Chapter 7
The weather forecast predicted a cloudy and rainy Monday, and indeed, a light drizzle began to fall that morning. Along with the rain, the temperature dropped, and the air was filled with a cool breeze.
Song Qiuxuan put on a coat and carried an umbrella before heading out. It wasn't convenient to ride a bicycle in this weather, so she usually took the bus to school.
She stood by the bus stop sign, and soon the bus appeared in the rain and mist. Countless rain streaks ran down the glass windows, blurring the figures of people inside, but it was still possible to vaguely see that it was almost full.
Song Qiuxuan folded her umbrella and squeezed onto the bus. A bald man in front of her was frantically rummaging through his wallet. First, he took it out of his bag, then opened it and pulled out a few hundred-yuan bills. He searched and searched but couldn't find any loose change.
The woman holding an umbrella, who was standing behind Song Qiuxuan and hadn't boarded the bus yet, urged the bald man in a sharp voice: "Hurry up! Can't you just hand over the money sooner? What bad luck, you're delaying everyone on the bus."
The continuous drizzle fell, making a pitter-patter sound as it hit the bus stop sign. Everywhere was wet, which made people irritable and anxious.
The bald man finally pulled out two dollars from a hidden compartment in his bag and put them in. He turned around and glared at the cursing woman with a displeased expression.
The sudden turn caused the large body to bump into Song Qiuxuan, who was thrown off the car by the elbow. She hurriedly raised her hand to brace herself against the car door, and the woman behind her helped her up, allowing Song Qiuxuan to regain her balance.
The bald man elbowed someone, showing a hint of remorse, but out of pride, he only uttered a barely audible "I'm sorry."
Song Qiuxuan didn't hear her. After regaining her balance, she gripped the handrail, turned to the woman who had helped her, and said thank you.
Seeing this, the driver yelled, "Stop blocking the door, get in first!"
Song Qiuxuan swiped her bus card and noticed an empty seat in the back of the carriage. She didn't pay attention to the person sitting next to her, but her eyes were fixed on the empty seat behind her. She lowered her eyes and walked over to sit down.
Because half of her body had been thrown out of the car during the collision, Song Qiuxuan's hair and face were a little wet. After sitting down, she looked annoyed as she searched for tissues.
Just then, someone tapped the chair with their finger, followed by a voice calling "Song Qiuxuan" from behind.
The boy's familiar, clear voice carried a hint of languor from just waking up. Song Qiuxuan paused in her search for paper, listening to the pleasant voice. She immediately recognized Cheng Xun's voice; the two had even video-called last night. Thinking of this, Song Qiuxuan felt embarrassed by what she had said last night, and her fair ear tips flushed.
Song Qiuxuan turned her head slightly and looked at Cheng Xun with her face turned to the side.
Cheng Xun had an indifferent look on his face, as if he hadn't slept enough. His thin eyelids drooped down, making his face look a little grumpy, but his face was still undeniably handsome. In this slightly cool weather, he didn't put on an outer garment, only wearing his summer school uniform. He was leaning towards Song Qiuxuan, so his school uniform shirt, with one button undone, loosely revealed a section of his pale collarbone.
Song Qiuxuan's gaze was fixed on Cheng Xun's face, as if she found it unbelievable to see him here. Ever since she learned that he was going the same way as her, she had been hoping to run into him on her way to school. However, she hadn't seen him for five days in a row last week. After that thought disappeared, she bumped into him on the bus.
"Is there something on my face?" Cheng Xun seemed to start to doubt himself under her gaze, and raised his left hand to touch the side of his face.
"No." Song Qiuxuan turned her head away, gave an awkward laugh, and said in an attempt to cover up the truth, "You have a red mark on your cheek, you must have rolled it down while sleeping."
"Really?" Cheng Xun lowered his eyebrows, holding his phone with a hint of disbelief, and pretended to open the phone camera to look at his face.
Song Qiuxuan didn't expect him to be so concerned about his image, so she quickly stopped him, saying, "It's a very faint mark, you can hardly see it, don't worry about it."
She didn't want to be caught telling a little lie.
