In full view of everyone, Jiang Yuan and Chi Xu walked into the classroom.
The teacher was already beside the podium, organizing the courseware. Looking up and seeing a familiar male student, he pushed his glasses and asked, "Hey, you, stop. You don't seem to be from this class, do you?"
He remembered that the boy wasn't a freshman this year.
"Sir, I've heard from my friend that you're an excellent teacher. So, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to sit in on your class?"
No teacher could refuse a student eager to attend their class. The teacher was overjoyed and waved for him to find a seat.
Chi Xu followed Jiang Yuan closely, in case she accidentally tripped.
They found seats in the back row and sat down.
"That's Chi Xu. I heard that he took care of Jiang Yuan in the hospital after she accidentally fell a few days ago."
"Yes, yes. I saw Chi Xu carrying Jiang Yuan upstairs. He's so doting on her!"
"I saw that too. There was also their electric scooter downstairs. I bet Chi Xu brought Jiang Yuan here."
"By the way, do you think they're together? I haven't heard any news about it. Hey, don't you follow Jiang Yuan on social media? Check her posts. See if she's made an official announcement."
"I already checked. There's nothing. They're not officially together yet. They're just in that flirty stage."
"They've been flirting for so long. Why aren't they together yet?"
"..."
Whispers filled the classroom. The soft voices reached Jiang Yuan's ears. She stole a quick glance at Chi Xu and then quickly looked away.
The boy was lazily reclined against the back of the chair, seemingly paying attention to the teacher's lecture with half - closed eyes.
The teacher had a good impression of him and deliberately called on him when asking students to answer questions.
Chi Xu answered smoothly and sat back down.
He twirled the pen in his hand. Jiang Yuan lowered her eyes.
She never expected him to be really listening to the class, she thought.
After the morning classes, Jiang Yuan had no afternoon classes. Chi Xu carefully helped her back to the apartment and then went into the kitchen to figure out what to cook for someone with a fracture.
Jiaojiao was quietly lying on the sofa, looking lazy.
Jiang Yuan glanced at the kitchen when Lu Zhen sent her a message.
[Lu the Unconventional: Jiang Yuan, is your leg feeling better? How was class today? Did you bump into anything? Chi Xu wasn't impatient, was he?]
A series of questions.
Jiang Yuan replied honestly.
[Jiang's Wish Will Come True: Chi Xu is surprisingly considerate. He's thought of things I didn't even consider. He's not impatient at all. He's extremely attentive.]
It was just a bit embarrassing for her when Chi Xu helped her around on campus with so many people watching.
Her bangs fell, and she tucked them behind her ear. Chi Xu's voice came from the kitchen.
"Yuanyuan, it'll take about half an hour. If you're hungry, there are fruits on the table. You can have some to tide you over."
Jiang Yuan responded and looked back at her phone screen, still on the chat with Lu Zhen.
[Jiang's Wish Will Come True: Lu Zhen, do you think I should continue with my plan?]
The plan was to seduce Chi Xu, and when he was head - over - heels in love with her, to abandon him cruelly.
Now that they were back under the same roof, it felt like they'd never been apart.
During her time in the hospital due to the fracture, Chi Xu came to accompany her whenever he was free.
He held multiple positions in school and had limited time. He even had a class at 2 pm.
Now, instead of having the pre - made food from the school cafeteria, he was cooking for her according to her current situation.
Her calm heart was like a pond disturbed by a dragonfly, ripples spreading out.
She couldn't calm down.
Jiang Yuan didn't know what was wrong with herself.
At the beginning of the semester, she was determined to make Chi Xu regret his sudden departure three years ago.
She wanted him to cry and kneel at her feet, begging her not to leave.
She wanted him to pay for what he'd done.
But as the plan progressed, she found herself becoming more and more reluctant. She had an urge to break through this veil of ambiguity.
To confront him and ask why he left.
To tell him that she'd chased and flirted with him just for revenge, and that she didn't really like him.
But she never did.
The better Chi Xu treated her, the less she wanted to continue.
Wait, just wait until she made up her mind.
Jiang Yuan let out a soft sigh. Her phone vibrated.
She quickly looked down.
[Lu the Unconventional: Jiang Yuan, I'm sorry. I can't answer this question for you. You need to ask your heart.]
On the other end, Lu Zhen turned off his phone screen. Sitting in the stairwell, he hung his head weakly and hugged his knees.
Actually, when Jiang Yuan asked the question, the answer was obvious.
Jiang Yuan was in love.
She had truly fallen for Chi Xu.
She'd been thinking about him for three years. It was either love or hate, or she couldn't have persisted for so long.
Jiang Yuan was clearly in the former camp.
It was just a matter of time. Eventually, she would discover her true feelings and follow her heart.
Lu Zhen forced a stiff smile.
Before answering the question, he really wanted to drive a wedge between Jiang Yuan and Chi Xu, to make them drift apart until they had nothing to do with each other.
But he didn't.
As a rival, he should compete fairly.
Lu Zhen didn't want to do anything underhanded.
Even if Jiang Yuan didn't end up with Chi Xu, Chi Xu would still have a place in her heart, hidden in a corner.
Jiang Yuan should be bright, fearless, and brilliant, just like the image in his mind.
"Ask my heart?" Jiang Yuan murmured, looking down at the message.
She placed her hand on her chest, feeling the rise and fall of her heartbeat.
It was warm and real.
Jiang Yuan was confused. Her heart told her that seeing Chi Xu made her think of the torrential rain three years ago, when she had a fever for three days and almost damaged her brain.
When she woke up, she was so unwilling that she dragged her sick body to find Chi Xu. When she got to his house, it was empty.
It had been raining heavily those days. The windows of Chi Xu's house weren't closed properly. The sofa was wet, and the books and papers in the living room were flying everywhere.
The whole house was as cold as her heart.
At first, she didn't believe it. But when she noticed the missing things in his closet and shoe cabinet, she understood.
He was avoiding her.
Was she really that scary? Like a fearsome monster?
She left in a hurry.
But since their reunion, Chi Xu's kindness to her had been obvious.
Especially after her minor fracture, he'd been so attentive.
Jiang Yuan stroked Jiaojiao again and again. Hidden in the shadow cast by the curtain, she hung her head in silence.