Chapter 40: Of Course I Should Come

The sky outside the window gradually shifted from deep black to gray-blue, then took on a faint tint of light green.

Shen Jia Yan hadn’t truly slept the entire night.

The next day, she got up early, packed up, and waited for her roommates to wake.

“Jingyao, cover for me in class today. I’m planning to skip,” she said to Xu Jingyao, who was climbing down from her bed.

Xu Jingyao slipped on her slippers and asked, “What’s up? Family emergency?”

Shen Jia Yan sighed. “Wan Ning has chronic gastritis. I want to go check on her.”

“Is it serious?” Fu Jinxi followed up.

Shen Jia Yan zipped up her backpack and frowned in response. “Not sure, so I want to go see for myself.”

Xu Jingyao tied her hair up. “Then go quickly. Everyone’s out of town, so she doesn’t have many people to rely on.” She turned to Shen Jia Yan, a sly glint flashing in her eyes. “Put on a good show.”

Shen Jia Yan shot her a glance, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and said, “I’m off.”

Whether it was a video call or a phone call, those voices and images separated by a screen could never compare to the reassurance of seeing her in person.

She hadn’t told Wen Wan Ning she was coming. Instead, she got their class schedule from Su Yang, a mutual acquaintance in the same major and class as Wen Wan Ning. She learned that Wen Wan Ning only had classes for half the day.

Even though Wen Wan Ning had no time in the morning, Shen Jia Yan still wanted to arrive early—just to catch a glimpse of her from afar.

The subway pulled into the station, and Shen Jia Yan entered Jingbei University’s campus.

Following the campus map, she found the Law School Building and sat on a bench across from it, checking the class schedule screenshot Su Yang had sent. Wen Wan Ning’s morning classes were all in Classroom 302.

Students began trickling into the building in twos and threes. Shen Jia Yan’s gaze swept over every familiar-looking figure. When the clock hit eight-ten, that familiar silhouette finally appeared in her line of sight. Wen Wan Ning walked over hugging her textbooks, accompanied by her roommate. The beige trench coat wrapped around her slender frame made her look even thinner than in the video.

Shen Jia Yan instinctively took a step forward but forced herself to stop. She watched Wen Wan Ning enter the building until her figure vanished around the stairwell corner.

She still had class, so Shen Jia Yan didn’t want to disturb her yet.

For the morning classes, Shen Jia Yan waited on the bench downstairs. During breaks, she looked up toward the third-floor hallway, occasionally catching a glimpse of Wen Wan Ning’s profile as she fetched water.

The noon dismissal bell rang, and the crowd surged out like a tide. Shen Jia Yan straightened her back instinctively, her eyes locked on the building’s exit.

When Wen Wan Ning finally appeared at the door, Shen Jia Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Her complexion was better than in last night’s video, but faint shadows lingered under her eyes. She was absorbed in flipping through her notes and didn’t notice Shen Jia Yan standing under the tree.

Shen Jia Yan didn’t approach right away. She just stood there, greedily tracing Wen Wan Ning’s profile with her gaze—the slightly furrowed brows, the gently pursed lips, and the eyelashes edged with golden sunlight. In that moment, all her worries and longing melted into silent relief upon confirming she was okay.

Only when Wen Wan Ning turned to leave did Shen Jia Yan finally step forward. “Classmate, you dropped something.”

The familiar voice made Wen Wan Ning whip around, her notebook slipping from her hands. Sunlight fragmented in her widened eyes, and then the corners of her mouth curved into a faint smile. “You… how did you get here?”

She turned to her roommate. “Xiao Huan, you guys head back to the dorm first. No need to wait for me—my classmate’s here.”

“Okay.”

Shen Jia Yan then held up the insulated lunchbox. “Here to deliver medicine porridge to a certain disobedient patient.”

The porridge inside was from a well-known porridge shop downstairs from the teaching building. She’d timed it perfectly while waiting. After researching online and asking around, she’d chosen this shop and their stomach-friendly porridge.

Her gaze carefully scanned Wen Wan Ning’s face. Seeing her complexion had indeed improved, the corners of Shen Jia Yan’s mouth lifted in a gentle smile. “Seeing you’re recovering well puts my mind at ease.”

Wen Wan Ning’s ear tips flushed red instantly. She bent down to pick up her notebook. “You skipped class?”

Her fingertips hovered in midair as Shen Jia Yan snatched the notebook first. As she straightened up, her hair brushed Shen Jia Yan’s wrist, sending a faint shiver through her.

“Yeah.” Shen Jia Yan responded softly.

“You…” Her voice tightened a little, her heart struck by something soft and bittersweet.

She kept her head down, her hair falling to hide her eyes, fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes. Shen Jia Yan always did this—appearing quietly with the tenderness and stubbornness she kept buried deepest in her heart.

“Skipped class just for this?”

When she voiced it, her tone carried a hint of reproach, but it couldn’t suppress the surge of emotions—heartache, guilt, and an indescribable wave of being moved.

She knew how self-disciplined Shen Jia Yan was, never skipping class, rarely even late. Yet today, for a bowl of porridge, she’d waited downstairs, researched extensively, and picked a medicinal porridge good for her stomach.

