You Should Have Told Me You Don't Like Sweet Girls - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The two friends, standing face to face, were both startled. This time, Jiang Nianyi reacted quickly. She immediately nodded. “Of course you can. Go on, hurry up.”

This time, Su Yu didn’t hesitate at all. She zipped into the car in a flash.

Jiang Nianyi: “…”

Su Yu rolled down the window and instructed, “Go see if A’Shuang needs any help. Let me know what’s going on.”

Without waiting for a response, the car sped away into the distance.

At the hospital, Shi Xueqian skillfully navigated the hospital’s various departments. She quickly got Su Yu into the emergency room and accompanied her into the clinic. Just as she was about to turn and leave, her wrist was grabbed. She turned back to find Su Yu looking at her like an abandoned puppy, with a pitiful expression. “Senior, I’m scared. Stay with me.”

Shi Xueqian: “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Su Yu just looked at her without saying a word. Finally, the doctor, with great perceptiveness, spoke up. “I’ve seen plenty of sickeningly sweet couples, but this is the first time I’ve seen one like you two,” the doctor said with a laugh, his words not slowing down his preparations at all. “But it just means you’re in a good relationship. I understand. It’s just a few stitches. The family member doesn’t need to leave. You can stay here and keep her company.”

Su Yu shook Shi Xueqian’s hand. Shi Xueqian looked at her. She didn’t explain the doctor’s words, and she stayed where she was, letting Su Yu hold her hand.

Shi Xueqian had already described the wound’s condition to the doctor in great detail. After giving the anesthetic, the doctor waited eight minutes, prepared the stitching tools, and unwrapped the white cloth from Su Yu’s hand—a piece of cloth Shi Xueqian had torn from her own skirt, which the doctor tossed aside.

“The emergency treatment was well done,” the doctor complimented, then frowned slightly. “How did you get this wound? It’s a bit big and very deep. Little girl, doesn’t it hurt?”

He asked this because since Su Yu had entered the clinic, her face hadn’t shown any change in expression. Her eyes were only glued to her “girlfriend.” The phenomenon of a girlfriend being able to cure pain was nothing short of a medical miracle to the doctor.

“It hurts,” Su Yu said with a smile. “It hurts very much, but I don’t want my girlfriend to worry. If she worries, I’ll hurt even more.” As she said this, she nonchalantly threaded her fingers between Shi Xueqian’s, and the latter let her, their fingers slowly lacing together.

The doctor laughed. “Little girl, you’re so thoughtful. You deserve to have a girlfriend!”

Su Yu smiled and shushed him. “Doctor, stop teasing us. My girlfriend is shy. If you keep it up, she’ll blush.”

The doctor expressed his understanding, stopped with the jokes, and began stitching. As the needle and thread passed through her flesh, drawing out a thin trail of bl00d, Shi Xueqian couldn’t help but tighten her grip, her body trembling slightly. She took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. Feeling her unusual tension, Su Yu leaned closer, lightly nuzzling her arm to soothe her, and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

It was strange, but Shi Xueqian’s stiff body really did begin to relax. Inside, her emotions were more conflicted than ever.

After the stitches were done, the doctor gave them some instructions and sent them on their way. The car stopped in the campus parking lot. Shi Xueqian was about to speak, but Su Yu’s phone rang first. It was a call from Jiang Nianyi. Knowing what she was going to say, Su Yu answered and put it on speaker.

“Yu Yu, how’s your injury?”

Su Yu glanced at Shi Xueqian from the corner of her eye. She knew that, ultimately, today’s incident had nothing to do with her. To be precise, Shi Xueqian was just a victim who got caught up in it because of her. But her feelings were contradictory. On one hand, she didn’t want Shi Xueqian to feel guilty about this. On the other hand, she hoped the other person would feel a little bit of guilt and take responsibility for her because of it. The two emotions fought, and in the end, the latter won. After all, she only had this excuse to naturally stay by Shi Xueqian’s side. So, she deliberately spoke in a very pitiful tone. “It’s a huge cut. I got a lot of stitches. It almost hurt me to death.”

