After washing up, Jiang Nian didn’t immediately lie on the bed. Instead, he sat at his desk, spread out a chemistry test paper, and prepared for a late-night study session.
He intentionally glanced at his phone, but no message from the class monitor.
However, Chen Yunyun sent two daily posts, first sharing some late-night fruit snacks, and then a bustling scene of fetching hot water in the evening.
"Had to wait for a long time. (Picture)"
"Didn’t you get water in the afternoon?" Jiang Nian curiously replied.
"Yeah, I meant someone else." Chen Yunyun giggled, "(Laugh) I saw the team leader, he was chatting someone up."
"Who?" Jiang Nian asked.
Chen Yunyun: "(Sneaky laugh) Ji Jiayu."
"Yunyun, your sneaky laugh emoji is so gossipy." Jiang Nian chuckled, "Hey, didn’t her ex-boyfriend just get a new girlfriend?"
Inside the girls’ dormitory.
Chen Yunyun, who was enthusiastically chatting gossip with Jiang Nian, froze upon seeing the latest message, her fingers paused with furrowed brows as she typed.
"What gossip! (Angry)"
"I wouldn’t know, only green tea girls like to discuss others’ gossip. (Hmph)"
"Forget it, I’ll ask her face to face another day." After sending a message, Jiang Nian locked his phone screen and prepared to do homework.
A buzz, and a message popped up from Chen Yunyun.
Jiang Nian was sure, this is the master of sarcasm.
However, Chen Yunyun only showed a bit of toughness online. In person, she would soften, primarily acting like an offline Jerry.
"Just wait, I’ll catch you tomorrow."
Chen Yunyun: "(Confused)."
Jiang Nian sent her a picture of the test paper, pausing the brief chat.
Time flew by quickly, it was suddenly twelve o’clock.
He rubbed his tired eyes, ready to put away the paper and go to bed. Just then, his phone buzzed again.
Instinctively unlocking it, he thought it was Chen Yunyun trying to make peace.
To his surprise, it was a message from Xu Qianqian.
"Jiang Nian, I feel some noise outside the room."
After reading the message, he sighed. If he had known, he wouldn’t have teased her earlier; now he had to bear the brunt of it.
Putting on a jacket and grabbing a test paper.
Jiang Nian left his room, quietly passing through the living room. As he picked up the keys, he quickly texted Xu Qianqian.
"I’m coming over, about to open your door."
He had the key to the opposite door, but rarely used it. It’s not like he could use the key for a night raid, but now seemed appropriate.
He opened the door, turned on the lights.
Checked all around the living room, just as a precaution.
Although the building was old, the neighbors had been living here for over ten years. If a thief did break in, it could be troublesome.
It’s early December now, whereas in early January,
the school would strongly advise against students going to less populated areas, since Zhenan County was unsafe near the end of the year.
Close to Chinese New Year, there would often be alarming incidents. Not just petty theft, but also other more serious matters.
The barber shop crimes of passion were even classics.
Finally, he knocked on Xu Qianqian’s bedroom door.
"Open up, it’s Jiang Nian."
Soon, there were footsteps.
Xu Qianqian opened her bedroom door, revealing a cute little face. Upon seeing Jiang Nian, she instinctively frowned.
"It’s all your fault! Who told you to scare me!"
"Alright, alright, I was wrong." Jiang Nian pushed the door open and casually checked her room, "Everything’s fine now."
"Outside...did you check everywhere?" Xu Qianqian swallowed nervously.
"Even the window, don’t worry." Jiang Nian said, peeking under Xu Qianqian’s bed before standing up again.
"I haven’t checked that drawer yet, let me open it..."
"No!" Xu Qianqian stopped him, her face turning red, "I keep clothes in there, don’t go through it."
"Don’t say things like that, do I look like someone who would? Besides, at night, it’s all about feeling reassured."
Xu Qianqian momentarily couldn’t think of a retort. As she froze for a bit, she saw him open the large drawer under the wardrobe.
