Chen Nannan. It was Chen Nannan again!
At a moment like this, he always ended up exposed right under her gaze.
It was almost too coincidental—too perfect, in fact. Shen An couldn’t help increasingly suspecting that he’d stumbled into some kind of dating sim world. How else could it be this perfectly timed?
But the tense atmosphere right now left no room for idle speculation.
Chen Nannan’s expression was utterly serene, without the slightest ripple. She simply watched Shen An in silence, as if confirming something. That was all!
Yet the very absence of any disturbance only underscored how dire the situation truly was.
Their eyes met, and Chen Nannan felt a profound disappointment.
That disappointment cut through her calm gaze, sliced across the air, and struck Shen An’s mind with pinpoint precision.
In just two short days, she’d caught him twice now.
Chen Nannan had nothing left to say to Shen An. She had no intention of saying anything more.
This time, they were clinging tightly to each other, wrapped in such intimate entanglement. Was this supposed to be mere playful bickering out of spite?
Her disappointment crested to its peak, bringing with it an inexplicable relief—an odd sense of release, as if everything had settled back into calm, as though nothing had ever happened.
She turned to leave.
But Shen An wasn’t about to let her walk away carrying that heavy disappointment.
Besides, the situation wasn’t entirely inexplicable!
His mind raced at full speed, and in an instant, he found the perfect way to turn things around.
He called out first. “Senior Sister!”
Then, still cradling Wang Yuqiong in his arms, he hurried over to her.
Chen Nannan paused mid-step and glanced back, her eyes flickering with astonishment at his sheer audacity.
He could greet her so calmly and casually in a situation like this?
She was determined to see what excuse he’d dredge up this time.
But Shen An threw her off balance right away. “Senior Sister, do you have any medicine in your apartment?”
Medicine?
Chen Nannan frowned in confusion. Why not just come out and ask if she had condoms?
But she quickly realized something was wrong.
Wang Yuqiong, nestled in his arms, looked deathly pale—completely devoid of her usual healthy glow.
Wang Yuqiong even lifted her head and managed a feeble greeting. “Senior Sister… good evening.”
Any thoughts of rivalry or bitter disappointment were instantly flung to the winds. Chen Nannan reached out with concern and grasped Wang Yuqiong’s dangling little hand.
Hiss.
It was freezing!
“What happened? How did this happen to Yuqiong?”
Chen Nannan asked urgently.
Wang Yuqiong’s other hand, hanging at her side, quietly pinched Shen An, a silent warning not to spill anything.
Shen An caught on immediately. He let out a soft sigh and explained, “I have no idea what came over her. Today we were moving books, and I didn’t bring a box, so I asked her to lend a hand.”
“When we got back to the apartments, she waited down here while I ran up to drop off the books.”
“Then, when I came back down to walk her to the East District, we’d barely taken a few steps before she suddenly said she felt nauseous.”
“And then… this happened.”
He captured the bewilderment and panic of the sudden crisis perfectly, along with the forced composure he’d mustered afterward.
At the same time, he neatly concealed the fact that Wang Yuqiong had gone up to the apartment, creating the illusion that she had no idea about his living situation with Xu Yijing.
And that was precisely what both Chen Nannan and Wang Yuqiong wanted.
Chen Nannan had no desire to air Shen An’s private matters, and Wang Yuqiong was even more intent on avoiding any suspicion from her.
So both women silently praised Shen An’s quick thinking.
As Chen Nannan listened, she hurriedly set down what she was carrying and reached out to feel Wang Yuqiong’s forehead.
Hiss.
It was cold to the touch as well.
“Could it be a fever?” Chen Nannan asked, her voice laced with worry.
“It’s possible. It was so hot this afternoon,” Shen An replied, then added a note of self-reproach. “It’s my fault, really. I got carried away playing around and snatched her umbrella, leaving her to sweat buckets under the sun.”
“How could you do that!”
Chen Nannan scolded him lightly, a hint of playfulness in her tone. “You’d better take her straight to the school infirmary right now.”
Wang Yuqiong shook her head vigorously upon hearing that. “It’s not a fever. I’m fine, really.”
She pursed her little lips and murmured weakly, “It’s just one of my old ailments. Nothing serious—it’ll pass if I take it easy for a bit.”
“How can you say that? Look at you—you can hardly even speak!”
Ever the dutiful assistant class supervisor, Chen Nannan wouldn’t hear of it.
