24
“Where did Wu Jiao go?”
Cao Haotian turned around and asked Gao Tianchi: “I heard she went to return equipment for the sports rep. Have you seen her? I didn’t see her in the cafeteria either.”
Gao Tianchi furrowed his brows slightly.
“No.”
“That’s strange. Tonight is math self-study, and she’s always so proactive. Why isn’t she back yet, and class is about to start?” Cao Haotian muttered, glancing at the heavy rain outside. “Maybe she doesn’t have an umbrella. I should go check.”
Outside, rain was pouring down in torrents, thunder and lightning crashing across the sky. All the students were running back toward the teaching building except Cao Haotian, who was rushing out with an umbrella.
Gao Tianchi scanned the classroom. Besides Cao Haotian, who had just run out, only three people were absent.
He looked at the windows rattling in the wind.
With rain this heavy outside—does she not want to come back to the classroom, or can she not come back?
Wu Jiao felt completely wronged.
She really hadn’t meant to scare Mo Li.
She had been walking halfway when she suddenly heard voices ahead. Recognizing Si Xiuyuan and Mo Li, something clicked in her mind.
Xiao E shouted: “Host, hide! This is the male and female lead’s plot point!”
Wu Jiao quickly ducked into the empty space between two racks, silently praying: Don’t see me, don’t see me, don’t see me.
The equipment room. The male and female lead. Wasn’t this exactly where their “first time” happened? Oh my god. To run into this—this was insane!
Wu Jiao’s heart was pounding wildly, her mouth flooding with saliva.
If only she were a groundhog—she could dig a hole and escape right now!
She tried her hardest not to make a single sound, waiting for the two of them to pass by her.
But as luck would have it, Mo Li called out to Si Xiuyuan, and he stopped right in front of her.
Wu Jiao: !!!
Her heart nearly flew out of her chest.
Don’t see me, don’t see me, don’t see me. I’m air. I’m air. I’m air.
A scream echoed through the equipment room. At the same moment, a thunderclap exploded in the sky. The raindrops that had been holding back for so long, like swollen water balloons, burst through the thunder’s crack and poured down in a deluge.
Seeing how frightened Mo Li was, Wu Jiao immediately ran out to comfort her. “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared—it’s me!”
But Mo Li was beyond reason. The moment she saw Wu Jiao running toward her, she nearly lost her mind and ran backward in terror.
“Mo Li, it’s me, Wu Jiao! Don’t be afraid!”
Wu Jiao chased after her, but she wasn’t watching where she was going. Her foot caught on something hard—some piece of equipment and she pitched forward.
“Ugh—”
Before she could react, a large hand caught her waist from behind and pulled her into an embrace.
“Watch your step.”
A calm, clear voice sounded by her ear.
Her back pressed against his chest—it was warm.
Wu Jiao remembered the last time she fell, he had also been right there to catch her.
Her ears grew warm.
“Th-thanks.”
“It’s nothing.”
The two of them stepped apart. By then, Mo Li had also regained her composure and cautiously made her way toward them.
“Wu Jiao? Si Xiuyuan? Is that you?”
“It’s me.”
“Mm.”
Mo Li took careful steps forward. Wu Jiao greeted her, “Sorry about that. I really didn’t mean to scare you guys.”
You guys.
Si Xiuyuan looked down at the head of the girl in front of him.
Her hair was tied in a ponytail that hung beside her slender neck. When she spoke, the strands swayed with the movement of her head.
What goes on inside that little head of hers every day?
Having heard her inner thoughts, he was indeed a bit startled.
But more than that, he was curious.
Why would he and Mo Li be doing this and that in the equipment room?
Did every boy and girl locked in an enclosed space together inevitably end up doing something unspeakable?
Wu Jiao truly didn’t know how to explain herself.
She couldn’t just say: I know what you two are about to do next, and I didn’t want to interrupt, so I hid.
How was that any different from harassment?!
What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?! Save me, save me, save me!
Wu Jiao was screaming like a groundhog in her head again.
But then, Si Xiuyuan asked her, “Jiao Jiao, I’m guessing the door on your end isn’t open either?”
Wu Jiao froze.
Not because Si Xiuyuan had called her “Jiao Jiao”—it wasn’t the first time he’d used her nickname.
