03

That day, Jiang Huainan's departure was so resolute that it made Xia Chan momentarily feel as if it were a farewell

After that, Monet circled around her, leaning down to breathe in her ear, and reminded her: "Axia, you are quite suspicious..." His tone carried a hint of threat, causing Xia Chan to flee in panic

Jiang Huainan shifted his body slightly and looked towards the distant horizon: "Asha, I hope you can be well. You should now recognize the direction you need to take and understand what you truly want. I know you are intelligent, but you are unwilling to apply your strengths to your future; you are too stubborn. Time is running out, and you cannot afford to lose."

Monet has nothing to do with me; he often talks back and frequently skips class. This time, he took my school badge and ran away. I admit that climbing over the wall this time was my fault, and I will not do it again next time

Ella nodded and said "ah," then hurriedly shook her head and said, "I won't go, I won't go, you know I hate studying the most"

Xia Chan was sweeping the floor while laughing at her, saying, "What are you so happy about?"

I believe you. " A gentle voice from Jiang Huainan came from beside.

She is unavailable

I will come to find you after the afternoon self-study or after school

Xia Chan did not say another word

The next time I saw him was after school on Monday

Ella's behavior attracted the attention of several students around her, and Xia Chan pressed her down into her own seat, saying, "You should be more low-key"

"I will help you with your studies," Jiang Huainan said, pointing to the bulletin board not far away, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness. "I saw your ranking last month; it was very poor."

Xia Chan's gaze passed over his slender shoulder and landed on his profile. She felt a sense of unease as if she had done something wrong. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to confess to him

In the evening, she was on duty when Ella came to find her, entering with a phone in hand and laughing uncontrollably.

Xia Chan waved the broom in her hand and said, "Tutoring, you fool"

Unable to articulate the reason, she is always cautious around Jiang Huainan, unwilling to see him frown, fearful of making him angry. Having known him for too long, from youthful ignorance to the awakening of feelings, the world is filled with her little thoughts related to him.

The person before her, who occupies her thoughts, is the one whose direction she wishes to pursue

Xia Chan suddenly realized that due to tutoring, he, who originally enjoyed running on the court, had his leisure time occupied too much by her

Jiang Huainan suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around to look at her, his expression devoid of emotion. Xia Chan hurriedly averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes, her lips moved slightly, yet the words were stuck in her throat

In the misty haze of tearful eyes, she saw the figure of Jiang Huai Nan overlapping with her memories, and then he turned his back to her and left, step by step, disappearing from her sight

Asha

Jianghuai Nan smiled without speaking

The three of them have known each other for a long time and are quite familiar with one another. Aila has a carefree personality and has often played matchmaker for Jiang Huainan and Xia Chan. Jiang Huainan always manages to handle it with ease, giving no clear indication of rejection or acceptance. His thoughts are profound and inscrutable; Xia Chan believes he is rationally prioritizing important matters, waiting for the right moment. Every time Aila stirs the pot, she can only respond with an awkward smile.

Ella's eyes were filled with terror

A sudden pain struck her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes. The pride she had been holding onto crumbled before him, and she wiped her tears as if to conceal her inner turmoil

Ella spotted her, rushed over shouting and hugged her, exclaiming: "Xiaxia, you actually skipped class last week! I was stunned"

Jiang Huainan replied with a smile: "We are going to enjoy a world for two, but we don't mind bringing you along"

In the following period, under this tutoring model, Xia Chan indeed made significant progress. Her name appeared on the red list in the bulletin board, and she maintained a trend of continuous advancement

Jianghuai South, I really ... ...

On Monday, when the national flag was raised, Monai was absent. In the morning, the homeroom teacher sternly reprimanded Xia Chan and instructed her to inform Monai to submit a 5,000-word reflection.

Tutoring takes place at the nearby KFC after school every day. For Xia Chan's subjects of concern, geography and mathematics, in-class tests, monthly exam papers, and after-class exercise books are utilized. Important points are marked with a red line, while correction marks are indicated with a blue line.

You think carefully. Jiang Huai Nan stood straight, his eyes filled with an elusive light. He looked at her, as if he were seeing something else through her.

Chuan Chuan Xiang is a barbecue restaurant near the school. The storefront is not large, yet the business is booming, and if you don't go early, you won't be able to get a spot in line. Aila and Xia Chan often go there, while Jiang Huainan has been there once and frowned, calling it junk food. Xia Chan and Aila laughed at him for not understanding how to enjoy life

Xia Chan lowered her head, sweeping the paper scraps on the ground. A pair of white sneakers appeared in her line of sight. She straightened her body and saw Jiang Huainan standing in front of her with a slung backpack, smiling at them.

Jianghuai nodded

"Shall we go for some skewers later?" Ella asked, not looking up from her phone.

Ella was happily sending a WeChat message when she immediately became furious upon hearing Jiang Huainan's words. She jumped up and grabbed Xia Chan, asking: "Xia Xia, what’s going on? You guys aren’t hiding your relationship from me, are you? You want to leave me behind to enjoy a world for two, right?"

For the chapters that need to be previewed and reviewed, he takes photos to study them himself first, and the next day, he continues to explain to Xia Chan the parts she did not understand

Xia Chan held her hand and gave her a light tap on the head, saying: "Stop overthinking all day long"

Look, he always manages to disrupt all her emotions so easily

Xia Chan took a step back, her expression dim as she explained: "Jianghuai South, I did not go on a date, I went to look for something."

Xia Chan curiously asked him why he was so impressive, as even a liberal arts student could solve problems that a science student could.

Xia Chan walked with her head down, following Jiang Huainan. The sky was overcast, as if it were about to rain

He glanced at her casually and claimed to be a polymath, prompting Xia Chan to obediently close her mouth immediately

Jiang Huainan walked slowly with his hands in his pockets. Xia Chan followed behind him, playfully stepping on the lines of the checkered pavement tiles.

Ella pouted, looking left and right in boredom. She grabbed Xia Chan's backpack, poured out the books with a clatter, flipped through them and found nothing to eat, then put the books back into the bag.

On Wednesday, Jiang Huainan answered all the questions posed by Xia Chan, and before the streetlights were lit, Jiang Huainan and she exited the KFC store

As a condition of exchange, when I am thirsty, you will serve tea and water

Once, Monet stopped her and asked if she was in a romantic relationship, as he had seen Jiang Huainan waiting for her downstairs every day. They would have meals together, take walks, and return home together. She neither confirmed nor denied it. Monet's probing gaze seemed to want to carve a hole into her.

When he uttered these two words, his tone carried an inexplicable coldness and rigidity

The leaves swaying in the wind rustled above in the Jianghuai region, as he tucked one hand into his pocket while the other gently swung with his steps

"Hey, what about you?" Ella nudged Jiang Huainan with her elbow

The air was filled with a sense of oppression, and Xia Chan felt very dejected, her body unusually fatigued as if all strength had been drained from her.

Two people walked a distance without saying a word to each other

Xia Chan immediately became happy and said excitedly, "I will go buy some water and get a bottle for each of them as well." After saying this, she had already run towards the small shop across the street

It seems that her emotions are always influenced by him, as if she is always helplessly chasing after his footsteps from behind. Jiang Huainan's voice is not loud, yet it carries a consistent determination, that damned determination

That is the sound of young love blossoming.

As they passed by a community basketball court, Jiang Huainan couldn't help but stop in his tracks. There were several elementary school students playing basketball; rather than playing, it was more like they were having fun, with none of their movements being standard, resembling a circus act.

She followed his gaze, discerning his thoughts, and asked, "Do you want to teach them to play for a while?"