Chapter 40

Guo Hairuo was relieved to find that Ji Wenchen was back in the classroom studying on time again.

A good deskmate could truly guide him onto the right path. This strengthened her resolve to have the two of them continue as deskmates in the future.

Qin Xiaoxiao, however, had no idea that the homeroom teacher had already meticulously planned out her future deskmate arrangement.

It was the second session of evening self-study, and she was working on a physics test paper.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her deskmate flipping through the practice book he had borrowed from her.

If Qin Xiaoxiao remembered correctly, today was the day of Ji Wenchen’s father’s second wedding banquet.

Her deskmate had arrived in the classroom on time for morning reading and hadn’t missed a single class today.

What a stubborn deskmate with quite a temper.

“Here,” her stubborn deskmate pushed the practice book toward her, pointing at a spot. “Why is it T cells?”

Qin Xiaoxiao reread the question. “Because… it’s the wrong choice. It should be B.”

This page of practice was from two days ago, and she couldn’t quite recall why she had gotten it wrong at the time.

However, she raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at Ji Wenchen, whose expression was as lazily indifferent as ever. Was he genuinely unsure, or was he helping her identify her mistakes?

“Why is it B?”

Qin Xiaoxiao thought she might have been overthinking just now. She picked up her pen and corrected the answer. “This ‘blood cell’ can still trigger an immune response when encountering the Ebola virus, which indicates that it can ‘remember’ the invading antigen and is highly sensitive to it. Therefore, it’s a memory B cell.”

Ji Wenchen responded with a casual “hmm,” then slid the practice book back to his own desk with two long, slender fingers.

Qin Xiaoxiao: “…” Why did it feel like he was far too comfortable using her practice book?

Then, she heard a faint buzzing sound, like vibrations.

Qin Xiaoxiao glanced toward the cubby of his desk. “Is your phone vibrating?”

Since the afternoon, Ji Wenchen had tossed his phone into the desk cubby without even sparing it a glance.

Hearing her mention it, he reached in and turned it off without hesitation.

What if it’s something important? Qin Xiaoxiao wanted to say.

But then she felt like she understood the look in Ji Wenchen’s eyes: Why are you looking at me instead of studying?

Fine.

Qin Xiaoxiao returned to working on her physics test paper.

…

“Students who are feeling unwell, step out,” the teacher in charge of organizing the running practice said through a megaphone.

Qin Xiaoxiao naturally stepped out of the line.

Her period had started last night, and now her lower abdomen ached faintly, her head throbbed, and she simply couldn’t run.

“One, two, run—”

The leading Class 1 ran toward the track, followed by Class 2… Within less than a minute, the field was emptied.

Along the edge of the track, there were students spaced out every few meters, all unable to participate in the running practice for various reasons.

Standing next to Qin Xiaoxiao was another female classmate who was also on her period, as well as Bi Chun.

Qin Xiaoxiao had no idea what was going on with Bi Chun. It seemed like she had never seen her participate in running practice before.

“Xiaoxiao!”

Qin Xiaoxiao turned her head and saw Feng Maoxing about seven or eight meters away, one hand in a sling across his chest while the other waved at her.

Feng Maoxing quickly walked over. “What’s wrong with you?” His worry was written all over his face.

“My stomach hurts a bit,” Qin Xiaoxiao said with her usual smile.

What she didn’t realize was that her lips were paler than usual, making her look somewhat weak.

“Stomachache? Do you need to go to the school clinic?” Feng Maoxing frowned. “I can go with you.”

Qin Xiaoxiao shook her head. “No need. For this, there’s no need to take medicine.”

After thinking for two seconds, Feng Maoxing finally understood what his cousin meant by “this.”

“Then… then you should drink more hot water,” he said.

“Mm. Why are you down here?”

Considering his fractured condition, he should have been on extended leave with the homeroom teacher’s approval. There was no need for him to come down for the assembly.

Feng Maoxing reached out to poke the hand secured with splints and bandages.

“Don’t poke it,” Qin Xiaoxiao stopped him.

“It doesn’t hurt. Feel it—it’s hard as a rock.”

Qin Xiaoxiao glared at him disapprovingly.

