Chapter 25

Yun Li was still pondering over Fu Shizhe grabbing her wrist as she absentmindedly accepted the balloon.

In her memory, this seemed to be their first physical contact.

Did he seem to not react?

Was it that he didn’t care about it, or…

Didn’t mind holding her hand?

Yun Li looked up at the balloon floating in mid-air, the rabbit comically stretched into a wide smile, just like the crescent moon in his profile picture. Any displeasure in her memories dissipated.

Despite being twenty-three, holding this balloon made her appear childish, yet Yun Li didn’t want to let go.

After making a round, the two returned near the bean stall, where a special Halloween shadow puppet show was being performed. The screen wasn’t hung high, and the front was already packed with people.

They joined the crowd, and Yun Li, standing at 160cm, couldn’t see anything in the dense crowd, with Fu Shizhe standing behind her.

Yun Li had to rely on Fu Shizhe for a description: “What’s being performed inside?”

Fu Shizhe: “Four pumpkin people.”

Yun Li: “Doing what?”

Fu Shizhe: “Walking a pumpkin dog.”

Yun Li: “…”

It didn’t sound interesting, but the surrounding crowd was applauding. Yun Li was about to leave when a couple in front made a move, the guy lifting the girl onto his shoulders.

Seeing this, other couples followed suit, leaving those without partners awkwardly standing still. A girl in front of Yun Li, seeing this, tapped her male friend: “Can I ride on your shoulders?”

“Let’s not, I don’t have a girlfriend…”

“This is perfect then, be a man and let me ride!”

Witnessing this scene made Yun Li feel awkwardly embarrassed. Turning to Fu Shizhe, she found he was also looking at her.

Fu Shizhe: “Do you want to see?”

Yun Li couldn’t decipher his question. After pondering, she cautiously said: “Not really. But,” Curious about what he would do, she continued, “What if I did want to see?”

Fu Shizhe: “Then just imagine it.”

Yun Li: “…”

On the way back, Yun Li remembered her conversation with Fu Zhengchu: “Right, I talked with Fu Zhengchu today. I misunderstood him before.”

“Mhm.”

Yun Li didn’t have many friends, and when she first met Fu Zhengchu, she could go a whole day without speaking much. But he never made her feel out of place, leading Yun Li to sincerely remark: “He’s pretty nice.”

Fu Shizhe: “Are you considering being with him?”

Fu Shizhe’s question was too direct, even absurd from Yun Li’s perspective, leaving her speechless for a moment, unsure where he got that idea from. She finally said, “Fu Zhengchu is so much younger than me, and he’s had four or five girlfriends…” Yun Li abruptly stopped, then firmly stated: “Anyway, it’s not possible.”

…

After getting home, Yun Li hung the balloon by her bed. Opening her laptop to check her schedule, she realized next week was the autumn semester’s exam week.

“Yesterday you came back late, and today was hectic, how’s your chasing?” Deng Chuqi was concerned about her progress and called Yun Li right after work.

“Don’t use ‘chase,’ it’s pursuing.” Yun Li corrected sternly, “I asked him to go to the Halloween night market with me tonight, just got back, and he gave me a balloon.”

“Xiaxia’s Uncle agreed to go out with you alone? And he gave you a balloon?”

“It wasn’t exactly a gift.” Yun Li couldn’t hide the smile in her voice, “But, he gave it to me.”

Tapping the balloon gently, it spun around twice before turning back towards her.

The next day, Yun Li got up early, packed her backpack, grabbed some bread and chocolate milk, and headed to school.

In early winter, the sunlight slanted through the morning mist, causing dust to swirl. The temperature wasn’t too low, but Yun Li wore a knit sweater, feeling the occasional chill from the breeze.

After solving some problems in the classroom, Yun Li felt like she was back in her undergraduate days, cramming for exams due to the heavy course load, studying a subject every two days. Back then, she had roommates to discuss the topics with.

After class, Yun Li instinctively took out her phone: [Fu Zhengchu, would your Uncle agree to tutor me in my subjects for a fee?]

Fu Zhengchu: [Uncle is quite wealthy, he probably wouldn’t.]

Yun Li: [Oh, do you have exams coming up?]

Fu Zhengchu: [Yes, I have two exams next week. What’s up, Li Li?]

Yun Li: [How’s your revision going?]

Fu Zhengchu: [Feels like it’s going… okay?]

“…”

Fu Zhengchu seemed to have an idea, sending several more messages.

Fu Zhengchu: [No no no, not going well, let’s revise together, Li Li!]

Fu Zhengchu: [I’ll ask Uncle to tutor us.]

Fu Zhengchu: [Family should help each other out.]

Yun Li inwardly praised Fu Zhengchu’s quick thinking. He promptly set the time for Saturday morning at a coffee shop near Nanwu Institute of Technology University.

Come Saturday, Yun Li prepared early. As soon as the coffee shop opened, she was there. The coffee shop had an industrial decor, with gray cement floors and a high ceiling crisscrossed with pipes.

Yun Li found a table in the corner, sat down, and took out her laptop and textbooks. She started reading while waiting for Fu Shizhe.

Fu Shizhe arrived five minutes earlier than the scheduled time. He scanned the room upon entering and then walked over to Yun Li, sitting down to her right.

Yun Li, realizing his arrival a bit late, looked up and smiled at him, “You’re not wearing a shirt; you look like a young student.”

Fu Shizhe: “…Maybe I actually am a student.”

Yun Li was momentarily at a loss for words and then thought, well, that might be true.

After he sat down, Yun Li picked up the water pot to pour him some water, but Fu Shizhe naturally pressed down on the lid and said calmly, “I’ll do it myself.”

Yun Li didn’t insist and pressed the service bell. The waitress, who looked to be in her early twenties with a high ponytail, glanced at them when she set down the menu, her gaze lingering on Fu Shizhe.

