Chapter 12

“Qin Xiaoxiao, go take out the trash.”

The girl with slanted bangs and a low ponytail spoke in an almost commanding tone.

The cleaning duties for Class 8 were assigned based on student numbers, and today it was Qin Xiaoxiao, Yang Min, and this slanted-bang girl, Chen Xiaopei’s turn. However, Yang Min had taken the afternoon off for an orthodontic appointment, leaving only the two of them to handle the chores after school.

Qin Xiaoxiao took the initiative to do Yang Min’s share of the work as well.

Taking out the trash wasn’t an easy task. It required going down from the classroom and walking seven or eight hundred meters to the garbage pit near the school’s side gate.

Their group had no specific rules about who should handle the task each time—it was all based on an unspoken mutual understanding.

Chen Xiaopei’s words and attitude clearly indicated that she had no intention of helping with the trash, leaving Qin Xiaoxiao to handle it alone.

The trash bin had a diameter of over half a meter and was piled high with waste. For one girl to carry it to the garbage pit would be extremely difficult.

“You’re coming with me to take it out,” Qin Xiaoxiao said.

Chen Xiaopei clapped her hands, which barely had any dust on them, and said, “I’m not going. I need to go home and take a shower. Do whatever you want.”

Her sarcastic tone was blatantly obvious. Qin Xiaoxiao couldn’t figure out where Chen Xiaopei’s hostility toward her came from.

Having essentially been reborn, Qin Xiaoxiao’s understanding, mindset, and maturity were far beyond that of most high school students. She wasn’t bothered by the cold treatment from this girl.

The immediate issue was how to take out the trash.

Last time they were on cleaning duty, it was Yang Min and Chen Xiaopei who took care of the trash. So, strictly speaking, if Chen Xiaopei refused to go this time, Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t really have a solid reason to criticize her.

Leaving the task undone wasn’t an option. Qin Xiaoxiao still had a sense of responsibility, and besides, she didn’t want to risk being penalized with another round of cleaning duty.

Should she wait until Yang Min returned…?

“I’ll go with you,” Dong Yunfang walked over.

The sooner they finished, the sooner they could go home and shower. At a moment like this, Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t have the time to refuse help. “Alright, thanks for the trouble.”

“It’s nothing.”

In the early May evening, the setting sun painted the western clouds in brilliant hues of red.

The two, carrying the trash bin together, one on the left and the other on the right, walked in silence.

Qin Xiaoxiao was mentally working through a geometry problem from the afternoon, while Dong Yunfang didn’t know what to say.

Beside the school path was the basketball court, where seven or eight boys were running around, competing for a basketball.

However, a few of the boys on the court had their attention drawn elsewhere. Dong Yunfang glanced at Qin Xiaoxiao, who was completely unaware, and then looked back toward the basketball court.

A certain figure stood out in particular.

Suddenly, an unexpected situation arose.

“Watch out!” Dong Yunfang quickly warned Qin Xiaoxiao, who was only looking straight ahead. “There’s a basketball!”

Before Dong Yunfang could finish her sentence, a tall boy quickly ran over, raised his hand deftly, and blocked the basketball that was flying straight toward Qin Xiaoxiao.

At that moment, Qin Xiaoxiao instinctively took a step back and looked over.

It was Ji Wenchen.

Wearing a short-sleeved shirt and sports pants, his short, dark brown hair was slightly messy. The soft orange glow of the sunset fell on him, exuding an overwhelming sense of youthful vitality and energy.

His strikingly beautiful phoenix eyes glanced in her direction, seemingly lingering for two seconds—though Qin Xiaoxiao wasn’t sure.

Then, he turned around and ran after the basketball that had veered off course.

“Let’s go,” Qin Xiaoxiao said, not giving much thought to this small incident.

Over at the basketball court.

The other players gradually dispersed, leaving Jiang Zhousi and Ji Wenchen sitting under the basketball hoop.

“Hey.” Jiang Zhousi tossed a bottle of mineral water to Ji Wenchen. “That block just now was quick.”

Ji Wenchen twisted the cap open, tilted his head back, and drank nearly half the bottle in one go.

“So, what’s the situation with you two now?”