Jiang Nianyi: “That serious! Then I think we should notify Auntie Duan…”

Before she could finish, Su Yu interrupted. “Don’t tell my parents. Telling them now will only add to their worry.” She paused for a moment and glanced at Shi Xueqian again. “Besides, my wound has already been treated. All I have to do now is follow the doctor’s orders, change the dressing, and be careful. But it’s definitely going to be very inconvenient for me to go about my daily life.” She purposefully emphasized the words “very inconvenient.”

Jiang Nianyi gasped. “But… I already told Sister Yao, and she’s right next to me.” As she spoke, Su Yao’s voice quickly came through the phone, concise and to the point. “Where are you?”

Su Yu truthfully told her their location. While waiting for her sister to arrive, Shi Xueqian spoke. “I have something else to do, so I won’t wait with you here.”

Su Yu froze for a second. She couldn’t let her go just like that. A thought flashed in her mind. She picked up a bottle of mineral water from the car and responded, “Okay. Thank you, Senior, for taking me to the hospital today and for staying with me. You’ve worked so hard.”

“I figured you wouldn’t want me to buy you dinner to thank you or anything, so I won’t waste your time.” She said this with a genuine and sincere tone, her expression not faking any pity. She gripped the water bottle between her thighs and used her good left hand to try and twist the cap open. Once, twice, three times… it still wouldn’t open. She mumbled to herself, “Why is it so tight? It’s usually so easy to open…”

She looked like she was very seriously trying to open the cap, but in her peripheral vision, she was watching Shi Xueqian’s every move. It wasn’t until the water bottle was pulled from her hand that Su Yu reacted as if surprised, her sweet face full of shock. “Senior, you’re still here?”

She reached out her hand. “Senior, give me the water back. Let me do it myself. You’ve helped me today, so what about the next two weeks when I have to fend for myself?” Her wound would need at least two weeks to heal. She still wasn’t faking it.

Shi Xueqian finally asked her a question. “Where are your family members?”

Su Yu suppressed the delight in her heart and slowly explained her helplessness at being alone. “My parents are traveling right now, and the housekeepers are all on vacation. Only my sixty-something-year-old housekeeper is left. And my sister, she moved out to live by herself after she started working. Plus, she’s having a sweet time with my sister-in-law right now, so I definitely can’t be so unperceptive and disturb their happy life.”

Unexpectedly, Shi Xueqian didn’t follow the script at all. She unscrewed the water bottle and handed it to her. “Then you’ll just have to trouble your housekeeper.”

Su Yu: “???” She should have just said she was all alone at home!

Shi Xueqian placed the cap on the armrest, unbuckled her seatbelt, and after a moment’s hesitation, she still instructed, “Be careful with your wound.”

Just as she opened the car door, a roaring sound came, and a fully red SUV sped toward them. By the time Shi Xueqian had one foot out of the car, the SUV stopped smoothly right beside her.

A beautiful woman with a neat, high ponytail and a business suit got out of the passenger seat and extended her hand to Shi Xueqian. “Hello, I’m Han Youdi, Su Yu’s sister Su Yao’s special assistant. I’ve already heard everything that happened today.”

“I’m sorry you were involved. As compensation, our CEO Su would like to invite you to dinner tonight. If you would like any other compensation, you can also name it. As long as it’s within our means, we are willing to satisfy you.”

At this point, the Su sisters had arrived. Su Yao stood behind Han Youdi, and Su Yu stood behind Shi Xueqian. Hearing this, Su Yu silently gave Su Yao a thumbs-up. Su Yao’s face was tight as she didn’t respond, only because Shi Xueqian was looking at her.

Generally, no one dared to look directly at the serious Su Yao with a straight face, but Shi Xueqian not only dared to, she also rejected the offer with dignity. “I feel your sincerity. I’m sure no one wanted what happened today to happen. There’s no need for compensation. Goodbye.”

Su Yu panicked. She desperately gave Su Yao meaningful looks, hoping she would say something to make her stay. After all, she had used every trick she had and still couldn’t get her to stay. She was out of ideas.

Su Yao didn’t let her down. She took a step forward and grabbed Su Yu’s ear, scolding her sternly. “You, causing trouble at school every day, can’t you just let me rest easy? Because of what you did today, if your Senior isn’t willing to accept compensation, according to our family law, you can look forward to a few dozen more beatings when you get home!”

