《Rebirth: My Girlfriend is a Paranoiac》


 Chapter 1 – Goodbye, never see you again

    "I''m sorry, Xie Shu, I don''t like you."


    "Let''s just be ordinary friends."


    "Also, I don''t like violets."


    Xie Shu opened his eyes and heard these words.


    The familiar words gradually gathered his scattered thoughts, and after seeing the person in front of him and the surrounding environment clearly, he was shocked.


    How come now...


    In his confusion, some key memories flashed through his mind instantly.


    University, puppy love, social events, confession...


    No wonder this scene was so familiar, no wonder those words were so familiar, it turned out that he had experienced this in his previous life.


    Understanding that he had been reborn, Xie Shu quickly organized his thoughts and looked at the woman who had just spoken to him again.


    She was wearing a gorgeous princess dress, standing in the crowd looking noble and dazzling, like a real princess.


    At this moment, she raised her chin slightly, her beautiful eyes meeting his, revealing a hint of imperceptible displeasure in her clear gaze.


    Even though in his previous life, he had completely let go of his love for her at the end of his life, seeing the familiar face again still caused him heartache.


    Su Qianyi, his first love, and his youth, the goddess he had pursued for ten years in his previous life.


    Ten years, from school to society.


    Delivering breakfast rain or shine, sending morning and evening greetings without fail, unwavering determination...


    But what was the result?


    Her answer to him was always "no."


    Her repeated rejections, his repeated waiting, he was really tired.


    Too tired, mentally and physically exhausted, he didn''t want to persist anymore.


    "Xie Shu, everyone is watching. This is a social event for several schools. I came here to relax. If you didn''t come to participate in the event, you should leave. It''s really annoying to keep bothering me like this."


    Su Qianyi''s pleasant voice rang out again, and everyone around could hear it clearly.


    The previously quiet social event venue started buzzing with whispers after Su Qianyi''s words. Their voices were very low, and Xie Shu couldn''t hear them clearly, but he could feel that those people were making fun of him.


    Xie Shu''s thoughts paused for a moment, then, under the gaze of everyone, he nodded faintly. "Okay."


    Then he added, "Goodbye."


    Goodbye.


    Never to be seen again.


    Xie Shu turned and left, without a trace of nostalgia.


    He really left.


    He didn''t feel sad, and he didn''t think he was very sad. Instead, he felt relieved.


    It turned out that letting go was so simple, so why did his previous self persist in her?


    Clearly, there were better girls in the past, but he was blind to them.


    Thinking of the person who shed tears for him before he closed his eyes in his previous life, Xie Shu''s heart was filled with various complex emotions.


    In his previous life, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the treatment was already too late. He didn''t tell anyone at the time, just silently waited for the countdown of his life.


    During that time, he once again confessed his love to Su Qianyi, he didn''t know why he did that, maybe he wanted to make his ending less regretful, wanted to hear her say "okay" before he died.


    But the result was the same as before, he was rejected again.


    Ten years of youth, in the end, he didn''t wait for any results, but it seemed like there was a result.


    After that, he didn''t contact anyone and lived alone in the hospital, continuing to wait for the countdown to end.


    But what he didn''t expect was that at the end of his life, someone unexpected came to see him. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She saw him on the hospital bed and burst into tears.


    At that time, he had no strength and could only helplessly watch her cry and talk by his bedside.


    "Xie Shu! Are you leaving just because I didn''t actively inquire about your situation?"


    "Will you die if you contact me?"


    "Or is it that you never thought of me at all?"


    "Please hold on a little longer. I''ve contacted doctors from abroad, and they will come soon. Please hold on a little longer, okay? Don''t leave me again..."


    "What will I do if you leave?"


    "Just hold on for one more night, just one night, the doctors will arrive tomorrow morning."


    "Xie Shu, don''t sleep!"


    "Xie Shu, can you look at me?"


    At that time, his consciousness was already very fuzzy, but he still heard her last words.


    At the moment he fell asleep completely, he thought, if life could start over, that would be great, he would definitely choose the right person.


    Then, when he opened his eyes again, his wish had actually come true!


    He was reborn, his life could really start over!


    This time, he wouldn''t make the wrong choice again!


    Thinking of this, Xie Shu''s originally low spirits gradually improved. He left the social event venue, threw the violets in his hand, along with his last bit of affection for Su Qianyi, into the trash can, and walked towards the school.


    It was evening, and he couldn''t go anywhere else, so he decided to go back to the dormitory and play games with his roommates.


    When he returned to the dormitory, his three roommates were all playing games, and they all looked at him in confusion.


    "Xie Shu, didn''t you go to the social event to confess to Su Qianyi? Why are you back?" one of them asked in confusion.


    The other two roommates also looked at him curiously.


    Xie Shu didn''t hide anything and sat down at his place, taking out his phone and responding, "I got rejected, can''t you guess the result?"


    Yes, he had confessed so many times, did Su Qianyi ever agree once?


    In fact, when Xie Shu said he was going to the social event to confess to Su Qianyi, his roommates already knew the result in their hearts.But no one threw cold water on him; everyone gave him a word of encouragement and then let him be.


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    Being rejected by Su Qianyi was a common occurrence for Xie Shu, and his roommates had gradually gotten used to it.


    But...


    The roommates, watching Xie Shu deftly unlock his phone and launch a game, felt that something was off about him.


    Although they were accustomed to his rejections by Su Qianyi, according to what they knew about Xie Shu, he would usually be in low spirits for several days after being turned down.


    So why did he seem so happy today?


    Could it be that he was so shocked by the rejection that he went silly?


    "When will you guys finish? Pull me in later."


    After entering the game, Xie Shu saw that his roommates were all playing, so he set his phone aside to wait for their round to end.


    "Oh, sure."


    Although the roommates didn''t know what was going on, they felt that Xie Shu seemed to be fine for now.


    They didn''t dare to ask about the details of the party, worried about bringing up his heartache, so they sped up their gameplay. After finishing, the four of them started a squad match.


    Once immersed in the game, Xie Shu lost track of time.


    At the moment, Xie Shu and his teammates were team fighting in the mid lane. The two teams were evenly matched, and he habitually thought to open the shop to quickly change his equipment. However, just before he could click into the shop, a phone call came through, and his finger accidentally hit the answer button.


    The moment the call connected, a crisp and pleasant female voice rang out: "Xie Shu, are you free right now?"


    The caller was Su Qianyi. As soon as she spoke, Xie Shu''s roommates got distracted, and they couldn''t help but glance over at him.


    Xie Shu was also momentarily distracted by the unexpected call. In just a brief second or two, he saw that all five of them on his team had been wiped out by the opponent.


    He took a deep breath, his voice still relatively calm, and asked the other party, "Do you have Tiktok on your phone?"


    The other party was confused: "Ah? Yes, what about it?"


    "Open tiktok, and then search for ''Deng Chao job hunting'' in the search bar, and you''ll know."


    After saying that, Xie Shu hung up the phone and quietly waited for his character to respawn before continuing the game.

 Chapter 2 – I will not like her anymore

    On the other hand, Su Qianyi was dumbfounded by the busy tone on her phone.


    Xie Shu hung up on her?


    How...how could he hang up on her!!


    She didn''t even say why she was calling him!


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    You should know that every time they talked on the phone before, he always let her hang up first!


    "Qianyi, what''s wrong? When is Xie Shu coming?" Su Qianyi''s good friend An Tian came in from outside the gathering and saw her staring at her phone in a daze, but she didn''t pay much attention and continued, "Can you ask Xie Shu to bring an extra umbrella? I can''t reach anyone at the moment, and all my friends are in class."


    Yes, Su Qianyi called Xie Shu to ask him to bring an umbrella.


    After the gathering, they went out and found that it was raining.


    The gathering was in the university town, very close to the surrounding schools, just a few minutes'' walk from the schools, so as soon as it started raining, everyone contacted their friends for help with umbrellas.


    The first person Su Qianyi thought of was Xie Shu.


    In her mind, as long as she called him, he would definitely come right away.


    Just like before, even if she posted a late-night update saying she was hungry, Xie Shu would have takeout delivered to her dormitory building in the middle of the night.


    So, she called Xie Shu right away.


    But...


    "He didn''t even listen to me and just hung up on me," Su Qianyi said somewhat dazedly to An Tian.


    Perhaps because something like this had never happened before, Su Qianyi felt a little aggrieved in that moment.


    How could Xie Shu do this!


    An Tian was stunned by her words and also felt a little shocked, but she quickly reacted and comforted her, "Don''t overthink it, Xie Shu might be on his way, and he can see that it''s raining, he doesn''t need you to tell him what to do. It''s raining, it''s nighttime, he has to hold an umbrella, watch the road, and pay attention to the traffic, answering the phone would definitely distract him, which is quite dangerous, he probably didn''t do it on purpose."


    With An Tian''s words, Su Qianyi was instantly comforted.


    She felt that it should be like this.


    Her worries dissipated, and Su Qianyi''s mood improved, "Well, let''s wait and see." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, the two of them waited.


    Ten minutes later.


    "Why hasn''t he come yet?" Su Qianyi looked at the gathering, which was already missing a large number of people, and she couldn''t wait any longer.


    An Tian continued to comfort her, "Maybe when you called just now, he had just left the dorm, it takes a few minutes to walk from the dorm to the school gate, and it''s normal to be slower on a rainy day, should we wait a little longer?"


    "Okay."


    Another ten minutes passed.


    Su Qianyi, looking at the scattered few people in the gathering, was completely anxious.


    The school gate would close in another ten minutes, and they had to go back before the school gate closed.


    So she called Xie Shu again to ask where he was, but this time, she called several times, and Xie Shu didn''t answer.


    Now even An Tian was not calm, she frowned and said, "Xie Shu... is he delayed by something?"


    But after saying this, even An Tian herself didn''t believe it.


    Who doesn''t know that Xie Shu always puts Su Qianyi first in his heart?


    Xie Shu insists on bringing her breakfast every day, no matter if it''s windy or rainy, and he takes every word she says to heart and takes it seriously, even in class, if Su Qianyi doesn''t feel well, he can ask for leave on the spot to go to the supermarket to buy her personal items.


    But this time...


    The school is not far from here, twenty minutes is completely enough, right? Why hasn''t Xie Shu come yet?


    "By the way, when I came in just now, I saw you talking to Xie Shu on the phone, did he say anything to you at that time?" An Tian asked.


    An Tian''s reminder made Su Qianyi remember that Xie Shu said a strange thing to her before hanging up.


    She didn''t understand what it meant at the time, so she didn''t think much of it.


    "He asked me to search for a video of a star looking for a job on Douyin."


    "What does that mean?"


    "I don''t know."


    Neither of them understood, so they took out their phones and searched for it.


    After searching, the video played automatically, and then they heard the angry voice of the person in the video:


    ***


    Xie Shu''s interest in the game was interrupted by Su Qianyi''s phone call.


    After the game ended, he logged out and went to take a shower, and when he came out, he reluctantly opened his computer to watch a movie.


    "Xie Shu, is it really okay for you to answer Su Qianyi''s call like that?" His friend sitting next to Xie Shu asked with some concern.


    You know, that was Su Qianyi calling him first.


    If it were at other times, no matter what he was doing, he would definitely put down what he was doing and ask Su Qianyi what was wrong.


    But just now, not only did he not listen to Su Qianyi''s call, he also asked her to search for that video on Douyin.


    When they searched for it while he was in the shower, they were scolded as soon as they entered.


    They could already imagine that if Su Qianyi also searched for this video, Xie Shu would definitely make her angry.


    It was already difficult enough for him to pursue Su Qianyi, and if he made her angry, it would be even more difficult!


    However, Xie Shu was indifferent and replied, "What''s the problem with that? I was being very polite, okay? I didn''t ask her to search for ''Feng Xiaogang press conference''."


    Xie Shu''s response stunned his roommates, and someone quickly went to Douyin to search for it, and as soon as they entered, they heard another sentence: "I want to slap you, do you believe it!"


    Roommate: "..."


    "Xie Shu, aren''t you afraid that Su Qianyi will be angry with you for doing this?" someone couldn''t help but ask."She''s angry? We were just about to win, you know! Her call came in and caused our team to be wiped out. I''m not even angry, so what does she have to be angry about?" Xie Shu retorted indignantly.


    Roommate: "......"


    Is that really his point?


    Besides, when he used to play games with Su Qianyi, even if she was dragging the team down every time, he would never say anything. Why is he reacting so strongly today?


    "No, Xie Shu, what we mean is, don''t you like Su Qianyi? She''s already hard to pursue, and now you let her find that kind of video to indirectly insult her. It''s going to be even harder to chase her now."


    Xie Shu paused for a few seconds upon hearing this, and just when his roommate thought he was regretting his actions, Xie Shu slowly said, "From now on, I will no longer like Su Qianyi. Whatever happens to her in the future has nothing to do with me. From this moment on, I''ll take my own path, and she can cross her own bridge."


    His words stunned everyone, and all showed expressions of disbelief.


    They all knew how much Xie Shu liked Su Qianyi.


    Every day, he was the first to get up just to queue in the cafeteria to buy breakfast for Su Qianyi. To give her the most thoughtful gift on her birthday, he would watch videos every night to learn how to knit various small presents. If there was something Su Qianyi liked, no matter how expensive it was, he would save up his pocket money for months if necessary, just to buy it for her.


    Everyone saw his affection for Su Qianyi. Throughout the college years, even though Su Qianyi had rejected him countless times, he still steadfastly stayed by her side. Now, he suddenly says he doesn''t like her anymore.


    Who would believe that?

 Chapter 3 – He too was once an unforgettable presence in someones heart

    Xie Shu didn''t explain much to his roommates in the end. He casually found a movie to watch and prepared to go to bed after finishing it.


    In his previous life, a large part of the reason he got sick was due to his irregular schedule. This life, he cherished his body and went to bed early.


    As for his roommates, he just casually told them to rest early and didn''t say much else. After all, he knew they wouldn''t listen.


    Who doesn''t know that staying up late is bad for the body?


    But there are still many people who stay up late, right?


    It''s just that some bad things haven''t happened to oneself, so it doesn''t matter.


    Before going to bed, he habitually glanced at his phone and found that Su Qianyi had called him several times over an hour ago. Because he was playing games at the time, he deliberately turned on the Do Not Disturb mode, so there was no sound reminder for incoming calls. He didn''t notice the calls because he was watching a movie at the time.


    For the first time, Su Qianyi took the initiative to call him so many times. He no longer felt the excitement and joy he used to feel. Now, he was as calm as water, not even a hint of emotion on his face.


    After looking at the call records expressionlessly, he clicked on the WeChat icon with a red number 10+.


    Upon clicking in, he found that all the messages were from Su Qianyi.


    His expression remained unchanged. He didn''t click into the chat box and just glanced at the content of her last message: "Why haven''t you arrived yet?"


    Looking at the time the message was sent, it was a few minutes after she called him, and it had been over an hour since then.


    Because Xie Shu didn''t click into the chat, Su Qianyi''s profile still showed the red 10+ symbol, which was a bit glaring, but Xie Shu still didn''t click in.


    He didn''t want to know what Su Qianyi had sent him before.


    After checking WeChat and QQ, and confirming that no one was looking for him, Xie Shu put down his phone, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.


    On the other side.


    In the girls'' dormitory.


    Su Qianyi, who had been soaked in the rain on her way back to school before it closed, had already taken a shower at this point. She blow-dried her hair and packed the princess dress she had changed out of in a plastic bag, ready to take it to the dry cleaner''s tomorrow.


    At this point, she had changed from her bedraggled appearance when she first returned to her usual goddess image.


    She sat in her seat, pursing her red lips tightly, with a somewhat cold expression, staring at her phone intently.


    What did Xie Shu mean?


    Why didn''t he reply to her messages?


    Why didn''t he answer her calls?


    Why didn''t he come to give her an umbrella?


    He made her run back in such a sorry state, and she almost got locked out by the security guard!


    Also, why did he let her search for that inexplicable video?


    As she thought about it, she felt wronged.


    In the past, whenever she messaged Xie Shu, he would reply instantly.


    Why didn''t he reply to her today?


    In the past, he would send her many messages, and she would occasionally reply to him, and he would happily send her many more messages. But today, she had sent him over a dozen messages, and so much time had passed, why hadn''t he replied to her messages!


    Her phone screen had been stuck in Xie Shu''s chat box, but she still hadn''t received his message.


    After a long time, she exited the page, edited a dynamic post in her friend circle: "I didn''t expect it to rain when I came back from the fellowship event, I didn''t bring an umbrella, so I came back in the rain, I hope I won''t catch a cold."


    As soon as the dynamic was posted, people liked and commented on it.


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    But not Xie Shu.


    Su Qianyi waited for nearly ten minutes, and her dynamic had been liked and commented on by many friends, but not by Xie Shu.


    Was he busy with something?


    Why hadn''t he shown up yet?


    "Qianyi, what''s wrong? Why are your eyes red?"


    An Tian, who had finished blow-drying her hair after packing her dress in her pocket, sat down and immediately asked Su Qianyi with concern when she saw that her eyes were a little red.


    Su Qianyi controlled her slightly sore eyes as soon as she heard the voice.


    She shook her head and explained, "My eyes hurt, so I rubbed them."


    With that, she put down her phone, pretended to be fine, tidied up the table as if nothing had happened, then picked up her phone and got into bed, hiding behind the bed curtain to continue staring at Xie Shu''s chat page.


    ***


    The next morning.


    When Xie Shu woke up, his roommates were still asleep.


    He glanced at his class schedule and saw that there was a class this morning.


    But it was only a little past six o''clock, and their first class in the morning was at eight o''clock.


    It was still early.


    He was worried that if he made too much noise while getting ready, he would wake up his roommates, so he didn''t rush to get up and just picked up his phone to pass the time.


    When he unlocked his phone, everything was the same as it was before he went to bed yesterday, with no new messages.


    Oh, the ones he didn''t read yesterday didn''t count.


    After a night, Xie Shu still didn''t have the intention of clicking into Su Qianyi''s chat box to read her messages. Bored, he took a look at his friend circle and saw the dynamic Su Qianyi posted yesterday.


    After reading her dynamic, he realized that it had rained last night.


    Yesterday, he was so focused on the game at first, then took a shower and watched a movie, and finally went to bed. He didn''t pay attention to the situation outside, and he didn''t hear the rain, so he didn''t know.


    So, it seemed that when Su Qianyi called him yesterday, she wanted him to bring her an umbrella?


    Thinking back carefully, what did he do yesterday in his previous life?


    It seemed... when Su Qianyi asked him to leave, he chose to stay.After the mixer had ended, Xie Shu called a taxi for Su Qianyi just to prevent her beloved princess dress from getting wet in the rain, even though it was only a two or three-minute walk...


    The distance was short, yet the fare still included a base charge.


    At the time, he didn''t think much of it, but now he feels foolish in retrospect.


    Couldn''t he have spent those few bucks on some street food instead?


    But that was all in a past life; in this life, he hadn''t wasted his money in vain.


    In this life, he wasn''t by her side, so instead of accompanying her, he was supposed to send her an umbrella, right?


    How come she finds him annoying when there''s nothing wrong, but the moment there''s trouble, he''s the first one she thinks of?


    Su Qianyi, oh Su Qianyi, how can you take for granted the kindness others show you?


    In this world, apart from one''s parents, who would love you unconditionally forever? S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this thought, Xie Shu''s mind suddenly paused.


    He remembered the person from his past life who, just before he closed his eyes for the last time, was crying inconsolably for him.


    His expression suddenly turned somber; it seemed like they hadn''t been in contact for several years in his previous life. He had thought she had long forgotten about him, but to his surprise, she still remembered him. Moreover, she had managed to find him without anyone informing her of his whereabouts.


    And then there were those last words she said to him...

 Chapter 4 – Even her preferences can be forgotten?

    Xie Shu didn''t get up to wash until all his roommates woke up.


    After washing up, he started packing the things he needed for class according to the teacher''s notice in the group. After packing up, he sat and waited for those slow roommates.


    "Xie Shu, aren''t you... aren''t you going to the cafeteria first today?" Zhao Lin, who had just finished washing up and came in from the balcony, looked at Xie Shu as if he was waiting for them, feeling somewhat incredulous.


    In the past, Xie Shu had always been the earliest to leave among them, just to go to the cafeteria and line up to buy breakfast for Su Qianyi.


    Xie Shu looked at Zhao Lin and explained concisely, "I''ll go with you guys."


    After that, he added, "From now on, I''ll be with you guys."


    As soon as he said that, the others remembered that Xie Shu had said last night that he would no longer like Su Qianyi.


    They all thought that he had said those things and acted that way because he was in a bad mood after being rejected last night, and they didn''t take it to heart. They all thought that Xie Shu would recover after just one night, but Xie Shu''s behavior now really surprised them.


    "Bro, are you serious?" Li Da heard what Xie Shu had just said outside and walked in, looking at Xie Shu in shock.


    "Could it be that you can only hold out for a day and a night before reverting back?" Liu Ping was also somewhat shocked.


    Xie Shu was speechless, "Do you guys really not believe me? What I said is true. I really won''t like Su Qianyi anymore. Since I don''t like her anymore, there''s no need to buy her breakfast, and whatever she does in the future has nothing to do with me."


    "Alright! Good brother, if that''s really what you want, the brothers will definitely support you!" Zhao Lin came forward and slapped Xie Shu''s shoulder heartily.


    "Yeah, usually we see you as quite humble, we can''t persuade you, we can only comfort you every day." Li Da added.


    "To be honest, it''s been three years in college. From freshman year to now, senior year, you''ve been pursuing Su Qianyi for three years. Your dedication to her over these three years has moved me, a guy. Even the coldest heart should have been warmed by it, but she still doesn''t agree to your pursuit. Sigh, brother, just let it go. There are plenty of other good girls waiting for you. Let''s go, let''s go, let''s go out!" Liu Ping said, picking up the tools in his pocket and leaving first.


    Xie Shu and the others followed one after another and went to the cafeteria together.


    On the way, Xie Shu''s mood was actually quite complicated.


    Three years...


    He pursued Su Qianyi for three years...


    In their eyes, he pursued her for three years, but in reality, he pursued her for six years.


    He and Su Qianyi were in the same high school. He started liking her from the first year of high school, and he had been pursuing her since then.


    He had never told anyone about this, and Su Qianyi had never told anyone about their high school days, so in the eyes of his college friends, he had only pursued Su Qianyi for three years.


    In the beginning, he worked hard to study and entered the same university as her, applied for the same major, and ended up in the same class as her. Now, three years of college life had passed.


    What did he get in return for his hard pursuit?


    In his previous life, he pursued her for ten years and still got no results.


    Three years in high school, four years in college, three years in society... no results.


    He was tired.


    In this life, his pursuit of her ended in his third year of college.


    From now on, he really wouldn''t like her anymore.


    Because he had decided to like someone else who would like him back.


    Later, because they were in a hurry and the teaching area was far from the living area, Xie Shu and the others didn''t have time to eat in the cafeteria, so they bought breakfast and went straight to the teaching area.


    When they entered the classroom, Xie Shu saw that Su Qianyi was already sitting in her usual seat, with An Tian sitting next to her.


    There was still an empty seat next to Su Qianyi, and everyone in the class knew that it belonged to Xie Shu, so under normal circumstances, no one would sit in that seat.


    Su Qianyi saw Xie Shu come in, and her face, which had just been laughing and joking with An Tian, instantly turned cold.


    She had sent him so many messages yesterday, and he didn''t reply to a single one!


    She had waited for so long, and even fell asleep waiting. When she woke up in the morning and saw that he still hadn''t replied to her messages! He didn''t even like or reply to her posts!


    He clearly didn''t care that she got caught in the rain last night!


    He had to give her a reasonable explanation!


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t talk to him today!


    Su Qianyi was angry, and then she saw that Xie Shu was holding a cup of soy milk in his hand, and she couldn''t help but frown.


    Why did he buy this for her today?


    She didn''t like soy milk, did he not know that?


    What''s wrong with him?


    After so many years, can he still not get her preferences right?


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    As Xie Shu got closer, she was about to speak, but before she could say the first word, she saw Xie Shu walk past her and go to the back of the classroom.


    This scene left Su Qianyi dumbfounded.


    Not only her, but everyone in the class also looked at Xie Shu in astonishment.


    Wasn''t he supposed to sit next to Su Qianyi? How did he end up at the back of the classroom?Everyone in the class looked curiously at Xie Shu, but he calmly sat down with his roommates. They placed their class materials on the table and then started to eat breakfast before the teacher arrived.


    Xie Shu took a sip of soy milk as if no one else was around, then picked up a meat bun and took a bite, savoring it with relish.


    Meanwhile, Su Qianyi, who was sitting in the front rows of the classroom, was as stiff as if she had been struck by lightning.


    Even without moving, she could feel the scrutinizing gazes of her classmates coming from all directions.


    Embarrassment, grievance, confusion, and discomfort¡ªcountless emotions suddenly surged in her heart.


    At that moment, she was like mute, unable to utter a word. She even felt the air around her becoming thin, making her breathing difficult, almost suffocating...


    "Qianyi."


    An Tian, sitting beside her, called out softly.


    Su Qianyi instantly snapped back to reality. She composed her somewhat chaotic breath and turned to An Tian with her usual gentle tone, "What''s wrong?"


    "Um, are you... okay?"


    An Tian turned around, shifting her gaze from Xie Shu to Su Qianyi. She had a lot to say, but upon seeing Su Qianyi looking somewhat off, her words turned into a cautious probe.


    Yesterday, Xie Shu didn''t answer Su Qianyi''s call, and according to her, he hadn''t replied to her messages either. An Tian thought that Xie Shu would probably have a lot of nice things to say and apologize to Su Qianyi today in class, but unexpectedly, he completely ignored her.


    This made her feel somewhat unreal.


    "What could possibly be wrong with me?" Su Qianyi''s expression was calm, seemingly unaffected by Xie Shu''s recent behavior.


    "Xie Shu... he didn''t sit with you today..."


    "That''s great, it seems he took my words to heart yesterday. After all, him following me around every time is really annoying, so him not doing so is exactly what I want."


    Su Qianyi ignored the twinges of pain in her heart, speaking as if she didn''t care at all.


    Her expression was serene, her tone light, and none of the onlookers who were sizing her up could detect anything amiss.

 Chapter 5 – What does it have to do with me?

    The class bell rang soon, and the teacher entered the classroom on time.


    The teacher first took out the roster and called the names, and after confirming that everyone was present, he said, "Did everyone bring the things we need for today''s class?"


    "We did," everyone answered together.


    "Good, today our task is to draw a landscape sketch of the school. You can work in groups or individually, it''s up to you. I will take you out later, but be careful not to run around. Even though we''re not in the classroom, it''s still class time, understand?"


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    "Good, when we go downstairs later, keep your voices down and don''t disturb students in other classrooms."


    After that, the teacher walked out of the classroom, and the students in the front row got up one after another to follow.


    Xie Shu sat in the last row and was the last to leave.


    When they came out, he didn''t forget to close the classroom door.


    Usually, they wouldn''t return to the classroom for this kind of class.


    Their teacher often took them out of the classroom for class when there was time, combining textbooks with practical experience.


    Soon, they arrived at the bottom of the teaching building. The teacher reiterated the requirements verbally and then let everyone start working separately. Then everyone took out their sketch pads and began to look for their target for this session.


    Xie Shu naturally followed his roommates to find their target.


    In the end, they chose a pergola as their target.


    After choosing the target, everyone started to work on their respective tasks.


    They placed their sketch pads on the flower bed, and someone took out a tape measure from inside, while someone else took out paper and a pen.


    Xie Shu took the tape measure and flexed his arm a little. "Let''s get to work!"


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    Then Xie Shu and two other roommates with tape measures began to measure the pergola.


    Zhao Lin took out a sketch pad from his pocket and skillfully clipped the paper onto it. Holding a pencil, he walked to a slightly farther place.


    While Xie Shu and the others were measuring the pergola, he had already drawn a rough sketch of the pergola. Once the basic structure of the pergola was in place, he walked over to Xie Shu and the others.


    As he approached, they began to report the measurements.


    "7 meters long."


    "5 meters wide."


    "Height... let''s round it to 3 meters."


    As they spoke, Zhao Lin marked the data on the sketch.


    In addition to the basic data of length, width, and height, there were many other data points, such as the length, width, and height of each column, the distance between them, and the benches inside...


    Xie Shu''s major was environmental design, and they had recently been studying landscape sketches. In addition to teaching them the basic knowledge, the teacher also took them out to draw on their own.


    Of course, their sketches were not random. They had to measure the original data of the landscape sketch first, and then draw it on paper according to the proportions.


    Because they had come out to draw several times before, their cooperation was quite tacit.


    Soon, the measurements were completed, and Zhao Lin took a photo of the sketch and sent it to their dormitory group chat. Then the remaining people also took out their sketch pads and prepared to start drawing in earnest.


    Xie Shu made a few strokes but accidentally made a mistake. He couldn''t find an eraser in his pocket, so he asked his roommates, but they didn''t have one either.


    In the past, they would team up with Su Qianyi and her sisters for this class. At that time, the boys were responsible for measuring the data, which was a very important task, so if they forgot something, the girls would generously lend it to them.


    This time... there was no one to ask.


    Xie Shu fell silent for a few seconds, looked around, and saw some classmates not far away. He was about to go over and ask them for an eraser.


    In fact, the two teams were not far apart, but there was a large lawn in between, so Xie Shu had to take a detour.


    On the other side of the lawn was a small path, and Xie Shu went over there, preparing to take the path to get there.


    However, halfway through, he regretted it.


    Because he saw Su Qianyi.


    At this moment, Su Qianyi was measuring a sculpture with a tape measure in front of it with her sisters. Because there were many plants around and due to the angle, they didn''t see him.


    The school''s landscaping was very well done, and Xie Shu only saw Su Qianyi and her sisters after he got closer and saw that they had been blocked by the plants.


    There were no plants blocking the area directly in front of the sculpture, so if he walked over like this, they would definitely see him.


    ...Wait, why was he afraid to walk this path?


    He hadn''t done anything wrong.


    Xie Shu was about to walk over, but then he heard the people over there start talking about him, and unconsciously, he retracted his foot.


    "Qianyi, I was just wondering, why isn''t Xie Shu in your group this time?" a girl asked her.


    "Yeah, this morning I thought it was strange that you two didn''t sit together. What''s going on? Did you guys have a fight? No, how could Xie Shu possibly fight with you? He likes you so much," another girl chimed in.


    "Sigh, Xie Shu is acting really strange. What''s going on?"


    "I was with Qianyi at the mixer yesterday, and it rained later. Qianyi called Xie Shu to ask him to bring an umbrella, guess what, Xie Shu didn''t come. Qianyi and I had to come back in the rain, and our clothes got all wet."


    "Huh? No way, Xie Shu must have been busy with something, right? In that situation, he wouldn''t not come."


    "I thought he must have been delayed by something at the time, but that was in the classroom..." An Tian paused for a moment and then continued, "You all saw it too, Xie Shu didn''t sit with Qianyi. He would never have done that before."


    "I saw it, and I was a little shocked, but I didn''t think much of it at the time. I thought he was sitting with his roommates because they had something to do."


    "More than that, he didn''t buy breakfast for Qianyi this morning. Qianyi is hungry now, but luckily I was in a hurry and didn''t go to the cafeteria. Qianyi, let''s go to the cafeteria later and get something to eat."


    "I''m not hungry," Su Qianyi''s voice was calm as ever. "Don''t worry, let''s eat something in the morning, whether you''re hungry or not, your health is important.""I''m really not hungry, I don''t feel like eating. I''ll go with you later, you can eat by yourself."


    An Tian sighed and continued, "I really don''t know what''s going on with Xie Shu. Could it be because Su Qianyi rejected his confession yesterday, and now he''s being petulant?"


    "Did he confess to Su Qianyi again yesterday?" another girl inquired.


    "Yeah, but Su Qianyi didn''t agree. She asked him to leave, and then he left. It''s been like that since. I guess he''s just being sulky," An Tian shrugged helplessly.


    "Maybe, everyone knows how much Xie Shu likes Su Qianyi. He''ll probably come back in a few days. But Su Qianyi, Xie Shu is really a good guy, you know how much we envy you? Why won''t you agree to date Xie Shu? He''s tall and handsome, and he treats you so well, don''t you feel anything for him at all?" the girl suddenly asked Su Qianyi.


    Su Qianyi responded in her usual tone, "No, I''ve said it before, I don''t like him."


    "Actually, I think Xie Shu is quite pitiful. He''s so devoted, yet many people call him an arse-kisser."


    "It''s not like I asked him to do that. He does it voluntarily. What does it have to do with me if others call him an arse-kisser?"


    Xie Shu didn''t want to listen anymore.


    He turned around, planning to take the main road instead. Mainly because if he walked past them now and they saw him, it would be awkward.


    But he hadn''t gone far when suddenly he heard Su Qianyi cry out in alarm.

 Chapter 6 – The one who had been by his side the longest

    "You...you, what are you doing here!"


    "Stay away from me!"


    "Don''t come near me! Ah!"


    Xie Shu stopped in confusion, then heard the screams of other girls.


    "Qianyi, are you okay?"


    "Who are you? Why are you hitting someone?"


    "What''s wrong with you! Which class are you from? Are you crazy!"


    "Hey! Stop it! Let go!"


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    "Get her away quickly!"


    Xie Shu was confused for a few seconds, then immediately ran over.


    Although he knew it would be awkward to face Su Qianyi again, or to let them misunderstand something, he couldn''t just ignore a situation where someone was being hit, right?


    So, he quickly rushed over.


    After coming out from behind the vegetation, he saw clearly what was happening at the scene.


    Su Qianyi was being grabbed by the collar by a girl, and the girl''s other hand was clenched into a fist, ready to strike, but was being firmly held back by An Tian and the others.


    "Who are you! What gives you the right to hit someone?"


    "Let go of Qianyi!"


    "Qianyi, don''t be afraid, we''re here."


    An Tian and the other two girls continued to hold back the girl''s fist, and someone tried to pry open the hand that was grabbing Su Qianyi''s collar.


    Although they were outnumbered, it was clear that the girl was stronger than all of them, and it looked like the three of them wouldn''t be able to hold on much longer.


    Xie Shu strode over, grabbed the girl''s wrist with one hand, and forcibly separated her from Su Qianyi.


    "What are you..."


    After separating the two, Xie Shu intended to reprimand the girl, but when he saw her face clearly, the words died in his throat.


    Xie Shu stared blankly at the girl, still holding her wrist, his lips slightly parted, but unable to say a word.


    At first, the girl had wanted to shake off Xie Shu''s hand, but when she saw his face clearly, her expression changed from surprise to fear. She stepped back, wanting to leave.


    But Xie Shu didn''t let go.


    At the same time, Su Qianyi, who had been rescued, also regained her composure from her previous shock.


    She looked at Xie Shu and the girl in front of her, unable to control her anger: "Ruan Nianxi! Are you crazy!"


    Su Qianyi said this to the girl.


    "Qianyi, do you know each other?" An Tian was a little confused.


    Su Qianyi''s face turned pale, not answering An Tian''s question, but continued to look at Ruan Nianxi, angrily scolding her:


    When Su Qianyi called out her name, Ruan Nianxi stopped trying to break free from Xie Shu''s grip and looked at her.


    She had no expression, and showed no reaction to Su Qianyi''s angry face.


    She just looked at her, not saying a word. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Qianyi became even more furious at being looked at like that. She straightened out her disheveled clothes and continued: "Don''t think this is the end of it, I will tell the counselor about this!"


    Ruan Nianxi still looked at her expressionlessly, seemingly indifferent to what she said.


    But Xie Shu''s eyebrows twitched at her words.


    He tightened the hand holding Ruan Nianxi''s wrist slightly, then turned and pulled her towards the lawn.


    He didn''t look at Su Qianyi from start to finish, and didn''t care about how she was doing, just pulling Ruan Nianxi away like that.


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t want to follow him at first, but after being pulled a few steps by Xie Shu, she still went along with his pace and left the area.


    Xie Shu led the people out of the lawn, and only let go of Ruan Nianxi''s wrist when they found a place with fewer people.


    The two stood facing each other, and Xie Shu looked at her familiar face, with a momentary look of confusion.


    Ruan Nianxi, who had been in the same school and class as him since elementary school, was the one who had been by his side the longest, compared to Su Qianyi.


    In elementary school and junior high, she had always been with him, and their relationship had been quite good during that time.


    In fact, they were also in the same school in high school, but then...


    In her sophomore year of high school, for no reason, she had beaten up Su Qianyi, and it was in front of everyone. Many students and teachers had seen it.


    So at the time, the situation had become quite serious, even the principal had come out.


    He wasn''t by their side at the time, and didn''t know why Ruan Nianxi had beaten up Su Qianyi. After the incident, the teachers and the principal had taken turns asking Ruan Nianxi for the reason, but she didn''t say anything, so he didn''t know the specific reason.


    At that time, he had unconditionally sided with Su Qianyi, so...he had reprimanded Ruan Nianxi for that incident.


    Later, Ruan Nianxi''s parents had also come to the school, because it was indeed wrong for her to hit someone, and her parents had paid for Su Qianyi''s medical expenses. Even though Su Qianyi''s injuries were not serious, they still offered an apology fee.


    Su Qianyi''s family was not short of money, and she had been beaten for no reason, so of course she refused to reconcile.


    After that, as students, they didn''t know how the principal and Ruan Nianxi''s parents had handled it, but in the end...there was no resolution.Meanwhile, after that incident, Ruan Nianxi disappeared from school for a long time.


    Rumors had it that she had dropped out, while others said she took a leave of absence. He wasn''t sure.


    Although he knew Ruan Nianxi''s parents, he happened to be away for training during that time. He hadn''t returned to school for half a year and was out of touch with the specifics of what was happening there.


    He only knew that when he came back from training, he saw Ruan Nianxi at school, but they had little interaction.


    By then, half of the final year of high school had passed. He was preoccupied with his studies, focusing solely on learning. Even his interactions with Su Qianyi had diminished significantly, let alone with Ruan Nianxi.


    High school passed by in the blink of an eye.


    After the college entrance examination results were released, he and Su Qianyi deliberately chose the same university and the same major, and they continued their education at the same institution.


    As for Ruan Nianxi, as far as he could remember, she never sought him out or contacted him.


    Moreover, if it weren''t for his rebirth, he wouldn''t even know that Ruan Nianxi was at the same university as him.


    In his previous life, close to their senior year, for some unknown reason, Ruan Nianxi beat up Su Qianyi again, uh... although Su Qianyi wasn''t injured.


    It was then that he and Su Qianyi found out that Ruan Nianxi was at the same university as them.


    However, at that time, they were more concerned about the assault rather than whether they were at the same school.


    Back then, he had taken Su Qianyi''s side, and he had reprimanded her for the incident.


    In the end, it was Ruan Nianxi''s fault. Su Qianyi was attacked for no reason and was extremely angry. The matter was taken to the dean''s office, and the dean intervened.


    Just like in high school, the university dean couldn''t get a clear answer, and once again, Ruan Nianxi''s parents were called in.


    In the end... the issue remained unresolved.


    Ruan Nianxi disappeared from the school once more.


    Until they graduated from university and officially started working, he never saw Ruan Nianxi again.


    Until... just before he died.

 Chapter 7 – Still on

    It was because they hadn''t been in contact for a long time, so he was so surprised to see Ruan Nianxi appear before he died in his previous life.


    At that time, he really thought that Ruan Nianxi had forgotten about him a long time ago.


    It turns out that she had just been silently paying attention to him.


    After being reborn, although he knew that Ruan Nianxi was in the same school as him, he never thought of appearing in front of her directly.


    He felt that he still needed a chance.


    He had intended to adapt to campus life after being reborn before finding her, but he unexpectedly met her early.


    By the way, if he hadn''t gone out just now, Ruan Nianxi might have really hit someone again. Does that mean that she''s doing it earlier in this life?


    Is it because he changed something after being reborn?


    In his previous life at this time, he seemed to be teaming up with Su Qianyi to measure the landscape sketches for their assignment. Nothing happened at that time, and he didn''t see Ruan Nianxi appear.


    But what did he change?


    He just didn''t like Su Qianyi anymore, that''s all.


    Xie Shu''s thoughts only lasted for a moment, but in reality, it was only a second or two.


    He still looked at Ruan Nianxi, and he had countless things to say to her, but when it came to his mouth, it only turned into one sentence: "Ruan Nianxi, in the future, don''t be so impulsive."


    If he hadn''t appeared just now, if she had really hit someone, the outcome might have been the same as before.


    She probably would have been reported to her parents again.


    He didn''t want such things to happen again.


    Originally, Xie Shu thought that he would blame Ruan Nianxi again because of Su Qianyi, but Ruan Nianxi was stunned when she heard his words, somewhat incredulous.


    He... didn''t blame her?


    In high school, he didn''t even ask her why she hit someone and directly criticized her for Su Qianyi. She was really sad at that time.


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    She knew he really liked Su Qianyi, and she was especially afraid that he would criticize her in front of Su Qianyi again, so she just wanted to leave there, but it was different from what she imagined. He took her to a place with fewer people.


    She thought he wanted to save face for her in front of fewer people, but she didn''t expect... he didn''t help Su Qianyi to criticize her.


    The first time she hit Su Qianyi in high school, he was really harsh on her, and she thought he would never like her again.


    Now...


    Ruan Nianxi carefully observed Xie Shu for a while, and when she saw that he didn''t look angry, she finally relaxed completely.


    So, he doesn''t really dislike her, does he?


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    Ruan Nianxi was very nervous, thinking about what to say.


    After waiting for Ruan Nianxi''s response for a long time and not knowing what she was thinking, Xie Shu finally "shocked" her with a process-like tone: "By the way, why are you also at this school?"


    "I... have always been here."


    She specifically chose the same school as him at the time.


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t major in their field, otherwise, she would be in the same college as him now.


    "Then why didn''t I see you before? Even if the school is big and the majors are different, the cafeteria is in the same place, right? How come we didn''t meet once in three years?"


    Ruan Nianxi pursed her lips and didn''t answer.


    After entering college, although she didn''t deliberately look for Xie Shu, she saw him several times in the school cafeteria.


    However, nine out of ten times, he was with Su Qianyi.


    Every time, he only had eyes for Su Qianyi, so how could he see her?


    Perhaps Xie Shu also understood this principle.


    The two fell silent for a while, and he took the initiative to speak again: "It''s been a long time since we''ve been in contact. Am I still on your friends list?"


    "Yeah, you are."


    "Okay, I''ll contact you later. I''m still in class now. I''m afraid the teacher will check our group in a while, so I have to go back quickly."


    Xie Shu was telling the truth. Their teacher wouldn''t just leave them alone. He would start checking randomly after a while, and his progress was still at the beginning, so it would be obvious that he was "slacking off." He had to go back quickly to make up a few strokes.


    "Then I''ll go back first. Remember not to do what you did just now again. If things get out of hand, it''s not a joke."


    "Okay."


    So, Xie Shu left like this.


    He went to another group to borrow an eraser first, and then returned to their group.


    Ruan Nianxi was still standing in place, staring blankly as Xie Shu ran from one side of the lawn to the other, and finally disappeared from her sight.


    He just said... he would contact her later?


    ***


    After Xie Shu went back, he found that all three of his sons were waiting for the eraser he borrowed.


    They were not geniuses, and it was impossible for them to draw every line correctly. An eraser was essential for them.


    As the one who went to borrow the eraser, Xie Shu naturally had priority.


    After erasing the extra lines, Xie Shu started drawing on the paper with a ruler. Their teacher soon came to check their work.


    After looking at their drawing and giving them some pointers, the teacher went to find the next group.Xie Shu finished sketching the overall framework of the corridor and set down his pen. He then switched his phone screen and quickly located Ruan Nianxi''s name in his friends list.


    He tapped into Ruan Nianxi''s chat window, hesitated for a long time, and finally sent a few words: "Where are you now?"


    The reply came instantly: "Dorm."


    Xie Shu breathed a sigh of relief; it was good that he didn''t have to look for Su Qianyi.


    He began to type on the keyboard again, but after typing and deleting several sentences, he was at a loss.


    He didn''t know where to start the conversation.


    Should he ask about her high school days?


    Or why she hit Su Qianyi?


    Or talk about something else?


    "Xie Shu, what are you doing instead of your homework?"


    Zhao Lin lifted his head from his sketchpad and saw Xie Shu holding his phone, constantly tapping and then frowning in thought.


    Leaning over a bit closer to Xie Shu, Zhao Lin tried to see what he was up to.


    But Xie Shu subconsciously flipped his phone screen away, not letting him see.


    "Mind your own drawings, why are you looking at my phone?"


    "You''re not chatting with Su Qianyi again, are you?"


    Although Zhao Lin didn''t get a clear view of what Xie Shu was doing, he caught a glimpse of what seemed to be the WeChat chat interface when Xie Shu flipped his screen, which led him to make such a guess.


    Zhao Lin''s comment caused Li Da and Liu Ping to also lose focus on their painting.


    They put down their pens and started looking at him with disdain.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    "What do you mean? I said I wouldn''t look for her again, and I meant it! Even a good horse doesn''t go back to the same grass!"


    "Then who are you chatting with?"


    "With someone else, it doesn''t have to be Su Qianyi!"


    "Don''t believe it, show us."


    It was mainly Xie Shu''s evasive action that aroused suspicion.


    "Isn''t it clear? You still don''t believe me?"


    "We don''t, who was the one who got all down after being rejected by Su Qianyi, but then instantly cheered up when she sent him a message?"


    Xie Shu choked on his words, then retorted, "I said it''s not her, it''s another girl. If you don''t believe me, I''ll invite her out at noon for you all to see!"

 Chapter 8 – Asked her out

    Xie Shu didn''t chat about anything that couldn''t be seen by others.


    The action he just made was just a subconscious action formed after chatting with Su Qianyi for too long. He didn''t like to show others the content of his chat with Su Qianyi.


    But this reason may make people feel a bit far-fetched, Xie Shu is too lazy to explain, so he just let it go.


    It''s better to just invite Ruan Nianxi out and take her to see his three sons to prove that he didn''t lie just now, and let them know that he really let go of Su Qianyi.


    And... he originally wanted to invite her out.


    Thinking about it, Xie Shu started to edit a message to Ruan Nianxi.


    Xie Shu: [Are you free at noon? Let''s have lunch together?]


    The other party still replied instantly: [Yes, good.]


    Xie Shu: [Okay, let''s meet at noon. I''m still in class, so I won''t say more for now. Let''s meet at the entrance of the cafeteria at noon.]


    "The message has been sent, you will know at noon."


    Xie Shu exited the chat box and returned to their dormitory group, opened the pergola sketch picture that Zhao Lin had sent before, put his phone aside, and picked up a pencil to continue drawing.


    At the same time.


    Girls'' dormitory.


    Ruan Nianxi sat in her own place, her eyes still staring at the phone screen.


    After she replied with a "good" just now, Xie Shu didn''t message her back.


    She waited for almost ten minutes, and when she was sure that Xie Shu wouldn''t send any more messages, she started to review their chat records.


    But their chat records were too few, so few that she could finish reading them at a glance without flipping through.


    Although the chat records were only a few short sentences, Ruan Nianxi''s heart was always pounding.


    He... really took the initiative to contact her.


    And, he even invited her to have lunch together at noon!


    Should she change into a pretty outfit?


    What does he like?


    Single ponytail or double ponytail?


    Long skirt or short skirt?


    Black stockings or white stockings?


    Excited, Ruan Nianxi opened her suitcase and started to see what clothes she had to wear out.


    After all, Xie Shu hadn''t taken the initiative to contact her for a long time.


    When was the last time he took the initiative to invite her out?


    Middle school?


    No, it was high school.


    It was in the first year of high school, because he fell in love with Su Qianyi, she was upset, she was unhappy...


    And then she didn''t like Su Qianyi every day, so she often made things difficult for her.


    Later, Xie Shu took her out alone because of the face of their former classmates. At that time, she thought he finally remembered her and went to the appointment happily.


    Who knew that after arriving at the destination, he said that she should not make things difficult for Su Qianyi in the future, and said that he treated her as a friend, and she would make things difficult for Su Qianyi if she acted like that.


    At that time, he said it very tactfully, but his attitude was very firm, he was on Su Qianyi''s side.


    After that, she didn''t make things difficult for Su Qianyi again because she was worried that she would push Xie Shu further away.


    But in the second year of high school, she...


    Thinking of this, Ruan Nianxi''s excited mood was like being poured with cold water.


    Just now, when she passed by the lawn, she inadvertently heard someone discussing Xie Shu''s affairs, so she stopped to listen for a while. After listening for a while, she heard Su Qianyi belittling Xie Shu.


    He had already gotten the best, but not only was she not content, she also felt it was only natural for others to treat her this way!


    She was angry and felt that Xie Shu was not valued, so she couldn''t help it.


    Although she didn''t succeed in taking action, he also saw it.


    He invited her out, was it because of Su Qianyi again?


    Was it just because he didn''t mention her because he didn''t have enough time during class?


    ***


    In their group, after Xie Shu took Ruan Nianxi away just now, Su Qianyi complained for a while before continuing to do her homework.


    They had already measured the data of the sculpture and had been sitting down to draw for almost ten to twenty minutes.


    Su Qianyi looked around while drawing.


    Why hasn''t Xie Shu come to find her yet?


    Just now, when he took Ruan Nianxi away, she thought he would be like before, scolding Ruan Nianxi for her.


    But it had been so long, he should have said everything he needed to say, so why hasn''t he come to care for her?


    He knew very well that her relationship with Ruan Nianxi had always been bad.


    Just now, she almost got hit by that crazy woman Ruan Nianxi!


    That Ruan Nianxi, once in high school wasn''t enough, and now she''s here again?


    It''s ridiculous!


    She was also unlucky to be able to go to the same university as her.


    Su Qianyi continued to draw and wait, waiting and looking around. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the morning passed, and she still didn''t see Xie Shu.


    ***


    Before the end of class at noon, after Xie Shu and the others went to the designated place to hand in the finished drawing, they went to the cafeteria in groups.


    He handed in the drawing and left, completely unaware that Su Qianyi had looked at him several times in the crowd.


    As agreed, they went to the cafeteria.


    At noon, there were many people at the entrance of the cafeteria, but when they arrived at the cafeteria, he saw Ruan Nianxi in the crowd at a glance.


    Her beauty is so captivating, I can''t help but admire her.


    Her slender waist, her elegant demeanor, and the wind under the trees.


    Ruan Nianxi is very beautiful, not inferior to Su Qianyi at all.


    If you have to compare them in all aspects, Ruan Nianxi is actually better.


    After all, Ruan Nianxi is a real heiress, and her temperament and behavior are things that are ingrained in her.


    A shirt and a short skirt paired with black stockings make her look both sexy and pure.


    In two words, very beautiful!Xie Shu walked straight over, greeted her, and introduced her to his three sons: "Her name is Ruan Nianxi, and I''ve been chatting with her today."


    After he finished speaking, he turned to Ruan Nianxi: "They are my roommates."


    The three of them had also noticed Ruan Nianxi standing at the entrance of the cafeteria from the moment they arrived, as she was too eye-catching, stunningly beautiful, and someone you couldn''t help but take a second look at.


    But they never expected Xie Shu to actually know her!!


    The three of them were so shocked that their mouths hung open, and it took them a while before they remembered to introduce themselves.


    Ruan Nianxi responded with a smile throughout, politely reciprocating.


    After the three of them had introduced themselves, they immediately hooked their arms around Xie Shu''s neck and pulled him aside to start interrogating him.


    "When did you meet this beauty?"


    "Which college is she from?"


    "Spill the beans!"


    Xie Shu freed himself from their hold and said, "I''ve known her for a long time. We''ve known each other since elementary school and went to the same school until high school. But I didn''t know she was at the same university as me until this morning when we bumped into each other. We chatted for a bit, and since we hadn''t seen each other for a long time, I asked her out."


    "So you''re childhood sweethearts??"


    "Sort of, but we only met in the sixth grade of elementary school. We didn''t know each other before that."


    After Xie Shu briefly explained, he walked back towards Ruan Nianxi, who was waiting for them.


    "Sorry, I didn''t tell you there would be others. If you mind, we can go eat alone."


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    Xie Shu wasn''t sure if Ruan Nianxi would mind, but he thought it best to ask for her opinion first.


    Ruan Nianxi was about to speak when she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure at the side of the road near the cafeteria from the corner of her eye and instinctively looked over.


    It was Su Qianyi.


    She had also come to this side of the first cafeteria.

 Chapter 9 – His choice

    When Su Qianyi saw Ruan Nianxi, she was speechless for a moment.


    She forgot to conceal her gaze and just stared straight ahead. It seemed that she had already seen Xie Shu leaving her for Ruan Nianxi again.


    Xie Shu noticed her gaze and then turned to look.


    After seeing that it was Su Qianyi, he silently turned his head again.


    "Since you don''t mind, why don''t we go together? They are all good friends of mine from college, I want you to meet them too."


    Xie Shu''s three friends were still in shock and hadn''t noticed the exchange of glances between the two of them, nor had they noticed Su Qianyi over there.


    They immediately nodded as soon as Xie Shu spoke, "Yes, yes, we are good buddies with Xie Shu, let''s have a meal together and get to know each other."


    The group headed towards the cafeteria. Xie Shu had originally wanted to pull Ruan Nianxi in, but considering that their relationship hadn''t progressed, he restrained himself. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Worried that Ruan Nianxi might not be used to it, he walked ahead and let Ruan Nianxi follow.


    And so, the group entered the cafeteria.


    On the side of the cafeteria road, Su Qianyi watched as Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi entered. Her fists clenched, unable to contain her anger.


    What did Xie Shu mean by this?


    Why was he with Ruan Nianxi?


    He knew she disliked Ruan Nianxi, yet he was getting so close to her?


    And, he clearly saw her just now!


    Their eyes met!


    Was he pretending not to see her on purpose?


    Who did he think he was, treating her like this?


    Didn''t he like her?


    Would someone who liked another person act like this?


    He... he!!


    Su Qianyi''s heart was filled with alternating anger and grievance. Her red lips were pressed into a straight line, and her hands clenched tighter in her pockets.


    "Qianyi, what''s wrong?"


    After looking at her phone for a few seconds, An Tian noticed that Su Qianyi was no longer beside her. She turned around and found Su Qianyi standing there, looking a bit off. An Tian immediately walked over to ask about her condition.


    An Tian''s voice brought Su Qianyi back to her senses.


    She shook her head, composed herself, and calmly said, "Let''s go to the other cafeteria over there. I don''t want to go to this one."


    "Oh, this one is closer."


    "There are more people here, and I don''t want to be crowded."


    "Okay."


    So the two of them continued walking and went to the nearby second cafeteria.


    An Tian had no idea what had happened, and Su Qianyi didn''t show any obvious signs. She just thought to herself that she would never forgive Xie Shu, no matter how he tried to explain later.


    In the first cafeteria, Ruan Nianxi followed Xie Shu step by step. As time passed, her hand, which had been clenched into a fist on her thigh, slowly relaxed.


    Xie Shu just saw Su Qianyi, right?


    But he ignored her.


    And he even introduced her to his brothers.


    Although Ruan Nianxi didn''t know why Xie Shu did this, subconsciously, she was very happy.


    Before her smile could last a few seconds, Xie Shu, who was walking in front of her, suddenly stopped. She couldn''t stop in time and accidentally bumped into his back.


    She instinctively exclaimed and took a small step back, then her arm was grabbed by someone.


    "Be careful, it''s crowded in the cafeteria at this time."


    Xie Shu pulled Ruan Nianxi towards him a little, then let go of her arm and said softly.


    "Um, th... thank you." Ruan Nianxi''s cheeks turned slightly red, and she dared not look directly into Xie Shu''s eyes.


    "What do you want to eat?"


    "You decide."


    "Then..."


    Xie Shu looked around the crowded cafeteria and then at his three friends.


    The three hardest things in life: what to eat in the morning, what to eat at noon, and what to eat at night.


    They had already solved the morning issue, and now it was the second difficult problem.


    Because Ruan Nianxi was with them, they didn''t think for long and quickly chose a restaurant with good overall ratings to start queuing.


    They were lucky, as there were only a few people in front of them, and the cafeteria staff were also very efficient, so they were served quickly.


    When it was Xie Shu''s turn, he found that there was not enough balance on his card. Fortunately, he had a friend next to him who helped him swipe the card.


    This small incident didn''t bother Xie Shu, as he was used to it.


    He had always used up the money on his card quickly. He used to help Su Qianyi buy meals often, sometimes for breakfast, and sometimes for all three meals. Because he liked Su Qianyi, he would always offer to pay for her, and she never asked to repay him or anything like that.


    A few meals weren''t very expensive, but it added up over time.


    While others could use their meal money for a month, he usually used it up in about two weeks.


    He didn''t pay much attention to the balance on his card before, so he often ran out of money. His friends had helped him pay for meals many times.


    Not only was he used to it, but even his friends were used to it, and no one cared about this small incident.


    Although Xie Shu didn''t pay attention, Ruan Nianxi took it to heart.


    She didn''t say anything, and after getting their food, she followed Xie Shu and his friends to find a place to sit.


    After sitting down, she took out her phone and entered the campus recharge system.


    She had just seen Xie Shu''s student ID on his card, and she also knew his college, major, and class...


    After filling in the required information, she entered the amount she wanted to recharge.


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    "Nianxi, are you busy with something?"Xie Shu noticed Ruan Nianxi looking at her phone as soon as she sat down and asked her out of curiosity.


    "No..."


    Ruan Nianxi looked up nervously. She had forgotten how many zeros she had pressed and quickly hit the recharge button. After entering her password, she turned off her phone.


    The meal was much quieter than usual with the addition of Ruan Nianxi, as the group who typically chatted and boasted while eating were now considerably more subdued.


    Everyone, except for Xie Shu, was rather tense.


    His roommates were nervous because it was their first time having a meal with a girl they weren''t very familiar with.


    Ruan Nianxi, on the other hand, was nervous because Xie Shu was sitting next to her.


    In any case, lunch ended in silence.


    Afterward, Ruan Nianxi had to leave soon and reluctantly because she received a phone call and had other matters to attend to, without spending much time with Xie Shu.


    Then Xie Shu and the others returned to their dormitory.


    They had no classes in the afternoon, so after returning and setting down the things they had carried all morning, they started to entertain themselves.


    Xie Shu was no exception.


    In his previous life, he had been a corporate slave for several years, and no matter how he thought about it, his college days were the most carefree and comfortable.


    Life is short, so slack off while you can.


    Take a shower, look at the watch, and enjoy every second.


    So, after they returned to the dormitory and put their things down, they started to arrange fights in the dota.


    But before that, he still took some time to send a message to his parents.


    He had messaged them on his way back to school yesterday, but they might have been busy with work and didn''t reply. They did respond in the morning, but they were in a hurry to get to work and after a brief reply, there was no further message.


    Now at noon, they were probably resting and had just replied to him.


    Thinking of his parents, Xie Shu''s heart was filled with mixed emotions.


    In his previous life, after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer, he didn''t dare to tell them because he knew that even if he was beyond saving, they would spend all they had to save him.


    Spending money to prolong life was all it was, and the end result would be the same.


    Telling them early would only make them worry.


    Fortunately, everything had started over again.


    Next holiday, he should still go home for a visit.


    Xie Shu chatted with them briefly, and out of concern for not disturbing their rest, he didn''t continue the conversation, knowing that their work was exhausting too.


    After finishing the chat with his parents, he then logged into the valley.


    Upon entering the game, Xie Shu found that Su Qianyi was also online.

 Chapter 10 – Team up for games

    In the girls'' dormitory.


    After returning, Su Qianyi sat down in a gloomy mood, switching back and forth between WeChat and QQ, but no one messaged her.


    She didn''t click on anyone''s chat box to look, but her eyes always drifted towards Xie Shu''s name.


    After waiting for a while, she started to feel restless.


    Now, she didn''t feel like doing anything, so she decided to play a game.


