After finishing lunch in the small roadside pavilion, Hua Qian’an checked the time—it was about right to head back to the dormitory.
At this hour, if she went back to get the textbooks for the afternoon classes, she could probably make it to the classroom just a few minutes before class started.
She casually tossed the trash into the nearby bin and quickly headed toward the dorm.
Upon returning, she saw her three roommates packing up their books, preparing to go to their respective classrooms.
Since the elective courses had just begun, none of them had textbooks yet, so there was no need to worry about those.
But after the elective, there were other classes, so textbooks were still necessary.
After pulling out the books she needed from the shelf, Hua Qian’an was about to head out when someone suddenly blocked her path.
It was Zhao Yingying.
Without showing any reaction, Hua Qian’an took a half step back and looked at Zhao Yingying’s face, which was twisted into a strange smile.
“Is something wrong?” Hua Qian’an asked, puzzled.
Zhao Yingying rubbed the back of her neck, looking shy.
Seeing her like that, Hua Qian’an couldn’t help but get a little uneasy.
Something about this didn’t seem good.
“Um, Xiao Qian…”
“I should have reminded you about the elective earlier—that was my fault,” Zhao Yingying said, bringing up the issue again at this moment.
Hua Qian’an frowned.
This couldn’t be what Zhao Yingying really wanted to say.
When someone offers unsolicited kindness at such a time, it’s either with ill intent or hidden motives.
“I know you have a good temper, so you probably won’t hold it against me, right?” Zhao Yingying continued.
“So—”
Without asking for Hua Qian’an’s opinion, she shoved a pink envelope into her arms.
Along with the envelope, she also pressed a few bouquets of flowers, just delivered by a florist, into her hands.
“Chen Zhiyan and you should be in the same elective classroom—”
Hua Qian’an couldn’t help but interrupt, “Why don’t you deliver it yourself?”
The scent of cheap perfume emanating from the bouquet made Hua Qian’an almost nauseous.
Suppressing the impulse to throw the envelope away, she patiently asked.
It seemed Zhao Yingying had been writing this before Hua Qian’an left.
But why didn’t Zhao Yingying deliver it herself?
Expressing feelings in person is a sign of respect, after all.
Whenever this was mentioned, Zhao Yingying got extremely annoyed and kicked the ground.
“Tsk, it’s just that the classroom is too far away.”
Her elective classroom was quite far from the one where Chen Zhiyan and Hua Qian’an had class.
By the time she finished class and got there, Chen Zhiyan would definitely have already left.
Not only that, she had to rush to her second class and didn’t have the spare time.
Besides class hours, Chen Zhiyan rarely appeared on campus.
She didn’t live in the dorms and didn’t have any roommates who could help gather intel or deliver things.
No matter how connected Zhao Yingying was in campus gossip, she couldn’t possibly track someone’s real-time movements.
So, that was why she was asking Hua Qian’an for help.
The answer the spirit medium gave her was still fresh in her mind.
Chen Zhiyan liked girls.
But among her admirers, there were definitely both males and females, yet she still had no boyfriend.
Zhao Yingying was convinced that spot was reserved for her.
Maybe Chen Zhiyan was waiting for her to confess?
The more she thought about it, the more excited she got, so at lunch she had flowers delivered directly to the school.
After all, the spirit medium said Chen Zhiyan loved flowers the most, right?
“…I see,” Hua Qian’an raised an eyebrow without giving any clear response.
She stuffed the letter and flowers into her backpack.
“If I don’t leave soon, I’ll be late. I’ll help you deliver it.”
It was a simple favor, and arguing with Zhao Yingying would just make her late for class.
She didn’t think Zhao Yingying had much chance of success.
If she hadn’t seen what Chen Zhiyan looked like before, she might not have been so decisive.
Though they had volunteered together before, Hua Qian’an was always busy and hadn’t paid much attention to the other participants.
She only had a vague impression and knew the name.
But after seeing Chen Zhiyan in the cafeteria, Hua Qian’an knew the chances of Zhao Yingying’s confession succeeding might be even slimmer than Chen Zhiyan confessing to her.
Though Chen Zhiyan wouldn’t ever confess to her, that was for sure.
But feelings are unpredictable.
If even someone like her could be liked, maybe Zhao Yingying really could succeed.
Unpleasant memories from the past resurfaced, and Hua Qian’an silently quickened her pace, as if trying to shake them off.
Thinking about that odd request, she unknowingly had already arrived at the classroom.
She checked the time—three minutes until class.
The back rows were almost full.
Hua Qian’an briskly walked forward to the third row in the middle section and sat down casually.
The view of the podium from here was pretty good.
She had to secure the school scholarship, so even in an elective class, she had to listen carefully and earn good grades.
In a large lecture hall that could hold a hundred students, hardly anyone sat in the front rows.
Hua Qian’an was perfectly content with that.
She would actually feel a little uneasy if someone sat right next to her.
Thinking about seeing Lin Yanqiu in just a few minutes, Hua Qian’an couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.
Although they both attended Hangyang University, they rarely crossed paths on campus.
Only a few had classes with Lin Yanqiu.
Taking out her notebook and pen from her backpack, Hua Qian’an took a deep breath.
Two girls behind her were whispering about the rumors surrounding Lin Yanqiu, lamenting they hadn’t snatched a spot in his class sooner.
Rumors about Lin Yanqiu included being strict, having a high failure rate, and even making students cry from scolding.
Hua Qian’an could detect hesitation and speculation in their tone—they were probably praying the rumors weren’t true.
But Hua Qian’an knew better.
Lin Yanqiu was indeed strict, in both academics and life.
Having lived closely with him, she could say that with certainty.
However, as long as one had a serious attitude, Lin Yanqiu wasn’t the kind to deliberately be harsh.
Biting her lower lip lightly, Hua Qian’an gazed absentmindedly toward the classroom door.
She realized she hadn’t seen Lin Yanqiu at work yet…
Just then, a commotion came from the back door.
“Is that really Chen Zhiyan?”
“I heard she took this course, but I didn’t expect it to be true.”
“…I wonder if I can get her contact info.”
“…”
Hua Qian’an turned her head toward the door.
A striking girl was indeed standing there, apparently confirming the classroom number.
Hua Qian’an had no interest in Chen Zhiyan herself.
But thinking of Zhao Yingying’s letter and flowers, she needed to find Chen Zhiyan’s seat so she could give them to her after class.
After that, she could leave.
Whether Chen Zhiyan decided to toss those things in the trash was none of Hua Qian’an’s business.
As she watched Chen Zhiyan, their eyes briefly met.
Chen Zhiyan then walked closer and sat down behind her.
To avoid the awkwardness of making eye contact again, Hua Qian’an quickly looked away.
The two girls who had been chatting fell silent.
Having the campus celebrity Chen Zhiyan sit next to them left them a bit starstruck.
Maybe for the same reason as them, Chen Zhiyan thought this seat had a good view of the podium.
Actually, it would be more convenient to hand over the things if Chen Zhiyan was sitting behind her.
Hua Qian’an opened her backpack, intending to give Zhao Yingying’s love letter and flowers to Chen Zhiyan right away.
“Ding—dong—ding—dong—”
The class bell rang.
Her hand paused.
Looking up, she saw a figure already at the door.
That person moved with purpose and quickly walked to the podium.
Those sharp eyes scanned the classroom, then spotted Hua Qian’an sitting in the center and squinted at her.
Hua Qian’an silently withdrew her hand from the backpack, pretending nothing had happened.
Better to focus on the class.