The classroom windows were left open, allowing sunlight to filter through the branches and cast dappled shadows on the desk, outlining the patterns of leaves and the window frame.
A gentle breeze blew in, tousling Liu Shuyao's bangs and letting light dance into her eyes.
Xiang Ran watched her in silence, puzzled by what Liu Shuyao was up to, furrowing his brows as he contemplated who had taken advantage of whom earlier.
His small movement caused Liu Shuyao to instinctively grip his arm tightly, biting her lower lip as if she had made a firm decision.
Liu Shuyao's voice was naturally sweet, but due to her personality and her often expressionless face, she always seemed to have a cool demeanor.
But when she softened and began to plead, no one could resist.
"I can explain about Zheng Fuxin; I really didn’t say more than a word to him!"
"What will it take for you not to be mad anymore?"
"I swear I’ll listen to you from now on, okay? You say go east, I’ll go east; you say go west, I’ll go west!"
Her delicate fingers even half-raised to her ear as if making a vow, looking quite serious.
Perhaps due to her nervousness, Liu Shuyao seemed a bit flustered, her bright eyes flickering slightly, resembling a timid little creature.
!!!!
Xiang Ran hoped that Liu Shuyao's condition would improve soon.
It turned out it was all just bubbles.
Zheng what?
How many episodes has Liu Shuyao’s false memory been going on for? Not even a hint.
When did he get angry?
The person involved doesn’t even know!
Xiang Ran felt he couldn’t keep acting this out; he was so tired. This was more dramatic than any data structure.
He took a deep breath and used some force to pull his arm out of Liu Shuyao's embrace. Stepping back, he created some distance.
"You must be mistaken."
"What am I even angry about? We haven’t seen each other in days!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyao’s eyes glistened with tears, her nose slightly red, looking pitiful like a bullied rabbit.
"Then why did you decide to ignore my calls?"
???
When did she ever call him? They didn’t have each other’s contact information at all!
Xiang Ran felt a jolt in his heart at Liu Shuyao's aggrieved expression, his mind a chaotic mess that nearly left him dizzy!
After brewing over it for a while, he steeled himself and said, “I’m going to be pretty busy lately. Since you just got better, make sure to rest. I’ll contact you when I have some free time.”
With that set of typical scumbag lines, Xiang Ran opened the door and walked out, inwardly cursing himself for treating such a beautiful woman this way. He really was despicable! But what choice did he have? If he didn’t make excuses to avoid her, how could they develop in such an unequal relationship?
As the sound of the door closing echoed, Liu Shuyao sat alone in the classroom, feeling lost in her chair. Zhao Ying arrived late, glancing around but not spotting anyone else.
“Where is he?”
Liu Shuyao looked at her and immediately deflated, resting her head on Zhao Ying's shoulder. Her voice barely concealed her disappointment.
“He left.”
“You two haven’t made up yet?”
Zhao Ying could tell from her expression that their conversation hadn’t gone well.
“Even though he said he wasn’t angry, I can’t shake the feeling that he’s thinking otherwise.”
“Is it that I’m not good enough?”
“What should I do in this situation?”
“We’ve never fought like this before.”
Zhao Ying watched Liu Shuyao, who seemed lost in thought, and didn’t know how to start. She hadn’t expected Xiang Ran to be like this. After all, if it were someone else, they would have shouted their good fortune from the rooftops, showing off with the campus beauty everywhere. Instead, he kept rejecting her, which was quite troublesome.
Moreover, the most important thing was—
why did she feel that Liu Shuyao seemed a bit lovestruck right now?
“Why don’t you buy a book and read up on it? Maybe learn something?” she suggested tentatively.
“What do you mean?”
Liu Shuyao believed in the power of knowledge, and with Zhao Ying’s reminder, she seemed to gain some clarity. The two quickly agreed to head to the library.
Upon arrival, Liu Shuyao skillfully made her way to the second floor's classic literature section and soon found a book to hand over.
“How about this one?”
Zhao Ying instinctively frowned at the sight of the Pride and Prejudice in Liu Shuyao’s hands.
“Are you trying to learn how to make a dramatic confession like Darcy in the rain?”
“What about this one?”
Liu Shuyao held up Romeo and Juliet, shaking it slightly.
“Wow~ Leo is pretty handsome~”
Noticing Liu Shuyao’s dazed expression, clearly recalling some movie, she turned to head back to the bookshelf.
“Alright, alright, darling, the book we’re looking for isn’t here,” Zhao Ying said, pulling Liu Shuyao’s sleeve with a hint of exasperation.
“But all the classic romances are here! Aren’t we trying to learn?” Liu Shuyao tilted her head seriously, attempting to prove the importance of her choices.
“Not at all~ Come with me~”
Zhao Ying placed the Romeo and Juliet back on the shelf and led Liu Shuyao to the southeastern corner on the first floor, stopping in front of a shelf that prominently displayed the sign: Social and Interpersonal Relationships.
After quickly browsing, she found two books and spread them open in front of Liu Shuyao.
“Those classic romances aren’t applicable to you and Xiang Ran’s situation. You don’t need to elope or fight against the world, so let’s keep it practical and look at these.”
Liu Shuyao nodded, a bit confused, but the clarity in her eyes made Zhao Ying feel she didn’t quite get it.
One of the books was titled: Dating with a Man's Mind.
She felt a bit embarrassed looking at the cover and hesitated before voicing her question.
“Umm... if I use Xiang Ran’s way of thinking to date him, what if we end up as bros instead?”
Alright, this one’s a pass.
The next book was titled Understanding Your Partner: From Communication Gaps to Hidden Meanings.
Liu Shuyao was drawn to the bright yellow cover and read the description aloud:
“Number one on the New York Times bestseller list for 8 months, translated into 31 languages, a leading work on gender communication.”
Satisfied, she nodded and flipped through a couple of pages from the table of contents.
“This one seems more suitable for me. I think Xiang Ran and I have some communication issues right now~” Liu Shuyao said.
But Zhao Ying had other ideas. She shoved the first book back into Liu Shuyao’s arms.
“No, no, no, you actually need this one more!”
Liu Shuyao looked down at the cover, her ears instantly turning red as she whispered, “The title is way too straightforward... and we already love each other plenty!”
Even as she shyly protested, her gaze wandered, and she tried to hide her face with her hand, like a startled rabbit.
Especially that description on the back—it was so explicit.
“I’ll just borrow this one instead,” she murmured.
"Especially that summary—it’s really explicit."
"Let’s borrow this one instead."
Zhao Ying had a lot to say but couldn’t get the words out. She took the book back with a serious and proper expression.
"Shu Yao, I swear on my 20 years of singlehood experience, this one is what you really need."
"Really!"
On the way back from the library, Liu Shuyao felt a bit shy, her cheeks flushed as she occasionally glanced around. She clutched the two little adult books tightly to her chest.
One of them, How to Make the Person You Love Fall for You 1, was strongly recommended by Zhao Ying, and its summary read like this:
How do you ignite the flame of love in someone’s heart? How do you make their heart race during a date? When should you play hard to get? When should you make the first move? How do you use the differences between the sexes to make them never want to leave you?
Key issues, expertly analyzed!
Boost your romance IQ instantly and win over your love interest!
Comments