Shen An was inwardly grumbling to himself, but Chen Nannan saw him standing there motionless, lost in thought, and her anger immediately flared up.
She waved her little hand, baring her teeth. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Ah?”
Shen An blankly lifted his head, looking for all the world like his brain had short-circuited from an overload of information.
Chen Nannan was about to be driven mad by him. She couldn’t resist reaching out with her little hand and boldly pinching his ear, gritting her teeth as she said, “I’m risking my life here to pass you vital intel, and you’re zoning out on me!”
“Hiss, ouch, ouch, ouch!!”
It didn’t hurt at all, really. After his reinforcement, Shen An was tough as nails—he suspected he could leap straight down from the second floor and land without a scratch.
“Senior Sister, I wasn’t zoning out. I was listening very seriously!” Seizing the opportunity, Shen An grabbed her little hand, his fingertip lightly scratching her palm as if by accident.
Chen Nannan trembled inwardly and yanked her hand back. “Liar! Then tell me what you actually heard!”
“Um~” Shen An rubbed his chin. “Hard to pin down the specifics, but I get the gist. Senior Sister Zhao isn’t a good person, Senior Sister Xu isn’t either—only you, Senior Sister, are the good one.”
Chen Nannan grinned, a shallow smile lighting up her face. “Not bad. Good summary.”
“No wonder you’ve warned me about this so many times. So there’s bad blood between those two senior sisters.” Shen An’s expression turned serious, his brows knitting tightly together.
“Of course. Just listen to me—I definitely won’t deceive you.”
Chen Nannan spoke earnestly. “I held back before because I was afraid you’d slip up in front of them.”
Shen An arched a brow. “You mean you’re afraid I’d sell you out, right?”
“Uh…” Chen Nannan hurriedly shook her head. “What kind of way is that to talk? Do I seem like that sort of person?”
“I’m doing all this for your own good!”
“But a grudge like this—doesn’t pretty much everyone know about it?” Shen An truly doubted this was some exclusive secret.
After all, Chen Nannan wasn’t the only one in the Art Troupe’s office back then. The other assistants must have heard something too.
Even without the full story, Xu Yijing’s meteoric rise from freshman to Student Union Vice President offered plenty of clues for anyone who thought about it.
Chen Nannan softened her voice. “People know, sure, but…”
She hesitated for a moment. “In the Student Union, it’s the kind of thing you absolutely can’t mention out loud.”
That made perfect sense.
One was the Art Troupe Vice Leader, the other the Student Union Vice President—both at the pinnacle of the Student Union’s leadership.
If you wanted to keep getting by in the Student Union, you couldn’t afford to offend both of them.
Not to mention that in this school, students’ future job prospects were closely tied to their comprehensive evaluations. Slip up once, offend the wrong people, and you’d suffer for more than just your four years of university.
“It’s also because of this that Senior Sister Zhao’s behavior changed dramatically afterward.”
“She wasn’t so domineering before, and neither was the Art Troupe.”
“But now…”
Chen Nannan had a bit of a headache herself. As the Club Federation’s person in charge, she had to oversee part of the Art Troupe’s operations to some extent.
The Art Troupe was massive—it functioned as a Student Union department but could also be seen as a massive club conglomerate.
Yet now it had grown so overbearing that she had no say whatsoever. What was once a peer department had been demoted to a subordinate one.
Shen An looked puzzled. “Domineering? Yeah, they definitely are.”
“But logically speaking, even though Senior Sister Zhao was elected Vice Leader, the Student Union isn’t her personal fiefdom, right?”
“Don’t the other Vice Presidents have anything to say about it?”
“And even if they don’t, wouldn’t Senior Sister Xu step in?”
At his words, Chen Nannan sighed. “That’s the other thing I wanted to tell you.”
“Our school is technically public, but its operations are a bit special. Most of the big companies that come recruiting every year are actually shareholders in the school.”
“In a place like Eight Seas City, the combined power of those companies is immense—basically untouchable.”
