Fever Break - Chapter 16

The dance club senior said she would treat everyone to a meal after the performance.

Lu Wuke didn’t sleep well the entire night yesterday. Her head was still aching, so she turned down the invitation.

She only came out of the auditorium after changing her clothes in the backstage dressing room.

Before Ah Shi could even get to watch her perform, she was called to the school gate by her mom with a phone call. Her mom happened to have some business nearby and came to see her.

Ah Shi texted her saying her mom was taking her to a restaurant, and asked what she wanted to eat, saying she’d bring some for her.

Lu Wuke didn’t have much of an appetite and told her it wasn’t necessary.

After replying, she put her phone back in her pocket and pushed open the side door of the auditorium.

They all say that autumn is crisp and refreshing, but the autumn in Lanjing is far from it.
There was neither endless blue sky nor crisp, dry air.
A gust of wind swept a few fallen leaves to her feet. Just as she closed the side door behind her, she looked up and saw Shen Yixi standing in the corridor.
He leaned against the corridor wall, lazily biting a cigarette.
Shen Yixi had already looked up at her before she noticed him.
His whole demeanor clearly said he was waiting for her.
Lu Wuke looked at him.
Shen Yixi didn’t say anything either, just leisurely met her gaze.

However, he knew that the person in front of him was not someone who would take the initiative to talk to him. As expected, since he didn’t speak, she acted like she didn’t know him, avoided his gaze, and didn’t even greet him.

Lu Wuke walked past him, holding the medicine Ashi had bought her that morning from the infirmary.

Shen Yixi lifted his eyelids and stared at her small, palm-sized profile.After a moment, he turned his head and chuckled.

There was no one else in the corridor, only the faint sound of music and the bustling voices coming from the auditorium, making the corridor even quieter.

Lu Wuke naturally heard his laugh.
He was openly showing his interest in her.
Lu Wuke walked toward the stairwell.
Shen Yixi watched her back. He stubbed out the cigarette in the corridor and tossed it in the trash before getting up with his hands in his pockets to follow her.
Lu Wuke knew he was following behind at a leisurely pace. She lowered her gaze.
Her steps didn’t quicken, nor did they slow down.
When she reached the stairwell, she pushed the door open and walked in.
Shen Yixi was only a few steps behind her. With his height and long legs, he quickly caught up.
He reached out and held the door handle to stop it from closing, then slipped inside.
Lu Wuke continued walking downstairs.
The stairwell door slowly closed behind Shen Yixi. He leaned against it with his hands in his pockets, watching her at leisurely
“Why are you in such a hurry? What do you think I would do to you?”

The man’s deep voice, mixed with a magnetic gravelly texture, echoed in the stairwell.

The person has already spoken, and Lu Wuke can no longer pretend not to recognize him.

She slowly stopped in her tracks and after a moment, spoke up: “What do you need from me?”

Shen Yixi let out a chuckle, his tone completely unserious.

“I have a lot of things to discuss with you.”

This sentence, taken literally, doesn’t mean much, but when it comes to Shen Yixi, it turns into a rather frivolous remark.

Lu Wuke naturally understood what he meant by that and didn’t say anything.

Shen Yixi looked at her back and asked, “Not even gonna let me see your face?”
Lu Wuke didn’t turn around.
Shen Yixi looked at her back again, cheeks pulling in slightly.
Then he let out a silent laugh and walked over to her.
Lu Wuke stood by the stairs. Shen Yixi brushed past her with his hands still in his pockets.
She caught the faint scent of smoke on him.
Then she saw him leisurely step down two or three stairs, lean against the wall with a casual posture, and slightly raise his eyelids to look at her face.

At this position, Lu Wuke was only slightly taller than him.
Shen Yixi said to her, “If you won’t let me look, then nothing I can do.”
Lu Wuke didn’t even exchange glances with him, only stared at the tips of her shoes.
Shen Yixi followed her gaze, then looked back at her. “Do you remember what I said last time?”
Of course Lu Wuke remembered, but she stayed silent.
He laughed again. “What to do, I’ve run into you again.”
Lu Wuke finally looked up at him, her little face as pure as ever.
She said, “You came to find me.”
Shen Yixi looked into her deer-like eyes and heard her say that.
It really did feel like he was bullying her again.
And honestly, he was.
He turned his head with a chuckle, then looked back at her. “What, won’t let me look?”
His voice was low, laced with a loose smile.
Lu Wuke lowered her eyes and pressed her lips together.
From Shen Yixi’s angle, her eyelashes were long like little feathers.
She didn’t know what he was thinking, but suddenly he asked her with a smile.

