Psst! We're moving!
Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinxu was momentarily stunned, glancing sideways at Chi Zhiyu as if somewhat surprised, but before he could speak,
Chi Zhiyu quickly explained, “Don’t misunderstand, it’s just that I tutor with him for physics in the evening.”
Li Taoran, overhearing, choked a bit, “No, Xie Ye, can’t you talk properly?” He turned to look at Jiang Jinxu, “This guy talks like this, don’t mind him. If you don’t say anything, he might feel uncomfortable. Just let him bounce around by himself.”
Jiang Jinxu snapped back to look at Xie Ye and chuckled, “Xie does indeed talk a bit... surprisingly.”
Xie Ye didn’t bother to waste words with him and ignored him.
Meanwhile, Chi Zhiyu, still thinking about what just happened, first gave him a glare.
Noticing this, Xie Ye lowered his eyes to look at her, his eyebrows slightly raising, as if challenging her.
There was an air of ‘what can you do about me?’
“...”
Chi Zhiyu gave up communicating with him and turned her head away.
Jiang Jinxu watched their eye contact for a few seconds and smiled faintly, “Physics was so difficult this time. With Xie helping you with tutoring, Chi, you’ll surely get a good score.”
Xie Ye glanced at him and suddenly smiled, “Did you take the physics exam?”
“...”
“Is physics difficult?” Xie Ye’s demeanor was casual, lazily opening his mouth, “You liberal arts student, seems to know quite a bit.”
Jiang Jinxu paused and naturally replied, “I heard the science class students discussing it on the way, and physics is indeed difficult.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Li Taoran, looking at the two, broke the tension first, “Of course, physics is difficult, but maybe only Xie Ye finds it easy.”
Su Le coughed, “It’s about time. If we don’t go now, there might not be any seats left in the cafeteria.”
This seemed to be the key point.
Chi Zhiyu looked at Jiang Jinxu and spoke first, “Then we’ll go first, see you later, Jiang.”
Jiang Jinxu glanced at Xie Ye, smiled faintly, and nodded, “Alright, see you.”
As the words fell, Chi Zhiyu pulled Xie Ye out with one hand, whispering curses at him.
Xie Ye appeared indifferent, his eyes lowered, not knowing if he was listening.
Wu Xuan stood aside watching these two, pondering for a while.
The group entered the cafeteria and ordered what they wanted to eat. However, Chi Zhiyu hesitated for a moment; she wanted fried noodles but also wanted wonton soup.
But she couldn’t order both. Wu Xuan had already ordered a rice bowl and left, so she couldn’t share an order with her.
Therefore, she hesitated about what to choose next to her.
“Are you putting down roots here?” Xie Ye walked over and asked.
Chi Zhiyu looked up at him, pointing at the menu, “What do you think, should I get fried noodles or wonton soup?”
Xie Ye glanced, “Which one do you want?”
Chi Zhiyu blinked, sincerely replying, “Both.”
“...”
Perhaps finding the question too silly, Xie Ye found it amusing, silently curving his lips a bit, “Both?”
Chi Zhiyu acknowledged with an “Ah.”
Xie Ye lifted his chin, “Order, if you want both, then order.”
Chi Zhiyu furrowed her brows, “But I can only eat one. What should I do?”
After speaking, she looked at him and remembered to ask, “Did you order yet?”
Xie Ye looked down at her, his tone slow and leisurely, “What are you planning to do?”
“If you haven’t ordered, do you want to share with me?” Chi Zhiyu suggested, “You order fried noodles, and I’ll order wonton soup, how’s that?”
“Not interested.” Xie Ye’s eyebrows slightly raised, “Why do you think I’d want fried noodles?”
“Then,” Chi Zhiyu blinked, “You order the wonton soup?”
“...”
“Well, I won’t force you.” Chi Zhiyu stared at the menu, finally making a decision after much deliberation, “I’ll just get the fried noodles.”
After paying, Chi Zhiyu waited for a moment, then turned her head to look at him, “I’ve ordered. What do you want to eat?”
Xie Ye: “Don’t know.”
Chi Zhiyu gave her suggestion, “Then should you consider the wonton soup?”
