The New Year holiday passed by in the blink of an eye, leaving everyone feeling like they hadn’t even had a chance to enjoy it before it ended. Returning to school meant diving right back into endless quizzes and exams.
In just a few days, He Siyue keenly felt that his desk mate seemed to have undergone some kind of transformation, as he was now inexplicably excited. No more dozing off in class, he was now raising his hand to answer questions and even volunteering to ask them himself.
The most terrifying part was his recent score on the comprehensive test: 210. This test was no joke, with the highest score in the class being Shen Xingruo’s 274. Of course, Shen Xingruo’s grades couldn’t be taken as the norm. A better reference point would be the school’s average score of 169. Aim higher, and the average for Class 1 was 203. It seemed like Lu Xingyan had finally scored above the class average for the first time since the comprehensive test started.
Seeing his score, Siyue even complimented him, “Looks like you’re doing pretty well in your studies lately.”
Lu Xingyan gave a nonchalant “Hmm” in response, then suddenly glanced at him and said, “You wouldn’t understand.”
Siyue blinked in confusion.
Li Chengfan happened to come over to talk to Lu Xingyan at that moment, smirking as he chimed in, “I understand, I understand. The power of love is great.”
He Siyue “…”
Lu Xingyan smirked, then playfully kicked Li Chengfan, “Stop tarnishing Shen Xingruo’s reputation, you bastard.”
“Right, right, our goddess is pure and chaste, no dating in high school.”
Li Chengfan had recently gained quite a few benefits from Lu Xingyan, and he had become shameless in both his words and actions, shamelessly playing the role of a modern-day lackey.
But there was no helping it; Lu Xingyan just liked this kind of blunt yet insincere flattery.
Li Chengfan, with a determined heart and closed eyes, thought, “Just keep flattering,” and continued to praise both Shen Xingruo and Lu Xingyan in turn, following the goddess’s lead.
It wasn’t until He Siyue couldn’t bear it anymore and quietly stood up that Li Chengfan stopped. He hooked his arm around Lu Xingyan’s shoulder and asked, “Hey, Young Master Lu, wanna go to the restroom?”
He made a smoking gesture.
Lu Xingyan didn’t hesitate to wave him off. “No, we’re nearing the end of the term. Can’t you focus a bit?”
Li Chengfan took the cigarette Lu Xingyan passed under the table, then leaned in and reminded him, “Brother, are you getting a bit too into the act?”
“Stop nagging. Get lost if you’re not going to study.”
With that, Lu Xingyan pulled out a test paper and spread it out on the desk, looking like he was about to study diligently.
Lu Xingyan was quite serious about his studies this semester. It’s just that the exams kept getting harder with each passing month, and he hadn’t seen any significant improvement. He didn’t show it outwardly, but his mindset was on the verge of crumbling.
Luckily, Shen Xingruo administered a timely dose of confidence booster, stabilizing his sinking ship in an instant.
After cramming through a round of vocabulary, Lu Xingyan was pleasantly surprised to find that the test paper wasn’t as cryptic as before, and he even had enough time. For the first time in his life, he felt what it meant to say, “I Freaking know how to do most of this!”
After finishing the exam, Lu Xingyan went to find Shen Xingruo, who was discussing questions with He Siyue.
Lu Xingyan approached and casually remarked, “I also chose option B. I was initially going to pick C, but then the girl said something at the end… I didn’t quite catch it, but I heard ‘unfortunately.’ Doesn’t that mean the opposite of what was previously expressed?”
Siyue stayed quiet, glancing at him.
Lu Xingyan wondered if he had said something wrong again, making a fool of himself.
He Siyue chuckled, “Right, I remember now. I also didn’t catch the last sentence, but when you mentioned ‘unfortunately,’ you’re probably right.”
Shen Xingruo put on her gloves and patted Lu Xingyan’s head, calmly praising, “Well done, you’ve made progress.”
Lu Xingyan saw the faint curl of her lips and couldn’t help but grin wildly.
However, he still had to put on a show in front of his rival, presenting an air of “I’m naturally gifted and can easily outshine you bookworms,” which was quite annoying.
It wasn’t until they parted ways with He Siyue outside the teaching building that Lu Xingyan approached Shen Xingruo and asked, “Any rewards?”
“What rewards?” Shen Xingruo glanced up at him as she adjusted her scarf.
Lu Xingyan helped her straighten out the back of it and generously said, “You name it, I’m okay with anything. Nose, forehead, eyes, cheeks—I don’t mind. But a kiss would be the best.”