Cheng Xun looked up and noticed that Song Qiuxuan's wet hair was stuck to the side of her face, and her gray coat was soaked with water. Cheng Xun wondered how she had managed to get so wet while holding an umbrella. Cheng Xun frowned slightly, put away her phone, and took out a pack of tissues from the side of her bag.
When the bus stopped at the station, the person next to Song Qiuxuan wanted to get off, so she stood up and let them leave.
After Song Qiuxuan sat down, she felt Cheng Xun touch her shoulder with something. She turned around and saw an unopened pack of papers between Cheng Xun's slender fingers.
"For me?" Song Qiuxuan asked uncertainly.
Cheng Xun rested his hand on the back of the chair in front of him, as if to make it easier for her to take the paper. He stretched his hand forward a little more. "Hmm, your bangs are all wet."
"Thank you." Song Qiuxuan's gentle and quiet eyes revealed a smile that she could not hide.
A wicked thought popped into her head. Even though she already had paper in her bag, she secretly wanted to take the packet Cheng Xun was offering her. She thought, "This is a rare opportunity, I can't miss it."
Song Qiuxuan turned back and sat down, a faint smile on her lips. She unfolded the paper Cheng Xun had given her and wiped the water off her face.
At that moment, she felt that the excitement and joy of adolescence were so simple. On a drizzly morning, something so simple that she might not remember it later happened, yet it filled her heart with a sweet satisfaction.
When Cheng Xun first got on the bus, he was so sleepy that he would close his eyes to rest from time to time. After seeing Song Qiuxuan, he became more awake. Now, as she turned her back to him to wipe her face with a tissue, Cheng Xun stared at her back as if no one else was around. His face was cold and indifferent, and his expression was slightly serious, as if he was thinking about something.
At the next stop, Cheng Xun said in a low, hoarse voice, "I didn't even have a chance to say anything last night before you suddenly hung up the video call."
Song Qiuxuan's dark eyelashes trembled a few times, and for some reason, she sensed a hint of accusation in her voice. She tilted her head and said, "What do you want to say? I thought you had nothing to say, so I hung up."
Seeing Cheng Xun silently pondering something, Song Qiuxuan, though unsure whether abruptly ending the video call was impolite, still said, "Next time, I'll ask you to agree before I hang up, okay?"
Cheng Xun's Adam's apple bobbed. Whether it was because he heard the word "next time" or something else, his mood improved. He restrained the curve of his lips and calmly hummed in agreement.
When they arrived at the school stop, Song Qiuxuan planned to buy some dumplings from the breakfast shop in the alley next to the school, as usual. After getting off the bus, Song Qiuxuan pointed to the shop and said something to Cheng Xun. Cheng Xun hesitated for a few seconds and then suggested that she also go to buy breakfast.
After buying breakfast, the two walked into the school together, each holding an umbrella. Normally, Song Qiuxuan would eat as she walked, finishing her meal in the classroom so as not to disturb the other students and to save a little time. But today, she decided to eat in the corridor after arriving at the classroom. Firstly, it was inconvenient to use an umbrella, and secondly, Cheng Xun was right next to her. She unconsciously paid attention to her words and actions, not wanting to do anything embarrassing.
Song Qiuxuan raised the umbrella and glanced at Cheng Xun, realizing she was overthinking things. Cheng Xun looked ahead, her profile cold and indifferent, her demeanor unchanged from her usual aloofness; she had no interest in paying attention to her.
As Song Qiuxuan passed through the school garden, a boy suddenly jogged over with an umbrella. He slowed down when he reached Cheng Xun's side. Song Qiuxuan glanced at him and remembered him. Once, during a break, she went to the water room to get water and saw him and Cheng Xun chatting while leaning against the railing in the corridor.
Song Qiuxuan saw him bump his umbrella against Cheng Xun's umbrella, which seemed a bit unsteady. He appeared to be a carefree and cheerful person.
"Xun, good morning." Liang Shizhe greeted Cheng Xun with a grin, holding his umbrella at an angle. He was about the same height as Cheng Xun, around 1.83 meters, but a bit bigger and stronger.
Cheng Xun straightened the umbrella that had been knocked askew and replied calmly, "Oh no, you dragged me to play games last night, and now I can barely keep my eyes open, I have dark circles under my eyes."
