After Hua Tong returned to her seat, she glanced at the empty seat beside her, then looked around at the other students and realized she was the only one without a deskmate.
She was a little puzzled—had her deskmate not arrived yet?
With that question in mind, Hua Tong asked the two people behind her, “Is the person next to me still not here?”
Jiang Xianshu answered first, “Right, she went to another province for a competition and will be back tomorrow. Her name is Mu Xuewei, and she’s a friend of ours too.”
Hua Tong nodded. Got it.
When Hua Tong turned back around, Wen Yan gave Jiang Xianshu a hard kick—of course he had to be the one with the fast mouth.
Jiang Xianshu clutched his leg with a hiss of pain. Looking at Wen Yan’s displeased face, his brain finally caught up—he had just stolen Yan-ge’s chance to talk to the little sister.
“Yan-ge, I’m sorry, my bad. It was just instinct. Next time I’ll never steal your chance to talk with your sister again, I swear.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Xianshu immediately raised three fingers.
Wen Yan ignored him.
Jiang Xianshu knew that meant he wasn’t angry anymore.
Today was the first day of the new school year, so there were no classes schoolwide—just review and checking of summer homework.
On Thursday and Friday, the whole school would hold placement mock exams. This was a rule that had existed since No. 1 High School was founded.
So all morning, the entire class was quietly reviewing, the only sounds coming from those reciting their lessons.
Hua Tong had played all summer. Hearing that No. 1 High School also held entrance exams, she was so frightened that she hurriedly crammed at the last minute—she certainly didn’t want to rank near the bottom right at the start of school.
As the bell rang for the end of the last class, the corridor outside filled with the sounds of students.
“Knock knock.”
Hua Tong looked up and was met with a face so devastatingly handsome it defied description. Seeing the girl staring blankly at him, a flicker of amusement passed through Wen Yan’s eyes. He reached out and waved his hand in front of her. “Little classmate, snap out of it. Time to go eat.”
A flush instantly rose to Hua Tong’s face, and she shyly lowered her head. How could she be bewitched by just a face! And she wasn’t little, either.
Then, hugging her thermos with medicine inside, she hurried toward the door, wanting to escape the place that had just embarrassed her.
Jiang Xianshu watched Hua Tong walk away so quickly, not understanding why. He scratched his head. “Yan, why is your sister walking so fast? Does she know the way to the cafeteria?”
Wen Yan watched her retreating figure, a hint of a smile on his face, and said in a teasing tone, “Probably… doesn’t, I’d say.”
Sure enough, when the two walked out the door, what they saw was the little girl standing there blankly, hugging her thermos. She really didn’t seem to know where the cafeteria was.
Hua Tong thumped her own head. Of course! When you’re embarrassed, your brain just stops working.
Wen Yan turned around just in time to see Hua Tong thump her own head, muttering something under her breath—he couldn’t tell what.
He walked over and asked her, “What’s wrong?”
Hua Tong looked up at him. He was really so tall! Every time she looked at him, she had to tilt her head up—and she wasn’t short, either.
A little embarrassed, she spoke up, “I don’t know where the cafeteria is.”
Wen Yan turned away with a soft laugh, then started walking ahead. “Come on, big brother will take you.”
Hua Tong heard that soft laugh and immediately realized—Wen Yan was teasing her. He knew all along. And since when did he become her big brother?
Hua Tong clenched her fists. How could anyone be so shameless!
She stomped her foot angrily, then followed after him.
Jiang Xianshu had just been looking for his meal card, and when he stepped out the door, there wasn’t a single person left in sight.
Looking at the two who hadn’t gone far, he shouted as he ran, “Ah Yan, little sis, wait for me!”
Cafeteria
Lin Zixuan spotted his little sister right away. He waved at Hua Tong, and she saw him too.
She said to Wen Yan and Jiang Xianshu, “I’m going to find my brother first.”
The two nodded.
Hua Tong immediately walked over toward Lin Zixuan. Her brother had probably already bought her meal for her.
But when she saw the food—so bland that not a single piece of meat could be seen—she was dumbfounded.
Lin Zixuan looked up at his sister, who hadn’t touched her chopsticks. “Sis, why aren’t you eating? The food at No. 1 High is actually pretty good.”
Hua Tong looked at her own food, then at her brother’s: Kung Pao chicken, cola chicken wings, braised pork, stir-fried beef—while hers was boiled cabbage, plain stir-fried broccoli, and a portion of tomato and scrambled eggs, without a bit of meat.
Hua Tong pointed at her own food, then at his, and asked, “Bro, why is my food like this, and yours like that?”
Lin Zixuan took a bite of meat and said, “Your auntie said your body can’t handle heavy, oily, salty stuff, so you can only eat bland food. That’s why I bought you all light dishes.”
Hua Tong blinked at him, looking pitiful. “But we’re at school. It’s fine if I eat a little. Auntie won’t find out.”
Lin Zixuan looked at the dishes on his sister’s tray and couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for her. It was truly bland to the point that even a dog wouldn’t eat it.
Lin Zixuan hesitated. He was afraid his sister might get sick eating this, but he also felt bad for her.
Just then, Wen Yan’s voice came over. “What’s wrong?”