After finishing their meal, the three of them headed back to the classroom together.
Su Nuannuan was utterly exhausted and immediately laid her head on the desk, beginning to doze off for a quick nap, hoping to make up for the sleep she missed last night.
The first class of the afternoon began, and as soon as the teacher entered, he knocked on the blackboard and announced some bad news: “Everyone, please pay attention. Next week, we will have a diagnostic test covering everything we’ve studied this semester. Make sure to prepare well.”
A chorus of groans erupted throughout the classroom. The students’ faces all fell—another exam! When would it end?
Su Nuannuan propped her head up with one hand, her eyelids still heavy, muttering to herself, Could what Qianqian said really be true…?
Sigh, this is it. I’m definitely going to be at the bottom again. If there really is a study group afterward…
No one would want to team up with me…
Once the students’ complaints quieted down a bit, the teacher continued, “Additionally, the school has decided to implement club activities starting this semester. Every student must participate.”
“You can create a new club or join one that someone else has established. If you want to create a club, come see me after class to get an application form. The deadline for applications is next weekend.”
The classroom suddenly became lively again. Students started whispering excitedly, discussing which clubs they wanted to join or create.
Su Nuannuan, still half-dazed, thought to herself, There really are clubs?
So… could there be a Sleep Club? Like, who can sleep the longest? She felt that would suit her perfectly.
When Lin Wei heard the news, her expression remained unchanged. She didn’t have any particular interest in clubs; if she had to join one, she’d probably pick something sports-related.
Instinctively, she glanced at Su Nuannuan sitting in the front row, curious to see how the fool would react.
The bell rang to signal the end of class, and Zhou Qianqian immediately came over and nudged Su Nuannuan awake. “Nuannuan, don’t sleep anymore. Have you decided which club to join?”
Rubbing her eyes, Su Nuannuan sat up blankly, shaking her head in confusion. Without thinking, she blurted out her thought: “Do you think… there might be a Sleep Club?”
Zhou Qianqian scratched her head in disbelief. “Th-there probably isn’t one, right?”
She wondered, What is going on in Nuannuan’s head all day?
Who in their right mind would seriously create a Sleep Club? Who?
She then suggested, “How about… you ask your sister?” She nodded toward Lin Wei in the back row.
Su Nuannuan turned around to look. Lin Wei was staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
Su Nuannuan shivered and quickly shook her head. “N-no… better not.” She definitely didn’t dare to provoke Lin Wei.
Zhou Qianqian rolled her eyes. “Such a coward!”
She went over to Lin Wei’s desk, bold as ever, and asked, “Hey, Lin Wei, is there any club you want to join?”
Lin Wei turned her gaze back and looked at Zhou Qianqian with a flat tone: “Anything is fine.”
Zhou Qianqian: “…”
Great, asking was pointless.
She returned to Su Nuannuan’s side and looked at her clueless expression. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She slapped her thigh.
“Alright! Since you want to join a Sleep Club, then let’s just apply to create one ourselves!”
“Huh? Us?” Su Nuannuan was stunned. She was just joking!
Zhou Qianqian didn’t care and dragged Su Nuannuan toward the teacher’s office.
As Su Nuannuan was pulled along, she panicked, “Qianqian, I’m joking… don’t take this seriously!”
“No problem. You’ll be the club president!” Zhou Qianqian nodded proudly.
To their surprise, there was already a long line of students waiting at the office to fill out club application forms.
Zhou Qianqian was a bit surprised. “Wow, so many people are interested in clubs!”
“But it makes sense. The school is strict all the time, and it’s nothing but study after study. Suddenly having something fun like this, everyone’s enthusiasm is bound to be high.”
Su Nuannuan blushed as she looked at the long queue, clutching Zhou Qianqian’s arm tightly and whispering, “Qianqian, forget it… actually creating a Sleep Club would be too embarrassing…”
The students ahead of them excitedly discussed the clubs they wanted to create—anime club, baking club, detective club… all sounded legit.
The more Su Nuannuan listened, the more ridiculous her own idea felt.
Finally, it was their turn. The teacher looked up and asked, “Are you here to apply for a new club as well?”
