Chapter 9: "I wanna f*ck y..."
The title is displayed horizontally on the page without any cover, like a provocative gaze directed at you.
Close your eyes slightly, then open them again.
A very faint hiss came from Qiao Bolin's throat.
He quickly composed himself and released his grip on the armchair.
Take the book and go upstairs.
......
Ning Jiu went back to the third floor, knocked on Luo Ziwei's office, and someone inside called out, "Come in."
After pushing open the door, a beautiful woman with long, wavy hair sat behind a desk, drinking coffee, looking relaxed and elegant.
Seeing Ning Jiu holding a student card, Luo Ziwei gestured with her chin, indicating that Ning Jiu should register the information on the side.
Upon seeing Ning Jiu's registered class, her beautiful eyebrows arched in a meaningful way.
"Are you in Class 8 of the second year of high school?" Luo Ziwei's voice was delicate but not harsh. "Then how come I've never seen you before?"
Ning Jiu looked up at her: "I just transferred here this semester."
"So that's how it is."
Setting down her coffee cup, Luo Ziwei took the information and student card that Ning Jiu had registered, smiled and praised her for her good handwriting, then took a new library card from the box next to her and handed it to her.
“This library card allows you to borrow a maximum of two books at a time, and each book can be borrowed for two months. The card needs to be activated once per semester, otherwise it will expire,” she paused, and continued, “If you still have any questions, you can ask Berlin to help you with it.”
An unexpected name appeared in the conversation, and Ning Jiu looked at her in confusion, only to meet Luo Ziwei's ambiguous smile.
"Joe Bolin?" Ning Jiu confirmed again.
“Yes,” Luo Ziwei said matter-of-factly, “didn’t you and him come together?”
......
Of course not.
Ning Jiu didn't know how Luo Ziwei came to this conclusion, and was too lazy to explain. She took the library card, thanked her, and was about to leave when Luo Ziwei stopped her.
"Um... Ning Jiu?" She yawned, looking a little sleepy, "Which bookshelf on the third floor do you like the most?"
Ning Jiu: "I only read psychology-related books."
"I see," Luo Ziwei hummed softly, with a hint of a smile. "I understand."
A strange woman.
Ning Jiu closed the door and walked to the stairwell along the route she had taken.
She hadn't gone down more than a few flights of stairs when she caught a glimpse of a tall figure getting closer and closer around the corner.
From her angle, she could clearly see the boy's jet-black hair whorl, with the stray hairs on his forehead swaying slightly with his movements.
His eyelashes, like raven feathers, cast fan-shaped shadows on his face; his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes made him undeniably handsome, even from the worst angle.
Knowing that he had discovered her, Ning Jiu quietly waited on the stairs for him to question her.
Joel Berlin's fingers are beautiful; they're the kind of hands that immediately make you think they'd be perfect for playing the piano.
These same hands were in a photo just a few days ago, holding a gleaming gold medal and making a peace sign at the camera.
Now, his fingertips rest on the last three evocative words on the cover, and one can vaguely feel the veins bulging on his knuckles.
"Ning, wine."
Ning Jiu suddenly felt...
The way Joe Bolin called her name angrily was quite sexy.
His previous voice was clear and crisp, which was pleasant to listen to, but always gave people an indescribable sense of distance.
His voice was low and his tone was smiling, but there was an underlying sense of oppression.
"You'd better give me a reasonable explanation."
His lips were upturned, but his tone was condescending. He stopped two steps away from Ning Jiu, patiently waiting for her answer.
Ning Jiu's gaze lingered on the straightforward title of the book in his hand, but when he noticed, she immediately put on an innocent expression.
“I just found out too,” her voice was softer than usual, her lips turned down, and a thick, moist mist seemed to spread across her eyes. “The one you’re holding is the one I wanted to borrow; I accidentally grabbed the wrong one.”
She secretly pinched her thigh with her fingers, and the slight pain made her eyes redden and tears welled up in her eyes.
"I hope Qiao won't blame me."
After her teasing and conversation, Ning Jiu almost laughed at herself.
Based on her previous impression of Qiao Bolin, she expected him to say "it's okay" or "never mind" and move on, just like usual. But to her surprise, the boy started to approach her with long strides.
One step, two steps.
His loose-fitting sweatpants subtly revealed his powerful calf muscles. He was a head taller than her, and even from the bottom of the stairs, he could still look her in the eye or even look down at her.
Ning Jiu never expected him to do this, and instinctively stepped back, allowing Qiao Bolin to naturally move forward.
Until she reached the end of the stairs, before the cool touch of the glass door behind her could even make her flinch, the heat from the other end rushed up to her without warning.
Perhaps because of his face, Ning Jiu tends to think that Qiao Bolin's physique should also be slender to match his face.
But when they got really close, the heat of his broad chest spread across her skin just centimeters away, and Ning Jiu almost had the illusion that Qiao Bolin was about to embrace her tightly.
Being so close, she could see it clearly enough—
There was no pity in his eyes for being fooled by her pitiful appearance.
If there was anything, it was only when the waves were calm and still that a half-smile appeared in his eyes.
The air conditioning made Ning Jiu's mouth and throat feel dry.
She lifted her wet eyelashes, trying to press against his chest to stop him from going any further, when a book was handed to her.
"I'm giving the book back to you, why are you hiding?"
Qiao Bailin's tone had returned to calm.
He calmly took a step back, as if he weren't the one who had just exuded such a menacing aura.
Ning Jiu's tears still clung to the corners of her eyes, blinking as she still couldn't come to her senses.
Tick-tock.
A drop of moisture rolled down her fair cheek, tracing a beautiful arc, and landed on his arm.
It's very hot.
She was still crying. At first, she wanted to observe his reaction, but later it became an unstoppable physiological sobbing.
Qiao Bolin thought.
It turns out that people with fair skin show their crying more clearly.
He was the one who was being bullied, but her eyes and nose were red and she looked at him with teary eyes, as if he had done something to her.
But the pitiful fox is still a fox at heart.
His gaze shifted from the brimming tears in her eyes, and his thumb twitched, suppressing the urge to wipe away that single tear.
“Ning Jiu,” he called her name, his tone sincere, “if you have any complaints about me, you can say them directly.”
Today's prank has gone beyond the normal scope of what students should do.
The girl, on the verge of tears, looked up when she heard what he said, her innocent voice hoarse from crying.
Do I have any complaints about you?
Qiao Bailin: "Don't you have any?"
Ning Jiu was taken aback: "Is it that obvious?"
Joel Berlin was amused by her reaction: "Yeah, obviously."
Ning Jiu remained silent.
The noise from the old central air conditioning lingered between the two of them, and it was very loud.
Ning Jiu straightened up and stopped sobbing.
Qiao Bolin waited for a while, but didn't get an answer. Just as he was about to turn his head, he suddenly heard the girl next to him ask in a different tone.
"So, you prefer my more direct approach?"
Qiao Bolin lowered his gaze, which fell into Ning Jiu's amber eyes.
Her eyes are beautifully shaped with a light-colored pupil, and when she looks at someone, she can always see them clearly.
Just a second ago, those eyes were filled with dewdrops brimming with tears.
Now, all that remains is the eagerness and determination to succeed.
The words he uttered, delivered in her tone, were like a thin veil of roughness, rubbing against one's heart, neither too hard nor too soft.
After thinking about it carefully, Qiao Bolin said to her.
"You could say that."
"Okay, I understand."
The reply came faster than usual, as if afraid he might change his mind.
Qiao Bolin paused for a moment, sensing that something was wrong.
A gust of wind blew past, carrying the unique fragrance of a young girl to my nose, but it quickly passed by and disappeared without a trace.
"I'll go downstairs to borrow some books now. Goodbye, Qiao."
"......"