“Even if you go job-hunting out of town, you’d feel the repercussions in all sorts of ways. They’re massive corporations with influence everywhere. Sigh, the stuff behind the scenes is complicated; it’s hard to explain it all clearly in a short time.”
“Anyway, among those companies, there’s one absolute behemoth that’s rumored to be the school’s largest shareholder: the Zhao Group.”
“And Senior Sister Zhao? Her surname is Zhao.”
“So, you get what I’m saying, right?”
These details lined up perfectly with what Wang Yuqiong had told him earlier.
Everyone pegged Zhao Qingyu as someone from the Zhao Group.
Shen An put on a shocked expression before following up. “What about Senior Sister Xu, then?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“Doesn’t Senior Sister Xu have any backing of her own?” Shen An whispered.
“Uh…” Chen Nannan frowned. “I haven’t heard anything about that.”
“Ha?” This time, Shen An’s surprise was genuine. “But think about it, Senior Sister. If Senior Sister Zhao really has the Zhao Group behind her, and Senior Sister Xu has no backing at all, how did she manage to get elected?”
“Sure, Student Union elections are relatively democratic, but whether there’s any funny business or backroom deals going on—who can say for sure?”
“Even you got hit with some shady backroom operation out of nowhere, didn’t you?”
Chen Nannan didn’t argue the point.
Compared to her peers, her thinking was more mature, and she had a clear grasp of certain social realities.
An idealized world was basically nonexistent.
Especially since she’d been the victim of backroom dealings herself—she knew better than anyone that there had to be some hidden dirt.
She’d discreetly looked into Xu Yijing more than once.
But every time, it was like tossing a stone into the sea—nothing.
Looking at Shen An, Chen Nannan grew serious. “I have the exact same questions you do. I don’t think Xu Yijing is just some ordinary person.”
“But I advise you not to dig too deep. Sometimes an excess of curiosity isn’t a good thing.”
“Even me… I only dare keep these suspicions buried in my heart. I’ve never breathed a word to anyone.”
Her expression was utterly grave—this was her sternly warning Shen An.
Seeing this, Shen An nodded slightly and said softly, “Of course. I was just asking offhand. Why would I gossip about this stuff?”
But deep down, his wariness toward Xu Yijing ratcheted up another level.
Chen Nannan had no idea who was backing Xu Yijing, but Shen An did.
Zhao Li!
Xu Yijing was her daughter—and she went by the surname Zhao too!
“Mm, good.” Chen Nannan carefully studied Shen An’s expression and, seeing that he truly had no intention of prying, finally relaxed.
“No wonder you told me to stay out of it. If I really pissed off Senior Sister Zhao, I could end up getting kicked out of school.”
Shen An flashed a grin, lightening the somewhat heavy atmosphere.
Chen Nannan sighed. “If things really got that dire for you, just go find Xu Yijing.”
“I don’t know if she has backing, but… at least she could help you out.”
“Eh?” Shen An chuckled. “How come you’re suddenly changing your tune, Senior Sister?”
“I’m not!”
Chen Nannan wrinkled her dainty nose and muttered, “I mean, if you actually end up breaking ties with Senior Sister Zhao.”
“I told you to stay out because I want you to steer clear of this mess as much as possible.”
“But you’re probably already tangled up in it now. If it comes down to absolute desperation, go to Xu Yijing.”
“She…” Chen Nannan glanced at him and whispered, “owes me a favor. She’ll help you if it gets to that point.”
Hearing this, the softness in Shen An’s eyes deepened.
He knew Chen Nannan disliked Xu Yijing—harbored some hostility toward her, even. She never mentioned her and wanted nothing to do with her.
Yet here she was, willing to pass that favor on to him…
Chen Nannan couldn’t stand his sappy gaze. Glaring at him, she snapped, “I told you to think it over before joining the stupid Art Troupe!”
“Look, now you’re in trouble.”
“So annoying!”