Her voice wasn’t very loud, but Shi Xueqian, who hadn’t walked far, could definitely hear it. She didn’t stop.

Su Yao gave Su Yu a look. The latter instantly understood her sister’s meaning and let out a loud wail. “Sis, stop twisting! It hurts! It hurts so much!” Su Yao wasn’t even twisting her ear with any force, but Su Yu wailed as if it were a reality, her face turning red and her neck straining as if her ear was about to be twisted off.

Shi Xueqian’s forward movement stopped. Her mind automatically pictured various scenes of Su Yu being “punished.” Her raised foot finally came back down, and she returned. Her eyes faintly looked at Su Yao’s hand twisting Su Yu’s ear.

Su Yao understood and let go of her hand. The ear that hadn’t been twisted was red, as if it had truly suffered inhumane “abuse.” She couldn’t help but sigh. If her sister hadn’t become an actress, it would have been a great loss to the nation’s performance industry.

Shi Xueqian glanced at them and said faintly, “If I accept your compensation, can her punishment be waived?”

Su Yu scrunched her nose and called out to her, touched, then hid behind her.

Su Yao pretended to be furious and glared at Su Yu. “If it’s your request, we’ll agree to it.”

“Then it’s my request.”

Su Yao nodded slightly. “Then the dinner arrangements?”

Shi Xueqian: “I already have plans for tonight. I’m free now, but I can only eat at school.”

Su Yao frowned slightly.

Shi Xueqian: “Since it’s compensating me, I should be able to decide the time and place, right?”

Su Yao: “Of course.”

Shi Xueqian: “Then let’s go.” With that, she led the way. Han Youdi followed her first. As she passed Su Yao, she quietly said, “You two sisters put on a good show.”

Su Yao sighed in silence and glared at Su Yu. The latter immediately smiled. “My greatest, most beautiful, most amazing sister! I knew nothing in this world could stop you!”

With a soft huff, Su Yao said in a flat voice, “Wasn’t that little act of yours a bit over the top?”

“No, it wasn’t!” Su Yu denied. “I didn’t plan this. It was really a coincidence. Besides, if I had planned it, how could I have joked with Senior’s life!”

“You’d better not have,” Su Yao warned. “If I find out you’re neglecting your own safety for a relationship, I’ll let you know just how powerful our family’s long-treasured family law is.” She quickly walked two steps to catch up with Han Youdi.

“It wasn’t?” Su Yu hurried to catch up, lowering her voice. “Do we really have family law?”

“No, that’s not what’s important right now,” she suddenly remembered something. “If we eat now, it still won’t mess up Senior’s date with Lu Yuanyuan tonight.”

Su Yao glanced at her injured hand. “It took such a serious injury for you. It’s okay to use it a few more times.”

Su Yu was annoyed. “No, I already tried that.”

Su Yao lightly tapped her on the forehead. “Your brain just doesn’t work at the critical moment, does it? It’s not realistic to try and tie her to you with this wound forever. You have to make it work at the critical moments, like when you need to change your dressing.”

Su Yao turned to Han Youdi, with a look that was begging for praise. “Honey, isn’t what I said right?”

Han Youdi’s eyes narrowed slightly. “So, was your last injury on purpose, too?”

Su Yao immediately became serious. “No, how could I do something so stupid? That was really an accident!” Han Youdi just huffed and ignored her, and Su Yao followed closely, trying to coax her.

Su Yu suddenly realized something. She caught up to Shi Xueqian, who was walking alone in the front, and handed her the water bottle. “Senior, I’m thirsty, but I can’t open it.”

Shi Xueqian looked back and saw Su Yao and Han Youdi playfully bickering. Her gaze quickly returned, and she took the water bottle and unscrewed the cap.

Su Yu: “Thank you, Senior. You’re so good.”

The four of them arrived at the cafeteria in the College of Arts. To avoid drawing too much attention, Shi Xueqian chose a private room on the sixth floor.

Su Yu took two menus from the waiter, one for Shi Xueqian and one for Han Youdi.

Shi Xueqian pushed the menu back to Su Yao. “You should order.”

Su Yao pushed it back. “The compensation is for you. It’s only right that you decide what we eat. We don’t have any dietary restrictions.”