-
The results of the initial exams were released in the afternoon. Since it wasn't a unified exam, Lao Qin only printed out the top ten scores for each subject and the total score and posted them on the wall behind the classroom.
Qiao Bolin was undoubtedly the top scorer overall, ranking first in Chinese, Math, and English, except for the combined science subjects. Qi Ruiheng and Duan Chu, the class monitor, ranked second and third respectively.
Ning Jiu ranked third in science and fifth in mathematics, while her name was nowhere to be seen in English and Chinese, or rather, her scores remained at an average level as always, barely making it to tenth overall.
This is a pretty good start for Ning Jiu. Her English has always been mediocre, and her Chinese, except for her compositions, is also a mess. She is usually in the top three in her grade at Lingcheng Middle School, but there is a lot of room for improvement.
Squeezing through the surging crowd, I turned around and saw many students from other classes flowing into the corridor.
Ning Jiu was wondering why there were so many people today when she heard Qi Ruiheng's smiling voice behind her.
"Congratulations! First place in the provincial high school league, and a school-wide commendation. You truly deserve to be called the academic genius, Qiao."
"Just lucky."
Qiao Bolin put the newly borrowed book in his desk, took out the pen refill, and began to organize his notes from the previous class.
"This isn't luck, it's real skill," Qi Ruiheng said with genuine admiration. "I've been reading the books you recommended, and they've been incredibly helpful. Half of my improvement in Chinese this time is thanks to you. By the way, my dad would like to invite you and Uncle Qiao to dinner this Friday to express his gratitude."
Qiao Bolin stopped tidying his notes: "My dad might not be here this week; he's been out of town for meetings lately."
"Oh, I see." Qi Ruiheng sounded somewhat disappointed.
Qiao Bolin comforted him, "Let's talk about it when my dad gets back. There will always be a chance."
The two afternoon periods are physics and chemistry. Old Yang, the chemistry teacher, is nearing retirement. He's an old teacher from Jiangbei with a receding hairline, a heavy accent, and a sharp tongue. Gao Hexin has always dreaded his classes.
The chalk was worn down and replaced repeatedly on his calloused hands. When a student suggested that Mr. Yang could use the projector, Mr. Yang waved his hand dismissively and said, "I never use that stuff."
He delivered a passionate and inspiring lesson on reviewing test papers, and when Tan Xinxin walked in for the next lesson in her high heels, she was startled by the silence in the classroom.
After exchanging pleasantries and compliments with Lao Yang, Tan Xinxin closed the door and, seeing the fatigue on the students' faces, knew that they had been exhausted from going over test papers in the past few classes.
"Class begins!"
"Stand up!"
Tan Xinxin clapped her hands to signal the students to sit down and asked them to turn to page 7 of their English books.
Before we begin the new lesson today, I'd like to invite you to play a little game.
As the last class on Friday, Tan Xinxin always knew to adjust the classroom atmosphere appropriately in the first half of the class.
"The next lesson is about international pop music. Please write down the English lyric that impressed you the most on the piece of paper you tore off. Exchange the pieces of paper with your different groups. The students who receive the pieces of paper can comment on the lyrics on the piece of paper or answer questions about the lyrics."
Tan Xinxin noticed the student's eyes light up instantly, and her smile widened immediately.
"Now, let's start!"
The classroom became lively. Tan Xinxin noticed that there was an empty seat in the back row. After asking around, she learned that Qiao Bolin had gone to pick up the award certificate issued by the Gao Lian after chemistry class and had not returned yet.
She nodded in understanding, gestured to the students around her to leave a note for Qiao Bolin, and then continued to observe the students' actions.
Some students were excited, while others were less interested. Her gaze swept around the room and finally settled on a new classmate who had made a deep impression on everyone after only one week.
The girl's expression was focused, as if she was doing something very important. Her eyes were sweet and her movements were serious; just looking at her made one's heart soften.
Ningjiu's first-term exam results left a deep impression on all the teachers. Despite using different textbooks, she was able to maintain a ranking of tenth in the class and twelfth in the grade, which was truly remarkable.