He was wearing a black hoodie, and sitting by the window with sunlight streaming in.

Yun Li flipped through a few pages of the menu, “I’ll have a mocha and a chocolate pancake,” and then handed the menu to Fu Shizhe.

Fu Shizhe didn’t take it, “An Americano.”

Yun Li waited for a moment and, seeing he didn’t order anything else, reminded him, “Skipping breakfast is bad for your stomach.”

Yun Li suggested, “Why don’t you get a matcha waffle too? I’d like to have some.”

Fu Shizhe replied, “Okay.”

“That’s all, thank you.” Yun Li closed the menu and handed it back to the waitress.

The food would take some time to arrive, so to make the most of the top student’s time, Yun Li took out her textbook again.

Fu Shizhe asked, “Do you have past exam papers?”

“I have digital versions.” Yun Li took out her laptop, fiddled with it for a moment, and opened a document.

“Okay.” Fu Shizhe stood up and moved to the chair next to Yun Li. “Pen and paper.”

The faint scent of mint and lemon wafted from Fu Shizhe, and the sudden closeness made Yun Li’s head feel hot.

Yun Li obediently took out the pen and paper.

Fu Shizhe asked, “Have you done these before?”

Yun Li shook her head.

Fu Shizhe said, “Then let’s start now, one question at a time.”

Yun Li looked at the questions for a while, feeling embarrassed.

“Do I need to do it myself now?” After a pause, she said awkwardly, “It’s not that I don’t want to do it; I’m just worried about wasting your time.”

Fu Shizhe: “…”

“Give me the pen.”

Fu Shizhe then wrote down the steps on the paper, explaining each step as he went. Watching his profile, Yun Li felt a bit dazed. Since the beginning, he wasn’t someone praised only within a small circle. Almost everyone who knew him was willing to put him on a pedestal. Now, this person was sitting right next to her, and it felt surreal.

By the time the food arrived, Fu Shizhe had already explained two questions to Yun Li. Yun Li was doing the exercises while getting distracted, “I feel like I don’t remember much after listening to the lectures. Did you attend every class during your PhD?”

“Except for when I had to travel for competitions, I attended every class. After all, they all know me,” Fu Shizhe replied, “If I didn’t go, they’d ask if their teaching was bad.”

“…”

Yun Li suddenly imagined a scenario.

The teacher stands on the podium, lecturing, while Fu Shizhe sits in the front row, scrutinizing.

After finishing a section, the teacher smiles and asks Fu Shizhe, “Student Fu, do you think there’s any problem?”

Fu Shizhe nods, “No problem.”

Or perhaps the teacher notices that Fu Shizhe isn’t there that day and feels disheartened.

After class, the teacher asks other teachers if Fu Shizhe attended their lectures. Upon receiving a positive answer, the teacher reflects on why Fu Shizhe didn’t attend their class.

Suddenly, Fu Shizhe tapped the table with his finger and asked her, “Lost in thought?”

Yun Li quickly shook her head, indicating she was distracted.

“I can tell.” Fu Shizhe took out his phone and started playing 2048.

“Let’s eat something first.” Yun Li moved the laptop aside and carefully placed the A4 papers Fu Shizhe had used into an L-shaped folder.

Fu Shizhe took the matcha waffle in front of him, picked up the knife and fork, and cut it into bite-sized pieces before pushing it back to Yun Li.

Yun Li speared a piece, then pushed the plate back, “I’ll just have a taste.”

Fu Shizhe picked up a piece of waffle. He ate slowly, chewing each bite for over half a minute, making Yun Li slow down as well.

“Hello.” It was the same girl from before, who seemed to have applied some light makeup, looking a bit more refined, “Are you Miss Lazy Cloud?”

Ever since posting that robot video, not only had Yun Li gained a significant number of followers, but the views on her previous videos had also increased substantially. Now, she would occasionally be recognized as “Miss Lazy Cloud” in malls.

Yun Li still felt somewhat awkward when fans asked for a photo with her, unsure of how to interact with them. She even sought advice from other content creators on how to handle such situations. However, she was still not quite comfortable taking photos with fans.

“Yes, that’s me.” But what puzzled Yun Li was that the girl had been looking at Fu Shizhe the whole time, only to approach her, “Is there something you need?”

The girl suddenly became coy again, “Well—” then her gaze shifted back to Fu Shizhe, and she spoke somewhat incoherently, “I saw your recent video on E-station, and although it’s not related to your friend— but, can I take a photo with your friend?”

Yun Li: “…”

Yun Li: “Maybe… you could ask him yourself?” Not wanting to get involved with a stranger’s request, she added, “I’m not very close to him.”

Fu Shizhe: “…”

Fu Shizhe appeared not to have listened to their conversation, his gaze elsewhere, still leisurely eating.

“Excuse me, sir, may I add you on WeChat?”

Fu Shizhe was quite aloof: “I don’t have WeChat.”

As if she had anticipated his refusal, the girl then asked, “Can I take a photo with you?”

Fu Shizhe didn’t respond immediately, giving her a cool look for a while, causing the girl’s face to instantly turn red,

Before he distantly replied, “Today is not a good day.”

Yun Li had expected Fu Shizhe’s refusal, having faced her share of disappointments. She felt a bit of confidence in predicting Fu Shizhe’s response, which slowly turned into a sense of empathy with the girl in front of her.

Yun Li: “Don’t be too upset.”

The girl looked at Yun Li, who was slowly eating a waffle, and Yun Li sincerely comforted her, “I asked him before too, and he didn’t give it to me either.”

Fu Shizhe: “…”

Yun Li: “But now, we’re sitting at the same table, eating the same waffle.”

Fu Shizhe: “…”