She caught several passing students glancing their way.
Ruan Xingmian pushed Gu Xing away, putting some distance between them.
“Let’s talk this through properly.”
Her face was flushed, her tone serious: “I don’t like being given the silent treatment. A simple ‘sorry’ won’t fix things, Gu Xing.”
Gu Xing hummed in acknowledgment, still holding her hand tightly.
His brow was lowered, his lips pressed together.
Unmoved by his unconscious display of affection, Ruan Xingmian continued:
“This is my first time being in a relationship too. If there’s anything I’m not doing right, just tell me directly, and I’ll change.”
She threw his own words back at him.
“You said we’re not ending this, so when we run into problems, let’s solve them. Don’t torture people with the silent treatment, okay?”
Words of promise felt weak and hollow.
Suddenly, Gu Xing spread his arms and wrapped them around Ruan Xingmian, holding her tightly against him.
His large hand gently stroked her hair.
His voice was slightly hoarse but firm: “Okay.”
Buried against his chest, Ruan Xingmian could no longer see the passersby or hear any other sounds.
Only Gu Xing’s heartbeat was so clear.
He held her tightly.
Ruan Xingmian felt as if she were enveloped in warm seawater—the tension instantly melted away, and it seemed as though the whole world had settled into peace.
Someone who has rarely been held, once they’ve experienced an embrace, might develop an almost pathological longing for the other person to hold them tighter.
The tighter, the better.
Ruan Xingmian lifted her head from his chest, her voice thick with a nasal tone she couldn’t hide: “This time, I was the one who bowed first.”
A kiss landed on her forehead: “Next time, I’ll be the one to bow.”
Ruan Xingmian felt even more aggrieved. “I even made sushi for you.”
Gu Xing took it, holding the box in his hand as he lowered his gaze to stare at it. “I’ll finish it all seriously, not a single piece left.”
“That’s not necessary—what if you get a stomachache? The sushi pieces are big, there are twenty of them. Share some with classmates you’re closer to.”
In the book, Gu Xing had always kept to himself and hadn’t made many friends.
The Male Lead had said behind his back that Gu Xing pretended to be an aloof, untouchable flower, but it was actually because he didn’t have much money in his pocket and couldn’t even afford to treat others to a meal.
Teacher Qin had also advised Gu Xing that if he wanted to make a name for himself in the field of research, making friends was essential.
The leisurely sound of the university’s class bell drifted over.
“Class is about to start. You should head to the classroom first. I can get back on my own.”
Ruan Xingmian nudged him toward the direction of Duxing Building. “Don’t forget to share some with your classmates, and listen attentively in class.”
Gu Xing walked a few steps away, then ran back.
Ruan Xingmian looked up at him. “What’s wrong…”
The stray strands of hair by Gu Xing’s ear brushed against her cheek, and before she could even blink, his warm breath fell by her ear as he gently cupped the back of her neck with his thumb again.
A delicate kiss, light as a feather, brushed against her lips, sending a tingling sensation up her spine to the crown of her head.
Before she could even savor a hint of warmth,
he had already taken half a step back. “That wasn’t an apology kiss. It was a kiss because I didn’t want to part.”
The young man’s refreshing figure gradually faded into the distance.
It wasn’t until Ji Ling appeared from around the corner, arms crossed, that Ruan Xingmian realized she had been biting her lower lip and smiling foolishly for a long time.
She slowly composed her expression.
Ji Ling stood a bit away, tugging awkwardly at her long hair before clearing her throat. “I just came to tell you—there’s nothing between me and Gu Xing.”
She looked up at the sky, then down at the ground, before finally meeting Ruan Xingmian’s gaze. “We’re in the same project group, and our research areas overlap. He’s really talented with algorithms, so sometimes I need to ask him for advice. Don’t misunderstand.”
She stood with integrity, unafraid of any shadows.
She wouldn’t do something like stealing someone else’s partner.
Gu Xing, that unfeeling block of ice and stone, wasn’t someone she could just snatch away with a casual swing of her hoe.
It was better to clear things up.
Ruan Xingmian’s lips curved slightly. “Mm, I understand. Thank you for your honesty.”
Ji Ling’s eyes darted left and right, hesitating as if wanting to say more. “No need to be polite.”
Wasn’t she going back to class?
Ruan Xingmian needed to go back for her midday rest.
“Classmate Ji, aren’t you afraid of being late for class?”
“I have no classes this afternoon. I’ll be staying in the lab running algorithms.”
“Oh, then… is there anything else?”
If not, she was leaving first.
“Oh, right! About that sushi you just prepared for Gu Xing—do you have any more? I’d like to buy some.”
Ye Hua had bought a portion for her. At first, she wasn’t interested, but those around her took one piece each until almost all were gone. By the time she remembered to eat, only one was left.