    Out of the four people in the dorm, only she and An Tian had returned, and the other two roommates were not there.


    At this moment, An Tian was watching short videos and showed no interest in playing games, so Su Qianyi couldn''t find anyone to play with.


    She looked at her game friend list, and the people online were all in the middle of a game. Even if she wanted to team up with them, she had to wait for them to finish.


    As she was contemplating whether to play alone or wait for other friends, she suddenly saw Xie Shu come online.


    In just a few seconds, she also saw Xie Shu''s roommates come online.


    They were all in the same class, so it was normal for them to be friends with each other.


    Seeing them come online one after another, Su Qianyi suddenly felt that Xie Shu was about to invite her.


    When she used to play games, most of the time Xie Shu would lead her and their friends in a team. As long as she didn''t want to play alone with her close friends, they were all considered regular teammates.


    Hmph!


    But she wouldn''t agree!


    Xie Shu hadn''t even apologized to her yet!


    He''s still with that annoying Ruan Nianxi!


    And he''s deliberately ignoring her!


    She won''t agree!


    She''ll go find other friends to play with!


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    Although she thought so, Su Qianyi''s gaze was still fixed on Xie Shu''s name, waiting for him to send her a team invitation.


    Then, she watched helplessly as Xie Shu''s name changed from "in a team" to "4/5 in a team," and finally to "in a game."


    He... didn''t invite her.


    Su Qianyi felt her vision blur for a moment. Even though she was sitting still, she felt dizzy, making it hard for her to breathe for a few seconds.


    After returning to normal, she carefully looked at Xie Shu''s name again, and indeed, it showed "in a game."


    Su Qianyi tightly pursed her red lips, feeling a panic in her chest. She couldn''t catch her breath, she felt uncomfortable...


    She had originally entered the game to distract herself and relax, but now, she felt even more uncomfortable than before.


    In the end, Su Qianyi didn''t even start the game.


    She just stood outside, watching.


    Watching as Xie Shu''s name changed from "in a game" to "4/5 in a team," and then back to "in a game," repeatedly, she forgot how many times he had started the game.


    In any case, he never invited her once.


    Clearly, there was still a spot available, but he just wouldn''t invite her.


    Later, she saw Xie Shu''s "4/5 in a team" stay on the screen for a long time without starting the game again. She was full of hope, hoping that Xie Shu would invite her.


    One minute passed. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Five minutes passed.


    More than ten minutes passed...


    She still quietly waited, waiting for Xie Shu to make a decision.


    If Xie Shu invited her this time, she could reluctantly agree.


    But in the end, she saw his name change from "4/5 in a team" to "5/5 in a team," and then back to "in a game." Finally, she couldn''t hold back anymore.


    She quit the game, threw her phone aside, and lay on the bed, hiding behind the curtain, covering her face with the blanket, and burst into tears.


    ***


    At the same time.


    In another girls'' dormitory.


    After returning to the dormitory, Ruan Nianxi took out her phone and immediately opened the chat box with Xie Shu on WeChat.


    She stared blankly at their chat history for a long time before she clicked on the keyboard to send a message to Xie Shu.


    Although she didn''t know what to chat with Xie Shu about, she just wanted to send him a message.


    It should be fine.


    Xie Shu had been quite nice to her today, not as serious as her parents had said. It shouldn''t be a big deal to just send a message.


    After thinking for a long time, she didn''t know what to send. She thought she should look up some topics to chat about online to seem normal. As she hesitated to leave, her pinky accidentally clicked on an emoji.


    The next second, it was sent successfully.


    Ruan Nianxi panicked and wanted to retract the message, but she saw "the other party is typing" at the top of the chat box.


    The other party had already seen it, so retracting it was useless.


    Fortunately, the emojis she had saved were all quite normal, so even if she accidentally sent them and they were seen, it wouldn''t be too embarrassing.


    Xie Shu: [Are you done with your tasks?]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Yes, just got back to the dorm.]


    Xie Shu: [Do you have anything else to do?]


    Ruan Nianxi: [I don''t think so.]


    Xie Shu: [How about playing a game?]


    Ruan Nianxi: [A game? I haven''t played much... I''m not very good at it. Will I drag you down?]


    Ruan Nianxi is usually very busy. In addition to schoolwork, she also has things arranged for her by her parents.


    She is an only child, and since she is about to graduate, her parents often arrange things for her in advance to help her gain experience.


    In addition, she also has to go to the hospital on time.


    She has very little free time of her own, and when she occasionally stays in the dorm, she hears her roommates cursing each other while playing games. She often hears them say, "If you don''t know how to play, then don''t play."


    Although she didn''t ask Xie Shu what game he was talking about, it was probably the MOBA game that her roommates often played.


    They often played this game in a team, and sometimes they would invite her, but she never played.


    She had never played it, didn''t know how, was afraid of dragging Xie Shu down, and even more afraid of him scolding her. She wouldn''t be able to take it.


    Ruan Nianxi was very conflicted at the moment, and Xie Shu''s message came again: [It''s okay, I''ll teach you.]


    After struggling in her heart, Ruan Nianxi chose to play with him.After all, it wasn''t often that Xie Shu would take the initiative to invite her, and at most, she would just get a couple of remarks.


    Having made up her mind, Ruan Nianxi began to download the game on the spot.


    On Xie Shu''s end, he was idling in the game waiting for Ruan Nianxi.


    He also informed his three sons that Ruan Nianxi would be joining them later.


    The game needed to update after downloading, and the waiting time was actually long enough for them to start another round, but Xie Shu just idled, waiting all the while. He kept chatting with Ruan Nianxi to keep her from getting bored.


    "Xie Shu, it seems like you''re quite attentive to Ruan Nianxi. You said you''ve known each other since childhood, but how come you''ve never mentioned her before?"


    Zhao Lin decided to stay on the team formation page as well, setting his phone aside to start inquiring about Ruan Nianxi.


    The other two also perked up with interest and bombarded him with questions.


    "Yeah, you never mentioned having such a pretty childhood friend before. You two seem to have a good relationship, but why didn''t you know she was at the same university as you?"


    "I''m curious too. Weren''t you also at the same high school? How come you didn''t tell each other when you were applying for universities?"


    Since they were waiting anyway, Xie Shu chatted with Ruan Nianxi in a small window while he began to share the story between him and Ruan Nianxi with them.

 Chapter 11 – The first meeting of the two people

    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi met in the sixth grade of elementary school.


    Ruan Nianxi was a transfer student who joined their class.


    Transfer students were always a novelty, and he remembered that many people in the class were curious about her. They would talk to her and try to befriend her after class, especially since Ruan Nianxi was very good-looking, and many boys were attracted to her.


    But Ruan Nianxi didn''t like to talk much, and she didn''t want to make friends. Her attitude towards everyone was clearly cold and distant. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Over time, no one was willing to approach her anymore.


    At the time, he wasn''t particularly curious about her, so he never really talked to her. His impression of Ruan Nianxi was just that there was such a person in the class.


    Until one afternoon after school, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to pick up some homework on his way home, so he turned back to the school.


    But when he returned to the classroom, he saw Ruan Nianxi being bullied.


    At first, he didn''t know what was going on, but he pushed the door open and heard someone say, "Stay away from XXX," followed by some insults.


    Some of them were about to start a fight, but just as he walked in, they all looked at him and didn''t act.


    After standing there for a while, he finally walked up to them and confronted them, then prepared to take Ruan Nianxi away.


    At that age, they were going through puberty, and the girls were developing earlier than the boys. Several girls were taller than him, and a few of them blocked him, so he couldn''t do anything by himself.


    But luckily, he mentioned his police officer father, and the girls were afraid, so they let them leave.


    He safely took Ruan Nianxi out of the school, and she just coldly said thank you to him.


    At that time, he was full of a sense of justice and insisted on taking her home.


    Ruan Nianxi ignored him and, after leaving the school gate, got into a luxury car and left, to his surprise.


    That was the first time he had contact with Ruan Nianxi.


    Although he wasn''t sure why Ruan Nianxi was being bullied, he could guess from what the girls said.


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t like to talk or make friends in the class, and she was cold to everyone. But with her outstanding appearance, some boys still had a crush on her. Even if she was ignored, they would persist in talking to her, and some would even use their pocket money to buy her snacks, even though she wouldn''t accept them.


    In the classroom, they would tell Ruan Nianxi to stay away from a certain person, who was a boy in the class who was very attentive to her.


    It was probably because a girl in the class liked that boy, but he had feelings for Ruan Nianxi, which made the girl unhappy.


    Since Ruan Nianxi didn''t make friends and had no one to protect her, she naturally became the target of bullying.


    The next day, and the day after that... he forgot how long he had persisted, even though Ruan Nianxi was still cold to him, he didn''t care. It was just something he did on his way.


    Until one day, before getting into the car, Ruan Nianxi asked him if he wanted to come to her house.


    At that time, he also liked to play, so he went.


    It was his first time in a luxury house, the first time he saw such luxurious decoration, and the first time he saw the housekeeper of a wealthy family...


    He saw a lot, but he didn''t see her parents.


    After they finished their homework and played for a long time, it was almost dark, and the driver was about to take him home, but he still hadn''t seen her parents.


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    For the next few days, Ruan Nianxi would call him to her house every day. He went several times, but still hadn''t seen her parents.


    He was curious and asked Ruan Nianxi, but she just said they were busy working.


    As they spent more time together, Ruan Nianxi''s attitude towards him gradually improved. She would talk to him and share things with him.


    Then one day, he clearly remembered that it was around two or three in the morning. He was sleeping soundly at home when his father woke him up and said someone was looking for him.


    When he came out of his bedroom, he saw Ruan Nianxi sitting in the living room waiting for him.


    At that time, Ruan Nianxi didn''t say anything when she saw him, she just hugged him unexpectedly, making his parents look at him strangely.


    He was confused and asked Ruan Nianxi what was going on, why she came to find him in the middle of the night.


    At that time, Ruan Nianxi just kept repeating that she didn''t want to leave. He couldn''t ask anything, and his parents couldn''t do anything either. It was late at night, and she was his classmate, so they let her stay at their house until morning.


    That night, he slept on the couch.


    The next morning, his parents were planning to take Ruan Nianxi home, but she refused to leave.


    It was a weekend, so they weren''t in a hurry, but his parents had to work and couldn''t stay with her, so they left her with him.


    After his parents left, he asked Ruan Nianxi about the situation, but she still didn''t say anything and just repeated that she didn''t want to leave.


    He couldn''t do anything about Ruan Nianxi, so he stopped asking and turned on the TV to watch with her.


    Not long after, his father, who was supposed to be at the police station, came back.


    And he brought a couple with him.


    Although he hadn''t seen them before, he immediately guessed that they were Ruan Nianxi''s parents.


    Sure enough, when they saw Ruan Nianxi''s nervous expression, they immediately relaxed.


    They didn''t blame Ruan Nianxi for leaving home in the middle of the night, but spoke gently to her and persuaded her to leave.


    He listened for a while and understood that they were going on a business trip and had to transfer Ruan Nianxi to another school.


    Why did they say "again"? Because Ruan Nianxi had been moving from school to school with her parents throughout elementary school.


    Sometimes she would study in place A for a month, sometimes in place B for two months, it was always changing. This time, they were moving again.They told Ruan Nianxi about the matter when they got home last night, but to their surprise, when they woke up in the morning, they found their daughter missing. It was only after checking the surveillance footage that they realized she had run away from home in the middle of the night.


    They couldn''t access the surveillance outside the villa, so they went to the police station to report her missing. Then, by chance, her father saw the photo they provided while he was at work and brought them over.


    It was clear that Ruan Nianxi was unwilling to transfer schools, which is why she ran away in the middle of the night.


    No matter how much they tried to persuade her, Ruan Nianxi refused to leave; she disagreed with the transfer.


    Although he didn''t understand why a wealthy family like theirs didn''t hire a few people to take care of Ruan Nianxi and let her live in a fixed place, instead of dragging her all over the country, it wasn''t his place to interfere, so he didn''t interject.


    After the couple spent a long time trying to persuade Ruan Nianxi to no avail, they turned their attention to him, hoping he could convince her.


    They must have recognized him, as he had been to their house several times. Although he had never met them in person, their house had a butler who must have told them about his and Ruan Nianxi''s situation.


    He cooperated with them to persuade Ruan Nianxi, but she wouldn''t agree to anything, and no one could change her mind.


    In the end, they took Ruan Nianxi back home, but they must have agreed to let her stay because the following Monday when he went to school, Ruan Nianxi went too.


    And so, until their junior and senior high school years, Ruan Nianxi never changed her residence; she always lived in the same city as him, attending the same school.


    She followed him all those years.


    Her personality never changed.


    She still didn''t initiate friendships, was cold to everyone, except for him.


    Her so-called friends were actually all made through him.


    Because she was close to him, she was nice to his friends, but that was it. She wouldn''t get close to anyone, just not cold to his friends.


    Regarding these matters, Xie Shu omitted some details, only telling them that "Ruan Nianxi transferred to his school and they got to know each other, then gradually became familiar with each other over time, visited each other''s homes, and their relationship improved over time, and shared some interesting incidents that happened during school."

 Chapter 12 – In my heart there is no woman, draw the sword... pretend I didnt say that

    Xie Shu''s speech was still smooth at the beginning, but he started to avoid important matters in high school.


    High school was a turning point in his relationship with Ruan Nianxi.


    Because he fell in love with Su Qianyi.


    After falling in love with someone, she was all he could see.


    In addition, he and Ruan Nianxi were not in the same class at the time, so they naturally had less contact compared to Su Qianyi, who was in the same class as him.


    In short, he had much less communication with Ruan Nianxi in high school. Most of his time, apart from studying, was spent on Su Qianyi...


    "So, you still haven''t said why you didn''t know she was in the same school after studying together for three years. If you were in contact often, you would definitely know," Zhao Lin asked.


    Xie Shu hesitated for a moment before continuing, "After the college entrance examination, we were busy preparing for the final exam. We were not in the same class, so we didn''t have much contact. Also, I was away for half a year and didn''t see her, so I thought our relationship might have become distant, and I didn''t actively contact her..."


    That''s what he really thought at the time.


    Before he went for training, the matter between Ruan Nianxi and Su Qianyi caused a big stir at school, and he even spoke up for Su Qianyi. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After her parents came to handle the matter, he heard rumors that she had dropped out of school.


    After hearing about this, he didn''t have a chance to confirm with her, and it happened that various art studios were recruiting students.


    Su Qianyi was interested in studying art at the time, so he also signed up...


    Many art studio teachers came at the time, and they would definitely compete for students. After he decided to study art, those teachers were more enthusiastic one by one. To prevent them from changing their minds, they even personally drove them to the studio and entertained them well.


    After choosing the studio, the next step was a six-month training period. The studio was strict, and the teachers would collect their phones every week.


    Although they would get their phones back on weekends, they were filled with unfinished sketches and colors, and they would sit and draw all day, so they didn''t have time to play with their phones.


    Only those who had experienced it would understand how busy and tired they were during that six months.


    During that time, he almost forgot about finding Ruan Nianxi.


    When he remembered, several months had passed since the training.


    After getting his phone back on weekends, he paid special attention to whether Ruan Nianxi had messaged him. When he saw no messages, he wondered if she had forgotten about him.


    After all, he had spoken up for Su Qianyi, and he hadn''t shown any concern for her after hearing about her dropping out of school.


    They had known each other since elementary school, and even if their feelings weren''t deep, they should have shown some concern, right?


    But during that time, he didn''t show any concern for her...


    Maybe she was angry with him, or maybe she didn''t want to be friends with him anymore.


    But soon, his thoughts were drowned out by countless sketch assignments, and he once again threw himself into the tension of training.


    When he returned to school, he saw Ruan Nianxi at school, but she didn''t acknowledge him.


    She didn''t come up to talk to him like she used to, and instead, she left without saying a word.


    At that time, he really thought she wouldn''t acknowledge him anymore.


    After the college entrance examination, when all the studying was over, he had free time, and maybe he had confirmed that he had grown distant from Ruan Nianxi, so he didn''t contact her.


    Of course, she didn''t contact him either.


    In their past lives, they only met once in college, and they never met after entering society.


    If Ruan Nianxi hadn''t found him at the last minute, he wouldn''t have known that she had always remembered him.


    As they chatted and waited for Ruan Nianxi to update the game on the other end, Li Da suddenly changed the subject and brought up Su Qianyi again.


    Xie Shu''s hand, which had been typing, paused, and he frowned, "I''ve said it several times already. I won''t like her again. Why don''t you believe me? I can live without her."


    "Haven''t you heard?


    Without a woman in your heart, the sword will naturally be divine.


    The first page of the sword manual, forget the lover in your heart.


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    The second page of the sword manual, sever the infatuated soul.


    The third page of the sword manual, every cut extinguishes the love god.


    The fourth page of the sword manual, raise your hand to extinguish the mortal world.


    The fifth page of the sword manual, angrily slay the old lover.


    The sixth page of the sword manual, do not become a lover.


    The seventh page of the sword manual, close the door to your heart."


    "Didn''t you see that I got a few pentakills in the game just now? Isn''t that better than usual?" Xie Shu said confidently.


    Seeing Xie Shu''s confident response, Li Da said, "We naturally believe you. I didn''t question what you said before, but what about that Ruan Nianxi girl?"


    Xie Shu''s hand stopped again after typing a few words, but then quickly returned to normal. He leaned against the wall next to the bed, looking calm, and spoke in a steady voice, "Forget what I said just now."


    "..."


    Li Da didn''t bring up Su Qianyi on purpose just now, mainly to see Xie Shu''s attitude.


    When they went online to play the game, they naturally saw that Su Qianyi was online too.However, after several rounds of games, Xie Shu showed no intention of inviting her, and every time the game ended, they could see Su Qianyi online, and she was neither in a team nor in a game.


    So, they were certain that Xie Shu had truly moved on from Su Qianyi.


    Just at that moment...


    He suddenly started to show attentiveness to another person.


    Ah no, it wasn''t exactly attentiveness, it felt more like... he was very patient, as if he was displaying the same kind of patience he had once shown to Su Qianyi.


    No matter what the other person did, he had enough patience to wait for them.


    To say they were just ordinary friends, the game took a really long time to download and update, they could have started another round or even several, but Xie Shu chose to wait in the lobby.


    He even opened a private chat window to talk to the other person, was he worried they might get bored?


    Moreover, at that time, he specifically told them that the other person was a complete newbie, asking them to protect her later on.


    It was hard for them not to overthink.


    But considering that they were childhood friends, it might just be a simple case of strong affection, so Li Da hesitated before he started asking from Su Qianyi''s side.


    Unexpectedly, Xie Shu admitted it directly.


    Consequently, everyone looked at Xie Shu with an expression that said, "Just as we thought."

 Chapter 13 – Self-protection

    Xie Shu didn''t say much to them.


    Because Ruan Nianxi''s game had already been downloaded and updated, and she had completed the novice tasks.


    After she logged in, Xie Shu directly invited her to join the team and started the game.


    Considering that Ruan Nianxi was a complete novice, they played in entertainment mode.


    When choosing a hero, Xie Shu messaged Ruan Nianxi to turn on the voice chat, as it was faster to teach her directly through speaking.


    Ruan Nianxi listened to Xie Shu''s commands throughout the game, always following behind him and being protected by him.


    Ruan Nianxi was also studying very seriously, trying hard not to lag behind.


    She was worried that her lack of skill would make Xie Shu angry, so she would apologize immediately every time she died.


    Contrary to what she had imagined, Xie Shu did not get angry. He was very patient in teaching her and told her not to apologize all the time, saying that winning and losing in the game was normal.


    It had been a long time since Ruan Nianxi had felt such tenderness from Xie Shu. For a moment, she suddenly felt that a certain desire in her heart had been magnified.


    But she quickly suppressed it forcibly.


    She had persisted for so many years and couldn''t mess things up.


    She was afraid that Xie Shu would be like the people she had seen in the information, changing addresses and phone numbers behind her back, deleting her as a friend, and avoiding her when they saw each other... She really couldn''t bear that, it would be more painful than death.


    After playing a few rounds, Ruan Nianxi gradually understood how to play the game.


    Later, her operation became smoother, she could check the mini-map, and she could also explore the grass.


    They started another round, and Xie Shu was talking to Ruan Nianxi, intending to tell her not to run too far to avoid being ambushed. But before he could finish speaking, he heard someone else''s voice on Ruan Nianxi''s end, abruptly interrupting him.


    "Squad leader, what are you doing?!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I thought you didn''t know how to play games? You''re doing pretty well now."


    "Okay, you don''t usually play with us, but now you''re playing with someone else behind our backs. I just heard a man''s voice, who is it? Your boyfriend?"


    "No, just a friend."


    Xie Shu heard Ruan Nianxi''s nervous voice again.


    Her side had been quiet since they turned on the voice chat, and he had thought her roommates were deliberately keeping quiet. But now, seeing the situation, her roommates should not have been there just now.


    Because Ruan Nianxi was interrupted, the hero she was controlling clearly started to slow down.


    Xie Shu didn''t rush her or say anything, he just silently controlled his own hero to guard the tower first.


    Regarding the question Ruan Nianxi''s friends had asked her just now, he did not answer, but he did not deny it either.


    Although Xie Shu''s three sons did not turn on the voice chat, they were all on the same team, so they also heard what Ruan Nianxi''s roommates said.


    They didn''t say anything, just turned to look at Xie Shu and started to communicate telepathically.


    "This is a good opportunity. Why not just go along with what they said and see if Ruan Nianxi will refuse?"


    Xie Shu understood what they meant, but he didn''t do that.


    He wasn''t worried that Ruan Nianxi would reject him like Su Qianyi. On the contrary, he was very sure that Ruan Nianxi would accept his confession.


    He remembered clearly what Ruan Nianxi had said to him in their past life.


    He knew that Ruan Nianxi liked him.


    But was he going to take advantage of Ruan Nianxi''s feelings for him and easily confess?


    He had been willing to do so much for someone who didn''t love him. Why did he feel like he could do nothing for someone who truly loved him?


    That wouldn''t do.


    What Su Qianyi had, Ruan Nianxi should also have, and he would definitely do better than before!


    So, in the end, Xie Shu chose to remain silent.


    Not denying, but not confirming either.


    It was as if he had said everything, but also as if he had said nothing.


    On the other end, Ruan Nianxi nervously explained to her roommates, as she was worried that Xie Shu would be angry.


    Because she knew clearly that he liked Su Qianyi and only wanted to be with Su Qianyi...


    But her roommates were just enjoying the show and kept teasing her, even speaking into her phone''s microphone to talk to Xie Shu, wanting to confirm whether they were just friends or boyfriend and girlfriend.


    As soon as they said this, Ruan Nianxi, who was already anxious, instantly turned pale.


    In her eyes, their actions undoubtedly added fuel to the fire, and their words had already threatened her own interests. They would make Xie Shu angry and make him distance himself from her again.


    She began to feel uneasy.


    She felt threatened, she felt that they were deliberately hurting her, and she wanted to resist.


    Her roommates were still talking into the microphone, and no one noticed that Ruan Nianxi''s face had already turned pale.


    Ruan Nianxi''s mind was in chaos. She wanted to put down her phone and deal with the situation in front of her first, but before she could do so, Xie Shu''s voice came in time.


    "Hello."


    His speech was moderate, his tone gentle, and there was no trace of anger that Ruan Nianxi had expected.


    "Are you Nianxi''s roommates?" he continued.


    "Yes!"


    "Did we disturb you?"


    "No, we were just curious about who Squad Leader was playing with. She never played with us when we asked her to play games before."


    Xie Shu silently chuckled, did not respond to them, and instead asked Ruan Nianxi, "Nianxi, are you still playing?"


    "Playing!"


    Ruan Nianxi was brought back to her senses by Xie Shu''s words.Soon, she resumed controlling her hero, following behind Xie Shu and clashing with the enemy.


    Her roommates, though still very curious about the man playing games with Ruan Nianxi, saw how seriously she was playing and felt it would be impolite to interrupt her, so they returned to their seats and focused on their own games.


    Ruan Nianxi glanced at them, feeling uneasy, but the unease was gradually soothed with every word Xie Shu said behind her.


    Time passed, and just when Ruan Nianxi was filled with joy, one of her roommates suddenly spoke to her, "Class leader, someone @mentioned you in the big group chat, saying they''re short-handed below and want you to help out."


    Ruan Nianxi looked at the girl, about to ask her to decline on her behalf, but before she could speak, Xie Shu, having heard the conversation, asked, "Do you need to go and take care of something?"


    "I..."


    She didn''t want to go.


    She wanted to keep playing with him.


    There might not be another chance like this in the future.


    But as the words reached her lips, she hesitated, wondering if saying so would make Xie Shu think she was slacking off.


    She always tried to hide her flaws; she didn''t want Xie Shu to see her bad side.


    "Then you should go take care of it first. Being a class leader means you have many miscellaneous tasks and great responsibility. These things are unavoidable. Let''s play again next time," Xie Shu continued.


    Ruan Nianxi was stunned for a few seconds before responding, "Okay, next time... we''ll play together again."

 Chapter 14 – Its not completely bad either

    Xie Shu and they accelerated the progress of the game, and after finishing this round, Ruan Nianxi went offline.


    At the same time, Xie Shu also went offline.


    Although there were no classes in the afternoon, they couldn''t just play all afternoon.


    They had a lot of professional courses and assignments. If they played every day, wouldn''t they fail their exams?


    Make-up exams are free, but retaking the course is expensive.


    Xie Shu reluctantly put down his phone and took out his pencils, sketch pens, lining pens, and markers...


    After setting up a table full of pens, he took out paper and a scale to start.


    Sigh.


    If you don''t work hard when you''re young, you''ll struggle in college.


    Actually, he never thought he would end up studying design.


    Even when he signed up for the high school training, it was just to be with Su Qianyi.


    At that time, he only wanted to be with Su Qianyi and thought that being by her side was the best.


    So, they studied art together, and in the end, they chose the same school for the college entrance examination and applied for the same major. They are still in the same class now...


    When he found out that he and Su Qianyi were in the same class in their freshman year, he was happy for a long time.


    Now...


    It doesn''t matter anymore.


    What happened yesterday, is like yesterday''s death. What happens today, is like today''s birth.


    In the future, there will no longer be Su Qianyi''s shadow in his heart.


    There is only room for one person in his heart.


    This novel is available on "pawread dot com".


    And that place is already occupied.


    After focusing on drawing for a while, Xie Shu''s usual markers ran out of ink. After confirming that they were dry, he prepared to go out and buy some new ones.


    Although his dorm mates also have these things, everyone is in the same major. If you use them a lot, others will also use them a lot, so it''s not advisable to borrow them.


    Soon, Xie Shu left the dorm. He first went to the print shop to buy a few sheets of A4 paper, then went to the supermarket to buy markers. Considering the recent workload of his courses and assignments, he also bought a few lining pens.


    After paying, he hadn''t walked a few steps when he saw several sunshades set up not far from the road, and a few people were moving tables. There must be some activity going on.


    Every time the school has an event, they set up the promotional location here because there are many students here, and there is a huge flow of people during meal times and between classes.


    Xie Shu was already a junior, and he had already added almost all the points he needed. He didn''t need to participate in any activities to earn more points, so he didn''t plan to go up and ask.


    Just before leaving, he unexpectedly saw a familiar figure in the crowd.


    He looked over and saw Ruan Nianxi, who had her hair tied up in a high ponytail, standing under the sunshade, holding a piece of paper and checking something. She was also talking to the person next to her from time to time, probably discussing something.


    She was very focused and didn''t notice Xie Shu on this side.


    Xie Shu looked for a few seconds and unconsciously picked up a lining pen and started drawing on the A4 paper.


    Although he hadn''t drawn a quick sketch of a person in a long time, the basic skills he had practiced before were still there, and he quickly sketched out the outline of the other person with a few simple strokes.


    At this moment, Xie Shu felt that it wasn''t in vain to have studied art before.


    Isn''t there still some benefit to it?


    You can still record a bit of life, right? S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wow! Are you the class monitor who''s drawing? It looks like it!"


    Suddenly, a girl''s voice sounded in Xie Shu''s ear, and his smooth brush suddenly paused, almost drawing crooked.


    It was class time at this point, and there weren''t many people here to begin with. Even if there were students who didn''t have class, they wouldn''t want to stay outside, especially with the sun shining so brightly. So, the girl''s exclamation seemed a bit loud.


    When Xie Shu turned to look at the girl next to him, Ruan Nianxi, not far away, also heard the sound and looked over in the direction of the supermarket.


    When she saw Xie Shu talking to a girl from her class, she clenched the A4 paper in her hand tightly.


    She stared at the two people over there, trying hard to hear what they were saying.


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t hear anything.


    Even the exclamation she had just heard was only because a relatively loud sound suddenly rang out in the quiet environment. She didn''t hear the specific content of the sentence at all.


    In the end, it was the person next to her who called her, which completely brought her back to her senses.


    Ruan Nianxi pursed her red lips, took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and then continued with what she was saying.


    However, she was still paying attention to the situation on Xie Shu''s side.


    Over there, Xie Shu put the cap back on the lining pen and asked the girl in front of him, "Are you Ruan Nianxi''s classmate?"


    When they were playing the game, he heard her roommate call her the class monitor, and this girl also called her that, so they should be in the same class as Ruan Nianxi.


    The girl didn''t expect Xie Shu to know Ruan Nianxi and was stunned for a moment before nodding quickly.


    "You know the class monitor? Are you from our college? No, if you were from our college and you''re this handsome, I would definitely know you!"


    "I''m from the School of Art."


    "Ah, no wonder you''re so good at drawing!"


    The two of them didn''t know each other, so there wasn''t much to talk about.


    But Xie Shu still asked knowingly, "What activity are you busy with over there for promotion?"


    "Yeah, our class happened to have no classes, so we called out everyone who could help. The sun is so strong, it won''t kill us to be a little late."


    The girl complained and was about to leave.


    But Xie Shu stopped her, and then he bent back into the supermarket. When he came out, he was carrying a plastic bag with a lot of ice cream inside.


    "You''re working hard too, have some of this."


    Although Xie Shu didn''t say it explicitly, the girl understood what he meant.


    He wanted to buy it for Ruan Nianxi, and for them.


    But...The girl hesitated as she looked at Xie Shu, but didn''t take it.


    Seeing that the girl didn''t accept it, Xie Shu asked curiously, "What''s the matter?"


    "It''s nothing, it''s just that our class monitor probably won''t accept your stuff. You''re from another faculty so you might not know, but everyone in our faculty knows that the class monitor doesn''t accept anything from guys. In these three years, she hasn''t taken anything from anyone."


    Xie Shu raised an eyebrow: "Is that so?"


    The girl continued to nod.


    "Just help me take it to her for now. If she doesn''t want it later, she can deal with it as she pleases. You guys can eat it too," Xie Shu said, not particularly worried about what the girl had mentioned.


    Since Xie Shu insisted, the girl didn''t say much more.


    In the end, she still took it.


    Before leaving, she also asked for the drawing Xie Shu had just made, saying it might increase his chances of success with Ruan Nianxi.


    Xie Shu handed the drawing to the girl with a smile, then turned his head for another glance at Ruan Nianxi, who was still talking to someone nearby, seemingly unaware of his presence.


    He didn''t plan to disturb her; it was her faculty''s event, and he couldn''t be of much help.


    Besides, he had to rush to finish his homework; the submission deadline was approaching, and he didn''t have time to loiter around.


    When he had more time later, he would find more opportunities to spend time with Ruan Nianxi.


    With that, Xie Shu took his purchases and returned to his dormitory once again.


    The girl, carrying the things Xie Shu had given her, walked towards Ruan Nianxi.


    Ruan Nianxi had been paying attention to their interaction all along and had naturally seen Xie Shu hand a bag to the girl.


    It wasn''t until the girl approached that she could see it was filled with ice cream.


    She really felt like throwing it away!

 Chapter 15 – Delusion

    Thoughts are thoughts, Ruan Nianxi naturally couldn''t do it in front of so many people.


    She knew what to do and what not to do.


    Feeling uncomfortable, but she could only endure it and continue talking to the people next to her.


    "Squad leader, a boy just asked me to give this to you."


    The girl walked straight to Ruan Nianxi and raised the thing in her hand.


    Ruan Nianxi, who was talking, suddenly paused, turned her head slowly, and stared at the girl without blinking.


    Was it for her?


    Seeing that Ruan Nianxi didn''t react, the girl thought she wouldn''t accept it as usual, and continued, "I already told him that you wouldn''t accept it, but he insisted that I bring it to you, saying it''s up to you to handle it. Um... although it''s not good to say this, but squad leader, it would be a waste to throw it away, and there''s so much. Can you share it with us?"


    Everyone around was sharp-eyed. Who would buy so much ice cream for a girl at once?


    There''s no refrigerator in the school, and the weather is so hot. If they don''t finish it, it will all melt. It''s obvious that the extras are meant for them.


    We are "pawread.co????", find us on google.


    That boy is really nice.


    Although the boy bought a portion for them, the final decision still rested with Ruan Nianxi. If she chose to throw it away, they couldn''t say anything.


    "Squad leader, if you don''t want it, I can help you throw it away..."


    Before the girl finished speaking, Ruan Nianxi immediately reached out and took the bag from her pocket.


    She didn''t say anything, but quickly took out her phone and tapped on it a few times.


    In a few seconds, the girl''s phone rang. She picked it up and saw that Ruan Nianxi had transferred 100 yuan to her.


    The girl: !!!


    "I''ll take it all. If you want to eat, go buy it separately. I''ll pay for it. If it''s not enough, let me know."


    Not only the girl was surprised this time, but everyone around looked at Ruan Nianxi in shock.


    They were all in the same class as Ruan Nianxi, and in the past three years, they had seen countless people trying to pursue her and buying her things, but she always refused.


    Usually, she would refuse the other party on the spot, and if someone insisted on giving her something, she would just throw it away.


    In short, she wouldn''t accept it.


    In the past three years, it was the first time they had seen Ruan Nianxi accept something from a boy!


    And, they hadn''t even seen what the person looked like!


    Ruan Nianxi was with them at that time, so she shouldn''t have seen him, right?


    But she accepted it!


    Something''s up!


    The crowd looked at the girl in confusion, but she just shrugged, indicating that she didn''t know anything.


    "Oh, and, squad leader, I just saw him drawing you. I took the drawing from him. He''s from the art college, and he draws really well."


    The girl suddenly remembered that there was also a painting and immediately handed it to Ruan Nianxi.


    Ruan Nianxi took it and glanced at it.


    The person in the painting was just like her, with a high ponytail, a white shirt, and a knee-length skirt. Even the pattern on the clothes and the style of the skirt were the same as hers.


    It''s really... her.


    Ruan Nianxi''s heart trembled inexplicably. At this moment, she couldn''t explain her emotions. Her heart was beating irregularly, gradually speeding up.


    Under everyone''s gaze, she carefully put away the painting.


    Then, she took out an ice cream from her pocket, and the coldness of the ice cream in her hand helped her regain a little composure.


    She looked at the people around her and said in a cold voice, "What are you looking at? Continue setting up the scene. If you want ice cream, ask her. I''ve already transferred the money to her. If it''s not enough, I''ll pay for the rest."


    Ruan Nianxi glanced at the girl and then calmly opened a bag of ice cream, ignoring the others and started eating.


    Xie Shu bought it for her.


    They shouldn''t think about sharing it!


    If they want to eat, they can buy it themselves!


    Finally, those people quickly set up the scene and then went to the supermarket with the girl to buy ice cream.


    It''s so hot, who wouldn''t want to eat something cold.


    On the way to the supermarket, everyone asked the girl who bought the things for their squad leader, who always rejected people and kept her distance.


    But the girl didn''t know either. She didn''t ask for the name just now, she only knew that the other person was from the art college.


    After setting up the scene, Ruan Nianxi had nothing to do.


    She sat under the awning, put a bag of ice cream in the cabinet, and ate them one by one. She treated these as ordinary snacks, taking a bite, chewing a few times, and then swallowing.


    At the same time, she took out her phone, hesitating whether to send a message to Xie Shu.


    Her parents didn''t allow her to contact Xie Shu, and she had already contacted him once today...


    She just wanted to send a message to Xie Shu to say thank you. It should be okay.


    In the end, she followed her heart and sent the message.


    She thought she would have to wait a long time for a reply, but this time Xie Shu replied to her instantly.


    Xie Shu: [Just bought a few ice creams, nothing to thank for. But you shouldn''t be too tired, take care of yourself. The weather is getting hotter, don''t stay outside for too long.]


    A few caring words made Ruan Nianxi''s heart, which had just returned to a normal rhythm with great difficulty, speed up again.


    Her breathing began to quicken.


    Ruan Nianxi: [Um... that painting, is it really me?]


    Xie Shu: [Yes, but I had limited time, so the painting is a bit rough. It only has the general features and isn''t well done. Don''t dislike it.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [No, I really like it.]


    Xie Shu: [As long as you like it. If I have enough time later, I promise to make a better one!]


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t reply anymore. She put away the half-eaten ice cream and then put it on the table.


    She freed her hands and fumbled in her pocket for a while before taking out a small bottle of medicine.


    She opened it, took out a pill, and swallowed it.


    It''s fake!


    It''s not what she thought!


    The doctor said it was just normal concern between friends...


    Xie Shu likes Su Qianyi.


    ...Yeah.


    It''s Su Qianyi...


    Under the influence of the medication and her own introspection, Ruan Nianxi gradually calmed down.


    Looking at the last message Xie Shu sent her, she thought for a long time and didn''t know how to reply.In the end, she forced herself not to reply, simply continuing to bite into her ice cream, one spoonful at a time.


    She had a whole bag of ice cream, but she had no idea how many she had eaten. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But she never finished them.


    Because the ones left over had all melted.

 Chapter 16 – Ill wait for you

    Read the most updated version of this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at [ ]


    Xie Shu had forgotten how long he had been drawing.


    When he finished his homework, he looked up and saw that it was already dark outside.


    He was the first to start his homework, so he was ahead of his three sons.


    At this point, he was also hungry and ready to go out to eat something.


    Considering that his sons still had homework to do, as a father, he naturally took on the responsibility of bringing them food. Before leaving, he also received a few respectful greetings from his sons.


    Xie Shu originally planned to buy a boxed meal outside the cafeteria and go back, but on the way, he saw that the activity promotion point set up in the afternoon still had people on duty.


    Some students who had just finished class or came to the cafeteria to eat would go up to inquire, and they would have to explain the content of the activity to them.


    He was not sure how the activities in their college were arranged, whether they were short of manpower or what.


    Why hadn''t Ruan Nianxi left at this point?


    Yes, Xie Shu saw Ruan Nianxi still over there from a distance.


    Were they so busy?


    Thinking back to the afternoon, Ruan Nianxi chatted with him for a few sentences and then didn''t reply. He thought she was busy at the time, and he also had to do his homework, so he didn''t bother her.


    He didn''t know if she had eaten yet.


    Thinking about it, Xie Shu took out his phone and sent a message to Ruan Nianxi: [Have you had dinner?]


    The other party quickly replied: [Not yet.]


    Xie Shu: [There are quite a few people over there, are you too busy to come over? Or should we go eat first?]


    After sending the message, Xie Shu looked up and saw Ruan Nianxi looking around over there, and finally saw him.


    Then she quickly lowered her head, and in a few seconds, Xie Shu received a reply: [Everyone is here, I''ll leave, it''s not good.]


    Xie Shu: [What do you want to eat? I''ll help you buy it.]


    Seeing this reply, Ruan Nianxi doubted whether she had read it wrong.


    He''s helping her...?


    Didn''t he only help Su Qianyi buy food before?


    Although she really wanted to agree, at this moment, Ruan Nianxi''s consciousness was terrifyingly clear.


    Her fingers paused in the air for a long time, and finally she sent a message: [No need, we''ll be done here soon, I''ll go by myself later.]


    Don''t be nice to her anymore...


    If he continues like this, she really will think too much, she was already on the verge of losing control.


    She had to keep a certain distance in order to think rationally.


    Ruan Nianxi continued to introspect, but the next second, Xie Shu''s reply completely disrupted her thoughts.


    Xie Shu: [Almost done? Then I''ll wait for you, I have nothing to do right now, let''s go to the cafeteria together later.]


    Suddenly, her ears buzzed, and all her thoughts were instantly cleared.


    Ruan Nianxi read these few words over and over again, then glanced at Xie Shu in the distance, and her desires were magnified once again.


    Clearly wanting to refuse, clearly wanting to keep her distance to stay rational, but in the end, she still replied with a "okay."


    Xie Shu didn''t go to disturb Ruan Nianxi and their activity promotion, he found a place not far away to sit down and wait quietly. He was very patient and even sent a message to his sons in the dormitory group, saying that he might be back later.


    The ones who bring food are always the dads, how could their sons dare to say "no"?


    Xie Shu was in a very good mood waiting over there, while Ruan Nianxi was almost driven crazy by her own mental struggle.


    Can''t hold back...


    What to do...


    Xie Shu is so good, he really belongs to her!


    Su Qianyi came out halfway and took away everything from her, and she didn''t cherish it well. She really hated her!


    She should take it back, by any means... Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No...


    If her parents find out, they will take her away again and she won''t be able to see Xie Shu again.


    It''s only been half a year since they last met, and she felt so bad that she wanted to die.


    It''s been so long, she had gotten used to seeing him occasionally, but he appeared in front of her frequently.


    Ruan Nianxi was conflicted in her heart.


    She wanted to, but she was afraid of doing too much and being taken away.


    She knew she had to keep her distance, keep her rationality, but Xie Shu kept coming to her on his own, how could she stay rational!


    Ruan Nianxi felt like a long time had passed.


    In the end, she was called back to reality by a classmate next to her.


    The time was up, they could leave.


    Ruan Nianxi nodded dazedly, then stood up and walked unsteadily towards Xie Shu.


    After taking a few steps, her beautiful face suddenly sank.


    She turned pale, and her steps stopped, stiff in place for a long time without moving.


    The person next to her who hadn''t left yet looked at her and asked if she needed help, but she shook her head, and then the person left helplessly.


    Xie Shu sat not far away, looking at his phone to pass the time, and occasionally glanced over at Ruan Nianxi''s situation.


    When he looked up again, he saw Ruan Nianxi standing stiffly in place, not moving at all. She had one hand on her stomach, and although he couldn''t see her expression clearly, he could imagine that she was in a lot of pain.


    Realizing that something was wrong, he quickly put away his phone and hurried over to her.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Xie Shu ran a few steps to Ruan Nianxi, asking her with concern in a low voice.


    He half-supported her arm, giving her a point of support.


    "Nothing..."


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice was weak.


    Seeing her in such discomfort, Xie Shu helped her to the table behind her and made her sit down.School activities usually have a few days of promotion, and the tables set up outside aren''t cleared away until the end.


    After Ruan Nianxi sat down, her complexion improved slightly, but her hand remained on her stomach.


    Seeing her gesture, the experienced Xie Shu instantly understood what was going on.


    He bent over slightly, lowering his voice, "Do you want me to go to the supermarket for you?"


    Ruan Nianxi understood what Xie Shu was referring to.


    But she didn''t expect him to actually offer to go buy it for her.


    She had told him not to be so nice to her!


    Ruan Nianxi pursed her lips tightly and remained silent, enduring the discomfort in both mind and body.


    Xie Shu, seeing Ruan Nianxi staring blankly at him, thought she was too embarrassed to speak, as girls are usually reserved about these matters.


    So he straightened up, "Then wait for me, I''ll be right back."


    As he was about to leave, Ruan Nianxi quickly grabbed his arm.


    Xie Shu stopped and turned around, looking at her puzzled.


    Ruan Nianxi released Xie Shu''s arm as if she had been electrocuted, shifted her gaze away, and dared not meet his eyes, explaining softly, "No need, I came prepared."


    "Really?"


    "Mhm," Ruan Nianxi nodded lightly.


    "Then... shall I take you to the restroom?"


    "No need, I..."


    A blush crept over Ruan Nianxi''s pale face, and the words got stuck in her throat, unable to come out.


    Seeing her refusal, Xie Shu roughly understood that she must have been well-prepared in advance and that she was just in too much pain earlier.


    "Is it very serious this time? Do you want to go to the infirmary to have a look?" Xie Shu asked again.


    He had never seen Ruan Nianxi in such severe discomfort before, so he was still a bit worried.

 Chapter 17 – Repeating the same old tricks? It wont work on her

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Ruan Nianxi shook her head: "Really, it''s not necessary. I just had some ice cream you bought at noon, and it affected me a bit."


    Xie Shu: "???"


    "Then you could have chosen not to eat it! Why be so silly? Knowing it would make you feel unwell and still eating it?" Xie Shu exclaimed, his voice rising in surprise.


    His tone was full of reproach, but this time Ruan Nianxi didn''t feel the heartache she used to.


    On the contrary, she felt a bit happy.


    Xie Shu continued to speak, and Ruan Nianxi listened obediently with her head down.


    She didn''t mean to eat so much ice cream at that particular time.


    It was because she ate too much cold food at once, which caused her period to come early...


    At that moment, she didn''t think too much, just that it was from Xie Shu, and she wanted it all.


    Fortunately, her period was due these days, and she was prepared, so it didn''t lead to any embarrassment.


    "You sit here and rest for a bit, I''ll go buy something for you to eat," Xie Shu said after a few words and then left with big strides.


    Ruan Nianxi finally dared to lift her eyes and watch his retreating figure.


    Xie Shu didn''t enter the canteen; she saw him go to the supermarket first, then he bought some things from the porridge stall outside, paid with his phone, and hurried back towards her.


    Watching Xie Shu approaching step by step, Ruan Nianxi''s lips slowly curved into a smile.


    Xie Shu returned to Ruan Nianxi''s side, walked around from behind her, and sat down beside her.


    He placed the items he bought on the table, then picked up a cup of porridge, inserted a straw for Ruan Nianxi, and finally handed it to her.


    "Thank you."


    Ruan Nianxi whispered her thanks, took the cup with both hands, and felt the warmth of the porridge from her palms to her feet.


    Xie Shu hummed in acknowledgment, picked up an egg, tapped it on the edge of the table, and began to peel it leisurely.


    When only a little bit of the shell was left, he handed it to Ruan Nianxi.


    Ruan Nianxi, feeling flattered, accepted it and her eyes began to well up looking at Xie Shu. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole day felt like a dream.


    Xie Shu was so nice to her, just like before Su Qianyi came out, she felt so blessed.


    "Considering you''re not feeling well, I didn''t dare to buy anything else, so I got a few more cups of porridge. Take them back with you later, and there''s also brown sugar. Make a drink with it when you get back."


    Xie Shu pushed the items on the table a bit towards Ruan Nianxi and carefully instructed her.


    Ruan Nianxi continued to listen obediently, nodding from time to time.


    Everything seemed so calm, but only she knew how much she was struggling inside.


    She felt like she was losing control of her thoughts, and the so-called delusions the doctor mentioned seemed to resurface.


    Her remaining rationality kept telling her to stay calm, to act like a normal person.


    It was too hard to bear; she wanted to take medicine to relieve it, but she was afraid that Xie Shu would see if she took it out.


    If he saw it, he would probably stay away from her for good.


    To prevent such a thing from happening, she endured silently, not letting Xie Shu notice anything unusual.


    After sitting with Ruan Nianxi for a while, Xie Shu then escorted her back to the dormitory.


    Downstairs at the dormitory, he handed her all the things he bought and kept reminding her to take care.


    After watching her go in, he turned and left.


    He bought four boxed meals at a small shop outside the canteen and headed to his own dormitory building.


    All the while, he didn''t notice someone was watching him from behind.


    ***


    Girls'' dormitory.


    An Tian knocked on the dormitory door, entered, and placed a packed dinner in front of Su Qianyi.


    Su Qianyi thanked her, and An Tian nodded in response, then sat down in her own spot.


    She checked her phone for a while but couldn''t help putting it down again.


    She turned to look at Su Qianyi, who was about to eat: "Qianyi, did Xie Shu contact you?"


    Su Qianyi''s hand holding the chopsticks froze, and her face instantly darkened.


    This afternoon, she watched Xie Shu play games, moving from a team of four to five without including her.


    She wallowed in sadness under her blanket for a long time.


    After stabilizing her emotions, she reached for her phone again, only to find that Xie Shu still hadn''t contacted her.


    Then she felt upset about him all over again.


    Xie Shu directly affected her mood, making it impossible for her to continue drawing, and she had to force herself to do her homework late into the night.


    Every second was precious to her now, as she rushed to finish her assignments.


    After spending the whole afternoon finally managing to forget about Xie Shu, why did An Tian have to bring him up again?


    Su Qianyi''s face was stern, clearly displeased: "No, why would he contact me? I''ve already told him not to bother me, isn''t it good that he''s not looking for me?"


    An Tian coughed lightly: "Maybe you should take the initiative to contact Xie Shu?"


    "Why should I contact him?"


    She sent him so many messages last night, and he hasn''t replied to her until now!!


    "Uh... I just feel like he''s been acting a bit strange today. He''s never gone this long without contacting you after you''ve rejected him. Aren''t you worried he might like someone else?"


    Su Qianyi felt a twinge of pain in her heart at the words, but her mouth remained defiant: "What does it matter to me who he likes? Besides, it''s his freedom to like someone else."


    An Tian was at a loss for words and finally said: "Qianyi, honestly, I think Xie Shu is a pretty good guy. Think about it, he''s been chasing you since freshman year and he''s still so good to you. We all envy you."


    "He''s liked you for so long, and he''s confessed so many times over the past three years. You''ve always rejected him... at least give him a chance to try."


    "Even the most steadfast affection can''t withstand so many rejections."


    No matter what An Tian said, Su Qianyi remained unmoved.


    Her friends didn''t know that she and Xie Shu had known each other for six years, and he had been pursuing her for six years.


    Over these six years, Su Qianyi saw everything Xie Shu did for her, and she didn''t really think he would fall for someone else.


    After all, Xie Shu even took up art just to accompany her, and now they were in the same class.


    Such a passionate person, how could he possibly like someone else?


    Come to think of it, there was a time in high school when Xie Shu deliberately didn''t contact her, didn''t reply to her messages, and it lasted for three days, only to come looking for her on the fourth day, right?


    Is he trying the same tactic this time?


    She wondered who in his dorm gave him such advice. It''s so childish!


    Maybe it''s because she hadn''t been ignored by Xie Shu for several years, and today''s sudden cold shoulder caught her off guard.


    He''s really so childish.


    Does he think she can''t stand it and will turn back to him?


    That''s impossible!


    Playing hard to get with her, it''s useless!


    An Tian talked for a long time, but Su Qianyi showed no reaction, leaving her no choice but to sigh helplessly.


    Su Qianyi was her good sister, and she knew she always had a strong sense of pride. How could she tell her that on her way to the canteen, she saw Xie Shu escorting another girl back to the dorm?


    Because of the angle, she couldn''t see the girl''s face clearly, nor did she know what she looked like, but she saw Xie Shu''s expression very clearly!


    He really cared about that girl.


    As an observer, and having been in the same class with Xie Shu for three years, his concern for that girl was no less than the care he used to show for Su Qianyi.


    At that moment, she wondered if Xie Shu was pursuing someone else...


    But she wasn''t sure and didn''t dare to ask directly.


    How could she ask?


    Ask him why he''s being nice to a girl other than Su Qianyi?


    But he''s not in a relationship with Su Qianyi, so what right does she have to ask that?


    So at that time, she did nothing, just silently followed Xie Shu to the canteen, watched him buy boxed meals, and then return.


    Now back here, seeing Su Qianyi like this...


    She won''t listen to anything she says.


    As for Xie Shu... she hopes she''s overthinking it.


    Xie Shu is really a good guy.


    If Su Qianyi doesn''t cherish him, who knows if she''ll feel sad if she loses him one day.

 Chapter 18 – Not used to starting

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Having found a reasonable explanation in her mind, Su Qianyi didn''t take Xie Shu''s indifference to heart as much as she did during the day.


    After dinner, she continued painting, and by the time she finished, it was already late.


    She washed up, got into bed, and out of habit, glanced at her WeChat.


    There were messages, but none from Xie Shu, just some from groups or other friends.


    Her lips pressed into a straight line, Su Qianyi replied indifferently to the messages and then aimlessly switched between various apps, unsure of what to do.


    After a while, she checked WeChat again, and her heart sank seeing no message from Xie Shu.


    She knew he might be ignoring her on purpose to get her attention, but she couldn''t help feeling uneasy.


    It was as if something was missing.


    Finally, she opened Xie Shu''s chat and scrolled through their past conversations.


    At this time of night, she would usually be asleep, and Xie Shu''s "Goodnight" message would have arrived on time.


    But since last night... there was nothing.


    She scrolled further up to the morning and found Xie Shu''s "Good morning" message.


    That too was missing from this morning...


    Su Qianyi''s breath hitched; the sudden absence of something she was accustomed to was hard to accept.


    Still, she kept telling herself that Xie Shu would return to normal in a few days, and she shouldn''t worry too much.


    From high school to university, he had always been by her side, and surely he would be in the future!


    It was probably his roommates who had given him the idea to play hard to get.


    Such tricks might work on young girls, but she, an adult, wouldn''t care!


    With that thought, Su Qianyi closed the chat, plugged in her earphones, picked a random movie, and prepared to sleep once she felt tired.


    ***


    As for Xie Shu, he had already said goodnight to Ruan Nianxi and fallen asleep a while ago.


    Xie Shu slept soundly, but Ruan Nianxi was left restless by his actions that day.


    She felt like she was dreaming.


    Xie Shu had been too kind to her today, and while she was happy, it also felt unreal.


    After being neglected for years and enduring much pain, her dream suddenly coming true... it was too different from before, too unreal.


    She suspected this was the delusion the doctor had mentioned.


    She took several pills to try to ease it, but this time the medication seemed ineffective.


    No, she needed to see the doctor soon.


    If things got worse and she couldn''t control herself, her parents definitely wouldn''t let her stay here.


    She didn''t want to leave.


    ***


    The next morning dawned.


    Xie Shu was the first to wake up as usual.


    He didn''t disturb his sleeping sons but instead picked up his phone to send Ruan Nianxi a good morning message.


    He thought she would still be asleep, but to his surprise, she replied instantly with a "Morning."


    Xie Shu raised an eyebrow. Ruan Nianxi was up this early?


    Since she was online, Xie Shu chatted with her for a bit longer.


    After his sons'' alarms went off one by one, he finally asked Ruan Nianxi if she wanted to join him for breakfast in the cafeteria.


    Ruan Nianxi was silent for several minutes before replying with a simple "Okay."


    Then Xie Shu got up to wash and prepare for their morning classes.


    After washing up, he checked the class group chat where the teacher had posted the materials needed for that morning''s class.


    Today they only needed to bring their laptops, nothing else.


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    Their major required various materials for different classes; one day they might need a bag of tools, the next just a laptop, and perhaps craft materials the day after.


    Sometimes, with so many classes, they would forget what to bring, so it had become routine for teachers to remind them in the group chat before class. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The group grabbed their laptops and headed to the cafeteria.


    For college students accustomed to staying up late, despite the bright morning, most were still groggy.


    Xie Shu, who had gone to bed early, was quite alert, in stark contrast to his three sons who yawned incessantly and looked listless. However, upon seeing Ruan Nianxi at the cafeteria entrance, they instantly perked up.


    Even though they weren''t pursuing Ruan Nianxi, they didn''t want to embarrass themselves in front of a girl, did they?


    Approaching Ruan Nianxi, Xie Shu noticed her severe dark circles and asked, puzzled, "You... didn''t sleep well last night?"


    Ruan Nianxi''s fair skin made her dark circles stand out, almost as if she had been pulling all-nighters.


    With her fingers nervously intertwined, she nodded slightly.


    But it wasn''t that she hadn''t slept well.


    She hadn''t slept at all.


    Last night, she suffered from insomnia.


    Xie Shu frowned, noticing her empty hands, "You don''t have class this morning, right?"


    "Mhm."


    "Then after breakfast, you should go back and get some sleep. Make sure you get good rest."


    "Mhm."


    After the brief exchange, they queued up at the breakfast counter.


    Halfway through swiping his card, Xie Shu remembered he might have forgotten to top it up yesterday. He had made a purchase outside the cafeteria last night and hadn''t used his meal card, which slipped his mind.


    Just as he was about to retract his card and borrow one from his sons, the machine beeped successfully, displaying his meal card balance.


    Xie Shu was still processing when Zhao Lin, who was behind him, exclaimed in shock.


    "What''s up? What happened?"


    Li Da and Liu Ping, who had been checking the menu and hadn''t seen Xie Shu''s card balance, were startled by Zhao Lin''s shout.


    Even the others in line turned curious towards Zhao Lin.


    Zhao Lin, however, looked at Xie Shu, puzzled, "Xie Shu, how much did you top up on your card at once? It was too quick; I didn''t catch it."


    Xie Shu was just as baffled, "I... don''t know."


    Had he topped up his card yesterday?


    He couldn''t remember.


    Everyone was curious, and since Xie Shu himself hadn''t seen clearly, he handed his card to Zhao Lin to use his instead while he checked again.


    Now everyone watched with curiosity.


    Zhao Lin swiped the card, and the balance was displayed for all to see clearly.


    Zhao Lin: "No way, Xie Shu, are you that rich? You can top up ten thousand on a meal card?"


    Li Da: "When did you deposit so much money??"


    Liu Ping: "That can''t be right."


    Xie Shu: "..."


    Although unsure of what was happening, Xie Shu had a vague idea.


    He glanced at Ruan Nianxi standing silently beside him.


    It seemed... he had unwittingly been fed a soft meal...


    £¨Proofreader:"soft meal" is like a gigolo£©

 Chapter 19 – Mutual disdain

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Xie Shu only had a few thousand yuan for living expenses each month.


    Besides, the school''s top-up system required a student ID number, making it nearly impossible to recharge the wrong account.


    So, it must have been someone else who topped it up for him.


    It couldn''t have been his parents; they didn''t even know his student ID. Even if they did, they would have told him if they had recharged his account.


    Considering who could casually spend ten thousand yuan, it could only be Ruan Nianxi.


    To Ruan Nianxi, ten thousand yuan might just be pocket change, but for ordinary people, it was a significant amount.


    Xie Shu had known since childhood that Ruan Nianxi''s family was wealthy; she was a true heiress.


    Even though he had guessed the right answer, Xie Shu didn''t say anything and let others misunderstand.


    It wasn''t that he wanted to show off his wealth; he simply couldn''t betray Ruan Nianxi. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He remembered her parents always forbade her from flaunting her wealth at school, emphasizing the need for her to keep a low profile.


    Apparently, when she was very young, before they had met, she had been kidnapped.


    The kidnappers used her to extort money from her parents. Although her parents were wealthy, they were still worried about her safety. After rescuing her, they insisted she live a low-profile life.


    Her parents were busy all year round, rarely spending time with her. Their focus was on work, growing their already famous company even more.


    They loved Ruan Nianxi, but they genuinely didn''t have much time to spend with her. So they provided for her materially while stressing the importance of being discreet.


    In short, they believed in not flaunting their wealth.


    The incident from her past had also left a deep shadow on Ruan Nianxi, so she was very obedient.


    Even when they went to school together, she would get off her luxury car several streets away from the school.


    Thus, during their many years at the same school, he was the only one who knew her true identity, and he had never revealed it, fearing it might bring her trouble.


    Years of habit kept Xie Shu silent.


    Unexpectedly, he finally had the chance to help someone bear the burden of being seen as wealthy.


    ***


    This morning, wanting to have breakfast with Ruan Nianxi, Xie Shu chose to eat in the cafeteria before heading to class.


    His three buddies didn''t want to be third wheels, so they took their breakfast and went to the classroom to save seats.


    Now, it was just Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi sitting together.


    After the others left, Xie Shu asked about the money for the meal.


    "Did you top up my card?"


    "Yeah, I saw you were out of money yesterday, so I recharged it."


    "Ah, I just forgot, it''s not that I didn''t have money. I don''t eat at the cafeteria every day, so I might not even use it all."


