January 12th, or February 16th by the solar calendar.
High schools in A City were gradually starting their new semester. The weather hadn’t warmed up yet, with a biting chill still in the air.
As soon as Jiang Rong entered class, Fang Zixin called her out.
“Teacher moved your seat to the third row, next to Wang Lin. You two can discuss problems together.”
Jiang Rong looked up at Fang Zixin, confused: “But wasn’t I sitting with Xu Si? Why the sudden change?”
Fang Zixin looked awkward, pausing before speaking: “Actually, Xu Si asked me to change seats. I was surprised too, since you two seemed to get along well, and his final exam scores improved a lot.”
He didn’t know why either. He was surprised when Xu Si called him.
Jiang Rong pressed her lips together silently.
“Maybe he’s worried about distracting your studies.”
“I understand, thank you teacher.”
After speaking, Jiang Rong instinctively entered through the back door, then remembered she no longer sat in the back.
Yang Shikun saw Jiang Rong and wanted to call out “Study god” but held back.
Xu Si was also watching Jiang Rong. When she looked up, he averted his gaze.
Though his face was the same, Jiang Rong felt he had changed a lot.
He was thinner, his jaw sharper, emanating coldness. His hair was cut short, dressed all in black, looking fierce and unapproachable.
It had only been about ten days since they’d seen each other.
Yet Jiang Rong felt like they’d returned to the start of school. Even worse than then.
They passed each other without a word.
Jiang Rong saw the scars on his cheeks and neck. He seemed to have been in a fight. Her lips moved, but she realized she had no place to ask about it.
Yang Shikun found the scene heartbreaking. Everything had been fine before the new year. How did it suddenly become like this? They had been so close before.
Jiang Rong sat down in the third row. Li Jingjing turned to Wang Lin: “Lucky you, I wish I could sit with Study god too.”
Wang Lin shrugged: “Can’t help it, Study god’s my desk mate now, get in line.”
Li Jingjing wanted to punch his smug face. She smiled at Jiang Rong: “Welcome to the front three rows, Study god.”
“Thanks.”
Jiang Rong asked: “Did you move my seat?”
Wang Lin shook his head: “No, we were going to help, but found all your things were already in the third row.”
Jiang Rong drifted off at his words. She had a guess but quickly dismissed it. She told herself not to overthink.
Xu Si looked at the empty seat beside him, feeling strange. The person he could see with just a turn of his head was now at the front of the classroom.
He kept his old habits, sleeping facing Jiang Rong’s side.
Yang Shikun poked Xu Si.
“Let me sleep a bit more, later…” Before he could finish saying “wake me,” Xu Si saw the empty seat beside him, and his emerging smile quickly faded.
Yang Shikun reminded him from the front: “Si-ge, we’re collecting winter break homework. Study god… Study god will be here soon.”
Xu Si pulled out a neat stack of papers from his drawer and handed them to Yang Shikun: “Give these to her, I’ll sleep a bit.”
Yang Shikun, worried they weren’t done, thought to substitute his own work and take the blame. But flipping through, he found every sheet completed.
Jiang Rong collected homework until she reached Yang Shikun.
Yang Shikun handed her two sets: “Si-ge’s and mine.”
Jiang Rong made an “mm” sound and took them.
She turned to collect from other places.
Sensing she’d gone to collect elsewhere, Xu Si looked up, watching her holding a stack of papers.
Wang Lin got up and said to Jiang Rong: “Study god, I’ll help you take these to the office.”
Jiang Rong said thanks and let him take half.
Wang Lin saw Xu Si’s name on top and was surprised: “Study god, amazing, Si-ge actually turned in homework.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Other class representatives never ask Si-ge for homework.”
Wang Lin added quietly: “Because he never does it, and Si-ge’s too fierce.”
Jiang Rong paused after hearing this and said seriously: “He’s not fierce.”
Wang Lin realized: “Oh right, Study god used to sit with Si-ge. Why the sudden change?”
Jiang Rong didn’t know how to answer.
Before she could speak, Wang Lin continued: “Maybe because you’re both too good-looking, Teacher Fang worried something might happen.”
“Something might happen?”
Wang Lin smiled: “Yeah, we’re all teenagers. Maybe Teacher Fang worried about puppy love and separated you.”
Jiang Rong said softly: “Maybe.”
Xu Si watched them enter from outside, then quickly looked away.
He had been playing on his phone, but suddenly found his usual games terribly boring. He couldn’t get interested.
He looked up to see Wang Lin discussing homework with Jiang Rong, apparently solving problems together.
She wore a pink down jacket today, white scarf, high ponytail.
They were discussing some problem, and Xu Si saw her furrow her brow slightly.
Maybe she’d be better without him.
She could discuss problems with excellent students instead of wasting time teaching him.
But seeing her with others still stung badly.
That night at home.
Xu Si leaned back in his chair playing on his phone, watching Yuan Yuan constantly trying to look at it.
It had been doing this lately.
He put down his phone and looked at Yuan Yuan: “No more video calls, never again.”
Yuan Yuan seemed confused, pawing at his phone.
Xu Si didn’t know if he was telling it or himself: “I’ve bothered her for too long.”
Yuan Yuan shook its head, making the bell on its collar jingle.
The bell Jiang Rong had bought it.
In the deep night, the sky was ink-black with sparse stars.
Xu Si couldn’t help opening that album on his phone again.
In the video, Jiang Rong smiled happily, her eyes full of joy.
Sweet and obedient.
He reached out to touch the screen, as if he could touch her that way.
Seeing her smile made him smile too.
After a long while, he put away his phone.
In the deep night, some slept while others lay awake.
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