Upon hearing this, Song Qiuxuan looked at Cheng Xun's eyes and indeed saw faint dark circles under his eyes. Song Qiuxuan lowered her head and smiled slightly. Sometimes Cheng Xun could be quite humorous and funny.
She discovered that Cheng Xun's personality wasn't so hard to understand. Cheng Xun seemed aloof and cold, and most people thought he was dull and taciturn, so they hesitated to get close to him. But after spending time with him, they found that he was still not very talkative, but he was a bit sarcastic and could hold his own when he argued with people.
When facing familiar people, Cheng Xun will shed his aloof and unapproachable demeanor, and will tease and joke, revealing his youthful spirit.
"You internet addict, how dare you blame me!" Liang Shizhe retorted defiantly. Seeing Cheng Xun carrying two steamed buns in his left hand, he snatched them away and stared at them with a look of utter disbelief. "We were classmates for three years in junior high, and I remember you always ate breakfast at home. How come your habits changed after you went to high school?"
Cheng Xun clicked her tongue lightly, then glanced to the left and saw that Song Qiuxuan hadn't noticed anything unusual. She looked down at the ground and walked carefully, avoiding puddles.
Cheng Xun's tense nerves relaxed, and her gaze turned icy as she looked at Liang Shizhe. She glared at him and calmly explained, "Can't I just try breakfast outside of school today?"
Liang Shizhe knew his character, so he pursed his lips and didn't argue, saying as if he had given in, "Sure, sure, you can do whatever you want." He smiled slyly, "But, can I have a steamed bun? I haven't had breakfast yet today."
Cheng Xun couldn't help but laugh when he saw Liang Shizhe clutching the two steamed buns with obvious delight: "They're all yours."
Liang Shizhe feigned reluctance, saying, "That wouldn't be appropriate."
Seeing Cheng Xun's all-knowing expression, he chuckled twice and, worried that Cheng Xun might change his mind, immediately said in a fawning tone, "Brother Xun, then I won't be polite."
Liang Shizhe held the steamed bun in one hand and ate it heartily. He took a bite and found that it was a meat bun, which made him feel better. At this moment, the oblivious Liang Shizhe finally noticed the girl next to Cheng Xun. He raised an eyebrow with amusement and asked, "Cheng Xun, who is this girl?"
Cheng Xun calmly replied, "Classmates." As if anticipating that Liang Shizhe would press on this point, Cheng Xun added, "We met on the bus."
"Why explain so clearly? I haven't even asked anything yet. Do you think I'm the kind of person who's overly curious?" Liang Shizhe said, but his face was full of gossip. When he saw the girl holding a plate of dumplings, he narrowed his eyes meaningfully.
Cheng Xun was a friend Liang Shizhe had known for over three years. Liang Shizhe knew how flamboyant Cheng Xun was, how many love letters he had that his desk couldn't hold them all. But he was indifferent and uninterested in such matters, so Cheng Xun's behavior today seemed a bit unusual.
It's normal to run into a female classmate on the bus, but to go to buy breakfast together after getting off the bus, and then go to the classroom together after buying breakfast, this is not the Cheng Xun that Liang Shizhe knows.
Perhaps out of curiosity, Liang Shizhe stared intently at Song Qiuxuan, as if trying to discern something.
Song Qiuxuan didn't recognize Liang Shizhe. When she realized he was looking at her, she looked a little awkward. She glanced at her hand gripping the umbrella handle, then at the ground, her gaze wandering back and forth.
Cheng Xun nudged Liang Shizhe's umbrella with her own, distracting Liang Shizhe, who then stopped looking at Song Qiuxuan.
Cheng Xun said in a somewhat irritated tone, "Can you please watch where you're going? Stop staring at me."
Liang Shizhe snapped, looking like he'd exploded, "Who's looking at you, you narcissist?" Liang Shizhe's gaze was indeed directed towards Cheng Xun, but he wasn't looking at him. He took a big bite of his steamed bun as if to vent his frustration.
...
