The late autumn sun was unexpectedly warm, its golden rays piercing through the withered branches and fallen leaves of the old trees, casting mottled shadows. The slender shadows of the tree trunks grew shorter and shorter, then gradually lengthened as the sky began to darken.
The last class before school let out was usually designated for self-study, considering that students rarely had much focus or energy at that time.
As was the rule, no teachers supervised the three Elite Classes. The students were quite disciplined; the faint sounds of whispers were mostly about discussing problems. Even if they weren’t, there was no real need to watch over them.
Gu Yu had been tormented by a certain poetry question for a long while. None of the various interpretations seemed to fit. Dark ink nearly filled the horizontal lines, yet his answer remained uncertain. He finally gave up, put away the test paper, and switched to another subject.
Someone nudged his elbow. Gu Yu turned his head to see a Mathematics test paper being moved to the edge of his desk. Luo Ming pointed at a large problem and asked him, “Did you do this one, Gu Yu? Do you have any ideas for it?”
Gu Yu glanced at the problem. It was today’s Mathematics homework. He had finished it during his lunch break and still remembered the steps. “I did. My line of reasoning should be correct.”
“Then explain it to me.”
As Luo Ming spoke, she leaned closer. The distance between them vanished instantly, their shoulders touching. The boy’s slender fingers pressed against the pale yellow paper. A drop of ink from his gel pen fell onto it, and he immediately moved it away, but a faint black dot already marred the neatness of the diagram.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, keep going.”
“Okay.” Gu Yu switched to a mechanical pencil, the lead tracing from a corner to a horizontal line. “Draw an auxiliary line here, starting from Point C and perpendicular to…”
The girl stretched her fair, slender neck, her temple almost touching his. With a slight sideways glance, he could catch a glimpse of her pretty profile. She pursed her thin lips slightly, her expression serious, possessing a soul-cleansing beauty.
Though Gu Yu tried to focus his attention, his gaze couldn’t help but drift toward the girl’s face. Luo Ming’s beauty didn’t look childish, nor could it be called seductive; it was as clear as the bottom of a sweet lake, which was incredibly effective at attracting a teenage boy.
The proof was only halfway finished when the school bell suddenly rang. Sounds of packing and moving chairs filled the air. Gu Yu paused and looked at Luo Ming, who met his gaze.
“Finish explaining first. It’ll be crowded if we leave now anyway.”
“Okay. Then, continuing on, prove that Line AF is perpendicular to Parallelogram BCDE, and then…”
The explanation ended quickly. Luo Ming pulled her test paper back, her eyes sweeping over Gu Yu’s face. Detecting his obvious awkwardness, an audacious thought occurred to her at just the right time.
As Gu Yu was about to pull his hand back, Luo Ming suddenly grabbed it. Her fair, delicate palm was slightly cool, slender, and soft. He was instantly thrown into a state of panic, a crimson flush spreading from his neck to the tips of his ears.
“Luo… Luo Ming? What are you doing?”
Gu Yu tried to pull his hand away, but the girl held on tight, seemingly using all her strength. Her skin felt smooth and delicate. She stared at him playfully, like a hunter who had caught a precious prey.
“Gu Yu… the skin on your hands is dry and cracked.”
“I know, you—”
Luo Ming let go of his hand, satisfied with his reaction. She giggled at his shy appearance before turning back to pack her bag.
After packing their books, the two of them carried their bags and followed the crowd out of the school. Gu Yu still hadn’t calmed down; the sensation on his hand lingered as if it hadn’t disappeared, leaving him feeling reluctant to let the feeling go.
Luo Ming walked right beside him. The hand that had just gripped his so tightly now hung at her side, her five fingers empty. She was so close that he could grab her hand if he just reached out, making his heart itch.
The flow of people dispersed at the School Gate. A familiar black car was parked in a vacant spot by the roadside. Every student leaving the school could see it, and it drew many curious, envious, or admiring glances.
A woman stood outside the car door. She was dressed exquisitely, her figure graceful and her face young and beautiful, far surpassing the female students walking out. Unfortunately, her large Willow Leaf Eyes were filled with coldness, sharp as a blade.
Yun Qianxin usually presented herself as gentle and mild, treating others with kindness. She disdained petty schemes and didn’t care about irrelevant speculation. However, she had just seen a girl following alongside Gu Yu from a distance—a very beautiful girl.
When the boy walked up to her, she instantly dissolved the icy chill on her face. She asked in a soft voice, “School’s over. Should I drive you home?”
“No thanks, Sister Qianxin, you should go back first. Luo Ming and I still have to go to work.”
“Is it this girl? Your classmate?” Yun Qianxin looked toward Luo Ming and asked.
“Yes, we’re in the same class.”
“Are you Gu Yu’s neighbor? Hello, I’m Luo Ming, his desk-mate.”
Luo Ming emphasized the last two words. she looked at Yun Qianxin calmly, her deep eyes showing no ripples. She appeared indifferent, her emotions well hidden, yet her words felt like a provocation and a show of power.
“So you’re his desk-mate. Hello, Luo Ming. My name is Yun Qianxin. Xiao Yu must have troubled you with many things, hasn’t he? This child has always been a bit silly. He used to love following me around and asking me to play with him.”
Yun Qianxin wore a winding smile, looking at Luo Ming kindly as she revealed their past together. Her words were full of sweetness.
“Sister Qianxin, you don’t need to say those things. That was all a long time ago.”
“These are precious memories between Sister and Xiao Yu. I’ll remember them no matter how much time passes.” As she spoke, Yun Qianxin stroked Gu Yu’s head, appearing even more intimate than a real sister right in front of Luo Ming.
“That’s nice. You look so young, Sister. Did you just graduate from college?”
“Yes, I rushed back right after graduation. I couldn’t stop worrying about Xiao Yu. He’s so silly, it wouldn’t be good if he were tricked.”
The smile in Yun Qianxin’s eyes remained charming, but she drew out the last few words as if they carried a deeper meaning.
“There’s no need to worry. Gu Yu rarely interacts with girls; I’m the one he talks to the most. By the way, how was your college life, Sister? Was it happy? Did you have a boyfriend to accompany you?”
“Hehe, not yet. I’ve been constantly thinking about Xiao Yu, so how could I have time to find a boyfriend? I heard from Xiao Yu that there aren’t any girls he likes at school. Luo Ming, do you know if that’s true? Can you tell me?”
“I’m not quite sure.” Luo Ming shook her head obediently, looking innocent and harmless. “I haven’t seen Gu Yu have much contact with girls other than me. Maybe… he really doesn’t have anyone he likes.”
“It seems Xiao Yu is as honest as always. It really is time to focus on studying; the Gaokao isn’t far away. Your mind should be on your lessons.”
As Yun Qianxin spoke, she reached out to stroke Gu Yu’s head again. Just as her palm rose, the boy was pulled away by Luo Ming. Her pale hand tightly gripped Gu Yu’s wrist as she tugged him back.
“We don’t have much time left. We’ll be late for work, so we’ll head out first. Goodbye, Sister.”
“Is it that urgent? How about I drive you two?”
“No need, it’s just ahead. We can just walk there,” Luo Ming replied, her gaze turning to Gu Yu. “Let’s go. If we’re delayed too long, it won’t be good if we lose our perfect attendance bonus.”
“I know, there’s still time.”
Gu Yu turned back and waved to Yun Qianxin. “We’re leaving now. Goodbye, Sister Qianxin.”
“Okay, see you tonight.”
Yun Qianxin waved goodbye. Looking at the girl with long hair draped over her neck, her face took on a coldness even more severe than before.