    "Take your time spending it. If it''s not enough... there''s more."


    "...Anyway, thanks, but you really don''t have to do this next time."


    Their relationship wasn''t even confirmed yet, and here she was, feeding him a


    unexpectedly.


    It really caught him off guard.


    Xie Shu peeled an egg and handed it to Ruan Nianxi.


    It was the second time, and Ruan Nianxi was still unsure if Xie Shu had peeled it especially for her.


    "Don''t want to eat it?" Xie Shu asked, puzzled.


    "No."


    Ruan Nianxi snapped back to reality and immediately took it.


    She lowered her gaze, not daring to look directly at Xie Shu, trying to hide the unusual emotions in her eyes.


    Her heart was racing faster and faster.


    Afterward, both were silent.


    Xie Shu ate his breakfast; he still had to rush to class soon, and the teaching area was quite far. He didn''t have much time.


    After breakfast, he picked up his laptop bag and walked with Ruan Nianxi towards the cafeteria exit.


    As they walked, he told her to go back and rest well, not to harm her health.


    Just as they reached the cafeteria entrance, Ruan Nianxi saw Su Qianyi approaching from a distance.


    Her face instantly turned pale.


    Xie Shu clearly saw Su Qianyi too, but after a glance, he looked away.


    He turned to Ruan Nianxi, whose complexion didn''t look good, and said, "Let''s stop here for now. I have to go to class. You should go back and rest some more, don''t hurt yourself."


    With that, he hurried off towards the teaching area.


    ***


    The teaching area and the dormitory area were in different directions, so he left in the opposite direction to Su Qianyi, and they didn''t have to meet.


    Just like that, Xie Shu left without paying any attention to Su Qianyi.


    Ruan Nianxi was stunned in place. Why was Xie Shu''s reaction different from what she had expected?


    As for Su Qianyi, she had barely managed to get up this morning after a late night and was urged by An Tian. She was so sleepy on the way that she could barely keep her eyes open.


    She walked with her head down, listless, and hadn''t seen Xie Shu, let alone the scene of him standing with Ruan Nianxi.


    Before entering the cafeteria, there were a few steps at the entrance. It was only then that she slightly raised her head, stepped up, and looked ahead, planning to see what to eat in the cafeteria.


    Xie Shu used to buy her breakfast, and she rarely came to the cafeteria in the morning, so she wasn''t very clear about what some of the stalls sold...


    Xie Shu had been childishly playing hard to get with her these past few days, and she was afraid of going hungry like yesterday, so she came by herself today.


    However, after climbing the steps, she hadn''t gone far when she unexpectedly saw someone.


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    Seeing her, Su Qianyi''s already sour mood worsened instantly.


    The two looked at each other with mutual disdain.


    After a few seconds of eye contact, Su Qianyi coldly shifted her gaze and walked past Ruan Nianxi into the cafeteria.


    Ruan Nianxi looked back at Su Qianyi''s retreating figure, then turned to look in the direction Xie Shu had left.


    Xie Shu had indeed seen Su Qianyi, she was certain.


    But he hadn''t reacted as he used to.


    This time, he ignored Su Qianyi.


    Right, she remembered Xie Shu always used to buy breakfast for Su Qianyi.


    But not today, and Su Qianyi came to the cafeteria by herself.


    For so many years, this was perhaps the first time she saw Xie Shu treat Su Qianyi with such indifference, barely even giving her a glance.

 Chapter 20 – Do not care

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Xie Shu arrived at the classroom and sat with his sons.


    He opened his computer, turned on CAD, and waited for the bell to ring.


    Since the class hadn''t officially started, they naturally couldn''t start their homework on their own.


    He played for a while, and when there were five minutes left before class, he saw Su Qianyi enter the classroom.


    She was carrying breakfast for two, and she went to An Tian, who had saved a spot for her, and handed her one of the portions. The two of them had breakfast in the classroom like this.


    This seemingly ordinary scene attracted the attention of many people in the class.


    After looking at Su Qianyi, they would turn to look at Xie Shu.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    He used to always be with Su Qianyi, and everyone was used to seeing them sitting together. Now that they were suddenly separated, he knew that many people were curious about it.


    ***


    Soon, the bell rang for class.


    Everyone opened CAD and started drawing. The teacher walked into the classroom, took a walk around, and then sat at the podium doing his own thing.


    If a student had a question, they could call the teacher, and the teacher would go up to help them with their drawing.


    That''s how their class was, either drawing or working on drawings.


    Their assignments were also completed on a weekly basis.


    From CAD to the final modeling and rendering, it was definitely impossible to finish in one or two classes. Generally, class time was also the time for them to do their homework, and if they couldn''t keep up with the progress, they had to work harder in private.


    Xie Shu and his sons sat in the middle of the classroom, and he happened to be sitting on the edge, next to the classroom aisle, with desks against the wall on the other side.


    Sitting there was a girl who had encountered a problem halfway through her drawing. She asked her classmates in front and behind her, but no one could help. When she turned to think, she saw Xie Shu and asked him.


    "Xie Shu, my software crashed, and I forgot to save the progress. Do you know where the CAD backup file is?" the girl asked for help.


    "Just a moment."


    Xie Shu subconsciously pressed "ctrl+s" on his computer to save, then got up and went to the girl''s desk to help her with the problem.


    Saving as a habit was something every designer should develop.


    Otherwise, like the girl who asked for help, if the software crashed and the progress couldn''t be recovered, then all the previous work would be in vain.


    Losing progress was even more distressing than killing them.


    Although it was class time, it was normal for everyone to ask questions and help each other, as long as they didn''t make a loud noise in the classroom, the teacher generally wouldn''t interfere.


    Xie Shu went to the girl''s desk, took the mouse and opened the document to find the backup file.


    After all, they were not studying software engineering, and not everyone was proficient in computers. It could only be said that most people were proficient in the software they had studied.


    As one of the few in the class who was relatively proficient in computers, Xie Shu spent most of his time helping the girls with things they didn''t understand.


    He searched through the files for a while, found the backup, and opened it. The girl took a look at the progress, and she was very grateful to Xie Shu when she saw that not much progress had been lost.


    At this moment, it was time for class to end, and the teacher walked out of the classroom, so everyone could talk freely.


    ***


    "Xie Shu, thank you so much! Otherwise, the progress of these two classes would have been in vain!" the girl said excitedly, her loud voice attracting the attention of many people.


    Su Qianyi, who was sitting in the front row, turned her head back when she heard Xie Shu''s name.


    After seeing Xie Shu talking and laughing with a girl in the class, she turned her head back with a serious face and continued drawing.


    Talking is just talking, why is she patting Xie Shu''s arm like they''re close?


    Forget it, it has nothing to do with her!


    After solving one problem, Xie Shu hadn''t returned to his seat when another girl in front called him.


    "Xie Shu, a file I saved won''t open. Can you help me take a look?"


    "Okay."


    Xie Shu went to the front again to help the girl with the problem. It turned out that she had saved the file in the wrong format, and changing the save format would solve the problem.


    Not long after solving the second problem, a third person came to him.


    There were also a fourth and a fifth person behind...


    Almost all of them were asking software-related questions.


    In terms of design, apart from the prescribed drawing standards, there was no strict right or wrong, so no one would ask those kinds of questions.


    Xie Shu helped another girl solve the problem and felt increasingly strange.


    Why were they all asking questions about things they had learned before?


    Even if they hadn''t paid attention in class, didn''t they still draw so many engineering drawings later?


    Shouldn''t they have learned how to do it by now?


    After that, the bell rang for class again, and no one came to find Xie Shu. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ***


    Xie Shu successfully returned to his seat and continued drawing.


    The teacher also returned to the classroom and walked around in a procedural manner, then sat down again.


    An Tian glanced at the teacher, lowered her head, opened her phone, found Su Qianyi''s name, and sent her a message: [Has Xie Shu not contacted you yet?]


    Su Qianyi, who was focused on drawing, saw the WeChat icon flashing on her computer, clicked on it, and after seeing that it was a message from An Tian, she turned to look at the person next to her in confusion.


    An Tian didn''t look at her, so she turned back to look at the message on her computer.


    Seeing that An Tian was mentioning Xie Shu again, she replied coldly: [Why are you mentioning him again? Didn''t I tell him not to bother me? He must have listened and not contacted me, isn''t that good?]


    An Tian: [Qianyi, let me ask you one thing. Do you really not like Xie Shu?]


    Su Qianyi: [Who likes him? He''s been bothering me for the past three years.]


    An Tian: [The whole class can see that there''s something different between you and Xie Shu. Did you not notice that the people who came to find Xie Shu were all girls? And they were asking very simple questions, isn''t that a test?]


    Su Qianyi: [So what?]


    An Tian: "Qianyi, Xie Shu is actually really handsome. Back in our class, and even in the entire college, no one pursued him because his feelings for you were so obvious, and he was so persistent about you. Those people knew they didn''t stand a chance, so they didn''t go after Xie Shu. But now, with the conflict between you two, those people might feel like they have a chance. Ask yourself, Xie Shu hasn''t contacted you for so long, and just now you saw him interacting with so many girls, doesn''t it really hurt?"


    Su Qianyi: "It doesn''t hurt."


    An Tian: "...Alright, forget I said anything."


    Su Qianyi: "Yeah, I''m going back to my drawing."


    Su Qianyi closed the chat window and continued working on her design on the computer.


    Xie Shu was just normally helping a classmate, wasn''t he? In the first year, when everyone was clueless, wasn''t it common for many people to ask for his help?


    What''s there to be upset about?


    Helping a classmate is perfectly normal.


    They must have simply forgotten, it''s not a crime to ask, right?


    Thinking all this, Su Qianyi pressed the wrong shortcut keys several times, but even when she got them right, she forgot what she was supposed to do next.


    So what?


    That''s totally normal!

 Chapter 21 – In place

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    As the third morning class was nearing its end, Xie Shu felt that his drawing was almost complete.


    After reviewing it and finding no issues, he approached the teacher to ask if he could leave early for the print shop to print his drawings.


    The journey from the residential to the academic area took some time, but the teacher agreed, so Xie Shu left the classroom.


    ***


    The print shop was near the cafeteria, and Xie Shu headed straight there with a clear goal in mind.


    Before entering the print shop, he noticed someone sitting on a bench by the greenery near the cafeteria.


    It was nearing noon, and the outdoor temperature was quite high. Even in the shade, it was hot, and since it wasn''t mealtime, there were hardly any people around.


    At first, Xie Shu only gave the seated figure an extra glance, but that glance made him feel that the person looked familiar.


    It seemed... to be Ruan Nianxi.


    She seemed to be wearing the same clothes as this morning.


    Uncertain, Xie Shu called out tentatively from across the street.


    "Ruan Nianxi?"


    The person on the bench looked up.


    Their eyes met, both filled with surprise.


    Xie Shu crossed the street to the greenery and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Ruan Nianxi hadn''t expected to see Xie Shu during class time; she thought she''d have to wait until noon...


    She stood up and took a few steps towards him. "Aren''t you in class?"


    "I am, but I''m out to print some drawings. I need to show them to the teacher next period. But what about you? It''s so hot, why are you sitting out here?"


    "I..." was waiting for you.


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t finish her sentence.


    She dared not initiate contact with Xie Shu, but she fantasized about seeing him again at noon and even having lunch with him.


    Unable to contact him yet longing to meet, she decided to wait here, hoping he would see her when he left class at noon.


    But she didn''t expect him to come so early.


    She didn''t complete her sentence, and Xie Shu didn''t press further.


    He had business to attend to and couldn''t afford to waste too much time outside, so after a few words with Ruan Nianxi, he told her to go back to the dormitory first, and he prepared to head to the print shop.


    Ruan Nianxi hesitated for a few seconds but couldn''t help following Xie Shu''s pace.


    "Xie Shu, are you... thirsty? I can go buy you some water?"


    After catching up to him, she awkwardly broached the subject.


    Seeing Ruan Nianxi following, Xie Shu slowed down to match her pace.


    "A little," he said.


    "Then I''ll buy you water! Wait for me!"


    Ruan Nianxi''s tone was a bit anxious as she headed to the nearby supermarket.


    Xie Shu smiled and entered the print shop, sending the file to the clerk. With no one else there, the printing was done quickly, and in less than a minute, he was out again.


    As he left the print shop, he saw Ruan Nianxi hurrying towards him from the supermarket entrance.


    One might think she was worried he''d run off.


    Xie Shu waited for her, and as she approached, she handed him the water with a sense of accomplishment.


    "Thank you."


    Xie Shu didn''t refuse, taking it and even opening it to take a sip.


    Ruan Nianxi also breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that Xie Shu would reject her as he had in the past.


    In the past, even if it was difficult, he would eventually accept what she bought for him after her insistence. But since Su Qianyi appeared, he would refuse anything she bought him.


    From a bottle of water to designer clothes, he would not accept them, rejecting her in every way.


    She was also worried about secretly topping up his meal card yesterday, fearing he would find out and stop her.


    Xie Shu screwed the cap back on and started walking forward again.


    After a few steps, he felt something was amiss, stopped, turned around, and saw Ruan Nianxi still standing there foolishly. "Aren''t you coming?"


    Ruan Nianxi''s expression froze for a moment before she followed.


    Xie Shu led her to a milk tea shop and bought a hot milk tea.


    Most people would choose iced milk tea at this time of year, but it was better for Ruan Nianxi to have something hot now.


    Taking the milk tea from the clerk, he turned and handed it to Ruan Nianxi.


    "Drink something warm."


    Ruan Nianxi was pleasantly surprised; she hadn''t expected Xie Shu to buy it for her.


    She nervously thanked him and carefully took it.


    Xie Shu glanced at the time; there were only a few minutes left before the end of class, and he needed to hurry back before the next class started.


    After explaining to Ruan Nianxi, he prepared to return the way he came. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sun was blazing, and the bright daylight was like fire.


    Ruan Nianxi stood under the eaves of the milk tea shop, watching Xie Shu walking in the distance along the shadows of the roadside trees, then glanced at a couple walking together with an umbrella and felt a pang in her heart.


    The sun was so intense.


    Holding the somewhat hot milk tea in one hand, her gaze shifted to the supermarket entrance.


    After some reflection, she finally entered the supermarket.


    Xie Shu had walked a short distance when his phone buzzed. He looked at it out of habit and saw a message from Ruan Nianxi: "Can you wait for me?"


    Xie Shu sent back a question mark.


    Ruan Nianxi: "The sun is so strong, I''m buying an umbrella at the supermarket, I want to walk you there."


    Xie Shu looked back but didn''t see Ruan Nianxi''s figure, guessing she hadn''t come out of the supermarket yet.


    It was indeed hot, but he was used to it and felt it was unnecessary.


    He was about to refuse, saying there was no need to trouble her, but his gaze shifted and he saw a couple with an umbrella passing by him.


    After a moment''s thought, he replied: "Okay."


    Supermarket.


    Ruan Nianxi had already bought the umbrella.


    But she didn''t dare to go out, nor did she dare to chase after Xie Shu.


    She feared that if she caught up with him, he would reject her again.


    That would be very upsetting.


    So she tentatively sent a message first.


    After receiving Xie Shu''s affirmative reply, her worries turned to joy, and the tender feelings in her brows slowly spread to her heart.


    She quickly put away her phone and stepped out of the supermarket.


    After a few steps, she saw Xie Shu waiting for her under the shade of the trees.


    She opened the umbrella and quickened her pace towards him.


    As she approached, her face flushed as she slowly moved closer to Xie Shu.


    Sharing an umbrella meant they had to be closer than usual.


    She...


    "Let me hold the drawings for you, and I''ll hold the umbrella," Xie Shu said, seeing Ruan Nianxi''s face turning redder and standing together with her.


    He handed the drawings to Ruan Nianxi, took the umbrella, and walked with her towards the academic area.


    They were very close, occasionally brushing arms.


    It was a normal occurrence, but Ruan Nianxi''s heart raced every time she touched Xie Shu.


    They didn''t speak the entire way.


    Upon reaching the academic area, the bell for the end of class rang.


    In a few minutes, many students emerged from the various buildings.


    Ruan Nianxi had never been to the Art Institute and didn''t know which building Xie Shu''s specialized classes were in, so after arriving at the academic area, Xie Shu led the way.


    Together under the umbrella, they walked against the flow of people on the roadside.


    In the crowd, someone took out their phone and snapped a photo of the two of them.

 Chapter 22 – Beaten

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    As the class ended, everyone was leaving the academic building, and Xie Shu, walking against the crowd with Ruan Nianxi, found it somewhat inconvenient. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially at the entrance of the building, where the throng of students was thick. Not wanting to push through, Xie Shu chose to stand in the open plaza outside for a while.


    Ruan Nianxi stayed close by his side, looking up at the building where they attended their major courses.


    She had always wanted to follow him and see where his classes were, but she knew stalking was wrong. Reason told her not to do it, as being discovered would be more trouble than it was worth, so she never came to this area before.


    She only knew which class he was in from the screenshots of school assignments he posted on his social media.


    She was really trying hard to control herself.


    Most of the time, she could maintain her rationality.


    But since yesterday... everything had exceeded her imagination.


    It was as if she had returned to the time before high school when Xie Shu was still kind to her, cared for her, and even sent her good morning and goodnight messages.


    These were the things she lost after Su Qianyi came into the picture in high school, but now, seemingly overnight, they had returned.


    Ruan Nianxi sneakily glanced at Xie Shu''s profile.


    His eyes were like starry galaxies, his brows like distant mountains, his features sharp and his appearance extraordinary.


    He still looked the way she remembered, but now there was an added maturity to him.


    Perhaps it was because he studied art, but the once hot-blooded and tough young man now exuded a subtle air of refined ease, which fascinated her even more.


    Maybe Ruan Nianxi looked too long, or perhaps her gaze was too intense, but Xie Shu felt it and turned to look at her.


    Their eyes met, and Ruan Nianxi, in a panic, averted her gaze.


    To cover her embarrassment, she took a sip of her milk tea.


    But the tea was too hot, and she immediately spat out the straw and coughed a few times towards the ground.


    Seeing this, Xie Shu transferred his umbrella to his other hand, which was holding a water bottle, and fished out a packet of tissues from his pocket with his now-free hand.


    He handed the tissues to Ruan Nianxi and took her milk tea from her.


    Now with her hands free, Ruan Nianxi pulled out a tissue, wiped her mouth, and murmured an apology.


    Xie Shu smiled and said nothing, returning the milk tea to Ruan Nianxi and putting the tissues back in his pocket.


    On the small plaza in front of the academic building, under the modest shade of an umbrella, this brief interaction between the two was captured by an anonymous passerby.


    If they were just an ordinary couple, passersby might not have paid much attention.


    But!!


    The building Xie Shu was standing in front of was where they attended their major courses. Although the people coming out weren''t in his class, they were from the same faculty and major. He interacted with some of them from time to time and was recognized by more than just those in his class.


    Moreover, Xie Shu was known for his high-profile pursuit of Su Qianyi, his unwavering dedication and deep affection over three years, never giving up no matter how many rejections he faced. How many people had come to see Xie Shu as the epitome of fidelity?


    Regardless of gender, after hearing rumors about Xie Shu, everyone had discussed him in private. Even those not well-acquainted with him had seen his photos.


    And, adding to that, both Xie Shu and Su Qianyi were attractive, the campus hunk and belle, always at the forefront during school events. Over three years, almost everyone had come to recognize them!


    Many didn''t know Xie Shu personally, but most who came out were quite familiar with him.


    So when they saw that the person standing next to Xie Shu wasn''t Su Qianyi, they were a bit surprised.


    But that was all ¨C just surprise.


    However, that small interaction, though normal, seemed to carry a hint of ambiguity to outsiders.


    Thus, the scene was casually captured by someone and uploaded to the campus forum.


    To attract attention, they even gave it a catchy title:


    "Has the Art Faculty''s Most Faithful Man Changed His Target?"


    ***


    Once the post was up, it attracted lots of viewers, not just from the Art Faculty, intrigued by the phrase


    The post contained only one photo.


    In the photo, a man and a woman shared an umbrella, both half-turned towards each other. The man held the umbrella with one hand and offered a milk tea to the woman with his other hand. The woman, with a slightly unnatural blush on her face, was reaching out to take it.


    There was a subtle, ambiguous atmosphere, but it wasn''t too pronounced.


    However, what people cared about wasn''t this, but...


    ¡¾Single Dad of Two at Forty: Most faithful? What tone is that? How can he be faithful if he''s chasing someone else?¡¿


    ¡¾Sakura Kogane: Just a picture and I''m supposed to understand? Give us the details, or how can we know if he''s really faithful?¡¿


    ¡¾Kuromei: No details, can''t agree. But personally, I''m very faithful. Even though I''ve had several ex-girlfriends, my love for women has been consistent since childhood.¡¿


    ¡¾Mei Chuan Yifu: 6¡¿


    Some bystanders came in hoping for some juicy gossip, but all they found was a single image.


    They weren''t from the Art Faculty and didn''t know the details of other faculties, only seeing a handsome man and a pretty woman in the picture, nothing else.


    Just as people were about to leave the thread out of boredom, a student from the Art Faculty chimed in:


    ¡¾The guy in the picture is truly the most faithful I''ve seen. He''s been pursuing a girl from our faculty for three years, confessed countless times, and was rejected every time. Despite that, he''s unwavering in his affection for her, has done a lot for her, and has never changed over these three years. Everyone in our faculty knows about them. This is actually the first time I''ve seen him alone with another girl.¡¿


    ¡¾Caring Mother Stays Neutral: Three years??¡¿


    ¡¾Wild Dad Roams the Jungle: And he''s been rejected multiple times? How did he keep going?¡¿


    ¡¾Single Dad of Two at Forty: Sorry, I was a bit loud earlier.¡¿


    ¡¾Original Poster: Let me add, do you remember the bold confessions on the school field during Valentine''s Day and Qixi Festival in the past two years? The confessor was this guy in the picture. Also, aside from holidays, he''s confessed to the girl he likes and was still rejected.¡¿


    ¡¾Fasting Mid-Laner: Damn! The confessor from the past two years is the same person?? I saw it on the forum but never thought it was the same guy!¡¿


    ¡¾Solo Gamer Top-Laner: I remember! Roses, candles, gifts ¨C I was there last year and was so moved, only to see him rejected publicly. I wondered why every Valentine''s Day and Qixi Festival confession failed, turns out it''s the same guy.¡¿


    We are ", find us on google.


    ¡¾Shopping Jungle: Ah, now I remember! That''s why he looked so familiar! We had an inter-school event the day before yesterday, and I was there. This guy also confessed to a very pretty girl, but was rejected again. There were so many people, and I felt so bad for him watching from the crowd.¡¿


    ¡¾Bruised Marksman: Not sure how pretty the girl he liked before was, or the details between them, but three years isn''t short. If he can''t warm her heart, it''s good to move on early. I support it!¡¿

 Chapter 23 – Upset

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    The post sparked a lot of discussion and quickly became a trending topic.


    Soon, students from other faculties took notice, including those from Ruan Nianxi''s faculty.


    They scrutinized the photo over and over, unable to believe that the slightly shy girl in the picture was the same aloof goddess they knew.


    ***


    ¡¾Century Egg Solo Porridge: Am I seeing things? Doesn''t this girl look a lot like our faculty''s Ruan Nianxi?¡¿


    ¡¾Hidden Blue: Fellow faculty mate above, I second that¡¿


    ¡¾Half-Tour Junkie: Isn''t she supposed to be super aloof? She''s turned down so many suitors over these three years, how come now... is she in a relationship?¡¿


    The subject of the post, Ruan Nianxi, became the talk of the town among netizens, prompting a flurry of comments and inquiries.


    Those who knew Ruan Nianxi started to describe her as incredibly indifferent and cold to outsiders, the proverbial unattainable flower who wouldn''t spare a second glance for anyone.


    They said she hardly made friends over the past three years, treating both men and women with a detached air, interacting only out of social obligation, and that her usual demeanor was far too cold to ever display the "abnormal" expression seen in the photo!


    So, they suspected Ruan Nianxi was in love!


    And her love interest had to be the guy in the photo with her!


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have shown such an expression!


    The exaggerated contrast drawn by these people between Ruan Nianxi''s past and present behavior convinced many netizens that the two were indeed dating.


    As time went on, more and more people saw the post.


    This included Xie Shu''s classmates.


    And An Tian, who was surfing the internet.


    ***


    After hesitating for a long time in the comments section, An Tian handed her phone to Su Qianyi, who was intently drawing.


    Su Qianyi, puzzled by the sudden handover, asked, "What''s up?"


    An Tian replied, "Just look for yourself, I''m not saying anything this time."


    Curious and not understanding her meaning, Su Qianyi took the phone and her heart tightened at the sight of the post''s title.


    The Art Faculty''s Most Faithful Man Has a New Pursuit????


    The Art Faculty, her own faculty.


    The most faithful guy in her mind was none other than Xie Shu.


    So, her first thought was to associate this title with Xie Shu.


    But what did they mean by... a new pursuit??


    Trying to compose herself, Su Qianyi scrolled down with trembling fingers, only to see a photo of Xie Shu with another girl.


    In an instant, her mind went blank.


    A piercing ringing in her ears blocked all rational thought.


    Where was Xie Shu?


    Why was he with another woman?


    He used to only stay by her side!


    Why was he so close to someone else!?


    What about her?


    What about her!!!


    "Qianyi, Qianyi? "


    "Huh? What''s wrong?"


    An Tian''s urgent voice snapped Su Qianyi back to reality, her gaze lifeless as she turned to look at her.


    But An Tian was too preoccupied to notice, leaning in to glance at the phone, she said, "Hey, isn''t this the girl from yesterday? You seem to know her."


    She knows her?


    Su Qianyi refocused her gaze and took another look at the phone, finally recognizing the girl''s face.


    Initially, all her attention had been on Xie Shu, automatically categorizing the girl beside him as "some girl," and then her mind went blank, not really noticing the girl''s appearance.


    Now, seeing clearly, her mind exploded again.


    It was Ruan Nianxi!


    That girl from high school who hit her for no reason, never apologized, and somehow managed to suppress the incident!


    She and Ruan Nianxi had always been at odds in high school, so she absolutely couldn''t accept that Xie Shu was with her now.


    He knew how much she disliked Ruan Nianxi!


    Yet he was so close to her!!


    He...


    Remembering the title of the post, Su Qianyi''s anger was once again trapped in her chest.


    No, no!


    That''s wrong!


    Xie Shu doesn''t like Ruan Nianxi!


    He couldn''t possibly be chasing her! sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They just knew each other from childhood and were familiar, Xie Shu couldn''t possibly like her.


    Right! Of course!


    Xie Shu didn''t like Ruan Nianxi in high school, so why would he like her now!


    It must be Ruan Nianxi pestering Xie Shu!


    Back in the first year of high school, when Xie Shu first liked her, Ruan Nianxi pestered him because of it, following him around until Xie Shu, fearing a misunderstanding, asked Ruan Nianxi to keep her distance.


    As a woman, she understood Ruan Nianxi''s intentions all too well.


    But Xie Shu''s stance had always been firm, always on her side, so she never considered Ruan Nianxi a rival.


    After starting university, she thought Ruan Nianxi had gone to another school and had almost forgotten about her.


    But now...


    Unpleasant thoughts rose in Su Qianyi''s mind only to be suppressed.


    She firmly believed Xie Shu would never like Ruan Nianxi, so it could only be Ruan Nianxi pestering Xie Shu!


    As for why they seemed so harmonious in the photo, Su Qianyi had no energy left to ponder.


    She handed the phone back to An Tian and quickly stood up, heading out of the classroom.


    From the photo, it seemed Xie Shu was at the teaching building.


    She needed to go down and see for herself!!


    ***


    Meanwhile, at the teaching building.


    Seeing the crowd at the entrance thinning, Xie Shu prepared to go inside.


    He returned the umbrella to Ruan Nianxi, thanked her softly, took back his drawings, and entered the building.


    Ruan Nianxi stood outside, watching him go in, then followed upstairs.


    As Xie Shu''s figure disappeared at the stairwell, she instinctively started to follow.


    She wanted to see which classroom he was in, who sat next to him, whether they were male or female, whether the teacher was male or female, if he was still as popular as before, and if there really was a problem between him and Su Qianyi...


    She wanted to know everything about him, inside and out.


    But after taking a step, she abruptly stopped.


    It seemed like the doctor had said not to do such things... to give the person you like absolute freedom, to make them feel comfortable, that''s how you keep them from running away.


    After a moment''s thought, she took out the medicine bottle she always carried with her.


    (Again, a reminder that the male lead in the novel has special characteristics, and remember to distinguish between fiction and reality, as the novel contains elements of fantasy.)

 Chapter 24 – What right do you have to meddle in my affairs?

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Xie Shu returned to their classroom floor, just stepping out from the stairwell when he bumped into several male classmates from his class heading towards the classroom after leaving the restroom.


    Everyone was a pro at surfing the web, and in the short break between classes, many had already seen the post about Xie Shu on the campus forum.


    Then, as the news spread from one to ten and ten to a hundred, even more people became aware of it.


    In just a few minutes, they had enough time to scroll through hundreds of comments on that post.


    ***


    Seeing Xie Shu return, they immediately sidled up to him, slinging an arm over his shoulder to gossip.


    "Xie Shu, did you know you were just photographed?"


    Xie Shu: "What?"


    "It happened just a few minutes ago, right below our teaching building. You were with a beautiful girl, sharing an umbrella, and someone posted it on the forum."


    "Lots of people are discussing it, who is that girl?"


    Everyone tactfully avoided mentioning whether he was pursuing that girl.


    After all, they were classmates with Xie Shu and could more keenly sense his affection for Su Qianyi, his meticulous care for her often made them feel inferior.


    Xie Shu paused for a few seconds, quickly guessing that it must have been students from another class who had just finished and curiously snapped a photo of him with Ruan Nianxi.


    He thought it was something serious.


    So, without any concealment, he told them that Ruan Nianxi was a friend he had known since childhood and that they were very close.


    However, before Xie Shu had said much or walked far, he suddenly saw someone coming out of their classroom and heading straight towards them.


    Su Qianyi approached with a stern face, stopping in front of Xie Shu and staring at him with cold eyes.


    Xie Shu initially didn''t want to deal with Su Qianyi, but the male classmates clearly felt awkward.


    "Cough! Xie Shu, we''ll head back to the classroom first, you two talk."


    They quickly left and entered the classroom.


    The corridor was unusually quiet with other classes gone, students who still had classes hadn''t come out, and even the teachers were in their offices.


    Su Qianyi''s pretty face was stern, her red lips tightly pursed as she tried to suppress her anger, her eyes filled with coldness.


    This was the first time Xie Shu had seen Su Qianyi look at him with such eyes.


    If it had been before, even if he didn''t know why she was angry with him, he would have apologized immediately.


    But now, what did this have to do with him?


    After a few seconds of eye contact, Xie Shu calmly looked away: "If there''s nothing else, I''ll head back to the classroom."


    With that, he attempted to walk past Su Qianyi.


    "Xie Shu."


    Su Qianyi couldn''t hold back and spoke first.


    Just calling his name seemed to take all her strength.


    Before, it was always Xie Shu who took the initiative, no matter where she went or what she did, he was always the one calling her name.


    But just now...


    She had looked at him for so long, yet he didn''t call her gently as he used to.


    It felt like she had lost something important again.


    But Su Qianyi didn''t have time to think too much, she just urgently wanted to make Xie Shu stop.


    And as she expected, Xie Shu did stop, turning to her: "What is it, say it."


    His voice was steady and gentle, but there was a subtle distance in his tone.


    "Were you just with Ruan Nianxi?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "Why what?"


    Su Qianyi''s voice rose slightly.


    Meanwhile, down the corridor...


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    A pair of fair and slender legs came to a halt, standing there without leaving.


    "I know there''s a conflict between you two, but what does that have to do with me being with her?"


    "I..."


    Su Qianyi was at a loss for words.


    Right, what did Xie Shu''s normal social interactions have to do with her?


    It just felt so strange.


    A person she disliked, and... and someone who had been by her side for so many years, they were so close, what was she in the middle?


    She paused for a second, then continued her previous statement: "I don''t like you being with her!"


    He should be by her side! S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu was taken aback at her words, then a skeptical look crossed his face, his brows furrowing: "Are you the Pacific Ocean police?"


    £¨Peter Pan''s tip:"Pacific Ocean police" describe someone who is nosy£©


    "What?"


    "Being so nosy?"


    "..."


    "What does it matter to you whether I like it or not? Do I need your permission for everything I do? Su Qianyi, who do you think you are? What right do you have to meddle in my affairs?"


    Su Qianyi was left stunned by Xie Shu''s words.


    This was the first time she had heard him speak to her in such a tone.


    In an instant, a wave of grievances surged in her heart, and her eyes became sore, her tightly pursed lips almost giving way.


    But her strong pride stopped these emotions in their tracks.


    She lowered her head slightly, took a deep breath, and pushed all the strangeness back.


    Looking up again, she was back to normal, her lips parting slightly to speak, but Xie Shu cut her off.


    "Teacher! My drawing is printed, can you check it for me first?"


    Seeing several teachers coming out of the office and talking, Xie Shu called out proactively and walked towards them as he spoke.


    And so, Su Qianyi was left standing there.


    The emotions she had just mustered were shattered in an instant.


    She couldn''t hold back anymore, and suspicious tears quickly appeared in her eyes.


    At the same time, the bell for class rang, not even giving her time to feel sad.


    Su Qianyi stood there for a few seconds, then held back all her grievances, returned to normal, and turned to walk towards the classroom.


    The corridor quickly returned to silence.


    On the other side of the corridor, Ruan Nianxi finally turned and went downstairs.


    She walked out of the teaching building and stopped outside the door.


    Then, she took out her phone and made a call.


    "Uncle Zhang, could you help me check everything about Xie Shu from last week?"


    "Please, don''t let my parents know."


    "I''m just curious, I know what I''m doing."


    "I''ll go to the hospital myself, just help me check."


    After speaking with the other party, she hung up the phone and stood in silence for a long time.


    There really was something going on between Xie Shu and Su Qianyi.


    Before, she would control herself not to pay too much attention to Xie Shu, which led to her not being very clear about what was happening between them.


    Everything about Xie Shu, she used to see in her friend circle.


    If it weren''t for the fact that her medication had no effect today and she couldn''t control herself from following them, she might not have heard their conversation just now.


    Out of curiosity, she wanted someone to check.


    Right... was the medicine expired?


    It didn''t work at all.

 Chapter 25 – Arrange seating

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    In the last morning class, Xie Shu was fully engrossed in revising his drawings under the teacher''s guidance after showing them for review.


    Unlike him, his classmate Su Qianyi wasn''t nearly as focused.


    Mouse in hand, Su Qianyi struggled to draw even a single line, and the few steps she managed to sketch out were promptly deleted.


    She just couldn''t calm down...


    Her mind was still reeling from the words Xie Shu had spoken to her earlier.


    How could he speak to her like that!


    How could he say it was none of her business!


    And how could he be so close to Ruan Nianxi??


    He had her by his side, and she didn''t even like Ruan Nianxi, so he shouldn''t be getting too close to her!


    Wasn''t he always like this before?


    Even if he was doing this deliberately to get her attention, wasn''t it too much?


    Throughout the class, Su Qianyi didn''t get much done on her assignment, but her thoughts were racing.


    After class, it was noon, and everyone in the classroom began shutting down their computers and packing up, leaving the room one after another.


    Su Qianyi had wanted to pack up slowly on purpose, to see if Xie Shu would wait for her.


    But before she could even shut down her computer, she saw Xie Shu, with his laptop bag, already out the classroom door.


    He hadn''t glanced her way even once.


    Her hopes dashed, she felt an extreme sense of disappointment.


    Pretending nothing was wrong, Su Qianyi packed up her computer and left the classroom with An Tian, heading towards the cafeteria.


    Halfway there, she checked her phone countless times, but no message from Xie Shu came.


    Even as she reached the cafeteria entrance and joined the queue for food, there was still no message from him.


    In the past, although she and Xie Shu didn''t always eat together, he would often join her, and even if he occasionally ate with his friends, he would message her to explain.


    It had been two days.


    Xie Shu hadn''t initiated contact to meet up in the cafeteria for two days.


    ***


    On his way to the cafeteria, Xie Shu had already sent a message to Ruan Nianxi.


    He knew she didn''t have class in the morning and thought they could go to the cafeteria together at noon.


    But after a long wait and having reached the cafeteria entrance, Ruan Nianxi hadn''t replied.


    Figuring she was busy with her duties as class president and hadn''t seen the message, he didn''t think much of it and casually had lunch with his buddies before heading back to the dorm. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ***


    They had two major classes in the afternoon, and when the time came, Xie Shu grabbed his textbooks and headed to the classroom.


    The lecture was for several classes combined, so it was crowded, and by the time he arrived, only the first two rows had empty seats.


    Since both rows were almost the same, he chose to sit in the first row.


    After a while, more students trickled in, filling up the remaining seats in the front two rows.


    Just minutes before class, Xie Shu, who had been looking at his phone, caught a glimpse of someone entering through the corner of his eye. He instinctively looked up, locking eyes with Su Qianyi, who had just walked in.


    After a few seconds of eye contact, Xie Shu calmly lowered his gaze and continued with his phone.


    Seeing that Xie Shu didn''t look at her again, Su Qianyi also turned away with a stern face.


    Despite the large lecture hall, it was packed with students, and Su Qianyi, arriving just in time, couldn''t make out where the empty seats were.


    She hesitated at the door, unsure of which way to go.


    An Tian was also by Su Qianyi''s side, scanning the classroom several times, equally unsure of where to sit.


    In such classes, everyone usually came in groups and sat together with people they knew well. If they weren''t familiar with each other, they would often leave an empty seat between them.


    But Su Qianyi and An Tian were two people who naturally wanted to sit together, so one seat wouldn''t do.


    So there they stood, unable to find seats for a good while.


    Just then, the teacher arrived.


    Seeing the two girls standing at the classroom door, he immediately understood the situation.


    He always took attendance, so it was rare for students to skip his class, and he had encountered this issue of latecomers not knowing where to sit several times before.


    The teacher glanced around the classroom and pointed to the front two rows: "There are empty seats over there, do you want to sit there? You might have to sit separately, though."


    The place the teacher pointed to was right where Xie Shu and his friends were sitting.


    They were seated in the middle of the classroom, with a few empty seats between them and some other guys from different classes due to not knowing each other.


    The row behind them was in a similar situation.


    So, if they wanted to sit here, they would have to sit separately, one behind the other.


    An Tian was still hesitant, but Su Qianyi quickly agreed.


    "Okay, thank you, teacher."


    With that, she took An Tian''s hand and walked inside.


    At the same time, the teacher went to the podium and addressed the students in the front two rows: "Could you all move in a bit to make room for these two ladies?"


    As soon as the teacher finished speaking, Xie Shu felt someone standing next to him.


    He looked up and once again met Su Qianyi''s gaze.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    An Tian: "......"


    She realized why Su Qianyi had agreed to the teacher''s suggestion.


    Xie Shu was sitting on the edge, and he had to wait for his friends to move in before he could make room.


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    He looked away, nudging Liu Ping with his elbow, silently urging them to hurry.


    It wasn''t that he was worried about Su Qianyi getting tired from standing.


    It was just that being stared at by Su Qianyi like this made him uncomfortable.


    Soon, Su Qianyi and An Tian sat down in the front two rows, and the bell for class rang, with the teacher ready to call roll.


    Xie Shu and Su Qianyi were in the same class, and their names were close to each other on the attendance list.


    As the teacher called their names one after the other, they raised their hands to respond, and many in the classroom looked at them, puzzled.


    Only the students in the front few rows knew about the teacher arranging seats for Su Qianyi and An Tian, while those sitting in the middle and back, busy with their phones or chatting, hadn''t noticed or heard, so they were surprised to see the two sitting together.


    Wasn''t it said that Xie Shu had stopped pursuing Su Qianyi?


    Why were they sitting together again?


    Could the posts on the campus forum this morning have been just rumors??

 Chapter 26 – Remain silent

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    In class, Xie Shu rarely checked his phone.


    After all, young people shouldn''t be glued to their phones during lectures; they should occasionally pay attention to where the teacher is.


    The teacher spent most of the time pacing back and forth at the podium, which limited Xie Shu''s opportunities to look at his phone.


    Otherwise, you''d see him in the back row, probably already logged into the game.


    University professors aren''t too strict about phone use, as long as it''s not excessive, they generally turn a blind eye.


    Still, everyone is a student, and out of respect for the teacher, they tend to restrain themselves a bit, so those sitting in the front rows, like Xie Shu, did the same.


    Sitting in the front row, Xie Shu couldn''t play games or watch videos, so chatting with someone was his only option.


    Coincidentally, all four of his dorm mates were also in the front row, in the same situation, so they started chatting in the dorm group on WeChat, simultaneously listening to the lecture and anxiously checking their phones.


    During this time, he sent several messages to Ruan Nianxi, but she still hadn''t replied.


    What could she be so busy with? It had been hours; hadn''t she finished yet?


    Could something have happened?


    In this day and age, aside from exams or other special circumstances where phone use is restricted, phones are used most of the time, right?


    They even needed to use their phones to sign in for class.


    Out of concern, he decided to call Ruan Nianxi after class.


    Su Qianyi sat next to Xie Shu with perfect posture, attentively listening to the lecture, seemingly out of place among the other students who occasionally checked their phones.


    But that was just a facade.


    While others glanced at their phones now and then, she found herself stealing glances at Xie Shu.


    Sitting together, all she had to do was tilt her head slightly and peer sideways to observe all of Xie Shu''s actions.


    She watched him switch between QQ and WeChat, chatting with others, while she checked her own phone several times, yet she never received a message from him.


    Halfway through the class, he hadn''t spoken a word to her.


    In the past, when they had to sit at the front for a large lecture due to arriving late, Xie Shu would still whisper to her, and if the teacher was very strict, he''d write his thoughts on paper for her to read.


    But this time, it was different between them.


    Su Qianyi wanted to take the initiative several times, but her pride held her back each time.


    For years, it had always been Xie Shu who took the initiative, and she had grown accustomed to it. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, for the entire class, neither of them initiated contact.


    ***


    After the first class ended.


    Many students left the classroom to stretch their legs, but Su Qianyi remained seated.


    She sat on the edge, with Xie Shu and the classroom aisle separated only by her, while many people sat on his other side.


    She wasn''t sure if Xie Shu would also leave, but she hoped he would ask her to move if he wanted to get out.


    That would count as him taking the initiative.


    However, her hopes were dashed.


    Xie Shu wanted to step out to make a call, but the people on both sides of him showed no signs of leaving, and it would be troublesome to ask so many people on the other side to make way for him.


    So, after some thought, he stood up, stepped onto the desks, and made his way out from the front.


    Even with such an approach, he didn''t plan to say a word to Su Qianyi.


    After leaving his seat, he calmly took out a tissue to wipe the shoe prints off the desk, then left the classroom with composure.


    Su Qianyi, who had observed his every move, was speechless.


    With Xie Shu''s departure, she felt the stares from all around.


    Pretending to be oblivious, she looked down at her phone with an expressionless face, as if she didn''t care.


    It''s fine.


    There''s still one more class.


    He would surely take the initiative to call her during the next class, right?


    ***


    Outside the classroom.


    Xie Shu found Ruan Nianxi''s contact and was about to call when a WeChat message popped up: "Sorry, something came up at noon, just saw your messages now. Is there something you need?"


    It was from Ruan Nianxi.


    Xie Shu raised an eyebrow; her response was quite timely.


    Entering WeChat, Xie Shu messaged back: "Nothing much, just worried since you hadn''t replied. What were you up to that you didn''t check your phone for so long?"


    Ruan Nianxi: "Went to the hospital."


    Xie Shu: "Are you sick?"


    Watching the "typing" indicator on his phone, he waited several minutes before receiving her reply: "No, just a stomachache, went to get some medicine."


    Her response led Xie Shu to assume it might be her menstrual period, and although he was curious why it took her hours to get medicine, he felt it wasn''t his place to pry too much, so after expressing his concern, he smoothly changed the subject.


    They continued chatting until the bell rang for the next class.


    ***


    Xie Shu returned to the classroom.


    He walked towards his seat, step by step.


    Su Qianyi''s peripheral vision quickly identified Xie Shu''s tall figure among the crowd.


    Now, he would speak to her, right?


    As she expected, Xie Shu stopped near her.


    She fought the urge to look up, maintaining her dignity.


    As she waited for Xie Shu to speak to her, she saw him reach over her desk to grab his book from his seat, then follow the crowd towards the back of the classroom.


    He had changed seats.


    Although there were no assigned seats, most people rarely changed spots between consecutive classes.


    Xie Shu''s action not only stunned Su Qianyi but also left his three dorm mates speechless.


    The classroom wasn''t completely full.


    There were few consecutive empty seats, but Xie Shu was alone and could easily find a spot.


    Eventually, he found an empty seat among a group of girls sitting against the wall.


    After confirming the seat was unoccupied, he decided to sit there.


    Considering it would be awkward to sit in the middle, the girls cooperatively moved inwards, making room for him on the edge, and then Xie Shu sat down.


    Once seated, he looked forward and saw his three dorm mates giving him the finger.


    Xie Shu immediately pushed his nonexistent invisible glasses with his middle finger as a retort to his rebellious sons.

 Chapter 27 – Separated

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    At the same time.


    Outside the hospital. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ruan Nianxi glanced back at her recent chat history with Xie Shu, her emotions a mix of excitement and regret.


    That morning, she had asked Uncle Zhang to gather some information on Xie Shu from last week, and then she headed to the hospital...


    She knew she wasn''t as composed as before, so she took advantage of her remaining rationality to go to the hospital first.


    She arrived around noon.


    Though it was the doctors'' break time, the money she offered was enough to make an exception and see her first.


    ***


    Just like that, so much time had passed.


    During that period, she hadn''t checked her phone at all and was unaware of the many messages Xie Shu had sent her.


    She didn''t reply in time, missing the chance to have lunch with Xie Shu, missing the opportunity to spend time with him.


    How she regretted it; she wished she had gone to the hospital in the afternoon instead.


    Feeling her heart beating faster and faster, realizing she was entertaining some delusional thoughts, and recognizing the emergence of some ill-conceived plans, Ruan Nianxi quickly took out the new medication she had just purchased from her bag and swallowed a pill.


    After taking it, she felt a bit better and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    These past few days had been somewhat torturous for her...


    Xie Shu was too good to her.


    She was constantly afraid of scaring him away.


    Although she could find him no matter where he ran off to, she knew that doing so would make her disliked.


    Being disliked by Xie Shu was more painful than death itself.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have tolerated Su Qianyi for so many years.


    With a sigh, Ruan Nianxi put away her phone, ready to head back to school.


    She hadn''t walked far when her phone pinged. Thinking it was a message from Xie Shu, she immediately checked it.


    But it was a file sent by someone saved as "Uncle Zhang."


    Opening the file, it was just a simple and clear itinerary.


    Although the itinerary didn''t specify whose it was, both she and the person known as Uncle Zhang understood without saying.


    She glanced over it briefly; the entries were nothing more than classes, meals, and dormitory - nothing particularly noteworthy.


    Except for the evening before last, there was an additional entry for a social mixer.


    A social mixer?


    She remembered hearing some classmates mention a mixer organized by students from nearby schools the day before yesterday, and someone in her dorm had asked if she wanted to join.


    She had no interest at the time, and since she didn''t like talking to people or making friends with strangers, she didn''t go.


    Her social interactions were limited to the basic ones required by her parents; otherwise, she wouldn''t bother with these people.


    But now she wondered, did Xie Shu go that night?


    He usually went where Su Qianyi was, so did Su Qianyi also attend that night?


    The day after that night, which was yesterday, she had an unexpected encounter with Xie Shu on campus, and they started interacting again.


    And then...


    Yesterday, and this morning, she had been with Xie Shu, and Su Qianyi was nowhere to be seen.


    Moreover, yesterday at noon, and this morning, Xie Shu had clearly seen Su Qianyi but ignored her.


    Combining this with the conversation she overheard in the corridor today...


    She felt something must have happened at the mixer that night.


    A quick look at "pawread dot com" will leave you more fulfilled.


    Thinking this, she replied to Uncle Zhang: [Uncle Zhang, can you investigate more about what happened during the mixer? Like if anything happened at that time.]


    Uncle Zhang: [Miss, that''s as far as I can go. You know Mr. Ruan doesn''t want you getting close to Mr. Xie. If he finds out I''m investigating him for you, he might fire me.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [WeChat transfer]


    [Uncle Zhang has withdrawn a message]


    [Uncle Zhang has accepted your transfer]


    Uncle Zhang: [Alright, Miss. Give me a moment.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Okay.]


    After ending the chat, Ruan Nianxi truly put down her phone and walked towards the school.


    ***


    At school.


    After changing seats for the second class, Xie Shu went to the canyon to spite those three ingrates, capturing a few screenshots of him counter-killing the enemy team.


    Of course, he couldn''t be that mean all the time. After one game, he logged out and returned to the group chat to boast with his friends.


    If it weren''t for Su Qianyi sitting next to him, he wouldn''t have changed seats.


    He didn''t mind her presence, but he couldn''t handle it.


    During the previous class, he felt like Su Qianyi was constantly looking at him, which made him uncomfortable, but he refrained from looking back at her.


    But on second thought, he doubted it.


    Would she look at him?


    That''s laughable. She hadn''t given him a proper glance in the past ten years, why would she start now?


    She was just temporarily sharing a table with him due to a lack of seats, he must be overthinking it.


    Anyway, sitting together made him feel uncomfortable, so he switched seats for the second class.


    Xie Shu didn''t think much of it, casually placing his phone on the desk, alternating between checking it and listening to the teacher.


    But the rest of the class began to question their assumptions.


    Initially, when they saw Xie Shu and Su Qianyi sitting together during the first class, they thought the forum rumors were false, even commenting that their relationship was still strong. But then, in the second class, Xie Shu changed seats and separated from Su Qianyi.


    Confused, the story became even more baffling.


    Instead of speculating wildly, it was easier to just ask directly.


    ***


    After class, a bold girl stopped Xie Shu as he was leaving and asked him in front of everyone, "Xie Shu, there''s a rumor that you''ve stopped pursuing Su Qianyi, is that true?"


    As the face of the male students in the art college, Xie Shu was handsome and tall, and many girls liked him.


    But since freshman year, he had been chasing after Su Qianyi and never gave up.


    Although there were many boys pursuing Su Qianyi, and she rejected them all, including Xie Shu, he was the only one who always stayed by her side.


    Everyone wondered why Su Qianyi always refused Xie Shu, but seeing that she didn''t mind his presence, many girls knew they had no chance and never set their sights on Xie Shu.


    Now, hearing that he might have stopped chasing Su Qianyi, some single girls felt they might have a chance.


    They needed a definitive answer.


    Knowing the answer would determine their next move.


    The other girls around were also curious about the answer, so they all stopped to listen.


    Some boys also paused to join in on the gossip.


    Xie Shu, who was about to leave, paused for a moment when suddenly called out, then calmly said, "Rumors? Sorry, I need to clarify that. It''s not a rumor."

 Chapter 28 – I still need to use it myself

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Su Qianyi sat in the front row of the classroom, and as soon as class ended, she stood up and headed for the exit.


    Last class, Xie Shu had silently changed seats, causing her to lose face in front of so many people!


    Sitting alone, she endured the scrutinizing gazes from all directions. She had had enough!


    She had already taken a step back by willingly sitting with him, what more did he want?


    Would it kill him to exchange a few words with her?


    Yet, he deliberately switched seats, making her lose face. He was really too much!


    She despised him!


    She wouldn''t back down anymore!


    Whatever game he was playing, she was done participating!


    She didn''t need his affections...


    ***


    "Xie Shu, there''s a rumor that you''ve stopped pursuing Su Qianyi. Is that true?"


    A rather loud female voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts from the back of the classroom.


    The next second, her body froze in place.


    Like the rest of the class, she turned around upon hearing the girl''s voice, looking towards the back of the room.


    There, surrounded by onlookers, Xie Shu remained calm and composed. After a few seconds, he spoke, "...I need to clarify, that''s not a rumor."


    His words sent a ripple of shock through the crowd.


    Some were disbelieving, others found it incredible, and a few were secretly pleased...


    Three years of affection, gone just like that?


    Amidst their shock, they couldn''t help but look towards Su Qianyi at the front.


    But whether it was because Su Qianyi had left too quickly or for some other reason, they didn''t catch sight of her, nor did they know if she had heard Xie Shu''s words.


    The two, who used to be inseparable, now didn''t even leave class together?


    This change led many students from other classes to start believing what Xie Shu had said.


    As for their own classmates, they were already used to it.


    Xie Shu didn''t say much more. He quickly walked to the front and left the lecture hall with his "sons."


    As soon as he left the classroom, the remaining girls burst into an uproar.


    Xie Shu was no longer revolving around Su Qianyi, which meant they had a chance to pursue him now!


    ***


    On the way back to the dormitory, a girl with flushed cheeks caught up with Xie Shu.


    Xie Shu noticed she was holding the same textbook as his, probably a classmate from the same lecture.


    Thinking she had something to say, he stopped and turned to her.


    It was the girl''s first time being so close to Xie Shu, and her face turned even redder.


    She stammered, "Xie, could you give me your WeChat?"


    Xie Shu was taken aback, then frowned slightly, finding it awkward, "No, I still need to use my WeChat."


    "..."


    "How about this, you register your own account with your phone number."


    "..."


    After saying that, Xie Shu turned and walked away.


    His "sons" silently twitched their mouths and, without saying anything, followed him.


    But the girl was not ready to give up.


    She quickly caught up and tried a different approach: "Xie, I mean, can I scan your QR code?"


    Xie Shu paused, then realized what she meant: "You should''ve been clear."


    He took out his phone, opened WeChat, skillfully brought up a QR code, and extended the phone towards the girl.


    The girl, thrilled that Xie Shu had agreed, quickly scanned the code with her phone, too excited to notice she was scanning the payment QR code instead of the friend request.


    "Xie, we''re from the same faculty, you might not know me, but I know you, uh... I''m not very familiar with you, but..."


    Xie Shu suddenly cut her off: "It''s okay, even though we''re not close, you can use money to get to know me better."


    "???"


    The girl''s phone pinged with a successful scan.


    Xie Shu put away his phone and continued towards the dormitory.


    The girl stood there, stunned. After a few seconds, she checked her phone and stared at the "Transfer to *Shu" page for a long time.


    Once they were further away, Zhao Lin elbowed Xie Shu, teasing, "Xie Shu, that was smooth, just announced in class you''re not chasing Su Qianyi anymore, and now someone''s already asking for your WeChat."


    Li Da chimed in, "I really thought you were going to add that girl as a friend. Weren''t you planning to pursue Ruan Nianxi?"


    They had all seen Xie Shu present the payment QR code for the girl to scan. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl was too excited to distinguish between a payment code and a friend request code.


    Liu Ping shrugged with a sigh, "Only you would play dumb in the face of a girl''s advances. We can''t even find someone to date."


    Xie Shu immediately dropped his smile, straightened his face, and said profoundly, "Don''t be so pessimistic. Be more positive. Our lives don''t need hesitation. Go where you want, date who you want."


    His words started off sounding profound, and the three felt inspired until they realized he was joking at their expense.


    "Xie Shu, you Mom... stay healthy."


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    "You better not sleep too soundly tonight!"


    "Keep one eye open when you sleep tonight."


    The four of them walked along the campus paths, laughing and joking like most friends do.


    ***


    Only Xie Shu, who had been a wage slave in his past life, knew how precious these campus days were.


    His roommates, it was said, had chosen to study art in high school because of their hobbies, unlike him, who did it to accompany a girl he liked.


    So the three of them, each with a label of being into the second dimension and somewhat otaku, didn''t socialize much, never leaving their rooms unless necessary. But these were the kind of people who, once you really became friends with them, treated you the best.


    At least in his past life, they had maintained contact and helped each other even after entering society.


    Passing by a basketball court, a ball suddenly flew towards them.


    Xie Shu quickly caught the basketball to prevent it from hitting anyone.


    He glanced at the court and saw a few people heading their way, assuming they were coming for the ball. He threw it back to them from a few meters away.


    Seeing someone catch it, he was about to leave when someone from the group called out.


    "Are you Xie Shu?"


    Hearing his name, Xie Shu turned back curiously.


    He didn''t recognize the person and had no memory of him. How did he know him?


    The guy holding the basketball looked Xie Shu up and down, then sneered, "You don''t seem that special."


    Xie Shu: "???"


    Was this a case of a chicken talking to a duck?


    "I read a post saying you''re from the Art Faculty and that you''ve been fawning over a girl for three years. What, now that you can''t get her, you''re setting your sights on our Ruan Nianxi?"


    Ah, so he was from Ruan Nianxi''s faculty, no wonder he didn''t recognize him.


    "I don''t want to say much more..."


    The guy claimed he didn''t want to say much, yet he had been ranting for quite a while.


    Passersby who didn''t understand the situation also stopped to watch.


    Xie Shu watched the man, still rambling, and suddenly remembered a phrase he had learned.


    I should reflect on myself thrice a day,


    Am I being too polite?


    Did I give him too much face?


    Should I take action?


    He thought about it, but Xie Shu didn''t act.


    He was at school, and he was a junior.


    What if he couldn''t control himself and hurt someone? What if the school punished him?


    He had learned a few self-defense moves from his dad when he was younger. Although he wasn''t a professional, he was more than capable compared to complete amateurs, and he was genuinely worried about going too far.


    It wasn''t worth it.


    For the sake of graduating smoothly and without a record, Xie Shu refrained from acting.


    He felt there was no need to get angry with someone he didn''t know, so he decided to speak to the person nicely.


    So, with a calm and composed tone, he said:


    "Why are you barking like a dog?"

 Chapter 29 – I remember happy things

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    The scene fell silent for a few seconds.


    Then came the angry roar of the boy:


    Xie Shu: "No need to act like you''re hard of hearing at such a young age, but if you really can''t hear me clearly face-to-face, I might consider engraving it on your tombstone."


    "You..."


    The other party, red-faced and fuming, dropped the basketball and was about to confront Xie Shu.


    It looked like he was ready to throw a punch.


    But he was stopped by a few boys next to him.


    Anger is one thing, but no one was foolish enough to risk punishment by actually fighting.


    The boy who was held back quickly regained his composure.


    He glared at Xie Shu resentfully, nearly falling for his provocation. If he had thrown the first punch, it would have definitely been to his disadvantage, especially with so many classmates watching.


    The boy cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment and continued, "Anyway, I''m telling you, Ruan Nianxi is from our faculty, so you better stop hitting on her!"


    Xie Shu had no interest in continuing this meaningless argument.


    Without a word, he pulled out his phone under the puzzled gazes of the crowd.


    Seeing him tapping on his phone without speaking, Zhao Lin approached curiously and asked, "Xie Shu, what are you doing?"


    "Looking up the number for the dog-catching team, thinking of having them pay a visit to our school."


    "..."


    It took the boy a few seconds to realize that Xie Shu was insinuating he was a dog, and he was infuriated once again.


    Zhao Lin, worried that Xie Shu might actually make the call, pressed down on his phone.


    Taking the cue, Xie Shu put away his phone and then turned his attention back to the boy.


    Compared to the boy''s flushed and agitated demeanor, Xie Shu was the picture of calm.


    Compete with him?


    Did the boy really think Xie Shu had spent his past life berating superiors in the workplace for nothing?


    One of Xie Shu''s life principles has always been:


    In just a few minutes, the boy felt like he was about to blow his top.


    But on campus, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, he couldn''t do much.


    After holding back for a while and calming down a bit, he said with a disdainful tone, "I didn''t come here to make things difficult for you today. I just wanted to let you know that Ruan Nianxi has already accepted my confession not long ago, so you''d better stay away from her!"


    As soon as he said this, not only Xie Shu''s three followers but even the boy''s friends showed incredulous expressions, all shocked.


