Mo Xiangwen glanced at Yan Nuoya, who was still absorbed in the documents, and said, “Call me if the teacher shows up. I’m just going to catch a quick nap.”
Only then did Yan Nuoya lift her head from the file. She looked toward him, only to find that he had already sprawled across the desk with his eyes closed, ready to doze off.
“Are you that tired?” Yan Nuoya furrowed her delicate brows, asking with a hint of concern. “Didn’t you sleep well last night?”
“A little tired,” Mo Xiangwen replied, letting out another yawn. “I’m counting on you.”
For these classes, at least for now, his self-study progress far outpaced what the teacher was covering. He wasn’t too worried about falling behind.
“Then get some rest,” Yan Nuoya said with a slight nod. “I’ll help you catch up on today’s lesson later.”
He wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but the waves of sleepiness left him at a loss for words.
Whatever. It wasn’t important. He could bring it up after waking up.
With that final thought, he drifted off into a deep sleep.
Yan Nuoya glanced at him before turning her attention back to the project proposal, keeping a bit of her peripheral vision on the teacher’s movements.
Truth be told, she didn’t think there was much to worry about.
There were so many students sleeping in the back row, and she had never seen the teacher bother with them.
The most the teacher ever did for discipline was take roll call.
Although Mo Xiangwen’s thoroughness made the project proposal look a bit complex,
his writing and narrative style were somewhat similar to hers, which made it much easier for her to read.
Even without his help to explain, Yan Nuoya could understand his intentions perfectly well.
In less than twenty minutes, she had finished going through the entire project proposal.
Interesting, but not all that engaging.
Yan Nuoya shook her head and put the document back into its folder with mild disappointment. She turned to him, about to ask something, but then remembered he was asleep when she saw his sleeping face.
Whatever. It wasn’t important, she thought to herself.
“Are you asleep?” Yan Nuoya leaned in slightly, whispering near his ear. “There’s something I want to ask you.”
She pulled back and watched his expression carefully.
She waited a long time, but there wasn’t the slightest change on his face.
He must really be out.
Yan Nuoya started to reach out with her finger, then hesitated, remembering that he could be a bit mischievous. Better safe than sorry.
After a moment’s pause, she tested softly, “The teacher’s coming.”
But even then, Mo Xiangwen showed no reaction at all. He looked thoroughly asleep.
Now Yan Nuoya felt reassured. She quietly studied his sleeping face.
After observing for a short while, a wider smile crept across her face. She pulled out her notebook and scribbled something on it with her pen.
Once finished, she glanced at him—he still showed no sign of waking—and grew a little bolder. She reached out and gently poked his cheek.
Hmm… nothing special about the feel.
But for some reason, it was endlessly amusing.
Poke. Poke again. One more time.
As Yan Nuoya poked his cheek over and over, endlessly amused by the cool sensation and soft touch, it finally roused Mo Xiangwen from his deep slumber.
Yan Nuoya startled. She was wondering how to play it off when she caught sight of the teacher heading down from the front.
“The teacher’s coming down,” she said softly.
Still a bit groggy, Mo Xiangwen snapped into high-school survival mode and sobered up instantly.
He straightened into a proper sitting posture, pretending to be diligently studying.
The teacher was just taking a casual stroll around anyway. When passing Mo Xiangwen, he glanced at his book—which wasn’t even on the right page for the lesson—and merely shook his head before moving on.
Whatever the teacher thought, Mo Xiangwen breathed a sigh of relief as he passed him by, circled the room, and returned to the lectern without comment.
“Good thing you warned me in time.”
Yan Nuoya blinked her bright purple eyes. “No problem. I just happened to see.”
But the scare had chased away most of his sleepiness.
Gritting his teeth, he managed to hold out until the bell rang.
“Heading to the cafeteria today?” Yan Nuoya asked softly. She decided treating him to lunch would ease her guilt a little.
“No.” Mo Xiangwen paused, then shook his head. “I need to swing by the dorm first. Won’t be able to join you for lunch today.”
“Back to the dorm without eating?”
“I’m grabbing some stuff from the dorm to take to the studio,” Mo Xiangwen explained. “I’ll just pick something up on the way through the commercial street.”
“Then how about I buy it for you and bring it to the studio?” Yan Nuoya leaned forward slightly, meeting his eyes. “We could eat lunch together there.”
“Hmm… yeah, that works.” Mo Xiangwen hesitated a moment before nodding. “Sorry to trouble you, then.”
“Got it. I’ll get your usual order.”
—
Knock knock.
A steady knock sounded at the door.
“Shishi, time to eat,” Fu Qianping’s voice called from outside.
“Coming right away.”
Bai Shishi, who had just finished the final touches on her draft, rose from the sofa and shuffled out.
Today, unusually, Bai Shishi wasn’t eating alone at home.
Fu Qianping had no work today and had rushed back right after getting off.
Fu Qianping watched her daughter Shishi shuffle out and flop limply into a chair, looking all wilted, and couldn’t help worrying. “Shishi, are you feeling unwell?”
Bai Shishi froze for a moment. She hadn’t realized her low mood was so obvious to her mom.
She shouldn’t worry Mom. She scolded herself inwardly.
So Bai Shishi mustered her energy, forced a smile, and shook her head. “No, I’m just a little sleepy, Mom.”
The dining table was laden with a bountiful spread, all her favorites.
She tried her best to eat as she normally would, setting down her chopsticks only when she felt she’d had enough.
But she was her daughter, after all—how could Fu Qianping miss that something was off?
Was she just cooped up at home too long?
Seeing Shishi like this, Fu Qianping finally made up her mind.
As if suddenly remembering, she said casually, “Oh, right. That friend of yours came to see me today about something.”
In an instant, Bai Shishi knew exactly who Mom meant by “that friend of yours.”
She jerked her head up, her eyes lighting up with sudden hope as she gazed at her mother.
Fu Qianping sighed softly to herself but pressed on. “He said he’d secured an activity classroom.
“If you’re up for it, I have time too. I can take you to school regularly.
“He and Classmate Yan, along with two senior sisters, will look after you.”
She paused, looking into her daughter’s eyes. “What do you think?”