Ji Wenchen shot him a sidelong glance. “What?”

“You and Junior Xiaoxiao—what’s the situation?” Jiang Zhousi smacked his forehead. “Look at me asking this. The 30 days are long over; you must’ve already dumped her by now.”

Ji Wenchen pressed his lips together unconsciously.

He hadn’t dumped her yet.

Jiang Zhousi ran a hand through his sweat-dampened quiff hairstyle and joked, “Junior Xiaoxiao is pretty popular, huh? She’s already got a new boyfriend.”

The mineral water bottle in Ji Wenchen’s hand let out a faint “crack,” but his voice drowned it out. “How do you know?”

“Hey, I saw them eating together,” Jiang Zhousi said. “The new guy’s a first-year, Feng Maoxing. We’ve played basketball together. He’s aiming to join the school basketball team.”

Ji Wenchen’s mind replayed the scene he had witnessed that evening: a boy and a girl standing face to face by the back door of the classroom, the girl accepting a gift from the boy…

“Hey?”

Jiang Zhousi stared at Ji Wenchen for two seconds. “Your expression looks a bit off?”

With a hand on the basketball hoop, Ji Wenchen pushed himself up smoothly.

“Where are you going? Heading out?”

“No.”

Jiang Zhousi had been hanging out with Ji Wenchen since elementary school, so he could pick up on his subtle emotional changes. Even though Ji Wenchen’s face didn’t show much expression, Jiang Zhousi could tell he was exuding a bit of a low-pressure vibe.

“What’s up with you, hey?” Jiang Zhousi tilted his head to look up at him.

Did something he said just now annoy Ji Wenchen?

A sudden absurd guess sprang into Jiang Zhousi’s mind, and he blurted out, “You and Qin Xiaoxiao haven’t broken up yet?”

Ji Wenchen remained silent.

To Jiang Zhousi, this silence was as good as confirmation. “What the heck?” Jiang Zhousi shot to his feet. So, was Brother Chen cheated on?

His focus wasn’t on “why Ji Wenchen and Qin Xiaoxiao were still together,” but on the more serious matter for any man—being cheated on.

Jiang Zhousi decided he would go find that kid Feng Maoxing tonight and have a “talk” with him.

…

They placed the trash bin back in the corner of the classroom.

“Thank you,” Qin Xiaoxiao said sincerely to Dong Yunfang.

Dong Yunfang’s upturned eyes shifted elsewhere. “No need.” Qin Xiaoxiao’s recent change in personality made her feel a bit unaccustomed.

She didn’t seem so annoying anymore.

“Head back to the dormitory first or eat first?”

Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t think much about it. “Back to the dormitory.”

“Same here.”

A few minutes later, under the strange gazes of the other dormmates, Dong Yunfang and Qin Xiaoxiao walked into the dormitory one after the other.

Dormmate A, who was drying her hair: Did I just see that wrong?

Dormmate B, who was changing clothes: Weren’t those two always at odds with each other?

Dormmate C, who was eating bread: Did their relationship improve?

Wu Li happened to come out of the bathroom. “I’m done. Who’s next?”

The dorm only had one bathroom, so the shower order was determined by whoever returned to the dorm first.

Dormmates A, B, and C all indicated they’d already showered.

“You go first,” Qin Xiaoxiao said, considering that Dong Yunfang had helped her earlier.

Dong Yunfang casually closed the dorm door. “You entered the dorm first.”

Qin Xiaoxiao, who had only stepped in a few seconds before Dong Yunfang, hesitated. “…Alright then.”

Dormmates A, B, and C were shocked: They’re even politely offering each other the chance to shower? When did they become so harmonious and friendly?

***

“Ah Chen, I went to see Feng Maoxing.”

From five or six meters away, Jiang Zhousi couldn’t wait to speak up.

Ji Wenchen’s fingers paused on his phone.

“My bad, I totally messed up,” Jiang Zhousi said. “Feng Maoxing is Qin Xiaoxiao’s cousin.”

A flicker of something passed through Ji Wenchen’s dark brown eyes.

“I almost made Feng Maoxing think I had a screw loose.”

