It was a text message from an unknown number, containing only one sentence: "[Rooftop, Xie Zhecheng.]"
She looked up and smiled at Yuan Xu: "I have something to attend to and need to leave first. We can look at the specimens another time?"
"Hmm." Yuan Xu's attention had already returned to the petri dish, and she replied casually.
Yu Jiuyuan turned and walked out of the laboratory, the smile on her face fading instantly. She walked up the stairs, her steps light but silent, like a cat poised to pounce. The rooftop door was ajar, and the wind blew in through the cracks, carrying the coolness of the high altitude.
Xie Zhecheng stood with his back to her by the railing, his black school uniform jacket fluttering in the wind. He seemed to be looking at the distant teaching building, his profile as hard as a sculpture, even his jawline exuding an aloofness that kept strangers at bay.
"Did you need something?" Yu Jiuyuan pushed open the door, her voice slightly distorted by the wind.
Xie Zhecheng turned around, his eyes behind his glasses devoid of warmth: "Why isn't my lateness recorded on the student council's attendance sheet?"
“Because you have a legitimate reason.” Yu Jiuyuan walked to his side and leaned against the railing, gazing into the distance. Cheers echoed from the basketball court in the distance, and the sunlight gilded her profile, making her look clean and pure.
“I have no reason.” Xie Zhecheng’s tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable insistence. “Rules are rules, and the president should not make exceptions.”
Yu Jiuyuan turned her head and suddenly smiled: "Xie Zhecheng, do you think I have some special feelings for you?" Her eyes were clear, as if she were talking about something insignificant, "Like... liking someone?"
Xie Zhecheng's expression remained unchanged, as if she were simply talking about today's weather.
“What if I said yes?” Yu Jiuyuan took a step forward, closing the distance until she could see the length of his eyelashes. “What if I said I wanted you… to see me in a different light?”
The wind suddenly stopped, and the fragrance of osmanthus lingered in the air. Xie Zhecheng's pupils contracted slightly, seemingly not expecting her to be so direct. But just a second later, he regained his usual indifference: "President, please have some self-respect."
Yu Jiuyuan watched him turn to leave, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve. The cool touch of the fabric against her fingertips made her feel the instant stiffness in his body.
"The star chart software for the astronomy club," she said softly, yet with a strange penetrating power, "was actually sponsored by me personally. The budget approved by the school wasn't enough to buy the latest version."
Xie Zhecheng stopped in his tracks.
“I did all this not because you are Xie Zhecheng,” Yu Jiuyuan released her hand, took a half step back, and widened the distance again, her smile carrying an indescribable meaning, “it’s just because… I want to see what it’s like when a perfectionist breaks the rules.”
Watching Xie Zhecheng's retreating figure, she added, "Remember to come to the joint meeting next Friday. Rong Shenghan will propose changes to the attendance system, and then... I'll need your support."
Xie Zhecheng didn't turn back and walked straight out of the rooftop. The moment the door closed, Yu Jiuyuan's smile vanished completely. The system panel displayed:
Hsieh Che-cheng: Favorability rating 0
[Emotional fluctuations: Negative +5, current level 30; Neutral -3, current level 5; Positive, current level 15]
"Just as I thought, a rock that can't be warmed up." She muttered to herself, her fingertips tracing the cold railing. The wind picked up again, carrying the distant clamor, completely masking the fleeting indifference in her eyes.
In the long corridor downstairs, Rong Shenghan leaned against the window, looking at the lonely figure on the rooftop, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
He looked up toward the biology club, his gaze as deep as the night. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling on his face, half bright, half hidden in shadow, just like him—unfathomable.
Meanwhile, in the biology club, Yuan Xu was carefully placing the mantis specimen that Yu Jiuyuan had just looked at into the display case. He suddenly remembered her smile from earlier, and his ears began to burn again. He quickly lowered his head to continue arranging the specimens, but did not notice that he had accidentally knocked over the scalpel on the table.
The soft thud of metal hitting the ground was exceptionally clear in the quiet laboratory, like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating tiny ripples in a corner unnoticed by anyone.
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