Shi Xueqian stopped pushing back, looked at the menu, and ordered four dishes.

“I don’t think that’s enough,” Su Yao said, turning to Han Youdi. “Honey, order a few more dishes.”

Han Youdi glared at her. “Don’t call me that!”

Su Yao looked innocent. “Didn’t you say I could call you that in private?”

Han Youdi was too lazy to argue with her. She said, “Then I’ll just order a few more dishes that CEO Su’s sister likes.” Fried prawns, spicy crayfish, and steamed crabs—all foods that require two hands to peel.

Su Yu smiled. “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

Han Youdi glared at Su Yao again, who wore an innocent expression.

The food was served quickly. Su Yao raised her glass of soda to Shi Xueqian, said some words of thanks and apology, and then they officially began eating.

Su Yu picked up a crayfish and fought with it for two minutes with only one hand. The shell remained firmly attached to the meat. She sighed, finally resigned, and was about to put it aside when a cool voice came from beside her. “If you don’t mind, I can peel it for you.”

Her dim eyes instantly lit up, like the brightest star in the night sky. She looked at Shi Xueqian with sparkling eyes. “Of course, I don’t mind! It would be my honor for you to help me, Senior.”

Shi Xueqian put on gloves, took the crayfish, and peeled it clean in a second. The meat was perfectly intact. Seeing the beautifully peeled meat on her plate, Su Yu said sincerely, “Senior, you’re amazing.”

Shi Xueqian didn’t say anything. She took a few more prawns and crayfish, peeled them, and put them on Su Yu’s plate. Then she took off her gloves. “If you want to eat more, just tell me. I’ll peel them for you.”

Su Yu nodded, picked up a beautiful piece of shrimp, and put it in her mouth. Her little scheme had worked, and the meat tasted especially delicious. She ate one after another but didn’t ask for more. She just occasionally glanced at the crab.

On her third glance, Shi Xueqian finally spoke up. “Do you want to eat crab?”

Su Yu shook her head. “No, it’s too much trouble.”

Shi Xueqian didn’t say anything else. She put her gloves back on and, in less than three minutes, neatly peeled an entire crab. This time, before Su Yu could praise her, Su Yao couldn’t help but say, “Shi, your technique and speed are better and faster than any professional crab peeler I know.”

Su Yu also couldn’t help herself. “Senior, you’re so amazing. I’m serious. Is there anything you can’t do?”

The two Su sisters were full of praise, while Han Youdi looked at Shi Xueqian with an unreadable expression. In response to their compliments, Shi Xueqian only slightly curved her lips. She placed the peeled crab meat in front of Su Yu, then peeled some more shrimp and crayfish for her before taking off her gloves.

Han Youdi glanced at the food in Shi Xueqian’s bowl, which only consisted of a few pieces of vegetables. “Don’t you like seafood?”

Shi Xueqian shook her head slightly. “It’s not that I don’t like it. I just ate a lot of it before, so I don’t feel like eating it now.” Han Youdi gave her another look but didn’t say anything else.

After they left, Su Yao saw Han Youdi looking glum and asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Han Youdi was silent for a few seconds, then said, “Nothing. It’s just… I feel like I saw myself in her.” Su Yao was very familiar with Han Youdi’s family situation. She also knew that Han Youdi had yet to escape the clutches of her “vampire family.” She was about to say that based on what she heard from Su Yu, Shi Xueqian was chauffeured to and from school every day, so her family must be well-off. But she quickly reconsidered. What did a good family background mean? It just meant a good family background. Every family had its secrets, and this was especially true in the elite circles.

“Have you looked into her?” Han Youdi asked again.

“We have, but we didn’t find anything,” Su Yao paused slightly. “However…”

“However what?”

“Are you thinking about another woman right in front of me?” Su Yao fiercely grabbed her waist, leaned in close…

…

Inside the drama club, the members had just returned from the dean’s office. As the main location of the incident, every member present was questioned. One by one, they all collapsed in various corners of the club like cooked dumplings, still clearly shaken by what had happened.

The president was the first to move. She took out her phone and ordered food for everyone. After they ate, everyone slowly recovered and began to organize today’s application forms. They would filter the applicants and then send out information for the second round of auditions. Only after passing the second round would they officially join the club.

