Xie Shu's attention was still on the small food stall.
He glanced over the available flavors, unsure which one Ruan Nianxi would prefer, so he turned to ask her. To his surprise, when he looked back, Ruan Nianxi, who had just been by his side, had vanished.
Xie Shu: "???"
He looked around but still couldn't spot Ruan Nianxi.
Where did she go? did she leave?
Why didn't she say anything to him?
Confused, Xie Shu took out his phone to contact Ruan Nianxi.
Upon unlocking his phone, he saw a WeChat message from Ruan Nianxi sent less than a minute ago.
Ruan Nianxi: [I had to step away for a bit, I'll be right back.]
Xie Shu frowned, puzzled why she had time to message him but not to speak to him in person about her plans.
Curious but not prying, he replied with an "Okay" and continued to wait in line.
While Xie Shu was queuing, Ruan Nianxi approached Secretary Lin.
Secretary Lin felt awkward facing Ruan Nianxi.
She hadn't expected Miss Ruan to be so direct.
"Did my mother send you?" Ruan Nianxi cut to the chase.
"Uh… I… um…" Secretary Lin stuttered, unable to complete her sentence, but her response was an indirect admission.
Ruan Nianxi's expression was stern, her gaze icy in a way that seemed beyond her years.
She stared at Secretary Lin, sending shivers down her spine:"I have nothing to do at school, you can go back."
"Miss Ruan, although I'm not fully aware of your family's situation, I've always known that your parents don't want you to associate with classmate Xie Shu, they…"
"Isn't it normal for me to bump into Xie Shu on the back street of our school? Do I need to wear a mask every time I go out?" Ruan Nianxi interrupted coldly.
"No, that's not what I meant, I…" Secretary Lin paused mid-sentence, her gaze drifting past Ruan Nianxi to something behind her.
Sensing something was off, Ruan Nianxi turned to look.
At the street corner not far from the food stall where Xie Shu was standing, there was a girl talking to him.
The girl was standing sideways, allowing Ruan Nianxi to see her profile clearly.
It was none other than Su Qianyi.
She was even reaching out to hold Xie Shu's arm, but he dodged her attempt.
Ruan Nianxi's lips tightened, her hand by her thigh clenched slightly, then relaxed. She turned back to Secretary Lin, seemingly indifferent to the interaction between Xie Shu and Su Qianyi.
Eventually, Secretary Lin couldn't stand Ruan Nianxi's piercing gaze any longer.
"I'll head back now, Miss Ruan. You should rest early too." With that, Secretary Lin turned and left.
After walking a few dozen steps, Secretary Lin looked back uncertainly.
As she turned, her eyes met Ruan Nianxi's, who was still watching her. Startled, Secretary Lin quickly turned and continued on her way, not daring to linger any longer.
Once sure that Secretary Lin had truly left, Ruan Nianxi clenched her fists and turned around, her restrained gaze falling on Su Qianyi.
Su Qianyi! She was so annoying!
Meanwhile, Su Qianyi had intended to take the initiative to hold Xie Shu's hand as a gesture of goodwill, but to her surprise, he avoided her.
Her eyes dimmed with disappointment, her heart aching, but she quickly regained her composure.
She took a small step closer to Xie Shu, her voice filled with a hint of grievance, "Xie Shu, I couldn't reach you all day. Where have you been?"
Xie Shu stepped back to maintain distance, not answering her question but instead looking at the vendor to see what he was making.
Once again ignored, Su Qianyi adjusted her mindset and continued to queue with Xie Shu, this time keeping a respectful distance.
She feared that getting any closer might drive Xie Shu away.
Right, when she arrived, she hadn't seen any other girls with Xie Shu, and her roommate hadn't sent her any photos of Xie Shu with other girls.
So, she assumed Xie Shu must have run into an acquaintance, exchanged a few words, and just happened to be seen by her roommate. In reality, Xie Shu had come to the back street alone.
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
Yes, over the years, the only close female friend he had was her.
It was impossible for him to get so close to another girl in such a short time.
"Xie Shu, I haven't eaten dinner tonight," Su Qianyi looked up at Xie Shu, speaking softly, hoping for his concern.
Hungry? Then you go and eat?
Xie Shu glanced at Su Qianyi, speechless, keeping his thoughts to himself.
If it weren't for the fact that he was buying something, if it weren't for waiting for Ruan Nianxi, he would have left long ago.
Xie Shu occasionally scanned the surroundings but still couldn't find Ruan Nianxi. He checked his phone, but there was no reply from her.
Soon, it was his turn to buy. He purchased only one item, paid, and then stood by the roadside, continuing to wait for Ruan Nianxi.
Su Qianyi hadn't left.
She stood with him, his gaze falling on the oversized item in his hand, her sense of loss spreading through her body.
Was there nothing for her?
It wasn't that she was particularly eager to eat, but it was Xie Shu's attitude that mattered.
In the past, when they went out, he would buy her all sorts of snacks, but this time he only bought for himself…
Knowing Xie Shu's current attitude towards her, Su Qianyi decided to take the initiative.
Taking the initiative might still give her a chance.
"Xie Shu, I want some too."
Xie Shu was even more speechless: "The stall is right there, go buy it yourself. Are you armless or visually impaired?"
Suddenly rebuffed, Su Qianyi felt tears welling up again.
If it weren't for the fact that she had cried many times yesterday and today, toughening her up a bit, she might have burst into tears on the spot.
Xie Shu had become so cold, so distant.
He used to be so gentle with her.
She pursed her lips, her hands by her thighs clenched tight, struggling to suppress her feelings before attempting to speak to Xie Shu in a normal tone.
"Xie Shu, can you not be like this? We've known each other for so many years, we've always been close. You weren't like this before, you used to be gentle."
"Why don't you call the police then."
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan