Chapter 28, Section 4, Self-study period: Wang Kan again…

Wang Kan skipped the fourth self-study period again.

Fang Minzhou had very mixed feelings, so she simply decided not to think about anything.

After class, she went to dinner with Ouyang Qian. Fang Minzhou didn't know if she was being considerate or simply uninterested, but she didn't ask anything and instead chatted about the TV series Ouyang Qian was currently watching, which Fang Minzhou found quite enjoyable.

On her way back to the classroom after lunch, Fang Minzhou felt like she had forgotten something until Ouyang Qian brought it up and asked her, "Are you going to the auditions for the Top Ten Singers?"

Fang Minzhou paused slightly, somewhat hesitant.

Ouyang Qian said nonchalantly, "I'm just asking if you're going or not, because I want to go and see. It's not because of Wang Kan, he's not the only one from our class participating. It's just that I don't want to go to evening self-study." She emphasized, "If you already want to go, then we can go together, and you don't need to care who's there or not. But if you don't want to go, then I'll go by myself."

She is so open and honest.

Fang Minzhou thought about it carefully, then said, "Go ahead."

Ouyang Qian nodded: "Okay."

The first evening study session was less than half full, with only Jin Baihao remaining around Fang Minzhou. The classroom was quieter than usual, and she was quite calm. However, as the competition neared its end and everyone gradually returned to the classroom, the soft rustling sounds rose and fell endlessly, and Fang Minzhou began to feel a little irritated.

After a while, Ouyang Qian came back first, followed by Zheng Yanhang and Wu Cheng in the back row. No one pulled out the chair next to her. Fang Minzhou thought of the fable about the boot falling to the ground, but what she got was the bell ringing for the end of get out of class.

Fang Minzhou was a little confused about herself.

She still felt Wang Kan was going too far, so she didn't want to watch his match. She also thought it would be best if he were disappointed and angry because of it, and then stopped bothering her. She had the foresight to not promise Wang Kan anything, but precisely because of this, and because she knew that his wish was actually very small, Fang Minzhou still felt a little guilty.

She deliberately didn't go, but she didn't mean to upset anyone.

When the gods hear the wishes of mortals, they probably feel compassion, but they don't want to be high above them.

She didn't know how his audition went; no one told her because no one knew she would care.

Jin Baihao asked her to check the answers, but he frowned because he hadn't gotten several answers right. He quickly recalculated, and it turned out that Fang Minzhou was the one who was wrong. Jin Baihao was a little surprised, and Fang Minzhou gave an awkward smile.

Wang Kan returned during the second evening self-study session.

About ten minutes after the bell rang, Fang Minzhou realized that she had been spacing out the whole time. When she came to her senses, she suddenly felt a chill.

She felt like she was standing on the seashore at night, with the sound of rolling waves, but she couldn't see anything.

She cautiously glanced at Wang Kan beside her and saw that he was diligently doing his homework. In the quiet classroom, Fang Minzhou felt as if she had been slapped silently.

But it's good that she's completely calmed down.

She foolishly realized that the connection between her and Wang Kan was actually very fragile, and that everything was Wang Kan's own doing. He took the initiative, and she was passive, which was why she was so troubled. Now that the one-way valve was closed, she wasn't a water tank; was she supposed to expect the faucet, which wasn't actually turned off tightly, to continue dripping?

After the second evening self-study session ended, Wang Kan left his seat and returned when the class bell rang.

After the third evening self-study session ended, he packed his bag and left quickly, the chair he pushed behind scraping against the ground with a screeching sound.

Fang Minzhou hadn't finished her homework yet. Because she was worried about making mistakes again, she did some of the problems twice.

It could be said that even at the worst point in their relationship, Wang Kan would deliberately pick fights with her, as if he were looking for a beating.

It turns out he was really asking for trouble back then; it turns out he was capable of keeping quiet.

Inside the classroom, some people were chatting and laughing loudly, while others were chasing and playing in the corridor. Amidst the scattered noise, Fang Minzhou continued to do her homework until there was no sound inside or outside the classroom, until she finished her homework and only she and Sun Tong remained in the class.

Sun Tong showed no sign of getting up. Fang Minzhou hesitated for a moment, then slung her backpack over her shoulder and silently left through the back door of the classroom.

She was about twenty minutes later than usual. On her way to the bike shed to get her bike, she didn't see a single person. So when she got closer to the bike shed and saw a figure standing a few meters away at the edge of a streetlamp, she thought she had encountered a ghost, but ghosts don't have shadows.

Wang Kan stood in the shadows, her entire body obscured by the light, making it impossible to see her expression.

Fang Minzhou didn't know what he meant, but she had already cultivated the habit. Without stopping, she took the car and walked towards the side door, regardless of whether Wang Kan followed behind her.

"Timely" is a cruel word, Fang Minzhou thought. If he had just said something to her when he came back, whether it was something nice or bad, or if she had taken the initiative to ask him how the competition went, they might have been able to have a proper chat.

As for now, there's not much to say.

