Jiang Ling irritably pulled her blonde hair loose.
Looking at Fang Chenxi’s hairstyle earlier, she had suddenly felt like trying a high ponytail.
However, the scalp tension after an entire afternoon made her uncomfortable.
Once it was undone, Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief; it felt much better to let her hair hang loose.
The falling blonde hair was like a golden waterfall, so dazzling that people couldn’t look away.
Except for PE class, she never liked tying it in a high ponytail.
Lu Yuyao had taught her others, like braids or twin tails, but a lingering thought in Jiang Ling’s mind told her that wearing various pretty hairstyles was embarrassing for her.
Jiang Ling sighed.
‘I’ve already accepted wearing pretty dresses, yet I’m still agonizing over things like this.’
It was only a matter of time, anyway.
Opening the club door, Jiang Ling froze for a moment when she suddenly saw Xia Yu and Ding Rui.
Then she realized that the club wasn’t just her and Ji Qingyan anymore.
She still wasn’t quite used to it.
She hadn’t expected Xia Yu and Ding Rui to arrive even earlier than she did.
Ji Qingyan was still sitting in her spot by the window.
The sunset glow fell over her, making her look incredibly beautiful.
Seeing Jiang Ling enter, she gave a small nod.
“Hello, Senior,”
Xia Yu said, standing up and greeting Jiang Ling nervously.
Seeing Xia Yu stand, Ding Rui bit her lip and weakly followed suit.
“Hello, Senior.”
Jiang Ling smiled.
“No need to be so stiff. We’re all in the same club now.”
These two juniors always gave her a sense of being too serious, as if Jiang Ling were a superior official coming to inspect their work.
Jiang Ling sat back in her spot next to Ji Qingyan.
Xia Yu was on her right, and Ding Rui was next to Xia Yu.
She blinked; having two more people around her felt unfamiliar.
After Jiang Ling sat down, Xia Yu became visibly more nervous than before.
Jiang Ling’s words of comfort hadn’t helped at all; instead, the girl looked like she was sitting on pins and needles.
Jiang Ling saw it all.
From the start, Xia Yu felt like a very shy girl, but Jiang Ling also felt a bit awkward talking to her.
It was probably because Xia Yu had written her a love letter before.
‘But I’m the senior. I can’t be all bashful like a junior. I have to act the part.’
That’s what Jiang Ling thought.
Jiang Ling glanced at Ji Qingyan.
Ji Qingyan was cold by nature and didn’t like to talk much, while the two juniors didn’t know what to say since they just joined.
Thus, the burden of livening up the atmosphere fell on Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling felt a bit of despair.
After all, she was technically socially anxious herself.
But letting the atmosphere stay this suffocating felt even worse than social anxiety.
Still, she couldn’t just force a conversation.
“Um… our club doesn’t have mandatory activities. If you’re interested, you can come sit here every day, or even use this as a study room. Just don’t bring in anyone who isn’t a club member.”
Jiang Ling figured it was best to start with the club rules.
As she spoke, Ji Qingyan looked up at her.
When she finished, Ji Qingyan nodded in agreement.
She hadn’t thought about explaining these things to the newcomers.
“Then what do you usually do in the club, seniors?”
Xia Yu mustered her courage and asked.
“Read books, drink tea, and chat?”
Jiang Ling smiled.
For now, that really was what club life was like for her and Ji Qingyan.
“That sounds wonderful,”
Xia Yu said, looking very interested.
“I also like peace and quiet and reading. That’s why when I saw the Literature Research Society, I thought a club like this would be great.”
“Mm-hm. If you’re interested in literature, you can ask Senior Ji for help with any questions, okay?”
Jiang Ling began introducing Ji Qingyan.
She giggled and pointed toward the other girl’s shoulder.
“Your club president is a famous literature girl. She’s won many awards.”
“That’s incredible!”
Xia Yu exclaimed.
Then she curiously asked about Ji Qingyan’s achievements.
She seemed to truly have a passion for literature.
Ji Qingyan gave Jiang Ling a helpless and resentful look, seemingly blaming her for shifting the spotlight.
However, as the president, she couldn’t refuse.
She began to slowly answer Xia Yu’s questions.
Jiang Ling looked away, pretending not to see.
She wasn’t going to let Ji Qingyan just be a hands-off boss.
Ding Rui, who hadn’t said much, gradually joined the conversation as she listened to them.
She slowly started talking more.
They were high school students, after all.
Everyone was just a simple student, and many problems could be solved by opening one’s heart.
However, with more people around, Jiang Ling realized she would have to find another time to ask Ji Qingyan about the new book.
Jiang Ling didn’t want others to know about her writing.
After all, it concerned her great plan for survival—plus, Jiang Ling felt it was already a secret between her and Ji Qingyan.
Jiang Ling turned to look.
Ji Qingyan’s cold face held a hint of panic.
She didn’t seem very good at handling the barrage of questions from the two juniors.
Once they got comfortable, Ding Rui and Xia Yu were quite talkative and lively.
Ji Qingyan looked at Jiang Ling.
Her pleading eyes made Jiang Ling feel helpless, but she had no choice but to join the ‘battle’ and help her dear president share some of the fire.
About one hour passed.
Jiang Ling never found a chance to discuss the new book with Ji Qingyan today.
They had spent almost the entire hour chatting.
They went from polite pleasantries to literature, school, and life.
The topics drifted further and further, but the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.
The Literature Research Society was now close to Jiang Ling’s ideal club.
‘I guess you could say it finally feels like there’s some life in here.’
Jiang Ling smiled.
Saying that made it sound like she and Ji Qingyan weren’t alive before.
The two juniors still looked like they wanted more when it was time to leave, but it was getting late.
Furthermore, Ji Qingyan had something to do at home and needed to head back early, so everyone went their separate ways.
The two of them walked together.
When they reached the school gate, Jiang Ling instinctively reached into her bag for her phone, only to find it had been left behind in the clubroom.
“Qingyan, you go ahead. I have to go back and get something.”
“Okay,”
Ji Qingyan nodded and didn’t wait.
After all, she had other things to do at home.
***
There were basically no people left in the school at this hour.
So, after Jiang Ling came out of the teaching building, she boldly took out her phone.
Once she unlocked it, messages started popping up one by one.
Aside from a few advertisements, there was a message from Lu Yuyao.
She said not to make dinner for her because she was eating out with classmates.
But Jiang Ling ignored it.
Every time Lu Yuyao went out with friends, she would always come back and snatch a few bites, leaving Jiang Ling hungry.
Beneath her cute exterior, Lu Yuyao had a little belly from eating too much.
“No wonder she felt heavy when I carried her upstairs,”
Jiang Ling whispered.
If Lu Yuyao ever heard that, it would be a death sentence.
Jiang Ling stuffed the phone back into her bag.
As she was walking, she heard rhythmic shouting from the sports field.
It sounded like the school training team was practicing…
Fang Chenxi was in the sports club, so her club activities should be on the field as well.
Jiang Ling suddenly remembered what Fang Chenxi had said that afternoon.
“If you have time, do you want to come watch me train?”
She hesitated for a moment before finally turning around and heading toward the sports field.
‘Just one look. I’ll leave after one look.’
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