Chapter 21: Don’t Move Part 2

“It’s finals week, and you’re still taking gigs?”

“Only during the day. I’ll review at night.” Cheng Jinzhi said.

Actually, Cheng Jinzhi barely studied at night. Seeing Cheng Jinzhi like this gave Gou Yu a strange sense of “security,” and she too began studying in fits and starts, three days fishing, two days drying nets. The day before the exam, she was still rooting through some unknown dumpster digging through celebrities’ trash.

On exam day, Gou Yu staggered into the classroom, dizzy. “I just walked into the wrong exam room. Slept through it, woke up, didn’t recognize anyone around me, and thought the whole class had hired imposters.”

“Sit down already. The proctor’s coming in.”

Only then did Gou Yu rub her eyes. There was a seat right in front of the podium, under the teacher’s nose. Looking around the classroom—those who’d arrived early had all squeezed to the back. The male student in front had a mournful face. “These bastards showed up at six in the morning to save seats.”

Gou Yu curled her lip and threw her bag at the front. “What ‘find a seat,’ did I have a choice? Well, at least you guys are sitting next to me.”

Cheng Jinzhi and Xia You sat in front, not far from Gou Yu.

“I thought I was early, but… looks like I need to show up at six tomorrow too.” Xia You said, glancing at Cheng Jinzhi beside her. Cheng Jinzhi was staring at her nail polish. “Jinzhi, why do you look so mysteriously calm?”

“Calm, my ass. She’s just a dead pig not fearing hot water.” Gou Yu said, clutching her heart. “Jinzhi, I knew I saw you right.”

The proctors came in soon—two of them. The one in front had reading glasses and papers under his arm, looking very casual. The whole class exchanged knowing looks. Lucky us. But then the one behind him came in, and everyone’s faces fell. That’s right—it was martial arts instructor Teacher Wu Yi. Seeing the whole class grimace, Wu Yi gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “What’s wrong? You don’t welcome me?”

Teacher Wu Yi was also one of the “Four Great Re-Exam Terrors.” As a martial artist, he had incredibly sharp eyes. Under him, no one dared make a move—any move and he’d pin you to the desk like a criminal. If they found a cheat sheet, don’t even think of denying it. There were also fearless freshmen who, relying on their looks, tried to squeeze out tears in front of him. He just threw them out of the teaching building. “This young and already relying on your face—by the time you leave school, what’s next?”

Xia You exhaled. Good thing she’d actually reviewed this course. If she’d been counting entirely on a cheat sheet and couldn’t pull it out, she’d be dead. Gou Yu looked like a deflated ball. If she couldn’t pull out her cheat sheet, she’d have to rely on “glancing around.”

The papers were distributed. When Cheng Jinzhi received hers, her eyes lit up. She flipped through both sides. She felt a bit pleased and confidently snapped the cap back on her pen, lifting her chin as if worried people wouldn’t know she was fine. Well, when she actually started doing the problems, she realized they only looked familiar. Halfway through, she got stuck. No, the data had been changed. Most of the way through, wrong again—how had she gotten two different answers?

Gou Yu dozed off after half a problem and was warned once by Wu Yi. “Lifeless. Were you out being a thief all night?”

She was indeed… being a thief.

Gou Yu forced herself to stay alert, glancing at Xia You and Cheng Jinzhi beside her. It made sense that Xia You could answer. But when she saw Cheng Jinzhi’s pen moving too, she perked right up. In a hushed voice, she called Cheng Jinzhi a few times. “Cheng Jinzhi, what are you doing?”

“Doing the exam.”

“You know this?”

“A little.”

After the end-of-exam bell, Gou Yu saw Cheng Jinzhi’s paper full of answers. She felt the despair and malice of life. “Cheng Jinzhi, you’re too much, hiding among the academic losers to lower my guard.”

Xia You rolled her eyes. “Jinzhi was actually serious this semester. Look at yourself—how many classes have you missed?”