“…Do you have a problem?” Shen Xingruo raised an eyebrow.
“I’m asking if there’s anything worth rewarding about you. If you can’t even understand the question, I think you might be in trouble for the Chinese exam this time.”
“…Tch, just you wait. I think I did pretty well on the Chinese exam this time.”
Shen Xingruo lifted her eyelids slightly. “Be modest. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.”
Naturally, the end of the term meant vacation time.
Their winter break this time was exceptionally short, totaling only eight days, from the 29th to the 6th of the first lunar month.
Lu Xingyan had previously suggested that Shen Xingruo stay for the New Year, and Pei Yue and Lu Shan had also extended warm invitations.
However, Shen Xingruo had heard Lu Xingyan mention that they always went to the capital to visit Lu’s grandfather for the New Year.
If she stayed, she would surely be taken along as well.
Moreover, the Lu family was large and prestigious, and during the New Year, there would inevitably be visits from relatives and friends. It would be awkward for her to spend the New Year at the Lu residence.
So, she returned to Huize for the holiday.
She left on the afternoon of the 29th, and Lu Xingyan wore a sour expression as she departed, not particularly happy about it.
Despite his discontent, Lu Xingyan took the initiative to take over the task of seeing Shen Xingruo off to the airport from Pei Yue.
Tickets for the Spring Festival high-speed train were sold out, and the airport was crowded. After getting their tickets, Lu Xingyan kept Shen Xingruo from going through security, dragging out their conversation until almost time for her to go through.
“Take care of yourself. Give me a call when you get to Huize. I put a small power bank in your bag. Remember to charge it if it runs out of battery,” Lu Xingyan said.
Shen Xingruo nodded. “Got it.”
She dragged her luggage forward to join the line.
Lu Xingyan called out from behind, “Hey, come back soon. I still have test papers waiting for you to review!”
Shen Xingruo turned back, but there were already four or five people lined up behind her, so she just waved to Lu Xingyan.
Lu Xingyan approached, understandingly asking, “What’s up?”
“Lower your head a bit,” Shen Xingruo whispered.
Lu Xingyan obediently lowered his head.
Unexpectedly, Shen Xingruo tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. “Consider it an advance on your New Year’s gift.”
Lu Xingyan remained in a slightly forward-leaning posture for a while, unable to snap out of it. His words came out a bit stuttered, “It’s not… Can you advance Valentine’s Day gifts, Qingming Festival gifts, April Fools’ Day gifts, and even Labor Day gifts as well?”
…It wasn’t just a slap on the face; it was a slap on the bed. He could turn even a little bit of affection into an art exhibition.
She pushed Lu Xingyan’s face away, adjusted her scarf, and waved. “I’m leaving. Take care of yourself.”
As she moved forward, she glanced back. Once she was farther away, a middle-aged couple behind her smiled and asked, “Your boyfriend? You two seem close.”
Shen Xingruo’s lips curved slightly. “Yes.”
Then she turned her head again and looked at Lu Xingyan, who was standing in the distance, lost in thought. What was she going to do? She was starting to feel that… longing feeling even before she left.
Originally, she planned to return on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, so by then, the relatives from the Lu family would have left. But now, she thought returning on the fourth day wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Shen Xingruo’s plan was quite good.
But before she could prepare to return on the fourth day, on the morning of the third day, Lu Shan and Pei Yue arrived in Huize with Lu Xingyan and a bunch of New Year gifts.
As they walked in, Shen Xingruo realized they had come directly from the capital without even entering their own home.
Shen Xingruo helped them with the gifts and smiled at Pei Yue. “Aunt Pei, you brought too many gifts. Come on in and have a seat.”
“It’s not too many. These were all picked by Lu Xingyan. He said it’s to thank you for tutoring him, and he’s sure he’ll score over 500 points on this final exam!” Pei Yue’s face lit up with joy.
Shen Xingruo looked up, and Lu Xingyan happened to be smiling at her.
Perhaps it was because he had gotten a haircut and dressed up for the New Year, but after not seeing him for three or four days, Shen Xingruo felt that he looked even more handsome.
Lu Xingyan seemed to know what she was thinking. He casually smiled and gestured towards her with his lips. “Am I handsome?”
Shen Xingruo “…”
Then he gestured to the items in his hands and silently mouthed, “Engagement gifts.”
Not mentioning it was fine, but now that he did, Shen Xingruo suddenly felt that the New Year gifts they brought seemed quite grand, almost like an engagement ceremony. The bird’s nest he was holding suddenly felt scorching hot in her hands.
She deliberately lagged a few steps behind and kicked Lu Xingyan before entering the house. “Scoundrel.”
Lu Xingyan chuckled lightly, looking carefree.
When it came to visiting Huize to pay New Year’s respects and pick someone up, it was indirectly arranged by Lu Xingyan.
In truth, he not only wanted to bring Shen Xingruo back but also worried about her situation at home with her stepmother.
Shen Xingruo indeed didn’t get along with Fang Min, simply because she didn’t want to.
But she didn’t suffer. Shen Guangyao felt guilty towards her, and Fang Min and Fang Jingran also felt guilty towards her. With just one glance, all three would ponder over it repeatedly.
Especially Fang Min. In the days when Shen Xingruo returned home, she knew Shen Xingruo didn’t want to see her, so she tried her best to keep a low profile.
She even knew Shen Xingruo was coming back, so she had already put away their wedding photos.
Although Shen Xingruo didn’t want to interact with her, she didn’t have much time to bother her either. Apart from meals, she spent most of her time in her room studying.
Plus, Lu Xingyan would occasionally send messages to harass her. In just three or four days, time passed quickly.
When the Lu family came over, Shen Guangyao was naturally happy. He prepared a sumptuous lunch, and they drank and chatted happily at the table, with a sense of joy and harmony.
Lu Shan and Shen Guangyao were not very related. One was devoted to art, while the other focused on making money.
However, their friendship from childhood was naturally different.
Lu Shan and Shen Guangyao’s brotherly affection was something Shen Xingruo and Lu Xingyan had heard about countless times. They would bring it up whenever they were not together, and when they gathered, they would reminisce about it again after drinking a little.
When Lu Shan mentioned his break with his grandfather years ago and his journey south alone, Shen Xingruo and Lu Xingyan exchanged a knowing glance.
Lu Xingyan put down his chopsticks and said he needed to go to the bathroom. Shen Xingruo also stood up, offering to show him the way. As they left the dining room, they both sighed in relief without any prior arrangement.
Lu Xingyan had visited the Shen family once before with Shen Xingruo, so he didn’t feel unfamiliar. However, the last visit had been rushed, and he hadn’t taken a good look around. Now that they were out, he made a request, “Shen Xingruo, I’d like to see your room.”
“What for?”
“Just to have a look.”
Since it was cold outside and there wasn’t anywhere else to go, Shen Xingruo nodded. Her room was decorated in a very girlish manner, with lots of trinkets. Lu Xingyan casually picked up a decoration and asked, “So you like these things, huh?”
Shen Xingruo didn’t explain and just busied herself tidying her desk. Her room used to be very neat, but in the past few days, she remembered the crystal ball Lu Xingyan had given her. So, she had taken out all the unopened gifts from before and decorated her room with them instead of putting them back away.
As Lu Xingyan helped tidy the desk, he absentmindedly pulled out a ribbon from beside her bed, only to reveal a pair of pink underwear.
Not just one…
But also a pair of pink panties.
The tags weren’t even removed yet, probably forgotten after a glance. When Shen Xingruo turned around, she saw Lu Xingyan holding her underwear, “Lu Xingyan, are you a pervert? Put that down!”
She rushed over and stuffed the items into her cabinet, her ears burning red.
Lu Xingyan, oblivious to the severity of the situation, tried to ease the tension from a female perspective, “What’s there to be embarrassed about? I’ve seen these before. I remember you used to wear A cups. Did your size increase or did you just grow up?”
For heaven’s sake! He was originally trying to lighten the awkward atmosphere from a friend’s perspective. But he ended up getting nervous and his words became somewhat incoherent, revealing his true thoughts.
Shen Xingruo grabbed his messy face and rubbed it, saying coldly, “Pervert!”
“Growth is a good thing, it’s good for both of us. I didn’t mean it like that, you know,” Lu Xingyan tried to clarify, but then felt it wasn’t right, “No, not like that either…”
“Creep!”
With the two of them so close, and with Shen Xingruo’s violent behavior, Lu Xingyan could only evade and block, resulting in their bodies getting even closer.
Despite kicking him several times, Shen Xingruo couldn’t satisfy herself, but she couldn’t slap him either. Just as she was thinking of kicking him a few more times to drive him away, Lu Xingyan suddenly reversed her hands behind her back and pinned her against the wall, blocking her legs.
“Listen to me, if you move again, I’ll be a pervert.”
His voice was slightly deeper, hinting at an unusual patience.