Just then, a girl with two high ponytails raised her hand. “President, I have Su Yu’s application here, but she only filled in her name and phone number. Should we send her the audition text message?”

At the scene earlier today, the president actually didn’t want to give Su Yu an application form, but Su Yu’s influence was too great, so she had to. She didn’t deny Su Yu’s own excellence and influence. If Su Yu said she was second in the whole school, no one would dare say they were first.

The drama club’s president was well aware that having Su Yu join would be a hundred benefits for the club with only one harm. That one harm was all the rumors swirling around Su Yu. She was afraid that if Su Yu joined, the members would have to constantly walk on eggshells, and she was also afraid that she might accidentally say the wrong thing and get “served with fists” by the beautiful Ice Queen. Her club was simply too small a temple to contain such a great Buddha.

She knew Su Yu’s family background. If Su Yu ever wanted to act, there was no doubt that the Su family could bring in the world’s top teams to support her. The club’s meager resources were nothing to Su Yu.

On the other hand, perhaps Su Yu could bring some resources to the club members…

The president didn’t make a final decision and asked, “What do you all think?”

The members looked at each other. Their analysis of the pros and cons was the same as the president’s, but some also raised a question: if Su Yu came here, wouldn’t the few resources the club had all fall into her hands? This way, the other club members would have no opportunity at all.

In short, everyone thought she was good, but they couldn’t trust Su Yu’s character.

The president nodded. “Then let’s cut her.”

The words had just left her mouth when there was a knock on the door. The member closest to the door went to open it. She saw Shi Xueqian standing outside and immediately plastered a smile on her face. “Senior, you’re… here.” The last word came out purely from habit, as she saw Su Yu behind Shi Xueqian.

Su Yu peeked her head out from behind Shi Xueqian and gave the girl at the door a pure and harmlessly sweet smile. “Hi~” She then waved to the people inside to greet them. The girl at the door felt completely captivated and dizzily raised her hand to wave back. “Hi~”

The president’s face darkened with frustration.

Su Yu followed Shi Xueqian inside. She happened to see her application form in the hands of the girl with the twin ponytails and said eagerly, “Something happened when I was filling out the form, so I didn’t have time to fill in a lot of things. If the president has any questions, you can ask me on the spot. I’ll be sure to answer truthfully~”

Shi Xueqian had only come to apologize. After all, what had just happened was not unrelated to her. Before this, she had gone with Su Yu to the Dean’s office to explain the situation. When they came out, Su Yu followed her all the way. When Shi Xueqian questioned her, Su Yu had a good reason. “I didn’t finish my application form today, and I want to go to the drama club to fill in my information. I don’t know where the drama club is, Senior. Could you take me there?”

“It’s okay if you can’t. I’ll just ask for directions.”

Shi Xueqian could only go with her. The president seemed to understand her worries. She walked over and patted her on the shoulder. “You must have been scared just now, right? We’re fine here. Just leave the rest of the club matters to us. You should go home and rest.”

Shi Xueqian nodded. In the end, she said nothing and left the club office.

Su Yu, however, did not leave. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to follow Shi Xueqian; she was stopped.

The president said, “Since you’re already here, how about we just do the audition now? What do you think?” He was asking for Su Yu’s opinion.

Su Yu smiled and nodded. “Of course.”

Shi Xueqian returned to her study room. She sat slumped in a beanbag chair. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting countless leaf-shaped shadows on her body, like little holes. She lay back on the chair, closed her eyes, and her mind replayed all the people she had seen and everything that had happened today. She slowly raised her hand and stroked her neck where the knife had been. If that girl had just been a little faster, she could have been completely free.

She shouldn’t have raised the knife before stabbing. She should have just slashed directly. A single cut, and everything would have been over.

This way, Su Yu wouldn’t have had a chance to stop it.

Just then, her phone rang in her bag. It was the special ringtone she had set for Xu Zhicheng, her father. She answered. A cold, low voice came from the other side. “Speak.”

It was a question without a clear subject, but Shi Xueqian knew what to say. She described everything that had happened today in minute detail. She didn’t believe Xu Zhicheng didn’t already know what had happened; he was just testing her.