“Heh heh heh.” Shen An promptly grabbed her little hand. “Senior Sister, you’re so good to me.”
Chen Nannan shoved him away in disgust and shot him a coquettish glare. “Eat already!”
“Cough cough, right, eating!”
Shen An picked up his chopsticks.
“Oh yeah, you have to take my words to heart!” Chen Nannan reminded him once more. “Try not to get involved if you can, got it?”
“Avoid it where possible. If you can’t, just play dead.”
“I don’t want you ever having to cash in that favor of mine.”
“Got it, got it. I’ll stick to your turtle strategy to the letter, Senior Sister!” Shen An promised without hesitation.
“What turtle strategy? You’re the turtle!” Chen Nannan covered her mouth, smiling sweetly. “It’s called knowing the times makes one a great man.”
“Then, Senior Sister, will you come with me later to pick up the cart?”
“Drop dead!”
“Come on, I’m a little scared to go alone. You know I have social anxiety.”
“Your social anxiety my foot!!” Chen Nannan shot up her slender brows. “I knew I shouldn’t have believed you. What a load of crap.”
Just thinking about it made her mad.
At first, she’d really thought Shen An trusted her, which was why he acted so relaxed around her.
But after that Student Union meeting, Chen Nannan had it all figured out.
Shen An could handle anyone in any situation with total ease.
He didn’t look nervous at all!
“If Senior Sister doesn’t come with me to get the cart, I’ll have to carry these stacks of dead heavy books out by hand.”
“Pfft, then take your sweet time! I’m not pitying you.”
“Senior Sister, you’re so heartless.”
“Hmph, women’s hearts are the most venomous—haven’t you heard that one?”
“Makes sense, but isn’t Senior Sister a girl? How’d you turn into a woman so fast? Hmm~”
What a chatterbox.
Chen Nannan had had enough. She picked up a piece of meat from her plate with her chopsticks and stuffed it right into Shen An’s yapping mouth.
Shen An not only swallowed the meat but greedily nibbled on Chen Nannan’s chopsticks too.
Chen Nannan frowned. “Gross!”
“It’s Senior Sister who reached over here with them.”
“Pfft, I need to go get a fresh pair.”
“Don’t. Look how late it’s getting—walking back and forth would just waste time.”
The corner of Chen Nannan’s mouth twitched. “Then why are you talking so much?”
“Uh… I mean…”
“Shut it!” Chen Nannan narrowed her eyes. “Keep nagging, and I’ll really go change them.”
“Fine, I’ll be quiet.” Shen An clamped his mouth shut and bent his head to his food.
Hmph.
Chen Nannan glanced at her chopsticks. They still seemed to bear traces of him.
But if she really had to claim disgust, it wasn’t that intense.
She snuck a peek at him shoveling food down like a starving ghost reborn, and couldn’t help the upward curve of her lips. This guy ate like he hadn’t seen food in days.
After a moment’s hesitation, Chen Nannan decided against swapping her chopsticks.
She picked up a piece of meat and slipped it into her slightly parted lips.
It was the same meat as always, yet tainted with something else, it carried a whole new flavor.
A flavor that could only be savored with the heart.
Was this… an indirect kiss?
Chen Nannan’s pretty face flushed faintly, her heartbeat kicking up out of nowhere.
She had wanted to change them, but he wouldn’t let her.
He hadn’t voiced it, and neither had she.
But why shatter such delicate thoughts?
The instant she chose to keep them was the moment they rushed toward each other.
Or maybe rewind further—to when he’d used his fingertip to fix her lipstick.
Or up on the rooftop, when she’d clung to him, helpless.
That day, the brilliant glow of the sunset still lingered in her mind’s eye. What traveled along the tips of those chopsticks wasn’t just his breath, but the breeze that had swept past them then too.
Laced with the first stirrings of affection.
You couldn’t detect it with your nose or taste it on your tongue.
Only by feeling it deeply with your heart could you grasp its subtle wonder.
