She hadn’t bitten down hard, so biting him only caused slight pain, but a tingling sensation lingered in his mouth for a long while.

Zhou Tingzhao gave her a deep look as the voice outside gradually drew closer.

Sang Ru was about to jump down, but her waist was suddenly gripped by a pair of large hands. The next moment, she was lifted into the air and then steadily placed on the ground.

Zhou Tingzhao waited until she was standing firmly before letting go, saying, “Go.”

With her heartbeat still unsteady, Sang Ru instinctively asked, “What about you?”

Zhou Tingzhao gently patted her head, answering a different question: “You go, I have a way.”

After speaking, he strode to the front of the classroom.

Mrs. Jiang’s calls were still within earshot. Sang Ru picked up the test papers and turned around once more before leaving through the back door. She saw Zhou Tingzhao crouching behind the podium.

Given his height, this must have been quite uncomfortable for him.

Sang Ru thought for only a second before returning to place the test papers on the desk.

Just as she stepped out of the classroom, Mrs. Jiang was walking to this spot. Upon seeing her, those few calls that had rarely lost their usual dignified manner suddenly stopped. The anxious expression froze on her face, and then, as if grabbing a lifeline, she embraced Sang Ru.

Sang Ru was held tightly, hearing Mrs. Jiang murmur near her ear with what seemed like tears in her voice: “Found you, found you… Why did you stay out so long without coming home? Don’t you know how worried Mom was…”

Sang Ru somehow felt like crying and patted her back: “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“It’s good that we found her!”

Sang Ru looked toward the voice and saw the security guard uncle standing nearby.

She then patted Mrs. Jiang again to comfort her, withdrew from the embrace, and instead took her hand. She nodded to the security guard in gratitude: “Thank you for your trouble.”

“No problem,” the uncle said, then scratched his head in confusion. “But I checked everywhere. There was no one in the building when I locked the door.”

“Perhaps I was upstairs getting something when you were checking, and we didn’t see each other.”

“Oh, I see. Let’s go then.”

He turned around, and Sang Ru followed behind, holding Mrs. Jiang’s hand.

“In the future, please keep your phone with you. Mom, don’t worry about it affecting your studies, just don’t make me unable to find you like today…”

Sang Ru obediently responded with an “Mm,” while discreetly looking back.

The corridor behind them had returned to silence, but it no longer had the spine-chilling atmosphere of when she was alone.

He was still there.

The iron door was creakily locked again. Sang Ru watched the security guard’s movements, patiently waiting.

Waiting for an opportunity.

This opportunity didn’t come until they reached the school gate. Sang Ru stopped in her tracks and exclaimed, “Oh no!”

Mrs. Jiang asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I came to get the test papers and got locked inside, but I forgot to bring the papers down.”

Mrs. Jiang: …

“I’ll go get them again!” Sang Ru grinned, coaxing her, and then turned to the security guard, “Uncle, could you lend me the keys for a moment? I’ll go get my things and come right back!”

He thought for a moment, then unfastened the keys and gave them to her: “Alright, be quick.”

“Will do!”

Sang Ru took the keys and ran back, hearing Mrs. Jiang call from behind: “Slow down! Should I come with you?”

“No need!” Sang Ru replied as she ran, turning her head back.

How could she let you come along?

By the time she reached the teaching building, her heart was already racing. Sang Ru couldn’t spare time to rest, immediately opened the door, and rushed upstairs.

Three floors weren’t high, but the staircase corners were the most tiring. Sang Ru stopped at the landing, leaning on the handrail to catch her breath for a few seconds, then hurried back to the classroom.

The back door was ajar, leaving a small gap.

When she had left earlier, it had been wide open; she had deliberately not closed it.

Sang Ru pushed the door open and tentatively called out to him: “Zhou Tingzhao?”

There was no response.

She called out again, and suddenly there was an answer from behind her.

“I’m here.”

Sang Ru turned around to see the person she was looking for standing behind her, his chest rising and falling slightly as he breathed, as if he had also rushed there hurriedly.

She approached him: “Where did you go?”

Zhou Tingzhao didn’t answer but raised his hand to pass something to her. Only then did Sang Ru notice that he had been holding several sheets of paper all along.

She took them—they were the test papers she had deliberately left behind.

“You left something behind. I was just about to bring it to you,” Zhou Tingzhao said.

Sang Ru asked in confusion: “But why didn’t I see you when I came up just now?”

“Mm,” Zhou Tingzhao paused for a moment before saying, “After I went out, I saw you coming back, so I followed.”

“How did you get out?”

Zhou Tingzhao pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

Sang Ru understood and asked calmly: “Did you climb down from the second floor?”

Zhou Tingzhao looked at her, then uncomfortably shifted his gaze to the ground, saying softly: “Mm.”

How he had come up was how he had gone down. As long as Sang Ru returned safely, what did it matter to him?

Carrying the test papers she had left behind, he had been extremely careful even while climbing down a building. There was a shorter path to the school gate, but it was lined with plants and rarely used at night.

He wanted to catch up to her, although he hadn’t figured out how to return the test papers, but by following behind, he would eventually find an opportunity to give them to her. However, she suddenly ran back from the direction he was heading, didn’t see him, and went straight to the teaching building.

Zhou Tingzhao watched her running figure, so hurried in appearance, probably returning to retrieve the test papers.

So he followed behind her, reaching the third floor and, without even realizing his own nervousness, slowed his steps. At the back door, he heard her calling his name.

She had a beautiful way of saying people’s names, especially when she said “Zhou Tingzhao.” Every enunciation felt like it was scratching at his chest.

“I’m here.”

When Sang Ru learned that he had again done something so dangerous, yet had been thinking of bringing her the test papers, she couldn’t decide whether to scold him or thank him. They stood facing each other for a moment, and then she simply stepped forward and embraced him.

Standing before Zhou Tingzhao, she could just fit perfectly into the hollow of his shoulder.

Sang Ru tightened her arms around him and whispered, “Don’t do this again in the future.”

After a long while, she finally heard Zhou Tingzhao’s reply: “Alright.”