    The boy lifted his chin, hoping to intimidate Xie Shu into backing down.


    The onlookers were still enjoying the drama.


    Only Xie Shu felt like laughing.


    Ruan Nianxi accepted his confession?


    Was he playing a loudspeaker in the treetops, audible for miles around?


    He probably hadn''t even managed to become ordinary friends with Ruan Nianxi, right?


    Even if Xie Shu hadn''t been reborn and knew about Ruan Nianxi''s past, he would still believe that she would never accept the boy''s confession.


    How well did he know Ruan Nianxi after spending so much time with her?


    Because of a kidnapping incident in her childhood, she had been refusing friendships ever since.


    When she transferred to his class in elementary school, she was already in a state of rejecting friendships.


    The reason he managed to become her friend later on was that he had been protecting her during that time, and as they spent more time together, plus she was young, it was easy for her to accept him as a friend.


    In middle and high school, as she grew older, she became even less sociable. Her so-called friends were actually his friends.


    Because he knew them, she, who always followed him, got to know them too.


    Her own friends?


    As far as he could remember, he had never seen any.


    In short, it was very difficult for anyone to become even ordinary friends with Ruan Nianxi.


    And he had succeeded in confessing to her?


    Couldn''t he have bragged to someone else?


    Why did he have to bring it to Xie Shu?


    Hilarious!


    Xie Shu didn''t respond but simply scoffed at the boy, his disdain clear.


    The boy frowned: "What are you laughing at?"


    Xie Shu: "I just remembered something funny."


    The boy: "What funny thing... Are you ever going to stop?"


    The boy, realizing what was happening, shouted angrily again.


    He took a couple of steps forward, his friends still worried he might act out and get punished, trying to hold him back.


    He waved them off to show he was calm, and after they let go, he took a few steps towards Xie Shu.


    "So you''re set on opposing me to the end?" the boy paused, then continued, "You want to settle this once and for all, right? Well, everyone''s here, so don''t say I''m bullying you. Choose whatever you want to compete in." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu had no intention of engaging with him, but after a brief glance in a certain direction, he changed his mind.


    He asked uncertainly, "I get to choose?"


    The boy nodded confidently without hesitation.


    Since the boy was being so polite, Xie Shu didn''t refuse: "Let''s compete in speed sketching then."


    The boy: "..."


    Xie Shu: "If you don''t have the tools, my friends can lend them to you."


    The boy: "How can you choose something you''re good at!?"


    He had assumed Xie Shu would choose something like basketball, soccer, or some other sport, but to his surprise, Xie Shu chose his own specialty!


    Xie Shu frowned, puzzled: "What are you talking about? You asked me to choose, so shouldn''t I pick something I''m good at instead of something you''re good at?"


    The boy was at a loss for words; it was true that each should choose something they were skilled at, right?


    That speed sketching...


    "I''ve never studied art, how can I do speed sketching? Pick something else!"


    "You can''t do it?"


    "No kidding!"


    "Alright then, consider it your loss. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way."


    With that, Xie Shu turned to leave.


    The boy, frustrated by Xie Shu''s unconventional tactics, was already simmering with anger, and now felt toyed with. It was hard for anyone to endure that.


    But with so many onlookers, he couldn''t resort to violence no matter how angry he was.


    Instead, he started to mock Xie Shu, hoping to shift the public''s attention onto him.


    "Fine, forget the competition. You won''t be able to win over Ruan Nianxi anyway. I told you, she''s already accepted my confession. You can''t even win over a girl from your own faculty, so you think you can chase after girls from other faculties?"


    The boy''s voice was loud, and nearly all the onlookers heard him.


    For the full version, visit pawread dot com.


    Xie Shu''s three loyal followers were furious upon hearing this and were about to retort, but Xie Shu stopped them.


    The three were puzzled: "Xie Shu, you can tolerate this?"


    "Not really."


    Xie Shu waved his hand lightly, not looking at them, but instead stared straight ahead and called out, "Ruan Nianxi, when did you tell me you had accepted someone''s confession?"

 Chapter 30 – Explaining

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    This novel is available on ".


    Everyone followed Xie Shu''s gaze, and there emerged from the crowd a breathtakingly beautiful girl.


    Her shoulders were finely cut, her waist slender as if bound by silk.


    Her neck gracefully extended, her fair skin exposed...


    With a cold expression, she stepped out of the crowd and approached Xie Shu and his group, her eyes fixed on the boy.


    Now that the person in question had arrived, the onlookers grew even more excited.


    Xie Shu cast a nonchalant glance at the boy, and seeing his increasingly panicked face, he knew the kid had been boasting.


    Of all people to brag to, he had to choose him.


    As the boy tried to leave, Xie Shu spoke first: "Now that the person concerned is here, why don''t you continue with what you were saying?"


    The boy''s face turned from green to white upon hearing this.


    He had indeed been bragging...


    At the time, his main thought was that Xie Shu didn''t know him, so no matter what he said, Xie Shu wouldn''t know the truth, and his friends, even if they knew the truth, wouldn''t expose him.


    That''s why he had spoken that way.


    Who would have expected Ruan Nianxi to be here at this moment?


    She... she didn''t hear everything, did she? S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He...


    Then the boy had another thought:


    Not only would this resolve the awkwardness, but it would also give Ruan Nianxi a good explanation.


    As he was about to explain to Ruan Nianxi, she beat him to it by asking, "Who are you?"


    The boy: "..."


    Xie Shu chuckled again and stepped forward: "I thought you were quite familiar with each other just now, but it turns out it''s just a one-sided acquaintance."


    The boy looked incredulous, turning to Ruan Nianxi: "I''m the class representative from Class Three, we often meet in the counselor''s office, and I''ve helped the counselor out."


    "I''ve seen many people in the counselor''s office, but I don''t know specifically who you are."


    "I..."


    The boy glanced at Xie Shu, who was still laughing at him, and plowed on with a thick face: "I''ve even confessed to you."


    "I seem to recall something like that, but I don''t remember who it was."


    Meaning she couldn''t match the face to the person who had confessed.


    In plain terms, she didn''t recognize him.


    To Ruan Nianxi, unimportant people, or those she felt no need to get close to, or those not requiring long-term interaction, like classmates and teachers from the previous semester, she generally didn''t pay much attention to who they were or make an effort to remember what they looked like.


    Up to now in college, she had only remembered everyone in her class, including some teachers, out of necessity due to her role as "class president."


    She really didn''t want to remember anyone else.


    She wasn''t one to make friends, even rejecting the idea, because she felt it unnecessary.


    If it weren''t for her parents saying she couldn''t continue at this school without maintaining some basic social interactions, she really would have liked to be invisible these past few years.


    No matter what the boy said, Ruan Nianxi insisted she didn''t know him, had no impression, didn''t remember.


    Just minutes before, the boy had boldly claimed that Ruan Nianxi had accepted his confession, but when the person concerned showed up, she said she didn''t know him.


    His bluff had been called.


    Many of the onlookers laughed.


    The boy felt as if he had been slapped in public, his face burning with shame and anger.


    Finally, he glared fiercely at Xie Shu and hurriedly left the scene with his friends.


    With their departure, the excitement died down.


    The crowd slowly dispersed, and Xie Shu and his group resumed their walk to the dormitory.


    However, this time Ruan Nianxi joined them on their way.


    "Xie Shu, do you know you almost killed me with laughter just now?" Zhao Lin said with a chuckle as they walked.


    "If I die, make sure you treat me to a feast."


    "..."


    Li Da coughed lightly before changing the subject: "It''s a good thing we''re at school where no one dares to get physical. If this were outside, fists would have flown, and I would have loved to see you infuriate that guy, hahaha."


    Xie Shu appeared indifferent: "What difference does it make outside? If they dare touch me, within a minute, they''ll all be kneeling and begging me."


    "You''re that formidable?!"


    "No, I mean within a minute, they''ll be pinching my philtrum, kneeling and begging me not to die."


    "..."


    "If there aren''t a thousand or eight hundred, I really won''t be able to leave the ICU."


    "..."


    Liu Ping laughed along for a bit before clapping Xie Shu on the shoulder: "Xie Shu, you''ve changed quite a bit these past few days. Didn''t Su Qianyi reveal your true character..."


    He caught himself mid-sentence, remembering Ruan Nianxi was present.


    He coughed a few times, then cleared his throat, forcibly shifting the topic: "What are we eating tonight?"


    The others went along with the new topic.


    Ruan Nianxi walked side by side with Xie Shu.


    She was on the edge, shielded by him, unable to join their conversation, so she remained silent. This led to them speaking without considering her presence, and...


    Although Liu Ping didn''t finish his sentence, he had already mentioned the key word.


    He brought up Su Qianyi.


    Ruan Nianxi''s hands tightened slightly, her lips pursed, holding back the urge to ask them more.


    Still, she couldn''t help but glance at Xie Shu''s profile.


    His expression unchanged, his demeanor calm, as if he hadn''t heard the mention of "Su Qianyi."


    In the past, it seemed that just mentioning Su Qianyi would visibly brighten his mood...


    But not this time.


    She was really curious about what had happened between him and Su Qianyi.


    Why hadn''t Uncle Zhang finished his investigation yet?


    Soon, they arrived at the dormitory building.


    With only two afternoon classes over, it was still early for dinner, and according to their usual habit, they would typically go back to the dorm to rest.


    But Xie Shu wanted to spend more time with Ruan Nianxi and didn''t plan to return, so he handed his books to his roommates to take back for him.


    As Zhao Lin and the others just entered the dormitory gate, and Xie Shu hadn''t yet decided where to kill time, Ruan Nianxi spoke up first.


    "I didn''t agree."


    "That boy just now, I really don''t know him."


    Xie Shu was taken aback. Was she... explaining to him?


    Was she afraid he would misunderstand?


    Unconsciously, Xie Shu felt as if he saw his former self.


    In his past life, when he liked Su Qianyi, he always seemed to be the one explaining to her.


    No matter what he did with another woman, whether explaining homework during school or completing design projects at work, if Su Qianyi saw it, he would always explain afterward.


    And after hearing his explanation, her mood would improve slightly.


    But what about the other way around?


    When she played around with other men at school or work... there was never an explanation.


    Even though he knew that playful interactions with friends were normal, it still hurt to see too much of it.


    Sometimes when he questioned her a bit too much, she would get even more upset than him and ask why he always overthought things, only then would she reluctantly explain.


    Was he looking for an explanation back then?


    What he really wanted was reassurance.


    Looking back now, he felt he had been so pitiful in front of Su Qianyi in his past life.


    But thankfully, that was all in the past.


    He composed himself, returning to the present, and with a smile curving his lips, he spoke in a clear voice:


    "That matter just now, you don''t need to explain it to me, I believe you."


    Completely.

 Chapter 31 – Medicine

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Ruan Nianxi was still pondering whether her words had been superfluous, considering that she and Xie Shu were merely friends. Whether she explained herself or not, he probably wouldn''t care.


    However, to her surprise, not only did Xie Shu respond, but he also gave her an answer.


    His reply suddenly made her heart race, sparking wild fantasies...


    Realizing her own unusual reaction, Ruan Nianxi immediately began to introspect.


    For a while, neither of them spoke. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu was still considering where to kill time later.


    Shopping didn''t seem like a good option, as it was still hot outside and too sunny.


    Maybe just find a random place to sit until evening?


    Wouldn''t that be too boring?


    How about a movie?


    But wouldn''t that be moving too fast?


    As he pondered, the sudden ring of a cellphone broke the silence between them.


    It was Ruan Nianxi''s phone ringing.


    "I''ll take this call."


    Ruan Nianxi reached into her bag with one hand, searching for her phone.


    It seemed she had other items in her bag as well, as Xie Shu heard the clinking sounds of objects colliding.


    As Ruan Nianxi pulled out her phone, she accidentally brought out a small medicine bottle with it.


    The bottle hit the ground with a sharp sound, and the pills inside clinked against each other.


    After hitting the ground, the bottle rolled away, eventually stopping by Xie Shu''s feet.


    Xie Shu bent down to pick it up.


    Out of habit, he glanced at the name on the medicine bottle.


    He had only seen the first two characters when the bottle was suddenly snatched back by Ruan Nianxi, who had quickly stepped forward.


    Xie Shu looked at her, puzzled.


    "I..."


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice was tense, and she stumbled over her words without being able to finish.


    She held the medicine bottle tightly, not letting go.


    Xie Shu watched her, confused, and then his gaze fell back to her bag.


    The flap of her bag was still open, and he could see several more bottles of the same medicine inside.


    Noticing Xie Shu''s gaze, Ruan Nianxi nervously closed her bag and put the fallen bottle back inside.


    Her phone continued to ring urgently.


    The ringtone, in the quiet atmosphere between them, seemed particularly jarring.


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    Xie Shu thought Ruan Nianxi would answer the call now, but instead, she silently hung up.


    "Aren''t you going to answer it?"


    Ruan Nianxi remained silent.


    "Um, I''m just a bit curious, why do you have so many medicines for stomach pain? Is it something serious?"


    Still silence.


    "If it''s really serious, just taking medicine won''t do. Maybe you should see a professional doctor when you have time?" Xie Shu suggested.


    He was genuinely concerned for Ruan Nianxi; after all, medicines have their side effects, and taking too many isn''t good.


    Plus, he figured her family wasn''t short on money, so seeing a renowned doctor wouldn''t be difficult.


    Seeing Ruan Nianxi still silent with her head down, Xie Shu thought she might be feeling unwell again. He stepped forward to show concern, but she retreated a few steps.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    "I..." Ruan Nianxi was still very nervous, at least Xie Shu could see her hands trembling.


    Before Xie Shu could respond, Ruan Nianxi turned and quickly walked away.


    She moved swiftly, not at all like someone with a stomachache.


    This left Xie Shu even more puzzled.


    What was going on with her?


    He had wanted to hang out with her.


    Maybe next time.


    With Ruan Nianxi gone, Xie Shu had no choice but to return to his dormitory.


    When he got back, his sons had only just sat down.


    Seeing Xie Shu, who was supposed to be out having fun, return so soon, they were all confused.


    They asked curiously, and Xie Shu could only spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, explaining that Ruan Nianxi had something come up.


    He sat down, took out his phone, and sent Ruan Nianxi a few messages to ask about her situation.


    But after sending the messages, he waited nearly fifteen minutes without a reply.


    Xie Shu propped his chin, bored, and continued to wait.


    Right, what was the name of the medicine she bought?


    something?


    He didn''t fully see the name written on the medicine bottle.


    He wasn''t a medical student; the names of those drugs were foreign to him, and he had no idea what they were for.


    "Xie Shu, are you logging in?" Suddenly someone asked.


    Xie Shu glanced at WeChat again; Ruan Nianxi still hadn''t replied.


    Waiting was indeed boring, so he nodded, ready to join in.


    Even while gaming, Xie Shu kept an eye on WeChat messages.


    He intended to see Ruan Nianxi''s reply as soon as it came, but then...


    During a game, Xie Shu saw a WeChat notification pop up on the top of the screen. For a moment, he thought it was from Ruan Nianxi and was about to find a bush to hide in to reply.


    But upon closer inspection, the message was actually from Su Qianyi.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    Why was she messaging him again?


    She should take a hint and leave him alone if he didn''t respond before!


    She never used to initiate contact.


    No, that''s not right; she would reach out when she needed help.


    So was she asking for help again?


    Xie Shu had thought to ignore her like before, but he was mistaken.


    Su Qianyi''s messages kept coming, one after another, with notifications popping up on his phone screen now and then.


    Several times, he almost clicked on them while navigating the map.


    Distracted by Su Qianyi''s messages, Xie Shu eventually turned on Do Not Disturb mode.


    That way, no more notifications would pop up.

 Chapter 32 – Stubborn

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Half an hour ago.


    Girls'' dormitory.


    Su Qianyi returned to her dorm with a stern face.


    She sat at her desk, her complexion far from good.


    The words Xie Shu had said in the classroom... she had heard them.


    He had spoken those things in front of so many people; she didn''t dare linger in the classroom any longer, slipping away before anyone noticed her.


    Strange, she was clearly upset, clearly aggrieved, clearly she wanted to confront Xie Shu and demand clarity, so why did she end up feeling scared and running away?


    What was she afraid of?


    Was she afraid of facing Xie Shu''s indifference if she confronted him?


    But Xie Shu had always been kind and gentle to her; she shouldn''t have such worries.


    Although that''s what she thought, upon reflection, considering how Xie Shu had ignored her these past few days, her rational mind told her that if she confronted him, she would most likely be met with his cold indifference.


    The best evidence was when she took the initiative to sit with him during the first class, and he didn''t even acknowledge her.


    During the second class, he went as far as to change seats, putting distance between them.


    So, she was afraid, afraid of losing face, afraid of being mocked. With so many people around, she couldn''t afford to be embarrassed...


    Su Qianyi fought back the tears welling up in her eyes; she could never have imagined that Xie Shu would say such things in public one day.


    They had known each other for so many years; hadn''t he always liked her?


    Just a few days ago, he had accompanied her to a social event.


    Why was he now saying he didn''t like her?


    Was he just pretending to get her attention?


    But then... why did he seem so genuine about setting boundaries with her?


    It was suffocating, so painful.


    "Qianyi, why didn''t you wait for me? I had no idea when you left," An Tian had just returned to the dorm.


    In the classroom, she, like everyone else, had been curious and looked towards Xie Shu.


    When she turned back, she realized Su Qianyi had already left.


    She had messaged her, but got no reply. With so many people around, she couldn''t find Su Qianyi, so she had to head back to the dorm to check.


    An Tian, still tired from climbing the stairs and seeing Su Qianyi facing her desk, didn''t notice her distress right away.


    After setting down her books, she remembered the incident in the classroom and cautiously glanced at Su Qianyi.


    Her seat was right beside Su Qianyi''s, and a turn of her head allowed her to see Su Qianyi''s profile.


    Only then did she notice Su Qianyi''s reddened eyes, tears held back from falling.


    Startled, she quickly approached, asking softly with concern, "Qianyi, are you okay?"


    Su Qianyi had been fine, holding back her tears, but An Tian''s question broke her defenses, and the tears began to fall freely.


    These past few days, Su Qianyi often felt aggrieved and anxious about Xie Shu, but she always found hundreds of reasons to reassure herself that he was only acting that way to get her attention.


    And every time, she managed to comfort herself and act as if nothing had happened in front of others.


    But this time, she hadn''t managed to console herself or prepare her facade before An Tian''s caring words breached her defenses.


    The floodgates of her grievances opened, and she could no longer control her tears, crying heart-wrenchingly.


    An Tian gently patted her back, trying to soothe her, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say, silently accompanying her.


    After a good cry, worried that the other roommates would return and see her in this state, Su Qianyi quickly regained control of her emotions.


    After drying her tears with a tissue, she voiced her complaint with a whimper, "How could Xie Shu say such things just now?"


    An Tian sighed, realizing it was indeed about Xie Shu.


    She opened her mouth to speak but swallowed her words.


    As Su Qianyi''s close friend and confidante, An Tian felt she should take her side.


    But what could she say about Xie Shu?


    Call him a jerk?


    Please, Xie Shu was the most devoted person she had ever seen, steadfastly by Su Qianyi''s side for years, an object of envy for many girls.


    Now that he was tired of pursuing and didn''t want to continue, what was wrong with that?


    "What did Xie Shu mean by saying that? Was he trying to embarrass me on purpose?"


    "He wasn''t like that before; he used to consider my feelings."


    "He''s so mean..."


    Su Qianyi sobbed softly, feeling immensely wronged.


    After listening for a while, An Tian couldn''t hold back any longer.


    "Qianyi, to be honest, Xie Shu has really been good to you. It''s rare to find someone who persists in love for so many years. He pursued you for three years without a response; even the warmest heart would cool down day by day."


    Su Qianyi stopped sobbing, looking puzzled at An Tian, "What do you mean?"


    "Have you ever thought that after persisting for three years, Xie Shu might feel exhausted?"


    "Exhausted?"


    "Yes, feeling tired and wanting to give up."


    "You mean, Xie Shu really..."


    "Really doesn''t plan to pursue you anymore. He was just speaking the truth back then, nothing more," An Tian finished the sentence for her.


    After a long silence, Su Qianyi trembled, "No, Xie Shu wouldn''t..."


    "Qianyi, three years is not a short time; anyone would feel tired."


    "No, he wouldn''t, we''ve known each other for six years, always together, in the same school, same class, same major..."


    "Six years!?"


    An Tian caught the key point.


    College is only three years; how did Su Qianyi say six years?


    Su Qianyi sniffled, stopping the tears that threatened to come, and nodded.


    "I''ve known Xie Shu since high school; we''ve been together often since then, and later we applied to the same college, same major."


    An Tian was shocked, "Why haven''t you mentioned this before?"


    "You never asked."


    "Okay, let''s not talk about that for now."


    An Tian quickly calmed down, admiring Xie Shu even more while feeling more puzzled, and began to question Su Qianyi one by one:


    "Qianyi, from high school to college, it''s been six years. Honestly, after such a long pursuit, even the coldest heart would be moved, right?"


    "I''m curious, why didn''t you accept him?"


    "I don''t know about your high school days, but in college, Xie Shu has confessed to you many times, and you''ve rejected him every time."


    "Do you not like him? Then why allow him to stay by your side? Why not keep him at a distance like you do with other guys?"


    "If you do like him, then why reject his confessions over and over?"


    A series of "whys" left Su Qianyi speechless.


    Why?


    Because... it''s always been this way?


    He confesses, she rejects, then they continue as if nothing happened.


    From freshman year to junior year, that''s how it''s been... just a habit?


    She was used to Xie Shu being by her side.


    Used to his kindness.


    Used to the feeling of his constant care.


    Used to...


    Over time, it seemed these things had become a given.


    And because they had been together for so long, she never really thought that Xie Shu would leave her one day.


    She felt Xie Shu would always be with her, always be kind to her, always...


    Su Qianyi was silent for a long time.


    An Tian didn''t know what she was thinking and continued, "Qianyi, you can''t always take someone''s sincere efforts for granted. Love is a matter for two people. If you like Xie Shu, you can''t keep silent; you need to respond."


    "Then why cry when he says he won''t pursue you anymore?"


    "I... I just think it''s a bit too much for him to say that in front of so many people!"


    An Tian looked at the stubborn Su Qianyi and sighed again.


    After a pause, she added, "I saw Xie Shu escorting another girl back to the dorm last night."


    Su Qianyi''s pupils contracted sharply, turning to An Tian,


    "I don''t know; I didn''t see the girl''s face clearly."


    Su Qianyi''s hands on her thighs tightened, unaware of her nails digging into her flesh.


    Was Xie Shu ignoring her because he liked another girl?


    No, impossible!


    How could he like someone else?


    Shouldn''t he always be by her side?


    How could he like someone else?


    Seeing Su Qianyi''s agonized yet enduring expression, An Tian''s eyes flashed with helplessness.


    Now she truly understood the saying:


    Clearly caring, yet refusing to show it.


    And for what?


    Pride?


    Although she didn''t understand Su Qianyi''s thoughts, as a good friend, An Tian still tried to help as much as possible.


    "Qianyi, if you can''t bear to lose Xie Shu, it''s best to take the initiative."


    "Who can''t bear to lose him?"


    Ignoring her denial, An Tian continued, "There''s nothing wrong with being proactive for someone you like. Think about how Xie Shu never cared about what others said for your sake."


    After speaking, she got up to change her shoes, then climbed into bed and started playing games on her phone. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She knew Su Qianyi needed time to think.


    Whether to hold on or let go was up to her.


    All she could do was offer advice.


    After An Tian climbed into bed, Su Qianyi also quieted down for several minutes.


    A bit calmer, she went out to wash her face, erasing the tear stains.


    Back in the dorm, she climbed into bed as well.


    Hiding behind the bed curtain, she opened her phone, clicked into WeChat, and lingered on Xie Shu''s name for a long time before finally tapping it.


    Su Qianyi: [Xie Shu, what are you doing?]


    No reply.


    Su Qianyi: [Are you busy?]


    Still no reply.


    Su Qianyi: [Shall we play a game?]


    No response yet again.


    Su Qianyi: [It''s still early, want to go out for a walk? I want to watch a movie.]

 Chapter 33 – Easy to coax

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    After Xie Shu wreaked havoc in the game for quite some time, he finally... got hungry.


    He glanced outside the balcony and realized it was almost dark.


    It must be said that the internet is really getting more advanced. He had only planned to play a couple of rounds of games, but once he looked down and then back up, several hours had vanished.


    After gaming for so long, everyone was starving.


    They all logged off together and began discussing the last of life''s three toughest questions: what to eat for dinner.


    While they were discussing, Xie Shu checked his WeChat.


    He had set his phone to Do Not Disturb mode while gaming, naturally missing some important messages.


    Seeing the red dot above Ruan Nianxi''s name, he didn''t hesitate to click on it.


    She had replied to his message while he was in the middle of his game.


    Xie Shu immediately responded, explaining that he was gaming and hadn''t noticed her message.


    As for the chat box of another person... even though it showed numerous red notifications, he still didn''t click on it.


    He just left it hanging.


    Meanwhile.


    Ruan Nianxi, who had been waiting in her dorm for a long time, finally received a reply from Xie Shu.


    Her heart fluttering, she opened the message. Although Xie Shu had explained that he was gaming and that''s why he missed her message, she was still nervous.


    After hesitating for a long time, she simply replied with an "Mhm."


    Mainly because she didn''t know what else to say.


    That afternoon, Xie Shu had seen her medicine...


    The name of the medicine was short. She didn''t know if Xie Shu had seen those medicine clearly at the time.


    All she knew was that her thoughts were a mess, she couldn''t calm down, afraid that he had seen it, knew what the medicine was for, and even more afraid that he would ask her about it...


    So, she ran away in fear...


    She was a coward.


    She was truly scared.


    She hid back in her dorm, too frightened to even look at her phone, fearing that opening it would reveal a message asking about the medicine.


    She wasn''t sure if Xie Shu had looked up her medicine online, and she dared not reply.


    But temporary avoidance was just that, temporary.


    After deceiving herself for several minutes, she finally picked up her phone.


    Seeing that Xie Shu was simply concerned about her health, she felt somewhat relieved and replied to his message.


    But after sending the message, he didn''t reply for a long time, and she started to get anxious again.


    During the hours she waited, she imagined many things.


    She thought that Xie Shu might have looked up what her medicine was.


    She even imagined scenarios where Xie Shu, after learning about her condition, started to disdain her and distance himself from her.


    Even though Xie Shu had replied and explained what he was doing during those hours, her doubts and fantasies didn''t vanish.


    She began to feel uneasy, extremely uneasy.


    What if Xie Shu really started to distance himself from her? What would she do then?


    It would be better to maintain the relationship they had before.


    Although she couldn''t see Xie Shu often before, at least he didn''t have the intention to avoid her.


    ***


    After Xie Shu and his friends exited the game, they quickly got ready to go out for dinner.


    A lack of enthusiasm for eating indicates a problem with one''s thoughts.


    During this time, he didn''t chat with Ruan Nianxi or reply to her messages.


    His lack of response made Ruan Nianxi even more anxious.


    At this moment, no one knew how much turmoil lay beneath Ruan Nianxi''s calm exterior.


    She was engulfed by helplessness, unease, doubt, and fear, unable to break free.


    Xie Shu knew nothing of this.


    Xie Shu and his "sons" casually chose a restaurant and sat down. While waiting for their meal, everyone instinctively checked their phones.


    Xie Shu also took out his phone.


    He opened WeChat, clicked on Ruan Nianxi''s chat, and sent her a message: "I''m at a restaurant now, what would you like to eat?"


    After waiting a minute or two, there was no reply.


    Xie Shu wasn''t sure where Ruan Nianxi was or whether she had eaten dinner.


    If he presumptuously bought her food and she had already eaten, what then?


    After all, he had been gaming for so long that the usual dinner time had passed.


    After some thought, he decided to make a phone call instead.


    The call went through, and after a few rings, she picked up quickly.


    "Hello?"


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice was a bit heavy, with a strong nasal sound.


    But Xie Shu, being in a noisy restaurant with the sound of payment notifications occasionally ringing in his ears, didn''t notice this detail.


    He adjusted the content of his WeChat message: "Have you had dinner? I''m at a restaurant, I can buy you something if you haven''t eaten."


    "Xie... Xie Shu?"


    Hearing her surprised tone, Xie Shu guessed that Ruan Nianxi must have answered the call without looking at the caller ID and didn''t realize it was him.


    He softly "Hmm"ed, then quietly waited for her reply.


    A few seconds later, Ruan Nianxi asked uncertainly, "Are you going to buy something for me?"


    "Yeah, haven''t you eaten yet? What would you like?"


    "I... How about I come out to find you?"


    Then Xie Shu heard rustling sounds from the other end of the phone, followed by faint, crisp clinking noises.


    He was familiar with these sounds; he had heard them just that afternoon under his dormitory building.


    It was the sound of medicine bottles clinking.


    He immediately frowned and said, "Don''t."


    The rustling and the clinking of the medicine bottles stopped.


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t speak.


    Silence fell on the other end.


    Xie Shu glanced at the three "sons" sitting at the same table with him. Although they had only glanced at him when he started the call and then paid no more attention, he still got up and moved a little further away.


    After distancing himself a bit, he continued, "Aren''t you feeling unwell? Better not to run around, just rest in your dorm. I''ll have someone deliver it to you later."


    "By the way, don''t forget to drink the brown sugar I bought for you yesterday. If it''s not enough after you finish, I can go buy more."


    Contrary to what Ruan Nianxi had imagined, she thought Xie Shu didn''t want to see her and that''s why he stopped her, but it turned out he was concerned about her health.


    Instantly, the gloom in her heart cleared away significantly.


    The pain that had swept through her body moments ago dissolved in an instant.


    What followed was a tingling sensation of excitement.


    She was appeased.


    "Are you listening?"


    Xie Shu hadn''t heard a reply from the other end and was a bit puzzled. Was the signal bad?


    Ruan Nianxi responded immediately. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, just wait in your dorm then. What do you want to eat? There are many restaurants here, you don''t have to pick the one I''m at right now. Just tell me and I''ll go buy it now."


    "But I''m in the girls'' dormitory."


    "Don''t worry about that, just wait there."


    "Mhm."


    "Okay, send me what you want to eat on WeChat, and don''t forget your dorm number."


    "Alright."


    After the call ended, Xie Shu was about to return to his seat when someone suddenly called out to him.

 Chapter 34 – Initiative

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    A clear and slightly angry voice rang out not far behind Xie Shu.


    Hearing the familiar voice, Xie Shu instinctively turned around.


    Turning his head, he saw Su Qianyi standing there, her gaze fixed intently on him.


    Since there weren''t many people dining at the moment, many in the restaurant heard Su Qianyi''s voice.


    This included Xie Shu''s three sons, who also turned to look upon hearing her.


    Upon seeing that it was Su Qianyi, all three were somewhat surprised.


    It was as if coincidence had opened the door to more coincidences, and they had all come home.


    Xie Shu gave Su Qianyi a glance, expressionless, then turned his head back nonchalantly and walked at a measured pace back to his original seat. He sat down with his sons, composed as ever, waiting for the owner to serve their meal, acting as if he hadn''t seen Su Qianyi at all.


    Xie Shu''s series of actions left Su Qianyi stiff-faced, suddenly feeling at a loss standing there.


    She had already taken the initiative!


    Why was he still like this! sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, she had sent him so many messages that afternoon, and he hadn''t replied to a single one!


    Su Qianyi felt a myriad of grievances. When had she ever been like this before?


    An Tian stood beside Su Qianyi, also somewhat surprised that they could bump into Xie Shu at this time.


    An Tian had specifically cleared a lot of time in the afternoon for Su Qianyi to think things over. By evening, she was really hungry and had asked if Su Qianyi wanted to go out for dinner, which led to their outing.


    They had just arrived when they ran into Xie Shu.


    And just now... he seemed to have been on the phone with some girl, right?


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    She heard him telling the other person to drink brown sugar water and to take care of herself and rest...


    Probably Su Qianyi had heard it too, which is why she sounded a bit angry earlier.


    An Tian glanced at Su Qianyi, wondering how she would choose to deal with Xie Shu''s coldness.


    Would she not stand it and give up, or...


    Before she could finish the thought, she saw Su Qianyi stepping forward to follow.


    She chose the same restaurant where Xie Shu was dining and even chose to sit at the table next to theirs.


    Xie Shu and his sons were seated in the middle of the restaurant, where several tables were usually joined together, and Su Qianyi chose the table that was joined to theirs.


    Naturally, An Tian followed Su Qianyi.


    Although the two groups were sitting at separate tables, it was practically no different from sitting at the same table.


    Moreover, Su Qianyi had deliberately chosen a seat next to Xie Shu.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    Xie Shu was somewhat speechless.


    Did that table save her life in a past life?


    The restaurant was so big, why did she choose that table?


    Just as he was considering whether to change seats, the restaurant''s server came to serve their meal.


    At the same time, the server also asked Su Qianyi and An Tian what they would like to order.


    As they ordered, the WeChat notification sound from Xie Shu''s phone went off.


    Seeing that it was a message from Ruan Nianxi, he temporarily put aside the idea of changing seats.


    Ruan Nianxi had sent her food preferences and dormitory number.


    Hmm... she wanted the same dish as him?


    Xie Shu glanced at his own fried rice order, and after Su Qianyi and An Tian finished ordering, he quickly added, "I''ll have another portion of this fried rice, to go, no spice."


    After the server noted the order and went into the kitchen, an awkward silence fell over the group.


    Xie Shu''s three sons and An Tian, all four of them, actually felt a bit embarrassed.


    But they stayed for the sake of their friend.


    If it had been before, they might have teased Xie Shu a bit in this situation.


    But now, they all knew Xie Shu''s attitude towards Su Qianyi, and teasing without regard for the situation would be impolite.


    So, everyone remained silent, trying to alleviate the awkwardness by looking at their phones.


    Su Qianyi hung her head, her hands clenched into fists on her thighs.


    Just outside, she had heard Xie Shu on the phone, seemingly caring for some girl.


    Although she wasn''t one hundred percent sure, she was really angry at the time.


    Xie Shu''s tenderness used to be all hers, but now... how could he give it to someone else?


    Out of dissatisfaction, she couldn''t help but get angry with Xie Shu.


    But Xie Shu didn''t even acknowledge her...


    Being ignored again, she felt like she was suffocating, it was too uncomfortable.


    For a moment, she wanted to turn around and leave.


    Just like before, to leave with her head held high.


    But she also clearly understood that if she turned and left this time, Xie Shu wouldn''t come after her again.


    So, she chose to come in after him, even deliberately sitting together with him.


    She wanted to talk to him, but didn''t know what to say.


    It had always been Xie Shu who started conversations before; she had never initiated a topic...


    Su Qianyi was still struggling, completely unsure how to break the deadlock.


    As for Xie Shu, he had already picked up his chopsticks and was eating heartily, treating the person next to him as if she were air.


    As long as he wasn''t embarrassed, the embarrassment was someone else''s.


    At the same time, he was also using his phone with his left hand, seemingly chatting with someone.


    Su Qianyi was sitting to his right, and couldn''t see very clearly, but she was sure it was the WeChat interface.


    Then her heart ached even more.


    What the heck... he clearly checks WeChat, but just doesn''t reply to her messages.


    After sitting for a while longer, even after the server had brought the meal they ordered later, Xie Shu still hadn''t spoken to her.


    Seeing that Xie Shu''s bowl was now half empty, Su Qianyi, after much hesitation, finally spoke up.


    "Xie..."


    She had barely uttered a word when Xie Shu''s phone suddenly rang, abruptly cutting off what she was about to say.


    Xie Shu quickly answered, responding with a few "hmms" before hanging up swiftly.


    Although he hadn''t put the call on speaker, the restaurant was quiet enough that Su Qianyi still caught bits of the other person''s voice.


    It was a girl.

 Chapter 35 – She lost the person who used to love her

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    After hanging up the phone, silence once again enveloped the dining table.


    Su Qianyi glanced at Xie Shu several times, but he never looked back at her, nor did he offer the explanation she had imagined.


    In the past, whenever Xie Shu interacted with another woman, he would proactively explain things to her to prevent her from overthinking.


    But now... that was no longer the case.


    Su Qianyi bit her lower lip so hard that the once rosy flesh turned white.


    Who was that girl?


    Why did she call him?


    Why didn''t he tell her?


    A suffocating feeling slowly spread throughout her body.


    To avoid losing her composure, Su Qianyi took a moment to calm herself down before resuming her meal with feigned nonchalance.


    Just as she mustered the courage to speak to Xie Shu again, she was interrupted.


    "Senior Xie Shu."


    A female voice suddenly rang out at the entrance of the restaurant.


    Xie Shu, upon hearing the voice, didn''t look up immediately. Instead, he picked up the takeout fried rice that the waiter had just placed in front of him before standing up and walking towards the girl at the door.


    The girl took the fried rice from Xie Shu and turned to leave, but he called out to her just in time.


    "Wait a second."


    The girl stopped, waiting for what he had to say next.


    Xie Shu, afraid of getting it wrong, checked his phone again before saying, "This time it''s a different dorm building, the room number is... I''ll send it to you on WeChat, make sure you don''t get it wrong."


    The girl seemed surprised, "Isn''t it the same dorm as before?"


    "No, it''s not."


    "Okay, I got it."


    "Thanks for the trouble."


    After the girl left, Xie Shu turned around to head back inside.


    As he turned, he met Su Qianyi''s incredulous gaze.


    Even An Tian was looking at him with a somewhat strange expression.


    Only his three sons didn''t show much of a reaction, as they knew from the start that he had bought another portion of food for someone else, and they probably knew that person was Ruan Nianxi.


    Xie Shu didn''t seem to care much and continued walking back into the restaurant.


    However, he didn''t return to his seat but went to scan a QR code to pay for his meal.


    "I''ve got something else to take care of, so I won''t wait for you," he said, pocketing his phone and addressing his three sons.


    "What''s up?" one of them asked reflexively.


    "The rational allocation and optimization of basic human survival resources, as well as a meeting with the global material exchange intelligent interaction processing comprehensive management personnel to reach a cooperation deal."


    "???"


    What was he talking about?


    Xie Shu didn''t explain and quickly left.


    Su Qianyi sat frozen in her seat, staring blankly as Xie Shu disappeared through the door, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.


    The girl who had come looking for Xie Shu... she recognized her.


    She was a junior at the school who worked part-time for a food delivery platform.


    Whenever Su Qianyi was too cold to leave the dorm for meals in winter, Xie Shu would have someone deliver food to her, and she had seen that girl deliver things to her dorm several times before.


    Even when it wasn''t winter, if she craved something in the middle of the night, he would buy it and have it delivered to the dorm, then contact a part-time student from the platform to bring it up to her.


    Because he often bought things for her and contacted the part-time students frequently, he gradually got to know some of the part-time working juniors and added them on WeChat.


    As he had explained before, the school''s part-time platform took a commission, and the part-time students had classes to attend. The work was plentiful, the pay was low, and it was tiring. Although there were many students at the school, few were willing to do this kind of part-time job, and only those who really needed money would stick with it.


    Therefore, there were few people who did food delivery at the school, but there were many who placed orders on the platform, especially when it was cold, and it could take a long time for an order to be delivered.


    So, he added those part-time juniors on WeChat, and he would transfer the delivery fee directly to them, bypassing the platform''s commission, which meant they earned more. Sometimes he would even transfer a little extra, and they would prioritize his deliveries, a practice commonly known as "cutting in line."


    He said he did this so she wouldn''t have to wait too long...


    But just now, was Xie Shu buying something for another girl?


    For another girl... right?


    Was it the girl who had called him?


    Was it the girl he had escorted back to the dorm yesterday?


    What about her?


    Would she still be a part of his life in the future?


    As she recalled Xie Shu''s indifference and neglect, Su Qianyi suddenly began to feel afraid.


    It seemed like he truly didn''t care about her feelings anymore.


    It seemed like he wasn''t as good to her as he used to be.


    It was as if she had lost the person who once loved her.


    ***


    Xie Shu went to the supermarket to buy some snacks and picked up a package before heading straight back to the dorm.


    Once back at the dorm, Ruan Nianxi messaged him to say she had received the dinner he bought for her.


    Considering it was getting late and worrying she might be hungry, Xie Shu urged her to eat first. She agreed and then went silent for a while.


    His sons hadn''t returned yet, and with no one to play video games with, he decided to browse short videos instead.


    After watching videos for a while, a WeChat notification popped up on his screen.


    Switching to WeChat, he saw a message from someone labeled "Teacher," without even a surname.


    Xie Shu felt a moment of confusion. Which teacher from his major could this be?


    He didn''t remember.


    Opening the chat, the latest message read: "The weekend is coming up, remember to come early."


    The message left Xie Shu puzzled.


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    Fortunately, there was a previous chat history in WeChat.


    After scrolling through, he roughly understood what this "Teacher" was all about.


    It turned out to be a part-time job he had found online, working as an assistant teacher in a studio.


    He had arranged this part-time job before his rebirth during the week, and he had already discussed it with the teacher on the other end. However, after his rebirth, he didn''t fully remember his university days and had completely forgotten about it.


    He didn''t have any sort of cheat to accurately match every event from his university days to a timeline.


    True, but in his memory, he didn''t recall ever being an assistant teacher in a studio in his previous life, did he?


    He couldn''t remember the exact time, but he should have some recollection of the major events, right?


    After pondering for a while, he suddenly realized what had happened.


    During his university days, whenever he had free time, he would look for part-time jobs.


    Although his parents knew he was chasing a girl at school and wouldn''t skimp on his living expenses, he also understood the value of money and preferred to earn his own whenever possible, asking for as little from his parents as he could.


    Part-time jobs were only on weekends, but... sometimes Su Qianyi would want to go out...


    So, in the past, between part-time jobs and Su Qianyi, he would always choose Su Qianyi without hesitation, giving up the part-time job.


    Part-time jobs were only for weekends, but he often had to accompany Su Qianyi, which meant he couldn''t keep a part-time job for long because frequent absences didn''t sit well with the bosses.


    As a result, he frequently switched between part-time jobs during his university days.


    He guessed that in his previous life at this point in time, Su Qianyi must have told him about a trip, and he had turned down the part-time job, which is why he had no memory of ever being an assistant teacher in a studio.


    But now...


    After some thought, he sent a message to Ruan Nianxi: "It''s the weekend tomorrow, do you have any plans?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A lost part-time job could be found again.


    This second chance at life was so precious, he wanted to prioritize what he truly wanted to do.

 Chapter 36 – Cry for him?

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Xie Shu was thinking that if Ruan Nianxi didn''t have any plans, he would strategize tonight for an outing with her tomorrow to foster their relationship.


    He always believed that relationships should develop gradually.


    Especially with Ruan Nianxi, who had been close to him since childhood, almost inseparable, until various reasons and a certain person caused some unpleasantness between them, leading to years without contact. He felt the need for a gradual approach even more.


    Although he was reluctant to admit it, he had to acknowledge that in Ruan Nianxi''s eyes, he might still be associated with Su Qianyi.


    After all, she was one of the few in college who knew Xie Shu had liked Su Qianyi since the first year of high school and had witnessed the depth of his feelings for Su Qianyi...


    He had fought for her, learned to fold Thousand Paper Cranes for her, making 999 of them only to be discarded by her, and yet he still saved up pocket money for months to buy her favorite gifts for her birthday...


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    If someone who had once liked someone else and had conflicts with you suddenly confessed, would you believe their sincerity?


    Xie Shu didn''t believe it himself.


    That''s why he planned to take things slow from the start.


    Instead of explaining with words, he believed actions would better prove his sincerity.


    He would gradually remove the label of Su Qianyi from himself in Ruan Nianxi''s eyes.


    ***


    For now, in the early stages, it was natural to spend more time together and go out more.


    But Ruan Nianxi''s reply was: "My dad has arranged some work for me to do tomorrow, what''s up?"


    Xie Shu: "Uncle Ruan arranged work for you? What kind of work?"


    Ruan Nianxi: "Some company-related matters, he wants me to learn how to handle them."


    With that, Xie Shu understood.


    Ruan Nianxi was the sole heiress of the Ruan family, and she would inherit her father''s company in the future. They were definitely grooming her as the successor.


    She would probably intern directly at her family''s company during her senior year and then climb the ranks step by step.


    Thinking of this, Xie Shu suddenly envisioned Ruan Nianxi as a business-savvy Dominant President.


    And he had actually seen it!


    In his previous life, just before he closed his eyes for the last time, Ruan Nianxi came to find him, dressed as a standard Dominant President. If it weren''t for her tear-streaked face, she would have truly seemed out of reach.


    "Seize the chance to woo her before she becomes a Dominant President!"


    "Shock! My future wife is a cold-hearted Dominant President!"


    "Startled awake from a deathbed, I realize I''m the king of living off women."


    Cough!


    Getting sidetracked!


    Just kidding.


    Living off women may be tempting, but it''s not sustainable.


    It''s addictive.


    Speaking of which, since Uncle Ruan is already arranging company work for Ruan Nianxi in college, he must also work hard in his own field of study.


    Since Ruan Nianxi would be busy with other matters tomorrow, it was a good opportunity for him to take on a part-time job.


    Besides, without other plans, he would just be lying around in the dormitory, so it was better to go out and see more.


    After confirming his plans, Xie Shu replied to the teacher: "Okay, teacher, could you send me the address so I can plan my route in advance?"


    Soon after, the teacher sent him a location.


    Then came another text message: "Our studio starts at 8 a.m., come when you can, it''s okay if you''re a bit late."


    Xie Shu: "Got it." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tomorrow''s plans were set.


    ***


    Xie Shu chatted with Ruan Nianxi for about fifteen minutes while playing games, and his ''sons'' finally sauntered back.


    The group occasionally glanced over at Xie Shu, hesitating to speak.


    After countless glances, Xie Shu finally lost his patience:


    "How many years do you get for speaking up?"


    The three: "......"


    Zhao Lin cleared his throat before speaking: "Xie Shu, I mean no offense, but I just wanted to share my thoughts. I feel like Su Qianyi still cares about you."


    Xie Shu frowned: "Why bring her up all of a sudden?"


    "Do you know, after you left that time, Su Qianyi seemed off."


    "If she''s not right, she should go to the hospital. What does it have to do with me?"


    "Sigh, I know you don''t want to talk about her now, I''m just saying... Honestly, it was the first time I saw Su Qianyi looking like she was about to cry but didn''t. In that moment, I actually felt sorry for her."


    At the restaurant, shortly after Xie Shu left, Su Qianyi put down her chopsticks and kept her head down in silence.


    Although she didn''t speak or look up for the rest of the meal, they saw her face when she and An Tian stood up to leave.


    It was a look of indescribable pity, with tears in her eyes that wouldn''t fall, just swirling around.


    If they didn''t know Xie Shu and the history between them, as bystanders, they might have thought Xie Shu was a scoundrel playing with a girl''s feelings.


    But because they knew about Xie Shu and Su Qianyi, they were surprised to see Su Qianyi so upset over being ignored by Xie Shu that she was about to cry.


    Xie Shu had pursued Su Qianyi for three years, and she had rejected him for three years, always saying she didn''t like him.


    Logically, she shouldn''t have any feelings for Xie Shu, right?


    So why was she so distressed?


    Therefore, after Su Qianyi and An Tian left, the three of them had a brief discussion.


    They unanimously believed that Su Qianyi must still care about Xie Shu, which is why she reacted that way when Xie Shu was cold to her.


    This discovery, if it had been made earlier, they would have immediately told Xie Shu so he could know his love was reciprocated, but now...


    Now, Xie Shu was pursuing someone else, and it was just the beginning.


    Then they didn''t know whether to share this discovery with Xie Shu.


    But they really couldn''t help it...


    After all, it was a significant discovery, and they felt uncomfortable not sharing it.


    Xie Shu was taken aback upon hearing this, his expression puzzled.


    Cry?


    Su Qianyi?


    Because he ignored her?


    But why would she cry?


    It was she who asked him to leave, she who said he was annoying. Now that he was doing as she wished, staying away from her, not bothering her, shouldn''t she be happy?


    It was she who told him to leave. Why would she cry?


    Xie Shu couldn''t fathom what Su Qianyi was thinking.


    However, he only pondered this for a second or two.


    Soon he was back to normal, sitting with his legs crossed, continuing to play with his phone, no longer thinking about Su Qianyi.


    When you encounter something you can''t figure out, you can let it go for a while. Maybe with time, you''ll forget about it.

 Chapter 37 – New teacher

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next morning dawned.


    Even though it was the weekend, Xie Shu woke up earlier than on weekdays.


    In his previous life, he had done many wrongs; in this life, he rose early for work.


    He washed up quietly and left the dormitory.


    Considering he had never been to his part-time job location before, he worried about taking the wrong route and wasting more time, so he set out extra early today.


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    Downstairs, the breakfast shop had just opened.


    After buying breakfast, he left the school and waited for the bus to head to the subway station.


    While waiting for the bus, he finally had a moment to check his WeChat.


    Since his rebirth, he had maintained the good habit of sleeping and waking early. He had gone to bed early last night after messaging Ruan Nianxi and then turned off his phone to sleep.


    He wasn''t sure if Ruan Nianxi was awake yet.


    Thinking of her, he still sent a "Good morning" message her way.


    She was probably still resting, as Xie Shu received no reply.


    Well, it was still quite early.


    Xie Shu exited the chat with Ruan Nianxi, ignoring the increasing number of red notifications from another friend on the screen, and closed WeChat.


    Later, he arrived at the subway station and transferred to a... suburban area.


    This wasn''t the city center, and hailing a taxi wasn''t so easy. He managed to book a ride-hailing service, but it was still far from his destination...


    He canceled the ride-hailing service and decided to navigate and walk there instead.


    Although buses passed by the roadside, he didn''t know where they would stop and feared missing his stop and ending up even further away, so he dared not take one.


    Walking for about fifteen minutes, the navigation indicated he had arrived at his destination. Time-wise, he didn''t think it took too long.


    But... where was the studio?


    Where was the teacher?


    Where were the students?


    Xie Shu stared at the small supermarket in front of him, lost in thought.


    Had he taken the wrong path?


    Don''t panic, let''s check the route again.


    A minute later.


    Xie Shu looked up at the supermarket again and fell back into contemplation.


    Isn''t this it? so, where was the studio?


    Seeing that it was past eight o''clock, although Teacher Li had said it was okay to be a bit late, he still felt it wasn''t good to arrive too late.


    In the end, he messaged Teacher Li on WeChat for help.


    Xie Shu: [Teacher, I''ve arrived at the location you sent me, but I don''t see the studio. Did you send the wrong location yesterday?]


    Teacher Li replied promptly: [You''re already there? Wait for me, I''ll come out to meet you.]


    In a few minutes, a car suddenly stopped in front of Xie Shu.


    "Are you Xie Shu?"


    The car window rolled down, and a woman sitting in the driver''s seat asked.


    "Yes, that''s me." Xie Shu nodded.


    "Get in, I''ll take you to the studio."


    Without much hesitation, Xie Shu quickly got into the car.


    The woman reversed and took the original route back, and in less than a minute, Xie Shu watched the car turn into a... villa district?


    Xie Shu: "???"


    Looking at these clearly detached villas, Xie Shu fell silent.


    Teacher Li glanced at Xie Shu in the rearview mirror, seemingly aware of his thoughts, and casually explained.


    "This is an art district; most of the residents here are artists, and these villas are mostly studios. Our studio is a collaboration between several artists from the nearby art village."


    "When I sent you the location yesterday, I was just walking students back to the dormitory without my car and accidentally sent you the location outside."


    Xie Shu nodded, so that was it.


    He had thought he was in the wrong place.


    But to have a studio here... must be quite wealthy.


    In a few minutes, the car stopped in front of a villa.


    Both of them got out of the car, and Teacher Li entered through the wide-open gate, calling for Xie Shu to follow.


    Xie Shu followed her in, taking a brief look at the villa along the way.


    Perhaps because it was used as a studio, the interior wasn''t overly decorated.


    The floor was bare cement, not tiled, but the walls were painted with emulsion paint, and the decorations had an artistic feel.


    Passing through a corridor, they arrived at a large room in the back.


    Although it was a villa, it didn''t seem too big to Xie Shu, as he had seen larger ones; this one felt just a bit more spacious than his home.


    Of course, he was only referring to the first floor; when he entered, he noticed the villa had three floors.


    After all, it was still a villa, with a much higher ceiling than their apartment complex, and overall, it was indeed larger.


    Moreover, since no one lived here regularly and it was filled with art supplies, there was plenty of open space.


    Now the room was filled with students painting.


    Xie Shu quickly scanned the room, estimating there were about twenty students, all around sixteen or seventeen years old.


    Looking at their work, they were all painting plaster geometrics.


    Hmm... it reminded him of his own early learning days.


    Suddenly, Xie Shu remembered Teacher Li''s mention of dormitories and was startled.


    Was this a College Entrance Examination class??


    His arrival drew the curious gazes of the students, who were previously engrossed in their painting.


    Teacher Li instructed them to focus, then led Xie Shu to the next room.


    The adjacent room was much smaller, with a few easels set up. Glancing at the time, Teacher Li said, "Start by drawing a portrait so I can assess your foundation."


    Drawing is something that requires long-term dedication.


    Although Xie Shu''s basic knowledge was intact, he hadn''t completed a full portrait in many years.


    Officially, he hadn''t drawn for three years, but in reality, it had been seven.


    Four years in university and three years in society.


    Although his major involved frequent drawing, it differed from sketching.


    Xie Shu was unsure if he could reach the level he had during the College Entrance Examination.


    Teacher Li had chatted with Xie Shu on WeChat before and knew his current major wasn''t purely art-related, so she didn''t make it difficult for him: "Just to see the foundation, no need for a fully complete drawing."


    Hearing this, Xie Shu was relieved.


    Teacher Li handed him a quarter sheet of paper, which Xie Shu secured with paper glue before picking up the prepared pencil and starting to draw silently.


    Teacher Li didn''t disturb Xie Shu and left the room once he began drawing.


    In the small room, Xie Shu was left alone.


    To be honest, he felt quite pressured.


    He blamed himself for not asking clearly; seeing the job was for a teaching assistant, he thought it was for some hobby class and expected it to be simple.


    But coming here today, he realized it was for a College Entrance Examination class.


    Those students were all preparing for the joint exam, equivalent to the academic College Entrance Examination ¨C a very important test. If his skills were lacking, how could he mislead the students?


    Thankfully, his muscle memory was still intact.


    And Teacher Li had given him plenty of time.


    Initially, his hand was a bit stiff, but as he warmed up and relied on his muscle memory, he quickly regained his old touch.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed when suddenly he heard a rustling noise at the door.


    Turning around, puzzled, he saw several students peeking in.


    When Xie Shu noticed them, they didn''t hide but came in directly.


    However, everyone was very quiet, even their footsteps were cautious.


    "Are you a new student?" someone asked Xie Shu curiously.


    "Your drawing is really good; have you studied this before?" another exclaimed, surprised by his work.


    "Why did the teacher arrange for you to be in a separate classroom? Does she think our drawings are ugly?"


    The students whispered among themselves, and Xie Shu wasn''t sure how to respond.


    He wasn''t old, but he didn''t look underage, did he?


    Couldn''t they think in the direction of him being a teacher?


    In the early stages of training, without the pressure of major exams, teachers generally weren''t too strict with students, and sometimes when the teacher was absent, some would run around uncontrollably.


    Like now, several more people came to the small classroom to watch Xie Shu paint.


    With too many people around, Xie Shu couldn''t continue painting and simply stopped.


    "What are you all doing crowding around here?"


    Teacher Li, who had just come down from the second floor, saw everyone gathered at the room''s entrance and approached.


    "Teacher Li, is this a new student?" someone asked curiously.


    Teacher Li stood next to Xie Shu and glanced at his work.


    Although unfinished, it was evident that his foundational skills were solid.


    Yes, much better than the previous teaching assistants who were tested.


    She smiled at the group of students and shook her head: "No, he''s a new teacher."


    The students: "!!!"


    Oh, it seemed he was hired.


    Since it was a part-time job, Xie Shu didn''t need to go through any formalities. After a brief introduction, he immediately began his task.


    His task was to roam the classroom, observe the students'' work, identify issues, and suggest corrections.


    That was all.


    Even drawing demonstration pieces was Teacher Li''s domain; he wasn''t needed for that.


    Because it was a small-class studio with not too many people, he found the job incredibly easy.


    Easy as it was, he couldn''t just play around, so he didn''t have a moment to check his phone all morning.

 Chapter 38 – He doesnt care

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    By the time the art studio let out for lunch, Xie Shu finally had a moment to check his phone.


    He had set it to silent mode in the morning to avoid interruptions.


    Before unlocking his phone, he saw the screen lit up with countless missed calls, unread text messages, and over 99 WeChat notifications, which made his heart skip a beat.


    What could have happened?


    He thought it might be something school-related.


    He quickly unlocked his phone to check. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    All the calls and messages were from the same person.


    Xie Shu: "..."


    Ah, wait, there were messages from someone else too.


    At the top of his WeChat friend list, Ruan Nianxi had replied to his message that morning.


    But he was busy with his part-time job at the studio and hadn''t responded in time.


    Ignoring the surplus of notifications and missed calls, Xie Shu tapped into Ruan Nianxi''s chat.


    Just as he was about to reply, Teacher Li suddenly approached him, "Xie Shu, come have lunch with us. It''s a good chance for you to get familiar with the surrounding area, so you''ll know your way around next time."


    The students had just returned from washing their hands in the backyard and were ready to head out for lunch together.


    Considering he wasn''t familiar with the area, Xie Shu agreed to join them.


    Besides, he had classes in the afternoon and would return even if he wandered off alone, so it made sense to go with the group.


    They all left the studio together, and while waiting for the rest of the students to come out, Xie Shu picked up his phone again to reply to the message, but then he heard voices from the other side of the villa.


    Curious, he looked over to see several unfamiliar faces emerging, who seemed to be high school students as well.


    They greeted the art studio students with ease.


    "Hey? Is this a new guy in your art class? He''s handsome!" a girl suddenly exclaimed, looking at Xie Shu.


    "He''s a teacher!"


    A student from the studio quickly corrected her.


    "A teacher? So young!" the girl said in surprise, then continued, "Do you have a girlfriend, teacher?"


    Xie Shu: "..."


    Are students nowadays so... bold?


    "Alright, settle down," Teacher Li, the last to exit, came over to help Xie Shu out of the awkward situation and explained, "They''re from the media class, they have lessons on our second floor."


    The second floor?


    Xie Shu glanced at the corner of the villa; they had come from that direction, which probably had an outdoor staircase leading to the second floor.


    So there were classes on the second floor too.


    And it''s media?


    He had thought this place was only for art training.


    Before Xie Shu could speak, more people came out, looking like teachers.


    They quickly recognized Xie Shu''s role.


    "Teacher Li, is this the new teaching assistant for your art class? Quite handsome," a female teacher commented with a smile.


    Afterward, several teachers introduced themselves to Xie Shu, and he learned about their roles and the classes offered at the villa.


    The first floor housed the art class, led and managed by Teacher Li, along with two other teachers for sketching and color, who were not present as they had no classes that day.


    The second floor was the media class''s room.


    There were several media class teachers, both male and female, all of whom were present today ¨C the ones Xie Shu had just met.


    Since everyone was training in the same place, the students from both classes got along well, usually going out for lunch together, with teachers accompanying them, as they would be interacting for the better part of the year.


    Xie Shu talked with the teachers on the way and didn''t get a chance to message Ruan Nianxi.


    ***


    Following them to another exit of the art district, after a few minutes'' walk and a turn, he saw numerous restaurants and various stalls.


    This place was quite different from what he saw at the other exit in the morning; back then, it seemed remote, with scarce taxi service, but now it felt lively.


    The presence of stalls indicated a regular flow of people.


    Xie Shu entered a restaurant with the group, and after sitting down, he took out his phone again, looking up Ruan Nianxi''s name, intending to ask if she was resting.