Gou Yu covered her eyes and began to “sob.” “Don’t comfort me, don’t try to console me. I know I shouldn’t… shouldn’t have done this.”

“Next is the performance course assessment. Keep this up.” Xia You made a “fighting” gesture at Gou Yu.

“Oh god, why are there so many exams this semester?”

“What did you think?”

Gou Yu glanced at the relaxed Cheng Jinzhi and felt bad again. The next day, tail between her legs, she followed Xia You to the library. Thinking about Xia You and Gou Yu studying in the library, Cheng Jinzhi smugly took a few leisurely photos. “Finals are so boring.”

“Bitch! Fiend!” It seemed Gou Yu hadn’t studied much in the library either. The moment Cheng Jinzhi posted, she replied instantly.

Cheng Jinzhi was about to turn up the heat when Rong Si took her phone. Rong Si didn’t even look at it—she just set it face-down on the table. “You’ve been playing for two hours.”

Earlier, when Cheng Jinzhi was playing, Rong Si had glanced at her. She’d pouted and confessed preemptively, “I’ll just play a little.”

Cheng Jinzhi shrank her neck. “Time goes by so fast when you’re playing on your phone.”

“Hungry? You keep reading. I’ll make you something.” Rong Si lowered her head and turned a page. Cheng Jinzhi glanced at her book—it was all Russian. One look gave her a headache. Why was Rong Si reading a Russian book? Oh right, Rong Zhan was studying in Moscow.

“I want meat.”

“Mm.”

Rong Si closed her book and set it on the table. She went to the kitchen, and Cheng Jinzhi followed. “How’s Rong Zhan doing?”

“He’s doing well.”

Rong Si was still a conversation-killer in front of her. After seeing Rong Si’s interview on the entertainment channel last time, Cheng Jinzhi had been moved to search for more of her interviews. In front of the media, she was very proper and would proactively offer tidbits so reporters weren’t too awkward. Yes, that’s how Rong Si was in her past life too—never a sour face under the spotlight, never caught in an unseemly gesture no matter how tired.

Soon, Rong Si had fried a piece of meat for Cheng Jinzhi. Her long fingers started stirring a yogurt salad. Rong Si’s strength was really something. When she used chopsticks, Cheng Jinzhi couldn’t help pinching her arm. It looked thin, but pinching it felt solid. “Rong Si, you’ve got great muscle tone.”

“My flesh is just soft.” With that, Cheng Jinzhi pinched her own arm too.

“Mm.” Rong Si cut the meat and handed it to Cheng Jinzhi. “Eat, then read. I’ll make you some dessert.”

Cheng Jinzhi’s appetite hadn’t been this big. But fed by Rong Si like this, she completely lost her self-awareness as a female celebrity. Chewing on her silver fork, Cheng Jinzhi eyed the thin Rong Si. No, this won’t do. “I don’t want dessert.”

Then she took another bite of meat. But… it was so good… Her face took on a conflicted expression. Finish the meat, then a little dessert, mm…

“Just a small portion?”

“Mm…”

“Mm?”

“…Fine.” Cheng Jinzhi added “ferociously”: “You’re eating too.”

Cheng Jinzhi’s mouth was still stuffed with meat, her cheeks puffed as she muttered—not looking ferocious at all.

After the midnight snack, when it was time to study, Cheng Jinzhi got sleepy. She swore she wasn’t sleepy on purpose—it was because she was too full. When you’re stuffed, blood drains from your brain, and you get drowsy. Rong Si read for a while and saw Cheng Jinzhi’s forehead about to hit the table. She reached out and caught Cheng Jinzhi’s forehead. That touch made Cheng Jinzhi “climb the pole.” She buried her face in Rong Si’s palm, dazedly rubbing against it. “I’m not asleep. Just a little sleepy.”

Rong Si’s long arm curled, and Cheng Jinzhi naturally rolled into her arms, mumbling. “I’m reading…”

“I’ll run you a bath.”

