The warm yellow table lamp cast a long shadow of Chen Er. That night, Chen Er didn't know when she fell asleep. She was lying on the desk with a smile on her lips, as if she was having a sweet dream.
As the college entrance examination drew nearer, Chen Er felt the atmosphere at home was a bit dull. So she packed up the books she needed, slung her schoolbag over her shoulder and headed out.
It was June, and the pedestrians on the street had all changed into colorful and beautiful summer clothes. Today, Chen Er was wearing overalls and had simply tied her hair into a high ponytail, looking even more innocent.
As she walked along, Chen Er caught a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks and stared blankly at Jiang Cong across the road, unable to move a muscle.
Jiang Cong also felt Chen Er's gaze. He turned his head and saw the girl he had been missing. At this moment, she was staring intently at him.
Jiang Cong thought to himself that she was really stupidly cute...
However, Jiang Cong didn't show any sign of unease. With a calm look on his face, he walked towards Chen Er who was standing on the other side of the road.
"The college entrance examination is coming soon, isn't it?" Jiang Cong walked up to Chen Er. After not seeing her for a few months, Chen Er's short hair had grown a bit and could now be tied up.
"Yeah. When did you come back? You didn't even tell me. That's not nice of you." As Chen Er spoke, she playfully punched Jiang Cong's chest with a fist. Somehow, it seemed to carry a hint of coquetry and flirting.
Jiang Cong just smiled without saying a word. Instead, he slowly pushed up the gold - rimmed glasses on his nose, looking even more mysterious.
Chen Er pretended to cough while clenching her fist. She hardly dared to look Jiang Cong in the eye. But the feeling of uneasiness didn't last long. Chen Er had a sudden idea and found a perfect excuse for herself.
"I'm going to the coffee shop to study. Let's make another appointment some other day!" As if afraid that Jiang Cong wouldn't believe her, Chen Er pointed at the coffee shop beside them and said seriously.
Jiang Cong raised his eyebrows non - committally and politely stepped aside. Just when Chen Er thought Jiang Cong would understand her hint and leave, Jiang Cong's next words completely shattered her perception.
Jiang Cong didn't act like an outsider at all. Instead, he said matter - of - factly, "You can study, and I can tutor you on the side. After all, I graduated from the University of Florida. Teaching a high - school student like you is more than easy for me."
Chen Er: "..." I suspect you're insulting me.
"Fine..." Seeing that more and more people were coming in and out of the coffee shop, and many young girls' eyes were falling on Jiang Cong from time to time, Chen Er had no choice but to reluctantly accept Jiang Cong's words.
So, Chen Er and Jiang Cong sat down face to face at a window seat.
Chen Er opened her exercise book. The questions that she had known by heart couldn't catch her attention at all. She absent - mindedly bit the end of her pen.
"It's unhygienic." Jiang Cong took the pen that Chen Er had been chewing on. Inevitably, there was some glistening saliva on it.
Seeing this, Chen Er's ears turned red, and a blush spread across her cheeks. "I know. Give it back to me."
Jiang Cong seemed not to notice Chen Er's unusual behavior. Instead, he said righteously, "You must have some questions you don't know how to solve, right? Come on, let me teach you."
As he spoke, he ignored Chen Er's pitiful look and directly took the exercise book and started looking at it seriously.
Chen Er took a few deep breaths. She knew she was no match for this wily old fox in front of her. So she stopped resisting and obediently shifted her gaze back to the exercise book.
"You don't need to go through so much trouble for this question. Just find the derivative of the inverse function and then use this formula." Jiang Cong wrote down the answer smoothly on the blank draft paper beside him with a few quick strokes.
Chen Er looked at the big question that she had spent half an hour writing the solution for, but Jiang Cong had easily solved it in less than five minutes.
She silently sighed again at Jiang Cong's amazing genes. Without sparing any praise, she flattered Jiang Cong, "Awesome, big shot! 666. I'm really impressed! How do I solve a question like this? I always spend a long time on it."
Seeing that Jiang Cong was really teaching her, Chen Er was no longer polite. She took the exercise book, flipped to a page and pointed at the question type on it.
Jiang Cong only thought for three minutes before he got the idea. He patiently answered Chen Er's questions word by word.
Time passed by minute by minute. People came and went in the coffee shop, but only Chen Er and Jiang Cong by the window were concentrating on discussing the questions, forming a distinctive scenery.
"So that's how it is. Jiang Cong, you're really smart!" Chen Er suddenly realized. She had to admit that with Jiang Cong's guidance this afternoon, she had indeed mastered many skills.
Jiang Cong calmly accepted Chen Er's praise without being modest. "Thank you. Are you hungry? The desserts here are quite good. Do you want to try some?"
"Sure!" Chen Er felt a bit hungry after Jiang Cong mentioned it. She rubbed her hands, looking very eager.
Jiang Cong reached out his hand to call the waiter over and pointed at some desserts on the menu to order a few.
Soon, the waiter brought a delicate plate and placed it in front of Chen Er.
The enticing and sweet smell of the cake wafted into Chen Er's nose, stimulating her taste buds. Chen Er picked up the fork and ate heartily, but she didn't forget to invite Jiang Cong to enjoy the food with her.
Jiang Cong watched the girl gobbling up like a little glutton. The curve of his thin lips showed more pleasure. He took out a tissue, leaned forward and gently wiped the corner of Chen Er's mouth. "You're such a little ditz. You've got it all over your face."
"Ah?" Chen Er was frozen in place. She was flustered by Jiang Cong's incredibly gentle look. A strange feeling welled up in her heart.
There was sweetness, nervousness, but more of an indescribable emotion.
He must like her too, right? Otherwise, how could Jiang Cong, such a cold and unapproachable person, do such a thing?
Chen Er was lost in thought and stopped using the fork.
Jiang Cong didn't interrupt Chen Er's train of thought. Anyway, he would have to say it sooner or later. It would be better to give Chen Er a signal first so that she could be mentally prepared. Then it would be easier for her to accept his feelings after the college entrance examination.
"You..." Chen Er still couldn't say the words, but the message in her eyes was clear.
Jiang Cong nodded, seemingly admitting what Chen Er hadn't finished saying. He casually glanced at the scenery outside the window. "It's getting late. I'll take you home after dinner. Are you going to familiarize yourself with the examination venue tomorrow?"
Chen Er followed Jiang Cong's jumping train of thought and replied smoothly, "Yes. I'll be taking the exam at Beicheng Junior High School."