Chapter 5

As soon as she finished speaking, before Shen Siyan could react, Xu Zhilu pushed him away and muttered, “You need company just to get a haircut?”

Shen Siyan: “…”

Before he could speak, the hair salon assistant next to them laughed.

“Little sister, can’t you see it?” The assistant said, “This handsome guy wants to spend more time with you.”

Xu Zhilu: “…”

She involuntarily sneered.

Shen Siyan also glanced at the assistant coldly and said flatly, “Stop teasing her.”

The assistant shrugged. “Fine, you guys discuss your ‘relationship.'”

Xu Zhilu: “…Who said we have a relationship.”

She looked up at Shen Siyan. “Anything else? If not, I’m leaving.”

Shen Siyan lowered his eyes and asked softly, “Going home?”

Xu Zhilu rolled her eyes and pulled her backpack. “What else?”

Shen Siyan choked up and touched the back of his head. “Should we grab dinner before going back?”

“Nope.”

Xu Zhilu grabbed her bag. “I’m leaving first.”

Shen Siyan didn’t move, silently watching her ride away on her bike.

His gaze was deep, with emotions hidden and unclear.

After a while, he entered the shop.

The assistant who washed Shen Siyan’s hair was the same guy from earlier. He chuckled and asked, “Your girlfriend didn’t stick around, huh?”

Shen Siyan closed his eyes and replied in a deep voice, “She’s not my girlfriend.”

The assistant raised his eyebrows. “Oh, so you have a crush on her?”

Speaking to himself, he said, “That shouldn’t be the case. The girl seems interested in you too.”

Shen Siyan’s hand paused, lips pursed, but he didn’t respond.

Seeing his displeased expression, the assistant didn’t ask further.

When Shen Siyan finished his haircut and walked out, it was already dark outside.

The streetlights were bright, traffic was congested, and the traffic lights changed like seasons, constantly shifting back and forth, like life itself.

The fluctuating honks sounded like warnings and reminders.

Shen Siyan stood on the roadside for two minutes before pushing his bike home.

Under the streetlight, shadows stretched infinitely.

–

Xu Zhilu arrived home to find Xu Zhijia and their mother chatting on the sofa, with several shopping bags nearby and clothes piled on the sofa.

“Jiajia, look at these new clothes Mom bought for you today.”

Xu Zhijia, not very interested, snuggled up to her and said, “Mom, I don’t want to look.”

“What’s wrong?” Xu’s mother looked worried, holding her face. “Why do you seem unhappy? Were you bullied by classmates at school?”

Xu Zhijia pursed her lips, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls.

Sniffling, she wiped her tears and said, “Mom, am I really annoying?”

“Who said that?” Xu’s mother immediately reassured her, “Our Jiajia is the most lovable, beautiful, obedient, and sensible. Mom loves Jiajia the most.”

…

Xu Zhilu stood at the entrance, changing shoes. Hearing this conversation, her eyelids twitched. She lowered her eyes, changed her shoes, placed them in the shoe cabinet, and walked into the house.

Just as she was about to go upstairs, Xu’s mother suddenly called out, “Xu Zhilu, wait.”

Xu Zhilu turned around.

Xu’s mother frowned, glanced at her, and asked, “Why are you back so late?”

Xu Zhilu replied calmly, “I went to get a haircut.”

Upon hearing this, Xu’s mother finally focused her attention on her.

After seeing her newly curled hair, she pursed her lips and muttered after a while, “What kind of aesthetic is this?”

Xu Zhilu remained silent.

Xu’s mother looked at her somewhat disdainfully and said, “Come home earlier in the future. We have to wait for you to have dinner when you come back late.”

Xu Zhilu nodded, went upstairs.

Downstairs, the two were still there. The tone of their conversation was much softer than before, devoid of the earlier coldness, overflowing with maternal love.

But, it wasn’t meant for her.

–

During dinner, Xu’s mother had already learned about what happened at school and who had bullied her precious daughter.

As soon as Xu Zhilu sat down, she received a condemning look.

She ignored it, but she could feel her mother’s displeasure towards her.

After dinner, Xu Zhilu didn’t linger for a moment and went straight back to her room.

In the following days, Xu Zhilu vaguely felt something was off with Shen Siyan, but she didn’t dwell on it.

She was busy studying every day, with midterms approaching soon. She could not afford to rest if this student, who was making a comeback on her midterm, failed. Everyone would be making fun of her.

That day,

Xu Zhilu and Shen Siyan rode their bikes to school, one after the other.

For no apparent reason, Xu Zhilu has been encountering him these past few days.

Although she found it surprising, she didn’t ask much about it.

She simply didn’t want to talk much with Shen Siyan, harboring some resentment for him.

Of course, she knew that Shen Siyan’s not liking her wasn’t his problem, nor was it his fault.

Feelings couldn’t be forced. But standing someone up had really angered her.

He could refuse her, but he shouldn’t deceive her. Deception was her bottom line.

So, for a short while, Xu Zhilu found it difficult to be pleasant towards Shen Siyan.

Lost in thought, Xu Zhilu absentmindedly walked towards the teaching building, not noticing something in front of her.

Suddenly, someone pulled her down.

Xu Zhilu leaned to the side and glared at Shen Siyan, “Shen Siyan, you have…”

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw a puddle by the side.

It had rained last night, and that spot was lower, always filling up with water after rain, enough to soak her calves if she stepped in carelessly.

She choked back her words, instinctively turned her head, and, with a forced smile, changed her tone, “How impressive.”

Shen Siyan: “…”

An expression of speechlessness appeared on his face. After a pause, he released her hand and calmly said, “Watch your step.”

“Oh.”

Xu Zhilu wasn’t ungrateful. She rubbed her arm and pursed her lips, “Thank you.”

Shen Siyan grunted in response, and they entered the classroom together.

After class, Xu Zhilu took Xin An’an to the restroom.

Coming out, she overheard a conversation in the hallway.

“Have you heard? Xu Zhilu threw herself into Shen Siyan’s arms this morning!”

“Yeah, I heard. It was witnessed by Xue Hao from Class Five, and there’s a photo circulating on the forum. Everyone’s going crazy over it.”

“Tsk, just a few days ago, Xu Zhilu was cold and distant towards Shen Siyan. I didn’t expect her to be playing hard to get.”

…