Chapter 16

Living at school was great for Xu Zhilu. Despite everyone’s different routines, she enjoyed it.

Her roommates were all girls from her class, making a total of four.

In class, Xu Zhilu wasn’t particularly popular, but she wasn’t disliked either.

So far, she is getting along well with everyone.

“Zhilu, are you going to the cafeteria for breakfast?” asked Jian Anran, one of her roommates. Xu Zhilu nodded. “Wait for me. I need to get something.”

Jian Anran smiled. “No rush. Take your time.”

Soon, they were at the cafeteria.

Jian Anran was a quiet girl with a gentle personality. Xu Zhilu hadn’t noticed her much before moving to the dormitory, but she was gradually getting to know her.

After breakfast, they returned to the classroom.

The breakfast had been a bit salty, so Xu Zhilu took her and Xin An’an’s water bottles to the end of the hallway to fill them up.

She felt like the morning bowl of rice noodles had too much salt.

As she filled the bottles, she glanced up at the sky.

The weather was so-so, and it looked like it might rain. Xu Zhilu wondered if she had left an umbrella in the classroom and if the rain would stop by noon.

While thinking, she overheard some of her classmates talking.

“Did you see this morning? Shen Siyan came to school.”

“Yeah, I saw. His expression was scary. I almost thought he was here to start a fight.”

“Someone must have pissed him off again.”

…

Xu Zhilu listened to the conversation, not realizing her water bottle was overflowing. “Xu Zhilu, your bottle is full.”

Xu Zhilu snapped back to reality and quickly turned off the tap, apologizing. “Sorry.”

The classmate gave her a puzzled look. “It’s fine.”

Xu Zhilu pursed her lips, filled the water, and walked back to the classroom.

As soon as she entered, she saw someone standing in the back row.

He was wearing the blue and white school uniform, just like the other students, yet different.

Hearing the noise, Shen Siyan turned and looked her way.

Their eyes met, but Xu Zhilu felt nothing and walked calmly to her seat. She was passing by Shen Siyan’s desk when he grabbed her wrist.

Xu Zhilu frowned and looked at him. “What are you doing?”

Shen Siyan’s lips formed a straight line, and he looked at her intensely. “You moved to the school dormitory?”

Xu Zhilu nodded.

Shen Siyan’s expression changed slightly, and he asked in a low voice, “When did you move?”

“A few days ago.”

She was puzzled. “Why?”

Xu Zhilu didn’t understand. “Why are you asking?”

Shen Siyan stared at her for a long time before letting go. “Nothing.”

He said calmly, “That’s good.”

Xu Zhilu found it strange and, without giving him another glance, went to her seat and started studying.

…

Xin An’an arrived five minutes before class started. She had a very nice breakfast that morning, so she was in a good mood.

“Good morning, Zhilu. Brother Yan came to class too,” Xin An’an greeted warmly. “Long time, no see.”

Shen Siyan didn’t respond and just gave her a cold look.

Xin An’an was stunned, chilled by his gaze.

She touched her neck, puzzled, and looked at Xu Zhilu, then quietly sat down.

Xin An’an was a bit confused. She glanced at Xu Zhilu, who was reciting from a book, then turned back to look at Shen Siyan. Unable to resist, she wrote Xu Zhilu a note.

――Did you and Shen Siyan have a fight?

――?

――He looks scary. That look he gave me just now was like I offended him.

――I don’t know, maybe he’s like us and his period came.

――He looks at you the same way. Are you sure you didn’t fight?

――No.

Xin An’an looked at their conversation on the note, even more confused.

She couldn’t help but look back at Shen Siyan again.

Shen Siyan had already laid his head down to sleep and didn’t give them another glance.

“Did Shen Siyan come to school just to sleep?”

Xu Zhilu: “…You should ask him.”

Xin An’an rubbed her chin. “It feels like he’s suppressing his anger.”

Xu Zhilu didn’t respond.

Just then, the bell rang for class, so the two of them stopped discussing the unanswered question.

Xu Zhilu listened to the lesson attentively, and all morning she didn’t say a word to Shen Siyan.

At lunchtime, while eating with classmates in the cafeteria, she belatedly realized that Shen Siyan’s mood was indeed off today.

Usually, although he had a bad temper, it wouldn’t be so hostile as to affect others.

–

When Xu Zhilu and Xin An’an returned to the classroom, they happened to run into Cheng Song in the stairwell. He was carrying two takeout meals.

Xin An’an raised an eyebrow. “Are those for Shen Siyan?”

Cheng Song nodded. “Have you guys eaten?”

“Yes,” Xin An’an said. “Why didn’t you go out to eat?”

Cheng Song glanced at Xu Zhilu, then said, “Brother Yan said he didn’t want to eat.”

The two of them: “…”

As they chatted and entered the classroom, Shen Siyan glanced at them, his eyes emotionless, and then looked away.

There weren’t many people in the classroom at the time. Cheng Song, unconcerned, put the takeout on the table and shouted, “Brother Yan, do you have an appetite now?”

Shen Siyan: “…”

He looked out the window, bored. “You eat it.”

Cheng Song: “Still not hungry?”

He said, “Who are you mad at?”

Shen Siyan didn’t even look at him, just took out his phone to play a game.

Cheng Song stopped asking and started eating by himself.

Xu Zhilu had just taken an English book out of her desk, planning to memorize some vocabulary, when she heard someone behind her calling her name.

“Xu Zhilu, how’s the dorm life?”

Xu Zhilu turned around and smiled at Cheng Song. “It’s fine. Why?”

Cheng Song smiled and shook his head. “Nothing.”

He said, “Just asking.”

Xu Zhilu found it quite odd and replied coolly, “If you really want to know, you could live in the dorm too.”

“No way.”

Cheng Song said, “Living in the dorm is so inconvenient. You have to turn off the lights at night.”

Xu Zhilu: “…”

That made some sense.

After a while of silence, Cheng Song was about to speak again when Shen Siyan interrupted, “Can’t eating keep your mouth shut?”

Cheng Song: “Brother Yan, that’s not fair.”

He glanced at him. “I’m just trying to get some information for you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Siyan, with his phone in his pocket, left the classroom.

Cheng Song clicked his tongue, sighing, “Dealing with someone so moody is tough.”

Xin An’an found it funny. “Then why do you keep talking to him?”

Cheng Song gave her a meaningful look. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Xin An’an pouted. “Why is Shen Siyan in such a bad mood today?”

Cheng Song glanced at Xu Zhilu without speaking.

Noticing Cheng Song’s gaze, Xu Zhilu asked, “Why are you looking at me?”

She pointed to herself. “Does his bad mood have something to do with me?”

Cheng Song nodded.

Xu Zhilu: “…We haven’t talked for days. What does this have to do with me?”