19 – Trying to hit on my deskmate?
“Since I was little, it’s always been like this around me. I don’t know how to handle it.”
Hearing Xin Jushang’s innocent reply, Zhou Yuchuan was rendered speechless.
“Fine, I’ll handle it.”
As he spoke, Zhou Yuchuan pulled a few discarded test papers from under the desk.
“Got any tape?” He nudged Xin Jushang’s stool with his foot, signaling her with his eyes.
Taking the tape Xin Jushang handed him, Zhou Yuchuan began his plan.
“You sit in my seat first,” he instructed Xin Jushang.
Hearing this, Xin Jushang obediently moved seats.
Zhou Yuchuan then taped those test papers onto the window beside Xin Jushang’s seat, covering it completely without leaving a single gap.
Outside, someone was angrily shouting, completely wearing out Zhou Yuchuan’s patience. He yanked open the window and arrogantly declared his dominance to the boys in the hallway, “This is my damn deskmate. If you have what it takes, get into Class Three, then you can look all you want.”
Every word was filled with provocation and boasting.
After sending that group outside away, Zhou Yuchuan sat down contentedly, leaning back in his chair and giving Xin Jushang a playful, sidelong glance.
“Xin Jushang, you sure have a lot of unwanted admirers.”
“Want me to share some with you?”
“Uh…” Zhou Yuchuan realized Xin Jushang always managed to leave him speechless.
After her face recovered, Xin Jushang no longer brought her own lunch alone. Instead, she went to the cafeteria every noon with Xu Zhiyan.
“Jushang, how about we eat out today?” Xu Zhiyan clung to Xin Jushang’s arm. “I’m a bit tired of the cafeteria.”
Xin Jushang nodded.
So the two headed toward the snack street outside the school.
This snack street was flanked by No. 1 High School and Hengmu High School. So every mealtime, the small restaurants were packed with students from both schools.
Xu Zhiyan looked around, wanting to eat everything but unable to decide.
Unable to make up her mind, she sought Xin Jushang’s opinion. Xin Jushang glanced around and randomly pointed at a wonton shop. “That one.”
This wonton shop wasn’t crowded. After ordering, Xin Jushang and Xu Zhiyan found two empty seats and sat down.
Xin Jushang scooped a plump little wonton into her mouth. Just as she took a bite, someone tapped her shoulder from behind.
“Xin Jushang?”
Hearing the voice, Xin Jushang turned her head slightly and saw a handsome young man standing diagonally behind her.
Xin Jushang felt this young man looked somewhat familiar, as if she’d seen him somewhere, but she couldn’t recall right away.
“I’m Jiang Xie. We went to the same middle school before.” Jiang Xie smiled. “Actually, I knew you transferred to Hengmu a while ago, but I never had the courage to say hello.”
Xin Jushang nodded faintly, then turned back to continue eating her wontons.
“If you don’t mind…” Jiang Xie cautiously spoke again, “would it be possible to exchange contact information?”
Xin Jushang paused, then shook her head.
But Jiang Xie didn’t want to give up and simply sat in the chair next to Xin Jushang.
Xu Zhiyan, sitting directly across from Xin Jushang, couldn’t stand it anymore and turned to Jiang Xie. “This male classmate, Jushang means she doesn’t want to give you her contact information. Please respect yourself.”
With things put so bluntly, Jiang Xie had no choice but to leave.
But not long after, Jiang Xie returned carrying a cup of milk tea and placed it in front of Xin Jushang.
Xin Jushang looked up, meeting Jiang Xie’s earnest gaze.
Just as the situation grew tense, a lazy teenage voice sounded from behind Jiang Xie—
“Tsk, I was wondering who it was. So it’s Zhao Jianing’s old flame?”
Zhou Yuchuan was followed by his old buddies from the original high school. The group had been wandering aimlessly on the street, debating which restaurant to choose for lunch, when Zhou Yuchuan led them into this quiet wonton shop.
Hearing the voice, Jiang Xie stiffened but still tried to explain, “You’ve misunderstood. Zhao Jianing and I aren’t in a relationship. It’s just her one-sided—”
Before Jiang Xie could finish, Zhou Yuchuan clapped first, looking down at him with disdain. “Nice. Flirting with Zhao Jianing on one side while trying to cozy up to my deskmate on the other, huh?”
Zhou Yuchuan stood at 186 centimeters, a good half-head taller than Jiang Xie’s 178 centimeters, giving him an overwhelming advantage in presence.
Cornered by Zhou Yuchuan, Jiang Xie had no choice but to flee after hastily telling Xin Jushang, “See you next time.”
After Jiang Xie left, Zhou Yuchuan muttered under his breath, “Bullshit ‘next time.'”
Still thinking about cozying up to his deskmate again? Not in this lifetime!
Zhou Yuchuan shifted his gaze to the cup of milk tea in front of Xin Jushang and asked in a low voice, “He gave this to you?”
Xin Jushang nodded.
Seeing this, Zhou Yuchuan smiled, then tossed the cup of milk tea into the trash bin right in front of Xin Jushang.
Xin Jushang didn’t mind—she hadn’t planned on drinking it anyway.
After completing this series of smooth actions, Zhou Yuchuan pulled a tissue from the table to wipe his hands, then said to Xin Jushang with a hint of scorn, “How stingy. Didn’t he think to bring one for Xu Zhiyan?”
With that, he instructed Jiang Mi beside him, “Go buy two cups of milk tea for my deskmate and her friend—iced, half sugar.”
When Old Hu entered the classroom, he announced that four students from the class would be sent to participate in the provincial math competition the following Thursday.
Besides Xin Jushang and Zhou Yuchuan, the other two were a girl named Li Han and the math class representative, Jiang Zheng.
Upon hearing the news, the other students in the class looked on with envy.
The provincial math competition was held in the neighboring City B and lasted three days and two nights. Apart from the exam times, the rest of the schedule was free for personal arrangements.
To everyone else, this was essentially a publicly funded trip—who wouldn’t be envious?
Thursday arrived quickly. Hengmu chartered several buses to transport the students from each class to City B for the math competition.
Xin Jushang boarded the bus first and chose a window seat. Li Han, following closely behind, took the seat next to her.
Zhou Yuchuan, arriving a step late, had to sit with Jiang Zheng, right behind Xin Jushang.
Soon, the bus started moving.
During the journey, the windows remained tightly shut. Xin Jushang could bear it at first, but the nausea grew increasingly intense.
“Li Han, do you have any candy?” she asked the girl beside her.
But Li Han paused, shook her head, and went back to studying the competition problems in her hands.
Xin Jushang forced herself to endure the discomfort, closing her eyes and trying to sleep.
If she could just fall asleep, the discomfort would fade.
Just then, a clear voice sounded beside her ear.
“Open your mouth.”
Xin Jushang parted her lips slightly, and a cool mint candy was placed in her mouth.
Instantly, the nauseous feeling from motion sickness faded by more than half.
She opened her eyes and realized the person beside her had somehow become Zhou Yuchuan.