As Lu Shinian passed through the aisle, Fang Xing from the neighboring group couldn’t help but tug at her sleeve and ask, “You and Yu He are that close now?”
Lu Shinian recalled the times Fang Xing had bragged about his closeness with Yu He in front of her, and a mischievous thought crossed her mind. Her tone lifted slightly as she replied, “Yeah, we’re friends.”
When the hell did you two get so chummy?
Fang Xing wanted to ask, but with Liang Hongying still in the classroom, he didn’t dare press further.
The definition of friendship in school was simple, especially among girls. Holding hands to go to the bathroom together, gathering to gossip about other classes, eating meals side by side, doing everything together. These seemingly mundane little things were the indispensable fragments that built their bond.
If asked what Lu Shinian wanted to do with Yu He, her answer was simple: she wanted to study with her.
When this realization hit her, Lu Shinian was momentarily awed by her own profound insight and almost gave herself a mental thumbs-up.
But then she reconsidered. Though their relationship had taken a big step forward, she still didn’t have the courage to invite Yu He to hold hands and go to the bathroom together. Yu He only ever dropped the word “no” when it came to academic matters.
Yu He’s way of explaining problems suited her perfectly. It seemed there wasn’t a single question Yu He couldn’t solve, and the best part was she never called her stupid, even when annoyed just a calm, Think about it properly.
She was the perfect study partner.
That afternoon, Lu Shinian was surprised to spot Yu He in the cafeteria. She sat alone in a quiet corner, eating her meal. Nearby, a group of girls chatted and laughed at a shared table.
The empty seat between them acted like a barrier—bustling on one side, solitary on the other.
Watching this, Lu Shinian felt an inexplicable irritation.
How could her friend and tutor eat all by herself?
If others had friends to eat with, then Yu He should too.
Lu Shinian glanced meaningfully in Yu He’s direction. Yu Jingjing turned to look and immediately understood. “Want to eat with Yu He?”
Lu Shinian nodded. “Let’s go.”
They carried their trays over and sat across from Yu He.
Yu He looked up.
Lu Shinian grinned. “No seats left. Mind if we share the table?”
Yu He stared at her. “Really?”
Lu Shinian suddenly felt a twinge of guilt and averted her gaze, nudging the person beside her with her elbow.
Yu Jingjing quickly chimed in, “Yeah, we got here late. There’s nowhere else to sit.”
Yu He nodded. “Okay.”
A few seconds later, someone behind them called out, “Is this seat taken? Whose water bottle is this? If no one claims it, I’ll sit here.”
Yu Jingjing turned and immediately jumped up. “Mine, mine! I must’ve left it there by accident.”
Lu Shinian: “…”
The lie unraveled way too fast.
Yu Jingjing went to retrieve her bottle, leaving Lu Shinian and Yu He staring at each other in awkward silence.
Fortunately, Lu Shinian had some experience handling such situations. She cleared her throat. “See how careless Jingjing is? You shouldn’t be so absentminded in the future.”
Yu He’s dark eyes swept over her face, her brow lifting slightly, but she said nothing.
Lu Shinian had the distinct impression Yu He was silently calling her shameless but she had no proof.
Damn this sixth sense.
“Lu Shinian.”
Just as Lu Shinian was about to change the subject, she suddenly heard Yu He call her name, instinctively lifting her gaze.
Yu He looked at her quietly, her expression no longer as cold as before, and said seriously, “Next time, you can just come over directly. No need to lie to me.”
Lu Shinian smiled sheepishly, scratching her head. “I just wanted to have a meal with you.”
Yu He gave a quiet “Mm,” lowering her eyelids, her emotions unreadable.
At that moment, Yu Jingjing returned with a cup in hand. “Ah, this cup belongs to my friend. She left it behind, so I’m bringing it back for her. She’s so careless.”
Yu He glanced at Lu Shinian. “Right, can’t be careless.”
Lu Shinian quickly pulled Yu Jingjing to sit down. “Let’s eat. No more talking.”
On the day before the National Day holiday, it was Lu Shinian and Yu Jingjing’s turn to stay behind for cleaning duty.