In their major, they practically sacrificed their lunch hours every day for computer experiments.
By the time they finished and went to the cafeteria, only leftovers remained.
If you ordered takeout, you couldn’t last three days without getting mouth ulcers.
So she was still hungry.
Ruan Xingmian thought for a moment and suggested, “How about this: you help me with something, and I’ll make you another portion?”
Ji Ling was so hungry she agreed without a second thought.
And so, Ruan Xingmian walked ahead while Ji Ling pushed a small cart behind her.
When they reached the Garrison District Family Building, they parked the cart in its designated spot.
The two girls worked together to carry the insulated box upstairs.
“You actually rented a place outside school for Gu Xing?”
Ji Ling was quite surprised.
Ruan Xingmian smiled gently. “Not for him, for myself. I’m the one clinging to him.”
Since Ji Ling had lowered her guard and taken the initiative to approach her, Ruan Xingmian wanted to try getting along with her too.
Having one more friend was always better than having one more enemy.
“Oh, then why don’t you invite him to live with you? The guys in his dorm aren’t very easy to get along with.”
Ruan Xingmian paused while tying her apron. “Have they bullied Gu Xing?”
Even the top student in the major—would anyone dare bully him?
Ruan Xingmian had experienced bullying herself.
Her grandfather had taken her to school to seek justice, but the homeroom teacher said she was making a fuss over nothing and being too petty.
The parents of the other students had even shoved her grandfather.
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. I don’t know the specifics since I don’t live in the dorm, but I heard from a few juniors that Gu Xing doesn’t smoke or drink and doesn’t join their gatherings. Those guys get together and say bad things about him. Plus, the three guys in his dorm stick together. Last time, they even reported Gu Xing to the Institute, accusing him of bullying them—splashing water on their computers. But Gu Xing spends every noon in the lab. When would he have time to splash water on them?”
“What happened after that? What did the Institute leaders say?”
“Teacher Qin handled it. He told those three to provide evidence. Without evidence, it was just them staging a show.”
Ruan Xingmian’s fingernails dug into her palms. “They just wanted to extort him.”
Once inside, Ji Ling made herself at home, her eyes wandering around. “Your place is nice. You should just have him move out. Dealing with all this nonsense just delays our project progress.”
Ruan Xingmian was genuinely tempted.
But she didn’t know if Gu Xing would be willing.
“Sister Ji Ling, I braised some meat and eggs this morning, along with tofu skin. How about I make you noodles with braised sauce?”
It sounded delicious.
Ji Ling nodded eagerly. “I’m fine with anything, as long as there’s food.”
While Ji Ling ate her noodles, Ruan Xingmian cooked rice.
Ji Ling had refined table manners—no noise could be heard, and her gaze was intensely focused, staring at the noodles in her bowl like an athlete fixated on the finish line.
Unlike Ruan Xingyue, who is picky and fusses over her food with chopsticks.
If her sister could help her take a leave of absence from school, she could also cook for her sister like she does now.
Make her gain a little weight.
“Sister Ji Ling, could you keep it a secret that I’m renting a place here?” Ruan Xingmian pursed her lips. “My sister doesn’t know yet.”
Ji Ling finished the noodles in her mouth. “Sure, no problem.”
This is what they call “a fed mouth stays shut.”
After Ji Ling finished eating and washed the dishes, Ruan Xingmian was mixing rice.
She poured the cooked rice into a larger bowl, added sushi vinegar, salt, and sugar, mixed it well, and set it aside to cool.
“Are you the one selling ten-yuan sushi on Wutong Road?”
Ruan Xingmian nodded. “I was bored and wanted something to do. Sister Ji Ling…”
Ji Ling raised her hand. “I know, I know. Keep this from your sister too.”
Ruan Xingmian smiled faintly. She would keep it a secret for now, and when she couldn’t hide it anymore, she would drag Gu Xing along to face her sister’s scolding.
Better him than me.
After eating and drinking her fill, Ji Ling took a pack of sushi to go.
Ruan Xingmian woke up from her nap and got back to work.
After packing fifty servings of sushi, she sat on the sofa to rest.
She noticed two bills pressed under something on the table.
There was also a note—Sister Ji Ling’s first visit, the cost of the fruit she brought converted to money.
She had wondered earlier why Ji Ling seemed so fond of her table, standing there touching it and praising her choice of tablecloth.
It must have been when she was hesitating over how much money to leave, taking out her wallet several times.
Ruan Xingmian took a photo and sent it to the newly added WeChat contact—Thank you for the fruit, Sister Ji Ling. Your little sister enjoyed it.
Ji Ling: You’re welcome.
Ruan Xingmian smiled slightly and took out her house key, removing one from the ring.