Chapter 37 – “Next Time I’ll Definitely Ask Her Name”:
Yang Shikun felt completely drained after finishing the Chinese exam. When he entered the exam room, he thought he was heaven’s favorite child – except for Hao Ming, he knew everyone sitting around him. He was planning which subjects to copy from whom, but when the proctor walked in, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him. He had the worst luck – a 1/30 chance of getting the school’s female demon as his proctor, and he got it.
Throughout the exam, he didn’t dare move, not even turn his neck. The exam room was so quiet you could only hear the sound of papers turning. When he tried to look around, he met the demon proctor’s gaze and quickly looked away. Forget copying – he couldn’t even move his neck freely.
Friday’s last exam was English. The proctor noticed many students filling in answer sheets before the listening section started. She asked, puzzled, “The listening hasn’t started yet. Why are you filling in answers?”
Someone replied, “We won’t understand it anyway, might as well fill in the listening section now.”
“Fine,” she said.
After the listening section, while walking around, the proctor saw a student carving an eraser: “Are you making dice?”
The boy replied, “If I roll a 1, it’s A. 2 is B, 3 is C, and 4 is D.”
“What about 5 or 6?”
“Then I reward myself with another roll.”
“…”
She then saw Shen Mu fiddling with paper notes and warned, “Student, your cheat sheet is quite obvious.”
Shen Mu grinned at the proctor: “It’s not a cheat sheet, teacher.” She showed her the paper and said, “I’m drawing lots.”
The proctor fell silent for a moment, then gave her a thumbs up.
After finishing her test, Shen Mu used a small mirror to look at Xu Si behind her. Watching his profile, she couldn’t help but smile.
Below, students were sleeping in awkward positions – you’d think it was naptime. The proctor didn’t even bother announcing the time remaining.
The bell rang. The last exam was over.
The announcement asked everyone to return to their classrooms for a meeting before leaving.
Jiang Qian walked to her books and noticed Xu Si’s pile next to hers. Remembering how he helped carry her books that morning, she decided to help carry his back.
She took a few steps carrying the books when someone lightly tapped her head. She looked up to meet Xu Si’s gaze.
“Why carry so many at once?” Xu Si took the books from her.
Jiang Qian followed him, slightly dazed: “Didn’t you carry this many too?”
Xu Si looked at her thin arms but said nothing. However, Jiang Qian somehow felt looked down upon.
Many classmates had already started comparing answers. One question had three different answers, and when they asked a fourth person, they got yet another different answer.
After moving everything, Fang Zixin prepared to hold a brief meeting.
“Now that exams are over, don’t worry about checking answers. Enjoy your weekend. We’ll deal with answers and everything else on Sunday.”
Most of the class remembered what Chen Song had said before.
“What about Teacher Chen Song?”
Fang Zixin smiled: “I’ve already applied to the school. We should have an answer next week. Please be patient.”
Chen Song hadn’t come to class all week, claiming illness. Whether he was really sick or just didn’t want to come, everyone knew the truth but didn’t say it.
Seeing Fang Zixin’s unbothered expression, Yang Shikun wished he could grow eight heads and rocket to the school’s top ten, then force Chen Song to apologize to Teacher Fang.
Of course, that could only happen in dreams.
After saying this, Fang Zixin smiled: “Well, that’s all I have to say. Have a nice weekend, everyone.”
Watching Jiang Qian stuffing books into her bag one by one, Xu Si asked, “Why carry so many books even after exams?”
Jiang Qian hummed and replied obediently: “To read at home.”
Xu Si was quiet for a moment before saying, “Okay.”
Xia Chen’an had waited in the bookstore all afternoon but hadn’t seen the girl from last time. He checked his watch, deciding to wait a bit longer.
When he looked up again, he saw her. Still in her blue and white school uniform – not particularly attractive clothes, but they looked somehow harmonious on her. She was thin and pale, with eyes that seemed to speak, sparkling even without makeup, strikingly beautiful.
He watched her look around, apparently unable to find a seat, then head toward the bookshelves.
Jiang Qian had finished the book she bought last time. She walked around and stopped at a shelf of mystery novels, many of which she had already read.
Looking up, she spotted a book on the upper shelf that caught her attention. She stood on tiptoe but couldn’t reach it. Just as she was about to ask for help, someone reached up and got it for her.
Xia Chen’an handed her the book. Jiang Qian took it and smiled at him: “Thank you.”
The girl’s smile was sweet and innocent. Xia Chen’an was dazed by her smile, watching her walk away with the book, feeling slightly disappointed. She probably didn’t remember their brief encounter from last time.
Jiang Qian found a random spot and leaned against the bookshelf to read. She wasn’t a particularly fast reader; sometimes she liked to ponder over a single sentence many times.
Xia Chen’an sat nearby, watching her while holding the same book she had. After a while, Jiang Qian checked the time outside, picked up her book, shouldered her backpack, and left.
Xia Chen’an looked up to find her spot empty again. She had only said one thing to him today.
Her smile was really beautiful.
He had never believed in love at first sight before. But now he suddenly did.
If he saw her again next week, he would definitely ask for her name.
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