    It was noon by now; she should be resting, right? Then they could chat for a while.


    His fingers deftly typed on the keyboard, but before he could finish a sentence, a call came through, and his thumb accidentally hit the answer button.


    Seeing "Su Qianyi" on the screen, Xie Shu froze.


    Why was she still calling?


    Wasn''t she tired?


    Even if she wasn''t, shouldn''t she consider her phone''s battery life?


    She had been calling all morning; couldn''t she let her phone rest for a bit?


    Su Qianyi, probably not expecting Xie Shu to answer this time, didn''t react immediately, and both sides forgot to speak.


    "Xie Shu, see if you want to order anything else," Teacher Li suddenly said beside him.


    Xie Shu was sitting at a table with a few teachers who had just finished ordering, and they passed the menu to him.


    Taking the menu, Xie Shu was about to say "okay" but was interrupted by Su Qianyi''s voice from the phone.


    "Xie Shu, where are you? Who are you with?"


    Su Qianyi''s voice carried a barely concealed anger.


    It was then that the other teachers at the table realized Xie Shu was on the phone with a girl, and they all looked at him simultaneously.


    Perhaps because Su Qianyi''s tone was so obviously angry, the teachers had all heard her.


    One of the male teachers couldn''t help but tease Xie Shu with a raised eyebrow, "Who is it, Xie Shu?"


    Xie Shu''s expression remained unchanged as he placed the menu in front of him, marked a question mark next to the dish he wanted with a pen, and didn''t forget to answer the question, "A classmate."


    After speaking, he tapped the "end call" button with his thumb, cutting off the call.


    The teachers didn''t expect Xie Shu to hang up without saying a word to the other person, and they were all taken aback.


    A classmate?


    Did he think they were three-year-old kids?


    They had been in the working world for many years.


    If it was really just a classmate, why did that girl get angry after hearing Teacher Li''s voice?


    It was clear she had misunderstood something to be angry.


    "Could it be a girl who likes you?" another teacher asked curiously.


    Likes him?


    Xie Shu frowned and then shook his head.


    "No, just a classmate, that''s all, from the same class."


    Su Qianyi liking him?


    Even ghosts wouldn''t believe it.

 Chapter 39 – She cares a lot

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Su Qianyi, in her previous life, Xie Shu had tried for ten years to warm her heart to no avail. This life, he''s given up. Could it be that she would still cling to him?


    Whenever she calls him, it must be because she needs something from him.


    It''s the weekend today; she''s probably looking to go out and have fun, that''s why she''s reaching out to him.


    In his past life, around this time, he had given up his part-time job to spend time with her.


    Now that he''s chosen the part-time job over her, she must have no one to make arrangements for her.


    "So that''s the case. But if she''s calling you, she must need something, right? Isn''t it a problem to just hang up without even listening to what she has to say?" Teacher Li also asked curiously.


    "Yeah, it''s fine."


    He doesn''t care what she wants.


    Even if the sky were falling, it wouldn''t concern him.


    If there were any emergencies at the school, his three dutiful sons would inform him. There''s no need for her to stoop so low to notify him.


    Xie Shu didn''t want to talk too much about Su Qianyi.


    The other teachers present could tell, so they tactfully changed the subject and didn''t bring it up again.


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    ***


    At the same time. In the girls'' dormitory.


    Su Qianyi stared at the disconnected call, stunned once again.


    She had only spoken a single sentence...


    After coming back to her senses, she immediately redialed.


    But the call was quickly disconnected again.


    She persisted, redialing over and over, only to be rejected each time.


    After several attempts, she was blocked...


    A wave of immense grievance swept over her, a sour veil clouded her eyes, and the air in her nostrils seemed to thin, the suffocating feeling making her more and more uncomfortable.


    The scene before her began to blur. She raised her hand to rub her swollen eyes, wiping away the tears that obstructed her vision, suppressing the urge to cry, and turned to WeChat.


    She opened Xie Shu''s chat window, staring at the screen that still showed no reply, her heart throbbing painfully.


    Her phone screen was filled with messages she had sent to Xie Shu, scrolling up revealed a long trail of her one-sided conversation.


    But not a single one had been answered.


    She opened the keyboard, wanting to send a message asking why he had blocked her number, but she feared that if she did, he might find her annoying and block her on WeChat too.


    Or perhaps... he had already blocked her?


    Su Qianyi wasn''t sure, but either way, she couldn''t accept it.


    After much hesitation, she typed, deleted, and revised her message, finally choosing to send it.


    Su Qianyi: [Xie Shu, can we talk?]


    The message sent successfully.


    But there was no reply.


    Afterward, Su Qianyi didn''t continue to send messages.


    The fact that Xie Shu hadn''t blocked her on WeChat was already a relief. If she kept messaging him like she had been calling, she might end up on the block list there too.


    She felt so wronged, so sad. When would Xie Shu come to comfort her?


    He used to be so nice to her, so caring, and would even accompany her on weekends.


    Today, she got up early to contact him, intending to ask him out, but he kept ignoring her...


    She sent him many messages, made many calls, and finally got through at noon, but the outcome...


    Who was with him just now? Where was he?


    She cared so much.


    ***


    The lunch was hosted by a few teachers.


    After lunch, the students returned to the art district in small groups, and Xie Shu stayed with the teachers.


    Although he was just an assistant, he was still a teacher. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Contrary to Xie Shu''s expectations, they didn''t return to the previous villa but headed towards another exit of the art district, the same route he had taken that morning.


    The scenery at the two exits was vastly different.


    The other side was crowded with restaurants, resembling a tourist area.


    This side... was just an ordinary suburb with residential buildings and fields.


    "Where are we going?" Xie Shu asked Teacher Li, puzzled.


    "To the dormitories. It''s easy to feel sleepy this season. It''s better for the students to rest a bit at noon before classes resume."


    Xie Shu nodded: "Makes sense. What about me£¿"


    He didn''t live here, nor was he a student. Why should he follow them?


    Shouldn''t he go back to the studio?


    "You should go rest too. There are beds available. The artists who partnered to open the studio aren''t short on money, and they''ve made the living accommodations quite nice."


    With the conversation reaching this point, Xie Shu didn''t refuse and followed them back.


    Since there were many self-built houses around, the artists who partnered to open the studio rented a few rooms to serve as dormitories for the students. The environment was generally good and close by.


    The teachers had separate dormitories, and as a temporary assistant, Xie Shu naturally didn''t have one. To ensure he could rest properly, a male teacher took him to the boys'' dormitory.


    Fortunately, both classes had few male students, so there were spare beds for him to rest temporarily.


    Once in the dormitory, he finally wouldn''t be disturbed anymore!


    Xie Shu opened Ruan Nianxi''s chat window again and finally sent a message.


    Ruan Nianxi replied instantly.


    Seeing Ruan Nianxi online, Xie Shu immediately sent another message explaining that he hadn''t had time to check his phone in the morning, which is why he hadn''t replied to her messages promptly.


    Ruan Nianxi: [What were you doing this morning that kept you so busy?]


    Xie Shu: [Part-time job. Didn''t I tell you?]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Part-time?]


    Xie Shu: [Yeah, I''m free on weekends anyway, so I found a part-time job.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [What kind of job?]


    Xie Shu: [Assistant at a drawing studio.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Is it busy? Tiring?]


    Xie Shu: [Not too busy. It''s just that I''m the only teacher in the classroom, so I can''t slack off. If I''m always looking at my phone, what if the students think I''m not serious? And if the main teacher sees me and thinks I''m not dedicated, what if they don''t let me come back?]


    Reading his reply, Ruan Nianxi typed out several messages like "I have money," "You don''t need to work part-time," "I can support you," but in the end, she deleted all of them.


    After editing back and forth, she finally sent a few words: [Hmm, you''ve worked hard.]


    Xie Shu: [I have classes this afternoon here too, and I might return late tonight.]


    This message suddenly gave Ruan Nianxi an illusion.


    Why did she feel... like Xie Shu was explaining something to her...


    Explaining that he was busy all day today and hadn''t been with anyone else?


    Before she could feel happy, Ruan Nianxi''s vision dimmed.


    ...Was she deluding herself again?


    She had taken so many pills these past few days, why weren''t they working?

 Chapter 40 – Listen to my revenge plan

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Unable to sleep, Xie Shu struck up a conversation with Ruan Nianxi on WeChat.


    Though Ruan Nianxi always replied instantly, Xie Shu felt her responses were rather cold.


    Sometimes just a few words, other times silence if he didn''t speak, but a message from him guaranteed an immediate reply. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A reticent person in her past life, wasn''t she quite talkative?


    They chatted about their university days for a while until Ruan Nianxi suddenly disappeared.


    After waiting for nearly ten minutes without a reply, she finally messaged Xie Shu back, indicating she was busy again.


    Xie Shu glanced at the time; it wasn''t even one o''clock.


    Isn''t it rest time now? She''s busy and not resting?


    Sigh, the life of a future female CEO is exhausting.


    She''s already learning to handle company affairs before graduation.


    Thinking of the future, Xie Shu felt immense pressure.


    ***


    The difference in family background between him and Ruan Nianxi was significant.


    They had met as children due to certain incidents; otherwise, how could ordinary people like them ever befriend a wealthy heiress?


    Although their parents had met and interacted occasionally, Xie Shu had rarely seen Ruan Nianxi''s parents.


    They were truly busy, too busy to be seen.


    During childhood festivals like Spring Festival, Ruan Nianxi was often alone at home until he invited her to celebrate with his family.


    If even Spring Festival was like this, other holidays were no different, spent alone by Ruan Nianxi.


    He remembered a few times when her parents, having finished their work, would visit his family, bringing many gifts to thank them for looking after Ruan Nianxi. His parents would host them warmly, they''d exchange pleasantries briefly, and after lunch, they''d leave.


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    Xie Shu had thought Ruan Nianxi would be upset and needed comforting, but she wasn''t sad at all, not even a change in expression.


    Perhaps she was used to her parents'' absence, no tears, no tantrums, just quietly watching them leave.


    He had to admit Ruan Nianxi''s parents were successful businesspeople, but as parents, they were lacking.


    Anyway!


    He had only met Uncle Ruan a handful of times over the years, and he was unclear about their opinion of him, wondering if they would oppose his relationship with Ruan Nianxi...


    Forget it, he''ll deal with that later; he hasn''t even made the first move yet.


    ***


    With Ruan Nianxi busy, Xie Shu decided to rest.


    Before logging off WeChat, he glanced at Su Qianyi''s profile picture, noticing the red notification badge had reached 99+.


    Since his rebirth, he hadn''t opened her chat, unaware of her messages, nor did he have the desire to look.


    Though he didn''t open the chat, he could see her last message: "Xie Shu, can we talk?"


    What does she mean by that? Why does it feel like she''s wronged and begging him?


    Since it''s just an illusion, there''s no point dwelling on it.


    So, Xie Shu turned off his phone and lay down to rest, not replying to Su Qianyi.


    ***


    In the afternoon, Xie Shu went to the studio to continue his part-time job.


    It was his first day, and the students were just starting training, so the pressure was low, making the afternoon fly by.


    Although it wasn''t late when he left the studio, the place was remote, and he had to take the subway back to Jiangling University, which took quite some time.


    Calculating the time, he figured it would be dark by the time he arrived on campus.


    Thinking of his role as the ''father'' to his dorm mates, Xie Shu sent a message in their dorm group: "On my way back to campus, anyone need me to bring back food?"


    Zhao Lin and Li Da were also working part-time and didn''t need food.


    Only Liu Ping replied: "Me!"


    Xie Shu: "What do you want to eat?"


    Liu Ping: "Two drumsticks, a burger, fries, a chicken wing, popcorn chicken, two egg tarts..."


    Xie Shu: "Want Coke?"


    Liu Ping: "No, I''m on a diet."


    Xie Shu: "Aren''t you going to starve?"


    After messaging the ''rebellious child'' on a diet, Xie Shu opened Ruan Nianxi''s chat.


    Their conversation had stopped at noon.


    He hadn''t checked his phone in the afternoon and hadn''t messaged her.


    So, she doesn''t message if he doesn''t, huh?


    She should be done with work by now, right?


    Xie Shu typed a message: "Why didn''t you reply to me? That''s rude, isn''t it? Is it because I didn''t message?"


    Ruan Nianxi: "......"


    See! She''s online.


    As Xie Shu pondered his next reply, another message from Ruan Nianxi came through.


    Ruan Nianxi: "Just finished work..."


    To prove her point, she sent a photo showing she was still at the office.


    Alright, even the capitalist''s daughter has to work overtime.


    Moving on from that topic, Xie Shu sent another message: "Have you had dinner?"


    Ruan Nianxi: "Not yet."


    Xie Shu: "There''s something I want to tell you."


    Ruan Nianxi: "What is it?"


    Xie Shu: "For three years in university, our class leader verbally attacked me, the teachers targeted me, my roommates were impatient with me, they stole my scholarship, and threatened me to bring them food. I sincerely treated them as roommates, but they treated me like a father. I endured countless times, but their actions only worsened. I can''t stand it anymore, no need to bear it. Tonight at eight, let''s find a restaurant on Jiangling University''s back street and sit down for a meal. You can listen to my revenge plan!"


    After sending the message, Xie Shu didn''t get a reply for a long time. Just when he thought Ruan Nianxi was too busy, she finally responded.


    Ruan Nianxi: "Do you need my help to get rid of them?"


    Xie Shu: "......"


    She really knows how to get to the point.


    Does she not understand humor?


    The moon sets, crows caw, frost fills the sky, silently lighting a cigarette.

 Chapter 41 – Blessing or a curse

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    Seeing Ruan Nianxi''s serious tone, Xie Shu finally simplified his last message: "Dinner together at eight tonight on Back Street, are you free?"


    The place he mentioned was a street behind their school, hence dubbed "Back Street." Because it was close to the school, most of the shops there were snack bars and restaurants, with stalls lining from one end to the other.


    It was the usual spot for gatherings and meals among their friends.


    In the past, Xie Shu also liked to buy Su Qianyi''s favorite snacks on Back Street...


    Meanwhile, at the same time, on Ruan Nianxi''s end.


    After seeing the latest message from Xie Shu, she stared at the screen, re-reading it to confirm the invitation.


    After confirming, she cautiously asked, "Will anyone else be there?"


    If others were going, she wouldn''t attend.


    She didn''t want to meet Su Qianyi.


    Last night, Uncle Zhang had told her about the incident between Xie Shu and Su Qianyi at the networking event.


    But nothing significant had happened...


    She had thought Xie Shu''s ignoring Su Qianyi was due to a quarrel that soured their relationship.


    But that wasn''t the case.


    Nothing of the sort happened at the networking event.


    If anything did happen, it was just Xie Shu confessing to Su Qianyi again.


    He was as persistent as ever, but the outcome was the same as before, nothing noteworthy.


    So, she attributed Xie Shu''s recent kindness to her as mere politeness when seeing a friend.


    As for why Xie Shu was ignoring Su Qianyi... she didn''t know, but she figured it would probably change in a few days.


    After all, Xie Shu liked Su Qianyi so much that he gave up on her in high school...


    Xie Shu: "No, it''s just the two of us."


    A few words brought Ruan Nianxi''s pessimistic mood back to normal.


    Xie Shu: "If you''re busy, never mind."


    Ruan Nianxi: "I am! I''m a bit far from school right now, it might take a while to get there by bus."


    Xie Shu: "No problem, I''m also on my way back, no rush, being a little late is fine."


    Ruan Nianxi: "Great!"


    And so, their evening plans were set.


    ***


    After ending the chat, Ruan Nianxi stood up from her seat, grabbed her bag, and was about to leave when someone called out to her.


    "Little Xi, aren''t we going back together? I''m almost done here."


    Ruan Nianxi halted, turned around, and her gaze fell on the lady sitting there, her expression unchanged: "Mom, I''m staying at the school dorm tonight."


    During the week, Ruan Nianxi usually stayed at the school dormitory, and on weekends, she stayed at home.


    After all, sometimes she needed to go to the company to learn how to handle business, and staying at home meant less travel.


    According to past practice, she was supposed to go home tonight, especially since her mother had no engagements or other matters, and they had planned to have dinner together.


    The lady looked puzzled at Ruan Nianxi: "You have to come to the company tomorrow. Isn''t it troublesome and a waste of time to go back and forth from the school, considering the distance?"


    "I can get up early tomorrow."


    The lady watched Ruan Nianxi for a while and finally said nothing more, just nodded: "As you wish."


    Seeing that her mother didn''t probe further, Ruan Nianxi immediately turned and left.


    Xie Shu had asked her out; she couldn''t be late!


    After Ruan Nianxi left, the lady slowly closed the file in her hand, her gaze lingering in the direction Ruan Nianxi had gone, deep in thought.


    She knew her daughter well; from a young age, she had always refused to make friends.


    In her heart, the only friend was Xie Shu.


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    Even as her parents, they regretted not being able to open her heart due to insufficient companionship.


    Although she hadn''t had much interaction with Xie Shu in recent years, they knew she still cared about him.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have insisted on attending the university she''s in now.


    To this point, the only person who truly mattered to her was Xie Shu.


    If they£¨Ruan Nianxi''s parents£© hadn''t insisted on Little Xi socializing, it would be hard to imagine her struggling even to communicate with others later on.


    But even so, her socializing at school was merely to complete the "social tasks" they set for her.


    In other words, she didn''t care about her classmates at all.


    So why was she insistent on staying at the school dorm tonight?


    To hang out with her dorm friends?


    The lady thought it unlikely.


    If she had to guess for whom, then her thoughts could only turn to Xie Shu.


    Although Little Xi had always said she hadn''t seen Xie Shu at school for the past three years, they were still at the same university, and there was still a chance to run into each other.


    Thinking of Xie Shu, the lady sighed deeply.


    Sometimes fate played cruel tricks; they didn''t know whether this was a blessing or a curse.


    "Secretary Lin, follow Little Xi and see if she''s going to meet Xie Shu tonight," the lady said to her female secretary beside her. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Secretary Lin nodded at the words and then followed Ruan Nianxi out.


    ***


    On his way back to school, Xie Shu stopped outside to buy his roommate''s desired food, dropped it off at the dormitory, and then hurried to the back gate.


    He and Ruan Nianxi had agreed to meet there; the Back Street was just outside the gate.


    When he arrived at the back gate, he found Ruan Nianxi already waiting. He quickened his pace to join her.


    "Didn''t wait too long, did you? I just went back to the dorm to deliver food to my roommate, got held up a few minutes."


    Hearing Xie Shu''s voice from behind, Ruan Nianxi turned around, and upon hearing his words, she frowned:


    "I thought you got along well with your roommates. Why would they threaten you to bring them food?"


    Xie Shu: "..."


    She hasn''t reacted yet. Is this a joke?


    Xie Shu cleared his throat: "I was just joking before, don''t mind that. Let''s go, to Back Street."


    Ruan Nianxi looked at Xie Shu with a strange expression for several moments, finally believing him reluctantly.


    Back Street was bustling with people, couples and groups walking together, and many couples hand in hand.


    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi walked side by side among the crowd, not too intimate, but not too distant.


    Knowing Ruan Nianxi was a quiet person, Xie Shu initiated conversations along the way, and she would respond.


    A seemingly ordinary scene, but halfway through, several of Xie Shu''s female classmates spotted them.

 Chapter 42 – Su Qianyi found it

    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    The bustling streets were alive with activity as Xie Shu searched for the right shop.


    The Back Street was crowded at this hour, with shops near the school''s back gate almost fully seated. Not wanting to squeeze in, he continued walking forward with Ruan Nianxi, all the while keeping the conversation going so she wouldn''t get bored.


    He paid no mind to whether there were any acquaintances around, so when he passed by some female classmates, he didn''t even notice.


    He didn''t notice them, but that didn''t mean they didn''t notice him.


    Among those girls were two who shared a dormitory with Su Qianyi. They got along fairly well, so when they saw Xie Shu strolling with another girl, they quickly snapped a photo of their backs and sent it to their dormitory group chat.


    They texted: "Qianyi, we saw Xie Shu on Back Street, he seems to be shopping with another girl."


    No sooner had they sent the message than they felt something was off.


    Lately, the relationship between Xie Shu and Su Qianyi had changed dramatically, and Xie Shu had made it clear he was no longer involved with Su Qianyi.


    So why take this photo? It was unnecessary.


    Sigh, it was just that they had never seen Xie Shu with another girl before, so seeing it now triggered an instinctive reaction.


    Realizing they shouldn''t have sent the photo, they quickly retracted the message from the group chat.


    Unfortunately, Su Qianyi, who had been waiting all day for a message from Xie Shu, was still glued to her phone and saw the message the moment it was posted.


    She immediately replied: "Who''s that girl next to him?"


    After sending the message, she tagged the girl who had posted the photo.


    Now, even if the girl wanted to ignore it, she couldn''t. She had to reply honestly: "I don''t know, I didn''t see her face clearly."


    Su Qianyi: "Take a picture for me."


    Girl: "Isn''t that a bit inappropriate?"


    Su Qianyi: "What''s inappropriate about it? They''re not celebrities. It''s just a photo. I just want to see, I won''t do anything with it."


    Eventually, under Su Qianyi''s insistence, the girl followed behind Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi.


    To capture their faces, she had to get ahead of them, but she didn''t want to be noticed by Xie Shu, so she had to circle around even further.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the girls'' dormitory.


    Su Qianyi, who had been buried in sadness all day and waiting for a message, quickly got out of bed.


    She changed her clothes, put on her shoes, tidied up a bit, and hurried out of the dormitory.


    The background of the photo she had seen was unmistakably Back Street, a place she had walked for three years and couldn''t mistake.


    Had Xie Shu been ignoring her all day to accompany another girl?


    Who was that girl?


    Why should she compete with Su Qianyi for Xie Shu?


    Xie Shu had been by her side for so many years, how could she let him be taken away?


    She had to get Xie Shu back!


    She couldn''t lose him again!


    And she certainly couldn''t hand Xie Shu over to someone else!


    ***


    Back Street of Jiangling University.


    Oblivious to everything, Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi continued their walk and chat.


    Xie Shu shared his part-time job experience of the day with Ruan Nianxi, talking about his own matters.


    After listening, Ruan Nianxi asked with concern, "Are you tired?"


    She hadn''t known Xie Shu would be working part-time today, and it was quite a distance. If she had known, she could have asked the driver who came to pick her up for the company to give him a lift.


    Actually... he didn''t need to work part-time.


    She could...


    "What''s there to be tired about? I''m just overseeing the students'' work and giving them guidance. I don''t even have to do it hands-on. It''s very relaxing," Xie Shu said with a wave of his hand and a smile.


    If anything, it was just the long journey that was tiring.


    In his part-time teaching assistant job, he never really felt tired.


    After all, he had studied fine arts himself, and with his solid foundation, guiding a few beginners was more than manageable.


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    Although he initially took up fine arts to be closer to Su Qianyi, blindly following her, it eventually gave him a clear direction in his studies.


    Back in high school, they didn''t understand much about university majors and the future, and most people, including him, didn''t have a clear direction. But after completing his studies, he felt quite satisfied.


    "What''s that over there? Why are so many people gathered?"


    While talking, Xie Shu turned his head and saw a crowd at the corner ahead. Out of curiosity, he took a glance and found it was just a small stall.


    It must be a new stall; he hadn''t seen it there before.


    Xie Shu wasn''t interested and turned to leave, but as his gaze swept over the crowd, he noticed that most of them were couples, and each waiting girl had an unmistakable look of anticipation in her eyes.


    Although he wasn''t keen on the snack, it was soft and fluffy, which Ruan Nianxi might like.


    So, he joined the queue.


    Ruan Nianxi stood obediently beside Xie Shu, waiting in line with him. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There weren''t many people ahead of them, and as Xie Shu carefully selected flavors from the menu, Ruan Nianxi, who had been standing by his side, suddenly fixed her gaze sharply on a girl diagonally in front of them.


    The girl, who was about to take a photo, was startled by Ruan Nianxi''s icy stare.


    Caught in the act of taking a stealthy photo, the girl instantly felt guilty.


    Under Ruan Nianxi''s frosty gaze, she silently put away her phone and pretended to casually leave the area.


    Although the girl had left, Ruan Nianxi, who always had a sense of insecurity and was prone to suspicion, couldn''t help but heighten her vigilance and scan the surroundings once more.


    She wasn''t sure why the girl was taking photos, but it made her uncomfortable.


    Still uneasy, she looked around and indeed spotted a familiar face that shouldn''t be there.


    Her mother''s secretary.


    Even though the secretary quickly turned away upon seeing her, Ruan Nianxi was certain she hadn''t mistaken the person.


    And in a crowd of students, a white-collar in a suit and high heels stood out conspicuously.


    Instantly, Ruan Nianxi''s already sour expression darkened further.


    It must be her mother who had sent Secretary Lin to follow her.


    How annoying, what were they planning to do now?

 Chapter 43 – Xie Shu becomes so unfamiliar

    Xie Shu''s attention was still on the small food stall.


    He glanced over the available flavors, unsure which one Ruan Nianxi would prefer, so he turned to ask her. To his surprise, when he looked back, Ruan Nianxi, who had just been by his side, had vanished.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    He looked around but still couldn''t spot Ruan Nianxi.


    Where did she go? did she leave?


    Why didn''t she say anything to him?


    Confused, Xie Shu took out his phone to contact Ruan Nianxi.


    Upon unlocking his phone, he saw a WeChat message from Ruan Nianxi sent less than a minute ago.


    Ruan Nianxi: [I had to step away for a bit, I''ll be right back.]


    Xie Shu frowned, puzzled why she had time to message him but not to speak to him in person about her plans.


    Curious but not prying, he replied with an "Okay" and continued to wait in line.


    While Xie Shu was queuing, Ruan Nianxi approached Secretary Lin.


    Secretary Lin felt awkward facing Ruan Nianxi.


    She hadn''t expected Miss Ruan to be so direct.


    "Did my mother send you?" Ruan Nianxi cut to the chase.


    "Uh... I... um..." Secretary Lin stuttered, unable to complete her sentence, but her response was an indirect admission.


    Ruan Nianxi''s expression was stern, her gaze icy in a way that seemed beyond her years.


    She stared at Secretary Lin, sending shivers down her spine:"I have nothing to do at school, you can go back."


    "Miss Ruan, although I''m not fully aware of your family''s situation, I''ve always known that your parents don''t want you to associate with classmate Xie Shu, they..."


    "Isn''t it normal for me to bump into Xie Shu on the back street of our school? Do I need to wear a mask every time I go out?" Ruan Nianxi interrupted coldly.


    "No, that''s not what I meant, I..." Secretary Lin paused mid-sentence, her gaze drifting past Ruan Nianxi to something behind her.


    Sensing something was off, Ruan Nianxi turned to look.


    At the street corner not far from the food stall where Xie Shu was standing, there was a girl talking to him.


    The girl was standing sideways, allowing Ruan Nianxi to see her profile clearly.


    It was none other than Su Qianyi.


    She was even reaching out to hold Xie Shu''s arm, but he dodged her attempt.


    Ruan Nianxi''s lips tightened, her hand by her thigh clenched slightly, then relaxed. She turned back to Secretary Lin, seemingly indifferent to the interaction between Xie Shu and Su Qianyi.


    Eventually, Secretary Lin couldn''t stand Ruan Nianxi''s piercing gaze any longer.


    "I''ll head back now, Miss Ruan. You should rest early too." With that, Secretary Lin turned and left.


    After walking a few dozen steps, Secretary Lin looked back uncertainly.


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    As she turned, her eyes met Ruan Nianxi''s, who was still watching her. Startled, Secretary Lin quickly turned and continued on her way, not daring to linger any longer.


    Once sure that Secretary Lin had truly left, Ruan Nianxi clenched her fists and turned around, her restrained gaze falling on Su Qianyi.


    Meanwhile, Su Qianyi had intended to take the initiative to hold Xie Shu''s hand as a gesture of goodwill, but to her surprise, he avoided her.


    Her eyes dimmed with disappointment, her heart aching, but she quickly regained her composure.


    She took a small step closer to Xie Shu, her voice filled with a hint of grievance, "Xie Shu, I couldn''t reach you all day. Where have you been?"


    Xie Shu stepped back to maintain distance, not answering her question but instead looking at the vendor to see what he was making.


    Once again ignored, Su Qianyi adjusted her mindset and continued to queue with Xie Shu, this time keeping a respectful distance.


    She feared that getting any closer might drive Xie Shu away.


    Right, when she arrived, she hadn''t seen any other girls with Xie Shu, and her roommate hadn''t sent her any photos of Xie Shu with other girls.


    So, she assumed Xie Shu must have run into an acquaintance, exchanged a few words, and just happened to be seen by her roommate. In reality, Xie Shu had come to the back street alone.


    The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.


    Yes, over the years, the only close female friend he had was her.


    It was impossible for him to get so close to another girl in such a short time.


    "Xie Shu, I haven''t eaten dinner tonight," Su Qianyi looked up at Xie Shu, speaking softly, hoping for his concern.


    Hungry? Then you go and eat?


    Xie Shu glanced at Su Qianyi, speechless, keeping his thoughts to himself.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he was buying something, if it weren''t for waiting for Ruan Nianxi, he would have left long ago.


    Xie Shu occasionally scanned the surroundings but still couldn''t find Ruan Nianxi. He checked his phone, but there was no reply from her.


    Soon, it was his turn to buy. He purchased only one item, paid, and then stood by the roadside, continuing to wait for Ruan Nianxi.


    Su Qianyi hadn''t left.


    She stood with him, his gaze falling on the oversized item in his hand, her sense of loss spreading through her body.


    Was there nothing for her?


    It wasn''t that she was particularly eager to eat, but it was Xie Shu''s attitude that mattered.


    In the past, when they went out, he would buy her all sorts of snacks, but this time he only bought for himself...


    Knowing Xie Shu''s current attitude towards her, Su Qianyi decided to take the initiative.


    Taking the initiative might still give her a chance.


    "Xie Shu, I want some too."


    Xie Shu was even more speechless: "The stall is right there, go buy it yourself. Are you armless or visually impaired?"


    Suddenly rebuffed, Su Qianyi felt tears welling up again.


    If it weren''t for the fact that she had cried many times yesterday and today, toughening her up a bit, she might have burst into tears on the spot.


    Xie Shu had become so cold, so distant.


    He used to be so gentle with her. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She pursed her lips, her hands by her thighs clenched tight, struggling to suppress her feelings before attempting to speak to Xie Shu in a normal tone.


    "Xie Shu, can you not be like this? We''ve known each other for so many years, we''ve always been close. You weren''t like this before, you used to be gentle."


    "Why don''t you call the police then."


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 44 – Repeatedly refused

    No matter what Su Qianyi said, Xie Shu maintained an indifferent expression, showing no interest in engaging with her or having any contact. He simply exuded an air of nonchalance.


    Her references to past events seemed to have little effect, and if anything, only served to irritate Xie Shu to some extent.


    He continued to look down at his phone, ignoring Su Qianyi.


    After being disregarded for about a minute, Su Qianyi couldn''t help but speak up again, "Xie Shu, who were you with today during the day?"


    Xie Shu: "......"


    Why is she still here?


    Xie Shu didn''t want to answer, preferring to feign deafness, but Su Qianyi''s questions kept coming one after another.


    "Did you go out to play with someone? Was it a girl from our college? Was it just the two of you, or were there others?"


    "That''s my business, I don''t need to report to you, do I?" Xie Shu frowned, his voice faint and distant.


    Su Qianyi was taken aback, her subsequent questions stuck in her throat.


    Indeed, what was her status now?


    It seemed she had no right to interfere in his affairs.


    Despite her concern, she had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.


    "I haven''t had dinner yet, let''s go eat together over there? My treat," Su Qianyi changed the subject.


    "I''m not free."


    Having been rejected so many times, Su Qianyi had expected this response.


    She didn''t wallow in sadness but continued, "What would you like to eat?"


    "???"Hadn''t he already refused?


    Was there a problem with her comprehension?


    Just as he was about to repeat his previous response, he heard Su Qianyi say, "I''ll go buy it for you."


    Xie Shu looked at Su Qianyi, puzzled by her behavior.


    He had clearly refused.


    Everyone spoke the same language; how could she not understand?


    Moreover, her current demeanor gave him an odd impression.


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that she was deliberately trying to please him.


    It was somewhat reminiscent of how he used to be...


    This prompted Xie Shu to take a closer look at Su Qianyi. Even in a simple dress, she exuded a sense of elegance. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu had always known she was beautiful.


    Skin like creamy jade, eyebrows like mist, eyes like shimmering pools, as lovely as the peaches of spring, as pure as the chrysanthemums of autumn.


    She still had the aura of the goddess from days past, the kind that could make countless people fall for her.


    But why did her behavior just now seem a bit like... fawning?


    Uh, this... Xie Shu thought he might be overthinking it. How could a campus goddess act like that?


    He averted his gaze, refusing to look at her any longer, and once again rejected her.


    "No need." He was going to have dinner with Ruan Nianxi soon; he didn''t need her help buying anything.


    "How about we go to the amusement park tomorrow?"


    "No."


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    "Then around the school? We can hang out nearby."


    "No."


    "Even on campus is fine!"


    "No."


    "Why not?"


    No meant no; why all the questions?


    He wasn''t obligated to accompany her, was he?


    Growing slightly impatient with Su Qianyi''s persistence, Xie Shu internally complained before he could respond calmly. However, Su Qianyi spoke up again:


    "Do you really have to be like this?" This time, Su Qianyi''s voice was thick with nasal tones.


    Sensing something off in Su Qianyi''s tone, Xie Shu looked at her again.


    As he turned, he met Su Qianyi''s tearful eyes.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    Seeing Su Qianyi on the verge of tears, Xie Shu was shocked.


    Before he could speak, she stepped forward, closing the distance between them.


    Due to the height difference, Su Qianyi had to look up at Xie Shu.


    With the gap closed, Xie Shu could clearly see the expression on Su Qianyi''s face.


    Pitiful and heart-wrenching.


    However, seeing her like this, Xie Shu was mostly shocked.


    When had he ever seen her look so sad before?


    When he used to follow her around, even if she was in a bad mood or encountered something unpleasant, she never showed such a pitiful expression.


    And now, why was she looking at him so pitifully?


    He hadn''t mistreated her.


    She better not try to pin the blame on him; he hadn''t done anything.


    Coming back to his senses, Xie Shu tried to distance himself from her.


    He wanted to step back, but Su Qianyi had already grabbed his arm.


    With one hand holding his phone, Xie Shu couldn''t break free immediately, so he just stood there.


    "Su..."


    "Do you really have to treat me this way?" Su Qianyi spoke first, her voice quivering with sobs.


    "???"


    "Xie Shu, we''ve known each other for so many years. When have we ever had a conflict? When have we ever been like this these past few days? What''s wrong with you? I haven''t done anything to you, so why are you being so cold?"


    Su Qianyi complained with a trembling voice, filled with grievance.


    Tears welled in her beautiful eyes, some already trailing down her cheeks.


    There were many people in the back street, and numerous food stalls lined the roadside, with crowds queuing up to buy snacks.


    That was the scene around Xie Shu.


    Thus, many onlookers had heard and seen the exchange between him and Su Qianyi.


    Everyone had been watching them, and passersby had stopped to join the spectacle.


    Some who didn''t know the details thought Su Qianyi was crying because Xie Shu was a heartless playboy, and they looked at him with strange expressions.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    What on earth was she doing?


    Su Qianyi continued to gaze directly at Xie Shu.


    "Did I do something wrong? Or did I upset you? Just tell me, and I''ll change, okay? Please don''t ignore me."


    She had waited for his message all day, he hadn''t replied, and he had even blocked her number...


    She could endure all that.


    But now! She had come to him in person, taken the initiative. She wanted to have dinner with him, and if that wasn''t possible, she was willing to buy it just for him. She had even invited him to go out, but he had refused!


    Moreover, his tone when speaking to her was so distant, as if he wanted to draw a clear line between them.


    She really couldn''t understand what she had done to make him angry.


    Without any warning, he had suddenly become like this.


    Even if she had inadvertently angered him, couldn''t he just tell her directly instead of tormenting her like this?


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 Chapter 45 – Do you know? You dont know

    Su Qianyi clung to Xie Shu''s arm and wouldn''t let go.


    Xie Shu tried to pull away, but she held on tight.


    With no other choice, he temporarily pocketed his phone with his right hand and used his free hand to pry Su Qianyi''s grip off.


    Su Qianyi didn''t want to let go, but Xie Shu''s strength was slightly greater.


    After freeing himself from Su Qianyi''s clutches, Xie Shu immediately stepped back to maintain some distance.


    He switched the phone to his other hand and flexed his arm that Su Qianyi had been holding before speaking indifferently, "Am I cold to you? Isn''t it just like how normal friends interact?"


    "You obviously are!"


    "Really? Are you sure? I don''t avoid you when I see you, I don''t give you dirty looks, I don''t mock or ridicule you, how am I cold? Don''t I treat you just like any other friend?"


    "When I call or message you, you never reply, and you even..." blocked her number.


    "Su Qianyi, today''s a weekend, there''s nothing going on at school, and I have my own things to do. I can''t be expected to wait by the phone for you all the time, can I?"


    "But you could at least reply to my messages!"


    "I''m too busy for that."


    Did she think he was still the same as before?


    Did she think he was still the person who would always pay attention to her messages and reply immediately?


    Sorry, but that Xie Shu died in his past life.


    Now, his mind was no longer on her.


    "You''re lying! At noon you clearly..." Su Qianyi suddenly paused, her angry voice softening, "You had time at noon, right?"


    Even if he was busy, he should have time for lunch, right?


    But Xie Shu still appeared indifferent.


    "Not really."


    "You must have time now, right?"


    "No."


    "What are you busy with now?"


    "Shopping."


    Su Qianyi could have believed him when he said he was busy earlier, but his last statement sounded like he was just loafing around.


    What was he busy with?


    Tears welled up in her eyes, increasingly difficult to control.


    Her voice choked up, "You''re clearly just trying to distance yourself from me!"


    A beautiful person crying always evokes pity and sympathy from those around, but Xie Shu remained unmoved.


    His voice was still calm, "Is it bad for me to distance myself from you?"


    "It''s terrible!"


    "But you''re the one who asked me to leave, I''m just following your words."


    Su Qianyi was stunned, then shook her head in confusion, "No! I didn''t! I never said that!"


    How could she possibly want Xie Shu to leave her?


    Xie Shu''s mouth twitched slightly, his expression unreadable as he looked at the tearful Su Qianyi.


    She was so strange.


    She asked him to leave, and then she cried when he did?


    Wasn''t this what she wanted?


    Wasn''t this her wish?


    Why did it seem like he was the one who had callously abandoned her?


    Xie Shu didn''t want to continue this topic. He stopped looking at Su Qianyi, glanced around, but still didn''t see Ruan Nianxi.


    In the brief moment Xie Shu looked around, Su Qianyi also reflected on the past.


    When had she ever told Xie Shu to leave her?


    She truly had no recollection.


    But if she had to pinpoint when Xie Shu''s attitude towards her changed, it seemed to start after the social event a few days ago.


    That day, Xie Shu had confessed to her again, and she had rejected him.


    Hmm... It seemed that she did say something about him leaving during the event, but she meant leaving the venue, not leaving her for good. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Realizing that Xie Shu might have misunderstood her words from that night, she hurriedly tried to explain, "Xie Shu, I never said that. If you''re referring to what I said that night at the social event, you must have misunderstood. I didn''t know you were going to confess to me that night. There were too many people, and I was just embarrassed, so I asked you to leave first. But I only meant for you to leave the venue, not to ignore me from then on."


    Xie Shu''s impassive gaze returned to the tearful Su Qianyi, his heart ached slightly, and then he forced a bitter smile.


    Just when Su Qianyi thought he had taken in her explanation, she was met with a barrage of questions from Xie Shu:


    "Really? You felt embarrassed? What about me? Do you think I''m not human? Don''t I care about my dignity? Do you know how much courage it takes to confess in front of so many people? You don''t know because it''s not you confessing, it''s not you being rejected, it''s not you being called an arse-kisser.


    I used to be willing to do anything for you, but that doesn''t mean I wasn''t embarrassed when rejected in public. Do you really think I wouldn''t be upset after all these years?


    I won''t mention the countless times I''ve confessed to you in private. I did it because I heard from your friends that you envied girls who were confessed to publicly, you thought it was romantic, and you wanted to experience it, so I mustered the courage to confess to you in public multiple times.


    Every Valentine''s Day, Qixi Festival, and various other holidays, I did it to show you my sincerity, to let you feel the ''romance'', but every time I failed.


    If you envied other girls being confessed to in public and wanted to experience it, why did you feel embarrassed when I gathered the courage to confess to you?


    I''m sorry then, I didn''t realize I''ve been troubling you all this time. What a bother I''ve been, it won''t happen again."


    Xie Shu''s words left Su Qianyi dumbfounded.


    She stood there, speechless for a moment.


    Xie Shu didn''t want to say anything more to her. He just felt extremely bored and even a bit ridiculous.


    He really didn''t want to stay there any longer, so he turned to leave.


    At that moment, Su Qianyi snapped back to reality, realizing she had misspoken, and quickly followed, grabbing Xie Shu''s arm again, frantically apologizing:


    "I''m sorry, Xie Shu, I didn''t mean it that way, I just didn''t phrase it right, I didn''t, I really didn''t mean it, believe me, actually I was very happy..."


    "Let go."


    Support us at .


    Xie Shu looked down slightly, his voice cold as he cut her off.


    His tone was so icy, it was like a chill wind in winter, making Su Qianyi shiver.


    "Xie Shu, listen to my explanation!"


    "Miss Su Qianyi, please stop bothering me. There are many people around, and this is embarrassing for me too."


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 46 – I wont repeat myself a third time

    Xie Shu glanced around as he spoke.


    The crowd had grown even larger than before, with some onlookers taking photos with their phones.


    Su Qianyi had been so focused on Xie Shu that she had ignored the people around her. It was only after Xie Shu''s reminder that she noticed the crowd watching them.


    Proud as she was, being the center of attention and seen in such a disheveled state would normally prompt her to immediately regain composure and let go of Xie Shu.


    But a voice inside her insisted that if she let go, he would surely walk away.


    So, Su Qianyi held back her tears, her grip on Xie Shu''s hand still tight, unwilling to let him leave.


    Her voice was somewhat restrained as she spoke, "Xie Shu, listen to my explanation..."


    "What''s there to explain?" Xie Shu didn''t want to listen.


    "I just spoke without thinking because I didn''t have much time."


    "Isn''t that your true feeling then? That''s why you said it without thinking."


    "  You''ve really misunderstood, it''s not what you think."


    With so much she wanted to say and the current situation making her anxious, Su Qianyi found it hard to know where to start, her words becoming jumbled and more chaotic as she spoke.


    Xie Shu looked at the incoherent Su Qianyi, his last bit of patience slowly being eroded away.


    "Could you please let go?"


    Xie Shu tried to control his tone, maintaining a calm demeanor.


    "Xie Shu..."


    "I won''t repeat myself a third time."


    His tone was flat, but it conveyed a chill and a distance that made Su Qianyi feel rejected.


    She was momentarily stunned.


    Seizing the moment of her distraction, Xie Shu pulled his hand free and left before she could react, not looking back.


    Su Qianyi wanted to follow, but her legs felt as if they were weighed down, unable to take a step.


    She could only watch as Xie Shu''s figure slowly disappeared into the distance...


    After Xie Shu left, the onlookers gradually dispersed, leaving Su Qianyi standing there, unable to snap out of her daze.


    Within minutes, the scene had been uploaded by bystanders to their campus forum, sparking a wave of discussion.


    However, neither of the parties involved had the time to care about the campus forum at that moment.


    ***


    Worried that Su Qianyi might come looking for him, Xie Shu intentionally walked a bit further away.


    Once he was in a quieter area, he stopped, took out his phone, and messaged Ruan Nianxi with his location.


    She replied quickly to his message.


    Before long, Ruan Nianxi appeared before Xie Shu.


    He walked a few steps towards her, handed her what he had just bought, and asked with concern, "Where did you go just now? You left without telling me."


    Ruan Nianxi looked down, speaking softly, "I saw someone I knew and went to chat for a bit."


    "I see. Next time, let me know before you leave. I turned around and you were gone. If I hadn''t seen your message, I would have thought something happened to you."


    "Okay."


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice carried a hint of excitement.


    She seemed to be in a good mood.


    Xie Shu raised an eyebrow, "What happened? You seem happy."


    Realizing she was too obvious, Ruan Nianxi quickly toned it down.


    "Nothing."


    Then she changed the subject, "Where shall we go next?"


    Hearing this, Xie Shu began to seriously consider the question. His original plan was to stroll around the school with Ruan Nianxi, but after the recent incident, he suddenly didn''t feel like staying there.


    Su Qianyi''s sudden change of behavior and her clinginess made him unsure whether she had left or might be looking for him again.


    He was worried that he might run into her while out with Ruan Nianxi...


    Given the bad blood between the two women, he anticipated that a confrontation would not end well.


    Moreover, he didn''t want his mood to be spoiled.


    After some thought, he decided to go somewhere further away.


    After all, there wasn''t much to see in the back streets, mostly eateries, with few places for entertainment.


    "Do you mind if we go a bit further? Maybe check out the nearby commercial district?"


    "Sure."


    So, they changed their plans on the fly.


    They left the back streets, hailed a taxi at the main road, and headed towards the commercial district.


    ***


    In the taxi, Ruan Nianxi sat close to Xie Shu.


    She nibbled on what Xie Shu had bought for her, each bite sweeter than the last.


    It was a good thing she didn''t leave as she used to when she saw Su Qianyi; otherwise, she might have missed some important information.


    It seemed Xie Shu no longer liked Su Qianyi.


    This novel is available on "pawread dot com".


    He had finally given up on that flawed choice.


    Heehee, it felt like Xie Shu was back by her side. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was truly wonderful; her years of waiting had not been in vain.


    With Su Qianyi out of Xie Shu''s heart, the path ahead for her was clear.


    Ruan Nianxi felt a sweet joy in her heart, and on the seat, she cautiously moved a bit closer to Xie Shu, wanting to be nearer to him.


    Their arms brushed against each other a few times, making Ruan Nianxi''s heart race, but seeing that Xie Shu didn''t react, she relaxed and continued her careful advances.


    ***


    Upon reaching the commercial district, the first thing Xie Shu did was to find a decent restaurant for them to sit down and have a good meal.


    It was late, and neither of them had eaten dinner yet.


    He picked a restaurant that looked good without being too particular about finding a fancy establishment.


    Although Ruan Nianxi came from a wealthy family and was accustomed to the finest things in life, she had grown up following him around and had adapted to his lifestyle.


    What he liked, she liked too.


    Especially when it came to food, her tastes and preferences were highly aligned with his, so he didn''t need to spend much time considering her preferences.


    Su Qianyi, on the other hand, had been quite particular about food when they were together.


    There were many things she wouldn''t eat, which wasn''t a big deal in itself. It''s normal to be considerate of someone you like.


    But sometimes, when he bought her something to eat for the first time, wanting to surprise her without telling her, he would accidentally get something she didn''t like, and instead of comfort, he would receive complaints that he didn''t know her well enough.


    If he ordered takeout for her and the restaurant missed a note about a condiment she didn''t want, it was also his fault.


    In short, dealing with her preferences had been particularly draining.


    Emm... Ruan Nianxi was much easier to please.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 48 – Then I wont mention it in the future

    Xie Shu had previously set his phone so that before unlocking it, he could see there were new messages, but not who sent them.


    Worried about missing something important, he decided to take a quick look.


    If it was another message from Su Qianyi, he could just pretend not to see it.


    He set down the paintbrush in his hand, reached for his phone, and didn''t forget to speak to Ruan Nianxi, "You keep going, don''t wait for me."


    "Mhm."


    Ruan Nianxi dipped her brush into the palette to pick up a bit of color, carefully applying it to the canvas as per the reference image, but her gaze kept drifting over to Xie Shu.


    She was curious about who had messaged him.


    Could it be Su Qianyi?


    For some reason, she felt a bit nervous.


    Xie Shu''s attention was fully on his phone, so he didn''t notice Ruan Nianxi watching him.


    He unlocked his phone and entered WeChat, only to find that the message was from Teacher Li at the studio.


    He clicked on it and saw that Teacher Li had sent him a payment followed by a voice message.


    The payment was for his part-time work today, and the voice message...


    Xie Shu tapped on the voice message and brought the phone to his ear to listen.


    After a few seconds of silence, he remembered he had muted his phone to avoid disturbances.


    He put the phone down, turned off the mute, and considering the studio was a bit noisy, he turned the volume up to the max.


    Once the volume was up, he tapped on the voice message again and held the phone a bit higher.


    Ruan Nianxi was right next to Xie Shu, so when a woman''s voice came through the speaker, she could hear it clearly.


    Teacher Li''s voice message was quite ordinary, just a few words of thanks for Xie Shu''s hard work, followed by the time for tomorrow''s class, and a final note that it was okay for him to arrive a bit late since their place was far away.


    These were simple words, but the listener was Ruan Nianxi, and her mind uncontrollably filled in a lot of details.


    Before, her only adversary in her eyes was Su Qianyi.


    But tonight, knowing that Xie Shu had completely given up on Su Qianyi, every other female became her enemy.


    She listened intently, wanting to hear how Xie Shu would reply.


    But Xie Shu didn''t send a voice message; instead, he typed a text message.


    It seemed that the other party also switched to text chat, and they chatted for a while.


    From her distance, she couldn''t see the content on his phone, but she could see their chat bubbles increasing.


    Ruan Nianxi pursed her lips in secret dissatisfaction.


    From the voice message, the person must be some supervisor where Xie Shu worked part-time, right?


    A teacher? Why did she sound so familiar with Xie Shu?


    Xie Shu was just being polite with Teacher Li, so their chat ended quickly. When he looked over at Ruan Nianxi, he noticed a hint of displeasure on her beautiful profile, her lips tightly pressed together.


    Feeling Xie Shu''s gaze, Ruan Nianxi turned to look at him.


    Their eyes met, and her previously sullen expression vanished instantly, replaced by her usual gentle demeanor. She gave Xie Shu a faint smile as if the jealous person just now wasn''t her. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu nonchalantly pushed his phone aside, calmly stirred his brush in the water bucket, shook off the excess water, and then composedly picked up paint from the palette.


    "That was just a teacher from my part-time job. She was sending me my pay, and I just exchanged a few polite words with her after receiving the money, nothing else," Xie Shu explained while carefully painting the model, speaking in a relaxed tone.


    Although Ruan Nianxi was pleased to hear his explanation, she pretended to be indifferent, "You don''t need to explain anything to me, we..."


    Aren''t a couple.


    She didn''t finish her sentence. Although it was true, she just didn''t want to say it.


    "Is that so? Then I won''t mention it in the future."


    "..."


    Ruan Nianxi''s charming face fell. If only she hadn''t spoken out of turn just now...


    Despite her regret, she said nothing more.


    Xie Shu glanced at her several times, inwardly sighing:


    When she was with Su Qianyi, any dissatisfaction would be clearly expressed on her face or spoken out loud, letting him know.


    Why doesn''t she say anything?


    If he didn''t know about their past life, he might think she truly didn''t care.


    Ruan Nianxi wasn''t willing to admit it, and naturally, Xie Shu wouldn''t embarrass her by exposing her feelings.


    After a few seconds of silence, he smoothly changed the subject. He talked with Ruan Nianxi about his part-time work at the studio, letting her know about his life and proving his innocence.


    It was only his first day at the job!


    He only knew the teacher''s surname, not her full name.


    Of course, during their conversation, he conveniently omitted the very enthusiastic girls from the media class on the second floor.


    Although he didn''t elaborate, that didn''t mean Ruan Nianxi wouldn''t fill in the blanks herself.


    She always knew Xie Shu was popular. Unlike her, he had many friends, and many girls liked him.


    And now, he was even more handsome than before, his charm increased, surely attracting even more admirers.


    The more Xie Shu "explained," the more discontent she felt in her heart.


    It was hard enough to get rid of Su Qianyi; she couldn''t let anyone else take him away. No one was allowed!


    She needed to find a way to let others know that Xie Shu had her by his side!


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".


    This time, she couldn''t give anyone a chance!


    She had already waited six years, and waiting another six...


    Was too long, unbearable!


    But even if she couldn''t wait, she couldn''t impulsively clear out everyone around Xie Shu all at once.


    If her parents found out...


    She hadn''t officially taken over the company yet and didn''t have much power. Most of her actions and choices might still be controlled by them.


    If they took her away from Xie Shu again, she didn''t know how long it would take to come back.


    These past years, she had endured, fearing being sent abroad and not seeing him, that''s why she had been patient.


    She had almost gotten used to not seeing him, accustomed to silently watching him from the shadows, but now that he was close to her again, the feelings she had suppressed for years burst forth anew.


    She could have endured the darkness if she had never seen the light.


    £¨Author''s words: The female lead has a tendency to fantasize to varying degrees depending on the plot. She dislikes making friends because she doesn''t trust others. Sometimes, even the good intentions of others can be misinterpreted by her as malice or a threat, leading to easy suspicion, some of which she can''t control, so she imagines many potential love rivals. As long as everyone knows the male lead is special, that''s enough. As for the male lead, he''s a refined and humorous gentleman.£©


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 49 – Brush against the paint

    Throughout the process, Ruan Nianxi maintained a single expression, leaving Xie Shu uncertain whether she had taken in his words.


    But he didn''t dwell on any serious concerns.


    Later, as both of them focused on painting the model, their conversation naturally dwindled.


    Xie Shu held the model steady with one hand while carefully applying color with the other.


    Ruan Nianxi, too, was determined to make it look better, showing considerable dedication.


    After all, this was a piece she was completing with Xie Shu.


    With his background in art, Xie Shu naturally wouldn''t settle for monochromatic simplicity.


    He felt it would be a disservice to his identity as an art student not to mix a sophisticated grey.


    Moreover, he found plain colors unappealing, so he incorporated gradients and other embellishments as he painted.


    Of course, he couldn''t do it all by himself; the whole point was to have fun with Ruan Nianxi, so it was essential they both participated.


    Thus, he took several opportunities to guide her hand in mixing and applying colors.


    Color mixing is a skill, and those with poor color sense or no foundation can struggle with proportions, not to mention the theoretical knowledge of brightness and purity.


    Since this wasn''t a classroom, Xie Shu refrained from lecturing and instead taught her directly which colors to mix.


    Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the "pawread dot com"


    The frequent contact with Xie Shu made Ruan Nianxi exceedingly nervous, leaving her with no spare thoughts for earlier matters.


    Even her usually stoic face was now flushed.


    Sometimes when Xie Shu leaned in to speak, she was so nervous she couldn''t utter a complete sentence.


    The studio provided small palettes, unlike the larger ones they used in training, and Xie Shu, with his penchant for mixing sophisticated greys, quickly filled theirs up.


    The palette was still full of wet paint, and without cleaning it, any new colors would blend with the old, affecting their mixing.


    "I''ll go wash the palette; just wait here."


    Xie Shu stood up to clean the palette, taking the used gouache brushes with him to wash at once.


    There was a sink in the studio for this purpose, and after spending a few minutes cleaning everything, he returned to his seat.


    As he handed the brushes back to Ruan Nianxi, his movement paused, and he couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Ruan Nianxi was at a loss, unaware of what she had done.


    "Nothing, haha."


    "..."


    If it was nothing, why was he laughing so happily?


    Seeing Xie Shu staring and laughing at her face, she grew more curious.


    Was there something on her face?


    With that thought, she reached out to touch her face.


    "Don''t! Don''t touch your face," Xie Shu quickly intercepted her hand and gently pressed it down.


    "Why not?"


    Xie Shu didn''t answer, still smiling, and stood up, pulling her by the hand to the side.


    Suddenly being pulled by him, Ruan Nianxi felt her head spin, forgetting to think and what Xie Shu had laughed about.


    She followed him like a shell without consciousness.


    In seconds, Xie Shu had led Ruan Nianxi back to the sink.


    Under her bewildered gaze, he took a small packet of tissues from his pocket, dampened them with water, and then turned and bent slightly to gently wipe her cheek with the wet tissue.


    His sudden proximity and intimate gesture left Ruan Nianxi, already dazed, feeling the world spin, her consciousness slow to return.


    It was only when Xie Shu scrubbed harder that she snapped back to reality.


    Seeing his handsome face so close, she felt a sudden surge of nervousness, instinctively raising her hand and placing it on the back of his.


    Her body stiffened.


    Xie Shu reminded her, "Don''t rub your face with your hand."


    His actions and words finally made Ruan Nianxi realize what was on her face.


    Uncertain, she looked at her palm and indeed found it covered in paint.


    Despite her carefulness, she had still managed to get paint on her hand.


    So Xie Shu had been laughing at her smeared face...?


    Feeling embarrassed and annoyed that Xie Shu had seen her in a less flattering light, Ruan Nianxi also felt a pleasant thrill from their close contact.


    She obediently stood still throughout.


    After Xie Shu cleaned the paint from her face and dried the water droplets with a tissue, seeing her still dazed, he responsibly led her back to their corner.


    Once seated, Ruan Nianxi''s face began to redden belatedly.


    Why was she so easily embarrassed?


    It was just a simple touch, after all.


    Since their relationship hadn''t progressed that far, Xie Shu didn''t tease her.


    He looked away to relieve her pressure, dividing the brushes between them and speaking in a calm voice:


    "It''s normal. When I first started learning about colors, I often got paint all over myself without realizing it, ruining many clothes. Not just with colors, but with sketching and quick drawing too. After every class, my hands would be dirty, and I''d be covered in dust, feeling like I could never get clean."


    Recalling some amusing memories, Xie Shu chuckled again.


    Ruan Nianxi listened silently, not knowing what to say.


    She hadn''t been by his side during his training, unable to empathize with his feelings.


    Instead, she remembered her own troubles during that time, which made her feel uncomfortable.


    She had almost not made it back.


    But she had to swallow all her hardships silently.


    It didn''t matter anymore; she had persevered and was by his side again.


    Time passed, and they finished painting together. Xie Shu went to pay the owner, who, after confirming they wanted to take the ceramic doll with them, began to package it.


    While the owner was packing, Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi returned to the sink. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was inevitable to get their hands dirty while painting.


    Xie Shu''s hands were inevitably stained with paint, and Ruan Nianxi, too focused and inattentive, had touched her face again, smearing it once more.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 50 – Being labeled as a scumbag?

    Ruan Nianxi washed her hands clean and then moved to the mirror on the wall to meticulously scrub the paint from her face.


    Some of the paint had dried, making it difficult to wash off.


    She dabbed water on her cheeks, rubbing back and forth in front of the mirror.


    After several passes, droplets of water slid down her raised arms and slowly seeped into her sleeves.


    With the weather being hot, everyone''s clothing was thin, and her repeated movements made the fabric at her cuffs somewhat transparent...


    Xie Shu was right beside her.


    He had quickly cleaned the paint off his hands and, noticing Ruan Nianxi still struggling with her cheeks, turned to help her.


    But as he turned, he caught sight of her somewhat transparent sleeves, and not just that, a small patch of her collar was dampened by water droplets trickling down from her neck.


    "Let me help you."


    Xie Shu leaned in, pressing down Ruan Nianxi''s arm as he did so.


    "I can..."


    "Let me."


    Xie Shu cut off her response.


    Was she planning to change into spare clothes or something?


    In any case, it was Xie Shu who ended up cleaning Ruan Nianxi''s face once more, causing the blush that had just faded from her cheeks to return.


    Afterward, they collected their "masterpiece" from the shop owner and left the store.


    Once outside, Xie Shu glanced at the time and realized it was late. In a few more minutes, the university would close...


    Strange, they hadn''t done much, so why had time flown by so quickly?


    To save time, they hailed a taxi on the main road and rushed towards Jiangling University. Although the commercial district wasn''t far from the campus, it was still a few minutes'' drive.


    Xie Shu, watching the dwindling time, wasn''t sure if they''d make it back before the gates closed.