Jiang Zhousi rubbed his nose. “But it seems like Feng Maoxing doesn’t know about his cousin’s relationship with you?”

Ji Wenchen thought of the text message Qin Xiaoxiao had sent him over a month ago and scoffed inwardly.

“What’s on your mind?” Jiang Zhousi asked curiously. “Are you two dating or not? It feels like you’re not, even though you supposedly are…”

“Wasn’t it your boring punishment?”

“Boring? What part of it is boring?” Jiang Zhousi almost got sidetracked. “Wait a second. If you think it’s boring, why hasn’t it ended even though the agreed time has passed?”

“I forgot.”

“Forgot?” Jiang Zhousi, channeling his inner Sherlock Holmes, found this hard to believe and teased, “Have you fallen for the pretty Junior Xiaoxiao?”

Ji Wenchen shot him a glance. “Not going anymore? Then I’m heading back to sleep.”

“Get out of here! The reservations are already made. How can you not go?”

Jiang Zhousi, afraid that Ji Wenchen might change his mind, quickly climbed over the school wall with practiced ease.

Another night of wild fun awaited.

…

No one knew where Yang Min had heard about Chen Xiaopei bossing Qin Xiaoxiao around, but she indignantly declared, “From now on, during cleaning duty, I’ll never help her again. Let her take out the trash herself!”

Qin Xiaoxiao found it amusing and replied, “Alright.”

“And I’ll never lend her hangers, face wash, or curling irons again. Not even a single piece of paper!”

“Such a united front?”

“Of course! You’re my deskmate!”

Qin Xiaoxiao had to admit she was a little touched…

“Targeting you is the same as targeting me. How could she disrespect me like that?” Yang Min said without a second thought.

“I see.”

“Xiaoxiao,” Yang Min said, pressing down on the practice book her deskmate was about to open, “do you know why she’s targeting you?”

Qin Xiaoxiao replied, “No idea.”

“She’s jealous.”

Yang Min lowered her voice. “She’s been looking forward to the Monday speech for over a semester, thinking she’d get chosen when it was our class’s turn. But Miss Ruo picked you instead. She was already jealous of your looks, and now she’s even more jealous because you got this opportunity!”

“You know so much?”

“I share a dorm with her,” Yang Min rolled her eyes. “And with my sharp instincts, is there anything in this school that I don’t know?”

Qin Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow without commenting.

“Qin Xiaoxiao, someone’s here for you,” a classmate near the back door of the classroom called out.

Yang Min reacted quickly. “Your cousin’s here again?”

Qin Xiaoxiao also thought it was Feng Maoxing, but it turned out to be Wang Xin.

Ever since her words had left Wang Xin at a loss last time, Wang Xin hadn’t come by for quite a while.

Why had Wang Xin decided to come over again tonight?

“Xiaoxiao, about that program…” Wang Xin, who habitually used the school anniversary program as a pretext to start conversations, recalled how she was shut down last time. Awkwardly, she forced a smile and changed her approach. “Have you been busy with schoolwork lately?”

“Busy.” 

“Well…” Wang Xin hesitated, looking awkward.

“Is there something you need, Senior? My study time is quite valuable.”

“Um, has anyone in our dance club recently started dating?”

“Not sure.”

“Then… have you noticed anyone in the club getting close to… a particular guy?”

“Haven’t paid attention.”

Wang Xin reassured herself that if any girl in the club was really getting close to Ji Wenchen, it would definitely draw attention—there’s no way it would go unnoticed.

“Xiaoxiao, um…” Wang Xin extended her hand, which had been hidden behind her back, her face full of shyness. “Could you help me give this to Ji Wenchen?”

A pale pink envelope, no bigger than a palm, with a small heart on it.

It was obvious—this was a love letter.

She was being asked to deliver another girl’s love letter to Ji Wenchen?

Qin Xiaoxiao fell silent.

---

Author’s Note:

The female lead’s surname is pronounced Qin. I have a close friend with the same surname who attended university in the northeast, and almost every teacher pronounced it as Tan during roll call…

(Seeing the comments on Chapter 10 filled with “waiting to binge-read,” I feel drained and defeated… Promise me you’ll stay with me until the story concludes, okay!)