Mo Li, however, glanced at Si Xiuyuan, then quickly lowered her head.
Wu Jiao: “It’s closed too?”
Finally, back to the main issue.
Wu Jiao perked up. “Wait—are you saying the door on your end also got blown shut by the wind?”
Mo Li nodded.
“The wind was so strong just now that I didn’t notice it blow the door shut. We were planning to go out through the other door. So… does that mean we’re trapped from both sides now?”
Wu Jiao glanced at her watch. There were still 25 minutes until evening self-study started.
When the weather was good, there were always people playing ball up until five minutes before self-study. If they could just get someone’s attention, they could get out of here.
The problem was the torrential rain. No one would be playing ball, and no one would come all the way to the equipment room to check if someone was locked inside.
Wu Jiao felt a sense of despair.
We’re not really going to be stuck here all night like in the original story, are we?
What about my math self-study?
Si Xiuyuan quietly looked away from Wu Jiao and suggested, “Let’s go check that other door first.”
After walking back, the door still wouldn’t open. Wu Jiao and Mo Li shouted for help together, but their voices barely traveled before being swallowed up by the rain.
Not only did they tire out their throats, but a lot of time also passed. Self-study was about to begin. Wu Jiao had already resigned herself to being locked in all night until the janitor found them the next day.
Mo Li, standing beside her, looked pale.
Wu Jiao asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”
Mo Li gritted her teeth and nodded.
“My head hurts a bit.”
Wu Jiao wiped the back of her hand on her clothes, then pressed it to Mo Li’s forehead. “Oh my god, your forehead is warm. Do you want to rest for a bit?”
She pulled over a mat and had Mo Li sit down.
Seeing the worried look on Wu Jiao’s face, Mo Li obediently sat and reassured her, “I’m fine. I probably caught a chill yesterday. Resting a little should help.”
Mo Li rested on the side while Wu Jiao searched around for anything that could help pry the door open.
Outside, the sky had gone dark. The lights in the equipment room might as well have been off—dim and yellow.
Time ticked by minute by minute. Wu Jiao couldn’t get the door open. Her heart was racing with anxiety. She turned to look at Si Xiuyuan.
He didn’t seem the least bit anxious, as if being trapped in the equipment room didn’t bother him at all.
He leaned against the wall, staring at a square opening in it.
It was an air vent, about half a person’s height but fairly narrow—just barely big enough for someone to squeeze through.
Wu Jiao looked down. Mo Li had fallen asleep at some point, and someone had draped a school jacket over her.
It was clearly Si Xiuyuan’s.
No wonder he’s the male lead. So thoughtful. If I were her, I’d like him too.
Wu Jiao had that “I’m shipping this” look on her face when Si Xiuyuan happened to glance over.
She quickly composed herself.
Si Xiuyuan crooked his finger at her.
Wu Jiao obediently went over.
Both of them knew Mo Li was asleep, so they kept their voices low.
Si Xiuyuan smiled and asked, “Want to get out?”
As he spoke, he naturally used his index finger to wipe a smudge off Wu Jiao’s face.
The motion was quick and gentle, almost subconscious.
Wu Jiao nodded vigorously, her attention entirely on his words, not noticing the gesture.
Si Xiuyuan rubbed his fingers together, a genuine trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.
“I have an idea. But it depends on whether you’re willing, Jiao Jiao.”
“Go ahead.”
“See that vent up there?”
Si Xiuyuan pointed at the square opening.
Wu Jiao looked over, and her eyes lit up.
“I can’t squeeze through, but you can. I’ll lift you up, but you’ll have to crawl through and then jump down. It’ll be a little dangerous. If you’re not up for it, we can just wait until tomorrow to get out. The janitor will open the door in the morning, and we’ll tell them exactly what happened.”
Si Xiuyuan spoke casually.
This was the only way out at the moment. But truth be told, he didn’t mind spending the night in the equipment room but someone else clearly didn’t want to.
His suggestion ignited a flicker of hope in Wu Jiao.
She wanted to make it to evening self-study. She wanted to go home and sleep in her own bed tonight. She didn’t want her absence to cause a stir.
And now, if she could just crawl through that opening and jump down, all her problems would be solved.
Wu Jiao’s gaze turned resolute. “I’ll do it!”
