During the afternoon class, the classmates couldn't help but cast glances back and forth between Shen Jianxi and Xie Shu.
They were all shocked that she had made the school bully bleed that morning and still managed to return alive. At the same time, they marveled that even the school bully couldn't resist the new student's charm.
Compared to their own speculation, Xu Nuo, who sat nearby, leaned over and whispered, "Jianxi, are you okay? Did he threaten you in any way?"
Xu Nuo had interacted with Xie Shu before and knew he never hit girls, so she wasn't worried about Shen Jianxi being physically harmed when they went out alone that morning. Her only concern was that she might be threatened.
Her deskmate was so small and looked so delicate. Surely Xie Shu wouldn't be that unreasonable, would he?
Confused by the question, Shen Jianxi blinked and replied, "No, Xie Shu is quite nice."
Her voice wasn't too low, just loud enough for the students sitting around her to hear, but not the teacher. Those nearby looked at her in surprise, their eyes seeming to ask, "Are you alright?"
Despite her words, Xu Nuo remained a little worried. "That's good. If there's anything, you can tell me, and I'll help you."
This concern warmed Shen Jianxi's heart. She smiled gently at Xu Nuo and said, "No problem, Nuonuo."
Xu Nuo's heart exploded with joy. The little cutie called her Nuonuo!!!
"Mhm!" Xu Nuo nodded emphatically. "Xixi!"
***
Everything that happened during the day was just an appetizer; the main course was at night.
This was what Shen Jianxi realized after returning home, turning on the lights, and seeing Song Qi, who was supposed to be at the training base, sitting in the living room with a somber expression and a school uniform placed beside him.
The person on the sofa was like a statue, staring fixedly in one direction, his gaze unfocused.
"Gege? Why are you back?"
"Back? Come, sit," Song Qi replied without turning his head, his voice flat, giving away no emotion.
After sitting down in front of him, Shen Jianxi finally noticed how cold Song Qi's eyes were. He picked up the school uniform expressionlessly and placed it in front of her.
As the afternoon wore on, Song Qi felt increasingly uneasy. He wasn't stupid. His darling could go out to eat with that boy on her first day at school. Coupled with the fact that she had worn a male student's uniform home last time, everything clicked into place.
When did they meet? That day? Or even earlier?
Could it be that his darling had appeared in his phone long before then?
This possibility filled Song Qi with a sour feeling. He was going to compete in West Country tomorrow, so he decided to let everyone have a good rest today. He had rushed back hoping to get an answer.
"What's the deal with that boy this morning? When did you meet him?"
"Do you like him? Or does he like you?"
As Song Qi asked, he felt a tinge of fear. He couldn't even bear to think about what would happen if the latter two possibilities were true.
"You're overthinking it, Gege." Her expression was relaxed, as if she had heard a joke, and she chuckled.
Shen Jianxi knew that if she didn't clarify things today, her interactions with other potential targets would become difficult because Song Qi would undoubtedly increase his surveillance over her.
She continued, "Remember last time I came home all wet? I met Xie Shu then. It's thanks to him lending me his clothes that I didn't catch a cold."
"So when I met him at school, I wanted to treat him to a meal to thank him."
"We've only met twice, Gege. Aren't you overthinking it?"
"Or," Shen Jianxi added with a slight huff, looking at Song Qi with displeasure, "does Gege not trust me?"
Song Qi suddenly smiled, the coldness in his eyes dissipating. He stroked her hair and said, "How could Gege not trust his darling? Let's go, I'm hungry. We should go eat."
With that, he got up and grabbed his jacket, preparing to leave.
Shen Jianxi watched Song Qi bend down to put on his shoes. She knew he didn't completely believe her explanation, but it didn't matter. As long as he believed even a little, Song Qi would eventually convince himself.
Just as she expected, Song Qi indeed did not fully believe her.
Although his darling's explanation was so plausible, Song Qi still felt a sense of doubt and unease. This feeling made him suddenly not want to ask any more questions.
Let it be this way. It was good.
He let out a self-deprecating laugh, unsure if it was due to Shen Jianxi's concealment or his own willing self-deception.
Neither of them was in the mood for a good meal. They found a noodle shop downstairs and sat down.
After ordering their food, Song Qi returned to his seat. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Song Qi was troubled, afraid that if he spoke, he might not be able to help but continue questioning her and annoy her. Shen Jianxi, on the other hand, was giving Song Qi time to create excuses for himself.
It was dinnertime, and the noodle shop was bustling with people.
Around them, some were drinking and playing dice, others were lost in their affectionate conversations. Only their table felt like the Arctic, with the air above them seeming to be frozen.
This atmosphere made Song Qi uncomfortable, as if they were just strangers sharing a table.
To break the tension, Song Qi spoke first, "Darling, Gege is going to compete tomorrow."
"Good luck with the competition, Gege." Although it was meant to be encouraging, Song Qi heard a tone of perfunctory politeness.
He paused and continued, "I might be in West Country for almost a month. I'm worried about you being home alone, so I've found you a place to stay."
"Gege has an older brother. You can call him Da Ge. I've already spoken to him, and he's agreed to let you stay with him for a while."
"He agreed?" This was the question Shen Jianxi was most concerned about.
Would Song Duanli agree? After all, he didn't seem to trust her.
"Yes, he agreed. He's a bit of a stickler for rules, but he's probably very busy, so you won't see him often."
"Gege will feel at ease knowing you're staying there."
"What do you think? Is it okay?"
Okay? Of course, it was okay. It was more than okay. She had been wondering how to get close to Song Duanli.
Shen Jianxi looked at him with gratitude and nodded. Song Qi was truly her benefactor...
Seeing her agreement, Song Qi finally felt relieved. Although he didn't like Song Duanli much, he had to admit that placing his darling with him was the best option.