Chapter 14

Chapter 14

This year, Qin Si has advanced to the ninth grade. Despite his excellent grades, he's far from a model student. He has never attended evening self-study sessions at school, often fails to complete his homework, and has a notorious disregard for school rules and regulations.

Yet, his fame within the school remains substantial.

The scholarship award ceremony at the school encompasses all grades. Lu Nian, who has never ranked in the top ten, was engrossed in an English pamphlet, memorizing vocabulary when a girl beside her discreetly tugged at her sleeve, "Nian Nian, look, that boy."

Distracted, Lu Nian looked up, freezing for a moment when she spotted the person pointed out.

It was precisely when Qin Si was on the stage. Lu Nian seldom saw him from this angle. Even from this distance and despite being in a plain white school uniform, he stood out strikingly among the crowd.

The young man had an indifferent expression, oblivious to the gazes from the audience. He had grown tall and handsome, with perfectly balanced features, neither too cold nor too delicate. His demeanor was distinctively different from the average high school student.

She glanced around and noticed several other young girls who had put down their books to watch him.

... All naïve young girls deceived by his outward appearance, unaware of his true nature.

In junior high, young girls experiencing the first stirrings of affection often found themselves intrigued by boys with enigmatic backgrounds. Various rumors about Qin Si circulated in the school: some claimed to have seen him in a bar, some mentioned his overnight stays in internet cafes, and others speculated about him living in a villa.

Qin Si remained indifferent to these rumors, not bothering to clarify or even acknowledge them.

He seemed not to care about his image in others' eyes. No matter the compliments or criticism, it didn't concern him. With many pressing matters to attend to and having faced situations far more serious than these petty rumors, he couldn't be bothered with these minor details.

He was remarkably good-looking with top-notch academic performance. His enigmatic aura combined with his increasingly reserved personality as he matured, only added to his allure.

Lu Nian hadn't anticipated that her acquaintance with Qin Si would become a hot topic in her class. In just a few days, people started approaching her about it.

Zheng Miaoxuan was relatively mature for her age, already consciously caring about her appearance and attire. Despite the school's uniform policy, she managed to wear stylish clothes beneath her uniform each day, reflecting her budding fashion sense.

She asked Lu Nian, "Nian Nian, do you know Qin Si? Could you please help me give this to him?"

"Qin Si?" Lu Nian was quite surprised.

Zheng Miaoxuan nodded, "Hmm."

It was a gift box with exquisite packaging, adorned with a letter on the outside, embodying the delicate and pink essence of a young girl's heart.

"It's not a love letter," noticing Lu Nian's gaze lingering on it, Zheng Miaoxuan emphasized softly, "I just want to get to know him and discuss some study matters."

Lu Nian, "...Oh."

Would she still fancy him if she knew his true character?

His words are sharp, he is unapproachable, bristly, and cold towards everyone, devoid of any warmth or kindness in his words.

Apart from her, who else could endure seeing his true self?

With that thought, Lu Nian felt a sense of relief. She took the gift and agreed, "I'll help you deliver it."

"Thank you." Zheng Miaoxuan's face lit up with joy.

Lu Nian rarely contemplates such matters in her daily life, perhaps because her physical condition consumes most of her energy on academics and physical training, followed by painting in the studio or practicing the piano.

She appears younger than her age, due to a delayed physical development compared to her peers. Hence, even at 14, she hardly feels like she's gradually transitioning into a young lady.

Perhaps for these reasons, many of her classmates feel the same, especially when they know about Lu Nian's frail health, they tend to be more protective of her.

Being seen as a younger sister by everyone in the class makes Zheng Miaoxuan approach her without any psychological burden.

Qin Si is currently in the ninth grade, with entrance exams approaching rapidly. His time is extremely tight due to juggling part-time work and exam preparations, hence Lu Nian avoids disturbing him unnecessarily.

However, with Zheng Miaoxuan's request, she made a special trip to Qin Si's classroom to relay a message to him.

In the evening, as school was dismissed, Lu Nian spotted the young man in the corridor from a distance as she arrived at the agreed spot.

He stood leaning against a white pillar, his eyes drooped, remaining silent as he saw her approaching.

His growth was silent and rapid, a pace Lu Nian couldn't keep up with. She looked up at him with a smile, "It seems the message was successfully delivered to you. I was prepared for you not to come."

The young man responded coldly, "Then you shouldn't have had someone pass the message to me."

Lu Nian, "But isn't it you who dislikes me visiting you in your classroom?"

She was referring to their primary school days, when Qin Si coldly admonished her to avoid visiting him in his classroom.

Qin Si remained silent, turned his face away, saying nothing.

Behind the school, there was a floral pavilion, with grape vines intertwining and sprawling amidst the white corridors. The early summer sunlight trickled in, as they stood at a distance from each other.

"You've been quite busy lately," Lu Nian inquired.

Qin Si nodded, "Yes."

"...I must have disturbed you then."

Qin Si, "Hmm."

Seeing the girl looking somewhat deflated, a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Then, Lu Nian saw the young man elegantly lift his hand and toss something her way from a distance. She hurriedly caught it, nearly fumbling the catch.

"Sugar?" Realizing what was in the small jar, Lu Nian's eyes brightened.

She wasn't sure if it was because she was now in a growth spurt, but she had been experiencing low blood sugar recently, feeling faint easily in the morning. However, Lu Nian was quite lazy. Recently, Zhang Qiuping took a leave of absence to return home, and Lu Zhihong was not at home. She wouldn't reach out to He Tian, so she had just been soldiering on, pushing through the fatigue.

