Wife, I’ve Been Reborn (GL) - Chapter 5
Chapter 5
The Annoyance of Stardom
After morning reading, even more classmates came to visit Xu Liangchen. Mu Nan found it amusing; in all her years of schooling, it was the first time she had been so eye-catching. She felt like a celebrity, even though all those gazes were fixed on her deskmate. However, the person being stared at was clearly very unhappy, radiating intense irritability. Mu Nan felt deeply tormented. On one side was the limelight, on the other, a deep, cold pool of silence. This was the epitome of being “in deep water and hot fire”!
Fortunately, this situation didn’t last long. Most students from other classes just peeked through the windows, some deliberately walked past the door two or three times, but after seeing her, they left. Mu Nan even knew what topics they would discuss when they went back. “Wow, that’s Xu Liangchen from No. 1 High School!” “Wow, that’s the legendary top student!” Don’t ask her how she knew… she’d been through it herself.
…
The Annoyance of Stardom
The fourth period was Chinese class. Mu Nan was drowsy, almost falling asleep while listening. So, she simply took out the novel she hadn’t finished last night from her backpack. Suddenly, a hand reached out beside her. The fingers were slender, the knuckles distinct. Then, a not-so-gentle female voice whispered in her ear, “You’ve mastered it all?”
Mu Nan quietly tucked the novel into her drawer, opening her eyes wide to look at her side. “No.”
Xu Liangchen’s voice dropped even lower, “You don’t know it, yet you’re not studying!”
Mu Nan was even more helpless, sighing, “Even if I study, I won’t understand…”
“You…” Xu Liangchen seemed exasperated. She didn’t speak to Mu Nan for a long time, only writing something quickly in her textbook.
The class passed in a flash.
Mu Nan usually ate lunch in the cafeteria. Her parents were typically on business trips, and her brother, being in university, rarely came home for lunch, so she was too lazy to go back. Chen Jiao saw her packing her books, skipped over, and linked arms with her. “Let’s go, let’s go, time to eat, I’m starving.”
Xu Liangchen’s gaze was fixed on Chen Jiao’s arm linked with Mu Nan’s, her face darkening.
“Take this.” She placed the book in her hand onto Mu Nan’s, then turned to leave without looking back. Mu Nan stared blankly, asking, “What’s this?”
Chen Jiao flipped open the book. “Holy cow, Xu Liangchen made special notes just for you. Did you two know each other before?”
Mu Nan placed the book on her desk, pulling Chen Jiao towards the cafeteria. “No, we don’t!”
Chen Jiao clearly didn’t believe her. “She’s so good to you, and you don’t know each other? Are you kidding me?” Mu Nan remembered last night, how Xu Liangchen had gotten soaked in the rain just to give her the umbrella, and nodded. “I get it now.”
“She has the heart of a saint!”
Chen Jiao collapsed onto her laughing, and even Mu Nan couldn’t help but burst into laughter. If it were the old Xu Liangchen, having the heart of a saint wouldn’t be hard to understand. But this unpredictable deskmate sitting beside her now? Forget about being a saint. She felt more like a King of Hell. Mu Nan was even worried she’d be crushed by Xu Liangchen at any moment. Those sharp glances, reading a novel under Xu Liangchen’s nose was even more terrifying than doing so under the teacher’s. Sigh… How would she get through the coming days?!
…
Lunchtime and a Movie Date
Mu Nan got her food with Chen Jiao and headed to a table. As soon as she sat down, someone immediately sat next to her. She tilted her head and saw it was Zhao Shi. “Why are you here?” Mu Nan asked curiously. Zhao Shi, with his usual smile, leaned closer to Mu Nan. “What’s wrong? Am I not allowed to eat?” She instinctively moved a little to the side, pointing a finger at him. “Move over. Isn’t it hot sitting so close?”
Chen Jiao placed her food tray between them and plopped down. “Hey, I don’t mind the heat.”
Mu Nan lowered her head, a smile playing on her lips. Zhao Shi’s smile almost faltered, but he quickly managed to put it back on.
“Sit next to me when we watch the movie later.”
He spoke to Mu Nan, but Mu Nan didn’t reply. Chen Jiao, however, readily agreed, “Sure, sure!”
Zhao Shi glared at Chen Jiao in annoyance, then huffily moved to a different spot to eat. After he left, Chen Jiao disdainfully rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t pass the test like that!”
Mu Nan almost spat out her food laughing. “Oh, that’s enough!”
Chen Jiao tidied her hair, her eyebrows raised. “How can that be? I promised your brother I’d keep a good eye on you!”
Mu Nan nodded. Chen Jiao had been her brother’s little fangirl since childhood. She listened to everything her brother said, executing it as if it were a royal decree. When she was in junior high, her brother told Chen Jiao to watch over her at school and not let her get into a relationship. Well, with that decree, no boy for miles around dared to approach her. Even if a few clueless ones wrote her love letters, Chen Jiao would find a way to fend them off, and Mu Nan never really cared. Anyway, there was no one she liked.
After eating, they returned to the classroom, grabbed their stools, and rushed to the main assembly hall to claim seats. The first and second-year students had watched the movie in the morning; it was their turn in the afternoon. Although there was only one third-year batch, there were six classes, with at least forty students per class. Six classes meant over two hundred students. If they didn’t go early, they wouldn’t get good seats.
Mu Nan stood in front of her stool, thought for a moment, and then casually picked up Xu Liangchen’s stool too. Chen Jiao laughed at her. “What’s wrong, now you know how to curry favor with the top student?” Mu Nan struggled, holding one stool in each hand, but still managed to reply, “Curry favor my foot! I’m just doing it because she’s good to me…” Before she could finish, the stools in her hands were taken.
Xu Liangchen’s slender figure appeared before them, her phoenix eyes calmly sweeping over Mu Nan and Chen Jiao. She effortlessly picked up both stools. Her posture didn’t even waver, her back perfectly straight, as if she were holding two books. Truly a goddess-like figure; even doing chores was three parts delightful to behold.
At the entrance to the assembly hall, her voice was light. “Where should I put them?” Mu Nan finally reacted, quickly pointing to the third row. “Here, here, here! This spot is good. We always sat here before, and I’m telling you, it feels great!”
Chen Jiao silently followed behind, not saying a word. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk, but rather that she didn’t know what to say. She had always admired high-achieving people, which was why she’d been Mu Yang’s little fangirl for so many years. Now, looking at such an excellent individual in front of her, no topic seemed appropriate. Should she discuss the new TV series that just came out last night? She felt that, given Xu Liangchen’s personality, she would just look at her with those phoenix eyes and then indifferently reply, “Didn’t watch it.” Oh, honestly, it’s so hard to think of a topic.
…
A Touch of Vulnerability
While she was lost in thought, Mu Nan had already sat down, with Xu Liangchen on her right. Mu Nan was still muttering about how great the spot was when Xu Liangchen pulled out some money from her pocket and handed it to Chen Jiao. “Excuse me, could I trouble you to buy me some water? It’s not very convenient for me to go out from here.”
Chen Jiao was stunned, nodding repeatedly. “Yes, yes, yes!” She took the money and strode out. Mu Nan laughed at her reaction. “Talking to you really made her happy.” Xu Liangchen didn’t ask why, just sat quietly. A moment later, a faint “Mm” came from her.
There weren’t many students in the assembly hall yet. A few staff members were setting up wires on the stage at the front. Just as Mu Nan was about to talk to Xu Liangchen, she felt a weight on her shoulder. Heat radiated from Xu Liangchen, along with some sweat. Mu Nan placed her palm on Xu Liangchen’s forehead. “You have a fever.”
Xu Liangchen took Mu Nan’s hand away, her voice a little hoarse. “Mm, I’ve taken medicine. Let me lean on you.” Mu Nan nodded. The cold medicine Xu Liangchen took probably had a sedative effect, otherwise, she wouldn’t be acting so out of character. Mu Nan moved back a bit, and just as she was about to let Xu Liangchen get comfortable, Xu Liangchen’s body leaned into her, resting on her lap.
Xu Liangchen’s brows were tightly furrowed, her face pale, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead. Mu Nan felt bad for her, took out a tissue, and gently wiped the sweat from her head. The tissue glided along her face, and Mu Nan secretly marveled. Even when sick, she looks like a sleeping beauty. Her phoenix eyes were tightly closed, and much of her usual imposing aura was gone. Her eyelashes were long and thick, her nose delicate and small, her lips rosy. Her breathing was steady, but fine sweat continued to trickle down her cheeks.
Chen Jiao returned with water and saw Mu Nan wiping Xu Liangchen’s face. “You two…” Mu Nan took the ice water from her, asked her to borrow a wet wipe from a classmate, wrapped the ice water in the wet wipe, and then placed it on Xu Liangchen’s forehead. “She has a fever.” Chen Jiao nodded and also started helping Mu Nan.
Soon, more and more students arrived, and Xu Liangchen was a particularly noticeable presence, so Mu Nan gritted her teeth and covered Xu Liangchen’s head with her shirt. Luckily, she was wearing loose clothes today. If it had been the tighter one, she would have been out of options.
Around 1 PM, the movie started. Xu Liangchen was woken by the noise. As her head began to move, her nose caught a familiar body scent! She paused, then called out, “Mu Nan.”
Mu Nan, realizing she was awake, quickly lifted her shirt, allowing Xu Liangchen to sit up. “Feeling better?” In the darkness, Xu Liangchen’s expression couldn’t be seen, but her voice was even hoarser. “Much better.” Mu Nan felt relieved upon hearing this and focused on the movie.
Xu Liangchen tilted her head to look at Mu Nan, seeing her eyes sparkling like stars. Xu Liangchen unconsciously asked, “Can I borrow your hand?” Mu Nan was engrossed in the movie and didn’t immediately react to Xu Liangchen’s words, extending her right hand. “Hmm?”
Xu Liangchen took hold of it, clutching it tightly in her palm. She didn’t let go for a moment, not until the movie ended. Only then did Mu Nan withdraw her hand, her palm tingling. She looked at Xu Liangchen beside her, sighing to herself. Indeed, when people are sick, they’re so vulnerable!