When she finished speaking, the other side spoke again. Even through the phone, Shi Xueqian could picture her father’s grim face. “Why did you say that to provoke the hostage-taker on purpose?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Shi Xueqian’s voice was completely flat, as if she were talking about something unrelated to herself. “I was afraid she would hurt others, so I said that in a moment of desperation.”

Xu Zhicheng scoffed. “You, a block of wood, can get desperate? Shi Xueqian, you’ve always been a good girl, so I haven’t had to say this in a long time. Before you do anything, think about your grandmother back in the countryside.”

Shi Xueqian looked down slightly. “Understood. I’ll be obedient.”

“There’s one more thing,” his tone wasn’t as cold anymore, as if he was satisfied with her answer. “I was just talking to Director Lu, and his daughter called him during the conversation to ask for tips on how to treat someone to dinner for the first time. I overheard her mention you. When I asked about it, I found out she wanted to treat you to dinner.”

“You don’t have to eat at school tonight. Go wherever Director Lu’s daughter wants to go. I’ll transfer you two thousand dollars. Remember to send me your location when you get there, and you must be home on time.”

Shi Xueqian didn’t think or ask any questions. “Okay.”

Before hanging up, Xu Zhicheng instructed, “It’s rare for someone to be willing to be your friend, and it’s Director Lu’s daughter at that. Behave yourself. Don’t be like a block of wood that only moves when you’re poked.”

Shi Xueqian stood up and walked to the window. She looked down and out… She looked for so long that her vision blurred and her neck ached. Only then did she return to her desk and begin to study, as if nothing had happened at all.

When she looked up from her desk, the sunlight had already disappeared from the room. A fiery sunset hung in the sky, and the evening breeze stirred the leaves on the branches, making them fall. Shi Xueqian stared at the branches that were suddenly bare and fell into a daze. She remembered one afternoon when she and Su Yu walked under a tree shedding leaves, and Su Yu would occasionally bend down to pick them up.

“Senior, this leaf is so pretty, too. It’s mine.”

“This one is pretty, too. This one, too. They’re all mine.”

“Senior, I’ll turn them into bookmarks and give them to you.”

“Can I give you one every day?”

Since that day, she had indeed received a different, specially trimmed leaf bookmark from Su Yu every day. How many were there? She got up and walked to the bookshelf, counting the books with bookmarks. There were only three. Just three. She hadn’t received any more after the dictation test was over.

She pulled one out and twirled it between her fingers. She mumbled, “The one who tied the bell must untie it. Su Yu, since you saved me today, you’ll just have to continue being that key.”

“Being a key is much easier than taking a knife for someone.”

Ding. A phone notification pulled her out of her thoughts.

—Senior, look outside~

Shi Xueqian walked to the window. Downstairs, Lu Yuanyuan was leaning against a car, looking up and waving at her. Her sweet look was even more brilliant than the sunset in the sky.

Ding-ding—

Lu Yuanyuan: Senior~

Come down~

Time to go to dinner~

Shi Xueqian didn’t continue standing by the window. She went back to her desk and replied, Wait a moment, I’ll be right down. She neatly organized her books and went out with her bag.

As she closed the study room door, she didn’t know why, but she inexplicably glanced at the spot where Su Yu used to be. During the dictation test, Su Yu would occasionally take her study habits into consideration and suggest they study outside. Every time Shi Xueqian came out of the study room, if she looked, she would be greeted by Su Yu’s sweet smile.

But now, it was empty.

What she didn’t know was that Su Yu was in another location. While she was looking at the empty spot, Su Yu was also looking at her.

She walked out of the library, and Lu Yuanyuan ran up to her excitedly. “Senior, are you surprised? Are you caught off guard?”

Remembering Xu Zhicheng’s instructions, Shi Xueqian slightly curved her lips. “I didn’t expect you to pick me up.”

Lu Yuanyuan hooked her arm through hers and walked her forward. “I just wanted to surprise you. I’ve already made reservations at a restaurant off-campus. My uncle probably told you about the coincidence between us, right? I also took the opportunity to ask him what you like to eat. Tonight, I’ll definitely feed you until you’re full.”

The car sped away, and Su Yu walked out from the shadows, her eyes deep and somber.

