After school ended at noon, Li Qing prepared to take Yuan Miao to the cafeteria.
Unexpectedly, just as she had called Yuan Miao to get up, she caught sight of Yuan Tingshen walking toward them out of the corner of her eye.
Considering their current public relationship, Yuan Tingshen seemed to have more of a right to be there than she did. Li Qing frowned.
Yuan Miao also saw his father.
His heart skipped a beat, and he cautiously turned his head to call out, “Mom.”
“Do you have to take him?”
“…”
Yuan Miao fell silent.
As Yuan Tingshen approached them, Li Qing curled her lips.
In the end, she chose not to put Yuan Miao in a difficult position. Instead, she ignored Yuan Tingshen, walking ahead with a cold expression.
This caused Yuan Miao to glare resentfully at his father.
“It’s all your fault.”
“Huh?”
“Why did you have to go and make her angry?”
“…”
Yuan Tingshen was left speechless.
He, too, wanted to know where he had offended Li Qing.
However—
Watching Yuan Miao eagerly follow Li Qing’s figure, practically itching to catch up and stick by her side, Yuan Tingshen felt a twinge of discomfort.
“Didn’t you two just meet?”
“What do you mean ‘just met’…”
Yuan Miao instinctively retorted.
When he came back to his senses, he met Yuan Tingshen’s thoughtful gaze and broke out in a cold sweat.
He had almost forgotten that his father was a cautious and sharp person who could uncover the truth from the slightest clue.
Calming down, Yuan Miao carefully replied, “She’s the younger sister of my friend. We’ve met a long time ago.”
Sorry, Uncle, you’ll have to play the role of my friend for now.
Younger sister?
Yuan Tingshen was taken aback.
He distinctly remembered that Li Qing’s records stated she was an only child. Since when did she have an older brother?
Once they reached the cafeteria, Yuan Miao abandoned his father, who was still deep in thought, and sidled up to Li Qing.
“Mom, what’s good to eat here?”
“I’ll take you—”
Before Li Qing could finish her sentence, Yuan Tingshen’s voice cut in, “I’ll handle it.”
She stopped and shot him an exasperated glance.
“No need.”
After uttering those two stiff words, Li Qing pulled Yuan Miao toward the cafeteria counter.
Yuan Miao glanced back at Yuan Tingshen with a “can’t help you” expression before happily ordering his food.
Yuan Tingshen had no choice but to follow them.
Li Qing really wasn’t giving him any chance to communicate.
After getting their food, Li Qing led Yuan Miao to a table and sat down. As soon as she took her seat, Yuan Tingshen sat opposite her.
“Huh?”
She looked at him in confusion.
Yuan Tingshen replied with reserved deliberation, “What’s wrong?”
“…”
Li Qing averted her gaze.
Had Yuan Tingshen really been muddled by that rain?
Hadn’t he been disdainful and contemptuous of her before? Why did he now seem… a bit eager?
Could it be because of Yuan Miao?
Li Qing glanced at the oblivious Yuan Miao beside her and quietly held her tongue.
He could sit wherever he wanted.
Just as the students from Class One entered the cafeteria together, they witnessed this startling scene.
“What’s going on? Why are they sitting together?”
“Has the sun risen from the west?”
“Don’t say that—rivalry dynamics are pretty fun to watch…”
“Open your eyes wide! The transfer student is there too!”
“…Sports Committee, what do you think?”
As they spoke, everyone’s gaze fell on Ji Minglang.
Ji Minglang sat right in front of Yuan Miao, so he must have heard far more gossip than the others.
Under the collective gaze of the group, Ji Minglang scratched the back of his head. “Have you noticed? Their vibe actually seems kind of harmonious.”
“Pfft.”
“What nonsense are you talking?”
“The class rep’s gone crazy…”
The students of Class One all distanced themselves from him in disdain.
Ji Minglang also felt this claim was a bit unrealistic and quickly dismissed it.
Li Qing finished her lunch quickly.
She was debating whether to leave Yuan Miao behind and return to the classroom when she heard Yuan Tingshen call her name.
“Li Qing.”
“Have I done something to annoy you?”
Li Qing looked up in surprise.
Yuan Miao watched expectantly, waiting for Li Qing’s response.
Li Qing took in both of their reactions.
She looked at Yuan Tingshen, whose expression remained calm and indifferent, as if even asking this question was only out of consideration for Yuan Miao.
She immediately scoffed coldly.
“You’re overthinking it.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she stood up.
“I’m heading back first.”
“Hey—”
Yuan Miao widened his eyes, but before he could even utter a word to stop her, Li Qing had already dashed off like a gust of wind.
He glared resentfully at the culprit.
“Do you even know how to do this?!”
“…Do you?”
Yuan Tingshen’s lips twitched.
Yuan Miao immediately launched into his lengthy lecture.
“Of course! You can’t be so direct. I… given your current relationship, she’ll just see it as a provocation!”
“You should start by finding out what she likes. You could even start with the people close to her…”
The more Yuan Miao spoke, the more frustrated he became.
How could his young dad be so clueless? How on earth did this blockhead manage to win over his mom?
“When necessary, you can even act cute.”
“Act cute?”
Yuan Tingshen repeated with a frown, as if unable to believe what he had just heard.
Yuan Miao nodded seriously. “Yes, act cute. She’s the type who responds better to softness than force.”
…
During afternoon P.E. class.
Classes One and Two were preparing for a basketball match. Ji Minglang counted the players and realized two people were absent.
Instinctively, he thought of asking Li Qing to fill in—after all, it wasn’t the first time he had done this.
“Big sis, help us out, will you?”
“…”
Ji Minglang always called her “sis” whenever he needed something, and Li Qing was used to it by now.
She was about to nod when two figures brushed past her.
Yuan Miao muttered discontentedly, “Why are you calling her? Aren’t we here?”
“Oh!”
Ji Minglang suddenly realized. “I almost forgot about you.”
After a pause, Ji Minglang noticed Yuan Tingshen’s presence out of the corner of his eye and belatedly realized that Yuan Miao had said “we.”
“You…”
Ji Minglang gasped. “Class monitor, you’re playing too?”
Yuan Tingshen nodded calmly. “Aren’t we short two players?”
If he didn’t join, Ji Minglang would probably still ask Li Qing.
“That’s true…”
Ji Minglang patted his forehead.
His eyes betrayed a look of pure, unadulterated confusion.
Yuan Tingshen had never participated in such activities before, and no one in Class One dared to ask him.
They always felt his aura wasn’t something ordinary people could approach.
Why was he suddenly volunteering now?
Ji Minglang couldn’t figure it out, so he simply stopped trying.
He glanced at the two faces before him and suddenly felt a surge of competitive spirit.
With just these two faces, their class’s cheering squad would easily outshine Class Two’s!
“With you joining us, our Class 1 can finally stand tall!”
“Absolutely, absolutely!”
Yuan Miao, infected by his tone, nodded eagerly. “Let’s crush them!”
“Good brother, we really are kindred spirits!”
Watching Ji Minglang and Yuan Miao almost perform an on-the-spot oath of brotherhood, Li Qing quickly stopped them with exasperation.
“Class 2 has been waiting for ages. Let’s go.”