Wang Yuqiong was at a loss for words…
The truth was, she was already feeling much better.
Once that wave of discomfort passed, there was no real issue.
As for her icy hands and feet, that was just a lingering aftereffect. They’d warm up in no time.
The reason she was putting on such a frail, pitiful display—looking so weak and listless—was simply to seize the chance for a proper chat with Shen An.
Surely, faced with her like this, he wouldn’t keep holding back?
In essence, it was a damsel-in-distress ploy.
Unfortunately, she’d run into Chen Nannan of all people.
Wang Yuqiong felt a twinge of resentment. This wasn’t the first time Chen Nannan had derailed her plans!
“I’m really okay,” she insisted.
She had zero interest in going to the school infirmary.
Her stance was firm. “Senior Sister, you don’t need to worry like this. I know my own condition better than anyone.”
After much back-and-forth, Chen Nannan still couldn’t convince her.
Fortunately, Chen Nannan wasn’t the forceful type like Zhao Qingyu. Otherwise, she might have just ordered Shen An to carry Wang Yuqiong there regardless of her protests.
She always respected others’ wishes.
“Then how about I run upstairs and get you a cup of hot water?”
Chen Nannan suggested gently. “A bit of hot water might help settle things.”
Wang Yuqiong’s long hair draped over her pale face, hiding the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
She was just too kind-hearted.
All Wang Yuqiong wanted was for Chen Nannan to leave so her plan could proceed.
But with things said and done, she had no choice but to nod. “Mm.”
Seizing the moment, Wang Yuqiong added, “Senior Sister, do you live in Building D too?”
Chen Nannan shook her head slightly. “No, I’m in Building C. But it’s close by—just wait here, and I’ll be right back.”
Shen An realized the crisis had passed.
He glanced down at the takeout bag on the ground and chuckled lightly. “Senior Sister, you haven’t had dinner yet?”
Chen Nannan shot him a playful glare. “It’s not dinner. I bought this for you.”
Shen An blinked in surprise.
Truth be told, he’d already suspected as much.
Buildings C and D were close, but not exactly on the same route.
There was no reason for Chen Nannan to show up at Building D late at night carrying takeout unless it was meant for him.
Still, he had to act shocked in the moment.
After all, he was still holding someone in his arms.
Wang Yuqiong wasn’t exactly the broad-minded type when it came to this sort of thing.
“I just wrapped up some things over there,” Chen Nannan explained, reining in her feelings with Wang Yuqiong right there. “I passed by a dessert shop on the way and thought I’d grab something as a reward for you helping the whole class move books this afternoon.”
“Here, take it for now.”
She picked up the bag and hooked it onto Shen An’s finger.
Their eyes met again, and he could clearly feel the gentle wave of affection she sent his way.
“Got it. Thanks, Senior Sister.”
Shen An replied politely. “I’ll take Yuqiong over to the pavilion to rest for a bit first. You can join us after?”
“Mm, go on ahead—hurry!”
Chen Nannan urged him insistently before turning and heading toward her own apartment.
The three of them shared a perfect, unspoken understanding. Building D was right there in front of them, but both women tactfully steered clear of suggesting Shen An head back inside for the hot water.
Xu Yijing was, after all, a common adversary for Chen Nannan and Wang Yuqiong.
Once Chen Nannan’s figure had receded into the distance, Wang Yuqiong looked up at him with a sly sidelong glance, her tone laced with meaning. “Feeling relieved now?”
Shen An frowned. “Relieved? Relieved about what? You’re not better yet—what’s there to feel relieved about?”
Tch.
Wang Yuqiong buried her face against his chest and prodded him. “Hurry up and carry me to the pavilion already. My legs are cramping in this position.”
“Heh, realizing now that long legs aren’t always a blessing?”
“It’s your holding technique that’s off,” she mumbled, her voice muffled.
Shen An just smiled and let it slide.
He’d held more than a few girls in his time—his technique was flawless.
She was just being a thin-skinned girl, grasping at straws for an excuse.
When they reached the pavilion, he gently set Wang Yuqiong down and instructed her, “Don’t move around. I’ll go grab the box first.”
But she caught his hand. “Just leave the box there. No one’s going to steal it.”
“Even if no one steals it, it’s blocking the elevator.”
Shen An ruffled her silky hair with a light laugh. “I’ll be right back. Stay put here and behave, okay?”
