Xu Zhilu was speechless. “Aren’t you afraid your mom will scold you?”

Shen Siyan glanced up. “You’re not even eighteen. Why are you thinking about getting a job?”

He paused, then said in a low voice, “If you really don’t have money, tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

Xu Zhilu said, “I don’t want to borrow money, and I don’t want to owe anyone any favors.”

Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she changed the subject. “I’ll grade the test paper first. You can look at the materials I prepared for you. I’ll head back to school later.”

Shen Siyan’s hand stopped twirling the pen, and he glanced at the time. “You’re going back to the dorm tonight?”

“Yes. I want to get to the classroom early tomorrow.”

Shen Siyan looked at her for a moment, his lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.

–

After tutoring Shen Siyan, it was almost five o’clock.

Xu Zhilu went home to get some things and then planned to return to school by bike.

Seeing someone outside, she paused. “Shen Siyan.”

Shen Siyan turned to look at her.

Xu Zhilu bit her lip and asked softly, “Do you have something to do at school?”

Shen Siyan put away his phone and said calmly, “Don’t you have evening study sessions?”

Xu Zhilu was taken aback. “Yes.”

Shen Siyan: “Then that’s it.”

He continued, “You said evening study time was all mine. Of course, I need to go back for evening study.” As he spoke, he observed Xu Zhilu’s expression, adding slowly, “What, did you really think I was joking about the tutoring?”

“…”

Not really, but Xu Zhilu felt it was surreal.

For some reason, Shen Siyan’s long speech left her with no way to refute it. She couldn’t even object to him going back to school.

The school wasn’t hers alone. It made sense for Shen Siyan to attend evening study sessions on Sunday nights.

Xu Zhilu choked on her words and couldn’t find anything to say.

“Oh, but I won’t go to the classroom right away.”

Hearing this, Shen Siyan replied lazily, “It doesn’t matter.”

Xu Zhilu said no more and rode her bike forward.

They arrived at the school gate one after the other. Bicycles weren’t allowed inside the school, so they had to stop at the gate and push them in.

Just as Xu Zhilu was about to walk in, someone tugged on her backpack.

She turned around to see Shen Siyan’s beautiful eyes.

“How about having dinner before going in?”

Xu Zhilu thought for a few seconds. “What do you want to eat?”

Shen Siyan turned around and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“Fried chicken.”

Shen Siyan choked and said lightly, “Alright, let’s go to the fried chicken shop.”

Since he said that, Xu Zhilu had no reason to refuse.

Shen Siyan didn’t like fried chicken, even somewhat disliked it.

He couldn’t understand why something could be both sweet and spicy.

They locked their bikes, and Xu Zhilu first went back to the dorm to drop off her backpack before heading to the fried chicken shop.

It was peak time for students returning to school on Sunday, so the shop was crowded.

Xu Zhilu and Shen Siyan found a corner to sit.

She didn’t ask him, just picked what she wanted from the menu and then handed it to him.

“What do you want?”

“You decide.”

Xu Zhilu replied, “Oh,” and didn’t stand on ceremony.

She looked at what she had chosen. “I’ll give it to the waiter.”

“Okay.”

Soon, the fried chicken was served.

Shen Siyan’s eyelids twitched as he looked at the colorful fried chicken. He glanced at the person opposite him. “Did you only order this flavor?”

Xu Zhilu nodded. “Didn’t you say I could order whatever I wanted?”

Shen Siyan: “…”

He choked on his words, speechless for a moment. “Alright.”

Xu Zhilu ignored him, eating while looking at her phone and sending a message to Jian Anran.

Jian Anran also returned to school on Sunday afternoon. Xu Zhilu asked if she wanted some fried chicken.

Jian Anran: Sure, are you there already?

Xu Zhilu: Yes, I’m at the shop. What flavor do you want?

Jian Anran: Sweet and spicy, and some rice cakes.

Xu Zhilu: Okay, I’ll bring it back to the dorm.

Putting away her phone, Xu Zhilu called a waiter. “Excuse me, I’d like to order more.”

Shen Siyan looked up at her.

Xu Zhilu met his gaze and said to the waiter, “I’d like an order of rice cakes and sweet and spicy fried chicken to go.”

“Sure, anything else?”

Xu Zhilu looked at Shen Siyan. “Anything else?”

Shen Siyan glanced at the table. “No, finishing these is enough.”

“…Aren’t you unable to eat them?”

Shen Siyan denied, “No.”

He just didn’t like them very much, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t eat them.

Hearing this, Xu Zhilu didn’t ask any more questions.

After they finished the fried chicken, it was getting late.

Xu Zhilu looked at him and said, “I’m going back to the dorm.”

Shen Siyan nodded. “Go ahead, I’m going to the classroom.”

Back in the dorm, Xu Zhilu gave the fried chicken to Jian Anran and transferred the money for the chicken to Shen Siyan. 

Shen Siyan had insisted on paying at the store, and Xu Zhilu didn’t want to argue with him there. But when she sent the money, it was promptly returned.

After some thought, Xu Zhilu opened a food delivery app.

– The classroom was empty.

Shen Siyan glanced around and was about to walk to his seat when his phone rang in his pocket.

“Brother Yan! Where are you?”

It was Cheng Song. “Want to come out for a late-night snack?”

Shen Siyan checked the time. “Come to school, I’ll treat you to a late-night snack.”

Cheng Song was confused. “School? Weren’t you at home? When did you get back to school?”

“Just now.”

Shen Siyan grabbed his water bottle and walked out. He drank two large cups of water to wash away the sweet taste lingering in his mouth.

“…”

Cheng Song was speechless. “Why did you go back to school? Are you really planning to study hard?”

Shen Siyan smirked. “Come if you want.”

“I’ll be there,” Cheng Song said eagerly. “How can I refuse when Brother Yan is treating me? I’ll be there in half an hour.”

Shen Siyan grunted in acknowledgment and hung up the phone.

He filled another cup of water before returning to the classroom.

It was close to summer, so the sun set later. From Shen Siyan’s spot, he could see the beautiful sunset.

He stared at it for a while before pulling out his textbook from the drawer.

The deliveryman’s call came when Shen Siyan was lost in thought.

“Hello.”

“Hello, is this Shen Siyan?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Your delivery has arrived. Could you come to the school gate to pick it up?”

Shen Siyan paused, then remembered something. “Please wait a moment, I’ll be right there.”

Xu Zhilu had just finished washing her hair and taking a shower when she saw a message from Shen Siyan.

Shen Siyan: Did you order delivery?

Xu Zhilu: Yes.

Shen Siyan: I just ate.

Xu Zhilu: Oh, then share it with someone else.

Shen Siyan: That’s not an option.

Xu Zhilu didn’t respond, not wanting to argue further.

In the following days, their interactions remained the same. They were like ordinary classmates, but somehow, their relationship seemed a bit more harmonious compared to others.