While scratching the back of his head, Feng Maoxing replied, “Why did I come down? I was bored sitting in the classroom, so I came down, that’s all.”

“If you’re bored, then do some exercises or read a book.”

“I don’t feel like it,” Feng Maoxing muttered.

When it came to “reading a book,” Qin Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but glance at Bi Chun, who was standing about a meter away.

Bi Chun was staring intently at her toes, lost in thought, her brows furrowed, and her face looking a bit pale.

Something felt a bit off.

Her cousin also seemed oblivious to Bi Chun, who was standing not far away.

Last weekend, Qin Xiaoxiao had gone with her mother to visit her cousin. She took out the library card that Bi Chun had entrusted her to return on her behalf. Her cousin accepted the card but didn’t mention Bi Chun’s name at all.

At that time, Qin Xiaoxiao had already sensed something wasn’t quite right.

Did something happen between these two?

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, as if a meat grinder were twisting inside her. Qin Xiaoxiao frowned, biting her lip in pain.

Feng Maoxing immediately noticed that something was wrong with his cousin. “What’s going on? Does it hurt a lot?”

“No…” Qin Xiaoxiao wanted to say “It’s nothing,” but a wave of excruciating pain hit her, leaving her unable to speak.

“I-I’ll carry you to the school clinic!” Feng Maoxing crouched down in front of Qin Xiaoxiao.

Qin Xiaoxiao shook her head. Her cousin was around 175 cm tall with a slim build, and one of his hands was still in a sling… She couldn’t bear to let him carry her.

“Hurry up, get on,” Feng Maoxing urged anxiously.

Qin Xiaoxiao stepped back and moved toward him. “No… need…” Squatting for a while would make her feel better. She leaned against her cousin, pressing her abdomen as she tried to crouch down.

A gust of cool wind swept by, accompanied by a figure appearing at her side. Just as Qin Xiaoxiao was about to look up, she was lifted off the ground entirely.

A collective gasp sounded from the people around them.

“Put…”

“Don’t move. I’ll carry you to the school clinic,” said a familiar, clear, and magnetic voice.

Ji Wenchen.

Qin Xiaoxiao struggled to get down, but the grip on her knees and shoulders only tightened.

As he strode forward, her ear brushed against his chest through the thin fabric of his sweatshirt.

Lacking the strength to struggle, Qin Xiaoxiao turned her face away, trying to put some distance between herself and the warmth of his chest.

However, she ended up seeing a large group of students returning from running practice, all staring in their direction.

Not exactly thick-skinned, Qin Xiaoxiao immediately shut her eyes tightly.

It didn’t take much imagination to realize how much attention Ji Wenchen, carrying her in his arms, and she, being carried, were drawing at that moment.

“Aren’t you supposed to rejoin the team, Bi Chun?”

Dong Yunfang followed Bi Chun’s gaze and saw Ji Wenchen carrying Qin Xiaoxiao in a princess carry.

She quickly looked away and reminded Bi Chun, whose expression seemed somewhat off, once again, “Hurry back to the team.”

“…Alright.” Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

Yang Min was watching Qin Xiaoxiao, who was being carried away, with concern. Bi Chun moved to stand slightly in front of her, blocking her view.

Internally rolling her eyes, Yang Min turned her face away, unwilling to see Bi Chun. Reluctantly, she stepped back to make space for her.

Thus, Yang Min didn’t notice that Bi Chun’s usually gentle and shy expression had lost some of its softness.

…

The cool breeze blew across her sweat-dampened forehead, making her feel even colder.

The pain in her abdomen had eased somewhat, now resembling a dull knife slicing back and forth, occasionally stabbing sharply.

Qin Xiaoxiao’s mind was a blank expanse, with just a hint of embarrassment—being carried by a boy like this in front of the entire school’s students and teachers…

She could feel his body heat radiating through the fabric, warming half of her body to the point of feeling flushed.

Qin Xiaoxiao silently prayed for the path to be shorter, much shorter, so she could get out of his arms as soon as possible.

Yet the route that she usually thought was only about two hundred meters now felt like it had stretched into ten minutes, and they still hadn’t reached the school clinic.

Ji Wenchen walked with a steady pace.

