Upon seeing the message, Ruan Nianxi's heart tightened abruptly, her mind went blank for a moment, and a piercing tinnitus was all she could hear.
After her thoughts stopped spinning wildly, she refocused and typed back with trembling fingers:
[No, why?]
[I've been doing well recently.]
[Why would you ask that all of a sudden?]
Xie Shu: [No reason, just asking.]
Ruan Nianxi: [Just asking?]
Xie Shu: [I just remembered you bought a lot of medicine before, so I thought you were sick. It's good that you're fine.]
Xie Shu sighed helplessly. When Aunt Jian had sought him out, he thought she wanted to talk about his relationship with Ruan Nianxi, and he was extremely nervous.
In the end, all her questions were about Ruan Nianxi, and none were about their relationship.
She was merely inquiring if there was anything odd about Ruan Nianxi when they were together, if she had done or said anything unexpected or incomprehensible, or if her personality was stable… Questions that showed concern for her.
He answered truthfully: Ruan Nianxi was perfectly normal.
After Aunt Jian finished her questioning, he couldn't help but ask if there was something wrong with Ruan Nianxi. Aunt Jian brushed him off, saying it was nothing.
If it was nothing, why did she come to ask him these questions?
If she was really worried, why not ask Ruan Nianxi herself?
After all, they were mother and daughter; it wouldn't be illegal to show some basic concern, right?
Moreover, after their chat, Aunt Jian specifically asked him not to tell Ruan Nianxi about their meeting. He naturally inquired why, but Aunt Jian remained tight-lipped, only saying that Ruan Nianxi would become anxious if she found out. If he cared for her, he wouldn't tell her.
Then Aunt Jian left.
She had asked a bunch of questions he understood but didn't know why she asked them, leaving him utterly confused.
He thought a lot afterward, trying to figure out what was wrong with Ruan Nianxi, but he couldn't come up with anything, and he couldn't ask her directly.
On his way to get food, he quickly reviewed the recent times he spent with Ruan Nianxi, and indeed, she didn't seem off.
If he had to mention something… it was the day she returned from the hospital with many medicine bottles in her bag…
He didn't get a clear look at the medicine before she took it away, and then she hurried off.
Considering Aunt Jian's many health-related questions, that's why he asked uncertainly.
Ruan Nianxi felt a wave of relief upon seeing his response.
Although Xie Shu had seen her medicine that day, he didn't ask further, and his attitude towards her hadn't changed, so she guessed he didn't know what the medicine was for.
It was better he didn't know.
Even if he wanted to know, she wouldn't tell.
Besides, she had thrown all those medicines away; she wouldn't take them anymore, as they were useless.
She really enjoyed her current relationship with Xie Shu; he treated her well, and she liked that feeling. She didn't care whether it was real or not; as long as she liked it, that was all that mattered. Suppressing herself was too painful, so she stopped doing that.
She just wanted to be with him.
But considering her current lack of capability, she didn't dare to be too obvious. If he left, it wouldn't be easy to find him, and her parents would stop her if they knew.
So, in the end, she didn't elaborate and simply replied: [Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry.]
Of course, Xie Shu couldn't just take her word for it, especially after Aunt Jian had just shown such concern for her health and had gone out of her way to talk to him instead of her.
But since she wouldn't say and Aunt Jian wouldn't either, he had no other choice. It would be impolite to pry.
And if there was something serious, they knew how to treat it; they weren't short of money.
In the end, Xie Shu didn't think too seriously about it.
Still worried, he later said many things to show his concern for Ruan Nianxi, telling her to take care of her health and that she could tell him if anything was wrong, and then he naturally changed the subject.
Afterward, both of them tacitly avoided mentioning the matter again, as if it had never happened.
***
In the afternoon.
Before school let out, the teacher sent a message in the class group about returning, and the students gradually made their way to the meeting point.
Just like in the morning, they lined up, counted off, and boarded the bus in order.
This time, Xie Shu didn't sit at the back but chose a seat at the front.
Although there weren't many seats at the front, as he was alone, any available seat would do.
Most of the class was in groups, and looking around, the nearest available seat was next to the teacher, so he sat down there.
The teacher always sat in the first few rows alone. Although the students got along well with him, none would sit with him alone, feeling it somewhat awkward.
This time, seeing a student take the initiative to sit next to him was a bit surprising.
"Why are you sitting here?" It wasn't that he didn't allow Xie Shu to sit; he was just genuinely surprised.
"I thought I'd keep the teacher company for a chat. Don't you welcome me?"
"I didn't say that."
Xie Shu sat at the front, chatting easily with the teacher, while Su Qianyi at the back felt her mood plummet.
Having learned from the morning's lesson, she no longer expected Xie Shu to sit with her. She just wanted to be close enough to observe him.
But she didn't expect him to sit right at the front…
Did he really not want to see her that much?
The bus was quiet, and though Xie Shu and the teacher were only chatting at a normal volume, most could hear how engaged they were in their conversation at the front, which made Su Qianyi's mood sink even lower at the back.
An Tian sat at the very back by the window, slightly elevated, naturally witnessing everything that happened in front.
She didn't sit with Su Qianyi, but she could feel her friend was definitely not happy.
Sigh, no need to feel it; her mood had been quite down these past few days.
As a good friend, she could only take out her phone and chat with her on the messaging app, hoping to distract her and ease her sadness.
…Although her efforts didn't seem to have much effect.
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan