Instructor Wang posted a notice in the Public Administration Class 3 group chat. [Good Book Recommendation Site: Trance Literature Network]
She specifically @mentioned Jiang Qiuli, saying, “Tonight we’re introducing the class assistant, so finish your work early and come over.”
In recent years, students’ entertainment options had grown richer and more distracting. To maintain academic quality and prevent excessive indulgence in leisure, Zhongjiang University had, starting from some unknown year, introduced mandatory evening self-study sessions for freshmen and sophomores.
However, because Jiang Qiuli needed to take care of her mother, she had applied to the instructor for special permission. As a result, she was allowed to arrive late for evening study, or even skip it altogether.
Moreover, her academic performance was solid. Her GPA was not low, so Instructor Wang had no real concerns about her.
…
After leaving the office building, Li Yueyue reminded Chen Zhuo, “Hurry to the hospital. I have something else to do, so I’m leaving. If there’s anything you can’t handle, call me. I might not be able to solve it either, but I can at least give you some ideas.”
After saying that, she jogged toward the school gate. Her black skirt suit tightened and loosened with each step, accentuating the sway of her body.
Chen Zhuo watched her leave and sighed, “Those legs are really long…”
At that moment, Li Yueyue suddenly stopped and turned around.
Chen Zhuo froze.
No way… she heard that?
Li Yueyue looked at him and said, “Wasn’t your butt hurting? Why does it look like it’s fine now?”
Chen Zhuo awkwardly scratched his head and replied, “Uh… that’s because your Yunnan Baiyao works great. Alright, go do your thing. I’m heading to the hospital.”
With that, he quickly turned and left.
His destination was Teaching Building No. 15.
Go to the hospital to see Ye Fei?
Yeah, right.
Still, he did plan to go to the hospital later.
Earlier, he had checked the class schedule Instructor Wang brought out. At that moment, Jiang Qiuli’s class was attending a professional course in Building 15.
He glanced at the time. There were still ten minutes before class ended.
Ten minutes later, the bell rang.
Chen Zhuo stood at the classroom entrance, scanning the crowd for Jiang Qiuli. [Classic Literature Online Reading: Confucian Study Pavilion]
It took him only three seconds to spot her sitting alone in the front corner.
There was no one beside her.
That was how university classes worked… the back rows were always contested, while the front rows were practically abandoned.
Not to mention Jiang Qiuli’s reputation. In everyone’s eyes, she was a quiet, aloof girl who kept to herself. Naturally, no one wanted to sit next to her.
At that moment, the teacher concluded the lecture, saying, “Alright, that’s all for today. Make sure to complete the assignments carefully. And let me remind you, don’t come to me asking for exam scope… some of the original questions are in these assignments. That’s all. Class dismissed.”
Most students had come with nothing more than a textbook, a pen, and of course, their phones. Some textbooks even looked brand new, yet their game ranks were anything but neglected.
When class ended, they simply picked up their books and left.
Jiang Qiuli was different.
She carried a simple pink canvas backpack with a single yellow zipper. Carefully, she packed her textbook, notebook, and pen into it one by one.
After finishing, she took out her phone, unlocked it, and glanced at the screen. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Someone had @mentioned her.
She opened the message… it was from the instructor.
She murmured to herself, “I have evening study tonight… I need to get to the hospital early to prepare food for Mom.”
With that, she stood up, slung her backpack over her shoulders, and lowered her head as she walked toward the classroom door.
Just as she stepped out, she bumped into someone.
“Ah…”
Startled, she immediately lowered her head and apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
Before she could move away, she felt her wrist being grabbed. A familiar voice sounded above her.
“Relax… it’s me.”
She looked up in confusion and saw Chen Zhuo’s familiar face.
Flustered, she quickly struggled free from his grip and pulled her wrist back, whispering, “There are too many people here…”
Chen Zhuo paused, then raised an eyebrow and said, “So if there weren’t many people, it would be fine?”
