The autumn afternoon sun slanted through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long diamond-shaped spots of light on the mirror-like dark walnut floor.
Ye Qingliu sat in front of the large desk, his back straight, like a green pine on a cliff.
Spread out in front of him was a very difficult authentic test paper from the International Physics Competition. The tip of his pen made a rustling, regular and steady sound as it slid across the paper. Every step was as clear and precise as if printed.
Hua Jinyue curled up on the single sofa next to her, holding a huge plush rabbit doll in her arms.
She was wearing a matching Lolita dress, the hem of which spread out on the off-white cashmere carpet. She was concentrating on her phone, the light and shadows on the screen shifting, reflecting her slightly pouty lips.
The tranquility was broken by a burst of hurried footsteps.
Ning Xi rushed to Ye Qingliu's desk like a lively flame breaking into a precision instrument. With a "pop", three hard cards with a strong sense of design and laser light effects were slapped on the spread-out physics paper.
"Here!" Ning Xiwan raised her chin slightly, with a hint of unquestionable pride, and tapped the cards with her fingers, "Tonight, Sara Lin's tour concert, the VIP golden area in the backstage, the view is excellent, and the sound is so loud that it will shake your soul."
She stared at Ye Qingliu's expressionless face with burning eyes, "Are you going to skip class?"
Ye Qingliu finally lifted his gaze from the test paper, passed over the obstructive and conspicuous tickets, and looked out the window.
The sky in late autumn is high and far, with a few thin clouds tinged with a faint golden edge.
His brows knitted slightly, his voice as usual, cool and steady, with a hint of disapproval: "During the critical period of senior year, school rules clearly prohibit skipping classes. Besides, there are still some classes in the evening..."
"Oh, I know, it's evening self-study!" Ning Xiwan interrupted him without waiting for him to finish, waving her hand with a heroic attitude of "It's no big deal".
"You're the top student in your grade, a true god of night study! Missing one night of study won't bring the world down! Let's talk later."
She suddenly leaned in closer, bringing with her a refreshing citrus scent, and her low voice was filled with sly instigation, "I've already taken care of Duan Shuce. His car is already warmed up, and he's just waiting for us to go!"
"Shuce?" The scar between Ye Qingliu's eyebrows seemed to deepen for a moment, and he was obviously a little surprised that this "daddy-like" friend would "go along with the crowd".
"That's right!" Ning Xiwan said confidently, "He's your 'guardian'. He's already agreed, so what are you afraid of? Young man, you must learn to balance work and rest! If you're too tense, you'll break. My son must learn to relax!"
When she said the word "son", her tone was natural and intimate, as if it was a natural fact.
Before she finished speaking, Ning Xiwan's hand had already reached for the small chain bag she was carrying with her at lightning speed.
When she took it out again, her fingertips were holding a few colorful, small and cute hairpins - a pink strawberry, a tender yellow duck, and a furry white rabbit.
She had a clear goal and completely ignored Ye Qingliu's instantly stiff expression and the hint of resistance that flashed in his eyes.
With a deft turn of her wrist, and a movement so fast that there was no room for resistance, the pink strawberry hairpin was firmly, even a little crookedly, pinned on Ye Qingliu's black hair.
The strawberry was bright red, with green leaves curled up playfully, forming a cosmic explosion-level contrast with his cold and icy temperament.
“Wow, ahh ...
She rushed to her brother in a few steps, holding her cheeks with both hands, her eyes wide open, full of sparkling stars.
Her voice was so sweet it looked like honey dripping out: "Brother! Oh my god! Wearing a little strawberry hairpin! So cute!! So cute! I want to take a picture! Post it on WeChat Moments! Post it on the school forum! Ahhhhhhhhhh, I need to keep it as a treasure!"
She was jumping on the spot excitedly, and was really frantically reaching for her phone, her skirt spinning and flying like a blooming petal.
Ye Qingliu froze. He could clearly feel the small, cool plastic strawberry hairpin against the skin of his forehead.
There was obvious helplessness and a hint of... barely perceptible embarrassment in his gray-blue eyes.
He subconsciously raised his hand to pick it off, and just as his fingertips touched the plastic leaf—
"Don't take it off!" Ning Xiwan was quick to slap his hand away. With her hands on her hips, she gave the order like a queen, her eyes gleaming with the triumph of a successful prank. "Put it on! It looks so good! This is your 'mother's' approval of my aesthetic!"
At this moment, Ye Qingliu's phone, which was placed on the table, lit up silently. It was a new message, and the sender was Duan Shuce.
[Duan Shuce]: Garage exit. The engine has been warming up for five minutes. If I dawdle any longer, the security patrol car will be at the back door. Want to be treated to tea by the Dean?
The words were concise and to the point, but they accurately hit the most sensitive nerve of the "good student" Ye Qingliu - being caught skipping classes.
He stared at the message, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, then raised his eyes to look at Ning Xiwan, who was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips and a look that said, "If you don't go, I'm going to make a scene."
Then take a look at the strawberry hairpin on his forehead that makes a strong presence, and his excited sister who is holding a mobile phone next to him, ready to press the shutter at any time to capture his "dark history".
The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
Finally, Ye Qingliu sighed almost inaudibly, and the sigh was as light as the sound of the last leaf falling to the ground in autumn.
He put down the pen in his hand, and stood up slowly with a resigned grace.
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