“Using a phone now?”

Lu Wuke: “……”

Previously, at the milk tea shop, when his friend wanted her number, she brushed him off by saying she didn’t have a phone.

Shen Yixi clearly knew that—and also knew she’d been lying.
After all, he had seen what her phone looked like, not only that but also knew that she used it to listen to English listening exercises.

His words were clearly just to tease her on purpose.

Of course, it means more than just that.

Asking her now if she uses a phone means pretty much the same thing as when Yingzi tried to hit on her.

Shen Yixi stared at her and said, “Or to put it another way, want to be my girlfriend?”
Lu Wuke froze.
This guy was always blunt with what he wanted.
He didn’t blush, didn’t flinch—just looked at her after saying it.
Lu Wuke tightened the medicine bag in her hand and didn’t speak.

Shen Yixi didn’t rush her either, just waiting.

After a while, Lu Wuke finally lifted her gaze, her black eyes clear and clean.

She said, “I want to focus on my study.”

This kind of talk coming from someone else is usually just nonsense, and people wouldn’t even believe it.

But coming from the girl in front of him, with her face and the way she spoke, no one would doubt her.

Of course, except for Shen Yixi.

After hearing those words, he licked his teeth but didn’t say anything.

Lu Wuke wanted to leave, and said to the person blocking his way, “I’m going back to the dormitory.”

Shen Yixi stared into her pair of clean and sincere eyes.

“Alright,” he tilted his chin towards downstairs, “let’s go.”

Lu Wuke didn’t expect him to let her go so easily and looked at him in surprise.
Shen Yixi could clearly read her thoughts, chuckled, and walked down the stairs ahead of her.
Lu Wuke hesitated for a moment, then followed.
They walked one in front, one behind, not too far apart.
Lu Wuke glanced at Shen Yixi’s back.
His loose shirt outlined the youthful but lean lines of his frame.

He had his hands in his pockets, his long legs casually striding forward, exuding an air of laziness.
Lu Wuke suddenly thought of the first time she saw him.
He’d also been walking ahead of her like this, though back then they didn’t know each other. Not that they were close now, either.
She looked away.
The Shen Yixi in front listened to the footsteps behind him, which were so light they seemed almost silent, and smiled.

Who knows what bad thoughts he was contemplating again, his cheek twitching with a grin.
He suddenly stopped on the stairs, turned around with his hands in his pockets, and calmly waited for her.
Lu Wuke had just been wondering what to eat for lunch when it was already too late to react.
She heard the plastic bag with the medicine drop onto the stairs with a thud as she collided into Shen Yixi’s chest.
She froze.
Then heard Shen Yixi laugh near her ear, his shoulders shaking.
Lu Wuke quickly reacted and tried to get out of his embrace.

Shen Yixi, however, held her waist tightly, not allowing her to break free. Even through the fabric, she could feel the distinct knuckles of the boy’s hand.

Lu Wuke, unusually flustered, said, “Let go.”

Shen Yixi chuckled softly, looking down at her: “You know I’m not a good person, so why do you still get so close to me?”

Lu Wuke was too lazy to waste words with him and pushed him in the chest.

This strength is actually quite impressive.

Shen Yixi laughed and held her even tighter: “If you move again and fall down the stairs, I won’t take responsibility.”

But the person in his arms was not an easy one. She looked obedient and clever, but harsh words were completely useless on her.

The more he spoke, the more she struggled.

Shen Yixi clicked his tongue and pressed her against the wall.

Lu Wuke’s head tilted back from inertia, but unexpectedly, it didn’t hit the wall. The hit was cushioned by the broad, slender palm of the boy.

Shen Yixi didn’t let her head hit the wall, holding the back of her head.

Shen Yixi’s brows and eyes were somewhat sharp, his black pupils raised, staring at her intently.

He was very close to her.

