Once the Study Committee Member finished asking his question, Chi Nuan had a moment free and went through Gu Ningzi’s papers. She discovered that almost every question type from the review materials Chi Nuan had given her was correct.
Chi Nuan turned to look at Gu Ningzi’s seat. It was empty. She had indeed skipped class.
…
That evening in the dormitory, Xu Dan and Du Min were obsessed with chasing a novel. Each had half a watermelon, digging in while discussing the domineering CEO story.
“Oh my god! Does the male lead have eyes on top of his head? The female lead loves him that much, and he still suspects her, paranoid and jealous all the time, ignoring her every few days. It pisses me off! There are tons of people who like the female lead. If he pushes her away one day, where’s he gonna cry then?!”
“That’s how it is—relationships need some ups and downs to get deep. Just wait. Knowing the author’s style, when they make up, there’ll definitely be some steamy scene, if you know what I mean? Hehehe…” Du Min flashed an auntie smile.
Xu Dan: “Ugh, I’m worried about the male lead’s ex stirring things up! Hasn’t there been hints? Calling him at night, all clingy one minute and wanting to meet the next. So cheap!”
Du Min waved it off knowingly. “It’s all like that. Standard CEO novel tropes. Relax.”
Chi Nuan held her mobile phone, drafting a message to Gu Ningzi—editing, deleting, re-editing, over and over. Finally, she steeled herself and hit send.
“Gu Ningzi, are you free? Can we talk for a bit?”
After sending it, she waited over ten minutes, but the mobile phone stayed silent.
Chi Nuan slumped dejectedly over the desk, poking at the enamel doll with her hand.
Zhao Jingjing came out of the shower. Seeing Du Min and Xu Dan deep in plot discussion, she urged Chi Nuan, “Nuannuan, go wash up first. Otherwise, they’ll fight you for the bathroom later.”
“…Okay.” Chi Nuan glanced at her still mobile phone, grabbed her pajamas, and headed to shower.
Washing her hair and body, then blow-drying—it took well over half an hour. Chi Nuan sat back at her desk and, before starting homework, habitually checked her mobile phone again.
This habit had formed back in mid-May after Gu Ningzi returned to the North. During that time, they’d been in close contact, and she never wanted to miss any message from her.
“Come down.”
The screen showed an unread message from Gu Ningzi.
! Chi Nuan shot to her feet.
Xu Dan jumped. “…What’re you doing?”
Chi Nuan looked closely—it was from half an hour ago.
She rushed to the window, opened it, and tiptoed to peer downstairs. Had Gu Ningzi waited this long?
It was hot and stuffy outside, nearly 7 p.m., the sky still grayish-white. Gu Ningzi lounged with her long legs stretched out by the flower bed. Black T-shirt, black pants, bangs swept back, her exposed skin porcelain-pale. She looked stunning and cool.
Girls from other classes passing by whispered about her.
Chi Nuan changed out of her nightgown and hurried downstairs in one breath.
She stopped in front of Gu Ningzi, panting. “Sorry, Gu Ningzi. Sorry, I was showering and just saw your message.”
Gu Ningzi had a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Chi Nuan noticed and unnecessarily asked, “Are you hot?”
Gu Ningzi looked up, saying slowly, “Hot? And there are mosquitoes.”
Chi Nuan: “…”
Chi Nuan bit her lip. “Sorry…”
Gu Ningzi stood up.
“I didn’t mean to make you wait so long…” Under the pressure of her height, Chi Nuan stepped back, murmuring, “I didn’t expect you’d actually come…”
Gu Ningzi tsked lightly, cutting off the string of apologies and getting to the point. “What did you want to say to me?”
“Gu Big Boss! Come up and hang out?” Xu Dan poked her head out the fourth-floor window, shouting down. “Hey! Nuannuan, you’re no fun! Big Boss shows up and you don’t even tell us!?”
Two more heads popped out eagerly. The three roommates crowded the window, six eyes peering down at Chi Nuan and Gu Ningzi.
Chi Nuan looked up: “…”
Gu Ningzi ignored the three upstairs and said only to Chi Nuan, “Let’s find somewhere to sit first.”
With that, she headed out of the school.
Upstairs, Xu Dan: “???”
Du Min: “Probably about that thing from the classroom before. Nuannuan’s always cared about Gu Big Boss’s studies—otherwise, why prepare all those review materials for finals? That huge stack of key points must’ve taken so much time and effort.”
Xu Dan: “No kidding, the class monitor Nuannuan’s playing deserves an award.”
The three girls shoved each other playfully, dissolving into a mess.
…
Gu Ningzi pushed open the door to the dessert shop and, knowing Chi Nuan’s preferences, ordered her a milk tea. She added to the server at the end, “Room temperature, thanks.”
Chi Nuan’s face warmed. Her periods were irregular, often delayed—she hadn’t even figured out the pattern herself. How did Gu Ningzi guess so accurately that she couldn’t have iced today?
They sat by the window. The server brought their drinks. Chi Nuan sipped her milk tea a few times and hesitantly opened, “Gu Ningzi…”
Gu Ningzi looked at her.
Chi Nuan stirred the straw in her cup, head lowered as she confessed, “Actually, earlier… it wasn’t about your studies that I wanted to talk about…”
“Oh.” Gu Ningzi asked, “Then what did you want to say?”
“It’s just… these past few days, I feel like you’ve… been different from before.” Chi Nuan bit down on the straw, sucking several times in bursts to gather her thoughts before continuing. “I don’t know what’s wrong, but you seem like you don’t want to talk to me… Can you tell me why?”
After nearly half a year together, Chi Nuan believed Gu Ningzi wouldn’t distance herself for no reason. Something must have happened. Clearing the air now might fix it.
Their gazes met. Chi Nuan’s eyes shimmered. One second, two… Gu Ningzi turned to look out the window.
The streetlights had come on outside, traffic bustling on the avenue. Yuncheng No. 1 Middle School’s gate lay dormant in the midsummer night.
…
Gu Ningzi turned her gaze back.
“That day, I overheard what Xue Wen said.”
