Later, in the classroom, Qiao Li sat at her desk with a faraway look in her eyes. Her hands were still. Her books were open, but she hadn’t turned a single page.
She just... stared.
Yoyo leaned over and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey," she whispered. "Earth to Qiao Li. What’s going on?"
Qiao Li blinked and slowly turned to her. "...Huh?"
"You’ve been staring at the sa page for like twenty minutes," Yoyo said, raising an eyebrow. "What happened? You look like you saw a ghost."
Qiao Li let out a tiny breath.
She looked down at her notebook and whispered, "Not a ghost..."
Then she glanced at Ou Lin, who sat across the room, eyes low, looking like the loneliest person in the world.
"...Soone who finally said everything I wanted to hear. Just... ten years too late."
Yoyo’s eyes widened. "Wait. HIM?!"
Qiao Li didn’t answer. She just stared out the window.
Qiao Li stared out the window, her thoughts miles away, until Yo-Yo suddenly tapped her shoulder again.
"Seriously, what’s going on with you?" Yo-Yo asked, frowning.
Before Qiao Li could answer, a boy from the class walked up to their desk, his cheeks red and hands shaky. Without a word, he placed a pink envelope in front of Qiao Li.
Yo-Yo raised an eyebrow and gave the boy a pointed look.
The poor guy straightened up imdiately and looked at Qiao Li. "Uh... Qiao Li," he said nervously, "I like you. Will you go out with ?"
Qiao Li blinked, then sighed. "Not interested—"
"Wait!" Yo-Yo cut in quickly, grinning. "Actually, this could be a good idea!"
Both Qiao Li and the boy looked at her like she had grown two heads.
Yo-Yo smirked and turned to the boy. "But first, you need to prove you’re worth it. Are you ready to take her on a proper amusent park date?"
The boy’s eyes lit up. "Yes! I actually have two extra tickets to the amusent park. If Qiao Li wants, I’d love to take her with !"
Qiao Li blinked. "That was... fast."
She shook her head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want to go on a date."
Yo-Yo nudged her. "Co on! You should try dating soone else for once."
Qiao Li gave her a sharp look. "And what happened to you pushing toward Senior Wang?"
Yo-Yo’s face instantly turned dark. She pouted. "Ugh. Don’t remind . He’s trash."
"What?" Qiao Li asked, surprised.
"I was at the convenience store last night," Yo-Yo said, crossing her arms. "I saw him being all lovey-dovey with so girl. He literally begged her not to break up with him."
Qiao Li blinked, then snorted a laugh. "Wow. You sound like my mom."
Yo-Yo rolled her eyes. "Soone has to protect you."
Qiao Li looked at the boy again. He seed nervous but hopeful. After a mont, she sighed.
"Fine," she said. "Let’s go after class."
The boy lit up like a lightbulb. "Really?! Okay! I’ll wait for you after lecture!"
Soon the final lecture began — Biology.
The classroom buzzed with whispers the mont Ou Lin walked in. Girls sighed dreamily. Boys sat straighter, so clearly jealous of his looks.
Qiao Li kept her head low, pretending to take notes.
Ou Lin glanced at her once but didn’t say anything. He walked to the front and started class like normal. Not once did he try to talk to her.
He didn’t want to push her anymore.
After the class ended, the boy rushed up to Qiao Li. "Let’s go!" he said excitedly.
Qiao Li was just about to stand when—
"Qiao Li," Ou Lin’s voice rang out, "please co to the staff room. I need to speak with you."
Qiao Li paused and looked at him coldly. "If it’s important, say it here. Everyone can hear."
The class went silent. Students stared between Qiao Li and Ou Lin.
Was she... seriously talking like that to the most handso professor ever?
Ou Lin kept calm. "It’s about your grades. Very important."
Qiao Li crossed her arms. "If it’s just about grades, I don’t mind talking here."
Ou Lin tilted his head and said casually, "Then let’s talk about how you confused a skin infection with a private disease in your last paper."
Qiao Li froze.
Her face turned beet red.
She stood up imdiately. "Let’s talk in the staff room."