“Ah…”
Jiang Qiuli lightly stamped her foot, her face flushing, and then she dashed away.
Chen Zhuo hurried after her, calling out, “Hey, wait for me!”
The students still lingering in the corridor were left stunned.
“Wait… Jiang Qiuli is dating someone?”
“Damn, am I seeing things? We’re already in sophomore year, and I’ve never even spoken a single sentence to her. And you’re telling me she’s dating?”
“No way, absolutely no way. If she’s really dating, I’ll buy three boxes of tissues and stack them in the dorm!”
Not a single classmate who witnessed the scene, male or female, believed it.
From freshman to sophomore year, Jiang Qiuli had never participated in any class activity except the initial military training. Girls who tried to approach her only got brief responses like “mm” or “okay.”
As for the boys, it was even worse. Out of fifteen in the class, only five had ever exchanged more than a few words with her.
Someone suddenly asked, “Wait… do you guys know that guy?”
“He looks kind of familiar… I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere, but I can’t remember.”
“If Jiang Qiuli is really dating him, then that guy is something else.”
Everyone watched the direction where the two disappeared, gossiping endlessly.
…
Outside the teaching building, the area was packed with students. It was the end of class, after all.
However, it was only the end of the second afternoon session, not yet time for dinner. Most students were heading to other classrooms for their next class, while some without classes were walking back toward the dormitories. This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
The road leading to the cafeteria was relatively empty.
Only after reaching a quieter spot did Jiang Qiuli finally stop.
Chen Zhuo caught up and said, “Why were you running? You act like seeing me is worse than seeing a ghost.”
Jiang Qiuli’s face was stiff and unnatural as she replied softly, “I… there were too many people…”
Her heart was pounding wildly.
At that moment, her emotions were like a shattered spice rack… mixed and chaotic. Beneath that confusion, the strongest feelings were embarrassment and worry.
There had been so many people just now. Chen Zhuo had grabbed her hand like that… her classmates must have seen everything.
Seeing her tension, Chen Zhuo changed the topic, saying, “Alright, I came to find you for something.”
With someone like Jiang Qiuli, he couldn’t rush things… he had to take it step by step.
Hearing that he wasn’t teasing her anymore, Jiang Qiuli relaxed slightly. She lifted her head and asked softly, “Wh-what is it?”
Chen Zhuo said, “Didn’t you agree yesterday to come to my supermarket to organize the storage and clean up trash? I’ll take you there today so you can get familiar with the work.”
Jiang Qiuli hesitated.
She thought of the instructor’s message on her phone… and her mother lying in the hospital.
Right now, she should be heading there as soon as possible.
“But…”
Chen Zhuo interrupted, “But what? This is part of your responsibilities. Besides, my time is limited. I’m not free every day to explain things to you. If you don’t go, I’ll just have another employee show you around later.”
Jiang Qiuli rubbed her left thumb with her right thumb and index finger, conflicted.
After a moment, she nodded.
“I… I’ll go.”
Compared to dealing with unfamiliar employees, she still felt more at ease with Chen Zhuo.
At worst, she could ask the instructor for leave later and skip evening study. Being a class assistant wasn’t really important to her anyway.
Chen Zhuo nodded, “Let’s go.”
The two of them headed toward the supermarket near the cafeteria.
As they walked, Chen Zhuo suddenly noticed something off.
Jiang Qiuli’s gait was slightly uneven. Her right foot seemed to lag behind her left by a fraction of a second.
He clearly remembered… she hadn’t walked like this yesterday.
Frowning, he asked, “What’s wrong with your foot?”
Jiang Qiuli replied softly, “It’s nothing… just a bit of chafing.”
“Chafing?”
Chen Zhuo looked more closely. At the point where her canvas shoes met her pants, there were no socks visible at all.
With a hint of reproach in his tone, he said, “What’s going on? You’re wearing high-top canvas shoes with no-show socks… of course it’s going to rub your skin.”
He pointed at a bench by the roadside and said, “Alright, sit down. I’ll get you a new pair of socks.”