Xu Si’s hair was messy from struggling with problems he couldn’t solve, with a few strands sticking up rebelliously. The pink bandage was still on his face. The more Jiang Qiao looked at him, the more adorable she found him and smiled: “Nothing, just think you’re cute.”
“Whatever little teacher says.”
Jiang Qiao looked at their chat window and changed his contact name to: “Cute Little Classmate Xu”.
On Monday, Yang Shikun was carefully eating his soup dumplings when he saw Xu Si come in. The young man wore a loose school uniform that highlighted his tall, straight posture. His long legs were wrapped in uniform pants, his expression cold except for the pink bandage that seemed completely out of place on his face. He had carefully reapplied it several times that morning in front of the mirror. Yang Shikun was stunned to see Xu Si in full uniform with a… pink bandage. He wondered if he was still dreaming.
When the class saw Xu Si’s bandage, their first thought was: Is Brother Si in love? How had they not heard about this?
Xu Si showed no expression, walking straight to his seat.
“Brother Si, want breakfast? Datou brought soup dumplings, they’re delicious.”
“No.” Just as Xu Si refused, he saw Jiang Qiao enter. Their eyes met briefly as she glanced at him and then at Yang Shikun’s food. Xu Si immediately took the other portion from Yang Shikun.
The whole thing took less than ten seconds.
Yang Shikun looked back and saw Jiang Qiao settling into her seat. As expected, Scholar Jiang had that effect.
“Brother Si, why are you wearing a pink bandage?”
Xu Si just looked at him without answering.
Yang Shikun realized: “Scholar Jiang gave it to you, right?”
“Mm.”
During first period, Xu Si sat in the back watching Jiang Qiao, wishing he could carry her and her desk back with him. He was resting his head on his hand when she turned to look at him. He immediately sat up straight.
During second period, Wang Lin saw Xu Si stop at his desk and swallowed nervously, unable to think what he might have done or why Xu Si would want to talk to him. They hadn’t interacted much, and he was still somewhat afraid of him.
“Can I borrow your seat for a bit?”
“Ah? Oh, sure, Brother Si, please sit.”
“Have you memorized the text?”
“Yes, is little teacher going to check?”
“No need, I trust you.”
“I really miss sitting with little teacher. It’s not good having no desk mate.”
“Didn’t you not have one before too?” Jiang Qiao remembered being told on her first day that Xu Si had always sat alone.
“But then I got one, didn’t I?”
Jiang Qiao looked at him, pausing before saying: “After midterms, they’ll probably rearrange seats. Study hard, then tell Teacher Fang you want to sit together.”
“Okay.” Xu Si’s eyes couldn’t hide his joy at her words.
Wang Lin looked at Xu Si and Jiang Qiao, somehow seeing… gentleness in Xu Si’s expression. Since Xu Si usually looked so cold at others but smiled at his desk mate, Wang Lin thought maybe he’d only known a fake Xu Si before.
As class was about to start, Wang Lin watched Xu Si stand up, his expression returning to its usual coldness.
So Brother Si wasn’t fierce – he was only fierce to them.
In the afternoon, only a few students remained in class while others went to eat. Sunlight streamed through the windows. Xu Si sat beside Jiang Qiao, listening to her soft voice.
After she finished explaining, Xu Si said: “Go eat first, I’ll keep working on problems.”
Watching her eat from her lunchbox with small bites, her cheeks slightly puffed out, he wanted to poke her face.
So he did.
Jiang Qiao stared at his outstretched hand in surprise.
Xu Si withdrew his hand: “Nothing, keep eating.”
“Okay.”
The evening glow was gentle, and the girl beside him made his heart flutter. For several weeks after, during dinner time, there were always two heads close together in the classroom, bathed in the sunset light.
Countless times, Xu Si watched her profile, wanting to lean close to her ear and softly say “I like you.”
On Saturday, April 9th, in the study room, Xu Si was working on problems when he felt Jiang Qiao’s fingers in his hair, gently ruffling it.
“Xu Si, is your hair getting a bit long?”
“Maybe.” Xu Si looked up at her.
Jiang Qiao took the hair tie from her wrist, gathered his hair, and tried to make a small ponytail on top of his head. Xu Si lowered his head, letting her do as she pleased.
After tying it, Jiang Qiao liked it so much she took out her phone to take a picture. Xu Si grabbed her phone, pulled her next to him, and made a peace sign near her cheek.
Jiang Qiao couldn’t help laughing at the photo.
Yuan Yuan meowed a few times, trying to get attention.
“Alright, let’s take another with you.” Xu Si said, then smiled at Jiang Qiao: “Little teacher, smile.”
The photo showed a sweetly smiling girl and a brightly smiling boy, with a black cat between them.
After working on problems for a long time, Xu Si rubbed his sore arms and asked: “Want to go for a walk, little teacher?”
“Sure, we should balance work and rest.”
They walked side by side along a verdant path. Looking at Jiang Qiao beside him, Xu Si suddenly wanted to keep walking like this forever.
“Little teacher, which city do you want to study in after graduation?”
“I want to go to Q University. It’s in the south, has mild weather, and beautiful scenery.”
It had been her dream school and city since middle school, though she didn’t know if she’d have the chance to go there anymore.
Jiang Qiao looked at Xu Si: “What about you?”
“Wherever little teacher goes, that’s where I want to go.”
Seeing Jiang Qiao freeze, Xu Si’s dark eyes were full of sincerity: “I mean, I want to be with little teacher, whether in university or after. I like you. Will you consider being with me?”
Jiang Qiao heard her heart pounding. Each beat left her dazed. She had never imagined Xu Si would confess to her.
“If little teacher is uncomfortable rejecting me, that’s okay. Don’t feel burdened. Just shake your head and I’ll understand.”
He had rehearsed this confession many times in his mind, saying it over and over, finally speaking it in this moment. The young man’s voice was gentle, striking Jiang Qiao’s heart again and again. Under the phoenix tree, the boy in the black sweatshirt made her heart flutter.
“Xu Si.”
“Yes, little teacher? I’m listening.”
“If you catch up to my pace, I’ll consider being with you after graduation.”
She said “consider,” not a definite yes. She didn’t dare make this promise or agree to anything with him, because she didn’t know how long she would live.
Xu Si smiled until his eyes curved: “I’ll work hard to make little teacher be with me.”
Meeting his beaming gaze, Jiang Qiao inexplicably wanted to cry. She felt a deep sense of helplessness.
“Can I hug you, little teacher?”
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