Pink and white underwear, neatly folded together.
"Ah!! What’s wrong with you!" The girl suddenly reacted, giving him a push, "I’ll tell Aunt Li!"
"Go ahead." Jiang Nian was unfazed, pulling out the test paper he brought, "I’ll leave once you fall asleep."
Xu Qianqian closed the underwear drawer, her face flushed. After hearing him, her expression slightly eased.
She may be stubborn normally, but in crucial moments, she knew the importance of things.
"What paper did you bring?"
"Chemistry." Jiang Nian pulled out a chair and sat at her bedroom desk, "How do you turn on this lamp?"
"It’s touch screen." Xu Qianqian curled up in her blanket, only her head sticking out, "Touch the center of the base, you can adjust the brightness."
With a click, the bedroom light was off.
Jiang Nian adjusted the desk lamp’s brightness, just enough to keep the light on the desk to see the paper without disturbing Xu Qianqian’s sleep.
In an instant, the room fell into silence.
Xu Qianqian initially faced away from the desk to sleep, only seeing the faint shimmer of the lamp on the wall and the rustling sound as a pen moved across the paper.
After a minute, she turned over.
Eventually, the girl couldn’t help but sneak a glance towards the desk. She saw him fully focused, diligently working on the questions.
When this guy is serious, he actually resembles a decent person.
Xu Qianqian stared at his profile in a daze, curling further into her blanket. Her mind was a whirl, thinking about all sorts of random things.
She originally wanted to say a few tough words, to maintain her reputation as Mr. Xu. But as the words reached her mouth, she swallowed them back down. What if he really left...
Without realizing it, she fell asleep.
Once Xu Qianqian opened her eyes again, the room was pitch black. She lay still for a while in a daze.
Only then did she recall last night’s events, having had a sound and peaceful sleep.
She instinctively thought Jiang Nian had already returned to sleep in his room, not knowing when he left, as she had slept too soundly.
Suddenly, there was a movement from the desk.
Xu Qianqian hadn’t gotten out of bed yet, still under the covers. She looked up in shock, her pupils slightly dilating.
"You...you didn’t go back?"
"Go back where?" Jiang Nian laid back against the chair after getting up from the desk, "I accidentally fell asleep."
Xu Qianqian whispered, "Oh."
Jiang Nian’s words were naturally not convincing to her. She knew he preferred a cozy sleep, and if there was a chance to lie in bed, he wouldn’t choose to sleep at the desk.
But whether she liked it or not, she had to accept his words.
As if possessed, she muttered softly.
"It’s still early, do you want to sleep on my bed for a bit?"
The moment she said it, Xu Qianqian regretted it. She morosely thought she was in a morning daze, speaking without much thought.
"I...I’m getting up soon, you could go home to sleep too."
Her response was too obvious, coming across as awkwardly conspicuous in the quiet and dim room, like trying to hide something in plain sight.
"I’ll go wash up." Jiang Nian stood up, his shoulders and back making a popping sound, "Then maybe we can head to school together?"
"Oh." Xu Qianqian lowered her flag in defeat.
As she watched Jiang Nian about to leave, she felt she should at least say something. But sappy words wouldn’t come out, so she simply said.
"Next time, don’t sleep on the desk. I’ll get you a small bed."
Jiang Nian paused as he was about to turn the doorknob, looking back at Xu Qianqian in her pajamas.
"You’re welcome." Xu Qianqian felt a bit embarrassed and added, "Actually, I could use the small bed too."
"But...I sleep restlessly at night, might end up sleepwalking on your face."
Jiang Nian didn’t bother to banter with her, he left the room carrying the finished paper. After a quick wash-up at home, he waited at the door with his bag.
Soon, Xu Qianqian also came out.
She changed her shoes, feeling a bit bashful. Wanting to compensate Jiang Nian, she proactively offered.
"How about I treat you to breakfast later?"
"No, I misspoke." Xu Qianqian’s neck turned a faint pink, "I’ll treat you, what do you want to eat?"