Jiang Wan was stunned for a moment, then a glimmer of laughter spread in his eyes, sudden and unstoppable.
His eyes curved into crescents.
The soup dumpling juice was too hot, so Lu Xingheng didn’t rush to eat. A faint blush crept up the side of his neck, subtle and noticeable only up close.
Jiang Wan laughed until his stomach hurt, casually rubbing it as he spoke, his voice still tinged with amusement. “If I hadn’t sat here, I wouldn’t have known someone’s ears were secretly turning red.”
Lu Xingheng inadvertently bit the tip of his tongue. When he looked up again, Jiang Wan had already taken his vinegar bowl and left.
A dull thud came from the dish return area as the porcelain bowl and chopsticks lightly clinked together. The auntie tidied up the dishes and said something to Jiang Wan, who smiled again, his eyes crinkling.
“What are you looking at?” Xu Yichen snapped his fingers in front of Lu Xingheng.
“He—” Lu Xingheng started but then lowered his gaze and didn’t continue.
Xu Yichen puffed out his cheeks. “The class monitor? What about him?”
Fortunately, Jiang Wenyan had a clear head. “My brother is having lunch with Sister Yun, so he won’t be eating with us.”
Lu Xingheng thought about it but still didn’t ask.
But Jiang Wenyan didn’t mind. Since they lived in the same dorm, some things were better said sooner rather than later.
“My brother and I aren’t related by blood,” Jiang Wenyan said, unlike Xu Yichen, he always got straight to the point, summarizing things succinctly. “We have no blood relation, nor are we legally recognized as relatives.”
Xu Yichen’s eyes widened, seizing the chance to interject, “The class monitor and I are close! I’m his childhood best friend!”
“Before my younger brother was born, the class monitor and I were already in the same class!”
Jiang Wenyan: “…Could you speak a bit more politely? I’m about to throw up my breakfast.”
Lu Xingheng suddenly remembered Jiang Wan’s words from the morning: “The school serves breakfast at 7:30, right?”
“Doesn’t he eat in the cafeteria?”
Xu Yichen: “The class monitor never does. It’s too hot, and the cafeteria’s air conditioning never stops. The class monitor has poor health and can’t handle the cold at all.”
Jiang Wenyan asked Lu Xingheng, “What was he doing here just now?”
Lu Xingheng: “I don’t know.” It seemed like he was just showing him around.
Jiang Wenyan snatched a piece of pancake from Xu Yichen. “I thought he wanted to eat a stuffed pancake.”
Xu Yichen: “Brother!”
Jiang Wenyan mocked: “I don’t talk to people who are already at peace.”
“But the class monitor already gave you the answer, and you still got it wrong—”
“But you casually claimed someone as your father.”
Xu Yichen: “Damn it, how many times do I have to say it? I was borrowing an eraser from the class monitor! Borrowing an eraser!”
The meal was chaotic.
Lu Xingheng didn’t have much of an appetite. As he was about to leave with his tray, Jiang Wenyan suddenly tugged at him.
“My brother sent a message asking for a box of ibuprofen. Since you’re heading back early, could you help out?”
Lu Xingheng: “Sure.”
This feeling was strange. Lu Xingheng couldn’t control it—he seemed unable to refuse Jiang Wan.
Maybe it was because of the “housewarming gift,” or maybe because of that inexplicable “feels familiar”… Once again, he agreed to such a trivial task.
Lu Xingheng: “Where is he?”
“In the classroom, helping Sister Yun with the blackboard writing.” Jiang Wenyan looked down at his phone. “Hey! Wait, I’ll send you my brother’s WeChat.”
Jiang Wenyan pulled up his WeChat QR code. “Let’s scan each other first.”
Xu Yichen also joined in the fun. “I want to scan too.”
Jiang Wan’s profile picture was a very chubby rabbit with round eyes and long, drooping ears.
As soon as they added each other, a message popped up on Lu Xingheng’s phone screen.
Bunny: Hello, Xu, how much is the medical fee? I’ll transfer it to you.
Lu Xingheng curled his lips slightly and replied.
WWW: Hello, chubby bunny, I’m Lu Xingheng.
Bunny: ?
WWW: ?
Bunny: Don’t copy the way I talk.
WWW: Got into a fight?
This time, it took a while before Jiang Wan replied.
Bunny: It’s over.
Lu Xingheng went to the infirmary to buy ibuprofen, feeling somewhat annoyed.
Jiang Wan scored seven points on the exam and was always getting into fights. The first time Lu Xingheng saw Jiang Wan, he was fighting, his knees bruised and battered.
Bunny: Have you gone far?
WWW: At the infirmary.
Bunny: Is Xu Yichen with his younger brother?
WWW: He was when I left.
Bunny: Will they fight?
Lu Xingheng replied quickly.
WWW: No.
WWW: Where are you?
Jiang Wan didn’t reply again.
Li Yun walked over from the office after finishing her meal. There was no one else in the classroom at the moment, so she called out softly, “Wanwan.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Wan turned around and smiled.
Li Yun snapped back to reality instantly. “Class monitor, are you still feeling unwell? Why did you suddenly have low blood sugar again?”
Jiang Wan put away his phone. “I’m fine now.”
Li Yun was momentarily dazed. “Wanwan, if you’re being mistreated, come with me, okay?”
“Yun-jie.” Jiang Wan’s voice was gentle. “Don’t be silly. It’s not convenient for you to take care of someone as old as me all by yourself.”
Li Yun hadn’t fully pulled herself out of her emotions. “They don’t treat you well. Now they won’t even pay for your tuition.”
“Don’t overthink it.” Jiang Wan always sounded very gentle when he spoke softly.
Li Yun blinked rapidly. “Don’t talk to me like that.”
Jiang Wan: “What’s wrong?”
Li Yun’s eyes were completely red now. Her throat felt choked, and she couldn’t say a word. If only she had… back when Jiang Wan was in the orphanage… would everything have been different?
But it was too late for any of that now.
Jiang Wan handed Li Yun a tissue. His hand, resting on the lectern, trembled slightly. “Hmm…”
He hadn’t eaten much in the morning, and his stomach was twisting painfully. Jiang Wan’s face was pale from the pain, and his vision blurred for a moment.
Li Yun didn’t notice. By the time she looked up again, Jiang Wan had already turned around and continued writing on the blackboard.
A slightly hurried set of footsteps came from the back door.
“Lu Xingheng.” Li Yun glanced toward the back door. “It’s early in the morning, why are you sweating so much?”
Lu Xingheng: “It’s hot.”
Li Yun: “Perfect timing. Help the class monitor write the last big math problem on the board. I’ll explain it in class later.”
Lu Xingheng: “Okay.”
After Li Yun left, Jiang Wan lightly pressed a hand to his stomach. “You go ahead and write. Just leave me some space.”
“Stomachache?” Lu Xingheng grabbed Jiang Wan’s wrist—it was icy cold.
Jiang Wan smiled. “Don’t grab me.”
Lu Xingheng let go. “Where are you going?”
“I feel a bit nauseous.” Jiang Wan forced a joke through the pain. “What, are you going to follow me?”
Lu Xingheng: “Yes.”
Jiang Wan: “You’re really coming?”
Lu Xingheng paused, stopping at the classroom door.
He couldn’t even make it to the restroom. As soon as he left the classroom, Jiang Wan vomited into a trash can. In the morning, he had only eaten “the soup dumplings that were about to cause a miscarriage.” He had no strength left, feeling exhausted just from standing. Leaning against the wall, he slowly slid down.
“Lu Xingheng.” Jiang Wan called out to him, her voice soft and faint.
“Could you help me open this candy jar?”