Didn’t she say she could only eat at school?

Why did she suddenly go to an off-campus restaurant?

If it were on campus, she had planned to follow behind her. Based on her understanding of Shi Xueqian, she wouldn’t have chosen a private room like she did at noon.

But off-campus…

A sharp pain came from her palm. She looked down and realized she was using her injured hand to tightly grip a tree branch. The branch’s bark had already cracked. She let go, gave the wet, red spot on her palm a faint look, and raised an eyebrow slightly. Instead of following them, she turned around and went back to the library.

Before, to make it easier for her to study, Shi Xueqian had given her a key to the study room and had never asked for it back. She walked into the study room and was slightly surprised by the sight inside. Her designated chair was still there.

The corners of her lips curved up. She walked to the chair like it was her own, sat down, took out her phone, and texted Shi Xueqian: Senior, where are you? She took a picture of her palm and sent it to her.

Su Yu: My hand hurts so much. I need your help changing my dressing.

Shi Xueqian opened her phone, her pupils contracting. What she saw was a wet, red palm. The gauze was almost completely soaked in bl00d. She then looked at the environment reflected in the photo. She quickly recognized that it was her own study room.

The puppy still fell into her trap.

She had guessed that Su Yu would come looking for her within three days, so she hadn’t asked for the key back. She had been waiting for Su Yu to come into the study room on her own. Shi Xueqian didn’t know what kind of feeling she had when she made such a firm guess, just as she found it difficult to describe her current mood.

Logically, since things were developing in the direction she had hoped for, she should be happy. Su Yu was being led by her nose, so she should be even happier. But she felt no happiness at all. There was a little bit of heartache, but mostly, there was a numbness, like a pool of stagnant water that couldn’t be stirred.

Her fingers moved across the screen: Professional matters should be handled by professionals.

Su Yu replied instantly: I already went to the infirmary before coming here, but no one was there.

Shi Xueqian: Then go to the hospital.

Su Yu: I don’t want to go to the hospital by myself. I’m scared.

Senior, my hand hurts so much.

It’s still bleeding.

The wound seems to have reopened.

Little girl crying.jpg

Shi Xueqian frowned slightly: Your friends, your sister, your sister-in-law, and your sixty-something-year-old housekeeper are all people.

Yes, the wound hurts and it’s bleeding, but it’s not that exaggerated. But that didn’t stop Su Yu from typing quickly and playing the victim:

They’re all busy. The housekeeper went home today to see her grandson and asked for several days off to stay with him.

My sister and sister-in-law received an urgent notification this afternoon and went on a business trip.

I’m going to be a lonely, injured, and helpless little girl for the next few days.

Poor, tattered little girl.jpg

At this moment, the car happened to stop in front of the restaurant. Seeing the last emoji, Shi Xueqian couldn’t help but smile slightly. The emojis Su Yu used really fit her personality.

“Senior? Who are you texting? You look so happy.” Lu Yuanyuan rested her head on the steering wheel, looking at her from the side.

“Am I happy?” Shi Xueqian looked up, her expression as faint as ever.

Lu Yuanyuan nodded, reaching out and gently poking the corner of her lips. “Yes, your lips were turned up quite a bit just now. You should smile more, Senior. You look so good when you smile.”

Shi Xueqian nodded. “Let’s go.”

She got out of the car, about to reply, when another picture came through. It was her bookshelf from her study room.

Su Yu: I’m not in a hurry, Senior. You eat first.

Take your time eating. I’m really not in a hurry.

I’ll be a good girl and sit here and read until you get back~

The hand closing the car door froze.

Su Yu: Senior, can you recommend which of these books on the bookshelf are the best to read?

Is it this one?

[Image]

Or this one?

[Image]

Senior, have you read all these books?

Shi Xueqian clicked on the image and suddenly remembered something. Her pupils trembled violently.

The photos of Su Yu! Whether they were photos she had taken herself and printed, or pictures she had found online and printed, with or without writing on the back, they were all tucked into those books on her bookshelf! Before she met Su Yu, she never used bookmarks. After she met Su Yu, and before Su Yu started giving her leaf bookmarks, she had been using Su Yu’s photos as bookmarks.

She absolutely couldn’t let Su Yu find out about this!