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Xu En’tang quickly tucked the wristband behind her back.
After doing so, she felt like she was acting guilty, like trying to hide something obvious.
If she explained it was her friend’s, would it sound like an excuse?
“That…I—”
Tan Jili: “Not calling me Second Brother anymore?”
“…” Xu En’tang’s face flushed.
Why was she always so flustered?
She thought for a moment. Since she had blurted it out last time, she might as well continue calling him Second Brother.
Just as she was about to speak, Tan Jili chuckled, “Call me by my name.”
Xu En’tang pursed her lips, “Tan…Tan Jili.”
Her voice was soft, almost trembling.
Like the sound of someone tentatively plucking a guitar string for the first time, uncertain.
Tan Jili raised an eyebrow, “Does my name burn your mouth?”
Xu En’tang: “…It doesn’t burn my mouth.”
It’s just that she rarely called him by his name directly before, she wasn’t used to it.
“Not in class?” Tan Jili asked casually.
Xu En’tang: “We have P.E. this period.”
Tan Jili nodded.
A few seconds of silence followed.
Having greeted him, Xu En’tang was about to say goodbye and leave.
Tan Jili: “Praying for good luck on the monthly exam?”
Xu En’tang: …
The original words on Lin Jiayu’s wristband were: 【Oh, God of Math at No.1 Middle School, bless me for a successful monthly exam!!】
So he saw the words on the wristband.
Xu En’tang wanted to disappear.
She explained, “It’s my friend’s.”
Tan Jili hummed in response.
He didn’t ask where her friend was or why she wasn’t here.
Xu En’tang: “It really is my friend’s.”
Because of their height difference, Tan Jili had to look down at her slightly.
The corners of his eyes held a faint smile, he didn’t look as arrogant as he did in the video that night on the basketball court; he was very gentle.
“Should I help your friend tie it on?”
Xu En’tang paused.
She didn’t know if Lin Jiayu wanted to tie it on herself, or if she could do it for her.
As she hesitated, footsteps approached.
“Xu En’tang!”
Lin Jiayu returned.
When she realized someone was coming, Lin Jiayu’s escape was an instinctive reaction.
Before her mind could decide, her legs had already moved.
After running out, she realized Xu En’tang hadn’t come out with her.
She looked back inside, but didn’t see anyone, suspecting she might have been detained.
Xu En’tang had come with her, leaving her behind was inconsiderate.
So she mustered her courage and returned.
Coming back, she found Xu En’tang still standing there, indeed detained by someone from the International Class.
But then, she saw that the boy opposite her was Tan Jili.
She was startled at first, then remembered that Xu En’tang and Tan Jili knew each other, and she relaxed.
Xu En’tang: “This is my friend.”
Her eyes were brighter than before, as if they said, “See, I didn’t make up a friend.”
Tan Jili smiled faintly and said to Lin Jiayu, “Hello.”
Lin Jiayu’s face flushed, and she stuttered, “Y-you…hello. My name is Lin Jiayu.”
Xu En’tang handed her the red string, “Do you want to tie it on?”
Lin Jiayu: …
She just wanted to tie it on secretly, not in front of Tan Jili himself.
“C-can I? If not, then—”
Tan Jili: “Go ahead. One more won’t make a difference.”
Xu En’tang: …
Lin Jiayu: …
Lin Jiayu had wanted to say it was fine if she couldn’t, but since Tan Jili had said that, she had to grit her teeth and tie it on.
She tied it quickly, fastening the red ribbon to the cabinet handle in a few seconds, silently praying for “good luck on the monthly exam” and “good performance” in her heart.
Then, she turned to Xu En’tang, “Shall we go?”
Should she stay and chat with Tan Jili? After all, they knew each other.
Of course, Xu En’tang wanted to leave.
She looked at Tan Jili, instinctively wanting to call him “Second Brother” again, but stopped herself in time.
“Then we’re leaving.”
Tan Jili lazily hummed, “Hope you both do well on the monthly exam.”
Leaving the International Department, both their faces were slightly flushed.
The impression from her past life lingered. Xu En’tang felt naturally restrained in front of Tan Jili, only relaxing once they were out.
Lin Jiayu apologized to Xu En’tang.
“I’m sorry, Xu En’tang, I didn’t mean to run away.”
Xu En’tang: “Considering you came back, I won’t be angry.”
Lin Jiayu happily linked arms with her, “I’ll buy you milk tea after school!”
They walked towards the playground; they still had to assemble before the end of P.E. class.
Lin Jiayu recalled what happened earlier, “It would be pretty embarrassing if he saw what I wrote, do you think he saw it? With so many tied up together, he probably couldn’t tell whose was whose.”
Xu En’tang: “He saw it.”
Lin Jiayu: “No way? Didn’t you hide the wristband behind your back?”
Xu En’tang: “He really saw it.”
“…”
Lin Jiayu was mortified for a few minutes.
After the silence, she changed the subject, “But the big shot gave us his blessings!”
She felt excited just thinking about it and gained some confidence for the upcoming monthly exam.
“I didn’t expect him to be so easy to talk to. It’s true that Tan Jili, aside from that too flashy face, has no flaws.”
Xu En’tang: …
It seemed she really considered Tan Jili’s face a flaw.
As for being easy to talk to…
He just looked kind and approachable.
That kindness was accompanied by distance.
He had been pampered and raised since childhood, and deep down, he was just like Lu Jin, with a spoiled temperament and the airs of a wealthy young man.
In her past life, even those unrestrained young masters in their circle respectfully called him “Second Brother”.