“No, I want to read.” Cheng Jinzhi’s eyelids flickered open for a second, felt too heavy, and drooped. “I’ll just rest my eyes for a bit. Call me later.”

“Mm.”

Rong Si’s body was so soft…

When Cheng Jinzhi woke again, it was late morning, and her pajamas had been changed by Rong Si. Rong Si had warmed congee for her in the microwave and had already gone to school for her exam. Cheng Jinzhi rubbed her head, drank the congee, and finally started studying.

In the evening, Cheng Jinzhi picked up her phone to play. Opening WeChat, she saw Gou Yu had sent her a high-definition video—how did she manage such good quality?

The video seemed to be of a boy confessing his love. The confession was quite the spectacle, with a long line of luxury cars. What was so interesting about that? Cheng Jinzhi was about to close it when she saw someone come out of the library. It was none other than Rong Si, who had left her an OCD note that morning. Rong Si had made breakfast and lunch and left a note about how many minutes to heat what. Seeing the note, Cheng Jinzhi had rolled her eyes. Did Rong Si think she couldn’t even grow her own hands yet?

A rich young man confessed to Rong Si at length. Rong Si listened to the end and replied: “Thank you. I understand.”

??? What do you understand?

The rich boy was clearly stunned for a second too.

Before Cheng Jinzhi could finish watching, she heard Ah Wei’s voice. She poked her head out—Rong Si was back, changing her jacket. Rong Si had indeed brought home a live fish and handed it to Ah Wei.

Seeing the subject of the video in person, Cheng Jinzhi was ready to gossip. She slipped into the kitchen; Rong Si was right in the middle of gutting the fish. “Mm… how was your exam today?”

“Finished.” Rong Si’s answer was simple. “We’re having fish tonight. Braised or steamed?”

“Braised! Heavy fire, heavy oil—that’s the only way to do justice to the fish’s richness!” Okay, that wasn’t the point. Cheng Jinzhi quickly reined in her drooling. “Anything fun happen today?”

“Mm?”

Like getting confessed to… Of course, Cheng Jinzhi didn’t want to reveal that she was interested in Rong Si, though she’d half-exposed herself already…

In her past life, Rong Si had been the same way—no romantic scandals. It made Cheng Jinzhi curious: what kind of person could Rong Si actually fall for?

After dinner, Cheng Jinzhi continued watching the video. In it, the rich boy froze for a second, then pursued: “Then can we…”

“No.”

“What about being friends?”

Rong Si shook her head too, turned, and walked away.

This made Cheng Jinzhi think back to her original proposal. Rong Si’s first time gradually became clear in her mind. Back then, Rong Si had been in dire straits, drowning in debt and needing to pay her brother’s exorbitant tuition. Struggling at every step, her looks and temperament were things people worshipped and praised from above. But if she fell below, the “ghosts and monsters” would surely covet her—including, of course, Cheng Jinzhi.

At first, Cheng Jinzhi had accompanied Rong Si for a few days. Rong Si’s stubbornness made her lose patience. At the time, Rong Si was in the changing room, and Cheng Jinzhi came in and embraced her. “Come to my room tonight, and I’ll give you what you want.”

Bare to each other, lips and tongues tangled, clothes peeling away one by one. Cheng Jinzhi was excited—it was her first time entering someone. Rong Si was so tight inside. Cheng Jinzhi paused twice, and Rong Si wrapped her arms around her neck, panting. “Remember what you promised me.”

She guided Cheng Jinzhi’s wrist, delivering her fingers inside herself.

Cheng Jinzhi’s wrist stiffened. She’d indeed wanted to enter Rong Si, but once she actually did, she felt a twinge of guilt. Rong Si kissed her cheek, breathing shallowly. It was her first time in such matters, and for someone who’d just come of age, it wasn’t easy. Beneath Cheng Jinzhi, Rong Si’s face went pale. “Do you want to hurt me to death?”

At Rong Si’s words, Cheng Jinzhi’s fingers finally began to move slowly.