Zhou Qianqian nodded vigorously and pushed the shrinking Su Nuannuan forward.
Swallowing her fear, Su Nuannuan whispered, “Y-yes, teacher.”
The teacher handed over the registration form. “Fill it out—write the club name and the applicant’s name clearly.”
Su Nuannuan’s hand trembled as she took the pen. Zhou Qianqian elbowed her on the side, making a face that said, Hurry up, what are you scared of?
Summoning her courage, Su Nuannuan closed her eyes and quickly wrote three big characters in the club name section:
Sleep Club.
Then, she signed her name under the applicant line.
Su Nuannuan.
The teacher took the form, pushed up his glasses, and stared at the words “Sleep Club” with a strange expression, his mouth twitching twice.
“Sleep… Sleep Club? Well… alright. We will review the application and notify you if it’s approved.”
Hearing this, Su Nuannuan wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear. She grabbed the still giggling Zhou Qianqian and fled without looking back.
Behind them in line was a short-haired, very cute girl.
She watched the two hurriedly run off and chuckled softly.
The teacher called out to her, “Student, are you here to apply for a club too?”
The girl snapped back to reality and nodded, stepping forward.
She glanced at the form left on the table—the one that said Sleep Club, applicant Su Nuannuan.
The girl couldn’t help but chuckle. That was quite an interesting club name.
She took a new form from the teacher, pulled out a pen, and wrote “Magic Club” in the club name field. Then, she signed her name: Wu Duola.
After finishing, the girl nodded in satisfaction.
Back in the classroom, Su Nuannuan plopped into her seat and buried her flushed face in her arms.
So embarrassing! She actually went and applied for a Sleep Club!
Zhou Qianqian, however, was quite excited. She spun around the moment they sat down and proudly told Lin Wei in the back row.
“Lin Wei, your little sister is going to be the president of the Sleep Club! What do you think? Want to join too? I’ll make you vice president!”
Lin Wei was flipping through a book. Hearing that, she paused, looked up with a blank face, but her eyes clearly said…
What nonsense are you talking about?
“Sleep Club?” Lin Wei said calmly.
That fool really dared to dream? The school would never approve it.
Zhou Qianqian chuckled, “Yeah! Nuannuan personally applied! Impressive, right?”
Su Nuannuan listened from the front, mortified. That traitorous friend.
She quickly glanced back at Lin Wei, who was giving her a look of disbelief. Startled, she quickly looked forward again, pretending nothing had happened.
Finally, the school day ended. After saying goodbye to Zhou Qianqian, Su Nuannuan dawdled and got into the car with Lin Wei.
There was silence all the way home, and the quietness made Su Nuannuan a bit uneasy.
Once home, dinner was spread out on the table.
Su Nuannuan was bubbling with happiness.
Halfway through the meal, Su Dad put down his chopsticks, cleared his throat, and wore a serious expression. “Nuannuan, Weiwei, there’s something we need to tell you.”
Su Nuannuan paused mid-bite, looking up with blinking eyes.
Lin Wei slowed her eating and glanced at their father.
Su Mom took over, her tone mixed with apology and worry: “There was an accident at one of our overseas projects. Your father and I need to leave immediately to handle it.”
“It might… take several months.”
“Ah?”
Su Nuannuan froze, forgetting to chew the rib in her mouth. That’s it, no more happiness!
“Several months? When are you leaving?”
“The day after tomorrow, early morning flight.”
Su Dad sighed. “It was sudden.”
Su Mom looked at Su Nuannuan with eyes full of admonition: “Nuannuan, your father and I won’t be home. You have to behave, okay? And take good care of your sister. Understand?”
Su Nuannuan shivered instinctively.
🤡
She was going to be home alone with Lin Wei for months? She swallowed hard, already imagining the hellish months ahead.
The god of melodrama was striking again!
She sneaked a glance at Lin Wei beside her, but saw no change in her expression. It was as if their parents leaving for months didn’t concern her at all.
Ignoring Su Nuannuan’s gaze, Lin Wei slowly picked up a piece of food in front of her and tasted it.
Hmm, today’s dish tastes pretty good.