No more hesitation. Wu Jiao dropped the things in her hands.
Si Xiuyuan cleared off a rack, then held it steady from below, ready to catch her if she fell.
Wu Jiao was quick and nimble. In no time, she had climbed to the top of the rack.
But she wasn’t tall enough. Si Xiuyuan handed her a crate to stand on.
Soon, she could reach the opening. She gave Si Xiuyuan an OK sign from above.
Si Xiuyuan nodded. “Be careful.”
“I will!”
Wu Jiao was determined to get out.
She poked her head through the opening to look down—and immediately hesitated.
The distance from the opening to the ground wasn’t actually that high. In daylight, it would have been fine.
But now it was dark outside, and the rain was pouring. The darkness below looked like a bottomless abyss.
Si Xiuyuan seemed to sense her hesitation. He added, “Don’t push yourself if it’s too much.”
If she got hurt, he would be the one most responsible.
He should never have let her take the risk.
“Come down. We’ll think of something else.”
The moment Si Xiuyuan said that, Wu Jiao started moving on her end.
“I can do this. Just wait for me.”
With that, she turned around, preparing to climb down backward, bracing herself against the wall.
This way, she wouldn’t have to look down. She wouldn’t be as scared.
One leap of faith, and soon she would be able to open the door for them.
Wu Jiao lowered one leg first, feeling around in the air. Her foot didn’t find anything to step on, so she pulled it back.
She steeled herself, supported her upper body, and lowered both legs.
But then, the soles of her shoes landed on something soft.
Wu Jiao was startled. Then, a voice spoke.
“Step down on my shoulders.”
Wu Jiao didn’t dare move, afraid she might hurt the person beneath her.
She couldn’t make out who the dark figure was, so she ventured, “Teacher Xiao Gao?”
“Mm.”
Wu Jiao didn’t dare step on his shoulders, but his arrival was such a relief!
She called down to him, “Teacher Xiao Gao, could you catch me instead? I’m a little afraid of heights.”
Gao Tianchi was silent for a moment.
He’d offered his shoulders specifically to avoid any impropriety, yet here Wu Jiao was, asking him to hold her instead.
Wu Jiao hadn’t thought that far. She was only thinking about the easiest way down for both of them.
It wasn’t like being carried would make her lose a limb.
“Jump. I’ll catch you,” Gao Tianchi said.
“Thanks!”
Without another word, Wu Jiao jumped. Sure enough, she was caught securely before she hit the ground.
Gao Tianchi let go of her, picked up the umbrella beside him, and held it over both of them.
He’d been standing in the rain for a while. His hair was slightly damp, a few strands falling over his forehead but they didn’t hide his bright, gentle eyes. He looked unexpectedly docile, like some kind of large-breed dog.
“Teacher Xiao Gao, self-study has already started. What are you doing out here?”
The three of them were in the same study group, yet two had gone missing from evening self-study.
Wu Jiao’s voice was full of pleasant surprise as she noticed the umbrella in Gao Tianchi’s hand.
“I guessed. I didn’t expect you to actually be here,” Gao Tianchi said quietly.
“Let’s go. Open the door.”
“Oh, right!”
Wu Jiao quickly opened the door. The moment she did, Si Xiuyuan was already standing right there.
His eyes swept over her in a flash. Only after confirming she was fine did he ask, “Someone’s outside?”
“Yes! Teacher Xiao Gao came to rescue us!”
So cool! He caught me like it was nothing! My heart is racing! I love it!
Wu Jiao finally understood what that little kid had been feeling the other time. She almost wanted to do it again.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice that the eyes of the boy in front of her and the boy behind her were both fixed on her.
Si Xiuyuan met Gao Tianchi’s gaze through the doorway.
Si Xiuyuan: “That’s wonderful. How did you know we were here, Gao Tianchi?”
His tone carried a deeper meaning.
Gao Tianchi was silent.
They both saw the hidden emotion in each other’s eyes.
Something they couldn’t tell Wu Jiao.
How convenient.
How convenient that you got locked in here with her?
How convenient that you were the one to catch her?
Caught between the two of them, Wu Jiao could feel the strange tension and broke out in a cold sweat.
Wait—are these two already having a love rivalry showdown?
Mo Li, wake up, quick!
**