At the teachers' seminar held in the morning, Lao Qin specifically praised Ning Jiu and hinted that he should help Ning Jiu make up for her weakness in English. If Ning Jiu could improve her English and Chinese, she would still have a good chance of getting into Peking University.
Thinking of this, Tan Xinxin suddenly felt a heavy responsibility on her shoulders.
Just then, I heard the back door open slightly.
Qiao Bolin came in with the certificate of merit, and Qi Ruiheng quickly moved his chair forward and spoke to him.
"Sister Tan asked us to write down the English lyrics that impressed us, and then we'll switch groups for evaluation. The slip of paper is on your desk."
Qiao Bolin responded, stuffed the certificate into his bag, picked up a pen and began writing without hesitation.
He listens to a lot of music and has a wide range of styles, so he easily picked a line that had impressed him recently to write about.
However, because they arrived quite late, by the time they finished writing, only two people in the group hadn't finished yet.
The desk cast a long shadow. Looking up, the obedient girl opened her soft palms, revealing a standard friendly smile, and said to him.
"Qiao, there are two slips of paper left. Choose one."
Qiao Bolin glanced at Ning Jiu, then slowly slid his hand toward the note in her hand.
The paper strip was crumpled into a ball, indistinguishable from the real thing. Her palm was small, and as her fingertips brushed against it, one could vaguely feel its smooth texture.
Perhaps because of what happened around noon today, Qiao Bolin's judgment on Ningjiu is still on a blurry line.
He felt his arm being nudged, and when he turned around and met Qi Ruiheng's questioning gaze, he looked away.
"What's wrong?" Qi Ruiheng asked.
"It's nothing," Qiao Bolin lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I guess I didn't sleep at noon today and I'm a little sleepy."
Seeing that they had almost finished writing, Tan Xinxin first asked the group of students near the window to start answering.
When it was Ning Jiu's turn, she unfolded the slip of paper and found it contained a popular English song.
"Who do you want as your one and only"
(Who is the one and only love you desire?)
With its ambiguous and vague lyrics, it's not hard to guess which bored guy wrote it.
After Ning Jiu read it aloud, many people around him started to cheer. Cai Liming and a few others even started whistling. It was the last class, and they were all excited to watch the excitement.
She barely changed her expression and answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Myself."
Without hesitation or pretense, Ning Jiu answered quickly and naturally, and the few people who were still making a fuss stopped.
That's practically a free point question.
My favorite person is, of course, myself.
Gao Hexin gave her a thumbs-up with one hand, and Tan Xinxin also came to her senses, nodded in agreement, and clapped her hands to signal the students behind her to continue.
After Ningjiu's group finished, it was Qiao Bolin's group's turn. Qiao Bolin didn't pay much attention to this game at first and wasn't in a hurry to break up.
When they started opening the slips of paper, the student in front of them had just finished answering, and Tan Xinxin's gaze fell on the boy behind her.
"OK, next one is Joe Po-lin, read the lyrics you received to everyone."
Qiao Bolin's gaze fell on the unfolded slip of paper.
The instant their eyes met—
The air was so quiet it was as if the vocal cords had been suddenly cut off.
In the near-vacuum silence, Qiao Bolin clearly heard the whimpering sound emanating from his own throat.
"I wanna f.uck you, you already know.^-^"
A note from the author:
----------------------
Sweet Wine: You're the one who said I could be more direct, so don't blame me! ^-^
-
Our sister's attitude towards life is like:
——"Who do you want as your one and only"
—"Myself."
The attitude towards Berlin should be like:
"I wanna f.uck you, you already know."
The first line is from "That's Me," and the second line is from "I Wanna F*** You."
-
Please be careful as the typhoon passes through!
The next chapter will be posted at 11 PM, and there will be red envelopes (cash gifts) in the comments! [heart emoji]
Please add this to your favorites, everyone! [shy]
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