Upon reaching the classroom, Song Qiuxuan returned to her seat, put down her schoolbag, and took a small English vocabulary book and some dumplings she had bought. She went outside to eat and read them in the corridor. As she passed the desk behind her, she glanced at Cheng Xun and found that he was already sleeping with his face turned to the side, his head resting on the desk. The classroom's fluorescent lights shone on his high nose bridge, and his profile no longer showed any aloofness; it finally appeared gentle and quiet.
At that moment, Song Qiuxuan had no idea that she would remember him repeatedly for the rest of her life, the way he slept quietly in the classroom.
Song Qiuxuan leaned on the corridor railing with both hands, took a bite of a corn and pork dumpling, opened her small vocabulary book, and began to silently recite English words.
The pattering rain mingled with the chatter of her classmates eating breakfast outside in the corridor. Song Qiuxuan, who seemed serious, would occasionally lose focus and listen to their gossip and anecdotes.
High school life was actually a bit boring for her. She studied and ate in a routine every day, with little social interaction. Her only good friend was Sun Shan, and she wasn't very close to the female classmates, only exchanging a few words with them.
But in this monotonous high school life, a different person appeared, adding a touch of fun to her life, like a bright spot.
Song Qiuxuan thought that Cheng Xun, who didn't like studying, wouldn't take her advice from the night before, telling him to ask her questions if he encountered any problems. But after that day, Cheng Xun started asking her questions on his own initiative.
He didn't ask her many questions, and he wouldn't approach her during class or study sessions. He usually asked her during her free time after class, and the questions weren't particularly difficult. Song Qiuxuan could teach them without much effort, and in the process, she could review and deepen her understanding of the knowledge points.
During Wednesday's long break between classes, Song Qiuxuan took her water bottle, filled it at the water room, and returned to the classroom. At this time, the classroom corridor was particularly noisy and bustling, as many students went to the school's small supermarket to buy snacks and drinks because of the long break between classes.
Song Qiuxuan put the water glass into the table. The glass slid in with difficulty, making a rustling sound. She bent down and looked down, and found two bags of potato chips stuffed inside.
Song Qiuxuan looked puzzled, pulled out the packets and glanced at them. One packet was tomato flavored, and the other was cucumber flavored. Who put them in there?
Cheng Xun had been observing Song Qiuxuan ever since she entered the classroom. Seeing her confused expression, and after about a minute when she still couldn't figure out who gave it to her, he tapped the desk with his finger to remind her to pay attention to him.
Song Qiuxuan turned around and saw a bottle of peach oolong tea steaming with cool mist on Cheng Xun's desk, indicating that he had just been to the small supermarket. She immediately connected the two.
Song Qiuxuan shifted her gaze upwards to Cheng Xun's clear and bright eyes, pointed to the two bags of potato chips, and said in an incredulous tone, "You bought these? Are you sure you didn't put them in the wrong place?"
Cheng Xun smirked, as if amused: "Am I that stupid that I don't even know where my seat is?"
Song Qiuxuan paused for two seconds, vaguely remembering that Cheng Xun had said he would get back the ice cream she bought for his sister. Suddenly, she nodded, with an "I understand" expression, and asked, "Is it the ice cream I bought for your sister last time?"
Cheng Xun unscrewed the cap on her drink, took a sip, and immediately denied it by frowning slightly: "No."
He was a little confused by her thought process, and patiently said, "I'll invite my sister back in a couple of days."
Song Qiuxuan tilted her head in confusion: "So this is something you simply wanted to invite me to, why?"
Cheng Xun pushed his shoes back and the chair legs tilted back. He leaned back casually, swallowed uncomfortably, and said in a seemingly frank and reasonable manner, "I've been asking you for help with questions these past few days. Not only have I troubled you, but I've also taken up your break time. There's no such thing as a free lunch, so this is a small way of repaying you."
"Actually, it's not necessary. You haven't asked many times. Besides, I can review the knowledge while teaching you, so it's not really a hassle." This was the first time Song Qiuxuan had encountered this situation. In the past, when she explained problems to others, she never received anything in return, nor did she feel the need to repay anything.
"Don't make it sound like you have no burden at all, or I might want to bother you to explain problems to me for the next three years."
Cheng Xun's dark pupils were tinged with an ambiguous emotion as he stared straight at Song Qiuxuan.
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