The class exploded with laughter and whispers. Soone in the back said, "Did she really write that in her paper?"
Another said, "What kind of disease was that?!"
Qiao Li gritted her teeth and waved at Yo-Yo, "Tell my date I’ll be back soon."
Yo-Yo gave her a big thumbs-up.
In the staff room, Ou Lin led her into a private office — but it was way bigger than the rest. Qiao Li glanced around, muttering, "This university is so biased..."
She sat down and crossed her arms. "Okay, what do you want?"
Ou Lin smiled. "You shouldn’t talk to your teacher with that attitude."
She rolled her eyes. "If you don’t like it, you can leave."
Ou Lin chuckled softly. "I’m not scolding you. I just wanted to help. You looked upset, so I didn’t want to tease you today."
He took out a folder and placed her answer sheet on the desk.
Qiao Li’s eyes widened the mont she saw it.
Oh no.
This was that paper.
The one where she had skipped Chapters... and completely guessed answers.
One question had asked about a sensitive health topic, and she had panicked and written... whatever she could rember.
She covered her face in embarrassnt.
Ou Lin waved his hand in front of her. "It’s okay. You’re usually top of the class. I’ll help you fix your mistakes."
"No thanks!" Qiao Li quickly tried to grab the paper.
But Ou Lin pulled it away, teasing, "Nope! Can’t let you get away with this."
Qiao Li lunged for it again, but lost her balance—
And fell straight onto him.
Her lips brushed his.
The room went dead silent.
They froze.
Neither of them moved.
Qiao Li’s heart was beating so fast.
Ou Lin’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t pull back right away.
Finally, Qiao Li gasped and pushed herself away, her face redder than a tomato.
"You—!" she shouted, pointing at him, "Y-You... That was your fault!"
"My fault?!" Ou Lin looked shocked. "You fell on !"
"I was trying to grab the paper!" she yelled.
He blinked, then slowly grinned. "So it was a kiss attack."
"It was NOT!"
Just as Qiao Li was about to snatch the paper and run away, Ou Lin quickly held her wrist and said calmly, "I didn’t give you permission to leave yet."
Qiao Li huffed loudly and crossed her arms. "Fine. Then tell — what do I need to do to get your permission?"
Ou Lin tilted his head. "Are you really going on that date with that guy?"
Qiao Li smirked and replied proudly, "Yup. I am."
He stared at her for a second. "Do you want to go?"
She lifted her chin and nodded seriously. "Of course I do. I want to go. No hesitation."
Ou Lin was quiet for a second, then smiled softly. "Okay. If you really want to go... then go. I’m not going to stop you."
Qiao Li blinked. "That’s it? You’re letting go just like that?"
He nodded. "You can leave now."
She squinted at him, suspicious, like he was playing a trick. But when he didn’t say anything else, she shrugged and walked out.
Outside, the boy was already waiting. He waved excitedly when he saw her, holding the tickets like they were gold.
They went to the amusent park together. At first, Qiao Li thought maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.
But wow... she was wrong.
The rides were fun for her, but the boy scread like a baby on every single one.
Every ti the roller coaster dropped even a little, he let out a scream that made people turn and stare.
On the spinning ride, he almost fainted.
On the haunted house ride, he hid behind her the whole ti.
Qiao Li stared blankly at him, her mouth in a straight line.
She didn’t feel excited.
She didn’t feel happy.
She felt... nothing.
Honestly, she just wanted to go ho.
Still, she didn’t want to make him cry, so she stayed till the end of the day.
When the date finally ended, the boy smiled like he just won a trophy. "Let’s et again! Sa place, sa ti, okay?"
Qiao Li blinked slowly, then turned and walked away without saying a word.
Back at her mansion, she walked in tired and annoyed. She kicked her shoes off and rubbed her forehead.
Her whole body ached.
She was so done with today.
Just as she turned the corner into the kitchen, she froze.
Ou Lin was there.
Wearing an apron.
Cooking.
Qiao Li’s eyes narrowed. What the heck?
He turned around at the sa mont and smiled like nothing was wrong. "You’re back. Go wash your hands. I made your favorite dishes."
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