The young man’s face showed little emotion, his eyes cold and sharp, making it clear he wasn’t joking.
Cheng Shuoning remembered that this was indeed his personality, someone who didn’t want to interact or converse with others. Just as he was about to apologize, he heard the boy’s inner voice.
‘It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore. It’ll go away.’
‘Are you worried about me?’
Cheng Shuoning was taken aback.
Someone who seemed so unapproachable and aloof had such a rich inner world.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly and said to Xu Wangzhi, who continued working on his test paper, “Sorry for disturbing you.”
His gentle voice was like a warm breeze in spring, fleeting yet leaving a lingering warmth that could melt a person’s heart.
The pen tip pressed hard against the paper, tearing it, and Xu Wangzhi’s fingers turned white from gripping the pen too tightly.
Xu Wangzhi looked at the tear for a long time before continuing to write.
Not long after, as the warning bell rang, most of the students entered the classroom and greeted Cheng Shuoning upon seeing him back.
Cheng Shuoning sat by the window, so when someone knocked on it, he heard it immediately.
He turned his head to see Han Tian in his school uniform standing outside, waving with a smile, signaling him to open the window.
As soon as Cheng Shuoning opened the window, Han Tian placed a backpack and school uniform on his desk, “Here’s your backpack and uniform. Have you had breakfast?”
“Thank you. I have.”
“What’s with the thanks? Lately, you’re always saying thank you.” Han Tian reached out to ruffle Cheng Shuoning’s hair, “I’ll come find you at noon, let’s eat at the cafeteria together.”
“No need.” Cheng Shuoning put his backpack away, noticing Han Tian’s gesture, he moved back to avoid it and firmly refused, “I want to eat alone at noon.”
No one noticed, but as he said this, the boy sitting next to him once again tore his test paper with his pen.
He turned his head, looking at Cheng Shuoning’s beautiful profile, and after a few seconds, he withdrew his gaze, lowering his eyes to hide the tumult of emotions within.
Han Tian withdrew his hand, frowning, “But I really want to have lunch with you, Ning Ning.”
“Next time,” Cheng Shuoning said, originally intending to close the window, but he accidentally overheard Han Tian’s thoughts.
‘After one meal with Zhou Xundu, you won’t eat with me anymore. What an ingrate, after I took care of you in the hospital for so many days, wasting my time. If you don’t want to eat, then don’t. I can eat with Cheng Meng instead.’
Those thoughts made Cheng Shuoning shut the window instantly, ignoring Han Tian’s longing gaze.
Finally, the class bell rang, and Han Tian reluctantly left.
The school allowed phones, but they couldn’t be used during class.
Just as Cheng Shuoning was about to turn off his phone, he received a message.
Li Shengfei: “Why didn’t you tell me you were hospitalized a few days ago?”
A week ago, Li Shengfei had taken leave to participate in a math competition out of town.
Among the three, Cheng Shuoning had known Li Shengfei the longest, and they were the closest.
But recently, Li Shengfei had been busy with studies and wasn’t around as much as before.
Cheng Shuoning: “Did you win the competition?”
Li Shengfei: “Yes, first place ^_^, won’t you praise me, Ning Ning?”
Cheng Shuoning sent a thumbs-up emoji, “I have to go to class now, congratulations.”
He turned off his phone, sensing someone watching him, and looked up.
Meeting Xu Wangzhi’s eyes, devoid of any emotion, he also heard a phrase: ‘You seem to be enjoying the conversation.’
Before Cheng Shuoning could ponder the meaning of the words, Xu Wangzhi had already looked away.
Cheng Shuoning didn’t think much of it.
Morning reading was English, and when he opened his textbook, he found additional notes, recognizing Han Tian’s handwriting.
He took out other textbooks from his bag and found more notes.
Some words were slanted, and towards the end, they became more upright, showing that Han Tian had grown frustrated while marking the important points for him.
Feeling a mix of emotions, Cheng Shuoning put the textbooks back in his bag.
After reading through the vocabulary a few times, it was time for free recitation. Cheng Shuoning closed his eyes to memorize when a girl behind him suddenly asked, “Can I recite here with you?”
He thought she was asking him, but when he turned around, he saw the girl was looking at Xu Wangzhi, realizing she was asking him.
The boy beside him sat straight, as if he hadn’t noticed the girl was addressing him.
Zhang Xiuli smiled at Cheng Shuoning and tentatively poked Xu Wangzhi’s shoulder, “Can I recite here with you, Xu Wangzhi? It’s better to recite together than alone.”
Xu Wangzhi’s profile remained indifferent, not turning around or speaking, effectively refusing.
Zhang Xiuli sighed in disappointment and continued reciting with her seatmate.
The noise around was overwhelming, with everyone reciting, and Cheng Shuoning, who already struggled with memorization, found it even harder to concentrate amidst the chaos.
He looked around, hoping to find someone he was close with to recite together, but realized that while his classmates spoke to him, none were truly close friends.
In class, he listened to lectures, and after school, he left with Han Tian and the others, never having time to get to know his classmates.
Feeling a bit lost, Cheng Shuoning couldn’t think of anyone he was familiar enough with and was about to give up when a voice sounded in his ear, “Can’t memorize?”
He instinctively replied, “It’s a bit hard alone…”
A slender hand reached over, taking the book from Cheng Shuoning’s desk, brushing against his hand in the process.
The cool touch made Cheng Shuoning’s heart skip a beat, his gaze following the attractive hand to its owner.
It was Xu Wangzhi.
The young man opened the book, expressionless, and said, “Recite.”
Cheng Shuoning’s eyes widened slightly, looking at him, a bit taken aback.
Was he offering to help him recite?
Zhang Xiuli, sitting behind, was also stunned, stopping her recitation to curiously watch the two, whispering to Cheng Shuoning, “Wait, when did you two become so close?”
They used to be like the North and South Poles, the most distant desk mates in class.
Cheng Shuoning shook his head, not expecting Xu Wangzhi to help him recite.
“Not reciting?” Xu Wangzhi was about to close the book.
Cheng Shuoning immediately said, “Reciting.”
He started reciting, but quickly realized that reciting in front of Xu Wangzhi was even harder than doing it alone.
He found himself inexplicably nervous, his heart behaving strangely, beating faster and faster.
By the time he finished the last word, morning reading had ended, and Cheng Shuoning felt a bit embarrassed, “Sorry, I recited too slowly.”
Xu Wangzhi closed the book and returned it to him, not intending to engage further.
Cheng Shuoning packed his textbooks, picked up his water cup, and was about to get some water when he heard Xu Wangzhi say, “Not bad.”
He paused, realizing Xu Wangzhi was saying his recitation was okay, his bright eyes curving slightly, “Thank you.”
The thanks came out so softly, like a kitten’s gentle “meow.”
Xu Wangzhi watched him leave with the cup, a barely noticeable hint of amusement flickering in his deep, dark eyes.
*
At noon, before Cheng Shuoning could leave the classroom, he saw Han Tian waiting at the door.
He got up and left through the back door, sending Han Tian a message, “No need to wait for me, go eat by yourself.”
Han Tian: “tat, Ning Ning, how can you be so heartless to leave me to eat alone, boo hoo, I want to eat with you.”
Remembering the notes in his textbook from the morning, Cheng Shuoning pursed his lips and eventually returned.
Han Tian was still waiting at the door, and just as Cheng Shuoning was about to call him, he saw Han Tian turn and reach out, seemingly pinching the cheek of the person in front of him, his tone filled with barely contained laughter, “He’s gone, just the two of us for lunch.”
Cheng Shuoning wasn’t curious about who the person was and left directly.
The school cafeteria was crowded, and usually, after queuing for food, there were no seats left.
Knowing he’d have to queue, Cheng Shuoning decided to leave the school, walking for about ten minutes to a secluded alley.
Most shops in the alley had closed down, but at the end was a noodle shop that had been open for over a decade. Due to its remote location and distance from the school, few people knew about it.
Cheng Shuoning had discovered this place by accident with Han Tian before.
Seeing the “Open” sign on the door that had seen better days, he pushed the door open, the bell above jingling crisply.
The owner, in his fifties or sixties with graying hair, heard someone enter and greeted, “Take a look at the menu and order here.”
Cheng Shuoning noticed there was another customer, a student from his school wearing a baseball cap, back turned to him, paying at the counter, looking familiar.
As he approached to order, he realized it was Xu Wangzhi and was a bit surprised.
The owner asked, “What would you like to eat?”
Cheng Shuoning snapped back to reality, “A bowl of beef noodles.”
“There’s only one serving of beef noodles left, and he just ordered it,” the owner pointed to Xu Wangzhi, grinning, “Why don’t you two discuss it?”
“Then I’ll have…”
Already seated, Xu Wangzhi spoke without looking up, “I’ll change mine to chicken soup noodles.”
“Alright,” the owner agreed readily, turning to Cheng Shuoning, “Then the beef noodles are yours. Ten yuan.”
Having no time to refuse, Cheng Shuoning paid and quietly said something to the owner.
The owner nodded, giving an “OK” gesture he had recently learned, and went into the kitchen.
The noodle shop fell silent, with only the sound of the fan whirring.
Cheng Shuoning sat with his back to Xu Wangzhi, both of them unable to see each other.
Before long, the bell rang again as someone entered.
Cheng Shuoning stood slightly, intending to grab a bottle of milk from the counter, when someone pressed down on his shoulder.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him, and a hat was placed on his head, pulled so low it blocked his vision.
Confused, Cheng Shuoning looked up, wondering why Xu Wangzhi had given him the hat, when he heard the boy’s cool voice, “Don’t turn around.”
He froze, obediently keeping his head forward.
Soon, two familiar figures appeared in his line of sight, and Cheng Shuoning realized who had been with Han Tian at the classroom door earlier.
Cheng Meng glanced at the menu, expressing disdain, “Why come here? It doesn’t look appetizing. Let’s eat somewhere else.”
Han Tian pinched his ear affectionately, “I’ve eaten here before, it’s pretty good. Give it a try.”.