    "If we can''t make it back before the school closes, we''ll have to stay at a hotel tonight," Xie Shu casually mentioned.


    "Mhm."


    Ruan Nianxi responded softly, her cheeks reddening even more, but thankfully the dim light in the back of the taxi concealed it.


    She kept her head down, her heart racing with nervousness.


    Staying at a hotel... With Xie Shu...


    ?(¨@?¨A*)


    Nothing had happened yet, but Ruan Nianxi''s imagination was already running wild.


    Xie Shu, in fact, had no other intentions. He was simply stating the outcome, and the late return to the university wasn''t a deliberate plan¡ªit was just a slip of his attention to time.


    His mention of staying at a hotel meant separate rooms for the two of them; he really hadn''t thought beyond that.


    "Don''t worry, you two!" At that moment, the driver chimed in, "I''m a skilled driver! I''ll get you to the university before it closes!"


    "Jiangling University, right? Three minutes! Just three minutes! I''ll get you to the school gates!"


    With that, the driver floored the accelerator, and the taxi sped off.


    ***


    Three minutes later.


    At the gates of Jiangling University.


    The driver, with one hand resting on the window frame, grinned at the young couple as they got out of the back seat: "How about that? Told you my driving was good, right? Three minutes and here you are! Didn''t delay your time, did I?"


    Ruan Nianxi: "......"


    Xie Shu, who got out after her, was expressionless: "Thanks, brother. I''ve transferred the money."


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    "Alright!"


    After the driver left, Xie Shu turned and headed towards the university entrance.


    He had only walked a few steps when he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Ruan Nianxi, who was still standing motionless.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing."


    Ruan Nianxi snapped out of it and quickly joined Xie Shu, and together they entered the university.


    After escorting Ruan Nianxi to her dormitory, Xie Shu headed to his own.


    Minutes later, upon returning to his dorm, Xie Shu''s three roommates informed him that he had once again become a hot topic on the university forum.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    What had he done to be posted on the campus forum?


    Puzzled, he looked at his roommates, waiting for them to elaborate. They exchanged glances, unsure of how to begin or what to say.


    "Just check it out yourself, it''s about you and Su Qianyi," Zhao Lin said, spreading his hands helplessly.


    That post, they really didn''t know what to say about it.


    They trusted Xie Shu''s character, but the accompanying photo of the post... Su Qianyi was indeed crying.


    Without further explanation, Xie Shu took out his phone and logged into the university forum to see what was going on.


    Upon entering, he saw a headline that immediately caught his eye.


    Who came up with such a ridiculous headline?


    Xie Shu clicked on the post and was greeted with a photo of him and Su Qianyi, capturing the moment where she clung to his arm, looking up at him with tears brimming in her eyes.


    As for the text of the post, there was none.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    So it was clickbait? sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No, how could people spread rumors like this?


    What did they mean by him dumping Su Qianyi?


    They had nothing between them at all, right?


    And her crying wasn''t his fault either.


    Judging by the photo''s angle, the original poster was quite close to them, so were they deaf? Couldn''t they hear him say that he and Su Qianyi had nothing to do with each other?


    Even if their initial conversation might have been too quiet for others to hear, he was sure the last few sentences he spoke were loud enough. It was quiet around them at the time, and the original poster was close enough to hear, right?


    It was utterly nonsensical.


    Without much thought, Xie Shu could guess that the original poster deliberately chose such a title to attract attention.


    Marketing accounts could use someone like this.


    Xie Shu was about to retort when the voices of his three loyal roommates rang out: "Don''t worry, brother, we''ve already scolded the rumor-spreading poster hundreds of times before you got back."


    "Exactly! What kind of nonsense is this? Deliberately using misleading titles for attention. If you''re considered a scumbag for this, then there are no good men left in the world."


    "You don''t need to get too angry. After all, everyone in our college knows the situation between you and Su Qianyi. Plus, there were plenty of onlookers in the back street at the time, and not just us. Others in the thread are also helping to set the record straight."


    Xie Shu paused his typing, thinking that if that was the case, he''d refrain from swearing for now.


    He looked up at his roommates with a serious expression and said solemnly, "Thanks, brothers."


    Hearing the unusually earnest tone from Xie Shu, so different from his usual playful demeanor, they were about to say "no need for thanks between brothers" when they heard him continue:


    "From now on, as long as I have a bowl of soup to drink, you guys will have a bowl to wash."


    "......"


    "......"


    "......"


    Well, they thanked him for that.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 51 – Are you not able to do it?

    Even though Xie Shu didn''t comment further, he lingered in the comment section.


    Such matters concerning his reputation, of course, mattered to him.


    Should he encounter any rumor-mongers, it would be easier to deal with having seen it himself.


    His character was such that he met force with force.


    However, after scrolling through dozens of comments, he found that most people weren''t misled by the thread starter''s title.


    Probably because many from his college were present in the thread, his classmates knew the truth about him and Su Qianyi, naturally not falling for the thread starter''s claims.


    Even students from other colleges, uncertain of the truth, would realize the reality after reading through the comments, seeing that it wasn''t as the title suggested.


    ¡¾Thread starter, you should change the title. What if the person involved sees it and gets furious? To label such a devoted guy as a scumbag, anyone would be angry.¡¿


    ¡¾If I hadn''t seen them myself on the back street tonight, I might have believed your nonsense.¡¿


    ¡¾If I weren''t from the Art College, I might have fallen for it too.¡¿


    ¡¾I really feel for the campus hunk from the Art College, chasing the girl he likes for three years without success, and then after letting go, some people deliberately label him a scumbag for the sake of attention. If anyone knows the campus hunk, please private message me his contact, I want to comfort him tonight, help him out of the shadow of heartbreak, waiting online.¡¿


    ¡¾Above, I was a hired gun in Iraq, bullets whizzing by my ears, suddenly one hit my helmet, I thought I was a goner, I quickly ducked, took off my helmet to check it, thankfully it was just a scratch. I looked to the side, and it turned out to be your abacus beads.¡¿


    ¡¾First of all, I''m not a pervert, I just want to say the campus hunk from the Art College is so tall and handsome! Secondly, I''m not a pervert, the persistence to chase a girl for three years is making me cry! How can that lean waist of his not be held by someone? That body, skinny in clothes but muscular underneath, not letting me take a look is simply unreasonable! Lastly, I''m not a pervert, but I wonder if he minds talking about adult topics with me in the canyon tonight? Is it too sudden? I declare again, I''m really not a pervert.¡¿


    ¡¾Why don''t you just admit it.¡¿


    ¡¾I really don''t understand how young men nowadays can become scumbags. Is love just a joke to them? Where are their morals? Their bottom line? Their address? Their WeChat?¡¿


    ¡¾Several floors above, don''t go too far! You can joke about it privately, but please don''t tease my boyfriend online, consider the feelings of his girlfriend...¡¿


    Xie Shu didn''t finish reading and lost interest.


    Expressionless, he turned off his phone, placed it heavily on the table, and then went out to the balcony to wash up.


    We are ", find us on google.


    He hadn''t said a word about today''s incident with Su Qianyi on the back street to his dorm mates.


    Since he didn''t bring it up, naturally, they wouldn''t ask.


    After washing up, Xie Shu returned to the dorm, intending to chat with Ruan Nianxi before sleeping, but she seemed to be away, not replying to his messages, busy with something.


    So, Xie Shu just sent her a goodnight message, set down his phone, and prepared to sleep.


    "Xie Shu, you''re going to bed so early again?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhao Lin, seeing Xie Shu get into bed, asked curiously.


    Lately, he seemed to have been bewitched into sleeping early.


    This was not like him!


    They used to be the types to stay up until the moon went down.


    Now, why had his routine suddenly... become healthy?


    "Mhm."


    Xie Shu closed his eyes, grunted a response, turned over, and prepared to sleep.


    Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy.


    "Xie Shu, you''ve been working part-time all day, aren''t you going to relax a bit? How about a round in the game?" Li Da asked him.


    "No."


    The dorm fell silent for a few seconds, and just when Xie Shu thought they would leave him be, his blanket was suddenly yanked away.


    He opened his eyes to see Li Da, that rascal, pulling at his blanket.


    "How can you sleep at your age? Get up and log in!"


    Xie Shu sat up, snatched his blanket back, and covered himself again: "No, my blanket is sick, I need to take care of it."


    "..."


    "Xie Shu, you''ve been acting strange these past few days, are you feeling weak? Maybe you should see a doctor..."


    Before Liu Ping could finish speaking from the seat below, Xie Shu sat up abruptly from the bed.


    Who''s weak?


    Seeing Xie Shu''s reaction, Zhao Lin, Li Da, and Liu Ping exchanged glances.


    Then one of them said: "So you''re not up for it, just say so, we wouldn''t have bothered you, forget it, the three of us will play."


    Although Xie Shu knew they were doing it on purpose, he couldn''t stand them implying he was incapable. What was he not good at?


    Damn!


    He was in top shape!


    "Just one round."


    To defend his male pride, Xie Shu decided to play one round in the game to show them his prowess.


    These rascals!


    Three days without a beating, and they climb to the roof to strip tiles!


    And so, their scheme succeeded, Xie Shu went online, and the four of them formed a team.


    Xie Shu wanted to invite Ruan Nianxi, but thinking it was just for one game, he didn''t message her.


    However, while they were matching and selecting heroes, he received a message from Ruan Nianxi.


    He opened a small window to check the message.


    Turns out she had just finished showering and had only been out for a short while.


    Bored while waiting, he replied, and before he knew it, they were deep in conversation.


    As the game officially started, he was running his character towards the tower while explaining to Ruan Nianxi that he had one more battle to fight, telling her to go to sleep first.


    After sending the message, before he could close the small window, his character, standing motionless under the tower, was killed by a duo from the opposing team.


    Less than a minute into the game, he had given away first blood.


    It was an inattentive mistake, so Xie Shu didn''t take it to heart, and his "sons" didn''t say anything either. Just as he was about to focus on the game, the opponents sent a taunt:


    ¡¾Can you even play? Giving away kills at the start?¡¿


    Xie Shu: "???"


    Those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish. To those who dare expose my faults, the ultimate penalty!


    "Brothers, let''s take them down!"


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 52 – Plan ahead

    The next morning dawned.


    Xie Shu was roused by the insistent blaring of his alarm clock.


    Groggy and half-asleep, he reached out to silence the alarm, lingering in bed for a few more minutes before finally getting up.


    Daylight had arrived again, with no regard for his weariness, as if the sun had simply decided it was time to shine.


    His routine had been perfectly healthy until he broke it last night, playing a game, and before he knew it, he had stayed up way too late.


    Last night, after being taunted by those two opponents, he led his team in a relentless chase across the map, even their randomly matched teammate joined in the pursuit.


    They didn''t just push to destroy the enemy''s crystal and win; they hid in the bushes, ambushing their foes, making them too scared to wander carelessly, and when they were nearly defeated, they let them run a bit, striking a fatal blow just as they thought they might escape.


    Ah, it was just a game.


    The famous writer Lu Xun once said: "Let fate bring fortune or disaster; I shall not play the saint but enjoy my blessings."


    So, he had a blast last night, and the game lasted quite a while. By the time it ended, it was already the wee hours of the morning, which meant he went to bed late.


    Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Xie Shu got out of bed, washed up, and left his apartment.


    Ah, he had a part-time job to get to today.


    Exiting the dormitory, he headed straight for the cafeteria, bought breakfast, and then made his way towards the school gate near the residential area.


    Not long after he left the school, a girl appeared on the path leading to the female dormitories.


    She entered the cafeteria, hesitated at each service window, unsure of what to buy, and eventually settled on a few breakfast items and a cup of soy milk from memory.


    After the cafeteria auntie packed her breakfast, she left without heading back to the female dormitory, instead walking towards the male dorms.


    Finally, she stopped at the foot of a male dormitory building.


    There were benches set up by the school along the roadside, and she silently took a seat before pulling out her phone, opening WeChat, and sending a message to a friend.


    [Xie Shu, are you up? I bought you breakfast. Can you come downstairs?]


    As expected, there was no reply.


    But she wasn''t in a hurry; after all, it was the weekend, and few students would be up early. At this hour, Xie Shu was probably still sleeping.


    No matter, she could wait.


    Just as he had waited for her in the past.


    ***


    Meanwhile, outside the campus.


    Xie Shu was about to enter Ruan Nianxi''s chat when a new message popped up, pushing her conversation down. His finger paused abruptly, stopping just in time.


    Seeing the familiar name, he felt nothing inside.


    He glanced at the message without opening the chat, his expression resembling that of an elderly man squinting at his phone on the subway.


    Is she alright?


    What''s gotten into her so early in the morning?


    Buying him breakfast?


    For things he couldn''t figure out, Xie Shu chose to set them aside, knowing he''d forget about them eventually.


    This time, he accurately tapped into Ruan Nianxi''s chat and was about to send her a message when a car suddenly pulled up beside him.


    He thought it was someone else''s car stopping by him, so he stepped back onto the stairs, leisurely typing his message.


    Before he could send it, a familiar voice called out in front of him:


    "Xie Shu."


    Looking up, Xie Shu saw the driver''s window of the car that had stopped in front of him roll down, and through it, he saw Ruan Nianxi.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    "Are you on your way to your part-time job?"


    Ruan Nianxi leaned half out of the window, resting on the frame, looking up at Xie Shu on the steps with her bright eyes.


    Xie Shu''s hand holding the phone lowered slightly, his gaze lingering on Ruan Nianxi for a few seconds before scanning the surroundings.


    Strange, isn''t this right at the school gate?


    If she had left before him, she should have driven off by now.


    And if she left after him, how did he not see her just now?


    Moreover, the school gate near the residential area doesn''t allow vehicles to enter, so where did her car come from?


    Even if her car was parked inside the school, there''s only one main gate and a side gate on the other side of the school that allow vehicle entry, which are completely different from this gate.


    "Xie Shu?"


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice pulled him back from his thoughts.


    "Mhm." Xie Shu quickly nodded in response after coming back to his senses.


    "Do you want a ride?" she continued.


    Xie Shu: "!?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You must be busy today too, so it''s not necessary."


    Thinking she probably had to go to the company, Xie Shu didn''t want to hold her up and declined.


    He thought she would leave after his refusal, but instead, she just gazed at him expectantly, her lips moving silently, and even the hand resting on the window frame tightened a bit unnaturally.


    After a moment''s thought, Xie Shu asked, "Won''t it delay you?"


    "Not at all!"


    She answered quickly this time.


    As if to prove her sincerity, Ruan Nianxi added, "I''m not a formal employee at the company, not even an intern. I only go there to learn when I have time, so it doesn''t matter if I don''t go. There''s no difference to me whether I arrive early or late."


    She sure had a way with words.


    Why couldn''t she say that just now?


    Considering her shyness, Xie Shu didn''t tease her and agreed to go along with her offer.


    "Then I''ll trouble you."


    "It''s no trouble."


    Ruan Nianxi''s face lit up with a smile, radiant and blooming like a flower, her beauty captivating and her gaze tender.


    Xie Shu''s heart skipped a beat, and he tapped his forehead to refocus before stepping forward and walking around the car to the passenger seat.


    After getting in and giving the specific address, Ruan Nianxi set up the navigation and drove off.


    Not long after they started driving, Xie Shu, still holding his breakfast, suddenly remembered something:


    "Have you had breakfast?"


    "Not yet."


    "You didn''t get up late, why didn''t you eat?"


    "I... wasn''t very hungry."


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice faltered.


    She didn''t want to disturb Xie Shu and wasn''t sure when he would leave, so she had to get up early and wait for him at the gate.


    As for going to the cafeteria, their school had several, and she couldn''t guess which one he would choose for breakfast. She was afraid of missing him, so she didn''t waste time eating and went straight out of the dormitory to the school gate.


    Regarding the car...


    Originally, the driver came to pick her up, but she wanted some alone time with Xie Shu, so she sent the driver away just now.


    But these premeditated plans, she dared not reveal.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 53 – Open mouth is you, closed eyes is also you

    "Even if you''re not hungry, you should eat a little. There''s a breakfast shop up ahead. Let''s pull over and grab something to eat!"


    Xie Shu''s tone suddenly became stern.


    His serious demeanor made Ruan Nianxi nervous, even a bit frightened.


    The last time he spoke to her with such severity was back in high school when he was scolding her on behalf of Su Qianyi...


    Ruan Nianxi pursed her lips, not daring to say a word, and parked in front of the breakfast shop as Xie Shu had indicated.


    This area was home to several universities, so there were quite a few eateries around.


    After parking, Xie Shu led Ruan Nianxi into a random breakfast shop. Since he had already bought breakfast at school, he only purchased food for Ruan Nianxi.


    Sitting opposite each other, Ruan Nianxi fidgeted with her hands on her lap, still puzzled by Xie Shu''s sudden strictness.


    Breakfast was served quickly, and soon a bowl of porridge and several meat buns were placed in front of Ruan Nianxi.


    "Let''s eat first, then we''ll head out."


    Xie Shu''s voice softened considerably from before.


    Seeing Ruan Nianxi''s anxious expression, he paused and added, "Sorry, I was too harsh just now. I just think skipping breakfast is bad for your health, nothing more."


    "Mhm." Ruan Nianxi sipped her porridge in small bites, her mood instantly brightening.


    So he was just showing concern for her.


    Watching Ruan Nianxi relax, Xie Shu also breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had been too impulsive.


    Sigh, in his previous life, due to work, he had lived an extremely irregular lifestyle, which eventually led to stomach cancer...


    It wasn''t taken seriously in the early stages, and by the time it was discovered, it was already too late.


    The time he spent in the hospital was torturous; he didn''t want to experience it again, nor did he want the person he cared about to suffer in such a way.


    Although it was a past life, to him, it felt like it had only been a few days ago. The painful memories were still vivid, which was why he had been overly concerned just now.


    All serious illnesses start with minor ailments.


    Health is the capital of revolution, and wellness is the wealth of life.


    After spending a few more minutes finishing their breakfast, they got back into the car.


    Xie Shu''s part-time job was quite far, and Ruan Nianxi followed the GPS, driving smoothly as they chatted.


    The soothing music in the car often made one drowsy, and Xie Shu, having slept late and woken up early, succumbed to sleepiness and dozed off.


    Noticing Xie Shu''s drowsiness, Ruan Nianxi stopped talking.


    Throughout the drive, she occasionally glanced at him, sometimes getting so distracted at red lights that cars behind would honk impatiently.


    Although she had etched Xie Shu''s features deep into her mind, every time she saw him, her heart couldn''t help but race.


    ***


    Ruan Nianxi followed the GPS and arrived at their destination without incident.


    She glanced at the time, 7:40.


    She remembered that the person who messaged Xie Shu yesterday said the class started at 8:00 and that it was fine for him to arrive a bit late.


    Thinking this, she didn''t rush to wake Xie Shu but instead parked the car, turned off the engine, and quietly watched his face, motionless.


    If only she could keep watching him like this forever.


    Even if he did nothing, just being by her side made her feel like she owned the whole world.


    "Xie Shu, you might not know, but these past few years, every time I speak, it''s your name, and every time I close my eyes, it''s your face," she murmured.


    It was maddening.


    Read the most updated version of this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at [ ]


    But she couldn''t disturb him.


    She had thought that Su Qianyi''s presence would keep her forever outside his world, but thankfully, things hadn''t turned out as she feared. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The boy she yearned for had reverted to his high school self, talking to her, protecting her, caring for her...


    Ruan Nianxi was lost in her gaze when suddenly a ringtone broke the silence, waking Xie Shu from his slumber.


    As he opened his eyes, he caught a glimpse of Ruan Nianxi looking at him and instinctively met her gaze, which she couldn''t hide in time.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    He rubbed his head, fully waking up, and glanced outside the window.


    Having been here yesterday, he had directly named the arts district, and now the car was parked right in front of it.


    "When did we get here? Why didn''t you wake me?" Xie Shu''s voice was still hoarse.


    Ruan Nianxi, flustered, hung up her phone call and stammered, "We just... just arrived."


    "Really? We''re not late, are we?"


    As he spoke, Xie Shu pulled out his phone to check the time, 7:50.


    Hmm, not late.


    "Thank you for going out of your way to bring me here," Xie Shu said, putting away his phone and turning to thank Ruan Nianxi.


    But Ruan Nianxi, facing the steering wheel and bowing her head, replied in a barely audible voice, "No need."


    Xie Shu noticed her flushed cheeks and thought how easily she blushed.


    But he had no time to tease her now. He got out of the car, about to bid Ruan Nianxi farewell, when a group of people appeared at the corner, and someone called out to him loudly.


    "Teacher Xie Shu!"


    Xie Shu looked over and saw it was the students from the art and media classes.


    Following them were a few teachers responsible for the students, who usually walked with them to and from classes.


    It wasn''t far from the corner to the arts district entrance, just a few dozen steps, and the students quickly reached Xie Shu, greeting him enthusiastically. It was clear he was quite popular here.


    With the two classes combined, there were quite a few students, all chattering away, while Xie Shu dismissed them all with a simple "Hello."


    "Xie Shu, you''re early today. If I remember correctly, you live quite far from here," Teacher Li said, following the students and chatting with Xie Shu.


    "Yeah, someone gave me a ride today."


    "Oh, I see. Well, we should head in. The time... Who is this?"


    Teacher Li hadn''t finished speaking when she noticed a young and beautiful girl getting out of the car behind Xie Shu, then standing next to him with a stern face.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 54 – She is my girlfriend

    Xie Shu initially had his back to the car, so it wasn''t until Ruan Nianxi stood beside him that he noticed she had gotten out.


    When asked about her, he introduced her generously: "Her name is Ruan Nianxi, she''s my... friend, and she''s the one who gave me a ride."


    Everyone was dumbstruck by the peach-blossom beauty before them.


    Is this some kind of otherworldly beauty?


    Do handsome guys have such gorgeous female friends too?


    Then, their gazes shifted to the luxury car behind them.


    They had seen the car before but hadn''t associated it with Xie Shu.


    Friend?


    Luxury car?


    What about Xie Shu!?


    "Hello everyone," Ruan Nianxi said, interrupting their thoughts.


    She faced the crowd with a gentle and polite demeanor, but beneath her bright eyes lay a subtle aloofness that went unnoticed.


    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi, standing to one side, didn''t notice as he briefly introduced her to a few of the teachers, followed by a round of polite conversation.


    Due to Ruan Nianxi''s appearance, everyone lingered at the door for an extra minute or two.


    As class time approached, the teachers had to hurry the students inside.


    Xie Shu was at the back, not keeping pace with the group.


    Ruan Nianxi was about to drive to the office, and he reminded her softly, "Drive safely."


    Though it was a common expression of concern, it sweetened her heart.


    She hummed softly in response, then got back into the car and turned it around.


    Xie Shu watched the whole time, stepping forward to talk to her at the driver''s side with a bent head and a smile.


    Finally, seeing time was tight, he reluctantly ruffled her cute head and bid her goodbye.


    Ruan Nianxi drove off with a flushed, nervous face.


    Afterward, they each went about their busy days.


    ***


    Xie Shu headed towards the art district, and luckily, the studio wasn''t far from the entrance. With his height and long legs, it only took him a few minutes to arrive.


    He had just entered the studio when class time arrived, timing it just right as Teacher Li and the students had only arrived a few minutes before him.


    Everyone was still organizing their art materials, sharpening pencils, sticking paper, setting up easels...


    No one had started drawing yet, so they were looking for topics to chat about.


    Since they had met Xie Shu the day before, they weren''t strangers, so a student curiously asked him, "Teacher Xie Shu, was that beautiful lady just now your girlfriend?"


    Another student chimed in, "We saw you smiling so tenderly at her when we left! You stood outside the car talking to her for a long time, you must have been reluctant to part, haha."


    The relationship between teachers and students in the studio was more relaxed than in school, and it was common for students to joke with teachers.


    Xie Shu, an old hand at this, wasn''t annoyed and was happy to join in the fun.


    He nodded and said casually, "Yeah, she''s my girlfriend."


    Teacher Li, who was flipping through a sketchbook to decide which painting to have the students copy that morning, looked up curiously, "Girlfriend? But you didn''t introduce her like that just now."


    "Yeah, I remember you said ''friend'' when you introduced her," another student added, puzzled.


    "She''s my girlfriend."


    Xie Shu stuck to his statement.


    Seeing his serious face and earnest tone, everyone thought they might have misheard earlier.


    Hmm... considering how close they seemed, maybe they did hear wrong.


    After all, it''s just one word; if spoken quickly, it could have been missed... right?


    The details didn''t matter to them anymore; they were just curious about this handsome man and beautiful woman''s romance!


    So the students started gossiping and asking him:


    "Teacher Xie Shu, when did you two get together?"


    "Who confessed to whom?"


    "Was there anything special about the place where you confessed? I want to learn for the future."


    Facing everyone''s curiosity, Xie Shu didn''t hide anything and answered solemnly, "It could be a few weeks or a few months before I confess to her, and the place hasn''t been decided yet."


    Everyone: "..."


    Does he even know what he''s saying?


    Isn''t that not a girlfriend yet?


    They had just been fooled into thinking it was true.


    After a few seconds of silence, Teacher Li broke it with a question she was particularly curious about, "Xie Shu, that... ''girlfriend'' of yours was driving a luxury car, must be quite expensive, right?"


    Xie Shu usually didn''t talk about Ruan Nianxi''s family background at school, but since this wasn''t school, he figured it wouldn''t hurt to share.


    Thinking this, he nodded, "It''s quite a bit of money, but it''s nothing to her, considering her family owns mines."


    Teacher Li became even more curious.


    Being a part of society herself, she knew that people from different social strata often didn''t mix well, at least for the most part. Since the girl came from a well-off family, Xie Shu''s family must be well-off too, right?


    "Given that, your families must be quite similar, so why are you working as a part-time teaching assistant? It''s not close either; if I were you, I wouldn''t want to commute."


    Was he out to experience life? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu, who was idly arranging a plaster skull on a shelf out of boredom, thought for a moment before nodding and said seriously, "I guess it''s similar, my family has mineral water bottles."


    Teacher Li: "..."


    Students: "..."


    Does he misunderstand the meaning of ''similar''?


    Teacher Li felt she was losing track of the young people''s thought processes.


    But from what Xie Shu said, there seemed to be some difference in their family backgrounds, right?


    Isn''t it said that wealthy families prefer matches of equal social status?


    However, Teacher Li didn''t say it outright but phrased it differently, "Love is free nowadays, but a girl like her must be hard to pursue. Aren''t you worried she won''t be interested in you?"


    Xie Shu confidently replied, "With my looks and talent, how could she possibly not be interested?"


    Teacher Li: "..."


    Students: "..."


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 55 – Advance preparation

    Everyone was nearly ready, and Teacher Li informed us which page of the drawing we were to copy today. The students opened their books, carefully cut out the designated page with a craft knife, and then quietly started tracing it on their drawing boards.


    The class was fully engaged in their work, and Xie Shu began to stroll around the studio, inspecting their artwork and occasionally pointing out issues.


    Teacher Li sat for a while before heading up to the second floor.


    The students in the studio said that the teachers'' offices were on the second floor.


    Xie Shu wasn''t sure if Teacher Li had gone up there to work or to play on her phone.


    Regardless, Xie Shu was diligently supervising the students without checking his own phone.


    After all, this place was a villa equipped with cameras; he had noticed them the day before, presumably for monitoring from upstairs.


    Xie Shu continued to patrol the area.


    He didn''t interfere with what the students were doing; his role was simply to help them with their artwork.


    Some students would ask for his help, while at other times he would proactively point out issues. He would only nod for them to proceed to the next step when he felt there were no more problems at the current stage.


    The students still had a lot to learn, especially since they were spending a lot of time just getting the shapes right.


    As they moved on to the next step, they began to use a wider variety of tools.


    Pencils of different hardnesses like B, 2B, 3B, 4B, HB, H, as well as tissues, highlight erasers, kneaded erasers, and other drawing materials were all at their disposal.


    Of course, Xie Shu was still focused solely on their artwork.


    Teacher Li would occasionally come downstairs to check on the class before heading back up.


    Essentially, Xie Shu was left in charge of the students.


    The teaching assistant was almost taking on the role of the main teacher.


    No way!


    He should ask for a raise!


    During this time, the students weren''t silent; they chatted and drew without neglecting either.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at .


    Especially after they realized their teaching assistant had a good sense of humor, their conversations with him became more frequent.


    Eventually, they drifted into discussions about the future, and one student couldn''t help but ask Xie Shu:


    "Teacher Xie Shu, what majors can we choose after studying fine arts?"


    "There are many options," Xie Shu said, resting his chin on one hand and pondering for a few seconds before raising his head and speaking deliberately, "If your pencils are sharpened long and pointy, you could consider setting up a stall to sell sugarcane. If you wash your palette ten times a day, then washing 5000 dishes a day in a restaurant kitchen won''t be a problem. If your use of color and brushwork is impressive, then you definitely can''t miss out on being a barbecue chef."


    The students: "......"


    Seeing that the students had all stopped their brushes and were looking at themselves speechlessly, Xie Shu quickly waved his hands, "I''m just kidding. Keep studying hard, and you''ll have plenty of opportunities to shine in the future."


    "When I was in university, my middle and high school teachers would call me back to school on weekends and ask for my help. Even the principal would offer me a couple of cigarettes."


    The students, impressed by Xie Shu''s story, eagerly asked, "What did you do?"


    "I painted bulletin boards."


    "......"


    "Alright, no more teasing. Seriously, there are many choices: digital media, craft art, packaging, advertising, product design, and so on. It''s really up to you."


    "......"


    So, is there another twist coming?


    ***


    The morning class ended amidst everyone''s chatter.


    Teacher Li came down from the second floor to announce the end of the class, and the students put down their brushes and went to the backyard to wash their hands and faces.


    Xie Shu hadn''t touched a brush all morning, so as soon as class was over, he immediately picked up his phone, intending to contact Ruan Nianxi, that reticent girl.


    But just as he picked up his phone and was about to unlock it, he received a call.


    It was none other than Ruan Nianxi calling.


    Seeing the name flashing on his screen, Xie Shu couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow. The reticent girl was actually calling him proactively?


    And she had timed it just right, hadn''t she?


    Progress!


    He cleared his throat before sliding to answer and putting the phone to his ear.


    "Hello."


    Xie Shu spoke first, but there was no response from the other end.


    Xie Shu: "???"


    He quickly lowered the phone to check if he had pressed something by mistake, but as he looked, the call was indeed still connected.


    What was she up to?


    "Ruan Nianxi, what''s wrong?" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He put the phone back to his ear and continued speaking.


    This time, Xie Shu did hear Ruan Nianxi''s voice, but she mumbled for a while before finally uttering a complete sentence.


    "Your class is over, right?"


    "Yeah, just finished."


    "Do... do you need me to order some takeout for you?"


    "No need, we have a cafeteria nearby."


    Then Xie Shu heard nothing from her again.


    He paused, then asked uncertainly, "Have you already ordered?"


    "Um..."


    Her reply was very soft, as if she was afraid of being rejected.


    "That''s fine," Xie Shu thought for a moment and agreed, "But I''m not very familiar with this area, and I''m not sure if the delivery can get in. Let me go ask."


    "They can."


    Ruan Nianxi''s voice was a bit louder and very confident.


    "How do you know?"


    "The delivery people have already asked the security guards at the gate."


    "Those people? They''ve asked?" Xie Shu was taken aback.


    "Um, I ordered a lot. You and your teachers and students there can eat together."


    Xie Shu: "!!!"


    Xie Shu frowned, was she buying for everyone here?


    That would be a lot of people; just the art class alone had over twenty students, and there were another ten to twenty in the media class upstairs.


    Though surprised, Xie Shu didn''t say anything.


    He went along with Ruan Nianxi''s plan, stepped outside to check the villa''s house number, and relayed it to Ruan Nianxi over the phone.


    Then Ruan Nianxi hung up, presumably to inform the delivery person.


    Staring at the disconnected call, Xie Shu zoned out, pondering some things.


    It was clear that Ruan Nianxi had ordered in advance, and the delivery person was already there. She had planned everything with perfect timing.


    But her initial question was whether he needed it or not, and he didn''t want to trouble her, so he would usually refuse.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he remembered how she had deliberately driven up to him that morning to offer him a ride, leading him to ask one more question, he might have actually refused.


    What would she have done if he had refused?


    Call the delivery people back?


    What would have been the point of her preparation then?


    Sigh, silly girl, why be so cautious.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 56 – Her own method

    Xie Shu managed to catch Teacher Li and the students just in time as they were about to leave the villa.


    He briefly told them that his girlfriend had already ordered takeout for everyone at noon, so there was no need to head to the restaurant.


    The group was taken aback at first, then exchanged puzzled glances.


    It was one thing for his girlfriend to order takeout for him, but why for everyone else too?


    A few people, sure, but there were so many of them!


    Was he sure she had ordered for everyone?


    The art students and Teacher Li, who had chatted with Xie Shu that morning, knew that the "girlfriend" he mentioned was Ruan Nianxi, the girl they had met in the morning who came from a wealthy family. So they were shocked but not skeptical about what Xie Shu said.


    It seemed they were benefiting from Xie Shu''s good fortune.


    But the students and teachers who had been on the second floor were unaware of these details. Some even thought Xie Shu was joking until they saw the uniformed delivery staff coming from the corner one by one, and they fell silent.


    Contrary to Xie Shu''s expectations, the arrivals were uniformed restaurant delivery staff, not the usual yellow and blue delivery guys.


    It looked like the restaurant had sent them specially, and there were quite a few of them.


    Since only the people from their villa were standing outside, the delivery staff spotted them immediately.


    The restaurant wasn''t far, and the delivery staff quickly arrived at the villa, politely asking, "Excuse me, which one of you is Mr. Xie Shu?"


    "I am," Xie Shu responded.


    "Hello, Mr. Xie. This is the meal Miss Ruan ordered from our restaurant for you and your friends. Where would you like us to set it up?" the lead staff member continued.


    Xie Shu wasn''t too familiar with the place. As far as he knew, there wasn''t a dining area here, right?


    The first floor was full of art supplies, and there were a few other rooms he hadn''t really entered, unsure if there were any tables.


    Even if there were, he didn''t know if they could accommodate everyone''s lunch.


    So, he looked towards the teachers.


    They were more familiar with the place, so it was better to let them decide.


    "Why not take it to the second floor? There''s more space there," suggested Teacher Li, catching Xie Shu''s gaze.


    The other teachers had no objections, and the students were even less likely to speak up.


    And so, everyone headed back into the villa, this time all making their way to the second floor.


    This was Xie Shu''s first visit to the second floor, which was completely different from the first. Unlike the first floor with its many small rooms, the second floor was spacious, with simple, flexible partitions between areas.


    Xie Shu felt he had to revise his earlier impression.


    The villa was actually quite large; he had initially thought it small because the classrooms on the first floor didn''t take up much space, skewing his perception.


    There were many single desks on the side, and the teacher instructed the students to push them together to form several large tables.


    The delivery staff then followed, placing the well-packed dishes on the tables and kindly opening them one by one.


    Boiled fish, Dongpo pork, spicy shrimp, mouth-watering chicken, braised pork with preserved vegetables, steamed ribs, mixed seafood soup...


    As the lids were lifted one by one, everyone''s eyes widened in amazement.


    Even Xie Shu was taken aback.


    He had thought the food would be individual lunch boxes, not like this.


    Then came the individual boxes of rice. Since Ruan Nianxi wasn''t sure exactly how many people were there, she had made a rough estimate in the morning and ordered a bit extra.


    Fortunately, her estimation was pretty accurate, with only a few boxes of rice left over.


    ***


    Elsewhere.


    Ruan Nianxi finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw on her phone that the order had been delivered.


    It had arrived, and that was great.


    She had almost been rejected again.


    Since high school, Xie Shu had always refused everything she sent him.


    Every time she prepared something for him in advance, she never managed to give it to him...


    When Xie Shu refused her again just now, she almost couldn''t help crying.


    But thankfully, he accepted it in the end.


    She wasn''t sure if it suited his taste. Considering the distance, she didn''t choose a restaurant in the city center.


    Otherwise, she would have delivered only the best to him.


    His friends were just an afterthought.


    She was different from Xie Shu.


    He had many friends; she only had him.


    Xie Shu used to be close with his friends, so she had to find ways to get along with them.


    But she never really had anything in common with Xie Shu''s friends, couldn''t relate to them, and didn''t really want to hang out with them. However, if she didn''t interact with them, she was worried they might think she and Xie Shu weren''t close, especially some of his female friends...


    So, from the beginning, she had always found other ways to let his friends know she existed in his life.


    Ordering their lunch along with his was one such method.


    She couldn''t be by Xie Shu''s side to make her presence felt, so she had to use this method to show them she and Xie Shu were close.


    Hmm, she''d have to think of other ways next time.


    With that thought, Ruan Nianxi put away her phone and stood up, ready to grab something quick to eat in the company cafeteria downstairs. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The company cafeteria was close by, and she arrived in minutes.


    During lunchtime, the cafeteria was crowded, with employees lining up at every window. Not wanting to mingle with too many strangers, Ruan Nianxi chose a less crowded window.


    She went to a porridge stall, which was almost empty compared to the morning.


    She casually ordered a bowl of porridge and two buns, then carried her tray to the dining area to sit down.


    She had barely sat down and taken a sip of her porridge when her phone rang.


    The sound indicated a WeChat video call.


    The only people who ever video called her were her parents, who would do so whenever they were away and missed her. Otherwise, they contacted her by phone.


    But weren''t they both at the company today?


    Hadn''t they just seen each other that morning?


    Why were they video calling her now?


    Curious, she took out her phone, ready to answer, but she froze when she saw the name.


    She paused for a few seconds, then frantically fixed her non-existent stray hair and touched her cheeks.


    After making sure everything was in order, she nervously answered the video call.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 57 – Want to eat the same

    The video call connected, and Ruan Nianxi saw the person she had been longing to see.


    She peered at the scenery behind him, which seemed to be outdoors, and curiously asked, "Why are you outside? Didn''t I order takeout for you? Haven''t you eaten?"


    The takeout she ordered a few minutes ago should have arrived by now.


    So why was he still outside?


    The sun must be scorching out there.


    "I''m here, I''m here!"


    In a small gazebo in the backyard of the villa, Xie Shu sat alone, holding his phone in one hand, the camera facing him. Hearing Ruan Nianxi''s question, he quickly responded.


    As he spoke, he rotated his phone, the image whirling until it settled on a wooden table.


    On the table were two lunch boxes, one filled with rice, the other with a variety of dishes, and unopened disposable chopsticks lay quietly beside them.


    Seeing such a simple lunch, Ruan Nianxi frowned.


    Hadn''t she ordered plenty?


    Why was there so little in front of him?


    And...


    "Haven''t you eaten with the teachers and classmates over there?" Ruan Nianxi was puzzled.


    Could it be that he gave the rest away to others?


    But she had intended the order for him; the others were just an afterthought.


    After showing Ruan Nianxi his lunch, Xie Shu turned the camera back to himself. The two looked at each other through the screen, and he explained calmly, "There are a lot of people upstairs, I didn''t want to squeeze in with them. Plus, I wanted to video call you at noon. It wouldn''t be convenient with them around, so I decided to come out here alone."


    Xie Shu was telling the truth. Right after class, he had wanted to contact her but was interrupted by her call.


    Later, they put together several tables upstairs, and everyone was chatting and laughing. Although the atmosphere was lively, he found it a bit noisy.


    He thought it might interfere with his video chat with Ruan Nianxi, so after setting up the tables, he told them he wanted to go downstairs to eat alone, to connect with his girlfriend.


    In the training institute, there were none of the usual workplace issues, all the teachers were kind, and the relationships were relaxed, so he had no qualms about speaking his mind.


    Teacher Li and the art class students all knew that Xie Shu''s "girlfriend" was someone he hadn''t yet won over. Everyone gave a knowing look, and no one stopped him.


    A few teachers from the media class were worried that Xie Shu might feel uncomfortable and wanted to persuade him to join the lively group, but Teacher Li stopped them.


    So in the end, Xie Shu successfully took a box of rice and a box of hastily grabbed dishes downstairs to the backyard. As soon as he sat down, he eagerly made a video call to Ruan Nianxi.


    Now he finally saw his little girlfriend.


    Not being able to check his phone during work hours was sheer agony!


    Ruan Nianxi was taken aback by Xie Shu''s explanation, and then a blush gradually spread to her ears.


    Because he needed to open the lunch box, Xie Shu had to lay his phone flat on the wooden table, the camera pointing up at the gazebo''s roof.


    He sat beside it, his gaze still fixed on Ruan Nianxi on the screen, as he asked while unwrapping the lid:


    "What about you? It''s noon already, you should be in the cafeteria, right?"


    "Mhm."


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    "What did you eat? Show me to make sure you''ve eaten properly."


    "I had porridge."


    Ruan Nianxi mimicked Xie Shu''s earlier action and turned the camera to show him her table.


    Xie Shu glanced at it and immediately frowned.


    Why was her meal exactly the same as breakfast?


    And the cafeteria''s buns seemed smaller than those near their school.


    Could she be satisfied with that?


    The camera then swung back to Ruan Nianxi.


    Perfect, this also made it easier for Xie Shu to scrutinize her.


    Her face, which used to have baby fat, had slimmed down to a delicate oval, and even her collarbone was clearly visible below the screen.


    No, she had ordered so much for them, why was she only eating that?


    "That''s too little, go get yourself a couple more dishes," Xie Shu said with a frown.


    If she didn''t eat more, what would he do if she fell apart with just a touch?


    Ruan Nianxi seemed unconcerned, "It''s enough, I''m not very hungry."


    Xie Shu said nothing in response, but put down the disposable chopsticks he had just picked up, stood up, and walked out of the gazebo with his phone in hand.


    The sun blazed down fiercely as he stepped out of the gazebo, the heat hitting his skin. Even through the screen, Ruan Nianxi could feel the heat on his side.


    "Where are you going? Aren''t you going to eat first?"


    "I''m going to find a restaurant outside to have porridge."


    "Don''t you want the takeout?"


    "No, I just suddenly felt like having the same as you. I want to see if a small bowl of porridge and a couple of buns can fill me up at noon."


    "¡­It''s really hot out, try to stay in at noon if you can," Ruan Nianxi advised.


    "If I happen to get heatstroke, it''s my own fault. If it gets serious, I''ll just spend a few days in the hospital and I''ll be fine."


    Xie Shu had already returned from the backyard gazebo to the first-floor studio. He then crossed the studio, passed through the corridor, and stepped out the front door, the scorching sun once again falling on his fair skin.


    Perhaps it was indeed too hot, as within just a few seconds, a thin layer of sweat appeared on Xie Shu''s forehead, causing Ruan Nianxi''s heart to clench.


    She couldn''t bear to see him suffer in the sun.


    It was heart-wrenchingly painful.


    Ruan Nianxi continued to persuade him, but Xie Shu wouldn''t listen, insisting on eating the same as her, wanting to experience what it was like to have a bird''s stomach.


    After much persuasion, seeing that Xie Shu had no intention of stopping, Ruan Nianxi quickly changed her tune, "I got it, I''ll go get some dishes right away, don''t eat the same as me."


    This time Xie Shu obeyed and halted.


    "I''m going now," Ruan Nianxi''s voice came from the other end.


    The sun was intense, and Xie Shu could barely see the screen. He moved a few steps to the shade of a tree, and the image on the phone became clearer.


    He watched intently as Ruan Nianxi, indeed, headed to a window with her phone.


    She chose a window with fewer people and was now queuing up.


    Xie Shu waited quietly.


    In a few minutes, Ruan Nianxi reached the front, took a tray, picked a few dishes without getting rice, and quickly returned to her seat.


    Seeing this, Xie Shu''s mood improved slightly.


    Old Dad was right, it takes magic to defeat magic.


    So afterwards, he retraced his steps back.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


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 Chapter 58 – A morning of waiting

    Returning to the gazebo in the backyard, Xie Shu finally felt cooler.


    He placed his phone flat on the table again, leisurely tearing open the wrapper of the disposable chopsticks, his gaze still fixed on Ruan Nianxi on the screen.


    She must have propped her phone against something, as the video showed her elegantly picking up food with one hand while the other rested casually on the edge of the table.


    With nothing to prop his phone against, Xie Shu held it in his left hand and his chopsticks in his right.


    Before he could start eating, the back door of the studio opened, and he looked over upon hearing the noise.


    A student approached, carrying a lunchbox.


    "Teacher Xie Shu, everyone said you didn''t take enough food earlier, so we''ve brought you another box," the student said, placing the item on the table.


    Xie Shu didn''t decline: "Thank you, go have your meal. Eat well and rest at noon; we have classes in the afternoon."


    Seated sideways to the student, Xie Shu''s phone screen was partially visible to them.


    Seeing the female figure on Xie Shu''s screen and recalling his earlier mention of connecting with his "girlfriend," the student quickly guessed who it was.


    Not wanting to intrude, the student bid farewell: "Teacher Xie Shu, enjoy your chat with the missus, I won''t disturb you."


    With that, the student hurried off.


    Xie Shu was unfazed by the student''s words, but Ruan Nianxi blushed instantly upon hearing them.


    She sat, feigning composure, nibbling her food with her head down, not daring to look up at Xie Shu on the screen, afraid he''d notice her fluster.


    But how could Xie Shu not notice?


    Ruan Nianxi''s fair skin was like cream, and with her head bowed, the redness of her ears was even more apparent.


    Yet Xie Shu said nothing, merely pursing his lips in a slight smile.


    She was so shy; it was better not to tease her.


    So, he naturally shifted the conversation to other topics, and Ruan Nianxi gradually regained her composure, daring to look directly at the screen again.


    As they ate and chatted on the phone, Ruan Nianxi''s expression suddenly shifted, and she said, "Um, I have something to take care of here, let''s talk another time..."


    But she didn''t know if Xie Shu would call her again.


    Sensing her concern, Xie Shu took the initiative: "Alright, go handle your matters. I''ll call you again when you''re free."


    "Mhm."


    Ruan Nianxi softly responded, then reluctantly and helplessly ended the video call first.


    With the call over, Xie Shu was utterly bored.


    Sigh, he had come out to eat alone today just to chat with her, not expecting her to be so busy.


    It was lunchtime, just past noon. She wasn''t a company employee, just learning to manage the company and handle affairs; she shouldn''t be as busy as a regular employee, right?


    Or were her parents very strict with her?


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    But even strictness shouldn''t encroach on her mealtime.


    Xie Shu wasn''t clear on the specifics, shook his head in resignation, set down his phone, and focused on his meal.


    He hadn''t planned to check his phone again, but it kept lighting up every few seconds, compelling him to pick it up.


    His phone was on silent mode, so there were no sound notifications for messages, but the screen would light up.


    He unlocked his phone and saw messages from their dorm group, with someone mentioning him.


    Xie Shu thought something was up, immediately opened the chat, scrolled to the latest messages, and read on.


    Liu Ping: ¡¾@Xie Shu, dude, guess who I just saw downstairs?¡¿


    At that time, Xie Shu hadn''t seen the message, so the replies came from two others who were also working part-time.


    Zhao Lin: ¡¾Who did you see?¡¿


    Li Da: ¡¾Why only mention him? Are we not worthy?¡¿


    Liu Ping: ¡¾Hey, this is no joke, I''m serious! I just saw Su Qianyi downstairs, guess what she was doing!¡¿ S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhao Lin: ¡¾We all go to the same school, so what''s the surprise in seeing her?¡¿


    Li Da: ¡¾Yeah, haven''t you seen a woman before? Don''t they all have one eye, two nostrils, and a mouth?¡¿


    Liu Ping: ¡¾...No, that''s not it! I''m not talking about seeing her in the cafeteria or somewhere else, but right below our dorm, waiting for Xie Shu!¡¿


    Zhao Lin: ¡¾!!!¡¿


    Li Da: ¡¾!!!¡¿


    Liu Ping: ¡¾When I went downstairs, I actually didn''t notice her at first. She called out to me, and that''s when I realized she was sitting on a bench there. She asked why Xie Shu hadn''t come down yet. I didn''t know what she was up to, so I didn''t answer. Then she asked if I was bringing food for you guys, and continued to ask what Xie Shu wanted to eat, saying she''d go buy it.¡¿


    Zhao Lin: ¡¾!!!¡¿


    Li Da: ¡¾!!!¡¿


    Liu Ping: ¡¾I was stunned, then I told her that Xie Shu had gone out for a part-time job early in the morning. Guess what she said!¡¿


    ¡¾She accused me of lying, because she had been waiting downstairs since morning and hadn''t seen Xie Shu come out!¡¿


    Zhao Lin: ¡¾Wow¡¿


    Li Da: ¡¾Wow¡¿


    Xie Shu: ¡¾...¡¿


    With the person in question present, Liu Ping messaged even faster.


    Liu Ping: ¡¾She''s right next to me now, insisting she''ll buy your lunch and asking me to bring it back for you, wanting to know what you''d like.¡¿


    ¡¾No matter how I explain that you''re not in the dorm, she just won''t believe it.¡¿


    Zhao Lin: ¡¾Wow, what''s she playing at now? When our good brother poured his heart out for her, where was her response? Who is she performing for now?¡¿


    Li Da: ¡¾Exactly, now that Xie Shu is ignoring her, she must realize his worth, right? @Liu Ping, tell her to get lost, let her know our brother already has someone he likes, and to stop bothering him!¡¿


    Liu Ping: ¡¾...Well, I''ve already made it clear to her.¡¿


    Xie Shu read the group messages with an expressionless face as he ate.


    Knowing that Su Qianyi had waited for him all morning, he felt neither joy nor excitement, but rather confusion.


    What was she up to?


    She didn''t like him, so he had distanced himself. Why was she now acting as if she was trying to hold on to him?


    Boring.


    Forget it.


    In the end, Xie Shu didn''t express his stance on the matter; it was irrelevant to him anyway.


    He continued to watch the group chat, which quickly moved on from Su Qianyi.


    Liu Ping was wandering the cafeteria, unsure of what to eat, and asked the group what they had for lunch, seeking suggestions.


    Seeing the message, Xie Shu immediately sent him two photos.


    Xie Shu: ¡¾How did you know my future wife bought me lunch?¡¿


    The three of them: "......"


    Is he alright?


    Are they attacking a teammate?


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 59 – Natural clothes horse

    Evening.


    After class.


    Xie Shu unexpectedly received a message from Ruan Nianxi, who took the initiative to contact him.


    The message was sent about fifteen minutes ago, saying she was here to pick him up.


    Seeing the message, Xie Shu couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows. She''s here again?


    It''s quite far from here, isn''t it? If she wanted to time her arrival perfectly, she would have had to leave much earlier.


    For a moment, Xie Shu felt a warm sensation in his heart, realizing that being constantly on someone''s mind was quite a pleasant feeling.


    At the same time, he was a bit worried that she might be tired, considering she had been busy all day as well.


    After reading the message, he immediately replied that he would be out shortly, and then he parted ways with the teachers and students in the studio.


    He sped out of the art district and immediately spotted the familiar car.


    He quickly walked over, and as he approached, he heard the sound of the car doors unlocking.


    Sensibly, he went to the passenger side, opened the door, and sat down. Before he could even buckle his seatbelt, Ruan Nianxi, who was in the driver''s seat, handed him a bottle of drink she had prepared in advance.


    Xie Shu instinctively accepted it, feeling the coolness of the bottle, which dispelled some of the warmth from his hands.


    He was indeed a bit thirsty.


    After thanking her, he opened the bottle and began to drink.


    Meanwhile, Ruan Nianxi started the car.


    Near the entrance of the art district, there was a speed bump not far from a turn, and since the road here wasn''t as wide as those in the city center, speed bumps were installed a short distance before the turn on both sides.


    As the car went over the speed bump, Xie Shu was tilting his head back to drink. Holding the bottle by its body, with the bottom higher than the opening, the sudden jolt caused him to lose his grip, spilling some of the drink.


    He let out an instinctive exclamation, and Ruan Nianxi, noticing something was amiss but unable to stop at the turn, drove past before pulling over to the side of the road.


    Ruan Nianxi frantically pulled out tissues and began to clumsily wipe Xie Shu''s arm and clothes, her voice filled with unstoppable panic:


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t notice just now, I..."


    "It''s not a big deal, don''t be nervous."


    Xie Shu took the tissues from her hand, his voice gentle: "It was my fault for not holding it steady."


    Seeing that Xie Shu wasn''t angry, Ruan Nianxi finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Shall we... go buy a new shirt nearby?" she suggested.


    "Yeah, that''s fine." Xie Shu didn''t object.


    The drink Ruan Nianxi had bought for him was colored, and if it had been plain water, he could have just waited for his shirt to dry.


    But the colored drink had spilled mostly around his collar, which didn''t look great, and the wet spot felt sticky and uncomfortable.


    So, Ruan Nianxi quickly found a clothing store nearby on her phone and drove them there.


    ***


    Once inside, Xie Shu casually picked out a short-sleeved shirt and also stopped Ruan Nianxi, who had already pulled up the payment code, ready to pay.


    Occasionally accepting a treat is fine, but making a habit of it isn''t good.


    Besides, he wasn''t penniless. Did she really think he couldn''t afford a shirt?


    After paying, he used the dressing room to change. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The clerk bagged his previous shirt for him.


    While the clerk was bagging his shirt, Xie Shu''s gaze aimlessly swept across the store.


    Directly in front of them was the women''s section, and he spotted several dresses hanging on the wall. He didn''t know much about women''s fashion, but they looked nice to him.


    "Here''s your shirt, sir."


    The clerk had finished bagging his shirt and handed it to him.


    Xie Shu''s attention returned, and he took the bag from the clerk. He didn''t rush to leave but pointed towards the women''s section behind her: "Could you get me one of those dresses?"


    "Ah?"


    The clerk was momentarily confused, giving Xie Shu a strange look.


    Xie Shu then looked towards the women''s section, oblivious to the clerk''s odd expression, and walked over first, the clerk following.


    He went straight to the wall and pointed to a dress: "This one, could you get it for me?"


    The customer''s request was a command, and the clerk fetched the dress with a pole, handing it to Xie Shu.


    He held the hanger carefully, making sure the dress didn''t touch the ground.


    He turned, intending to hold the dress up to Ruan Nianxi to check the length, but found her still standing dazedly at the cash register, watching him intently.


    He paused, then said, "Do you want to try it on?"


    "So it''s for her," the clerk murmured in surprise.


    Standing beside the clerk, Xie Shu thought: "..."


    What else?


    Was she thinking something strange just now?


    The store was quite large but quiet enough that, despite the distance between them, Ruan Nianxi could clearly hear Xie Shu''s words.


    She froze for a moment. Was he buying it for her?


    Although Xie Shu used to buy her gifts before high school, they were always treats or toys. This seemed to be the first time he was buying her clothes.


    Out of habit, she hadn''t considered herself at first, thinking he... might be buying for someone else.


    Regardless of her initial thoughts, Ruan Nianxi was now delighted and walked over to Xie Shu.


    Next, naturally, came Ruan Nianxi''s fitting session.


    Xie Shu didn''t know if it was his good taste or if Ruan Nianxi was simply a natural clothes horse, but every dress he picked looked stunning on her.


    Ruan Nianxi tried on several dresses, all fitting well, and Xie Shu had the clerk bag them up.


    Of course, the total cost was within Xie Shu''s budget.


    The store they were in wasn''t the kind where a single item would cost thousands; it was a regular clothing store where the most expensive dress was only a few hundred yuan, and several together were just under a thousand.


    The dresses, in Ruan Nianxi''s hands, seemed to become priceless treasures, each one cherished, even more than the expensive dresses her parents had bought her.


    Ruan Nianxi really liked them. She came out of the fitting room again, looked at herself in the full-length mirror from all angles several times, and then turned to look at Xie Shu, who was sitting nearby, smiling warmly at her.


    "Does it look good?"


    She asked this question with every dress she tried on.


    This time, Xie Shu didn''t respond with a simple "It looks good" as before, but instead stood up from his seat and walked over to Ruan Nianxi.


    He took out his phone from his pocket, faced the full-length mirror, and subtly moved closer to Ruan Nianxi, suggesting:


    "How about we post it on our Moments?"


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 60 – Could you blur the photo for me?

    Ruan Nianxi certainly wouldn''t refuse, and in fact, she was quite happy about it.


    The two of them stood very close to each other.


    Xie Shu held up his phone towards the full-length mirror in front of them, capturing both their reflections, while the store clerk discreetly stepped back a bit.


    He lowered the phone slightly; otherwise, his face in the mirror would be obscured by the device.


    Before pressing the shutter button, he stepped back a little, dissatisfied, and then moved slightly behind Ruan Nianxi.


    Compared to their previous side-by-side stance, they now seemed even closer.


    Their poses were a bit stiff, with no interaction between their bodies, each standing on their own, the only thing in common was their proximity.


    The hand that Xie Shu wasn''t using to hold the phone really wanted to interact with Ruan Nianxi, but after hesitating for a while, he eventually let it hang silently by his thigh.


    He moved the phone forward a bit to ensure Ruan Nianxi, standing in front of him, could see the screen.


    "Ruan Nianxi, could you press the shutter for me?"


    The phone was just in front of her head, a slight glance would allow her to see it.


    She hummed softly in acknowledgment and reached out to press the shutter button.


    "Remember to look forward."


    "Mhm."


    The photo was taken.


    Xie Shu retrieved his phone to check the photo, curious about how it turned out.


    In the picture, although their hands didn''t touch, there was a hint of interaction that softened their otherwise rigid stances, making the overall effect harmonious.


    He really wanted to hold her for the photo just now.


    ...He needed to confess soon so he could embrace her openly.


    He had to prepare in advance.


    Ruan Nianxi stood quietly beside Xie Shu, looking up at him. He was too tall, and she couldn''t see the phone screen, unsure if the photo turned out well.


    She was so nervous at the time; what if the photo didn''t look good?


    This thought made her even more anxious.


    Xie Shu noticed Ruan Nianxi looking at him from the corner of his eye and immediately lowered his phone, moving a bit closer to her.


    They both saw the photo and thought it was quite good.


    Afterward, Xie Shu sent the photo to Ruan Nianxi and then opened his Moments.


    He added the photo and began editing the caption.


    Ruan Nianxi was about to return to the fitting room to change out of the dress, but before entering, she asked Xie Shu uneasily, "Could you blur the photo for me?"


    Xie Shu, who was about to post, was puzzled: "???"


    "Why?"


    "I..." Ruan Nianxi stammered, avoiding eye contact.


    Explore the extended edition on


    "Are you not satisfied with the photo? Shall we take another one?"


    Thinking that girls care about looking pretty in photos, Xie Shu assumed she was dissatisfied.


    But... she''s beautiful and photogenic, even by entertainment industry standards.


    "It''s not that, I really like it..." but she trailed off.


    She liked it, was satisfied, but still wanted it blurred.


    Xie Shu fell silent for a few seconds, then finally nodded: "Alright." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he didn''t quite understand why she wanted to do that, since she asked, he would comply.


    Xie Shu had no choice but to edit the photo, placing a sticker over Ruan Nianxi''s head, showing it to her for approval. Only after she nodded contentedly did she finally return to the fitting room.


    Inside the fitting room, Ruan Nianxi was both excited and troubled.


    She had finally made it into his Moments, and it was even a photo together...


    But she remembered that her mother was on his WeChat friend list.


    In the past, when she visited Xie Shu''s house, she often missed messages and calls from her parents because she disliked looking at her phone.


    Later, she didn''t know when her mother had added Xie Shu on WeChat. Whenever they couldn''t reach her, they would message Xie Shu to confirm she was at his place before they would be at ease. He had told her all this before.


    Of course, this was back in middle school when it was common for students to have mobile phones.


    Although she had less contact with Xie Shu after high school and hardly visited his home, and they barely saw each other in university, she couldn''t be sure if Xie Shu and her mother were still on each other''s friend lists.


    In any case, it was better to be cautious.


