, subtly turning his head to create some distance, his voice slightly hoarse, “Daydreaming again?”

“...” Chi Zhiyu straightened herself, looking natural, “I was just worried you might catch a cold.”

Xie Ye glanced at her, “Really?”

“Of course.” Chi Zhiyu looked innocent, “What else could I possibly want?”

Xie Ye: “What do you think?”

“What do I think?” Chi Zhiyu was puzzled, “What do you think I want to do to you?”

“I think you want—” Xie Ye turned to look at her, enunciating each word clearly, “To take advantage of me.”

“...”