After Confessing To My Childhood Friend - Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Rain
◎ Face so warm—are you feeling unwell? ◎
Other grades at Yonghuai No. 1 High School had gradually started classes as well.
The school had three cafeterias in both the middle and high school sections. There were countless fast food and stir-fry places outside the gates. And if you didn’t mind walking a bit further, you could even head to the mall for lunch.
Still, during mealtime, students surged into cafeterias and restaurants like starving ghosts reincarnated, terrified they’d miss out on food if they were late.
Chen Mengyin was sitting on a stone bench placed under a tree for shade. Two steaming lunchboxes sat on the stone table in front of her. Just the aroma was enough to make her drool.
“Mom’s so thoughtful, sending us lunch,” Chen Mengyin said as she opened the lunchbox, savoring the delicious aroma.
Xie Zhirou picked up her chopsticks and began eating. “Yeah.”
This all started about a week ago.
After learning that evening self-study at No. 1 High had not only started earlier but was also extended, Xie Zhirou’s mom, Tang Jingxue, got worried the girls might not get proper meals. So she pulled some strings and hired a housekeeper to deliver hot meals to the school every day.
Tang Jingxue had actually thought about this two years ago when Xie Zhirou started high school, but Zhirou had refused back then, saying it wasn’t necessary since she and Chen Mengyin could just eat at school.
This time, no matter how Zhirou tried to refuse, Tang Jingxue wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“How much trouble can it be to deliver lunch? I’m paying for it! Besides, can school food really compare to what a housekeeper cooks at home?”
“It’s only for one year. Let mom do something for you, okay?”
After hearing that, Zhirou didn’t argue anymore.
However, she did turn down the idea of late-night snacks.
After evening classes, if she got hungry, there were plenty of food stalls near the gate. No need to trouble the housekeeper to come again.
Tang Jingxue agreed. From then on, the housekeeper would make different meals every day and deliver them right to school for her daughter and Chen Mengyin.
When Chen Mengyin found out, she was thrilled. After school, she called Tang Jingxue, loudly praised her generosity and the housekeeper’s cooking, and sincerely expressed her thanks.
The call left Tang Jingxue in a great mood, her recent work stress lifting significantly. With a happy smile, she told Mengyin to feel free to tell the housekeeper what she wanted to eat.
Chen Mengyin didn’t hold back. She said she would let the housekeeper know—hers and Zhirou’s preferences together.
Tang Jingxue was even more pleased.
She genuinely liked Chen Mengyin, the neighbor’s kid—clever, thoughtful, and sweet. Every Mother’s Day and on her birthday, besides her own daughter’s gifts, she’d also get flowers and presents from Chen Mengyin.
Even outside holidays, Mengyin would text her to remind her to stay cool in hot weather.
What Tang Jingxue loved most was how Mengyin always sided with Zhirou. No matter right or wrong, she always found a reason to support her.
Tang Jingxue felt lucky that Mengyin had been by her daughter’s side all these years, making up for the absence of her and Zhirou’s father, Xie Yunzhao.
“Director Tang, the meeting starts in five minutes. Everyone’s arrived and your materials are ready. Shall we head over?” Her assistant Xiao Yu knocked gently.
Tang Jingxue put away her phone, nodded, and followed her to the conference room.
Now, her focus was to work hard, earn more money, and become her daughter’s strongest support, so she could pursue the life she truly wanted.
“Hey, wanna go shopping this weekend?” Mengyin asked as she cleaned up the lunchboxes.
Zhirou shook her head. “Can’t this week. My mom found a tutoring class. I’ve gotta go check it out Saturday.”
A few days earlier, Tang Jingxue had called, saying there was a promising class she’d like Zhirou to consider. Zhirou knew her mom meant well, so she agreed to visit it and decide afterward.
Hearing they couldn’t go out, Mengyin slumped like a puppy denied treats. “Alright then… studying’s more important.”
Zhirou reached out to pat her head with a smile. “Be good. We can go on Sunday instead.”
Mengyin perked up instantly. “Really?!”
Zhirou chuckled. “Of course. But first, let’s take a nap or we’ll be too tired for class.”
Mengyin: “Okay! Nap time~”
As usual, they headed home with Mengyin driving the e-scooter.
