Shen Siyan smiled. “Maybe.”

Xu Zhilu tilted her head and said speechlessly, “There’s nothing fun here. Just focus on your studies. The college entrance exams aren’t even over yet, so why would you want to go on an early graduation trip?”

Shen Siyan: “…”

The two looked at each other in silence for a while, and Xu Zhilu nodded. “I am telling the truth.”

Shen Siyan laughed. “Okay.” He looked at Xu Zhilu. “Have you told your parents about this?”

“I told my dad.”

“He agrees?”

“Yes.”

Shen Siyan stared at her for a few seconds and said nothing more. Xu Zhilu didn’t care and just ate. After eating, Shen Siyan asked her about her rest time.

“Are you sleepy?”

Xu Zhilu shook her head, then nodded. “A little bit. What’s wrong?”

“Is there a place to sleep back in the dance studio?”

Xu Zhilu nodded. “They all sleep on the yoga mats for a while, and the dance studio is clean.”

Shen Siyan frowned and took out his cell phone to take a look. “There’s a hotel nearby.”

Xu Zhilu: “Ah?”

Shen Siyan tilted his head. “Let’s go to the hotel and sleep for two hours.”

Xu Zhilu: “…”

She stared at Shen Siyan with wide eyes. “No way, young master, you can’t spend money like this. Who would go to a hotel and sleep for two hours when they are tired?”

Shen Siyan asked unruly, “Why not?”

“…”

Xu Zhilu found that she seemed unable to communicate with Shen Siyan. Shen Siyan glanced around, then lowered his eyes to look at her. “Are you going or not? I don’t plan to go back so soon in the afternoon. You can sleep well and go to class while I rest.”

Xu Zhilu shook her head and refused. She looked around and said, “There’s a bench under the tree over there. I can just sit there for a while.”

Shen Siyan was here, and she didn’t say she wanted to go back immediately. Shen Siyan disagreed. Without thinking, he pulled her to the other side and said, “Listen to me, get some sleep.”

He insisted, “Don’t worry, I won’t come into the room when you’re sleeping.”

“There’s no need.” Xu Zhilu struggled. “If I really want to sleep in a hotel, I can book one myself.”

Shen Siyan stopped and looked at her, his eyes dark. “You really don’t want to be in the same room with me?”

“…”

Xu Zhilu said nothing. For some reason, she felt that Shen Siyan’s words sounded full of resentment. Xu Zhilu paused, raised her eyes, and looked at him. “I really don’t think it’s necessary.”

Shen Siyan couldn’t persuade her, so he looked around and asked, “Where are we going to rest?”

Xu Zhilu nodded. “Well, just take a nap for a while.”

Shen Siyan didn’t force it anymore. “Let’s go.”

The two sat down on the bench. This bench was right on the roof garden on the third floor, and there were a few big trees next to it to block the sunlight. Under the lush branches and leaves, about 70% of the sunlight was blocked, so it was not so dazzling. After sitting down, Xu Zhilu actually felt a little sleepy.

She leaned on the armrest and glanced at Shen Siyan. “I’ll sleep for a while. Call me in half an hour.”

Shen Siyan nodded. “Go to sleep.”

Xu Zhilu didn’t struggle; she just closed her eyes and rested. In fact, she was not feeling well and could not fall asleep very well, but she was just a little tired. She didn’t want to go to the hotel because it felt wasteful and inappropriate for them to go alone. Although she didn’t pay much attention to outside discussions, she also knew how to avoid suspicion.

Xu Zhilu thought about it and fell asleep in a daze. Shen Siyan stared at her for a while, and when she frowned, he subconsciously raised his hand to block out the sparse sunlight, casting a shadow in front of her eyes so she could sleep more comfortably for a short time. Shen Siyan stared at her profile for a long time and sighed silently.

There were many things that he didn’t know how to say, and he didn’t know what to do to make things go back to the way they were before. Shen Siyan was thinking absentmindedly when Shen Man’s call came at that moment.

He took a look and hung up.

Shen Man: ?

Shen Siyan: Xu Zhilu is sleeping.

Shen Man: ??? You little brat! What did you do?

Shen Siyan: …Dancing in the house is too tiring.

Shen Man: Oh.

Shen Siyan: Mom, what are you thinking about all day?

Shen Man: You are the one who is too worried. Have you explained it to Zhilu?

Shen Siyan: Explained.

Shen Man: Oh, why don’t you go to the hotel to rest?

Shen Siyan: She doesn’t want to go, saying it’s a waste.

Shen Man: Zhilu is so good, she knows how to live, unlike you, who are extravagant! You only spend the money your father and I earn, and you don’t know how to save for us. Do you know that we work hard to earn money?

Shen Siyan: ?

He was really convinced. How could she be so fickle?

Shen Man didn’t feel that she had said anything wrong and replied confidently: Isn’t it?

Shen Siyan: No, Mom, you are right.

Shen Man: Humph! Take good care of Zhilu, and report to me every day that she is safe.

Shen Siyan: Okay.

The mother and son didn’t chat for long before Shen Siyan put away his phone. He was tired of lifting one hand, so he used the other hand. People passing by not far away looked at them a few more times. Shen Siyan didn’t care.

As for Xu Zhilu, she was in a deep sleep and was completely unaware of this matter. More than half an hour later, Xu Zhilu woke up with numb hands.

“What’s the time?”

Shen Siyan withdrew his hand and whispered, “It’s still early. Do you want to nap a bit more?”

“No.” Xu Zhilu rubbed her eyes and said vaguely, “I have to go back to class.”

Shen Siyan responded, “Then I’ll take you back.”

“Ah?” Xu Zhilu looked at him in surprise. “Aren’t you going back to the hotel?”