As the school day ended, the classroom gradually emptied, and the building grew quieter than usual.
“Lu Shinian,” Yu Jingjing called out after neatly folding the cleaned rag on the lectern. “What are your plans for the holiday?”
Lu Shinian paused her sweeping. “No plans, really. Just staying home to study.”
“That sounds boring. Why don’t you come over to my place?” Yu Jingjing suggested, then reconsidered. “Actually, my place isn’t that fun either. How about we go to the amusement park?”
Her eyes lit up excitedly. “Yeah, let’s go to the amusement park! I’ve never been before, so it’ll be fun to go together. You invite a couple of friends, and I’ll invite a couple too. The more, the merrier! Afterward, we can all grab a meal together.”
Before Lu Shinian could even respond, Yu Jingjing was already planning the itinerary.
“Lu Shinian,” Yu Jingjing pressed, “just say yes or no, are you going or not?”
Lu Shinian chuckled as she used the broom to pull out hidden trash from under the desks. “Are you threatening me now?”
Yu Jingjing switched tactics, adopting a sweet, pleading tone. “Come on, we’ve never hung out before. It’s a seven-day holiday, wouldn’t it be a waste not to have some fun?”
It was true that spending the entire holiday at home would be dull, and it had been ages since she’d last visited an amusement park.
“Fine, I’ll go,” Lu Shinian agreed.
“Then it’s settled! I’ll come find you when it’s time,” Yu Jingjing said cheerfully.
Lu Shinian nodded. “Sure, we’ll coordinate on WeChat.”
“My hands smell awful after handling that rag,” Yu Jingjing complained, wrinkling her nose after sniffing her palm. “I need to wash them. Want to come?”
Lu Shinian emptied the dustpan into the trash bin. “You go ahead. I’ll take this bin out first.”
As evening fell, the golden hues of sunset bathed the campus in a warm glow, the breeze carrying a slight chill. In the distance, students trickled toward the school gates in small groups.
Lu Shinian walked leisurely back toward the building, carrying the freshly emptied trash bin, when a familiar figure appeared ahead.
Recognizing her instantly, Lu Shinian called out eagerly, “Yu He!”
The figure paused mid-step and turned around.
Lu Shinian jogged up to her, grinning. “Why haven’t you gone home yet?”
Yu He replied, “I was printing test papers at the admin office.”
Yesterday, Shi Zhuang had publicly praised Yu He in front of the whole class, mentioning her participation in some math competition that required extra practice. The stack of papers in her hands was likely the holiday homework she had to complete.
“Impressive. Let’s go back together later,” Lu Shinian said. “Don’t refuse me, or you’ll be a puppy.”
Ever since that day they had dinner together, their relationship seemed to have improved slightly. Although their interactions still followed a question-and-answer pattern, Lu Shinian no longer felt as restrained as before and spoke more naturally. Even when they weren’t talking, the silence between them no longer felt awkward.
Yet, there was still something indescribably strange about their dynamic. For now, Lu Shinian was willing to label this relationship as “Version 2.0 Basic Edition.”
“You’re childish,” Yu He remarked.
Lu Shinian almost laughed. Being called childish by Yu He when she was clearly the older one was ironic.
“I’m not childish.”
Just then, two girls walked past them, arms linked and laughing heartily, clearly very close.
Lu Shinian glanced at the person beside her and subtly moved her arm closer, narrowing the gap between them. Just as she was about to link arms, Yu He quickly sidestepped, frowning. “Dirty.”
“…”
Maybe Version 2.0 should revert to 1.0.
As they neared the stairwell, Lu Shinian asked, “I’m going to the amusement park during the National Day holiday. Want to come?”
Before Yu He could respond, voices drifted down from above neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for them to hear.
“Is it true that you and Lu Shinian had a falling out?”
“We fell out ages ago. She doesn’t even chase after Li Jingming anymore. A spoiled rich girl will always be a spoiled rich girl. Did I really think Lu Shinian would ever see me as a true friend? Impossible. It was all just wishful thinking on my part. Now she spends all her time with Yu He.”
