After physical education class ended and everyone returned to the classroom, they all noticed the iced drinks placed on their desks.
Before the first question could be raised, someone announced loudly: “Classmate Zhou Zhi said she’s sorry for taking up everyone’s class time, so she’s treating everyone to drinks!”
The speaker was Zhou Zhi’s dormitory head. After speaking, she turned to Zhou Zhi, raised an eyebrow, and flashed a smile.
Classmate Zhou Zhi seemed quiet and shy—good deeds shouldn’t go unacknowledged.
“Ohhhh! So cold! This is amazing!”
“We’re all classmates, no need to be so polite!”
“Thanks, Zhou Zhi, haha, you’re the best…”
Voices of thanks and cheers filled the entire classroom until the math teacher walked in early, holding last week’s test papers.
The class fell silent again.
In just a few short minutes, Zhou Zhi had received many friendly signals.
This feeling…
Zhou Zhi’s heart burned warm, like sunlight slipping through a crack—just a sliver, yet it still revealed a rare trace of warmth.
The teacher’s lecturing voice soon rang out. The students in the back rows weren’t listening, but they were drowsy, which counted as being well-behaved.
The weather was beautiful today.
The sky was blue.
When Zhou Zhi turned to look out the window, birds were soaring through the azure sky.
Free, joyful.
Liang Muye tilted his head back and drained his drink, contempt pressing beneath his eyes.
It must be nice to have money.
Even an unintentional gesture could have the effect of winning people over.
Whether it was Zhou Zhi or Ji Xuanxu.
Truly detestable.
Gu Wan kept a cold face and tossed her drink into the trash can when class ended, making a loud noise that drew many sidelong glances.
“Wan-jie, what’s—”
“What’s wrong, Wan-jie?”
“Who made our Miss Gu unhappy?”
The questions came in a jumble, some sincere and some feigned, all trying to score points with Gu Wan.
Gu Wan covered her mouth with a light laugh, the corner of her eye lifting slightly as she waved a hand casually: “Nothing. I just don’t drink cheap beverages.”
The moment those words left her mouth, the air grew several degrees quieter.
The targeting was obvious—clearly meant to make Zhou Zhi uncomfortable.
But…
What did she mean by that?! Every single one of them had drunk that beverage!
The disdain and disgust in Gu Wan’s tone made everyone feel uneasy inside.
As Gu Wan spoke, Wu Ya was mid-sip of her drink, embarrassment spreading across her face.
Throw it away or not!?
Wu Ya gritted her teeth. She didn’t throw it.
Free drinks—why shouldn’t she have one?
The students in the back rows secretly glanced at Zhou Zhi’s expression, only to find her writing on her test paper, completely ignoring what was happening on their side.
Quite a few people let out awkward chuckles.
As expected of a top student—truly different from the rest of them.
The bell for evening self-study rang, and everyone in the back rows bolted out with all their strength, like monkeys set free.
A few students in the front rows lingered, still working through leftover difficult problems.
Zhou Zhi placed the test papers and books she needed for tomorrow morning’s reading session on her desk before leaving.
There were already few people left in the teaching building—empty, with an indescribable sense of quiet serenity.
She looked up and happened to see stars twinkling, wisps of clouds drifting by.
“Zhou Zhi.”
The cold voice was stiff and dry in the darkness—very soft—but Zhou Zhi stopped in her tracks.
The young man leaned against the corner, staring at her without blinking.
Even though he was just a blurry silhouette, her heart still pounded uncontrollably.
“You were waiting for me?” Zhou Zhi turned and walked toward that blurry figure, her tone hesitant, uncertain.
She thought that between them…
“Heh.”
A contemptuous smile full of disdain and mockery, like a cold barrier, seemed to push people away.
Zhou Zhi stopped and turned around.
Her heart pounded uncontrollably, an indescribable sourness rising upward. She didn’t want to see that familiar face wearing a sneering expression.
It was like a knife tearing reality and memory apart.
The streetlight cast a dim yellow glow. Zhou Zhi took a few steps and stood in the light, while the footsteps behind her were messy and hurried.
“Wait!”
The cold voice carried a hint of urgency and frustration. Ji Xuanxu grabbed her wrist.
Heat transferred, scorching warmth spreading from his palm to her wrist, flowing through her blood all the way to the tip of her heart.
Zhou Zhi’s breath caught. Before she could shake him off, he had already let go, as quickly as if struck by lightning.
She wasn’t the only one feeling uncomfortable.
The dim streetlight was still enough for Zhou Zhi to see the young man clearly.
With a height difference of over twenty centimeters, she had to tilt her head up to see his eyes—pitch black, yet seemingly more dazzling than starlight.
“Zhou…”
Her two-character name felt like it was burning his mouth, impossible to say.
Ji Xuanxu swallowed back his cold smile, irritation swirling once again in his dark eyes.
Silence.
A full minute of silence bred awkwardness between two strangers who were familiar with each other.
Zhou Zhi lowered her gaze, her long, curly lashes trembling slightly, casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.
Ji Xuanxu called her—what was he going to say?
Subconsciously, she began tugging at the hair tie on her wrist, letting her thoughts drift.
Soon, she heard a sigh, followed by a slightly hoarse voice floating above her head: “Scar… when did you get that scar?”
It was almost a resigned admission, as the resentment lodged in his heart and the uncontrollable attention he paid her tangled together, quickly settling the score.
Ji Xuanxu felt he would go crazy sooner or later.
Zhou Zhi: “Huh?”
She didn’t even register the sudden question.
Scar…
What scar?
The young man misunderstood her reaction. He stepped forward two paces and repeated: “The scar on your neck… is it serious?”
Ji Xuanxu thought Zhou Zhi hadn’t heard him. He repeated it in a low voice, unconsciously carrying a soothing tone, turning into gentle, lingering spring water.
Zhou Zhi understood.
She lowered her head again, avoiding Ji Xuanxu’s gaze: “There’s no scar.”
The lie from PE class—how did Ji Xuanxu know about it?
Was this the price of lying?
Ji Xuanxu fell silent. He reached out, wanting to brush aside the black curly hair hanging over the girl’s chest.
Zhou Zhi instinctively stepped back two paces. She raised her head again, meeting Ji Xuanxu’s eyes directly: “There’s no scar.”
The words “don’t worry” got stuck in her throat and wouldn’t come out. Ji Xuanxu waited for her, asked her—was he concerned about her?
Given their current relationship.
Zhou Zhi’s retreat was like the fuse that ignited all his emotions. The resentment Ji Xuanxu had been suppressing surged up.
Why did she retreat?
This time.
Last time in the alley.
Why did she keep backing further and further away?
As if sulking, he pressed forward, bracing one hand against the streetlight pole, trapping the girl within arm’s reach.
The sudden closeness made their breaths intertwine, and they could smell the faint fragrance on each other.
The same lavender scent.
It was the smell of the laundry detergent Zhou Zhi liked.
Memories came flooding back without warning.
Ji Xuanxu’s hand landed on her hair, soft as silk. He had lifted it halfway when he suddenly seemed to remember something and immediately withdrew his hand.
“Zhou, Zhi.”
The two words, suppressed with resentment and anger, were squeezed out through gritted teeth.
If there’s no scar, why don’t you tie your hair up?
Behind her ear..
He knew what was behind the girl’s ears!
Zhou Zhi: 171cm
Ji Xuanxu: 190cm
Official heights, haha~