The two librarians at the front desk looked at both groups as if they were looking at lunatics.

At this moment, Long Qi completely ignored Bai Aiting’s remark. After completing the formalities, she waved her hand dismissively: “There are so many flies buzzing nonstop since just now.”

The top student study group could practically win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor—their reaction was lightning-fast as they waved their hands along with Long Qi: “Yes, so many, so many flies, really noisy.”

After waving her hand, Long Qi smiled and couldn’t be bothered to even glance at Bai Aiting. She was ready to take the books and leave when Bai Aiting spoke up at that moment: “Dong Xi.”

She was calling Dong Xi. She actually called out to Dong Xi.

Long Qi turned her head before Dong Xi did, while Dong Xi calmly looked toward Bai Aiting.

Bai Aiting stood at the center of her circle, still maintaining the enigmatic attitude she had been displaying, and said: “The midterm exam is approaching soon. I hope we all perform normally.”

Dong Xi looked at her, and without much delay, replied: “Alright.”

Strange—there seemed to exist a special tension between the two of them, as if there was something only the two of them knew about. No wait, actually Bai Aiting’s entire small group knew about it, and they collectively harbored an indescribable hostility toward Dong Xi.

Long Qi only learned later that it was because Bai Aiting and Dong Xi had applied to the same prestigious university, and that university was offering only one recommendation spot to Beifan High School.

A life-or-death relationship.

Thus, this midterm exam took on unprecedented significance, directly related to three aspects:

First, the battle for the recommendation spot between Jin Yiken and Zhuo Qing.

Second, the battle for the recommendation spot between Dong Xi and Bai Aiting.

Third, Long Qi’s comeback battle.

In the blink of an eye, it was December. The midterm exam drew closer and closer, the studying atmosphere grew increasingly tense, and the weather became bitterly cold. After evening study sessions ended each time, the sky had already darkened into a vast expanse. Many students switched from going home on their own to being picked up by their family cars. Dong Xi’s family also sent a driver, but the distance from the classroom to the school gate was still unbearably cold. Long Qi was cold-resistant, but Dong Xi didn’t seem as tolerant of the cold, so she often pulled off the scarf from her own neck and wrapped it around Dong Xi.

This left her own neck completely bare, but paired with the military green coat she wore over her uniform, it actually looked quite refreshing and handsome.

Her relationship with Dong Xi had unknowingly become much more familiar and intimate. She discovered that Dong Xi possessed an aura of popularity—even though she had fallen out with those few from the honors class, girls from the regular class still eagerly wanted to be friends with her. So after school each time, Long Qi would lazily walk behind, letting Dong Xi explain homework difficulties to some female students first. After the girls dispersed, Dong Xi would return to her side, and at those times, she liked to put her hand in Long Qi’s coat pocket.

“So warm,” she would say.

She didn’t know that each time, Long Qi would have already placed a hand warmer in the pocket for a long while.

During that time, Long Qi also frequently received calls from a talent agent who had wanted to sign her for ages. He had painstakingly obtained her contact information from Wuzi’s side, and this time he persistently urged Long Qi to attend an audition for a music video’s female lead. He said this MV was for the comeback title track of a veteran band with enormous popularity both domestically and internationally. He said the media attention was unprecedentedly high. He said they were picking genuine beauties this time, the kind that could withstand direct lighting and camera close-ups. He said if she went, she would definitely be selected, and after that, her future would be limitless.

“I’ve become ugly,” Long Qi replied bluntly.

“I’ve never seen anyone work so little at their career! Think it over again! Think it over!”

“Let me tell you this,” Long Qi said while putting her right hand into her coat pocket. At that moment, Dong Xi’s left hand was still in the same pocket, and their hands touched in the narrow, warm space. Dong Xi’s hand flinched, then quickly withdrew from her pocket. Long Qi was only halfway through her sentence when this action pulled her thoughts back. She turned her head to look at Dong Xi while continuing to speak: “If I appear before the entire nation showing off again, our school will expel me.”

On the other end, the agent quickly launched into a theoretical rebuttal based on her statement. Half of Dong Xi’s face was covered by the scarf, making it impossible to read her expression. Just then, her family car arrived, so she said: “Then I’m heading home.”

“You’re not me, so how would you know what my situation is here,” Long Qi replied to the agent’s words while pulling Dong Xi’s hand on this end.

Dong Xi’s steps were spun around by her pull, and she looked at her breathlessly. Long Qi silently pointed to her own neck.

Dong Xi realized what she meant. Before getting in the car, she removed the scarf and was about to hand it to Long Qi when Long Qi happened to put her hands in her pockets at that moment. Dong Xi had no choice but to step forward a few paces.

Long Qi was still conversing with the agent on the phone. Dong Xi silently helped her put on the scarf. After putting it on, she used her eyes to signal to Long Qi “I’m really leaving now.” Long Qi nodded.

Then Dong Xi got in the car and left.

At this point, Long Qi finally conveyed the message of “not going” through the phone, hung up her mobile, hailed a taxi, and before getting in, glanced at the car carrying Dong Xi away in the distance, then quickly withdrew her gaze.

After getting into the taxi and stating her destination, the driver in the front seat glanced at her through the rearview mirror and asked with a smile: “Just finished school and in a good mood?”

“Yeah,” she replied.