Lu Wuke met his gaze, but she still tried to break free from him.

But a girl’s strength couldn’t compare to a boy’s; she couldn’t break free from Shen Yixi’s embrace at all.
Suddenly, everything darkened.
Lu Wuke froze.
Shen Yixi leaned in, breath brushing her lips—warm, with a hint of tobacco.
He stared at her intently.
He tilted his head and moved closer to her.

Lu Wuke also met his gaze.

Time seemed to slow down.

Through the stairwell door, the faint sound of the song “Red Bean” could be heard from the auditorium.

He was getting closer and closer.

Who knows what she’s thinking but Lu Wuke kept her gaze, then slowly lowered her eyes, but stubbornly didn’t turn away.

Just as his nose was about to touch her, her eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Then she heard Shen Yixi chuckle lazily, his warm breath landed on her lips.

He lightly blew on her eyes, laughing, “You’re quite stubborn.”

He then said, “What are you afraid of? I won’t kiss you.”

Lu Wuke raised her eyelashes and looked at him.

Shen Yixi said, “There’ll be plenty of chances in the future.”

This statement clearly means that she will definitely be his in the future.

Lu Wuke’s fingertips, which had been hanging by her side, trembled slightly.

Shen Yixi looked at her—even though a moment ago he almost couldn’t resist.

This is the first time.

Lu Wuke reached out and pushed him away.

It must be that at this moment, Shen Yixi was willing to let her go, so she could push him away so easily.

Shen Yixi smiled, bent down, and grabbed the bag of medicine she had dropped on the stairs.

He straightened up, opened it to take a look inside, then raised his eyelids to look at her: “Headache?”

Lu Wuke glanced at him, her actions not exactly gentle, and snatched her belongings from his hand.

Shen Yixi clicked his tongue, but his eyes were still smiling.

Lu Wuke took the things and walked downstairs.

Shen Yixi didn’t follow her down, rubbing his fingers that hung by his side, as if the soft touch of her body still lingered on them.

He chuckled and turned his head to look at the stairs.

She had already run off and disappeared.

When Lu Wuke came down from the building, he ran into Jiang Qing outside.

Jiang Qing came to the auditorium and didn’t forget to bring a stack of books. When Lu Wuke went out, she was peeking towards the stairwell, her expression looking somewhat anxious.

Seeing Lu Wuke come out, she was momentarily stunned.

Then she ran over to Lu Wuke, holding the book: “Wuke, are you done?”

Lu Wuke thought Jiang Qing had already gone back and asked her, “Why are you here?”

Don’t know why, but Jiang Qing’s expression was somewhat uneasy.

She said, “Ah shi asked me to wait for you here, saying you weren’t feeling well.”

In the dormitory, only Jiang Qing would properly call him Ah Shi; Lu Wuke and Yu Xi’er always called him Xu Wanrou, Xu Wanrou.

“I’m not feeling unwell,” she said, “let’s go.”

At this moment, Jiang Qing seemed to glance up at the building. Hearing Lu Wuke say “let’s go,” she nodded and said, “Oh, okay.”

The two of them left the auditorium together, and as they walked, Jiang Qing glanced back while still holding the book.

“Wuke,” Jiang Qing called out to her, “Someone upstairs is looking for you.”

Lu Wuke didn’t need to turn around to know who it was; she didn’t say anything.

Jiang Qing said to her, “It’s Shen Yixi.”

Lu Wuke didn’t know what to say: “Oh.”

After a while, she suddenly asked Jiang Qing, “Did you see everything upstairs just now?”

Jiang Qing didn’t expect her to know that she had seen anything. After a moment of hesitation, she quickly explained, her tone a bit anxious: “I didn’t mean to see anything. I just wanted to go up and find you, and accidentally ran into it. Don’t worry, I didn’t see anything and came down quickly.”

“It’s okay,” Lu Wuke didn’t really want to explain, “it’s nothing.”

“Then do you like Shen Yixi?”

Lu Wuke lowered her eyes, as if she were deep in thought, yet also as if she weren’t.

She shook her head.

The road that day was unexpectedly smooth.

Later, one day she lost Shen Yixi, just like an insomniac without sleeping pills.

These long dark night—
She never slept well again.