Of course, he could see through her intentions. Xie Ye casually muttered, “Nope.”
“...”
Just then, Chi Zhiyu’s fried noodles were ready. She picked them up and glanced at him, “I’m leaving, take your time deciding.”
Chi Zhiyu carried her tray to the back and sat to the right of Wu Xuan.
Wu Xuan, seeing her arrive, glanced at the food on her plate and raised an eyebrow, “So you ultimately chose fried noodles.”
Chi Zhiyu shook her head, “But I still want wonton soup.”
“Then order it.”
“But I’ve already ordered fried noodles.”
“...”
Wu Xuan clicked her tongue, “I find you women—”
Chi Zhiyu: “Hmm?”
Wu Xuan: “—quite greedy.”
Chi Zhiyu: “...”
While they were talking, Su Le noticed Xie Ye returning and curiously asked, “Why did it take so long? What did you order?”
Xie Ye sat to the left of Li Taoran, opposite Chi Zhiyu, and casually placed his tray on the table.
Li Taoran glanced sideways, “Hey, it’s wonton soup.”
Upon hearing this, Chi Zhiyu was momentarily stunned. Wu Xuan, seeing the clear broth of wonton soup, was also somewhat surprised, then looked at Chi Zhiyu.
Chi Zhiyu snapped back and blinked, asking him, “Why did you order this?”
Xie Ye: “I wanted to.”
“?” Chi Zhiyu countered, “Then why didn’t you order when I asked you earlier?”
“You did ask.” Xie Ye took out his bowl and slowly added, “I never said I wouldn’t eat it.”
“...”
Chi Zhiyu declared, “Then I want to eat it too.”
Xie Ye ignored her.
Chi Zhiyu extended her index finger and negotiated, “Not much, I’ll just have one.”
Xie Ye glanced at her, then, without a word, moved the bowl in front of him.
“...”
The meaning of refusal was extremely obvious.
Chi Zhiyu clicked her tongue, resentfully scanned him, and then, with great dignity, lowered her head to eat the fried noodles in front of her.
The negotiation between the two ended, but Li Taoran spoke up for Chi Zhiyu, “Xie Ye, Chi just wants one, why be so stingy?”
Xie Ye glanced at him, “Got nothing better to do?”
Li Taoran shut up immediately and switched topics to start talking about winter vacation plans.
With the final exams over, winter vacation naturally followed.
But the duration wasn’t long. Originally just a month, it was directly shortened to just over a week due to高三高考复习 reasons.
Li Taoran was still grumbling about the school’s wickedness, while Wu Xuan complained even more, “You guys should be grateful. At least you’re resting, but us art students are super busy.”
“Oh, right.” Su Le remembered, “Aren’t you going to take another exam?”
“More or less.” Wu Xuan nodded, “We’ve already finished the joint exam, and the scores are out. We have about ten days left until the school exam.”
Li Taoran was curious, “How did you two do?”
Wu Xuan, eating her meal, casually replied, “I’m alright, and Chi Zhiyu is maintaining her high level as usual.”
“Wow, impressive.” Li Taoran praised, “So, have you decided which schools you want to go to?”
Wu Xuan: “Ruobei.”
Li Taoran confirmed, “That’s perfect. The three of us might also go to Ruobei. Let’s meet up then.”
Wu Xuan raised an eyebrow, “Xie Ye and Su Le are understandable since they have good grades, but you too, Ruobei?”
Li Taoran nodded, “Of course.”
Upon finishing, he realized something was off about his statement.
“Wait, what’s wrong with me?” Li Taoran widened his eyes, “My grades aren’t bad, alright?”
Wu Xuan snorted, “Your grades? You yourself know.”
Li Taoran: “???”
The two started arguing again, while Su Le automatically tuned them out.
Chi Zhiyu didn’t pay attention to them either because from the beginning, her eyes had been secretly focused on the bowl of wonton soup in front of her.
She watched as Xie Ye didn’t eat much, just sitting there playing with his phone.
After much consideration, Chi Zhiyu quietly extended her spoon and moved it towards the opposite bowl of wonton soup.
As the edge of the spoon was about to touch the surface of the soup, she noticed Xie Ye’s hand holding the phone suddenly move.