She hadn’t even told her in advance.

Just like last night, when she’d drunk the medicine alone, Shen Jia Yan had insisted on watching her finish. She always did so much quietly, out of sight.

Wen Wan Ning looked up, wanting to say something, but Shen Jia Yan’s casual “Seeing you’re recovering well puts my mind at ease” stuck in her throat.

Staring at the smile in Shen Jia Yan’s eyes and the insulated box in her hand, she suddenly felt her nose sting.

She wasn’t unaware of how willful and neglectful she’d been lately.

Student Union matters had come crashing in like waves, and she was used to handling them alone, hiding her fatigue and discomfort. She’d thought that as long as she didn’t say anything, no one would worry—including Shen Jia Yan.

But she’d forgotten: Shen Jia Yan was never just anyone.

She was the one who’d secretly brought her bread in high school when she skipped meals, the one who’d rushed to carry her to the School Infirmary when she fainted, the one who could sense her off mood even through a screen.

She always had been.

Wen Wan Ning took a deep breath, forcing down her emotions. “You shouldn’t have skipped class.” Her voice was soft, almost a murmur to herself.

Shen Jia Yan heard it clearly and smiled. “Of course I should come.”

She paused, her gaze earnest and tender. “Because I said it—in this city, by your side, you still have me.”

Wen Wan Ning froze in place, the flush at her ears spreading to her cheeks and neck. She wanted to say something to mask her erratic heartbeat, but her throat felt gently blocked, even her breathing slowing.

That line—”by your side, you still have me”—was said so lightly, yet so heavily.

Light as an everyday promise, heavy as a gentle stone pressing on her heart, leaving her immobile.

She kept her head down, fingers absently pinching her hem, voice still soft. “You always do this.”

Shen Jia Yan raised a brow. “Do what?”

“Make decisions on your own.” She finally looked up, a trace of reproach in her eyes, yet unable to hide the softness buried for so long. “Approach on your own, worry on your own, appear… where you shouldn’t.”

Shen Jia Yan’s eyes curved slightly, a knowing mischief in her feigned innocence. “But you don’t hate it, right?”

Wen Wan Ning froze, then quickly looked away, not responding.

Shen Jia Yan didn’t press. She just turned lightly toward the cafeteria, tone casual. “Come on, the porridge won’t taste good cold.”

Wen Wan Ning stood there watching her for a moment before silently following.

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the teaching building, falling on her shoulders and Shen Jia Yan’s back. Gazing at that familiar figure, she felt a corner of her heart quietly loosen.

They walked side by side along the campus path in the morning light. The breeze wasn’t strong, but it cleared her mind sharply.

Wen Wan Ning suddenly spoke softly. “Thank you, Jiayan.”

Shen Jia Yan paused, turning to her with a smile in her eyes. “What’d you say?”

Wen Wan Ning pressed her lips together, not repeating it. Instead, she quickened her pace to walk ahead, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

Shen Jia Yan watched her back, tenderness rising in her eyes.

She knew Wen Wan Ning wasn’t incapable of expressing herself—she just hid her emotions too deeply. And she was willing to wait, willing to step in and illuminate those hidden lights one by one.

For her, being by her side now was already enough.

Under Shen Jia Yan’s accompaniment, Wen Wan Ning ate a proper stomach-nourishing lunch and, at her persistent urging, went back to the hospital.

The checkup results were the same as last time but much improved. The doctor instructed her to finish the remaining herbal medicine on schedule.

Shen Jia Yan walked Wen Wan Ning back to Jingbei University and saw her to the Dormitory Building.

As they stood at the dorm entrance about to speak, they ran into Su Yang.

“Jiayan, you’re here?”

“Yeah, just visiting.”

“Oh~~” Su Yang smiled meaningfully. “No wonder you asked for our class schedule—it was to see Wan Ning.” She teased, “We’re in the same class, but you didn’t come to see me.”

“I, uh…” Shen Jia Yan’s cheeks flushed red.

“I was sick, so Jiayan was worried. We’re all classmates in the same city, so we should look out for each other. That’s why she came,” Wen Wan Ning explained for her.

Su Yang sobered a bit. “Ah, got it. How are you feeling, Wan Ning? Still unwell?”

Wen Wan Ning’s lips curved slightly. “It’s nothing. Much better.”

“That’s good.” Su Yang remembered something else. “Right, our department’s team-building this weekend—two days and a night. You can make it, right?”

Su Yang and Wen Wan Ning weren’t just in the same major class; they were also in the same Student Union department.

Team-building? Two days and a night? Shen Jia Yan’s brows furrowed unconsciously.

Wen Wan Ning nodded. “Yeah, I can go.”

“Su Yang!” A voice called from inside the dorm.

“Coming.” Su Yang turned to wave at them. “You two chat. I’ve got something—heading out.”

“Okay,” Wen Wan Ning replied.

Shen Jia Yan’s mind was entirely on Wen Wan Ning’s upcoming two-day team-building trip and missed their exchange with Su Yang.