Her mouth had been quicker than her brain, and the instant the words left her lips, Chen Nannan realized her mistake.
Song Rui’s silence only made the moment more awkward for her.
Shen An patted her shoulder at just the right time, chuckling as he said, “Senior Sister, didn’t you say you needed to use the restroom? Holding it that long might make you sick.”
Chen Nannan acted as if suddenly struck by realization and nodded hurriedly. “Right, right! I’ll go to the restroom first, then. You two chat.”
She let out a few dry laughs before turning and heading toward the restroom.
Once Chen Nannan had disappeared inside, the courage Song Rui had mustered—now utterly depleted—began to recover a little.
Perhaps it was thanks to Shen An’s help last time that she had developed some “immunity” to him.
At least when facing Shen An, Song Rui could muster a bit of courage instead of keeping her head down in silence the whole time.
Shen An turned his gaze to Song Rui and said softly, “Come over here.”
“Oh~”
Song Rui followed Shen An foolishly to a corner off to the side.
She watched him wide-eyed, clearly waiting for him to ask.
Shen An raised an eyebrow and couldn’t resist reaching out to give her forehead a light poke.
Huh?
Song Rui clutched her forehead, her expression turning pitiful.
“You can talk now, right?”
“Oh~” Song Rui pouted and murmured, “I… I actually already went over there just now.”
“But… the Senior Sister at the door didn’t give me a registration form. She said I wasn’t suited for the Art Troupe and told me to pick something else.”
“So you were lying just now?” Shen An slipped his hands into his pockets. His usual mild gaze carried a tangible pressure.
Song Rui was cowed by the intensity in his eyes. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but…
She fidgeted nervously with her fingers and admitted in a voice barely above a whisper, “Yeah.”
“I get it. Admitting something like that is pretty embarrassing, right?”
Shen An spoke gently. “But sometimes, owning up to it openly is better than hiding behind a lie.”
“Besides, the problem wasn’t with you. No need to feel ashamed about it.”
“Huh?”
“What? You think I’m wrong?”
“No, I… I think you’d make a great teacher someday.” Song Rui’s voice was soft.
“Sure. I’ll be the teacher, and you can be my student. You’ll have to come to class every day.”
Shen An rolled his eyes.
“No way~” Song Rui wrinkled her dainty nose. Free of her anxiety and timidity, she was finally showing a different side of herself in front of Shen An.
“Their loss for not wanting you.”
Shen An got back to the point, saying softly, “Just pick something else. Why keep hanging around here, agonizing over it?”
“Does the restroom smell that good? Silly.”
Song Rui felt a faint warmth bloom in her heart.
Was this concern?
Or just comfort?
Even so, she harbored a stubbornness that Shen An couldn’t quite understand.
She shook her head and whispered, “I want to join the Art Troupe.”
“You can’t pick something else?”
“No. I want the Art Troupe.”
“Why?”
“I… I have a Senior Sister who’s in the Art Troupe.”
“Hm?” Shen An inwardly whistled. “You sure it’s a Senior Sister?”
“Yeah, from high school.”
“Uh, so you’re dead set on joining because of this Senior Sister?” Shen An’s gaze turned a bit odd.
The oblivious Song Rui nodded without hesitation. “Yeah.”
“Impressive… sisterly bond?”
“It’s not really that. I… that Senior Sister and I… we’re not even friends.”
Whoa~ So it’s a crush?
Shen An hadn’t expected it. Song Rui seemed so soft and fragile, yet she had such firm “preferences.”
“That Senior Sister helped me out a lot in high school. She probably doesn’t even remember, but to me, it was really important encouragement.”
Song Rui wasn’t sure why, but words she could never open up about in front of others came naturally to her with Shen An.
“So I want to join the Art Troupe. I want to tell her that I… I… I…”
Ah~
Looks like he’d overthought it.
Shen An chuckled lightly and cut off her stammering. “Tell her what? All right, all right, I get the idea.”