Chi Zhiyu instantly withdrew her hand, seeing that Xie Ye hadn’t looked up, and silently exhaled in relief.
After pausing for a few seconds, seeing that he was still looking at his phone, Chi Zhiyu quietly extended her spoon again, and with lightning speed, scooped up a wonton and immediately put it in her mouth.
The next moment.
Xie Ye’s voice came, “What are you eating?”
“...”
Chi Zhiyu’s mouth paused.
Xie Ye looked at her puffed cheeks, “Stealing my wonton?”
Chi Zhiyu: “...”
Damn, Xie Ye has eyes in the back of his head.
Chi Zhiyu swallowed the wonton in her mouth and directly said, “I’ve already eaten it. You can’t make me spit it out, can you?”
Xie Ye curled his lips. “I didn’t tell you to spit it out.”
Hearing that, Chi Zhiyu reached out with her spoon, pushing her luck. “Then I’ll have one more.”
Xie Ye: “……”
“One isn’t enough,” Xie Ye curled his lips, “you want two now?”
Chi Zhiyu said matter-of-factly, “Since I already ate one, might as well have another.”
Xie Ye let out a snort but still reached out and moved the bowl closer to her.
Seeing his attitude, Chi Zhiyu was fairly satisfied and naturally took half of his wontons.
But she wasn’t entirely shameless—she also shared her fried noodles with him.
Though really, Chi Zhiyu only wanted to taste them. After a few bites, she felt full and casually pushed the rest to Xie Ye.
“I can’t finish it. You take over.”
Xie Ye replied lazily, “Mm.”
…
After the group finished eating, Chi Zhiyu went home with Xie Ye, accompanied by Wu Xuan.
She casually said goodbye to Xie Ye, then pulled Wu Xuan inside and headed upstairs to her room.
“Check the bookshelf—I don’t know where it is either,” Chi Zhiyu said after dropping her backpack.
“Got it.” Wu Xuan also set down her bag and turned to the bookshelf to search for books on dance.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Chi Zhiyu responded, “Come in.”
Aunt Wang entered with a tea tray. “Have some water first.”
Wu Xuan quickly accepted it. “Thank you, Aunt Wang.”
“No problem, it’s my job.” Aunt Wang poured a glass for Chi Zhiyu as well.
Chi Zhiyu thanked her, then asked, “Is my mom not coming back tonight? Something at the theater?”
“Seems like there was a problem with the rehearsal over there.”
“Oh, okay.”
Aunt Wang didn’t linger and soon left.
Wu Xuan sipped her water. “Does your mom often not come back at night?”
“Depends,” Chi Zhiyu blinked. “But she can’t not come back at all—she has to keep an eye on me.”
Wu Xuan, hearing the phrasing, thought about Jian Yazhi’s usual demeanor and frowned. “Your mom… is she…”
Before she could finish, Chi Zhiyu raised her eyebrows and said, “You mean—is she mentally ill?”
“No! That’s not what I meant,” Wu Xuan quickly clarified. “I just think the way your mom constantly pushes you… maybe it’s for your own good, but it’s kind of extreme.”
Chi Zhiyu curled her lips. “You’re mistaken. It’s not for my good.”
—It’s to make up for her own pathetic love life.
Wu Xuan paused, feeling the topic was getting sensitive. She glanced toward the room across the street and quickly changed the subject. “That’s Xie Ye’s room, right?”
Chi Zhiyu sipped her water and nodded. “Yup, your Ye-ge’s boudoir.”
“Wow.” Wu Xuan raised her eyebrows. “So you two can exchange longing gazes through the window every day?”
“What?” Chi Zhiyu choked and went to open the window for air. “Can you talk properly?”
“What did I say that’s not proper?” Wu Xuan teased. “You two are like a modern-day version of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. With a whole street between you.”
Chi Zhiyu turned to look out the window—and at that moment, a figure suddenly appeared across the way.
She looked and called out, “Ye-ge.”
Xie Ye opened his curtains and looked up at her.
Chi Zhiyu looked him up and down and raised an eyebrow. “Wanna be a cowherd?”
“……”
Xie Ye: ?