Chi Xingyu looked at the score that popped up and felt somewhat indifferent to the number. He decided to check the average score for the college entrance examination.
His expression gradually became more serious. For someone like him, who had always been a slacker and struggled academically, achieving such a score seemed like a far-fetched dream.
Although it was very unlikely, if he succeeded, he would have a chance to encounter Tong Sui on campus over the next few years.
He turned off his phone and redirected his focus back to the practice book before him.
He had not been paying attention in class for so long that his foundation was weak. On top of that, he had been distracted, so he had no idea what the teacher had said. Now, looking at these problems, he felt overwhelmed.
He had finally obtained some rare alone time, yet here he was, buried in these difficult problems.
He was truly shooting himself in the foot.
As the night deepened, Tong Sui had already crawled into bed, her eyes closed as she dozed off. She had slept too much in the afternoon, which now made it hard for her to fall back asleep.
Chi Xingyu was still focused on solving problems, and occasionally he could hear the sound of his pen scratching against the paper.
Tong Sui opened her eyes, glanced at the time, and noticed it was quite late. “Aren’t you done yet?”
Isn’t the intensity of studying a bit too much?
Chi Xingyu paused for a moment and asked, “Did I disturb you? Or is the light too bright? I can go write outside instead.”
“No,” Tong Sui replied, wrapping herself in a small blanket as she got up and walked over in her slippers, still carrying the warm scent from her bed. “Do you want me to help you look?”
Without thinking, Chi Xingyu pulled the chair beside him for her.
The table was not large, so they sat close together.
Tong Sui’s hand emerged from beneath the coral fleece blanket, her snowy white fingertips pinching the scattered notes he had written in his practice book.
Chi Xingyu suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
Tong Sui chuckled lightly and turned her head. “Junior, if you write like this, you’ll lose marks for presentation.”
Chi Xingyu’s face instantly turned red.
Tong Sui picked up his used pen, making Chi Xingyu feel a bit cornered.
“Let’s start with the simplest type of problem. I’ll write out a formula for you.”
As she spoke, she pulled out a piece of scrap paper wedged in the exercise book, flipping it over. It was exactly the piece of paper that Chi Xingyu had just put at the bottom.
It was blank except for his name written all over it.
Chi Xingyu froze for a moment, quickly using his hand to cover the scrap paper, his ears slightly reddening under his messy hair.
Tong Sui recalled doing something similar herself and laughed, saying, “Don’t cover it. I can already see it; it’s all my name.”
Chi Xingyu swallowed hard and lowered his hand.
Tong Sui didn’t turn the page; instead, she began writing formulas in the blank space of the same sheet, carefully detailing the solution to one problem.
Chi Xingyu watched as her handwriting complemented his words on that page, both holding an oddly harmonious presence together.
Tong Sui explained the most basic formulas and principles. “Do you understand?”
Chi Xingyu responded with an “mmm.”
He was already more sensitive to numbers than most people, so with just a little guidance, he grasped the concepts quickly without needing much extra teaching.
Tong Sui watched him solve a few problems, then felt assured enough to return to bed.
Chi Xingyu gradually completed the remaining problems at a fast pace. After capping his pen, he tossed the used papers into the trash, but he kept that one sheet with Tong Sui’s writing on it.
He carefully picked it up, folded it neatly, and tucked it at the back of the practice book.
The night grew darker.
Tong Sui was drowsily sleeping when she suddenly felt another warmth pressed against her back, very close, carrying a faint scent of freshness after washing up.
This bed was smaller than the one Tong Sui usually slept on, making it a bit cramped for the two boys.
Instinctively, Tong Sui curled into a small ball, taking up very little space.
The narrow skylight on the ceiling let in the delicate moonlight, illuminating Tong Sui’s profile. Her long eyelashes cast fine shadows, serene and lovely like the moon’s glow.
Chi Xingyu gazed at her for quite a while, still bewildered as to how someone could have all the traits he adored.
Even when she was asleep, she looked incredibly cute.
He carefully turned onto his side, inhaling the gentle, dried softness of her hair that still carried the fragrance from her wash, instinctively edging closer.
His prominent nose nearly buried itself in her snow-white neck.
Tong Sui felt a tickling sensation from the movement behind her, her awareness sharpening a bit. “You’re done, huh?”
Her voice was soft and sleepy.
Chi Xingyu was almost pressed against Tong Sui’s slim back. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and said softly, “Thank you for teaching me, senior. You’re amazing.”
His voice was low, taking on a secretive tone in that serene, late-night ambiance, carrying an undertone that sparked imagination.
Receiving the compliment, Tong Sui felt inexplicably shy, responding quietly with an “mmm,” appearing exceptionally obedient and endearing.
Chi Xingyu’s ever-restless nerves were even more stirred by her reaction. He called out again, “Senior.”
Despite being a few months younger than him, Chi Xingyu seemed more intimidating and cold, speaking with an aloofness that made him appear distant.
Yet here he was, calling him out in the dead of night in a husky voice.
“Senior.”
The disorienting feeling of their roles being reversed left Tong Sui slightly dazed.
Chi Xingyu was not your typical energetic and sunny junior; he appeared more like a rebellious student who disliked wearing the school uniform, always surrounded by a few followers, and might even bully others.
Even calling for someone seemed laced with mischievous intent.
Tong Sui hesitated to respond, forcing out a couple of vague “mmm” sounds with her eyes still closed, but her skills in pretending to sleep were clearly insufficient. Chi Xingyu, lying so close, could naturally feel her body gradually tensing.