Yu Jiuyuan was awakened by the chirping of birds outside her window as the first rays of sunlight streamed into her bedroom in the morning.
She opened her eyes and subconsciously touched her lower abdomen, which was flat and warm, and the slightest bit of pain had disappeared.
For the first time in six days, my body felt as if heavy shackles had been removed, and I felt so light that I could float away with the wind.
Rong Shenghan was still asleep, his arm loosely draped over her waist, his breathing even.
Yu Jiuyuan turned to her side and carefully examined his sleeping face.
The morning light outlined his smooth jawline, and his eyelashes cast a faint shadow under his eyelids. His eyes, which usually carried an inscrutable smile, were now as still as a deep pool.
She suddenly felt an itch to touch his cheek, so she reached out her fingertip and gently poked it.
Rong Shenghan's eyelashes trembled. Without opening his eyes, he precisely grabbed her mischievous hand and pulled her closer to him, his voice muffled: "You're causing trouble as soon as you wake up?"
"Who told you to sleep so soundly?" Yu Jiuyuan snuggled into his arms, rubbing her nose against his collarbone. "I'm all better now."
"Hmm?" Rong Shenghan opened his eyes, still a little dazed, and looked down at her. "The pain is completely gone?"
"Completely cured."
Yu Jiuyuan tilted her head back and kissed him on the lips, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "Today I want to go eat the pan-fried buns from that old-established shop in the south of the city."
A few days ago, when she was in so much pain that she couldn't even drink water, the only thing she could think of was a pan-fried bun that would burst with juice when bitten into.
As Rong Shenghan saw the renewed sparkle in her eyes, the pent-up frustration that had been building up in his heart for six days finally dissipated completely.
He rolled over and pinned her beneath him, lowering his head to kiss her lips. As they lingered and caressed each other, his voice tinged with laughter: "Okay, after we finish the pan-fried buns, let's go buy your favorite strawberry cake."
When I went downstairs, the villa was already bustling with activity.
Xie Zhecheng was on the phone in the living room, speaking fluent French, which sounded like he was communicating with a foreign business partner.
Seeing Yu Jiuyuan come down, he said "I'll contact you later" into the phone and hung up. He then got up and walked over: "There's an international open class today. I've put the materials on your desk."
"Thanks." Yu Jiuyuan walked to the sofa and sat down, picked up a strawberry from the table and popped it into her mouth. The sweet and sour juice burst on her tongue, a long-lost fresh taste.
Yuan Xu came out of the laboratory, her white lab coat sleeves rolled up to her forearms, revealing a section of her slender wrist.
He held a transparent petri dish containing pink crystals. When he saw Yu Jiuyuan, his eyes lit up: "This is flavonoid glycoside extracted from cherry blossoms. It's good for improving blood circulation. I've made it into lozenges. You can carry one with you and take it when you feel unwell."
"Yuan Xu, you're practically my personal pharmacist now." Yu Jiuyuan took the small medicine box and shook it. "Thanks."
"I did it on the spur of the moment." Yuan Xu pushed up her glasses, turned around and went back to the lab, her steps seeming lighter than usual.
Lin Yanran arrived right on time, carrying a black sports bag, seemingly on her way to training.
Seeing Yu Jiuyuan, he raised an eyebrow: "You look pretty good today. Looks like you'll be able to manage the student council with your usual energy."
"What, is Secretary Lin looking forward to being managed by me?" Yu Jiuyuan raised an eyebrow and tossed him an apple from the fruit plate.
Lin Yanran caught it steadily, wiped it off, and took a big bite, mumbling, "Remember to get a front-row seat for the basketball game next week."
"Got it, keep up the good work for our Officer Lin." Yu Jiuyuan replied with a smile.
On the way to school, the spring sunshine outside the car window was exceptionally bright.
The cherry blossoms along the roadside are in full bloom, their pink and white petals falling softly like a gentle snowfall.
Yu Jiuyuan opened the car window, letting the fragrant breeze in, and took a deep breath.
"No classes this afternoon, shall we go buy some pan-fried buns?" Rong Shenghan turned to look at her, his eyes filled with indulgent smiles.
"OK."
Yu Jiuyuan nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "Oh right, Su Jingshu sent me a message yesterday saying that the finishing touches on the Su family's side are almost done, and she wants to schedule a time to talk to me about future cooperation."
Do you need me to go with you?
“No need,” Yu Jiuyuan shook her head, tapping her knees lightly with her fingertips. “She is now the head of the Su family and wouldn’t play any tricks. Besides, with the Yu family backing her up, she wouldn’t dare to have any crooked thoughts.”
Rong Shenghan didn't insist any further, but simply held her hand and said, "Call me anytime if you need anything."
Upon arriving at the entrance of Saint Sakura Academy, I saw Ji Nianqin standing under the camphor tree as soon as I got out of the car.
He was wearing a neatly pressed school uniform and holding a book of poetry. When he saw Yu Jiuyuan, he smiled gently and said, "Jiuyuan, you look great today."
"Thanks to you, I didn't die." Yu Jiuyuan's tone was flat, with a hint of barely perceptible aloofness.
Ji Nianqin seemed oblivious to the barb in her words and took two steps forward: "I heard the student council is recruiting, so I signed up. Maybe in the future..."
“Ji, classmate.” Rong Shenghan stepped forward, subtly shielding Yu Jiuyuan behind him, his tone gentle yet authoritative, “The student council recruitment process is rigorous, and I trust the judging panel will be fair and impartial.”
Ji Nianqin glanced at Rong Shenghan, then at Yu Jiuyuan behind him who looked completely unconcerned. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, but she ultimately smiled and said, "Of course."
As Yu Jiuyuan entered the teaching building, she could feel many eyes on her.
After the official announcement, she was already the focus of everyone's attention. Her absence from school these past few days has undoubtedly fueled many more speculations.
But she didn't care at all, straightened her back, and walked side by side with Rong Shenghan, her posture open and honest.
In the student council office, several members were organizing documents. When they saw Yu Jiuyuan enter, they were all taken aback for a moment, and then greeted her in unison, "Hello, President!"
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