Shen Jinyao found a substitute to cover her class and skipped her general education course to go to He Zongye’s classroom.
The economics building was a bit far from her dormitory, so Shen Jinyao left early.
When she arrived at the classroom, she entered through the back door and immediately spotted He Zongye sitting by the window.
He was a striking presence wherever he went. Although no one dared to sit next to him, countless girls’ gazes lingered on him the moment they walked in.
Shen Jinyao looked around, feeling a bit uneasy. If she sat beside him, she’d probably become the center of attention too.
Shen Jinyao wasn’t afraid of that—after all, she had been a favored daughter of privilege since childhood. The eldest Miss Shen was beautiful, radiant, and noble, pursued and adored wherever she went.
She just didn’t want to be associated with He Zongye.
Good thing she had her mask and cap on.
She adjusted her mask, pulled the brim of her cap low, gripped the canvas bag strap on her shoulder, and walked toward He Zongye with her head down.
She plopped down in the seat, set her bag on the desk, and took out her phone and earphones to connect them.
He Zongye turned his head and let his gaze sweep over her. The afternoon classes were all liberal arts courses, so Shen Jinyao was wearing her own clothes.
A white gauze blouse wrapped around her slender figure, the thin layer of fabric clearly revealing the delicate straps underneath.
She was very thin, yet carried an air of resilience—a result of years of dancing.
Her gray wide-leg pants were made of soft fabric, making her already long legs appear even longer.
Wearing a pink cap and white mask, only a pair of beautiful, clear eyes were visible—low-key yet adding a touch of mystery.
He Zongye casually averted his gaze.
“Where’d you go robbing? Haven’t even taken off your ski mask.”
Shen Jinyao placed a bottle of iced soy milk on the desk and shot back, “Your place.”
A hint of amusement crept into He Zongye’s lazy expression. “So you went to rob my house.”
His tone was teasing: “Find anything good? Share with the group.”
Shen Jinyao turned to look at him, her eyes telling him clearly: if you’re sick, go to the hospital.
A girl raised in wealth carried a delicate charm in her features, like a peony bud about to bloom.
He Zongye let out a soft chuckle.
Two empty seats remained beside Shen Jinyao. Two girls came over and sat down, involuntarily glancing at the pair.
The teacher arrived, and Shen Jinyao lowered her head to minimize her presence. She quietly pulled a bag of pretzel bread from her bag.
She’d only eaten to five-tenths full at lunch, and by now she was hungry.
Over the years of dancing, she’d developed her own eating routine—using the 16:8 method and eating small, frequent meals to control herself.
The classroom was filled only with the teacher’s voice. Shen Jinyao gripped the bag tightly, moving with great care, but it still made a slight rustling sound.
She stopped, pretended to adjust her cap, then started tearing at the packaging again.
He Zongye stared straight ahead, yet he caught every one of her movements.
He reached over and tore it open for her, without any pretense.
Shen Jinyao: !
Shen Jinyao’s hairs stood on end from fright. Her big, clear, round eyes glared at him as she whispered, “What are you doing?”
He Zongye handed the bread back to her and gave her a faint look. “You’re welcome.”
Shen Jinyao kicked him with her foot. “Mind your own business.”
She checked that the teacher hadn’t noticed them, pulled down her mask, and with her head lowered—the cap brim completely shielding her face—tore off a piece and stuffed it in her mouth, then put her mask back on and chewed, chewed, chewed.
Blueberry flavor. So good~
She squinted her eyes in satisfaction, then tore off another piece and popped it in her mouth.
Someone tapped on the desk in front of her. He Zongye tossed his fountain pen and notebook over to her.
“Little hamster, don’t just focus on eating.”
He lifted his chin slightly. “Write neatly.”
Shen Jinyao was so annoyed her teeth itched. She snatched the pen indignantly and pressed down hard, tearing through the thin paper.
He Zongye saw it but didn’t stop her. He simply watched her mischief with leisurely amusement.
The girl sitting behind them had been staring at the two the whole time. She pressed her lips together, her hand gripping her pen turning white from the force.
Aren’t they supposed to have a bad relationship? Why are they attending class together?
Shen Jinyao’s hand was cramping from writing, so she tossed the pen aside and stopped altogether.
Why should she write just because he told her to? She’d only agreed to accompany him to class, not to do anything else.