In April, the wisteria blossoms, with soft, bell-like flower spikes hanging under the long corridor, and the branches and leaves of the tree-lined path above the school gate weaving a dense cloud overhead.

Turn right, six traffic lights, and after passing the bus stop downstairs from her apartment building, Fang Minzhou glanced back slightly as she turned into the residential area. Wang Kan was stopped at the bus stop.

When she got home, her mother asked her, "Why are you so late today?"

Under her mother's care, Fang Minzhou suddenly realized that she was actually quite naive, "...reading a book a little longer in the classroom."

Zhao Ningying said with some disapproval, "You can go home and check it later. Next time, come back earlier. It's not safe to go home so late."

"knew."

"How about Dad picks you up from now on?"

"No need, no need, isn't Dad working overtime tonight?" Fang Minzhou said, changing the subject and asking her mother, "What did you stew? It smells delicious."

Zhao Ningying sighed, "You drink the pigeon soup first, no need to wait for your dad."

When something happens, no one can truly predict its future. Fang Minzhou felt she had wasted too much time and energy on Wang Kan's troubles, so she forced herself to stop thinking. After having a late-night snack, reading a book, washing up, and going to sleep, she went to the classroom the next day. After the morning self-study session, which was still completely devoid of interaction, Fang Minzhou gave up decisively.

As it turned out, her decision and ideas were correct, because throughout the entire day, she and Wang Kan didn't even exchange a single glance.

This is essentially going back to the state they were in when they first met: she disliked him, didn't want to talk to him, and he wasn't interested in her either.

But when Fang Minzhou went to the bike shed after evening self-study that day, he saw Wang Kan again, who had clearly left as soon as class ended.

Wang Kan followed her silently once again.

The constant buzzing made her feel like a rotten fruit, and by Monday when she went to school, the pus was even more disgusting.

Wang Kan still avoided speaking to her.

We also have to practice choral pieces during self-study periods.

Fang Minzhou continued lip-syncing and felt Wang Kan's gaze linger on her several times.

Twice or three times? She didn't keep track, nor could she discern the meaning behind his gaze—whether it was observation or scrutiny, curiosity or mockery.

This time, she heard Wang Kan's voice clearly. He sang very well and was qualified to teach her or anyone else, but she didn't want to be taught.

She still knew he had made it to the finals.

As for why they were caught in this cold war with no end in sight, several days had passed, and their emotions, like water left to stand for days, had taken on a strange flavor. A crumpled piece of paper dropped in would become flat when it absorbed the water, then transparent, but would tear at the slightest touch. Those around them noticed this to varying degrees, but no one said anything, pretending nothing had happened.

Even though the bike shed was deserted at night, Wang Kan was still waiting there.

Fang Minzhou suddenly wondered if anyone else had been frightened when they came to pick up their car, because that's how some campus ghost stories started to circulate.

She went to get her car with a stiff face, and when Wang Kan followed her again, Fang Minzhou had the urge to turn around and yell at him.

Since he's waiting for her, why didn't he speak to her during the day? Why isn't he speaking to her now either?

Fang Minzhou, seething with anger, rode faster and faster into the night.

As they approached the intersection, with the green light still holding for six or seven seconds, Fang Minzhou hesitated, wondering whether to hurry across and try to shake off Wang Kan.

Suddenly, a fast electric scooter darted past her, skidding close to the curb. Fang Minzhou's handlebars swerved, and her scooter came to a stop just off the curb. Meanwhile, the electric scooter sped across the two zebra crossings on a green light and disappeared into the distance.

Fang Minzhou was still shaken, and her anger surged a step too late. Then she heard someone call her name. The moment she turned around, Wang Kan slammed on the brakes and stopped right in front of her, panting, "Are you alright?!"

His flustered appearance startled Fang Minzhou, while Wang Kan seemed to realize it as well. She turned her face away awkwardly, and when she turned back, she said inexplicably harshly, "Can't you even ride a bike? You almost got hit, do you know that?"

Fang Minzhou's surprised expression vanished, replaced by a cold one. "It's not my fault."

"How can it not be your problem?" Wang Kan said emphatically, "You didn't stop when the light was about to turn red, what if..."

Fang Minzhou's slight emotion vanished instantly.

It wasn't her fault at all! It was that person who was going to run the red light! Couldn't he see that?

Annoyed, she turned the car around to the other side of the road to wait for the light to turn green, not wanting to deal with Wang Kan anymore. He, however, became angry and blocked her path with the front of his car. Fang Minzhou's pent-up emotions exploded instantly; she slammed her head against Wang Kan, yelling, "Are you crazy?! What do you want?!"

It came to an abrupt end.

He glared at her hatefully, his eyes shining in the dim light, as if he had suffered great harm and humiliation because of her, but his grievances were completely incomprehensible to Fang Minzhou.

The red light was about to end, ten, nine, eight, seven... Fang Minzhou had no patience or interest in waiting for Wang Kan to continue, so she got on her bike and rode past him.

This time, Wang Kan did not follow.