Having been pampered as a young miss for years, her ability to take care of herself had declined to almost non-existent. She couldn't figure out why Qin Si suddenly gave her this jar of sugar today.

The jar was filled with candies of various flavors and types, many of which were her favorites.

He murmured under his breath, "...So skinny." He estimated he could probably lift her with one hand.

Lu Nian didn't hear clearly, and the boy's face turned a shade of red, refusing to repeat himself.

Seeing his odd reaction, Lu Nian couldn't help but become curious and pressed for an answer.

"...Saying you're frail."

"A single punch might just do you in."

Lu Nian, "...Why would anyone hit me? I have a good disposition and haven't offended anyone. The only person who seems keen to hit me is probably Qin Si."

He watched as Lu Nian peeled the wrapper off a candy, chewing a grape gummy with a contented expression.

"You're really nice."

Caught completely off guard by her comment, he found himself flustered, his heartbeat threatening to escape his throat.

Then, she looked at him with a beaming smile, "You're really in a good mood today, not like yourself at all."

Qin Si, "..."

"What exactly did you want to see me for?" He asked coldly, feeling as though he was making a fool of himself.

Lu Nian set down the jar of candy, "I almost forgot!" She took out the gift that Zheng Miaoxuan had prepared from her backpack and handed it to him.

Qin Si didn't take it, his expression was hard to read, yet Lu Nian remained oblivious, continuing, "It's from my classmate."

"She is very pretty and has a charming personality," Lu Nian said sincerely.

His voice turned decidedly colder, "Did you call me out here for this?"

Lu Nian nodded, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have sought you out now."

After all, he should be busiest at this moment, and without any pressing matters, she couldn't keep disturbing him as she used to, at least not until his exams were over.

Receiving a gift should be a happy occasion, a way to lift one's spirits, she believed.

In truth, she had missed Qin Si. It had been such a long time since they last met. Perhaps it was a habit formed during their childhood; after a certain amount of time had passed, she needed to see him again, to reassure herself that he hadn't become rebellious or led astray.

It wasn't until she saw the expression on his face that she suddenly felt something was amiss. Though Qin Si was often reserved and cold, it was rare to see him wear such a displeased look.

Lu Nian couldn't figure out why he was angry again.

She felt somewhat wronged, "Don't be upset, okay?" She hadn't done anything wrong, after all.

The young man said nothing, his complexion darkening further. His pitch-black eyes, deep and narrow, had changed significantly from the round eyes of the boy in her memory, now bearing a glacial coldness.

Lu Nian couldn't comprehend what he was thinking, feeling utterly aggrieved.

From the corridor not too far away, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance. Xu Hui ran over, panting heavily, "Nian Nian, so you're here."

Only then did he notice the young man standing beside her, his voice faltering a bit, "Your father came to pick you up today. He sent me to bring you to him."

Xu Hui was now 16 years old, with a few pimples on his face. He was half a head shorter than Qin Si, his appearance utterly unremarkable—a quintessential average young man. Yet, he gazed at Lu Nian with undivided attention, his admiration and affection unconcealed.

"Nian Nian, do you want me to carry your backpack?"

"Sir called to say he'll be coming home today and wants you to join them for dinner."

He willingly played the role of her attendant, unbothered by the errands he ran for her. His attitude towards Lu Nian had always been like this, ever since they were children.

It had always been like this, countless individuals vying for her attention.

When Lu Nian looked back, Qin Si's figure had already disappeared. The gift from Zheng Miaoxuan was discarded untouched, lying on the bench, looking exceptionally lonely.

"Nian Nian, do you still... keep in contact with him?" In the car, Xu Hui took a long while before asking hesitantly.

Lu Nian responded with a muffled acknowledgment.

She really didn't understand why Qin Si had suddenly become angry again. Since their childhood, he had always been enigmatic. But back then, she at least had some understanding of his likes and dislikes. Now, as they grew older, their relationship had drifted apart, seemingly further with each passing day.

Such incidents would probably become even more frequent in the future.

During dinner that night, Lu Zhihong unexpectedly inquired about Qin Si, which was quite rare.

Lu Nian was surprised, "Dad, do you need to see him for something?"

Lu Zhihong remarked, "Just eat, it's nothing."

He Tian, sipping a bowl of sea cucumber soup, chuckled but said nothing.

Qin Si was about to face the high school entrance exams.

However, things were different compared to three years ago. Since their last falling out, Lu Nian hadn't asked him about his school preferences, and the Lu family hadn't interfered with his choices in any way.

He pondered, wasn't this the freedom he had always longed for?

Yet, having attained it, he found no joy in it. His life now completely consumed by studies and part-time jobs, the digits in his bank account continuously growing. He desired to pay off the debts he owed the Lu family, feeling that, perhaps once settled, all his experiences at the Lu household could be erased, severing all ties with them.

The summer grew increasingly vibrant, with Lu Nian emerging from the studio, a painting board on her back. She had been practicing watercolors lately. With streaks of paint adorning one side of her face and her eyelashes curling delightfully, her profile in the sunlight seemed almost like a vivid painting itself, perfectly portraying the youthful vitality and innocence of a young girl.

A beauty that seemed almost unreal

——Especially in his world.

From a distance, he watched her, a kind of unspeakable agony engulfing him.

Author's Note: After they got together, Nian Nian realized Si Si's weakness (being haughty yet easily embarrassed).

Nian Nian: Si Si is the best, I like Si Si the most. From childhood till now, Si Si is the only one I've ever liked.

Si Si Zai: ... Stop it.

Nian Nian enjoyed teasing him too much, and Si Si's warnings were futile—XXXXX (omitted here)