Xia Sanghuan hesitated for a moment, picked up the photo frame, and stuffed it into her backpack.
Carrying not much stuff, she walked down the mountain and saw Xia Anying waiting obediently for her at the foot of the mountain.
With a complicated mood, she walked up to her and led her away from Qingshan Slope.
The girl stared out of the car window at the tree shadows rapidly receding.
Every time she left this place, she always told herself that this would be the last time she came back.
But somehow, she always found a reason to come back again.
...
When they got back to Yuntan, it was even earlier than she had expected.
In a great mood, she even gave the driver a bigger tip.
First, she sent Xia Anying back to the Fu family's place, and then took a taxi back to Fernos College.
"Back?"
Professor He looked at Xia Sanghuan as she pushed the door open and entered.
"What's this?"
The girl walked up to her workbench and saw a white gift box on it.
"Leng Chuanjin sent it for you."
Her hand reaching for the gift box paused.
Why did Second Brother suddenly send her something?
"He also threw out all the flowers and gifts from your suitors," Professor He added.
The girl stood there, completely stunned.
"When did he come?"
"Almost lunch break time, around ten o'clock?"
It was over.
That was the only thought in her mind at the moment.
The thing she had tried so hard to hide was exposed just like that.
"Did he ask where I was?"
"Sure he did."
The professor's words felt like a heavy hammer hitting her heart.
"What did you say?"
"Of course I said you went to the hospital."
Professor He waved the test tube in her hand, looking as if to say "Don't I know you well enough?"
Hearing this, the girl let out a sigh of relief. Her hanging heart finally settled down.
...
Xia Sanghuan put the ground medicinal materials into her bag. After briefly saying goodbye to Professor He, she left the research lab.
She took out her phone, turned off the silent mode, and was surprised to see a text message from Leng Chuanjin.
"Sorry, I can't pick you up today."
She was silent for a moment, then put the phone back into her pocket.
Since Second Brother couldn't pick her up, she'd take the bus home for a change.
She was really tired of sitting in the car all day anyway.
Besides, she didn't need to go to the hospital today, so she could go home early.
But her original plan was disrupted on the way.
"Sanghuan, let's go shopping together!"
Shu Man blocked her way and said to her.
"You've been so busy these days that we hardly ever see you. How long has it been since we had a good chat?"
Seeing Xia Sanghuan standing there, stunned, she complained discontentedly.
"Okay."
The girl had no choice but to agree to her request.
As soon as she agreed, Shu Man's attitude did a 180 - degree turn.
She pulled her arm with a big smile.
"Let's go then."
To be honest, Xia Sanghuan had never experienced going shopping with friends after school.
So being surrounded by a few little girls at the moment, she felt a bit at a loss.
Fortunately, these friends took good care of her feelings and chatted with her about topics she was interested in all the way.
After walking around the commercial street for about an hour, they were all a bit thirsty from chatting. Shu Man suggested going to the newly - opened coffee shop on the street corner to sit down.
No one objected, and they all followed her there.
"I heard that coffee shop was newly opened by the Leng family on this street," she said as she bounced along.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned back and asked the girl, "Sanghuan, as a member of the Fu family, you must have a lot of contact with Leng Chuanjin, right?"
"Xiaoman, don't you know? Leng Chuanjin picks Sanghuan up from school every day," another girl asked in surprise.
Shu Man's eyes widened instantly.
"Why didn't anyone tell me!"
The girl rolled her eyes.
"Everyone knows this. Does it still need to be said?"
It wasn't Shu Man's fault. Most of the time, she just buried herself in her studies, and she also left school through another gate.
"Sanghuan, what's your relationship with him? Why does he pick you up from school every day?"
Shu Man grabbed the girl's hand, looking determined to get to the bottom of it.
"He... is a friend of my eldest brother's."
"So he always treats me like a younger sister."
She replied helplessly.
As they were talking, they walked into the coffee shop.
After ordering drinks from the waiter, they found a relatively large table and sat down.
They chatted idly. Suddenly, Shu Man tugged at Xia Sanghuan's sleeve.
"Sanghuan, look quickly."
She lowered her voice and leaned close to the girl's ear.
Thinking she had found something boring again, the girl leaned over half - heartedly. But when she saw Leng Chuanjin, her eyes widened.
He was wearing casual clothes, his long legs casually crossed. His well - defined right hand was holding a cup of coffee.
He nodded to the person sitting across from him, and she couldn't tell what he was saying.
"That's a woman, right?"
Shu Man's words pulled her back to reality.
It was indeed a woman.
Although she couldn't see her face, judging from her long, curly hair, she could tell it was a woman.
And she was an elegant woman.
Xia Sanghuan tightened her grip on the glass involuntarily.
"Sanghuan, don't you go over and say hello?"
"No."
The girl forced a smile.
"It's not good to disturb them."
Even though she said so, her mind was in a bit of a mess.
What did this mean? He didn't pick her up just to go on a date with another woman?
She angrily stabbed the spoon into the parfait and stuffed a big mouthful of ice cream into her mouth as if in revenge.
The coldness rushed straight to her temples, making her a bit more sober.
Although she tried to control herself, her eyes still kept glancing in Leng Chuanjin's direction.
"Are you really concerned?"
Shu Man whispered in her ear.
Caught in her thoughts, Xia Sanghuan said stubbornly,
"Of course not."
But her expression clearly showed otherwise.
"She should not be his girlfriend," Shu Man tried to console her.
"How could a couple be so distant?"
"Who knows," she replied crossly.
"Think about how Leng Chuanjin treats you on normal days."
"You're his younger sister. You're closer to him than that woman."
The girl calmed down and tried to follow Shu Man's advice.
The scene of Leng Chuanjin kissing her forehead on her birthday flashed through her mind instantly.
Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly drove this memory out of her head.
"Ah, they're leaving," Shu Man suddenly said while Xia Sanghuan was daydreaming.