Zhirou had been napping at Mengyin’s place during lunch lately.
Although Mengyin’s 1.5-meter bed was a tight fit for two 170cm girls, neither suggested sleeping separately.
After some honey water and a quick face wash, they crawled into bed, lying close together, feet touching.
Soon, rain began to patter outside. Mengyin sat up and peeked through the curtain. “It’s raining. We should get up a bit earlier to walk to school—it’s better than riding in the rain.”
Zhirou nodded and adjusted her alarm.
But now Mengyin couldn’t fall asleep. She turned to stare at Zhirou’s perfectly sculpted nose.
How could someone’s nose even be this pretty?
Zhirou was almost asleep, but the intense gaze beside her was too much. She sighed and rolled over to meet eyes with Mengyin. “Can’t sleep?”
Startled by the sudden close-up of Zhirou’s gorgeous face, Mengyin widened her eyes and quickly nodded.
Her face blushed pink, unsure where to look.
Zhirou gently touched her cheek. “Go to sleep. We’ve got PE later.”
“Your face is hot. Are you not feeling well?”
Mengyin shook her head wildly. “N-No! Probably just stuffy in here!”
“Let’s sleep now! Otherwise we’ll be drowsy later!” She pulled the blanket over her head, pretending to sleep.
Seeing her turn into a flustered little ostrich, Zhirou didn’t tease her anymore and retracted her hand.
Despite her embarrassment, Mengyin fell asleep not long after.
In her sleep, she instinctively leaned toward Zhirou, resting her head on her shoulder and nuzzling like she wanted to cuddle.
In the dim room, Zhirou smiled softly, wrapped her arms around her, and fell asleep too, accompanied by the soft rain.
When they woke up, the rain was still falling.
It was chillier than usual. Zhirou turned off the AC and woke Mengyin.
“Hm? Time already? Still raining?” Mengyin mumbled sleepily.
Zhirou opened the curtains, rain pouring down outside. “Yeah. We need to hurry.”
Mengyin nodded and sleepily drifted into the bathroom.
Since they had PE, she brought extra honey water, which made her bag noticeably heavier.
When they stepped outside, the air felt even more hot and humid from the rain—it was almost suffocating.
One umbrella wasn’t enough, so Mengyin grabbed two from the doorway. They stepped carefully into the rainy street.
Linjiang Road’s trees shielded some of the rain, but droplets still pelted their umbrellas loudly.
“Good thing there’s no thunder,” Mengyin said. “If there was, walking under trees like this would be asking for it.”
“Boom! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside!”
Zhirou sighed. “Don’t say creepy stuff like that.”
“Okay.” Mengyin nodded.
A brief silence followed.
But soon enough, Mengyin’s chatter resumed. Zhirou walked beside her, responding softly now and then so she wouldn’t feel ignored.
When they arrived at the classroom, the rain was even heavier—so much so that you could barely see the buildings in the distance.
Mengyin hung her umbrella by the window to drip-dry.
“Think PE will be canceled in this weather?” Ye Siying peered anxiously outside, worried their class would be replaced with dreaded self-study.
Mengyin overheard and said, “Probably not. There’s always the gym, right? Want some honey water, Siying?”
“You’re the best, Mengyin! From now on, you’re my big boss—I’m your loyal minion—” Siying tried to hug her.
But Mengyin blocked her with a hand. “Careful! Zhirou might get jealous!”
Siying backed off with a huff. “Tch, so what if you have a girlfriend…”
Mengyin pretended not to hear the word “girlfriend” and poured honey water into Siying’s bottle.
Only Zhirou, who’d been watching quietly, noticed the blush creeping up her little childhood friend’s ears.
Jiang Yingxia followed Zhirou’s gaze and saw her old desk mate once again staring at Mengyin.
Zhirou was great at everything—except she was too aloof, always doing homework alone.
If not for Mengyin constantly coming to chat, Yingxia would’ve thought she was a robot powered by math.
She looked at Mengyin, now surrounded by classmates, then back at Zhirou, who clearly soured when Siying almost hugged her.
Yingxia smiled slyly.
Ah, some drink honey water. Others drink vinegar.
What a lovely life.