“But you don’t have a registration form.”
Song Rui’s lips pursed in distress. “Yeah, I don’t have one. And that Senior Sister said I wasn’t suited. Am I really not?”
“Hm, want the truth?”
“Of course!” Song Rui declared, then added softly, “You think I’m not suited either, right?”
“Not exactly. I can pretty much guess why that Senior Sister said you’re not suited.”
“Why?”
“Why? The Art Troupe is all about performing on stage in front of an audience. The most important thing is not getting stage fright.”
“You hesitated that long just to give a campaign speech. Put you on stage, and you’d probably burst into tears in a minute.”
Shen An pursed his lips.
“Then… what do I do~?” Song Rui couldn’t think of a solution and could only gaze at Shen An pleadingly.
“Don’t look at me like that. I could cheer for you in the class cadre election, but I don’t know anyone in the Art Troupe.”
Shen An waved it off. “Besides, didn’t you say your Senior Sister is in it? Ask her for help.”
The hopeful flicker in Song Rui’s eyes snuffed out. She shook her head glumly. “If I have to rely on my Senior Sister’s help to get in…”
“Then I’d rather not.”
“See? Nothing to agonize over. Just pick something else.” Shen An’s lips quirked up as he teased, “Nothing’s impossible, as long as you’re willing to give up.”
Wah~
Song Rui clenched her little fists and pressed her lips together tightly, her face full of grievance and resentment.
Shen An figured if he teased her any more, she might just cry on the spot.
Sigh~
Shen An let out a breath and pulled a crumpled registration form from his pocket.
Song Rui’s eyes sharpened when she saw it. “Huh? How do you have a registration form?”
Then she realized. “Oh, right. You’d be perfect for the Art Troupe.”
“Want it?” Shen An unfolded the crumpled form. “I haven’t even written my name on it yet.”
“Is… is this cheating?” Song Rui hesitated.
Shen An leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Of course not. Their screening is unreasonable. Meeting unreasonable with unreasonable—that’s true fairness.”
“Really…?”
The hesitation didn’t leave Song Rui’s face, but at the same time, Shen An’s words made sense to her.
She knew it was cheating.
But she couldn’t help being tempted.
All she had to do was write her name on that crumpled form, and she’d have a shot at the interview.
“This is as far as I can help. Up to you whether you take it.”
Shen An held out his open palm with the form lying there.
No breeze stirred it; the form lay quietly in his hand, as if beckoning to Song Rui.
Her little hand hovered for a long time—about a minute—before slowly rising.
She reached for the form in his palm, but the trembling in her fingers and the shifting emotions on her face betrayed her inner turmoil.
Finally, her fingers brushed his palm and the crumpled form.
Shen An thought she’d take it.
But Song Rui quickly proved him wrong with her actions.
She didn’t take the form. Instead, she closed his hand over it. Lifting her head, she said softly, “Never mind.”
“I won’t laugh at you.”
Shen An said seriously.
“It’s not that.” Song Rui’s voice was quiet but firm. “Didn’t you just say it? It’s better to own up openly than to hide behind lies.”
“What isn’t mine, isn’t mine.”
“Besides, even if I took it, I’d probably fail the first interview anyway.”
Song Rui gave a faint, self-mocking smile. “I’ve always been this hopeless.”
Shen An paused, then chuckled softly. “Just those words you said? If the Art Troupe doesn’t want you, that’s their loss.”
“But remember—you’re not hopeless at all.”
He placed his hands on her shoulders and said earnestly, “Never sell yourself short, got it?”
Song Rui’s lips curved into a smile. “You really would make a great teacher.”
“Heh~”
Shen An’s mouth twitched as he reached out to poke her forehead again.
“Stop poking! It hurts.”
Song Rui clutched her forehead and backed away a few steps like a food-guarding animal, staring warily at Shen An.
