Chapter 7: She Did It on Purpose—She Likes You

Luo Xing was listening to the lecture when her phone suddenly vibrated. She glanced at it under the desk. It was Yi Chuan—the one who hadn’t messaged her in eight centuries. She opened it, feeling dazed. Why was Yi Chuan suddenly concerned about her?

"What is it?" Shen Que lowered his head to look at Luo Xing.

"Nothing, just a message from Yi Chuan."

Yun Cai leaned in. "Isn’t he Gu Shiyan’s friend? How come..."

At the mention of Gu Shiyan’s friend, Shen Que pressed Luo Xing’s book toward her and said, "Pay attention in class."

Luo Xing was long accustomed to Shen Que managing her studies. She didn’t mind it anymore. She casually replied to Yi Chuan with a simple "it’s nothing" and turned off her phone.

Li Zhao had been keeping a close eye on Luo Xing after sending Gu Shiyan's message. Noticing Shen Que’s action, he frowned. "What’s his deal? Why’s he butting in? Seems like he doesn’t want Luo Xing replying to you."

Yi Chuan shook his head. "No idea."

Gu Shiyan stared at the three words Luo Xing replied with on his phone. He gazed at them for a while, then locked the screen and handed the phone back to Yi Chuan.

They wanted to say more, but Gu Shiyan tapped his pen on the desk. "Pay attention to the lecture."

There was a ten-minute break before class would resume.

Luo Xing had planned to nap at her desk, but Yun Cai and Ming An dragged her to the restroom.

With half-closed eyes, Luo Xing protested, "I’m not going..."

Yun Cai pulled her with one hand, Ming An with the other. "I know you’re not. I am."

They hauled Luo Xing to the restroom entrance, beside the corridor’s windowsill. She leaned against the wall, basking in the sunshine that warmed her entire body.

Luo Xing was sensitive to the cold, and the classroom AC was set too low. Now, with the sun on her, she felt cozy and comfortable. She slid down to the corner, crouched, and soon dozed off.

A few minutes felt like two hours of sleep.

The gentle sunlight eventually drew a thin layer of sweat on her skin.

She was much more awake now, just waiting for Yun Cai and Ming An to call her when they finished.

"Bro, why’d you come out if you’re not using the restroom?" Li Zhao, still clutching a tissue, thought Gu Shiyan had followed him out to use the bathroom.

But when they reached the door, Gu Shiyan just stood there.

"To smoke," Gu Shiyan said, holding a slim cigarette in one hand while preparing to flick his lighter with the other, his gaze drifting toward the windowsill.

Li Zhao followed his line of sight. "Bro, that’s the girls’ restroom. You’d better not stare."

Gu Shiyan: "..."

"Three minutes until class."

As soon as he said it, Li Zhao had already disappeared.

Outside the transparent glass window, the school’s towering trees stretched skyward, lush with green leaves that blocked out some of the sunlight. Dappled shadows fell upon the corner, where a girl crouched with her hands folded on her knees, chin resting on her hands, cheeks squished into a soft bundle.

Gu Shiyan had no particular thought in mind—when he realized it, he was already standing in front of Luo Xing.

All the sunlight fell on his back, warm and gentle.

A patch of shadow fell across her face.

Luo Xing had already noticed, thinking it was Yun Cai and Ming An. She rubbed her eyes and stood up slowly.

"I stayed up till three watching Qi Zhi last night. I’m exhausted. I need to move to the back next period to nap..." She mumbled as she rubbed her eyes and got up, but the person before her was tall, dressed in a black T-shirt. The moment she saw the hand in front of her, she knew it wasn’t Yun Cai or Ming An.

"Gu..." Luo Xing edged away. "What are you doing here?"

She immediately noticed the cigarette and lighter in his hand.

In the past, she would have fussed over him, coaxed him to smoke less, or not at all, for his health.

But Gu Shiyan first handed her a tissue.

Luo Xing didn’t react at first, but touching her forehead, she realized she was sweating. She took the tissue and wiped her brow.

"For..." Gu Shiyan had just started to speak.

But as soon as Luo Xing spotted Yun Cai and Ming An, she waved and called, "Over here!"

Gu Shiyan kept his head down, watching her closely.

He had seen it clearly—Luo Xing had noticed the cigarette in his hand.

Yet she hadn’t said a word. Not a single word. She hadn’t even looked at him.

When he turned his head, Luo Xing was already heading into the classroom with the other two.

Li Zhao rushed out of the restroom after washing his hands. Seeing the untouched cigarette in Gu Shiyan’s hand, he scratched his head. "Weren’t you coming out here just to smoke? What’s this, some kind of invisible emperor’s cigarette?"

Gu Shiyan stepped back and, without a word, headed toward the classroom.

"Bro, why aren’t you talking to me? I’m hurt."

"Annoying."

"..."

Yun Cai and Ming An pulled Luo Xing along, both asking in unison, "What’s going on between you and Gu Shiyan?"

Luo Xing looked left, then right. "Nothing at all. I was sweating, and he gave me a tissue."

By now the three were back at their seats. Shen Que had overheard Luo Xing’s remark.

He pointed to the pocket of Luo Xing’s sweatshirt. "You’ve got tissues in your pocket."

Luo Xing blinked, surprised. "I didn’t put any there."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a neatly folded tissue. "When did this..."

"When you were dozing off in class," Shen Que replied offhandedly.

Luo Xing nodded and sat down. "Thanks. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have taken his."

"I told you already," Shen Que said, staring at her.

"Ah, I was too sleepy to remember." Luo Xing pressed her palms together and made a teary, apologetic face at Shen Que.

"Achoo!"

Li Zhao rubbed his nose. "Why is it suddenly so cold..." He glanced at Gu Shiyan, whose gaze seemed glued to Luo Xing.

Li Zhao leaned back and exchanged a look with Yi Chuan across Gu Shiyan’s back.

Yi Chuan twirled his pen, leaned a bit closer to Gu Shiyan, and said, "Don’t worry, Yan, Luo Xing still has you in her heart."

Yi Chuan’s tone was so solemn that Gu Shiyan looked over, long dark lashes casting a shadow under his eyes.

His gaze pinned Yi Chuan, making it clear he wouldn’t let him off without an explanation.

"Look, let me analyze this for you. Luo Xing usually wears bright colors—yellow, pink, blue, or white. Wait, let me clarify, it’s not like I’m watching her on purpose," Yi Chuan added. "But look at what she’s wearing today."

Gu Shiyan didn’t even need to check; he’d been watching her all day.

Yi Chuan was about to answer his own question, but Li Zhao beat him to it, whispering, "She’s wearing black. Yan, you’re wearing black too. Matching outfits. She did it on purpose. She likes you."

Gu Shiyan’s lips, which had been pressed tight, suddenly relaxed as he took a serious look at Luo Xing’s clothes.

"Bro, aren’t you and Luo Xing just fooling around? Why do you suddenly..." Li Zhao, noticing how much better Gu Shiyan looked, couldn’t help feeling puzzled.

Yi Chuan replied, "Luo Xing is quite clever."