Shen Jinyao went back to eating her pretzel bread, sipping her soy milk to avoid choking.
The girl beside her glanced over several times, swallowing again and again, until she finally couldn’t hold it in and poked Shen Jinyao’s arm.
Shen Jinyao turned to look. With her mask on, only a pair of clean, beautiful eyes were visible. The other girl froze, forgetting what she was about to say.
Shen Jinyao’s voice was low, carrying a hint of warmth. “What’s up?”
The girl snapped back to reality and smiled sheepishly. “I was just wondering if you have a link for this bread? It looks so good.”
Shen Jinyao pulled out her phone directly. “Yeah, search for this shop on Douyin.”
“The blueberry one is the best,” Shen Jinyao added, enthusiastically recommending it.
The girl saw the shop name clearly and smiled at her gratefully. “Thanks so much.”
Shen Jinyao’s mood lifted. She took a pretzel bread from her bag and handed it to her. “Try it first to see if you like it. If you do, then buy it.”
After all, everyone’s taste was different.
The girl took it and thanked her sincerely, her eyes sparkling at Shen Jinyao with genuine fondness.
He Zongye saw her chatting with the girl next to her, heads close together, and also noticed her generously giving away her last bun to someone else.
He reached out and pulled the brim of her cap down.
Shen Jinyao’s good mood was instantly ruined. She adjusted her cap and glared at him, bristling. “Are you crazy?”
He Zongye looked at her lazily, extending his hand. “What about me?”
Shen Jinyao stared at his open palm. His hand was large, with long, clean fingers. She slapped his palm. “You don’t deserve it.”
He Zongye narrowed his eyes, lifting his gaze to the girl across from him.
The girl sensed a chill and turned to meet the boy’s icy stare. Her heart sank, and her face flushed.
Shen Jinyao kicked him. “Don’t bully people.”
He Zongye’s lips twitched, his tongue pressing against his cheek as she made him laugh in exasperation.
He hadn’t even done anything, and she was already sentencing him to death.
Finally, class ended. Shen Jinyao couldn’t wait to grab her bag and leave.
But her bag was pulled back again. Shen Jinyao looked at him in annoyance. “What now, young master?”
He Zongye: “Buy me lunch this afternoon.”
Shen Jinyao was speechless and let out a laugh. “Why should I? You’re being ridiculous.”
He Zongye stood up. His tall frame and sheer size difference made him incredibly imposing.
Shen Jinyao thought of that dream again—the boy’s dominance and ferocity. A chill ran down her spine, and her feet instinctively stepped back.
A familiar voice came from behind. “Bro, who’s this girl?”
Xie Zhiyi’s gaze was curious and teasing. So this was why he’d been sent away—turns out he was flirting with a girl.
This was a first.
He Zongye shoved his hands in his pockets, looking lazy and relaxed, deliberately teasing her. “Masked hero, tell me—who are you? Which young lady from which family?”
Shen Jinyao twitched the corner of her mouth in exasperation.
She couldn’t let anyone find out she was running errands for He Zongye like a servant. Where would her dignity go?
So she shot him a look, signaling him not to say anything.
The two had grown up together. Though they couldn’t stand each other, their years of tacit understanding meant one look was enough to convey their meaning.
He Zongye’s lips curved with interest. His big hand pressed directly down on her head, which was covered by the cap.
“Can’t you tell? She’s chasing me.”
Shen Jinyao’s pupils dilated as she stared at him wide-eyed.
Was he insane?
Xie Zhiyi wasn’t convinced. His eyes swept back and forth between the two. The girl still had her back to him, so he couldn’t recognize her.
Judging by her temperament and figure, she was definitely a beauty.
But He Zongye was never short of beautiful women around him. Someone this timid and meek—how could she possibly dare to chase the infamous He Zongye?
Shen Jinyao suppressed the urge to kill him, letting him mess with her head as he pleased.
Bastard!
Xie Zhiyi kept feeling like the girl looked familiar, but he was always careless and couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard he thought.
Besides, the atmosphere between the two was off.
“Bro, come help me out. It’s the start of the semester and the student council has a ton of stuff to deal with.”
He Zongye naturally took her bag, his big hand pressing on her head as he effortlessly led her away. “No time. Can’t you see I’m busy?”
Xie Zhiyi: “…”
No matter how he looked at it, the girl seemed to be there under duress.