Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan
In class, Xie Shu rarely checked his phone.
After all, young people shouldn't be glued to their phones during lectures; they should occasionally pay attention to where the teacher is.
The teacher spent most of the time pacing back and forth at the podium, which limited Xie Shu's opportunities to look at his phone.
Otherwise, you'd see him in the back row, probably already logged into the game.
University professors aren't too strict about phone use, as long as it's not excessive, they generally turn a blind eye.
Still, everyone is a student, and out of respect for the teacher, they tend to restrain themselves a bit, so those sitting in the front rows, like Xie Shu, did the same.
Sitting in the front row, Xie Shu couldn't play games or watch videos, so chatting with someone was his only option.
Coincidentally, all four of his dorm mates were also in the front row, in the same situation, so they started chatting in the dorm group on WeChat, simultaneously listening to the lecture and anxiously checking their phones.
During this time, he sent several messages to Ruan Nianxi, but she still hadn't replied.
What could she be so busy with? It had been hours; hadn't she finished yet?
Could something have happened?
In this day and age, aside from exams or other special circumstances where phone use is restricted, phones are used most of the time, right?
They even needed to use their phones to sign in for class.
Out of concern, he decided to call Ruan Nianxi after class.
Su Qianyi sat next to Xie Shu with perfect posture, attentively listening to the lecture, seemingly out of place among the other students who occasionally checked their phones.
But that was just a facade.
While others glanced at their phones now and then, she found herself stealing glances at Xie Shu.
Sitting together, all she had to do was tilt her head slightly and peer sideways to observe all of Xie Shu's actions.
She watched him switch between QQ and WeChat, chatting with others, while she checked her own phone several times, yet she never received a message from him.
Halfway through the class, he hadn't spoken a word to her.
In the past, when they had to sit at the front for a large lecture due to arriving late, Xie Shu would still whisper to her, and if the teacher was very strict, he'd write his thoughts on paper for her to read.
But this time, it was different between them.
Su Qianyi wanted to take the initiative several times, but her pride held her back each time.
For years, it had always been Xie Shu who took the initiative, and she had grown accustomed to it.
So, for the entire class, neither of them initiated contact.
***
After the first class ended.
Many students left the classroom to stretch their legs, but Su Qianyi remained seated.
She sat on the edge, with Xie Shu and the classroom aisle separated only by her, while many people sat on his other side.
She wasn't sure if Xie Shu would also leave, but she hoped he would ask her to move if he wanted to get out.
That would count as him taking the initiative.
However, her hopes were dashed.
Xie Shu wanted to step out to make a call, but the people on both sides of him showed no signs of leaving, and it would be troublesome to ask so many people on the other side to make way for him.
So, after some thought, he stood up, stepped onto the desks, and made his way out from the front.
Even with such an approach, he didn't plan to say a word to Su Qianyi.
After leaving his seat, he calmly took out a tissue to wipe the shoe prints off the desk, then left the classroom with composure.
Su Qianyi, who had observed his every move, was speechless.
With Xie Shu's departure, she felt the stares from all around.
Pretending to be oblivious, she looked down at her phone with an expressionless face, as if she didn't care.
It's fine.
There's still one more class.
He would surely take the initiative to call her during the next class, right?
***
Outside the classroom.
Xie Shu found Ruan Nianxi's contact and was about to call when a WeChat message popped up: "Sorry, something came up at noon, just saw your messages now. Is there something you need?"
It was from Ruan Nianxi.
Xie Shu raised an eyebrow; her response was quite timely.
Entering WeChat, Xie Shu messaged back: "Nothing much, just worried since you hadn't replied. What were you up to that you didn't check your phone for so long?"
Ruan Nianxi: "Went to the hospital."
Xie Shu: "Are you sick?"
Watching the "typing" indicator on his phone, he waited several minutes before receiving her reply: "No, just a stomachache, went to get some medicine."
Her response led Xie Shu to assume it might be her menstrual period, and although he was curious why it took her hours to get medicine, he felt it wasn't his place to pry too much, so after expressing his concern, he smoothly changed the subject.
They continued chatting until the bell rang for the next class.
***
Xie Shu returned to the classroom.
He walked towards his seat, step by step.
Su Qianyi's peripheral vision quickly identified Xie Shu's tall figure among the crowd.
Now, he would speak to her, right?
As she expected, Xie Shu stopped near her.
She fought the urge to look up, maintaining her dignity.
As she waited for Xie Shu to speak to her, she saw him reach over her desk to grab his book from his seat, then follow the crowd towards the back of the classroom.
He had changed seats.
Although there were no assigned seats, most people rarely changed spots between consecutive classes.
Xie Shu's action not only stunned Su Qianyi but also left his three dorm mates speechless.
The classroom wasn't completely full.
There were few consecutive empty seats, but Xie Shu was alone and could easily find a spot.
Eventually, he found an empty seat among a group of girls sitting against the wall.
After confirming the seat was unoccupied, he decided to sit there.
Considering it would be awkward to sit in the middle, the girls cooperatively moved inwards, making room for him on the edge, and then Xie Shu sat down.
Once seated, he looked forward and saw his three dorm mates giving him the finger.
Xie Shu immediately pushed his nonexistent invisible glasses with his middle finger as a retort to his rebellious sons.