“What?” Xie Ci seemed about to continue saying something.

Someone called from the classroom doorway: “Brother Ci, everyone’s waiting for you, hurry up.”

Seeing that he had business, Xu You instantly felt relieved and quietly turned away.

Suddenly she remembered something.

She turned her head and called out to the person about to leave, somewhat hesitant: “Um, your jacket is with me.”

“What?” He looked as if he hadn’t heard, turning his head sideways to look at her.

“You left your clothes in the exam room, I brought them back for you.” Xu You explained good-naturedly, lowering her head and reaching into the drawer, fumbling to take out the jacket.

The person waiting outside saw that Xie Ci was still dawdling and couldn’t help but poke his head in and shout into the classroom again: “A’Ci, you can flirt with girls when you come back, hurry up.”

This was the first time she had actively spoken to him.

Xie Ci looked at her earnest appearance and suddenly laughed, realizing: “You secretly kept my clothes for yourself?”

Xu You handed over the black sports jacket, looking at him silently, not bothering with those teasing words.

Her hands were very white, set off especially clean and translucent by the black color, with faint fine blue veins barely visible on the backs of her hands.

“If you don’t take your clothes, I’m going to throw them on the ground.” Xu You frowned, looking at the person who showed no movement.

However, her soft gentle voice sounded completely non-threatening.

He slowly and leisurely took the clothes.

With his usual laziness, carrying a bit of frivolous roguish tone: “Heh, you have quite the temper.”

The very-tempered Xu You ignored his teasing and turned around.

—

The bell rang for the last exam, and the campus gradually came back to life. The corridors were filled with students going up and down, filled with noisy clamor.

Before long, classmates from the class all returned to the classroom with their test papers, gathering in twos and threes to compare answers.

“Ugh, so annoying, the English exam is finally over.” Someone nearby complained impatiently.

Another said: “Don’t worry, Brother Ji, you’re always the worst one.”

Then came a bout of chasing and horseplay. The stools and desks were knocked askew everywhere.

Zheng Xiaolin in front was using Xu You’s English test paper to compare answers. Halfway through she became very dejected, sighing and pouting: “Oh my god, so many of my reading comprehension answers are different from yours.”

Xu You was amused by her sad expression. She took back the test paper and put it away, comforting her: “It’s okay, I guessed randomly on many questions.”

Generally, top students are all this modest and unassuming.

So Zheng Xiaolin didn’t believe her at all, still feeling heavy-hearted: “I was still writing the essay in the exam room when I saw you hand in your paper early.”

“Oh wow, little cutie, you actually handed in your paper early?” Fu Xueli was sucking on bubble tea from who knows where, flipping through a magazine while talking to Xu You. After turning a page, she yawned again.

For some reason today she seemed somewhat listless, quite different from her usual energetic appearance.

Xu You was a bit worried and touched her deskmate’s forehead, asking: “Are you not feeling well?”

“No, I’m not.” Fu Xueli amusedly pulled down Xu You’s hand. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

After just a few words, the homeroom teacher entered through the classroom door and walked to the podium.

She said nothing, but the classroom gradually quieted down, with everyone returning to their seats.

“This monthly exam is finished. You should have a sense of what level you’re at.”

Xu Huiru placed both hands on the podium, her gaze sweeping around the room below. “The results will be out tomorrow. I plan to change your seating arrangements next week. Anyone interested can find me privately.”

Below, as expected, there was a chorus of sighs.

“Teacher, why are the results coming out so quickly this time?” Someone asked loudly.

Various parts of the class began whispering again.

Xie Ci had switched seats with Song Yifan and was now sitting directly behind Xu You, watching as she lowered her head searching for something for a long time.

Absentmindedly observing her back.

Fu Xueli leaned over, curiously asking: “Little cutie, what are you doing?”

“I’m looking for my keys.” Xu You crouched down and took out all the books from the drawer to look through them. Nothing.

She then unzipped her schoolbag and rummaged around inside for a long time.

Fu Xueli helped her check if they were on the desk surface, asking as she searched: “When did you lose them?”

“I don’t know.” Xu You was still lowering her head searching randomly.

Song Yifan joined in the excitement, leaning on the desk watching them. “What’s wrong, what’s wrong, what happened?”

Xu You turned her seat upside down but still couldn’t find them. She couldn’t help but say dejectedly: “My keys dropped.”

“If they dropped, just pick them up.” Song Yifan answered offhandedly.

“But they dropped.” Xu You was confused for a moment. “How do I pick them up?”

Song Yifan said matter-of-factly: “Use your hands to pick them up.”

“But the keys dropped, they dropped.” Xu You didn’t understand why he didn’t get it.

Fu Xueli on the side suddenly understood and said: “Xu You, you mean your keys are lost, right?”

“Yes.” Xu You turned her face, looking blank: “What’s wrong?”

“Oh my goodness.” Song Yifan laughed out loud. “So where you’re from, ‘dropped’ and ‘lost’ mean the same thing?”

Xu You sat back in her seat, not wanting to deal with him.

At this moment she had no mind to care about differences between northern and southern dialect. She thought over and over in her mind, where could the keys have gone?

They were clearly in her schoolbag… she remembered.

And then…

Oh! Right.

Xu You’s eyes lit up. She turned around, placing both hands on the edge of the desk, and asked: “Do you have my keys in your clothes? Did I accidentally give them to you just now?”

Xie Ci leaned forward slightly, raised his eyebrows, and said in a low voice: “Guess?”

“I won’t guess.” Xu You refused immediately, saying: “Give me back my keys.”

Xie Ci laughed once. “You want me to return them so I’ll return them?”

His lazy tone, roguish. His manner extremely asking for a beating.

On the side, Song Yifan, who could be said to be very tactless, interjected: “Oh come on, A’Ci, you see the little girl has been anxious for so long, just give them back to her. Are you a real man or not?”

“What’s it to you?” Xie Ci’s voice was flat, asking him back.

Xu You thought he really wasn’t planning to return them to her. She couldn’t help but grow anxious, spreading out her pale white palm: “Xie Ci, hurry up and give me my keys.”

Xie Ci rested one hand on the desk twirling his pen, observing her for several seconds.

His skin was very fair, his pupils dark and bright. Clearly he had good looks, yet he always acted improperly. Xie Ci tilted his head, saying teasingly: “Call me ‘older brother’ and I’ll return them to you.”

Song Yifan: ……

Holy crap, are you freaking perverted? What era is this and you’re still playing the brother-sister game?

When Xu You heard these words, with her thin face, she immediately flushed bright red.

“Will you call me or not? I’m giving you three seconds.” He was utterly shameless, beginning to count down.

“——3”

“——2”

“——1”

Xu You didn’t react in time. Afraid that he really wouldn’t give them to her, in her urgency, she blurted out: “Older brother.”

He seemed to freeze for a moment.

Several people all fell silent for a few seconds.

Xie Ci was the first to laugh out loud. His tongue pressed against his teeth, circling once, his voice low and husky as he said: “Xu You, why are you so coquettish?”