The girl in his arms wasn’t heavy, her body so soft that it felt as though even the slightest pressure might leave a bruise on her skin.

With a glance down, he could see her delicate face, now pale, and her once rosy lips had lost their usual color.

Ji Wenchen quickened his pace.

The school doctor was munching on cashews while watching TV when, out of nowhere, a tall boy carrying a girl burst through the door. Startled, she patted her chest. “In such a hurry…”

“Doctor, please check on her,” the boy, Ji Wenchen, said, frowning.

“Put her down first,” the doctor instructed, putting the cashews back into the bag and walking over. “What happened?” she asked, looking at Ji Wenchen.

Ji Wenchen didn’t actually know what was wrong with Qin Xiaoxiao. He had only seen how uncomfortable she looked and, without a second thought, carried her over.

“Period cramps, it hurts a bit,” Qin Xiaoxiao answered weakly, her voice barely audible.

Upon hearing this, the school doctor immediately reverted to her calm and unhurried demeanor.

The school doctor couldn’t help but find it amusing. Seeing the boy’s tense, worried face, she had assumed the girl was suffering from some severe emergency.

Out of responsibility, the doctor gave Qin Xiaoxiao a quick examination—observing, asking, and checking her symptoms. Then she informed her, “It’s a combination of a cold and menstrual cramps. I’ll prescribe you two days of medication.”

In a soft voice, Qin Xiaoxiao asked, “I didn’t usually feel much pain before. Why is it so…” painful this time?

“I can’t pinpoint the exact cause,” the school doctor replied slowly. “It could be due to catching a chill, irregular routines, or some other factors. Your complexion doesn’t look good—go lie down on the bed for about half an hour first.”

“Okay, thank you, doctor.”

Qin Xiaoxiao stood up, ready to head to the adjacent rest room.

Unexpectedly, Qin Xiaoxiao was scooped up by Ji Wenchen once again.

The school doctor watched as the strikingly handsome male student insistently carried the equally striking female student, who clearly wasn’t too pleased, while he refused to let go… It was like watching a scene straight out of a youth romance drama.

But it wasn’t nearly as gripping as the family drama she was following. The fifty-something school doctor walked over to the medicine cabinet room where the TV was, slowly preparing the prescription while continuing to watch her show.

Ji Wenchen gently placed Qin Xiaoxiao onto the bed.

Qin Xiaoxiao, still wearing her shoes, stretched her feet out past the edge of the bed, worried that her shoes might dirty the sheets beneath her.

The rest room could only be described as “cramped,” with a 1.5-meter-wide bed taking up half of the space.

Ji Wenchen pulled over the only chair in the room and sat down casually.

“You…” Qin Xiaoxiao wanted to ask him not to wait here, but when she saw his hand reaching for her shoes, she hurriedly said, “I’ll take them off myself!”

Her voice was still weak and feeble.

Ji Wenchen’s lashes lowered slightly as he withdrew his hand.

With some difficulty, Qin Xiaoxiao managed to tug off both her shoes before lying flat on the bed.

After lying down for about ten seconds, the hair tie at the back of her head started to feel uncomfortable, so she reached up and removed it.

The person sitting by her bed showed no intention of leaving.

“You…” Qin Xiaoxiao turned her face to the side, enduring the pain in her abdomen, and said, “You should… go back to the classroom.”

“Not going back,” Ji Wenchen replied.

Qin Xiaoxiao bit her lip. “There’s no need… for you to… stay here… just sitting around.”

“I’m here to keep you company,” Ji Wenchen said, leaning back against the chair. “Later, I’ll need to carry you back to the classroom.”

“No…”

“Talk less.”

“…”

Two seconds later, Qin Xiaoxiao pursed her lips, her fingernails lightly scratching the bedsheet beneath her, unable to understand why she obediently fell silent.

She stared straight at Ji Wenchen.

Her almond-shaped eyes, misted over due to her physical pain, shimmered with a watery sheen, and the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint redness.

Her eyes glistened, carrying a hint of vulnerability and a touch of pitiful charm.

“Why are you staring at me?”

A faint, lazy smile spread across Ji Wenchen’s lips. “Could it be that you’ve finally realized you’re starting to like me a little?”

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