Wang Yuqiong swatted his hand away in mock annoyance and grumbled, “If you’re going, then go already. I’m not some little kid who needs coddling.”
Shen An turned away with a sly, half-smile, tossing over his shoulder, “Tsundere.”
Wang Yuqiong froze.
You’re the tsundere!
She wanted to fire back, but Shen An was already striding quickly back toward the apartment entrance.
Tch!!!!
She huffed coldly to herself and quietly pouted.
Being a little tsundere was perfectly normal…
What girl didn’t have a tsundere streak?
Girls who weren’t tsundere weren’t normal girls at all.
Did he expect her to just plaster herself against him without a shred of subtlety?
Pfft.
What on earth was she thinking?
Wang Yuqiong covered her face with her hands. A hint of blush finally pierced through the pallor on her cheeks.
Deep down, she was more than satisfied—positively content.
Shen An’s care was so attentive and meticulous, a quiet thoughtfulness that needed no words.
Though he was usually so laid-back and unserious, Shen An was truly diligent when it came to getting things done—diligent to the point where no one could find a single flaw to pick at.
Eh~
Damn it…
Wang Yuqiong cursed inwardly. It hadn’t even been that long, yet she was already a little reluctant to leave the warmth of his embrace.
She had no idea what it was made of, but it was so incredibly cozy!
She hurried back to the elevators, where the doors were beeping incessantly. Her suitcase was blocking the way, causing them to open and close repeatedly, blaring alarms the whole time.
Shen An quickly shoved the suitcase aside and pulled another one forward, allowing the elevator to function smoothly at last.
As he turned and dragged the two suitcases toward the pavilion, he deliberately slowed his pace a bit.
He needed this moment to recap the situation.
Wang Yuqiong knew Xu Yijing, and their history ran deep.
But just like with Zhao Qingyu, Wang Yuqiong and Xu Yijing were far from friendly—in fact, Xu Yijing was so terrifying that a single glance from her was enough to send Wang Yuqiong into an emotional meltdown.
This made it abundantly clear that there was a profound grudge between the two women.
At the same time, Shen An could confirm one of his suspicions: Wang Yuqiong’s background was indeed extraordinary.
Otherwise, there was no reason for her to have such a connection with Xu Yijing.
After all, Xu Yijing was almost certainly tied to the Zhao Family. Without considerable status, the gap in their social standings would be impossible to bridge.
That raised a new question.
If Wang Yuqiong and Xu Yijing went way back, what about Wang Yuqiong and Zhao Qingyu?
Shen An quickly replayed in his mind the few brief interactions between Wang Yuqiong and Zhao Qingyu…
At first, he’d thought Zhao Qingyu was targeting Wang Yuqiong because of him.
But considering the bigger picture, it seemed there was more to it.
Moreover, Wang Yuqiong’s impression of Zhao Qingyu was terrible—there wasn’t a single positive thing to say about her.
Even though her own explanation had been that she’d heard about it upon returning…
And then there was Shen Lianyao.
Shen Lianyao had warned him to be careful around Zhao Qingyu too.
She had her own ties to Zhao Qingyu…
The situation was a bit tangled, but the more he pieced it together, the clearer the picture became.
All the people and events he’d encountered so far seemed to revolve around Xu Yijing and Zhao Qingyu.
The more he thought about it, the more Shen An felt like the story was finally getting on track.
There was just one left: Song Rui.
So far, Song Rui hadn’t shown any signs of connection to either Zhao Qingyu or Xu Yijing.
That silly girl might really be the only innocent bystander in all this.
Ha~
For some reason, thinking of Song Rui—and her clumsy, timid ways—made Shen An chuckle softly.
But he quickly stifled his laughter, his expression turning grave.
He stopped in his tracks and pulled out his phone.
The Healing System…
Zhao Li had said Xu Yijing was ill, but Shen An still didn’t have solid proof, even though all the signs pointed that way.
Wang Yuqiong, on the other hand, seemed to genuinely have some kind of condition.
And it wasn’t some minor chronic issue—nothing that minor could be this severe.
The Healing System’s purpose was to mend deep-seated wounds in the heart, and emotional disorders surely fell under that umbrella, right?
So why hadn’t a commission triggered?
Shen An was utterly puzzled.
By all logic, there couldn’t be a better candidate than Wang Yuqiong.