“Yu He? The one who ranks first in our grade?” the other girl asked curiously. “I heard her family is pretty poor. She’s on the financial aid list every year. Why would Lu Shinian hang out with her?”
“How should I know what goes through a rich girl’s mind? I always thought Yu He was cold and unapproachable, but turns out she tutors Lu Shinian every day and even helps her lie to teachers. She’s probably just after the Lu family’s money, trying to get Lu Shinian to spend on her.” The girl scoffed. “And Lu Shinian is naive enough to believe it.”
The other girl sounded skeptical. “I didn’t expect her to be so calculating. You really can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Their voices faded as they walked further away.
Lu Shinian had stopped in her tracks the moment she heard her name. After listening to the entire exchange, she summed it up in one word: “Ridiculous.”
How could anyone believe Xu Man’s nonsense?
Some people really were born clueless.
Lu Shinian tilted her head. “They’re slandering us.”
Yu He nodded. “Mm. I heard.”
Jokingly, Lu Shinian added, “For the record, I don’t believe it. I wish you were after my money, I’d drown you in it.”
“…”
They continued climbing the stairs in silence. Lu Shinian stole cautious glances at Yu He, unsure if she was being overly sensitive, but she couldn’t help worrying that the words might have affected her.
“Do you want me to walk you back later?”
“I don’t want to be a dog.”
Lu Shinian blinked, relieved, then found herself amused.
Who was Yu He? Unshaken even if a mountain collapsed before her, a glacier in demeanor, a steel fortress in spirit, effortlessly handling the toughest exam papers.
Anyone could be a fool, but Yu He? Never.
Her worries were completely unfounded.
After dropping off Yu He, Lu Shinian didn’t head straight home. Instead, she rode to Xu Man’s place from memory.
She waited about two or three minutes before Xu Man appeared at the neighborhood gate.
Xu Man spotted her too, her heart tightening, why was Lu Shinian here?
Lu Shinian greeted her former friend politely. “Been waiting for you.”
Though displeased inside, Xu Man kept a smile on her face. “Xiao Lu, what brings you here all of a sudden?”
“Stop. Don’t pretend. I can’t fake a smile for you,” Lu Shinian said. “Let’s be upfront.”
Xu Man’s expression visibly darkened. “Xiao Lu, even if things are strained between us now, we were friends once. Isn’t this a bit harsh?”
Lu Shinian chuckled calmly. “Fine, I’ll speak properly. Please stop slandering me and my friends behind our backs. We’re not kids anymore, gossiping like this is pathetic.”
Xu Man shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lu Shinian clicked her tongue. Some people just wouldn’t admit the truth even when confronted. She might usually be timid, letting others walk all over her, but they’d forgotten she had thorns too.
Timid or not, don’t push your luck.
“No worries. Consider this your first warning.”
Leaning against the wall, Lu Shinian looked at her and said coolly, “If I have to warn you a second time, don’t blame me for getting physical. You know my family’s background, I’m not someone to mess with.”
Xu Man had never seen this side of Lu Shinian. Though they’d joked before about her being a “young miss,” Lu Shinian had never flaunted her status.
Xu Man’s composure cracked. “Fine, I did talk about you and Yu He behind your backs. But do you really trust her so much? You think she has no ulterior motives getting close to you?”
“Getting close”? Was that the right term?
Lu Shinian rolled her eyes. “You expect me to trust you over her?”
Xu Man gritted her teeth. “I’m telling the truth.”
Lu Shinian replied lazily, “I know my friend’s amazing enough to make people jealous, but no need to slander her out of spite.”
Xu Man hissed, “Just you wait.”
Lu Shinian studied her expression. “What, you planning to have someone beat me up?”
“……”
Lu Shinian picked up her helmet and walked back to her bike. If she had more time, she’d have loved to savor Xu Man’s flushed, furious face.
“You really think Yu He sees you as a friend? You’re so gullible!”
Lu Shinian suddenly stopped and turned, her voice icy. “Say that again.”
Xu Man froze on the spot.
After a pause, Lu Shinian licked her lips and smiled soft, harmless. “Just kidding.”