“Hm, what if I said you could definitely pass the interview? Would you take it then?”
Shen An held up the form and asked.
“Of course I would!”
Song Rui answered without a second thought.
“Heh, so it was all fake sincerity!”
“No way~ I was just being honest about how I feel.”
Both of them knew the truth and lies woven into those words. Some things didn’t need explaining—a shared smile said it all.
“Oh, right… those two cups of milk tea…”
Song Rui’s dopey smile faded as she looked at Shen An cautiously.
“Oh, I gave one to Senior Sister.”
Shen An said casually. “She bought me one when I came to register, so I figured I’d return the favor. Fair trade.”
Song Rui muttered under her breath, “I bought those…”
How could this guy be so shameless about it~
And admit it right to my face.
“Hm?”
Shen An hadn’t caught it and laughed. “You’re not still hung up on that, are you?”
“I… I didn’t~”
When it came to putting on that stubbornly coy front, Song Rui was just like Chen Nannan. She would avert her gaze, tilt her little face to the side, and stare off in another direction.
“Okay, I didn’t mean to. I’ve just been a bit short on cash lately.”
Shen An said softly, “Once I’m a little more flush, I’ll treat you too, alright?”
“No need, no need! That was our deal!”
Song Rui shook her head hurriedly.
She was just asking~ She had no intention of making Shen An “compensate” her.
Truth be told, she didn’t have to ask at all.
But if she didn’t, her thoughts would remain unsettled, leaving her prone to overthinking.
Luckily, Shen An wasn’t the stingy type.
Counting this time, it was already the second occasion.
Song Rui watched him silently, her mind churning.
It had only been a few days since arriving at school…
Could she and he really be that fated?
“That’s settled then. Anyway, stop agonizing over the Art Troupe. It’s not worth it!”
As he spoke, Shen An headed toward the nearby trash can, intending to toss the registration form.
He bent down to stuff it inside.
Just then, a figure rounded the corner.
Orange-red shoulder-length hair swayed, accompanied by key-shaped earrings. Zhao Qingyu was dressed all in white today—simple and elegant, her makeup a striking red like roaring flames.
Shen An instinctively glanced over. His hand paused mid-throw as he thought, what a coincidence.
Was she here to use the bathroom too?
Song Rui, standing behind Shen An, seemed to recognize the newcomer. Her once-soft smile turned instantly tense, her breathing growing rapid.
Zhao Qingyu glanced at Shen An, then at Song Rui standing nearby behind him. Finally, her gaze locked onto the crumpled registration form in Shen An’s hand—the one he was preparing to throw but hadn’t yet.
Her fine brows furrowed slightly, and she came to a stop, her eyes fixed on that wrinkled sheet of paper.
Shen An cleared his throat lightly. In front of the Art Troupe Vice Leader, he figured it was best to play it safe.
He’d hold off on tossing it~
Once she was gone.
At the same time, he greeted Zhao Qingyu politely. “What a coincidence, Senior Sister.”
Song Rui: ???
Huh?
He knew Senior Sister Zhao??
Hearing this, the furrow in Zhao Qingyu’s brows deepened.
Shen An said politely, “Do you remember me? I asked you for directions before, over by the North District Apartment.”
“Thanks again for pointing me the right way last time!” Shen An added, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
Zhao Qingyu stepped forward until she was right in front of Shen An.
She was truly stunningly beautiful, exuding a fierce aura like a raging gale!
Even without a word, the scrutiny and appraisal in her sharp gaze were enough to unsettle anyone.
Song Rui behind Shen An was already trembling.
But Shen An wasn’t fazed by it.
Meeting Zhao Qingyu’s scrutinizing stare head-on, he showed neither fear nor embarrassment. Instead, he smoothly covered for himself. “Looks like I didn’t leave much of an impression on you, Senior Sister.”
Zhao Qingyu narrowed her eyes and said coolly, “Why are you throwing it away?”