    Her parents had always been against her being with Xie Shu. If her mother saw the photo, she would surely take her abroad again, just like before.


    She didn''t want to be separated from Xie Shu, so she had to ask him to blur the photo.


    She didn''t want to, but she couldn''t defy her parents now.


    Ruan Nianxi changed back into her original clothes and left the fitting room. Xie Shu was waiting outside, he paid for the clothes, and they left the store together.


    ***


    In a high-end office building.


    After leaving the meeting room, Jian Qing wanted to check the time. She opened her phone but saw an unread WeChat message instead.


    She clicked to read it.


    Little Xi: [Mom, I''ll leave it at that for today. I''m heading out now and won''t join you for dinner. I''ve left the relevant documents on your desk so as not to disturb your meeting.]


    The message was sent an hour ago.


    An hour ago?


    Why did she leave so early this time?


    Thinking about yesterday''s incident, her brows furrowed. She couldn''t be going to see Xie Shu again, could she?


    Yesterday, Secretary Lin reported seeing her and Xie Shu at the same place, but after being spotted, it was unclear if they spent a long time together last night.


    Thinking of Xie Shu, Jian Qing''s brows remained knitted.


    But whether they were actually together now, she didn''t know; it was just speculation.


    However, it seemed unlikely. From what she knew over the past few years, Xie Shu had always been with a girl surnamed Su, and he was very fond of her. His Moments over the past few years were all related to that girl.


    He hadn''t been in contact with Little Xi for many years, and it should be normal for them to occasionally bump into each other now that they were at the same school.


    Jian Qing tried to convince herself.


    Little Xi probably just finished the tasks they had arranged for her early and wanted to go back.


    With these thoughts, Jian Qing walked towards her office, with Secretary Lin closely following, reminding her of the upcoming schedule.


    As they passed a room, a cleaning lady happened to come out.


    Jian Qing was looking down at documents while speaking, and Secretary Lin was focused on listening, so neither noticed the cleaning lady immediately, almost colliding with her. Fortunately, the cleaning lady reacted quickly and stepped back into the room.


    In her haste, the cleaning lady''s hand accidentally hit the door frame, the pain causing her to involuntarily drop the trash bag she was holding.


    The trash bag hit the floor, making a clattering sound, and some bottles bounced out.


    The cleaning lady, who regularly cleaned this floor, recognized Jian Qing and quickly apologized for her clumsiness.


    Jian Qing gave a slight nod to indicate it was fine, but her gaze stayed on the bottles on the floor.


    Thinking she was upset, the cleaning lady hurried to pick them up, but Jian Qing stopped her.


    Jian Qing bent down, picked up a bottle at random to look at it, and then turned her attention to the trash bag, which clearly still contained items.


    Compelled, she stepped towards the trash bag.


    She crouched down and opened it.


    What she saw were familiar bottles and medicine boxes.


    Moreover, the oral medications were clearly unopened, with many of the boxes still sealed.


    Her face stern, she stood up and looked towards the room behind the cleaning lady.


    This room was where Little Xi usually stayed, as she didn''t like interacting with others, so Jian Qing had arranged a separate room for her.


    So... Were these medicines thrown away by her?


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 61 – She likes everything

    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi passed by a pedestrian street on their way back and decided to grab dinner there.


    Afterward, seeing that it was still early, Xie Shu didn''t rush home. Instead, he took Ruan Nianxi for a stroll to digest their meal.


    A walk after dinner is customary, and though they didn''t buy more food, they still indulged in some entertainment along the way.


    The point of going out is to have fun, after all.


    As dusk fell, the streetlights shone like a festive array of fireworks, bustling with activity.


    There were many couples coming and going, some holding hands, some embracing, and even a simple exchange of glances seemed to weave an endless thread of affection.


    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi, however, seemed out of place in such a crowd.


    Though they walked together and not far apart, they always maintained a safe distance.


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    Ruan Nianxi watched the couples with an indescribable longing in her eyes, wondering if she could ever share such moments with Xie Shu.


    Caught up in watching others, she didn''t realize when Xie Shu had left her side until she turned around in a panic, only to spot him a few meters away, talking to a vendor selling flowers. She hadn''t heard their conversation, but by the time she looked over, Xie Shu was already scanning a QR code to pay.


    The vendor handed him a small bunch of white flowers, not as large as those from a florist, but more than a single bouquet.


    It was similar to a bridal bouquet but smaller, fitting comfortably in hand and quite lovely to behold.


    After paying, Xie Shu stood up and looked around, only then noticing that Ruan Nianxi was a few meters away.


    He was momentarily startled, wondering how she got there.


    He walked over and presented the flowers to her.


    Ruan Nianxi took them instinctively, then came back to her senses.


    "For me... did you buy these?"


    Even with the flowers in hand, her first reaction was to worry they weren''t for her, prompting her to ask.


    After all, buying flowers...


    She wasn''t sure if it was common for men to buy flowers for women in a platonic relationship, as her roommates always received flowers from their boyfriends.


    Boyfriends... But her relationship with Xie Shu was...


    "Of course, I''m with you, aren''t I? Who else would I buy them for?" Xie Shu interrupted her trailing thoughts.


    Ruan Nianxi was taken aback, then her face broke into a radiant smile.


    A beautiful woman''s smile is even more enchanting.


    Her smile could delay the blooming of flowers, captivate a city, drawing sideways glances from passersby.


    She tightened her grip on the flowers as if holding onto happiness, her smile unwavering: "Thank you, they''re beautiful, I love them. What kind of flowers are these?"


    Ruan Nianxi wasn''t familiar with flower types.


    Xie Shu came back to reality, his gaze awkwardly shifting away from her face as he cleared his throat: "Gardenias."


    Ruan Nianxi buried her nose in them, taking in the fragrance.


    Such a simple thing, costing only a few dozen yuan, yet it brought her immense joy.


    This reminded Xie Shu of their middle school days when his parents forbade him from eating snacks. He would buy them secretly, always getting some for Ruan Nianxi too.


    Simple treats costing mere cents to a few yuan made her incredibly happy.


    Perhaps as happy as she was now.


    She was so easily contented.


    It almost gave him the illusion that no matter what he gave her, she would cherish it.


    Watching Ruan Nianxi, still focused on the flowers, Xie Shu checked the time on his phone. Though it was still early compared to yesterday, it was time to head back, especially since they weren''t near the school.


    "Let''s head back once we reach the end of this street," Xie Shu suggested.


    "Okay."


    Though reluctant to part ways, she would listen to anything he said.


    They returned to where they had parked the car, Ruan Nianxi still clutching the small bunch of flowers, unsure where to place them.


    Xie Shu chuckled inwardly before offering to drive back, having previously suggested it to spare her the fatigue, but she had refused. This time, however, she agreed without hesitation.


    Eventually, Xie Shu took the driver''s seat, and Ruan Nianxi sat beside him, still holding the flowers, her smile never fading since she received them.


    Flowers! Given by Xie Shu!! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ?(¨@?¨A*)


    ***


    They soon arrived near the school, and at Ruan Nianxi''s request, Xie Shu drove to the gate closest to the residential area.


    That gate didn''t allow vehicle entry, nor could cars park there for long, but Ruan Nianxi''s family was wealthy, and the driver she had sent away in the morning had been on paid standby nearby all day.


    He had received a call from Ruan Nianxi early on, instructing him to wait at that gate, so they simply had to get out, and someone would take the car.


    At that moment, Xie Shu couldn''t help but marvel at how money could make things happen.


    Upon reaching the gate, he parked, and they both got out. After the driver took the car away, they entered the school together.


    Like before, Xie Shu planned to walk Ruan Nianxi back to her dormitory.


    Walking side by side, they saw many couples in the school, some holding hands, some playfully interacting...


    Xie Shu glanced at Ruan Nianxi, who was carefully holding the flowers to her chest with one hand, while the other dangled naturally by her side, right next to his.


    He caught a glimpse of other couples nearby and felt a stir in his heart.


    His hand near Ruan Nianxi twitched, then cautiously curved into a small arc, inching closer to her...


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 62 – Im not sure about Ruan Nianxis parents attitude

    In the girls'' dormitory, Xie Shu watched Ruan Nianxi enter before turning to leave, not departing until she was completely out of sight.


    On his way back to his own dorm, he took out his phone and checked his class schedule. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were both busy over the weekend, only having time to spend together in the evenings without any prior plans, so they could only do something ordinary like shopping.


    He hadn''t confessed his feelings yet, not even daring to hold her hand...


    Hmm... There were fewer classes in his junior year, so if he didn''t take any part-time jobs during the week, he''d have to plan his confession.


    He wondered how busy Ruan Nianxi''s schedule was and when they both might be free.


    Contemplating this, Xie Shu slowly made his way to the bottom of his dorm building.


    He looked back and forth between his class schedule and calendar several times, occasionally glancing at the path.


    Just as he was about to step up to the dorm''s entrance, someone called out to him.


    "Xie Shu."


    Hearing the voice, Xie Shu instinctively stopped, and in the split second before he could turn his head, he guessed who it was.


    So he continued up the steps without turning around, as if he hadn''t heard.


    His obvious pause and almost-turning-around indicated he had indeed heard.


    Su Qianyi, seeing him deliberately ignoring her, stepped forward in anger, attempting to grab him.


    She had spotted him from afar before he reached the gate but didn''t call out. Instead, she got up from her seat and waited for him at the bottom of the stairs next to his dorm entrance, which was why she was not far from him and caught up in a few steps.


    Xie Shu shook off Su Qianyi''s hand as if electrocuted, then turned around with an expressionless face, looking at her with a distant gaze.


    He remained silent, just staring at Su Qianyi.


    The message was clear: Spit it out if you have something to say.


    Seeing Xie Shu looking at her with such an expression, Su Qianyi''s initial annoyance at being deliberately ignored vanished, replaced by a sense of grievance.


    She had been waiting for him all day... She really wanted to talk to him.


    Don''t treat her like that... She couldn''t stand it.


    Her heart ached... Even more so than before.


    She could endure a whole day of waiting, it was just a bit hot during the day, and she could hide under the shade of trees or have An Tian bring her an umbrella and water. But...


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    Just before dusk, after seeing Xie Shu''s new post on his Moments, her heart felt like it had been stabbed, leaving her unable to react for a long time.


    Hours passed, and she had just managed to calm herself a bit and finally saw him, but he was... so cold.


    She had so many questions for him.


    Didn''t Liu Ping say at noon that he was off to a part-time job? Why was he then seen with another girl?


    Who was that girl?


    What was their relationship?


    But faced with his cold demeanor, all her words died on her lips.


    Because she remembered what he had once said¡ªwhat right did she have to question him.


    Even if she did ask, she''d probably get the same response...


    After reaching the peak of heartbreak, Su Qianyi miraculously calmed down.


    She took a deep breath, then thrust the milk tea she had been holding into Xie Shu''s hand, adding, "It was supposed to be iced, but... too much time has passed, and it''s not cold anymore. Don''t hold it against me."


    Her tone was unusually calm, as if she was having a normal conversation.


    Without waiting for Xie Shu''s response, she turned and left.


    She knew she had to leave quickly, or Xie Shu would definitely give it back to her.


    So, she left as fast as she could.


    Not giving Xie Shu any chance to refuse.


    Xie Shu didn''t say a word the whole time.


    He was momentarily confused by the sudden gift of milk tea.


    Su Qianyi quickly disappeared around the corner, likely beyond recall.


    In the end, Xie Shu went upstairs as if nothing had happened, unaffected.


    However, after he left, a sealed cup of milk tea appeared atop a trash can outside the dorm.


    ***


    A few minutes later, Xie Shu returned to his dorm.


    "Kids, daddy''s home."


    As he opened the door, Xie Shu greeted his ''sons'' warmly.


    Several "affectionate" greetings followed in response.


    Xie Shu sat down at his spot, and Liu Ping asked him, "Did you see her when you came up?"


    "See who?"


    "Su Qianyi. The two who came back earlier saw her. She seemed to be waiting for you about an hour or half an hour ago. Did you see her when you got back? Is she still there? She''s been waiting for you all day."


    "...Why do you keep bringing her up? Got nothing better to do? If you''re bored, help me with CAD?"


    Not wanting to talk about Su Qianyi, Liu Ping coughed lightly and tactfully changed the subject, mentioning the post Xie Shu had made earlier.


    "Speaking of which, that girl in the photo on your Moments is Ruan Nianxi, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "Why did you blur her face? Did you win her over or not?" The other two joined the conversation with enthusiasm.


    Xie Shu shrugged helplessly: "I''m not sure about the blurring, she requested it, so I did it. As for pursuing her, I haven''t confessed yet. I''m still thinking about the right time. Plus, I want to prepare a special gift. I have fewer classes during the week and no part-time job, so I''m planning to do it in the next few days. Also..."


    Once the topic shifted to Ruan Nianxi, Xie Shu shared a barrage of his thoughts.


    His three ''sons,'' despite having zero experience in love, eagerly offered their advice.


    After discussing for a while, they each went back to their own activities, while Xie Shu continued to ponder his plans.


    Unconsciously, he opened Taobao and began browsing for gifts.


    As he browsed, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.


    Speaking of which, if he successfully confessed and they got together, would Uncle Ruan and Aunt Jian, both business elites, agree to their relationship?


    Considering this possibility, he realized he needed to prepare in advance.


    Now in his junior year and with an internship in senior year, he had about a year and a half to do something.


    Being a designer was a tough job; clients often had many demands, and he would have to revise designs repeatedly. After several versions, they''d want the original one, and at those times, he felt like hitting someone.


    In short, the early stages of career development were tough, and relying solely on this job wouldn''t work.


    "Hey, with internships coming up, how do you guys plan to develop your careers?" Thinking back to his past life as a designer, Xie Shu sighed.


    "Why worry about that now? It''s still early."


    "What plans could we have? Just find a job that pays a few thousand to ten thousand and get by. We''ll develop slowly after that."


    "+1+1"


    Hearing their responses, Xie Shu chuckled, reminded of a saying¡ª


    Before graduation: I won''t accept less than ten thousand.


    After graduation: 3000 it is then.


    After all, the number of fresh graduates was overwhelming, and even students pursuing master''s degrees were getting twisted up in competition.


    Obvious challenges are easy to dodge, but hidden competition is hard to guard against.


    "Hey, Xie Shu, are you done? Wanna play games? It''s game time!" someone asked.


    Checking the time and seeing it was still early, Xie Shu didn''t refuse: "Wait for me, I''ll send a message to Ruan Nianxi and ask if she''s joining."


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 63 – Ruan Nianxi, Su Qianyi

    At Ruan Nianxi''s dormitory.


    When she returned to her dorm, it was empty.


    She knew her roommates were all in relationships, often out with their boyfriends, and usually came back late on weekends.


    First, she found an empty bottle, cut it in half with a knife, filled it with water, and then placed a gardenia flower inside.


    Afterward, she tried on each of the dresses Xie Shu had bought her that day, one by one.


    Which one should she wear tomorrow? S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She loved them all~


    Their dorm had a full-length mirror bought together; she twirled in front of it, trying to decide which dress looked best.


    While she was trying them on, the dorm door suddenly opened from the outside.


    Startled, she turned to look, only to see a roommate had come back early.


    "Class president, what are you doing? Trying on clothes?" The roommate walked in, saw the several new dresses on her desk, and asked.


    The roommate approached the desk, eager to check out the new dresses, but Ruan Nianxi quickly gathered them up before she could touch them.


    The roommate looked at her, puzzled.


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t say anything but wouldn''t let her touch the dresses.


    After living together under the same roof for three years, Ruan Nianxi and her roommates weren''t best friends, but they knew her well enough.


    Everyone knew she wasn''t one to socialize much, but she was a decent person and not petty. She''d lend things when asked, and sometimes she''d even buy supplies for class events out of her own pocket, rather than using class funds, showing she wasn''t stingy or petty.


    But this time... what was wrong with touching a dress?


    The roommate was utterly baffled, then her gaze fell on the gardenia in the corner of the desk.


    Next to the gardenia was the ceramic doll that Ruan Nianxi had brought back yesterday, the one she had stared at foolishly for a long time, occasionally giggling.


    The roommate''s eyes darted around, noting Ruan Nianxi''s recent odd behavior, and asked, "Class president, are you in a relationship?"


    "No," Ruan Nianxi denied.


    "What about the flower?"


    "A friend gave it to me."


    "A friend? A guy or a girl?"


    "Male... a guy."


    "See, you said you weren''t."


    Everyone in their faculty knew the class president never accepted things from guys. Why accept this time?


    "I really am not."


    She and Xie Shu weren''t dating; they were just... close...


    "Did a guy buy you these dresses too?"


    "Yes."


    "And the ceramic doll?"


    "Yes."


    The roommate clicked her tongue twice, amusedly looking at Ruan Nianxi, about to say something more when Ruan Nianxi''s phone WeChat notification interrupted her.


    Ruan Nianxi ignored her roommate and checked her phone. It was a message from Xie Shu:


    [The midnight bell tolls, and the village is filled with eerie sounds. Children disappear without a trace. Now, my dorm mates and I have formed a temporary expedition team, inviting you to join us at King''s Canyon to solve the mystery! Waiting online! If you''re busy, never mind.]


    Ruan Nianxi initially thought it was some horror story until she realized he was inviting her to play a game.


    The game she had downloaded before was called something like King''s...


    She quickly typed a response: [Okay, be right there.]


    After replying, she gathered the other dresses on the desk, placed them on the bed, and sat down at lightning speed to open the game.


    Her roommate watched, baffled by the sudden flurry of activity.


    Eventually, she realized what was happening when she saw Ruan Nianxi pulled into a team and heard a guy''s voice from the phone. It seemed to be the same person who had played games with Ruan Nianxi before.


    Seeing they were about to start the game, the roommate didn''t speak but typed a note on her phone and showed it to Ruan Nianxi: "Class president, when you have time, look up the meaning of gardenias online."


    Ruan Nianxi looked puzzled, but the roommate just shrugged and said nothing more, then went back to her own seat to play her own game.


    ***


    In another girls'' dormitory.


    Su Qianyi had spent the day outside, doing nothing in particular, but she returned feeling exhausted.


    After showering, she immediately checked her phone and saw no reply from Xie Shu on WeChat. She zoned out, water dripping from her hair down her neck and back, slowly bringing her back to reality.


    After drying her hair and getting into bed, she continued to stare blankly at her phone.


    Xie Shu... what are you doing?


    Are you really ignoring me?


    Did you drink the milk tea?


    Did you like the flavor?


    About the mixer that night... it wasn''t intentional.


    She didn''t mean to dislike him; it was just... just...


    A habitual rejection...


    Because she always thought, no matter how much she rejected him, he would always be by her side.


    But she was wrong.


    He gave her one last chance, and she wasted it.


    Now Xie Shu didn''t want her anymore.


    She wanted to message Xie Shu to explain her true feelings, but she feared being too persistent and getting blocked on WeChat like before.


    Afraid to send a message, she checked his Moments and saw the post he had made that afternoon.


    In the photo, the girl''s face was blurred, and she didn''t know who it was, but Xie Shu''s face was clearly visible.


    He was smiling gently, as always, cultured and refined.


    Yet, this gentle man now looked at her with coldness and distance, treating her worse than a stranger.


    Suddenly, looking at the photo on her phone, her eyes welled up, blurring her vision, and a tear dropped onto the screen.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 64 – Cold personality?

    The next morning, people were up early for their eight o''clock routines, groggily making their way to the cafeteria.


    Xie Shu had arranged with Ruan Nianxi the night before via text to have breakfast together at the first cafeteria. He arrived a few minutes early on purpose to get breakfast for Ruan Nianxi and wait for her.


    As for the other three troublemakers he was with, they were left to fend for themselves.


    Xie Shu''s timing was impeccable. Not long after he got the breakfast, Ruan Nianxi appeared at the entrance of the cafeteria.


    She was wearing a milk-white dress that fell just over her knees, one of the dresses Xie Shu had bought for her at the clothing store yesterday.


    Even though Xie Shu had seen her in the dress at the store, seeing her again today still took his breath away. She was tall and slender, with a waist as fine as a willow and a presence that turned heads. Almost everyone who passed by couldn''t help but give her a second glance.


    Their seats were right by the entrance. Snapping back to reality, Xie Shu stood up and called out Ruan Nianxi''s name. Hearing him, she turned her head and spotted him immediately.


    Seeing the familiar face before her, Ruan Nianxi''s heart rate accelerated without warning, her lips curving into a slight smile. She strode over with her slender legs, her heartbeat quickening with each step closer.


    Once she reached him, Xie Shu pulled out a chair for her to sit and pushed the breakfast he had gotten for her towards her, gesturing for her to eat.


    Although Xie Shu had come to the cafeteria with his "sons," they had chosen not to sit with him, claiming they didn''t want to interrupt his time with Ruan Nianxi, so they had taken a table earlier on their own.


    ***


    For the full version, visit [ ].


    They all had classes today and didn''t linger long in the cafeteria. After breakfast, the group headed towards the academic area. Upon arrival, Xie Shu didn''t go to his own college''s building but instead followed Ruan Nianxi, insisting on walking her to class. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Won''t this make you late for your class? I can go by myself," Ruan Nianxi said, worried that Xie Shu might get penalized for being late.


    "It''s fine. Being a bit late today won''t hurt; we don''t have to go to the classroom. Our teacher is taking us out of school soon," Xie Shu explained.


    Sometimes their college teachers would take them to various places outside the campus, like art galleries and shopping malls, to enhance their aesthetic sense and broaden their horizons, especially since they were design students who needed to see more of the world.


    Ruan Nianxi paused for a few seconds before asking, "When will you be back?"


    "I''m not sure. We only have classes in the morning, and the afternoon is free. Usually, the teacher takes us out for the day in such cases, but I don''t know if we''ll come back early this time."


    "Oh..."


    Ruan Nianxi felt a tinge of disappointment.


    So, if luck wasn''t on her side, she might not see him until the evening?


    "It''s not a big deal. As long as our phones are charged, we can still text and video chat. We can stay in touch," Xie Shu quickly added.


    After briefly discussing their plans for the day, they naturally shifted the conversation to other topics.


    As they approached the building of Ruan Nianxi''s college, more and more people who recognized her appeared.


    Everyone who passed by couldn''t help but cast curious glances her way.


    Ruan Nianxi was highly attractive and recognized as the campus belle of her college. Even though she wasn''t sociable, her reputation was still quite high.


    Which class didn''t have a few boys secretly pining for her?


    Which class didn''t know she was the top student in their field, both in looks and in academic prowess?


    Everyone knew Ruan Nianxi was aloof, cold to everyone, a true untouchable flower on a high peak. But what were they witnessing today?


    Who was this woman with a tender expression that seemed to drip with sweetness?


    What happened to the ice-cold goddess?


    And the guy next to her... Holy crap! Wasn''t that the guy from the art college who had been trending on their campus forum?


    What was his name again, Xie something?


    Everyone had seen the gossip on the campus forum and knew some things related to Xie Shu, so was this... him succeeding in winning over their campus belle?


    Damn!


    This guy really reached far!


    He even set his sights on their college!


    And by the looks of it, he seemed to have actually succeeded!


    The guys passing by were grinding their teeth in envy, while the girls sneakily gossiped, admiring the attractive couple. They really looked good together!


    That campus belle from the art college must be blind.


    Along the way, both of them noticed the stares, but neither paid much attention. It wasn''t until they reached the academic building of Ruan Nianxi''s college that Xie Shu stopped and said goodbye.


    Before Ruan Nianxi entered, he suddenly remembered something and quickly called out to her, "Oh, could you send me your class schedule?"


    He needed to find a time when they were both free for something important.


    "Sure."


    She didn''t ask why or what for; if he asked, she would comply.


    After watching Ruan Nianxi enter the building, Xie Shu turned and headed towards the small square in front of their school''s gymnasium.


    They always gathered there before leaving campus, then took a bus to their destination.


    The academic area was quite large, and by the time he reached the square in front of the gym, the bell for class had just rung.


    From a distance, he saw his classmates already lined up, with the class monitor apparently counting heads. Seeing this, he quickened his pace.


    Their teacher was standing in front of the class line-up and asked Xie Shu, who was just arriving, "Where have you been? Why are you late today?"


    The teacher wasn''t really interrogating Xie Shu but rather joking, as the relationship between students and teachers during college was generally harmonious. Besides, Xie Shu was one of the top students in class, and most teachers liked him.


    Moreover, he wasn''t significantly late and hadn''t kept the whole class waiting, so no teacher would be upset about it; it was just a playful tease.


    Hearing this, Xie Shu stopped in his tracks and defended himself, "Teacher, I''m not late."


    "Look at the time."


    Xie Shu actually pulled out his phone to check and then seriously said, "7:63."


    The teacher: "......"


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 65 – Entanglement

    After chatting briefly with the teacher, Xie Shu moved to the back of the line. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were no fixed spots in the queue, just separate lines for males and females, forming two columns.


    Arriving late, Xie Shu ended up at the very end.


    The girls in their class outnumbered the boys, making their line slightly longer.


    Once Xie Shu joined the line, the class monitor noted down his name and then instructed other students to hurry those who hadn''t arrived yet.


    While waiting, like many others, Xie Shu took out his phone.


    He opened WeChat and saw the class schedule Ruan Nianxi had sent him a few minutes earlier. He saved it and casually sent his own schedule back to her.


    After sending it, he didn''t forget to add a message telling her to focus on her studies in class.


    Although most teachers didn''t mind students using their phones during lessons, he felt it wasn''t right to distract her, especially since she was destined to be a Dominant President. Learning more could only be beneficial.


    Ruan Nianxi replied with a simple "Okay" to his message.


    Exiting WeChat, Xie Shu prepared to compare their schedules to find when they both were free.


    Just as he was about to open his photo album, someone called out to him from behind.


    Being in the same class and familiar with each other, he recognized the voice without even looking.


    Despite feeling annoyed, he had no choice but to turn around.


    Turning his head, he saw Su Qianyi, who had somehow joined their line.


    Like the day before, Xie Shu just looked at her without saying a word.


    Su Qianyi seemed accustomed to this and took the initiative, "Xie Shu, I bought you breakfast."


    She lifted the bag in her hand, hoping he would accept it.


    Without even batting an eyelid, Xie Shu replied indifferently, "Sorry, I''ve already eaten."


    With that, he turned away, ignoring her further.


    Although Su Qianyi was prepared for rejection, being actually turned down left her frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.


    Nearly the entire class was present, and with the lines for both genders standing close together, their exchange had been overheard by many, drawing their gaze.


    But Xie Shu blocked them all out, focusing solely on the schedules between him and Ruan Nianxi.


    Only Su Qianyi remained standing there, feeling extremely awkward under everyone''s scrutiny.


    Eventually, her good friend An Tian came from their line and pulled her to the back of the girls'' line, reducing the number of eyes on her. This lessened her embarrassment but magnified her sadness.


    Standing at the end of the girls'' line, she could clearly see Xie Shu looking at his phone.


    He clearly wasn''t busy and had time to check his phone, yet he hadn''t replied to her messages.


    That morning, she had carefully sent him two messages, one saying "Good morning" and the other about bringing him breakfast. She believed he must have seen them...


    Nowadays, phones were used for everything from clocking in at school, signing in, filling out forms, to making payments. She couldn''t believe he hadn''t seen her messages.


    Moreover, she hadn''t seen him in the cafeteria that morning.


    She had even gone to the second cafeteria, which was closer to the boys'' dormitory, as boys usually went there for convenience, while girls went to the first one. Since both cafeterias served similar breakfasts, he shouldn''t have gone to the first one.


    She had hoped to run into him and give him breakfast early, even if he didn''t want it, she could have just left like the day before. But with so many people watching her earlier, their strange looks left her at a loss, until An Tian pulled her away.


    She pursed her red lips, feeling resentful.


    An Tian gently patted her shoulder in comfort.


    It seemed that Xie Shu''s determination to avoid her had hit her hard. In just one weekend, or more precisely, one night, she had forgotten her former pride.


    Yesterday, she had waited for him all day under his dormitory building, and no amount of persuasion from An Tian could bring her back. In the scorching heat, if not for An Tian bringing her an umbrella and water, she might have suffered from heatstroke.


    She had gone to bed early last night, not responding to their calls, whether she was asleep or silently grieving.


    Getting up early this morning to buy him breakfast from the second cafeteria near the boys'' dormitory, only to be rejected, was disheartening.


    Sighing, An Tian couldn''t help but feel that, as a good friend, she shouldn''t say this, but she had to admit that Su Qianyi was reaping what she sowed. It wasn''t anyone else''s fault.


    If she had recognized her own feelings earlier, she wouldn''t be in this situation.


    In the end, she was the one with regrets.


    ***


    Soon, the latecomers arrived, and after a few words from the teacher, everyone was arranged to board the bus.


    The girls'' line boarded first, followed by the boys.


    Xie Shu was the last to board, and by the time he got on, most of the seats were taken. With plenty of seats on the bus for their class, he found an empty spot at the back and sat down.


    As for his three "sons," one of whom got motion sickness, they always sat at the back by the window. He used to sit with Su Qianyi, so the other two naturally became his regular seatmates.


    Now without Su Qianyi, he sat alone.


    He deliberately chose a window seat, thinking he could enjoy the view if he got bored, but as soon as he sat down, he caught a glimpse of a figure standing in the aisle next to him.


    Looking over, he saw Su Qianyi staring intently at him.


    Xie Shu: "..."


    He didn''t want to speak, but Su Qianyi took the initiative to ask, "Can I sit next to you?"


    "...No."


    "But there''s no one else sitting here, right?"


    Xie Shu was the last to board, and by then, most people, including Su Qianyi who boarded earlier, had taken their seats.


    An Tian also got motion sickness, so Su Qianyi had been sitting alone until she saw Xie Shu pass by and decided to follow him to the back.


    "There are other empty seats on the bus. You can sit somewhere else," Xie Shu continued to refuse.


    "But I want to sit here." Next to you.


    "..."


    After a moment of silence and not wanting to argue, Xie Shu relented, "Fine."


    Before Su Qianyi could rejoice, she saw Xie Shu stand up from his seat and move to another spot on the opposite side of the bus.


    She clenched her lips tightly, her gaze fixed on Xie Shu.


    But he seemed oblivious, looking down at his phone.


    "The lady at the back, please take your seat, we''re about to depart," the bus driver called out from the front, and the bus engine started.


    Su Qianyi reluctantly sat down.


    She had just wanted to sit next to Xie Shu, even without talking... But even that small wish was left unfulfilled.


    And her heart felt just as empty.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan


    For the full version, visit [ ].

 Chapter 66 – What gift should I give for a confession?

    Xie Shu and his classmates arrived at a Yi Home store.


    The teacher tasked them with finding a show home inside, measuring various dimensions, and recording the data for their next class assignment: to draw the layout.


    After outlining the main objectives, the teacher provided the final meeting point and let everyone disperse to begin the task.


    Once the teacher left, everyone started to look for teammates.


    There was no set number for forming groups, as the upcoming homework was typically an individual project, but teaming up now was just for the sake of measuring together.


    Most people teamed up with their roommates, and Xie Shu was no exception.


    After forming groups, they entered the store.


    Su Qianyi stood among the crowd, glancing at Xie Shu several times, her desire to team up with him swallowed by his receding figure. In the end, she also joined a group with her dormitory mates. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After touring several showrooms, Xie Shu''s group finally settled on one and began to sketch the layout and take measurements.


    The Yi Home showrooms were fully furnished with well-designed storage solutions, giving off a true sense of home.


    While measuring, Xie Shu took some photos and videos, planning to send them to Ruan Nianxi after her classes ended.


    He wasn''t sure what design style she preferred, how they would decorate their future home together, or that he could design it himself.


    Oh right, before all that, he needed to earn money to buy a house; otherwise, it was all just talk. After earning the money, he''d have to decide where to buy and how big...


    The more Xie Shu thought, the more he drifted off until he snapped back to reality and slapped himself.


    Damn it! He hadn''t even confessed his feelings yet!


    He checked their class schedules again, noting the times they were both free, and remembered he still wanted to prepare a special gift for her.


    It didn''t have to be expensive, but it had to be unique and sincere, not something perfunctory.


    He had thought of some common gifts but found them too ordinary and unsatisfying, which is why he still hadn''t decided on the perfect gift.


    ***


    "Xie Shu, where are you? Have you finished measuring?" Zhao Lin, who was recording data in the living room, called out after not seeing Xie Shu for a while.


    Xie Shu, who was in another room, snapped back to the present and, after responding, refocused on the task at hand.


    He decided to finish the current task first; there was plenty of time left in the day to think.


    Eventually, the four of them completed all the measurements. Checking his phone, Xie Shu saw it was still early, so they decided to explore the store a bit more.


    Xie Shu had wanted to buy a small gift for Ruan Nianxi, but after looking around, he found nothing suitable.


    Yi Home was a furniture and home goods retailer, and although they sold small items like water bottles and lamps, he figured Ruan Nianxi probably didn''t need those, as she would have bought them in her first year if necessary.


    Standing in front of a wall, Xie Shu examined the various trinkets on the shelves but found nothing worth buying and turned to leave.


    As he turned, he caught sight of a bookshelf in the distance. He took a few steps towards it, paused, then turned back to look at the items on the wall.


    Pondering, he was called out by his friends who had moved on ahead.


    "Xie Shu, are you coming or not? Let''s check out other places."


    "You guys go ahead, I need to look up some information online."


    Xie Shu waved them off and found a nearby stool to sit on, pulling out his phone and starting to tap away.


    His friends, seeing he was busy, continued their browsing. Even though they probably wouldn''t buy anything, browsing Yi Home was quite enjoyable.


    Left alone, Xie Shu searched for the information he needed and began planning his confession.


    He finally knew what gift to give.


    ***


    Time ticked by, and soon it was noon. Xie Shu received a message from his friends, asking him to join them at the third-floor restaurant for lunch.


    Only then did he realize it was lunchtime. He replied to their message and immediately opened Ruan Nianxi''s chat to send her a message.


    She had a full schedule that morning, and he had refrained from contacting her, not wanting to disturb the future Dominant President''s studies.


    It was just past twelve, perfect timing.


    As usual, as soon as he sent his message, Ruan Nianxi replied instantly.


    After some casual conversation, she added: "Are you back yet?"


    Xie Shu: "Not yet, still outside. I''ll be back in the afternoon."


    Ruan Nianxi: "Oh..."


    Xie Shu couldn''t see her expression through the screen, but judging by her response, he felt he needed to say more to cheer her up.


    As he was typing, her next message came in.


    Ruan Nianxi: "Where did you guys go today?"


    Xie Shu deleted his initial response and typed the name of his current location. Before he could send it, Ruan Nianxi''s third message arrived.


    Ruan Nianxi: "What have you been doing this morning? Were you with any other girls?"


    Xie Shu raised an eyebrow at these questions, pleasantly surprised by her proactive approach. He had thought it would take a long time for her to ask such things.


    With a smile in his eyes, he answered her questions one by one.


    Xie Shu: "At Yi Home. This morning, our teacher assigned us some tasks related to our major. After completing them with my roommates, we browsed the store for a while. I wasn''t with other girls; everything we did was with my roommates."


    After sending the message, he also sent her his location to prove he was indeed at Yi Home.


    Ruan Nianxi''s chat showed "typing" for a while before she finally replied with a simple "Hmm."


    Only she knew how many words she had deleted.


    She had typed a lot, wanting to tell him to avoid contact with other females in the future, as she didn''t like it. She even wanted to video call him to see for herself if his surroundings were as he described. But after typing all this, she realized she shouldn''t do that.


    At least not now.


    Currently, she and Xie Shu were just friends. If she became too controlling, he might not like it, and he could slip away.


    The meaning of gardenia flowers...


    There are so many meanings, and she didn''t know which one he intended to convey, or if he had simply bought them on a whim at a flower stand...


    For the greater good, she deleted all those words.


    Their conversation shifted topics again. During lunchtime, Xie Shu naturally urged Ruan Nianxi to eat well, as she was too thin.


    On his way to Yi Home''s third-floor restaurant, he sent her the photos and videos he had taken that morning. Although their conversation topics varied, it never grew cold.


    Ruan Nianxi had hoped to chat with Xie Shu continuously during the noon break, but his next message quickly disappointed her.


    Xie Shu: "Wait for me a moment, I''ve got something to take care of. Remember to go to the cafeteria to eat. I''ll be asking for your photos later."


    After that, he disappeared.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 67 – Ruan Nianxis mother came

    On the third floor of a restaurant.


    Xie Shu was chatting with Ruan Nianxi while searching for his three sons when he was suddenly called out.


    He looked at the elegant lady standing before him, momentarily stunned, before recognizing her after several seconds.


    "Auntie Jian." Xie Shu tentatively called out.


    "Mm." Jian Qing nodded slightly.


    For a moment, they both just looked at each other, neither starting the conversation, as they were not well-acquainted.


    Even though Xie Shu knew Ruan Nianxi, he had only seen Jian Qing a few times over the years, and their interactions, including on WeChat, were few.


    On WeChat, she only ever contacted him about matters concerning Ruan Nianxi. After high school, he had lost touch with Ruan Nianxi, and naturally, Jian Qing hadn''t contacted him much either.


    Moreover, their previous encounters were always at Xie Shu''s home, where Ruan Nianxi''s parents would bring gifts during the holidays to show their gratitude for the care shown to Ruan Nianxi.


    This was actually their first meeting outside, so Xie Shu didn''t think much of it, assuming it was just a chance encounter.


    A few seconds later, he politely greeted her and was about to leave when she stopped him again.


    "Xie Shu, I came here today specifically to see you."


    "!?"


    Jian Qing didn''t rush to speak. She glanced around and finally suggested, "Let''s sit over there in the corner and talk."


    "!?"


    Is this going to take long?


    It was no longer about familiarity; what did she want with him?


    Xie Shu was baffled. Ruan Nianxi''s parents were both busy entrepreneurs, hardly ever touching the ground with their feet. They had little time to spend with Ruan Nianxi as a child, which is why she often came to play at his house.


    Even if Jian Qing wasn''t busy today, she shouldn''t have gone out of her way to find him, right?


    And since she was able to locate him precisely, she must have done her research in advance.


    Although he didn''t know what was going on, Xie Shu had a feeling it had something to do with Ruan Nianxi.


    In his past life, he hadn''t seen Auntie Jian during his university years or after graduation, but in this life, she suddenly sought him out... especially since he had been in contact with Ruan Nianxi quite a bit these days.


    Ah, this... Did the thing he was worried about happen?


    But he wasn''t officially with Ruan Nianxi yet, so why was Auntie Jian coming out so early?


    Besides, she had his WeChat, so why didn''t she just contact him through that?


    Why go through the trouble of investigating and coming here to find him?


    With a myriad of thoughts in his mind, Xie Shu eventually followed Jian Qing''s suggestion and sat with her in the corner seat, facing each other.


    After sitting down, he didn''t forget to send Ruan Nianxi a message, informing her he was tied up.


    After sending the message, he put down his phone and looked up to see Jian Qing frowning deeply.


    Considering she might be dissatisfied with something about him, Xie Shu grew nervous and dared not look at his phone again, knowing it would be impolite to do so during a serious conversation.


    He sat up straight, bracing for the barrage of questions from Jian Qing.


    But they sat in silence for a long time, with Jian Qing not uttering a word.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    "Um, Auntie Jian, you were looking for me because...?"


    Xie Shu finally had to break the silence.


    Jian Qing then withdrew her gaze from Xie Shu and glanced towards the restaurant''s ordering window, "What would you like to eat? I can have it brought over for you."


    "Thank you, but there''s no need. My friends are waiting for me. I''ll eat with them in a bit."


    Seeing Xie Shu decline, Jian Qing didn''t press further. Her gaze returned to him, and she finally delved into the topic at hand.


    "Have you been in contact with Little Xi recently?"


    As expected, it was about Ruan Nianxi.


    "Yes."


    Jian Qing fell silent for a moment before continuing, "I saw the Moments post you made yesterday. Is the girl in the photo Little Xi?"


    "Yes."


    ***


    Having walked from the academic building to the cafeteria and now sitting down with her lunch, Ruan Nianxi couldn''t help but check her phone again.


    Why hadn''t Xie Shu replied yet?


    What was he doing?


    After a morning of diligent study, she was really hungry, but her appetite was gone, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Xie Shu.


    Just as she was about to give up waiting and throw away her meal, a message from Xie Shu came through.


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    Xie Shu: [Are you eating properly? Send me a picture of what you''re having.]


    Seeing his message, her anxious heart settled back into place, and her irritation vanished.


    Ruan Nianxi obediently opened her camera and sent Xie Shu a photo of her lunch.


    Xie Shu: [Good, that''s more like your usual portion.]


    A few seconds later, he sent her a photo.


    Ruan Nianxi opened it to see an image of the cafeteria''s serving area, with various dishes on display, all looking delicious. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Shu: [I''m at Yi Jia''s restaurant today. See if there''s anything you''d like to eat, and I''ll have it for you.]


    Already accustomed to Xie Shu''s way of speaking, Ruan Nianxi smiled lightly, playing along with his words.


    She saved the photo he had sent earlier, circled a dish in red, and sent it back to him.


    Xie Shu: [Alright, it''s almost my turn. Wait for it!]


    Xie Shu chose the dish Ruan Nianxi had just circled and carried his plate towards a table in the dining area.


    Because of the delay with Jian Qing, he had already messaged his sons to start without him. He joined them at the table without much conversation.


    After sitting down, Xie Shu pondered over his chat history with Ruan Nianxi for a while before hesitantly sending her another message: [You haven''t been sick lately, have you?]


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 68 – Strangers in the same boat

    Upon seeing the message, Ruan Nianxi''s heart tightened abruptly, her mind went blank for a moment, and a piercing tinnitus was all she could hear.


    After her thoughts stopped spinning wildly, she refocused and typed back with trembling fingers:


    [No, why?] sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [I''ve been doing well recently.]


    [Why would you ask that all of a sudden?]


    Xie Shu: [No reason, just asking.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Just asking?]


    Xie Shu: [I just remembered you bought a lot of medicine before, so I thought you were sick. It''s good that you''re fine.]


    Xie Shu sighed helplessly. When Aunt Jian had sought him out, he thought she wanted to talk about his relationship with Ruan Nianxi, and he was extremely nervous.


    In the end, all her questions were about Ruan Nianxi, and none were about their relationship.


    She was merely inquiring if there was anything odd about Ruan Nianxi when they were together, if she had done or said anything unexpected or incomprehensible, or if her personality was stable... Questions that showed concern for her.


    He answered truthfully:


    After Aunt Jian finished her questioning, he couldn''t help but ask if there was something wrong with Ruan Nianxi. Aunt Jian brushed him off, saying it was nothing.


    If it was nothing, why did she come to ask him these questions?


    If she was really worried, why not ask Ruan Nianxi herself?


    After all, they were mother and daughter; it wouldn''t be illegal to show some basic concern, right?


    Moreover, after their chat, Aunt Jian specifically asked him not to tell Ruan Nianxi about their meeting. He naturally inquired why, but Aunt Jian remained tight-lipped, only saying that Ruan Nianxi would become anxious if she found out. If he cared for her, he wouldn''t tell her.


    Then Aunt Jian left.


    She had asked a bunch of questions he understood but didn''t know why she asked them, leaving him utterly confused.


    He thought a lot afterward, trying to figure out what was wrong with Ruan Nianxi, but he couldn''t come up with anything, and he couldn''t ask her directly.


    On his way to get food, he quickly reviewed the recent times he spent with Ruan Nianxi, and indeed, she didn''t seem off.


    If he had to mention something... it was the day she returned from the hospital with many medicine bottles in her bag...


    He didn''t get a clear look at the medicine before she took it away, and then she hurried off.


    Considering Aunt Jian''s many health-related questions, that''s why he asked uncertainly.


    Ruan Nianxi felt a wave of relief upon seeing his response.


    Although Xie Shu had seen her medicine that day, he didn''t ask further, and his attitude towards her hadn''t changed, so she guessed he didn''t know what the medicine was for.


    It was better he didn''t know.


    Even if he wanted to know, she wouldn''t tell.


    Besides, she had thrown all those medicines away; she wouldn''t take them anymore, as they were useless.


    She really enjoyed her current relationship with Xie Shu; he treated her well, and she liked that feeling. She didn''t care whether it was real or not; as long as she liked it, that was all that mattered. Suppressing herself was too painful, so she stopped doing that.


    She just wanted to be with him.


    But considering her current lack of capability, she didn''t dare to be too obvious. If he left, it wouldn''t be easy to find him, and her parents would stop her if they knew.


    So, in the end, she didn''t elaborate and simply replied: [Yeah, I''m fine, don''t worry.]


    Of course, Xie Shu couldn''t just take her word for it, especially after Aunt Jian had just shown such concern for her health and had gone out of her way to talk to him instead of her.


    But since she wouldn''t say and Aunt Jian wouldn''t either, he had no other choice. It would be impolite to pry.


    And if there was something serious, they knew how to treat it; they weren''t short of money.


    In the end, Xie Shu didn''t think too seriously about it.


    Still worried, he later said many things to show his concern for Ruan Nianxi, telling her to take care of her health and that she could tell him if anything was wrong, and then he naturally changed the subject.


    Afterward, both of them tacitly avoided mentioning the matter again, as if it had never happened.


    ***


    In the afternoon.


    Before school let out, the teacher sent a message in the class group about returning, and the students gradually made their way to the meeting point.


    Just like in the morning, they lined up, counted off, and boarded the bus in order.


    This time, Xie Shu didn''t sit at the back but chose a seat at the front.


    Although there weren''t many seats at the front, as he was alone, any available seat would do.


    Most of the class was in groups, and looking around, the nearest available seat was next to the teacher, so he sat down there.


    The teacher always sat in the first few rows alone. Although the students got along well with him, none would sit with him alone, feeling it somewhat awkward.


    This time, seeing a student take the initiative to sit next to him was a bit surprising.


    "Why are you sitting here?" It wasn''t that he didn''t allow Xie Shu to sit; he was just genuinely surprised.


    "I thought I''d keep the teacher company for a chat. Don''t you welcome me?"


    "I didn''t say that."


    Xie Shu sat at the front, chatting easily with the teacher, while Su Qianyi at the back felt her mood plummet.


    Having learned from the morning''s lesson, she no longer expected Xie Shu to sit with her. She just wanted to be close enough to observe him.


    But she didn''t expect him to sit right at the front...


    Did he really not want to see her that much?


    The bus was quiet, and though Xie Shu and the teacher were only chatting at a normal volume, most could hear how engaged they were in their conversation at the front, which made Su Qianyi''s mood sink even lower at the back.


    An Tian sat at the very back by the window, slightly elevated, naturally witnessing everything that happened in front.


    She didn''t sit with Su Qianyi, but she could feel her friend was definitely not happy.


    Sigh, no need to feel it; her mood had been quite down these past few days.


    As a good friend, she could only take out her phone and chat with her on the messaging app, hoping to distract her and ease her sadness.


    ...Although her efforts didn''t seem to have much effect.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 69 – Discover the truth

    The journey to school by car took a little over an hour. On the bus, Xie Shu chatted with the teacher for a while before he began to feel drowsy.


    No nap at noon, and the afternoon would be a disaster.


    Although they weren''t having classes now, the stifling atmosphere on the bus still made one long for sleep.


    It wasn''t just him; many students were taking a quick nap with their eyes closed.


    Later on, he and the teacher stopped chatting. The teacher took a nap, and Xie Shu chatted with Ruan Nianxi on WeChat before his eyes grew heavy and he drifted off.


    He had messaged Ruan Nianxi in advance, though, and even sent her his location, estimating his arrival time at school.


    When he woke up, he found the bus parked in front of the gymnasium''s plaza.


    It was the teacher sitting outside who nudged him awake, signaling that he could get off. The other students were also getting up one by one, lining up to disembark.


    Xie Shu stood up and waited for the teacher to move before he stepped to the aisle, looking for a less crowded gap to exit.


    There were still quite a few people getting off, and he didn''t want to squeeze through, so he decided to wait.


    Checking his phone, he noted the time was about what he had estimated.


    Hmm... several WeChat messages?


    Unlocking his phone with his fingerprint, he saw they were from Ruan Nianxi, sent about fifteen minutes ago.


    Standing on the bus, Xie Shu had to stoop to text, which was inconvenient, so he simply sat back down.


    Now seated by the window, he opened Ruan Nianxi''s chat.


    Just as he sat down and entered the chat, Su Qianyi happened to be passing by. Her attention had always been on him, so naturally, she took a curious glance at his phone.


    Her gaze was immediately drawn to the glaring red dot on the screen, a stark 99+.


    And next to that glaring 99+ was her name.


    99+?


    That meant he hadn''t seen any of her messages, not even opened them?


    If he had, the number wouldn''t be 99+.


    Even if he had read them and marked them as unread, it would only show "1".


    So he hadn''t just been ignoring her messages; he hadn''t even been looking...


    The truth struck Su Qianyi like lightning, and she stood frozen in place.


    Xie Shu''s fingers moved swiftly on the virtual keyboard, snapping her back to reality.


    He had time for others'' messages, to reply to others, but not to look at hers?


    Out of curiosity, she glanced again at the name on his phone screen:


    Even without the surname, the only person that came to mind was Ruan Nianxi...


    That woman she detested!


    Hadn''t they barely interacted before?


    Why did it suddenly seem like... their relationship had gotten much closer?


    She knew they were childhood sweethearts, but as far as she remembered, they had hardly been in contact in high school because they were in different classes.


    And back then, Xie Shu often spent time with her, so his contact with Ruan Nianxi was minimal.


    Even when Ruan Nianxi would actively seek him out in their first year, he was always careful to keep his distance to avoid any misunderstandings.


    After starting university, she and Xie Shu were nearly inseparable, and she knew they hadn''t been in touch during that time. But now, why were they...


    And since when...?


    "What''s going on up there? Move it!"


    A voice from the back of the bus broke Su Qianyi''s train of thought.


    She had only stopped for a few seconds, but because the aisle was narrow, if she didn''t move, no one behind her could pass.


    The queue behind her was still waiting to get off, and the blockage was annoying, prompting someone to urge her on.


    Xie Shu, replying to Ruan Nianxi''s message, turned his head at the sound.


    Their eyes met, but neither spoke.


    Xie Shu calmly looked away, pocketed his phone, and seeing Su Qianyi still motionless, he stepped into the aisle and off the bus.


    After he moved, Su Qianyi finally stirred from her daze.


    Once off the bus, Xie Shu headed straight in a particular direction.


    ***


    Fifteen minutes earlier, Ruan Nianxi had messaged him that she was waiting at the gymnasium. While on the bus, he had asked her exactly where she was, considering the size of the gymnasium and its many doors.


    Since they had already talked, Ruan Nianxi knew Xie Shu had arrived.


    As Xie Shu approached the side door where she was, she came out to meet him.


    From afar, Xie Shu saw Ruan Nianxi, and in a few strides, he was in front of her. In her clear eyes, he saw his reflection wrapped in boundless joy.


    The afternoon sun wasn''t as scorching as at noon, but the heat from the ground hadn''t fully dissipated.


    Ruan Nianxi, though she had stayed in the shade of the gymnasium''s side door, still had sweat on her forehead.


    Her long hair draped over her shoulders, and Xie Shu felt a pang of distress. He couldn''t help but reach out to tuck a few stray strands behind her ear.


    "It''s so hot, why run out here? Don''t do this again; I''ll come to you in the future."


    His tone was gentle, with a hint of reproach, but mostly concern.


    Feeling Xie Shu''s touch, Ruan Nianxi stiffened, forgetting to respond.


    After tucking her hair behind her ear, Xie Shu didn''t stop there. He traced her hair down to the nape of her neck.


    "Got a hair tie?" he suddenly asked.


    "Uh..." It took a few repeats for Ruan Nianxi to process his words, "No, I forgot."


    She had no classes in the afternoon and had been in her air-conditioned dorm. Realizing it was almost time for his return, she had rushed out. Once outside the dorm, she felt the heat but didn''t want to go back, so she left as she was.


    "Would you mind if I use my method to put up your hair?"


    "Huh? Oh, sure."


    "Don''t judge it, then."


    Xie Shu then took out a pen from his pocket and handed it to Ruan Nianxi: "Hold this for me."


    He moved behind her, gently gathering her black hair. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ruan Nianxi couldn''t see how Xie Shu was styling her hair, but she felt his carefulness, his touch so light.


    "Give me the pen."


    She obediently lifted the pen to her shoulder, and Xie Shu took it, softly inserting it into her hair.


    With her hair now up, Ruan Nianxi''s neck felt cooler, not as stifling as before.


    Xie Shu stood in front of her again: "Does it feel a bit cooler?"


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    "Yes, thank you."


    Ruan Nianxi''s smile was radiant and captivating.


    On the small plaza in front of the gymnasium, Su Qianyi, who had been watching Xie Shu since getting off the bus, had naturally witnessed the entire scene unfold.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 70 – Start making gifts

    After all the students disembarked, they were eager to leave the square, as no one fancied basking in the sun.


    Explore the extended edition on .


    Su Qianyi alone stood beside the coach, staring blankly at Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi in the distance, seemingly lost in thought.


    An Tian, who had been sitting at the back, got off a bit later. The discomfort from motion sickness made her feel unwell, so she didn''t immediately notice Su Qianyi''s odd behavior.


    Seeing Su Qianyi standing by the door, she assumed she was waiting for her. Reaching out to grab her hand, she said, "The sun is so intense, let''s head back."


    But her hand didn''t budge.


    Curious, An Tian turned to look at her properly and noticed her gaze fixed in a particular direction.


    So she looked that way too.


    And there she saw Xie Shu talking to a girl, seemingly quite close.


    That girl... looked somewhat familiar.


    Liu Ping, also prone to motion sickness, was the last to get off. After a quick glance around, he noticed two of his roommates heading towards the shade of some trees, while another...


    There were hardly any people around the gymnasium, so he spotted Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi right away.


    Without much hesitation, he started walking towards where his roommates had gone.


    He hadn''t gone far when Su Qianyi called out to him.


    "Do you know what''s going on with Xie Shu... and that girl?" Not sure if he knew Ruan Nianxi, she didn''t mention her by name.


    As she spoke, her eyes drifted back towards the gymnasium, worried that Liu Ping might not have seen them.


    Following her gaze, Liu Ping glanced again at Xie Shu and the other person, then shrugged helplessly: "It is what it is, the situation is as you see."


    After speaking, he too felt the heat and turned to walk briskly towards the shade of the trees by the road.


    Soon, only Su Qianyi and An Tian were left in the square, even the driver had driven the coach away.


    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi strolled leisurely towards the dormitory area, never once looking back in this direction.


    In the end, it was An Tian who forcefully pulled the dazed Su Qianyi away.


    ***


    There were still a few minutes before school let out, and with hardly any other students around and a clear view, everyone who had gotten off the bus around the same time had seen Xie Shu approaching a girl, and they seemed to be on good terms.


    Everyone knew about Xie Shu and Su Qianyi, but due to the awkwardness of being classmates, they only gossiped in private. Recently, many girls had been harboring thoughts about Xie Shu, but after witnessing this scene, their hearts shattered once more. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some of the boys, who had thought they might have a chance with Su Qianyi now that Xie Shu was out of the picture, went up to comfort her seeing her in low spirits, but she paid them no mind.


    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi continued their leisurely walk towards the residential area under the large sun, sticking to the shade of the trees along the way.


    Before they reached the residential area, the bell signaling the end of class rang, and students poured out of the teaching buildings. It wasn''t long before they were overtaken by the crowd, but the two of them remained relaxed and at ease.


    They followed the crowd to the canteen, had dinner together, and then went for a few more strolls.


    Ruan Nianxi had a class in the evening, and before it started, Xie Shu walked her to the teaching building. After watching her enter, he turned and headed to the campus supermarket.


    Based on the information he had looked up online that morning, he bought a lot of items, eventually returning to the dormitory with a big bag full of stuff.


    When he got back, his three roommates were each doing their own thing. Seeing Xie Shu return so early, they were surprised and teased him about not spending more time with his childhood sweetheart.


    Xie Shu waved them off, saying he had more important things to do.


    He reached his desk and began pulling out the items he had purchased, one by one. The three roommates craned their necks curiously over his desk, not understanding why he had suddenly bought these things.


    "Umm... corrugated paper, cardstock, coated paper, sulfuric acid paper... Xie Shu, what are you doing with all this? And why so much?"


    Zhao Lin hadn''t climbed into bed yet and approached Xie Shu''s desk with his phone in one hand, intrigued by the items being pulled from the pockets.


    Not just these, Xie Shu also bought several tubes of UHU glue, a few rolls of small transparent tape, craft knives, and various other tools and materials.


    Strange, was there some new craft class that required these items?


    Zhao Lin checked the class group chat for any messages from teachers about buying materials but found none.


    So what was he buying all this for?


    After Xie Shu arranged everything neatly, he pulled out a cutting mat that had been gathering dust in a corner of his desk for a long time and placed it in the center of the table.


    He also didn''t forget to answer Zhao Lin''s question: "I''m making something."


    With that, he sat down, turned on the computer beside him, opened Bilibili, and found the video tutorial he had saved that morning. He began to organize the materials on the desk while playing the video.


    Li Da, also glued to his phone, popped his head over and asked curiously after glancing at Xie Shu''s computer screen, "Are you making a pop-up book?"


    "Yeah."


    "Why are you making that? I''ve seen others take days or even months to complete one. It''s quite a hassle."


    Suddenly, Liu Ping dropped a large arm over Li Da''s shoulder: "Making a pop-up book is time-consuming, but if he''s doing it, he must have his reasons. Like a gift for his childhood sweetheart, right, Xie Shu?"


    This time Xie Shu didn''t respond, but everyone understood without saying.


    They all chuckled and crowded around, offering to help Xie Shu, but he declined.


    It was indeed time-consuming, but he wanted to do it himself.


    His schedule was light these next few days, and with a bit of time management, he had enough to spare.


    ***


    Xie Shu had already watched several pop-up book tutorials online that morning and had a general understanding of the process, but since he had never done it before, his initial attempts were clumsy.


    To avoid making mistakes halfway and wasting time redoing it, he flipped open a notebook before starting and sketched out the theme he wanted to create, along with a rough idea of what he wanted on each page.


    With a rough plan in place, he began in earnest.


    He started by carefully crafting a book cover, following the video and being extremely cautious not to make a mistake, as that would mean starting over.


    The cover wasn''t too difficult, and he managed without errors, but by the time he finished, much time had passed, and night had already fallen.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 71 – His uniqueness

    Xie Shu unlocked his phone to check the time but ended up seeing a message from Ruan Nianxi that she had sent over ten minutes ago.


    He had his sound off earlier to avoid disturbances...


    He quickly opened the chat and saw that she had messaged him about her class ending.


    She only had two classes tonight. Judging by the time, she should be almost at the residential area by now, right?


    Normally, he would rush out to meet her, but he was pressed for time...


    He wanted to finish the pop-up book as soon as possible to confess his feelings.


    Besides, fewer classes didn''t mean no classes at all.


    If he played around while working on the book and still had to attend classes, there really wasn''t much time left for the book, especially if he aimed for quality. How long would that take?


    If he remembered correctly, one of their courses was about to end, and the deadline for assignments was approaching. He needed to catch up on the final stages of his work, which also required time.


    In short, he was running out of time.


    After much contemplation, he decided to focus on the pop-up book for the next few days.


    So, he messaged Ruan Nianxi, telling her he was busy tonight and suggested she head back to the dorm to rest early.


    The second after he sent the message, the chat showed "typing..." but no message came through for a long time.


    Xie Shu had no idea what Ruan Nianxi was thinking, but to reassure her, he took a photo to prove he was in the dorm and not somewhere else.


    He didn''t photograph his desk but instead took a picture of other parts of the dorm.


    Coincidentally, Zhao Lin was in the frame, inexplicably working on CAD at that moment!


    After sending the photo, Ruan Nianxi finally replied.


    In the end, she listened to Xie Shu and returned to the dorm early.