“Don’t worry,” Shen Siyan said calmly. “I’ll take you back and take a look around the area.”

Hearing this, Xu Zhilu nodded. “Let’s go, then.”

The two returned to the dance studio, and after sending Xu Zhilu in, Shen Siyan really left. As soon as he left, Tang Meng came over.

“Zhilu, I’m sure of it.”

Xu Zhilu raised her eyes to look at her. “What are you sure about?”

Tang Meng smiled. “That handsome guy must like you, and he likes you very much.”

Xu Zhilu: “…”

She shook her head. “Really not.”

“How can you be so sure?” Tang Meng said. “If he didn’t like you, why would he do all these things for you?”

Xu Zhilu thought about it but didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t tell Tang Meng that she had never been able to pursue Shen Siyan even after graduating from college in her previous life. Moreover, she was only in high school now, so how could he possibly like her?

“I just can’t.”

She looked at Tang Meng. “It is true that I liked him before.”

Tang Meng was stunned. “What?”

Xu Zhilu nodded. There was nothing to hide about this matter.

“I liked him before, but he didn’t like me, so I gave up.”

“You confessed directly?”

Xu Zhilu shook her head. “I expressed it.”

Tang Meng was a little confused. She blinked and tried to understand what Xu Zhilu meant. “You mean, you liked that boy just now, but you didn’t confess your feelings to him. But you expressed it in other ways, right?”

“Right.”

Xu Zhilu nodded. “Many students in school know that I like him.”

Tang Meng blinked, a little bit unbelieving. “Could it be that my judgment of people is not accurate?” She stroked her chin and muttered, “But the way he looks at you, he just likes you.”

Xu Zhilu shook her head. “Really not. We have known each other since childhood; I guess that’s the reason.”

Tang Meng: “…” Still feels like it’s unlikely.

Even childhood sweethearts can have bad relationships. Their relationship is just like that of a young couple. But seeing that Xu Zhilu didn’t want to talk much, Tang Meng didn’t continue.

_

Xu Zhilu practiced in the dance studio for the entire afternoon. In the following days, Shen Siyan did not go home. He would go to Xu Zhilu for a midnight snack at night or come to the dance studio to meet her during the day and have lunch together. Life was very routine.

In the blink of an eye, it was the day for Xu Zhilu and her friends to perform. She asked the teacher in advance and got a ticket for Shen Siyan. Shen Siyan picked up the phone and said he would go. Xu Zhilu didn’t force him but told him that if he didn’t have time, he didn’t have to go. The place would probably be very noisy, and they were just backup dancers.

The performance took place in a stadium and was actually a singer’s performance, and they were really just backup dancers. The dance studio where Xu Zhilu took classes was very famous. Sometimes, performers without their own dance troupes would come and select people to be their dancers. This was relatively normal.

The ticket Xu Zhilu gave was for the front row. When Shen Siyan arrived, most of the people at the scene were girls, and it was quite noisy. He found a seat and sat down, looking up at the stage in the middle. When they appeared on stage, Xu Zhilu and the others were there. She was wearing the same clothes as everyone else, but Shen Siyan still found her in the crowd at a glance. He looked at her with burning eyes, watching her shine on the stage.

Only then did Shen Siyan realize that Xu Zhilu might not just like dancing; she really loved it. While dancing, her eyes were shining, and her face was full of joy, as if she were enjoying herself. He stared at her for a long time. Every time she danced, he could find her in the crowd at first sight and watch the whole process.

_

One night, Shen Siyan’s mind was filled with images of her dancing on stage. Even after walking out of the gymnasium, he was still immersed in those images. He stood outside, listening to others discuss the singer, and his heart calmly moved.

Shen Siyan sent a message to Xu Zhilu, asking her what time she would be back.

Xu Zhilu was probably busy and replied to him after a long time, saying that she had to attend the celebration banquet in the evening and couldn’t come back quickly.

Shen Siyan thought for a while, then lowered his head and asked, “Where is the celebration banquet held?”

Xu Zhilu: I didn’t ask.

Shen Siyan: Send me your location when you arrive, and don’t drink.

Xu Zhilu: No.

Shen Siyan thought for a while: Then I’ll go back to the hotel first.

Xu Zhilu: Okay.

After the dance, Xu Zhilu and the others were taken to a celebration banquet. She ate something casually and kept looking down at her phone. Tang Meng came over and asked mysteriously, “Are you waiting for news?”

Xu Zhilu was startled. “No.”

Tang Meng laughed, looked at her, and said, “It’s obvious.”

Xu Zhilu curled her lips. “Really not.”

Tang Meng patted her shoulder and asked in a low voice, “Are you tired?”

“A little bit.”

“After today, we can have a good rest for two days,” Tang Meng sighed. “Why didn’t I realize that dancing is so tiring before? The atmosphere at the scene today is really going to deafen my ears.”

Xu Zhilu smiled. “How can it be so exaggerated?”

“It is.” Tang Meng whispered to her, “Is your friend still here?”

“He left.”

Tang Meng raised her eyebrows, very surprised. “Then did you ask him what he thought of our dance?”

Xu Zhilu shook her head. “No.”

Tang Meng’s eyes lit up, and she urged her, “Then ask now.”

Xu Zhilu: “Not very good.”

“What’s wrong?” Tang Meng said, “Ask quickly.”

Xu Zhilu thought about it and became a little curious, wanting to know Shen Siyan’s evaluation. She sent the message in front of Tang Meng.

Xu Zhilu: After watching our dance tonight, do you have anything to say?

Shen Siyan: ?

Xu Zhilu: It’s about how we danced, whether it looked good or not, or if it was a bit forced.

Shen Siyan: No.

Xu Zhilu: Didn’t you see it?

Shen Siyan: I didn’t look at them; I just looked at you.