    She got back quite early; her roommates hadn''t returned yet, probably still out with their boyfriends. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a common occurrence, but tonight, she found herself envying them.


    Ruan Nianxi sat at her desk, resting her chin on her hands, staring blankly at the objects in front of her.


    There was the ceramic doll they had colored together.


    There was the gardenia he had bought for her on the pedestrian street. Despite her careful care, it had wilted a bit, losing its initial bloom, but she couldn''t bear to throw it away.


    And there was the pen he had used to help her with her hair that afternoon.


    She stared for a long time, so long that she lost track of time.


    It wasn''t until her roommates came back that she snapped out of it, went to wash up, and then to bed.


    She had no interest in her phone, her ears filled with her roommates'' chatter. They seemed happy, sharing stories about their evenings with their boyfriends, what they did, and what gifts they received. Listening to them made her even more envious.


    After a while, she glanced at the time.


    It was past nine.


    Xie Shu should be done by now, right?


    But she hadn''t received any message from him.


    After struggling internally, she took the initiative to message him: [Are you playing games tonight?]


    Xie Shu: [No, I''m really busy tonight, no time for games.]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Oh, then you carry on.]


    Their conversation ended in less than a minute.


    Ruan Nianxi put down her phone, lay in bed, and couldn''t help but let her imagination run wild.


    What was going on with him tonight?


    Why wasn''t he keeping her company?


    It wasn''t like this the past few days. Did something happen when he left campus today?


    Right, at noon he had suddenly asked if she was sick.


    Why would he ask such a question out of the blue?


    During the day, she hadn''t thought much about it, but now, with Xie Shu''s absence, she felt an unusual sense of loss and discomfort, which naturally led her to imagine the worst.


    She initially wondered if she had done something wrong or not well enough to make Xie Shu lose interest, but now she couldn''t help but suspect that he knew something and was deliberately distancing himself from her.


    Just then, Xie Shu sent another message, essentially telling her he was indeed busy and not to overthink, and to rest early tonight.


    His explanation, rather than clarifying things, only fueled Ruan Nianxi''s imagination further.


    Xie Shu''s double rejection tonight, coupled with a somewhat deliberate explanation, made her overthink.


    Suspicion and fantasy are typical symptoms for people like them.


    Even though deep down she knew she shouldn''t think this way about Xie Shu, she couldn''t control her thoughts.


    Could it be that he was tired of her after just a few days?


    Could it be that he learned something and was starting to distance himself again...?


    Various thoughts bubbled up in her mind, and without medication to ease them, she couldn''t calm down at all.


    The more she thought, the more convinced she became, and the more upset she felt, lying in bed struggling to breathe, tears welling up.


    Trying not to make too much noise, she tried to open her mouth to breathe more easily.


    While she was upset, her phone buzzed again.


    She checked it and saw a message from Xie Shu: [Can you talk now?]


    She was stunned by the message, and it took her a few seconds to respond: [Yes!]


    The moment she sent the reply, Xie Shu''s call request came through.


    Overjoyed, Ruan Nianxi answered, calling out Xie Shu''s name, but as soon as she spoke, she realized her voice was nasal and off, so she quickly swallowed the rest of her words.


    But Xie Shu on the other end had already noticed: [What''s wrong with your voice?]


    Ruan Nianxi took a deep breath to steady her voice: [Nothing]


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    Her voice quickly returned to normal, so fast that Xie Shu wondered if he had misheard while multitasking.


    He had planned to continue working on the pop-up book after replying to her message.


    But for some reason, he kept thinking about his meeting with Aunt Jian at noon and her questions about Ruan Nianxi.


    He didn''t know why she asked those questions, but it left him feeling uneasy, prompting him to message Ruan Nianxi again.


    He had wanted to video call Ruan Nianxi, but he was afraid she might see the items on his desk, so he opted for a voice call instead.


    Fortunately, his timely message stopped Ruan Nianxi''s unrealistic thoughts and instantly lifted her spirits...


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 72 – Blacklist +1

    Xie Shu hadn''t been voice chatting with Ruan Nianxi for long when his phone began to buzz intermittently with WeChat notifications.


    He had deliberately left the sound on during the call, so he received an alert each time a message came through.


    His phone was right in front of him, so all it took was a glance down to see the name pop up in the notification window: Su Qianyi.


    Since the day he was reborn, he had never once clicked on her chat, read her messages, nor had he blocked her. He had always tried his best to ignore her.


    This time was no different. He wanted to ignore her, but even after enabling Do Not Disturb mode, the notification window still appeared.


    The phone was close, and he couldn''t help but catch a glimpse of the notifications out of the corner of his eye, which was starting to distract him.


    He couldn''t remember how many times he had paused what he was doing to look at his phone, and just as he did so again, another notification from Su Qianyi popped up.


    His patience was wearing thin.


    He had previously left her alone mainly because they were classmates who saw each other often, and because she was the class monitor, responsible for collecting homework, which meant he had to keep her on his friend list.


    After starting university, he joined countless groups on WeChat and QQ, receiving an overwhelming number of messages every day. Eventually, he got used to ignoring the endless red dots indicating unread messages. That''s why he had been able to disregard the multitude of messages from Su Qianyi.


    But this time... Xie Shu really found her annoying.


    After all these days of ignoring her, she should have understood his attitude, right?


    They were all adults; it wasn''t like she didn''t get it.


    The notifications kept coming every few seconds.


    While continuing to talk to Ruan Nianxi, Xie Shu calmly put down his craft knife.


    He minimized the voice call window, navigated to the friends list, and deliberately clicked on Su Qianyi''s chat.


    The chat was filled with her messages. He didn''t scroll up; he simply glanced at the screen and saw that she was asking about his relationship with Ruan Nianxi, probing into details like what they did that afternoon...


    What business was it of hers?


    With that thought, Xie Shu sent her a message...


    In the girls'' dormitory.


    Su Qianyi had been distracted since returning that afternoon, her mind wandering and feeling increasingly upset. It wasn''t until that evening that she seemed to come to a realization and mustered the courage to send Xie Shu another WeChat message.


    Her tone was still cautious, afraid that he would find her annoying.


    But she had so many questions, and her habit of sending short messages led to her accidentally sending even more.


    Just as she worried whether Xie Shu would find her bothersome, she saw that his name changed to "typing..."


    He was reading her messages!


    Her joy lasted only a second before she saw what Xie Shu had sent her.


    Xie Shu: "If you really have nothing better to do, go find a jail cell to sit in."


    Su Qianyi stared at the message for a few seconds, then hurriedly tried to send an explanation, but...


    "The message has been sent but was rejected by the recipient."


    The red exclamation mark next to the message box struck her like lightning, leaving her unable to recover. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ***


    After a series of actions, Xie Shu returned to Ruan Nianxi''s chat window, then set his phone aside and picked up the craft knife to continue his work.


    He crafted and chatted with Ruan Nianxi, occasionally glancing at the muted tutorial video on his computer.


    For some reason, he suddenly thought of Su Qianyi again.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t let go or anything; it was just a simple association with their past.


    Find the original at ".


    His attitude towards her had been very clear, hadn''t it? Dislike meant dislike, and excessive persistence only annoyed him.


    If she had been like this before, straightforward, he wasn''t a fool; he would have understood and naturally kept his distance.


    But she... aside from rejecting his confessions, she never refused anything else, which led to his mistaken belief that it was a "test" and his persistence for so long.


    It really was strange. Why not just reject directly? It wasn''t hard.


    Memories of others were quickly cleared from Xie Shu''s mind as he continued to focus on his work.


    The sound of flipping paper, the rustle of drawing on paper with a pen, and asking his roommate to borrow a certain color pen... all these sounds were transmitted to Ruan Nianxi through the phone''s microphone, making it clear to her that Xie Shu was indeed busy, and she had been overthinking.


    After calming down, she felt much more relaxed, and her mood improved significantly. Even her roommates could sense the joy in her voice from behind the bed curtains.


    Their aloof class president was in love!


    They wouldn''t think she was hiding something just because she wore headphones. They knew who she was talking to!


    It was the guy from the Art College who had appeared on the campus forum twice, once sharing an umbrella with her, and who had escorted her to class twice today!


    They wouldn''t steal her secret...


    ***


    Xie Shu noticed it was nearly midnight and stopped his work to wash up, telling Ruan Nianxi to go to bed first.


    Ruan Nianxi thought he was done for the night and obediently wished him goodnight.


    Their call ended.


    Xie Shu went to wash up.


    Upon returning, he sat back down, turned on the sound of the tutorial video on his computer, and resumed his work.


    Time ticked away, and even the usual night owls were heading to bed while he remained seated at his desk, busy.


    "Xie Shu, go to sleep early, I''m heading to bed now, can''t keep you company," Zhao Lin said as he put down his phone for good after exiting the game.


    "Me too, I''m dead tired," Li Da followed, exiting the short video app.


    "I''m already asleep; you night owls are going to drop dead one of these days," Liu Ping turned over in his bed.


    "..."


    "Got it, you guys go to sleep."


    Hearing that they were going to bed, Xie Shu once again muted the tutorial video and turned on the desk lamp.


    The night grew deeper, silent and still...


    Xie Shu didn''t know how much time had passed, but eventually, he was too exhausted to continue and went to bed.


    As dawn''s faint light crept in and all was silent, Xie Shu got up for another day...


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 73 – Overtime to catch up with the progress

    Xie Shu and his friends had no classes for the entire day. Normally, he''d take the opportunity to sleep in, right?


    But today, he had a heavy load of tasks and had to rise early.


    After getting up and freshening up, he sat down and started to work busily.


    He needed to get it done quickly.


    He had woken up early and, following a video tutorial, managed to complete several pages of the book.


    He didn''t have classes this morning, but Ruan Nianxi did, so after getting up, he even sent her a message to meet at the cafeteria.


    Before leaving, he called out to his ''dog sons'' a few times, telling them to send him their breakfast orders via his phone before he headed out.


    After leaving, he met up with Ruan Nianxi at the cafeteria as usual, had breakfast together, and then walked her to the teaching building.


    Perhaps because he had stayed up late the night before, the signs of fatigue were evident on his face, which Ruan Nianxi noticed.


    All the way, she was concerned about his condition, her eyes filled with worry, insisting he go back and not bother sending her off.


    Her caring demeanor was quite endearing, making Xie Shu laugh a couple of times and even playfully ruffle her hair.


    Then she became shy and didn''t say much for the rest of the walk.


    After dropping her off at the teaching building, Xie Shu went to the campus supermarket to buy some materials.


    Since it was his first time making a pop-up book, some mistakes were inevitable, or he wasn''t satisfied with some parts, so he had wasted quite a bit of material and needed to restock.


    Next, he visited the print shop to print out all the photos of him and Ruan Nianxi from elementary to junior high school that he had saved in Penguin Space the night before.


    If it was a photo of them together, he would ask for an extra copy.


    After purchasing these items, he made another trip to the cafeteria to bring back food for his ''dog sons.''


    But when he checked his phone at the cafeteria, there were no messages from them.


    It seemed they had fallen back asleep after he left.


    Fing Hell, what a bunch of ''dog sons''!


    Always making their ''father'' worry!


    So Xie Shu called them up.


    Li Da''s name was at the top of the contact list, so he called him first.


    But the call didn''t go through.


    Feeling puzzled, he then called Liu Ping.


    This time, the call connected.


    He asked what they wanted for breakfast since he was already at the cafeteria.


    Liu Ping mumbled a few words before suddenly waking up, shouting "Father!" and then listed what he wanted to eat, not forgetting to call the other two.


    Xie Shu heard him calling Li Da''s name several times with no response and thought he might have gone out, but the next second he heard Li Da''s voice: "What''s up? Summoning spirits in the bathroom? Liu Ping, who are you calling so early?"


    Liu Ping: "Your father."


    Li Da: "How''s that possible? You don''t even know my dad, alright!"


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    Liu Ping: "How could I not? Try talking to him yourself."


    A few seconds later, Li Da''s voice came through the receiver: "Fing Hell, you''re clearly on the phone with Xie Shu, spouting nonsense, are you asking for a beating?!"


    Xie Shu didn''t have time for their jokes and asked directly, "I''m at the cafeteria, what do you want to eat?"


    Li Da: "Dad! Just the usual for me!"


    ***


    When Xie Shu returned to the dorm, all three of his rebellious ''sons'' were up.


    He handed them their food and continued with his own work.


    He had stayed up late the previous night working on the book cover and a few pages, and in the morning, he had done a few more. With a "frame" in place, it was time to add "content."


    From the videos he had watched, some content creators used journal stickers to make the content look richer.


    But since he had decided to do this on the fly, naturally, he didn''t have any such stickers. He had checked the supermarket, which didn''t sell them, and it was too late to order online, so he decided to draw everything himself.


    With his foundational skills, he didn''t think it would be difficult.


    Drawing some simple characters was easy; it wasn''t like a joint exam where he had to deal with complex shading.


    Simple as it was, the workload was still substantial.


    Moreover, he had to make these drawings stand up on the pages, which meant extra time cutting out the figures from the paper and then "installing" them.


    Besides, each page had to have little mechanisms set up...


    In short, it wasn''t that simple.


    All morning, he focused on drawing various patterns, and his ''sons'' didn''t dare disturb him.


    At noon, he went out to pick up Ruan Nianxi from her class, and after a quick meal, he returned to his work.


    Ruan Nianxi had no classes in the afternoon, so he chatted with her for a while, eventually lulling her to sleep before diving back into his craftwork.


    He roughly estimated his progress and felt he could finish by tomorrow at the latest.


    "Xie Shu, why don''t you put aside what you''re doing for now? Focus on your homework instead."


    In the afternoon, at some point, the others, who had been entertaining themselves, were all now seated at their desks, working on CAD to finish their assignments. Zhao Lin, seeing how long it had been, couldn''t help but remind Xie Shu.


    "The public assignment is due tomorrow; maybe you should prioritize that." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their major''s assignments... simply couldn''t be copied.


    They were all good brothers; if they could help him copy, they would have said nothing and just done it, and even if he really couldn''t make it, they would have helped him copy.


    But with design work...


    Copying would be almost like cut and paste, and the teacher would spot it immediately.


    Moreover, their public assignments were in the final stages, and everyone''s design style was different, so how could they copy? How could they help?


    It was all up to the individual.


    Considering their good brother, they still wanted him to finish his assignment first.


    Xie Shu glanced at them, recalled his progress on the public assignment, and said nonchalantly, "Don''t worry, I''ll make it. You guys go ahead with your work."


    The others were worried he wouldn''t be able to submit his assignment on time and the teacher would fail him, but since they couldn''t persuade him, they let Xie Shu do his own thing.


    That entire day, Xie Shu''s mind was entirely on the pop-up book. He hardly went out and barely rested, even suppressing his afternoon drowsiness.


    Compared to his unfamiliarity yesterday, today his movements were much faster.


    He worked overtime all day, and by midnight, he had completed several pages of "content."


    At that time, Ruan Nianxi was still awake, chatting with Xie Shu over voice call.


    It wasn''t until later, when Xie Shu noticed it was getting late, that he told her to go to sleep, ending the call.


    To keep up with the progress, he stayed up a bit longer.


    Finally, when he could no longer keep his eyes open, he went to bed to sleep...


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 74 – Sitting together

    The next day.


    Xie Shu rose early again.


    They had classes in the morning, but only the last two periods. He planned to use the time before class to continue working on his pop-up book.


    To save time, he didn''t go to the cafeteria for breakfast and asked his roommates to bring something back for him instead.


    He also messaged Ruan Nianxi to let her know he was busy in the morning and suggested she go to the cafeteria if she was hungry, promising to accompany her every day in the future.


    Since there was no rush, his roommates left for the cafeteria around eight, taking their time.


    Upon reaching the entrance, they unexpectedly saw Ruan Nianxi.


    She stood outside the door, her gaze lowered to the nearby greenery, her expression clearly one of dejection.


    They thought she was waiting for Xie Shu and, knowing he wouldn''t come to the cafeteria that morning, they approached to inform her. To their surprise, she said Xie Shu had already told her.


    He had messaged her early on to say he had things to do and wouldn''t be able to join her for breakfast, advising her to eat without him.


    But by then, she was already halfway to the cafeteria. Although she agreed, she now felt... quite downhearted.


    A few days of his company had made even a single absence feel unbearably painful.


    She didn''t know what to eat and found herself wandering to the second cafeteria, closer to the male dorms. As she pondered what to have, her thoughts inevitably drifted to Xie Shu, and that''s when she ran into them.


    "Is Xie Shu... very busy?" Ruan Nianxi couldn''t help but ask.


    It seemed he had been busy since the night before last.


    Even though he spent the previous day with her, taking her to meals and classes, she could sense his urgency and even noticed the fatigue on his face.


    He didn''t say, and she didn''t ask.


    He had been busy all of yesterday, and she thought he would be free today, but he didn''t even have time for breakfast with her this morning.


    What could he be so busy with?


    His friends didn''t seem as busy as he was...


    Before Ruan Nianxi could dwell on it further, Xie Shu''s loyal friends interrupted her wild speculations.


    Zhao Lin said, "We''re about to finish one of our major courses, and everyone is rushing to complete the final workload. He probably has a lot to catch up on, so he''s short on time. He used to go to bed early, but these past few days, he''s been sleeping later than us and waking up earlier!"


    Li Da nodded vigorously, "Exactly, he got up super early today, didn''t even have time for breakfast, so we had to act like his pa... Ah!"


    Liu Ping elbowed Li Da and took over, "We brought breakfast for him."


    Was it because of homework?


    But if that was the case, he could have just told her directly, so why did he always say "something came up"?


    Ruan Nianxi was naturally distrustful of most people, even Xie Shu''s friends. Unless it was from Xie Shu himself, she wouldn''t readily believe it.


    Despite her doubts, she didn''t voice them.


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    She simply nodded and then offered to buy breakfast for Xie Shu since she was already there. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To his friends, it was only a matter of time before Xie Shu and his childhood sweetheart got together, so no one objected.


    After Ruan Nianxi bought the breakfast, they helped carry it back for her.


    Back at the dorm, Xie Shu was silent upon seeing the overly generous breakfast they had brought.


    Hadn''t he just asked for soy milk and fried dough sticks?


    Now there was tofu pudding, glutinous rice balls, eggs, and more...


    Too much to say, yet each item was just one, not really a large quantity.


    Too little to say, yet it was indeed more than his usual breakfast, which was always just enough to get by, the quantity never mattered to him.


    "How much was it? I''ll transfer the money to you," he said, putting down his craft knife and reaching for his phone.


    "Why transfer? Your childhood sweetheart bought it for you."


    Zhao Lin sat down with a thud, took a sip of his soy milk, and with the other hand, held a fried dough stick and several meat buns, his envy nearly crushing his teeth.


    Darn it!


    Why didn''t they have a childhood sweetheart?


    Actually, at the cafeteria, Ruan Nianxi had intended to buy for Xie Shu''s friends as well, but since they were right there, it would have been awkward to accept, so they repeatedly refused.


    Ruan Nianxi didn''t insist and ended up buying only for Xie Shu.


    Hearing this, Xie Shu raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead picking up his phone to open the chat with Ruan Nianxi and express his gratitude.


    At the same time, his desire to finish the pop-up book grew even stronger.


    He really wanted to hug her.


    ***


    For the third period in the morning, Xie Shu arrived at the classroom just in time.


    Focused on completing the pop-up book, he had carefully calculated when to leave, making full use of any spare time.


    He had timed his arrival perfectly.


    Most of his classmates were already there, and the front seats were all taken, so he had to carry his laptop to the back of the classroom.


    Unlike general courses, the classroom for major subjects was smaller, fitting just about one class''s worth of students, with only a few seats to spare.


    His roommates had left earlier than him, so they were sitting together, and coincidentally, there were no empty seats next to them.


    Xie Shu didn''t mind and took a seat by the back door.


    There were two empty seats there, and he planned to catch up on his work and then continue drawing materials on the other seat, having brought everything with him.


    He would set up his laptop on one side and draw on paper on the other.


    His plan was solid, but Su Qianyi, who arrived even later, shattered it.


    Su Qianyi was a few minutes late, the teacher had already entered the classroom, and she and An Tian hurried in with their laptops.


    The teacher didn''t mark them as late but still frowned and scolded them.


    By then, there were no adjacent seats left in the class; they had to sit separately.


    Su Qianyi scanned the classroom and eventually headed towards the back door...


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 75 – Familiar, yet unfamiliar

    Su Qianyi walked to another empty seat at the back door under the strange gazes of her classmates and set down her laptop bag.


    By this time, Xie Shu had already plugged in his computer and was powering it up.


    As Su Qianyi approached, Xie Shu merely glanced up at her as she walked over.


    Afterwards, his attention was entirely on his computer; he didn''t look at her again, and he completely ignored the occasional glances from the students in front of him.


    The space at the back door was ample, and there was a long stretch of empty seats, so even though Xie Shu was sitting on the outside, he didn''t need to stand up to make way for Su Qianyi.


    Su Qianyi sat next to Xie Shu, silently took out her laptop, and occasionally glanced at the person beside her.


    Xie Shu never looked at her, and after she sat down, he even slightly withdrew the elbow he had on the table...


    She plugged in her laptop charger, booted up the computer, and glanced sideways at Xie Shu again, her lips parting slightly as if wanting to speak to him.


    But Xie Shu had already opened CAD and 3D MAX, toggling between the two programs, completely engrossed and looking like he did not want to be disturbed.


    The teacher was now standing at the podium, urging them to keep up with their progress, demanding that everyone submit their assignments to the class representative by the end of the day, who would then send them collectively to his email.


    This morning''s two classes were the last for this particular course, and naturally, the teacher wanted their assignments.


    They had been taking this course for several weeks now; it was one that Xie Shu had started before his rebirth. Of course, it was just one of their major courses coming to an end; they had other courses to attend.


    Submitting by the end of the day seemed like ample time, but in their field, who knew how long it would take to render a single image in 3D, or if the computer would crash at the last minute.


    In short, everyone was quite apprehensive, which is why some had started addressing issues from the day before, planning to spend the last day rendering as a precaution.


    Class had only just begun, and some students were already starting their 3D renders, clearly having made significant progress ahead of time.


    Xie Shu hadn''t rushed his work; he had spent the previous day working on a pop-up book.


    What else could he do today but rush through it?


    Fortunately, his past life experience with such tasks was extensive, having worked on numerous projects big and small, so last-minute work wasn''t a big issue for him.


    Moreover, as the course was nearing its end, there shouldn''t be any major issues with the assignment. Just get it done!


    Xie Shu, with his familiarity, spent the entire class focused on his assignment, never taking his eyes off the computer, not sparing a thought for anything related to Su Qianyi.


    To him, she was just an ordinary classmate at this point, nothing more.


    But Su Qianyi''s thoughts were a whirlwind...


    She had wanted to talk to Xie Shu several times, but every time she remembered how he had blocked her, she lost her courage and didn''t dare to interrupt his diligent work on the assignment.


    That night, after Xie Shu blocked her and she had been extremely upset, she strangely calmed down.


    Having known Xie Shu for so long, she was aware of his character; he was always gentle and kind, rarely angry with anyone. But the message he sent her that night clearly showed his anger towards her.


    He was mad.


    But why?


    Was it because she sent too many messages?


    But... hadn''t she sent him many messages before?


    Although he hadn''t read them, he shouldn''t have been... angry, right?


    So, she thought, maybe he was busy with something else, like homework, especially since their course was ending. Yesterday, her dorm mates were all rushing their work, and so were others from different dorms. Maybe he was too, and she just happened to disturb him with her continuous messaging, which made him angry.


    She had wanted to message Xie Shu to explain that she would stop bothering him for now and to ask him not to be mad.


    But by then, her phone number and WeChat had been blocked...


    She still had him as a friend on QQ, but she didn''t dare send a single message, fearing she''d be blocked again.


    Today, knowing they had class, she wanted to explain in person, hoping he would remove her from the blacklist and also... to ask him face-to-face about Ruan Nianxi...


    But he was so engrossed now, she feared disturbing him would make him angry again.


    So... maybe after class?


    Or after school?


    In any case, they didn''t exchange a single word throughout the class.


    Xie Shu used the class time to catch up with all the work, adjust the camera height and angle, set the rendering parameters, and then started rendering.


    The rendering was slow, and he wasn''t sure how long it would take to produce the spatial images required by the teacher. He just had to wait.


    A few minutes into the rendering, the bell rang for the end of class.


    Xie Shu stood up and left his seat immediately, with Su Qianyi beside him not even having the chance to call his name.


    He went to the restroom, and upon returning, he didn''t rush back but stood on the balcony of the teaching building, chatting with Ruan Nianxi on his phone for a while.


    After the bell for the start of class rang, he put away his phone and returned.


    Back in the classroom, he glanced at his computer to see the rendering had only progressed a little.


    He then took out the brushes and paper he had brought with him, moved his computer aside slightly to make a small space, and continued drawing materials to be cut and used later in the afternoon.


    He leaned to the side as he drew, and since he was angled away from the table, Su Qianyi couldn''t quite see what he was drawing.


    However, it wasn''t part of the assignment, so she didn''t think much of it, assuming he was just doodling out of boredom while waiting for the rendering.


    Now she could call him without him getting angry, right?


    As she hesitated, wanting to call Xie Shu''s name, someone else beat her to it.


    A student sitting across the aisle from their position noticed Xie Shu was rendering and couldn''t help but ask for his help.


    "Xie Shu, why is my render preview black? Can you take a look for me?"


    Hearing this, Xie Shu turned his head to look at the student''s computer, then stood up to check the issue, and after resolving the parameter settings, he sat down to continue drawing.


    But after the first, there came a second...


    Although everyone had learned 3D, they were generally not proficient, often searching for solutions as they worked.


    Those who couldn''t find answers on their own had no choice but to seek help.


    They were too shy to ask the teacher, so they turned to Xie Shu, who seemed to know everything.


    Xie Shu ended up walking around most of the classroom, helping many people with various issues.


    Later, he even sent a set of parameter data to the class group chat, telling others to follow the settings, so he wouldn''t have to explain each one individually.


    The teacher, sitting at the podium, watched Xie Shu busily moving around, even busier than himself, and couldn''t help but praise him in front of the class.


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    Xie Shu himself was used to it; in his previous life, he often mentored newcomers, who frequently asked him these questions.


    Su Qianyi just sat in the corner watching Xie Shu; wherever he went, her gaze followed. He never showed a hint of impatience, and as she watched, she suddenly felt a sourness in her eyes.


    He was still the same as before, kind to everyone, his personality unchanged. Yet why did she feel he was so unfamiliar...


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 76 – Cant you be a little more confident?

    Xie Shu spent most of the class helping some of his classmates with their questions.


    He walked from one end of the classroom to the other.


    Su Qianyi usually had good grades and was serious about her studies, so she didn''t really have any issues she couldn''t handle.


    She was almost in sync with Xie Shu when it came to 3D rendering. She thought she could use the rendering wait time to have a good chat with him and clarify everything that had happened over the past few days, but now...


    Her gaze still followed Xie Shu as he moved.


    She watched him solve someone''s 3D rendering issue, and then no one called his name anymore.


    Just when she thought Xie Shu would return to his seat, the next second she saw him sitting in an empty spot on the other side of the classroom, pulling out his phone and typing away, occasionally laughing.


    Without him returning to his original seat, Su Qianyi couldn''t find the opportunity to speak with him.


    And so it continued until the lunch break.


    After the teacher left the classroom, some students also packed up and left.


    Those who remained were all waiting for their 3D renderings to finish, not daring to unplug their computers.


    Xie Shu was among them.


    After class, he returned to his seat to check on his rendering progress, which was not even halfway done, indicating he wouldn''t be leaving anytime soon.


    His three roommates, after setting up their computers, gathered around to check his progress.


    Zhao Lin gave Xie Shu a punch with a grin: "How come you''re so fast, kid? Did you work us over while we were sleeping?"


    He was referring to the progress of their assignments.


    They had rushed their work all afternoon in the dormitory yesterday and continued this morning, thinking they could catch up in the classroom and start rendering during the last class, only to find they were still behind after two more classes!


    Xie Shu, on the other hand, had caught up with all the work in just one class, even though they were previously on par!


    It was truly frustrating to compare oneself to others!


    They had been worried about him running out of time, only to find their concern was for naught!


    A waste of their emotions!


    "I didn''t have time to work you guys over, I''ve been too busy myself," Xie Shu said, slapping away Zhao Lin''s hand as he attempted another "attack," and continued, "You guys better head back, every second wasted is a second lost."


    Those leaving the classroom now were the ones who hadn''t started rendering due to being slightly behind. Everyone was eager to return to their dorms to make adjustments and start rendering, as no one wanted to sit in the classroom forever.


    Xie Shu urged them to leave, then took a photo of his computer with his phone and sent it to Ruan Nianxi, explaining that he couldn''t return for lunch just yet.


    He really had no choice; although his laptop had battery power without being plugged in, it would slow down significantly, and he feared that carrying it back to the dorm might cause the 3D rendering to crash, wasting all the progress made. Even when plugged in, rendering could sometimes freeze, so it was better to stay and deal with any issues immediately.


    Those who stayed in the classroom, including Su Qianyi, were in the same situation.


    While messaging Ruan Nianxi, Xie Shu moved to another empty seat, deliberately avoiding sitting at his computer spot.


    Upon receiving Xie Shu''s message, Ruan Nianxi felt an even stronger sense of loss and suggested coming to the classroom to find him, but Xie Shu declined.


    It was a hot noon, and the academic and residential areas were quite far apart. He didn''t want her to be out in the sun and suggested she head back to the dorm to enjoy the air conditioning after eating, without worrying about him.


    To make sure she really wouldn''t wander off, Xie Shu asked her to send a photo to show she had gone to the cafeteria as told. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The photo came, and she was indeed in the cafeteria.


    Then Xie Shu ordered takeout for himself through a delivery app and sent a screenshot to Ruan Nianxi.


    The two of them communicated through their screens.


    "Su Qianyi, do you want to order takeout together? I''ll pick it up later," a male classmate who also hadn''t left suddenly asked her.


    Su Qianyi glanced at Xie Shu, who was sitting diagonally in front of her, but he didn''t react.


    Pursing her red lips, she then turned to the male classmate and deliberately raised her voice a little, "Let me see."


    Seeing that she didn''t refuse this time, the boy immediately handed her his phone to make her selection.


    She took it and continued to watch Xie Shu from the corner of her eye while browsing the phone.


    In the past, when they had many classes, they often stayed over lunch, and it was always Xie Shu who would ask her to order takeout together.


    Pretending to sift through the options, the male student also eagerly chatted with her, and she responded to each remark.


    She usually would have outright rejected other men''s advances, but today... she knew it might be useless, but she couldn''t help wanting to try.


    Xie Shu... after all these years, choosing the same school and major, how could he let go so easily!


    She didn''t believe it!


    "Xie Shu, what do you want to eat? We''re ordering and we''ll treat you," the students who had received Xie Shu''s help were also ordering takeout and wanted to thank him by inviting him.


    Xie Shu looked at them and smiled, "Thanks, but I''ve already ordered. You guys just order for yourselves."


    "Ah, is that so? Well, we''ll get you a tea with milk then, that''s settled."


    They didn''t wait for Xie Shu''s refusal and placed the order.


    Xie Shu could only express his gratitude again and then lowered his head to continue messaging Ruan Nianxi.


    After staring at the male student''s phone for another ten seconds, Su Qianyi handed it back, "I don''t really feel like eating anything, you go ahead and order."


    The male student was taken aback, wanting to say something, but Su Qianyi had already taken out her own phone and started chatting with An Tian, who had returned to the dormitory earlier.


    The boy had no choice but to leave without accomplishing anything.


    Xie Shu''s chat with Ruan Nianxi was brief before he received a call from the delivery guy.


    Before going downstairs, he checked his computer again to make sure it wasn''t frozen, then left through the back door without saying anything extra, not even glancing in Su Qianyi''s direction.


    After picking up his takeout, he didn''t return to his classroom but sat in an empty one next door, opening a video call with Ruan Nianxi for a while.


    After finishing lunch, he prepared to draw while waiting for the rendering and closed the video call, then headed back to the classroom.


    Upon returning, he checked his computer again; the rendering was still going without issues. And there was a tea with milk next to it.


    He took out the drawing he had been working on and the pen from his bag, along with the tea with milk bought by his classmates, ready to find an empty spot to sit and draw.


    "Xie Shu!"


    Seeing Xie Shu about to leave again without a moment''s pause, Su Qianyi called out to him this time.


    Her voice wasn''t loud, but Xie Shu was close enough to hear.


    Xie Shu paused his departure and looked at her, signaling her to speak if she had something to say.


    "Can we have a proper talk?"


    He didn''t answer, but still looked at her, waiting for her to continue.


    Su Qianyi hesitated, unsure of where to start: "I... you, can we go back to how things were..."


    "Su Qianyi, I don''t have time for idle chatter, I''m very busy."


    Xie Shu cut her off before she could finish, his form of address making the distance between them clear.


    He shifted his gaze away, ready to leave again.


    Su Qianyi''s heart raced with urgency, calling his name again, noticing his expression turning impatient, she became even more anxious.


    In her desperation, she changed the subject, pointing to her computer screen, "Do you think it would be better to add a partition here?"


    Her computer was rendering an image, and although it wasn''t complete, the layout and arrangement were somewhat visible after such a long time.


    Xie Shu didn''t bother to look closely at her question and simply said, "I don''t know."


    Su Qianyi stiffened; he was always patient with others... but clearly had a different attitude towards her.


    Was he deliberately acting this way because he didn''t want to talk to her?


    Biting her red lip, she couldn''t help but continue to speak:"Can''t you be a little more confident?"


    "I don''t know."


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 77 – 3D book, completed

    "..."


    "Su Qianyi, you should have thought about this kind of issue early on. Now you''re asking me at the last minute, and honestly, I can''t offer much advice. Besides, there''s no standard answer in design. If you think it''s reasonable, then it''s fine." Xie Shu said.


    Xie Shu was telling the truth, which is why he hadn''t looked closely just now.


    Because looking wouldn''t help.


    Was he expected to give feedback for her to redo the CAD?


    With the deadline for submission looming, going back to make changes was out of the question, so he didn''t pay much attention.


    If she had asked about how to use the software, he could have provided the correct answers.


    Su Qianyi remained stiff.


    Xie Shu was right, and she couldn''t argue. Her question had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, and whether he had suggestions or not didn''t really matter to her. Even if there were issues, she couldn''t afford to go back and make changes¡ªthere simply wasn''t time.


    What she cared about was Xie Shu''s attitude...


    He was earnest when it came to studies, but clearly disinterested in anything else.


    Seeing that she had nothing more to say, Xie Shu left, this time sitting a bit farther away.


    The other classmates, having nothing to do, were discussing starting a gaming session. They invited Xie Shu, but he declined.


    Someone curiously peered over to see him drawing and asked what it was for. Xie Shu simply replied that it was something important, without elaborating.


    After a while, the others couldn''t figure out what he was up to and dispersed, each going back to their own activities.


    Xie Shu continued to draw while checking his phone, as he was chatting with Ruan Nianxi.


    Meanwhile, there were new messages in his dorm group chat.


    His three "unruly sons" were tagging him.


    They had caught up with their work and were now rendering, but rendering always brought up various problems they couldn''t solve, so they turned to him in the group chat.


    After scolding them for their incompetence, Xie Shu asked them to send screenshots so he could diagnose the issues.


    Xie Shu: [The teacher went over this in class. How do you guys listen? Don''t go around saying I''m your dad if you can''t learn properly. I don''t want to be embarrassed!]


    With his "sons," Xie Shu''s attitude softened considerably.


    They took turns thanking him in the group chat, promising to study harder and not to let him down.


    Xie Shu chuckled as he banged on the desk, then sent another message: [I told you guys not to stay up late. It''s bad for your health. For instance, 1. You start hallucinating, 2. Your memory worsens, 4. You can''t count, 6. Your body weakens. Remember these 9 points!] Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At such times, no one dared to defy their "father," and they all swore in the group chat they wouldn''t stay up late anymore¡ªif they did, they''d swear again.


    Xie Shu chatted nonsense with them for a few minutes before picking up his pen to continue drawing.


    Later, he told Ruan Nianxi to take a nap and didn''t distract himself further.


    Xie Shu had lost track of how many times he checked his computer, but finally, during the third afternoon class, his first image finished rendering.


    After saving the image, he shut down his computer, packed it up, and left the classroom.


    He wasn''t the first to leave, nor the last, as other students were still waiting for their renderings.


    ***


    He rushed back to his dorm at top speed, reopened his computer, and started rendering the second image.


    At the same time, he cut out all the materials he had drawn in advance with a craft knife to continue making the pop-up book.


    He managed to multitask without delay.


    Through the afternoon and into the evening, he didn''t leave his dorm, and he was too busy to even eat the dinner his roommate brought back.


    A quick look at /2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.


    He was so rushed he didn''t have time to chat with Ruan Nianxi, leaving only a message saying, "Busy, will contact you tonight," before not checking the chat app again.


    His plan was to finish everything that night.


    He was almost there; the last page of the book was nearly complete, but just a little bit remained...


    Xie Shu glanced at the time on his phone and felt a bit anxious.


    It was already dark outside, and there was a little over an hour left before the dormitory closed...


    But he couldn''t afford to make mistakes in his haste.


    He forced himself to calm down and focus on the task at hand, ignoring the time.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, he felt he still had enough time because the alarm he set for the "final stage" hadn''t gone off yet.


    The last page of the book was finished!


    But there was one more step.


    He took out the transparent PVC sheet he had bought in advance, cut it to the right size, and attached it to the book cover. Only then was it completely done.


    Just then, his alarm went off.


    He made it!!


    There was still time!


    Xie Shu breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing.


    Without time to unwind, he immediately picked up his phone, found Ruan Nianxi''s name, and sent her a message.


    After receiving her reply, he smiled, put away his phone, picked up the book from the desk, and prepared to leave.


    "Guys, keep an eye on my computer. If it crashes, let me know. I''m heading out!"


    "Eh? You''re done..."


    The loud sound of the door closing was their answer.


    Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan

 Chapter 78 – In the future, would you like to see the scenery with me?

    Girls'' dormitory.


    Ruan Nianxi had been daydreaming since the afternoon.


    Every now and then, she glanced at her phone to see if Xie Shu had messaged her.


    But their latest conversation was still from the afternoon...


    He said he was busy and would contact her in the evening.


    But now it was already dark...


    At noon, he mentioned he was busy with homework and didn''t have time. In the afternoon, he said he was busy again, but didn''t specify with what...


    What has he been doing for two days?


    Was he really not avoiding her on purpose?


    Had he reconciled with Su Qianyi and didn''t want her anymore?


    Right, she almost forgot they were classmates; they could see each other every day in class...


    Ruan Nianxi bit her lip in distress, exited WeChat again, and put down her phone, her gaze drifting back to the items on her desk.


    To access the premium content, go to [ ].


    Once she got an idea in her head, Ruan Nianxi couldn''t control her thoughts and would wildly speculate.


    A heavy suspicion is a major symptom of paranoia; even if their suspicions aren''t true, they construct a complex, unified, and coherent framework in their minds.


    As she pondered, Ruan Nianxi''s heart ached as if it were being sliced, and her breathing became labored.


    What''s the point? They knew each other first...


    Remembering the moments she had spent with Xie Shu these past few days, Ruan Nianxi''s possessiveness magnified, but each time this desire peaked, her mind miraculously calmed down, and she maintained her rationality.


    She couldn''t make another mistake at school; if her parents found out, they would take her away from Xie Shu again.


    At the same time... she didn''t want Xie Shu to see her true self, afraid he wouldn''t like it and would silently exit her world.


    She couldn''t accept either outcome.


    Right now, she had no real power; even if she had ideas, she had to wait until she was capable enough to act on them.


    After quietly adjusting her mental state, Ruan Nianxi got up from her seat, stepped out onto the balcony, and tended to her gardenia plant.


    She had no experience with plants and didn''t know how to care for them. It was only when the gardenia wilted significantly yesterday that she thought to look up information online, and then she moved the plant to a spot where it could get sunlight.


    The gardenia was small and didn''t require much effort. After changing the water, she stood outside for a while, then went back into the dormitory.


    There was half an hour left until curfew, and her roommates hadn''t returned yet; she was alone in the dormitory.


    Even though she was used to being alone, she felt a profound loneliness these two days.


    She glanced at her phone again; still no messages.


    Her eyelids drooped, silently mourning.


    She put down her phone, sat back down, and continued to daydream.


    These two days... or rather, these past few years, this was how she lived.


    When she had nothing to do, she would sit and reminisce about her times with Xie Shu, until something came up that needed her attention.


    As long as nothing else distracted her, she could reminisce endlessly.


    She had persisted for years, and now, just two days without seeing Xie Shu much, she was already feeling uncomfortable. She really was too greedy, wanting everything.


    Just as she was internally reprimanding herself, her phone suddenly chimed, interrupting her thoughts.


    Ruan Nianxi unlocked her phone and saw a red "1" next to Xie Shu''s name.


    He had finally messaged her!


    Her previously downcast mood instantly lifted.


    She eagerly opened the message and saw a "richly illustrated" message:


    ¡¾?Bored? ¡îAlone¡îand¡îlonely¡î?Hot weather?How about a walk on the field?¡¿


    It took Ruan Nianxi a few seconds to realize that Xie Shu was inviting her out.


    All her feelings of loss vanished, replaced by boundless joy.


    She typed back with both hands: ¡¾Okay.¡¿


    Xie Shu: ¡¾See you at the field!¡¿


    Ruan Nianxi: ¡¾Okay.¡¿


    After replying, Ruan Nianxi couldn''t wait to leave.


    She didn''t know if it was because curfew was approaching or because she hadn''t properly spent time with him for two days, but she was in a hurry, even speeding up her descent down the stairs.


    Before reaching the field, she received another message from Xie Shu, saying he had arrived and was waiting for her at the entrance. After seeing the message, she quickened her pace even more.


    Approaching the entrance, she saw a familiar figure standing under the streetlight from afar.


    He stood tall, facing the field, seemingly watching the people exercising or the couples strolling...


    Ruan Nianxi slowed her pace, calmed her excited heart, and walked over with a feigned casual demeanor.


    Xie Shu watched the people on the field while keeping an eye on the direction of the girls'' dormitory.


    When he turned his head again, he saw Ruan Nianxi slowly walking towards him.


    Seeing her finally arrive, he turned to face her and took a few steps in her direction: "I hope I didn''t disturb you by calling you out so late?"


    Ruan Nianxi shook her head: "No."


    She had nothing else to do anyway.


    After responding, Ruan Nianxi noticed that Xie Shu was holding a thick book under his arm.


    She didn''t think much of it, assuming it was some extracurricular or professional book, and looked away after a glance.


    But the next second, Xie Shu took the book and handed it to her.


    Ruan Nianxi: "???"


    "For you."


    "Thank you!"


    Xie Shu turned back to look at the field, his body following suit: "Let''s walk a few laps."


    "Okay."


    And so they entered the field together.


    On the field, some were running, others strolling along the track, couples lounged on the grass, and many people gathered to play...


    Xie Shu glanced at Ruan Nianxi beside him; she was still looking down, flipping through the book in her hands.


    The pop-up book he made had a band with a bow tied around it; to open the book, one had to untie the band first.


    But she just held the book, looking at the cover and back, without opening it.


    "What kind of book is this? Why doesn''t it have a title?" Ruan Nianxi had been looking for a while and hadn''t found the title, so she asked curiously.


    Realizing what she had been doing, Xie Shu smiled lightly without answering right away, instead pointing at the band: "Open it and see."


    Without another word from him, Ruan Nianxi untied the band.


    Then, she turned the first page.


    As the page opened, various illustrations popped up...


    The lights on the field were bright, and Ruan Nianxi could see the "contents" of the book clearly. She widened her eyes in disbelief and glanced at Xie Shu.


    "Isn''t this our... childhood photos? How did they end up in this book?"


    Ruan Nianxi was surprised to see the pop-up photos of their childhood.


    She was unfamiliar with pop-up books and had no concept of them, so Xie Shu simply told her that he had made it.


    Hearing this, Ruan Nianxi was even more astonished. She looked at the "contents" of the book again; aside from the central photo of their childhood which looked printed, the rest...


    Were all drawn by him?


    Not only were most of the pop-up images drawn, but even the flat pages had various patterns.


    How long did that take?


    Suddenly, as if remembering something, she looked at Xie Shu again and asked, "Have you been working on this for the past two days?"


    "Yes."


    So he wasn''t avoiding her; he was making her a gift, and she had doubted him...


    A wave of self-reproach washed over her, but it was soon replaced by a surge of happiness.


    He made it by hand!!


    "You''re amazing!" Ruan Nianxi expressed her admiration.


    Xie Shu continued to smile without speaking.


    The two strolled leisurely around the field.


    Ruan Nianxi, thrilled with the pop-up book, discovered under Xie Shu''s guidance that the book could have little mechanisms hiding "content." She opened these mechanisms to find his hand-drawn illustrations, all featuring the two of them!


    Although Xie Shu''s drawings weren''t exquisitely realistic, he captured their characteristics well, making them easily recognizable.


    In the middle of the pages, beneath their photo, there were additional embellishments, a mini scene set up with two tiny figures that could move side to side¡ªundoubtedly also representing them.


    He even created a pullable mechanism that recorded the moment they first met in pictorial form, which made Ruan Nianxi laugh as she looked at it.


    She had never forgotten their first encounter.


    He was the first person in her memory to stand up for her; how could she forget?


    Ruan Nianxi grew fonder the more she looked, and after carefully examining the first page, she reluctantly turned to the next.


    The second page opened to more pop-up images.


    The scene was still a mini one with characters and hidden "content" mechanisms, but the figures on this page had clearly grown a bit.


    They were still cartoonish, but their faces weren''t as round.


    The third page, the characters seemed to have grown a bit more, and the scene had changed, which she found amusing.


    The fourth page...


    Xie Shu silently watched her, not rushing, smiling as she laughed.


    Due to time constraints, he didn''t make many pages for the pop-up book¡ªjust five in total.


    Though not many, he made them interesting, and Ruan Nianxi took her time looking through them.


    After finishing the previous pages, she turned to the last one.


    Upon turning the page, a dense array of tiny hearts popped up like a starry sky, astonishing Ruan Nianxi even more.


    This page wasn''t as elaborate, featuring only a bridge made of dense hearts and a window-shaped mechanism.


    With her previous experience, she skillfully pulled the tab next to it, opening the window.


    "Outside" the window was a blue sky with white clouds, distant mountains in the background, and a message:


    "Would you like to join me in watching the future''s watercolor mountains and soft red earth?"


    Ruan Nianxi suddenly stopped walking, and Xie Shu stopped as well, turning to face her.


    He intended to say something but saw Ruan Nianxi slowly close the window and then the book, bowing her head.


    The words he wanted to say were swallowed back.


    Under the lights, Ruan Nianxi''s head was bowed so low that Xie Shu couldn''t see her expression, let alone know what she was thinking.


    No response.


    This reaction was something Xie Shu hadn''t anticipated.


    After a moment, he tried to take Ruan Nianxi''s hand, but as soon as he touched her, she recoiled slightly as if startled.


    It was a small movement, but Xie Shu noticed.


    Reluctantly, he withdrew his hand.


    There was no need to rush for now.


    "We have half a lap left, and it''s about time. I''ll walk you back to the dormitory."


    He turned back around and took a step forward, moving very slowly, giving Ruan Nianxi enough time to collect herself and follow.


    But because he turned away, he missed seeing Ruan Nianxi''s hand reaching out to grasp his again...


    Xie Shu took the lead and walked away, and Ruan Nianxi had no choice but to follow.


    Soon, they were walking side by side again.


    But this time, the cheerful laughter was gone, replaced by silence.


    Xie Shu didn''t want to pressure Ruan Nianxi; he knew she needed time to process.


    The ease of the previous moments was suddenly interrupted by a lifetime commitment, which must have startled her.


    And since she had accepted the gift and was holding it tightly, there probably wouldn''t be any major issues.


    As they were about to leave the field, Xie Shu intended to tell her to rest early tonight, but suddenly felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.


    He turned to look and saw Ruan Nianxi''s hand.


    She was still looking down, her other hand clutching the pop-up book tightly.


    Xie Shu smiled and took her hand that was tugging at his sleeve.


    "Let''s go, the dormitory is about to close. I''ll walk you back first," he said softly.


    "Okay," Ruan Nianxi replied in a barely audible voice, but Xie Shu heard her clearly.


    Then they left the field, holding hands.


    On the way to the girls'' dormitory, they remained silent, yet it felt as if they had said a lot... S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both were smiling, the warmth in their clasped hands growing, yet neither wanted to let go.


    From holding hands to fingers interlocked...


    Ruan Nianxi quietly looked up at Xie Shu, seeing his smile, and gently pursed her lips in response.


    Such a scene had only appeared in her dreams before, but today, it became a reality.


    On the way back, she had struggled internally because she knew her possessiveness was strong, and she wasn''t sure if she could control it in the future...


    But she was too enamored with his tenderness to refuse, and he didn''t refuse either.


    So, in the future, she wouldn''t let go.


    Xie Shu, there''s no use running away.


    ¡ª


    End of the chapter, word count is about right.


    Dear readers, I suddenly learned of a relative''s passing tonight and will return to my hometown tomorrow. I might be a bit busy these next few days, but I''ll try not to delay updates. If there''s no update one day, it means I''ve taken a leave.

 Chapter 79 – Proud

    Their fingers interlocked, Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi reluctantly reached the girls'' dormitory without wanting to part ways.


    With a lingering reluctance, they finally let go only when the dormitory supervisor was about to close the doors. Ruan Nianxi, worried that Xie Shu wouldn''t make it back, finally released his hand.


    Xie Shu tenderly ruffled her hair before bidding her farewell.


    Just minutes after confirming their relationship, they had to separate¡ªsuch is life.


    But now, no matter how reluctant, it was time to return.


    Xie Shu quickly returned to his dormitory. His roommates noticed the absence of the pop-up book in his hands, deducing that he must have given it away. And seeing the smile on his face, they were certain he had successfully confessed his feelings.


    Damn it!


    Someone has betrayed the brotherhood!


    Operation Dark Shark is on for tonight!


    His roommates gave Xie Shu "dangerous" looks, but he just laughed it off and sat down to contact Ruan Nianxi on his phone.


    With nothing to hide anymore, he directly made a video call.


    Ruan Nianxi quickly answered.


    Through the video, Ruan Nianxi saw Xie Shu''s side for the first time.


    He had propped his phone on the table and was chatting with her while tidying up various papers, pens, and other art supplies...


    From her angle, she couldn''t see his entire desk, but watching him leave the frame several times with a pile of papers, it was clear his desk had been quite cluttered.


    ...It even seemed like he had rushed out immediately after finishing his work, not having time to tidy up.


    Ruan Nianxi still held the pop-up book in her arms, feeling both happy and heartbroken.


    The heartbreak was for Xie Shu, of course. Most of the images in the pop-up book were drawn by him, stroke by stroke.


    To draw so much in just two days, and to do the handcrafting¡ªit must have been exhausting.


    He was so dedicated.


    Xie Shu spent a long time cleaning up, going back and forth several times before he finally cleared all the scrap paper from his desk and put the pens and other art tools back in their places. Only then did he focus all his attention on the phone.


    At first, he hadn''t been able to watch the phone continuously because he was cleaning, but now that he was done, he had plenty of time for a "face-to-face" chat with Ruan Nianxi. However, he noticed that every time her roommates passed behind her, they would stick their heads out to stare at him for a while before leaving.


    Once or twice was fine, but they did it every time they passed by, and they stared at him intently through the screen.


    Xie Shu: "......"


    Considering they were Ruan Nianxi''s friends, Xie Shu mentioned them in the video after noticing this.


    Ruan Nianxi had been aware of their little actions all along, but since they didn''t disturb her, she didn''t mind too much.


    Now that Xie Shu brought them up, she intended to gloss over it by simply referring to them as roommates and classmates. But to her surprise, upon hearing Xie Shu mention them, they eagerly gathered around...


    They were just purely curious.


    They knew their class president was in a relationship and that the guy was probably from the Art College, but they were still curious!


    They had been classmates and dormmates with Ruan Nianxi for three years and knew how aloof she could be. They were just curious about the man who had won their class president''s heart!


    He was indeed handsome!


    Definitely a cut above the boys in their college.


    A match of handsome and beautiful!


    Since they weren''t close, Xie Shu only exchanged a few symbolic words with them. But in the brief seconds he spoke with them, Ruan Nianxi felt a twinge of jealousy.


    She pursed her lips, tempted to end the video call to prevent Xie Shu from talking to them.


    But if she did that... she wouldn''t be able to see him either.


    Years of restraint had taught Ruan Nianxi to hide her emotions well, so her brief change in demeanor went unnoticed by everyone.


    Fortunately, Xie Shu didn''t talk to them much longer and quickly refocused on Ruan Nianxi. After a few words, he had to temporarily end the video call due to homework.


    Ruan Nianxi pursed her lips, feeling somewhat unsatisfied with the short meeting time.


    But in the end, she put down her phone and placed the pop-up book on the table.


    Her roommates, who were about to leave, saw her place a thick, unmarked book on the table and became curious again. When the topic of the pop-up book came up, Ruan Nianxi proudly declared it was a gift from Xie Shu, made by his own hands.


    They had no concept of a pop-up book and were even more curious. Ruan Nianxi initially didn''t want to show them, but a sudden impulse led her to open the book for them.


    Upon seeing the first page, everyone was stunned. They might not understand what it was, but it looked complicated at first glance.


    Moreover, Ruan Nianxi had just mentioned that the book was handmade by Xie Shu!


    There was a photo in the middle that seemed to be a childhood photo of Ruan Nianxi with someone else. Out of curiosity, they asked, and then they learned it was a childhood photo of her with Xie Shu!


    They were childhood sweethearts!?


    How come there are so many childhood sweethearts in the world?


    And they just happened to have none!


    Someone became curious about the pop-up book and wanted to touch it, but Ruan Nianxi wouldn''t allow it.


    Alright, alright, people in love are bound to be possessive. Since she didn''t allow it, no one insisted further.


    It wasn''t until they reached the last page that their mouths, agape in amazement, hadn''t closed. Ruan Nianxi intended to just close the book, but her roommates kept reminding her there was "a window" in the middle that hadn''t been opened.


    After some thought, Ruan Nianxi obliged them and opened it for a quick look.


    Just a glance...


    And she closed it again.


    Her movements were swift, but even so, everyone got a rough idea of what was "outside the window." They didn''t see the image clearly, but the bold text caught their eye, and they remembered most of it.


    Without much thought, everyone guessed it was a confession, and someone exclaimed, "Class president, so this pop-up book, is it a gift Xie Shu gave you when he confessed?"


    "Yep."


    Someone proudly nodded. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Holy crap! That''s amazing!"


    "Has the bar for confession gifts been raised this high now?"


    "I''m so envious!"


    ...


    In the boys'' dormitory.


    Xie Shu''s final drawing was also completed. He hurriedly saved the image, exited the software, zipped the image and the original files together, then opened WeChat and searched for a while to find the blacklist.


    After finding it, he released the only name on the list.


    Back in his friends list, he opened Su Qianyi''s chat window and sent her the compressed file...


    Elsewhere.


    Su Qianyi had been prepared for Xie Shu to remove her from the blacklist and was waiting for him to send the homework.


    Finally, around eleven o''clock at night, Xie Shu''s homework file came through.


    Seeing the message, she immediately sent him the one she had edited in advance.


    She had spent a long time crafting this message, condensing everything she wanted to say into a few short sentences, worried he wouldn''t have the patience to read it all.


    But the very next second after sending it, she saw the familiar red exclamation mark.


    "Your message has been sent but was rejected by the recipient."

 Chapter 80 – Im not good at English, but bring on the math!

    After sorting out his homework, Xie Shu didn''t rush to contact Ruan Nianxi. He freshened up and lay down to rest.


    His eyes were truly tired after several days of poor sleep.


    Having bid Ruan Nianxi goodnight, he prepared to rest.


    Despite his excitement, fatigue eventually overcame him, and he fell asleep. But Ruan Nianxi wasn''t so lucky; her mind was equally abuzz with excitement, anxiety, and fear...


    She realized she''d have to be more secretive in the future, making sure Xie Shu never learned anything unfavorable about her, never met her parents, and never left her side!


    She tossed and turned with these thoughts until deep into the night when she finally fell into a heavy sleep.


    The next morning, they met again in the cafeteria.


    Xie Shu''s fellow students, still groggy with sleep, were force-fed a mouthful of "dog food" as they watched the couple''s interactions.


    Xie Shu and Ruan Nianxi weren''t overly affectionate, just holding hands, but even that was enough to send their single friends into fits of jealousy.


    If only they had launched Operation Dark Shark the night before, they lamented, they wouldn''t be regretting it now!


    Thankfully, they all had classes that morning, or who knows how long the couple''s sweetness would have continued.


    As class time approached, they headed to the teaching area and then parted ways.


    Their landscape design teacher hadn''t asked them to prepare anything in advance, just to bring their books, so they were likely to stay in the classroom for the duration of the lesson.


    They chose seats in the back rows upon arriving early and finding plenty of space in the four-seat rows.


    With a few minutes to spare before class, Xie Shu, out of boredom, sent Ruan Nianxi a message.


    However, the usually prompt Ruan Nianxi took a while to reply this time.


    Ruan Nianxi: [Sorry, I was solving a problem and didn''t see your message.]


    Xie Shu: [What problem?]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Calculus.]


    Calculus?


    That seemed foreign to him; it wasn''t required for their major.


    Xie Shu: [Isn''t class starting? Why are you doing problems already?]


    Ruan Nianxi: [Yeah, it''s for attendance.]


    Xie Shu: [How does that work for attendance? Send me a picture, let''s see if I can do it.]


    Soon after, Ruan Nianxi sent him a photo.


    Opening it, Xie Shu saw a problem written on the blackboard.


    "Z=3X^4+X^2Y^3, find the derivative at (1,1)."


    Teachers sure have unique ways of taking attendance these days, he thought.


    Then he messaged back: [I''m not good at English, but bring on the math!]


    Ruan Nianxi: [...]


    Xie Shu joked around with Ruan Nianxi on his phone for a bit before class started and then stopped messaging.


    Their teacher arrived shortly after.


    Their attendance was simple: either by seating arrangement or by drawing, without any fancy tricks.


    After attendance, the teacher began the lesson, and Xie Shu, putting aside his playful mood, listened attentively.


    When the teacher mentioned landscape elements, Xie Shu, out of habit, searched online for images to reinforce his memory.


    Sometimes, he couldn''t help but think how rich a resource the website TaoBao was. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While listening to the lecture, Xie Shu browsed TaoBao. He intended to search for specific landscape elements but was immediately greeted with recommendations for women''s clothing on the homepage, likely due to his previous searches.


    He found the recommendations quite fitting for Ruan Nianxi, so he clicked to view and added some to his cart.


    After refreshing the page a few times and adding more items to his cart, Xie Shu suddenly remembered what he was supposed to be doing.


    He marveled at how advanced the internet had become, making it easy to forget about studies with just a smartphone.


    Returning to the homepage to catch up with the teacher''s pace, he was about to search when Liu Ping glanced over at his screen.


    "Xie Shu, I didn''t know you were into this stuff," Liu Ping whispered, nudging him with his elbow.


    "???"


    Liu Ping didn''t wait for a response but quickly shared his discovery with another roommate, who also reacted similarly.


    In just a few seconds, all three of his "sons" were giving him knowing looks.


    Confused, Xie Shu glanced at his phone and realized he had refreshed the page, which now displayed stockings...


    Xie Shu: "..."


    After a few seconds, he added the stockings to his cart, prompting the three onlookers, who had been watching his every move, to smirk meaningfully.


    "You rascal, you never said you liked these things before. Has having a girlfriend changed you?" Liu Ping continued in a low voice.


    Xie Shu replied seriously: "The past is the past; now, I''m a pervert."