In the afternoon, the physics teacher took leave, so their class was turned into a movie session, with the class representative screening a film for everyone.
Lu Jinghuai glanced at Ji Nian's deskmate, who immediately understood his silent request and prepared to switch seats.
But before they could stand up, Ji Nian suddenly went over to Shen Qingtang instead.
Shen Qingtang’s deskmate then moved to Ji Nian’s spot and noticed Lu Jinghuai staring at them. Confused, they looked back.
Strange… why does the young prince’s gaze feel so intense?
Speaking of which… was the classroom air conditioning set too low? It’s freezing.
Ji Nian didn’t notice Lu Jinghuai’s displeased expression, too preoccupied with wanting to talk to Shen Qingtang.
Shen Qingtang truly lived up to her reputation.
Though she had zero real-life experience, her knowledge of romance films was extensive. (Wholesome films, nothing explicit.)
Today’s movie was a love story. Shen Qingtang pointed at the screen, where the male and female leads were locked in a desperate, tearful kiss before being torn apart by their families, and whispered to Ji Nian,
"Imagine yourself in her place. If you were the heroine, and the male lead was the young prince, kissing you like that—would you feel disgusted or uncomfortable?"
Ji Nian: "……"
She really didn’t need to imagine it…
Though it hadn’t been as dramatic as the movie—just an accidental brush—something similar had happened before.
Ji Nian carefully recalled how she’d felt at the time.
Hmm…
She hadn’t felt anything, really.
What if it were someone else?
She mentally replaced Lu Jinghuai with another person.
Wei Junze?
The thought of accidentally bumping into Wei Junze like that made her fingers twitch.
Not out of fluster—just an urge to jab him with a poison needle.
But they hadn’t known each other long. What about someone else?
She tried substituting He Xiang instead.
"……Damn."
That was even worse.
She wouldn’t want to punch him, but the idea felt as unsettling as kissing her own child.
Just then, Lu Jinghuai turned to say something to the person behind him, his gaze sweeping past Ji Nian.
Meeting his eyes, Ji Nian guiltily averted hers, realizing she’d just been mentally undressing him.
What she didn’t see was—
The moment she looked away, Lu Jinghuai’s expression darkened.
Not just for a second.
The classmate behind him froze.
What had he done to make the usually easygoing Lu Jinghuai glare like that!?
During P.E. class, their session happened to overlap with the math class.
Shen Qingtang called He Xiang over.
He walked straight toward them, his dark eyes fixed on Ji Nian, who seemed distracted.
Shen Qingtang narrowed her eyes.
Oh?
That predatory look didn’t suit the harmless "Husky Xiang" she knew.
Her curiosity prickled.
Something big was about to happen.
During free time, Ji Nian, fresh from exercising, tilted her head back to take a sip of water and noticed Lu Jinghuai approaching from the corner of her eye.
She turned to Shen Qingtang. "I’m going to wash my face."
Shoving her water bottle into Shen Qingtang’s hands, she walked off.
She ran to the outdoor sinks, splashed water on her face, and wiped it with the towel around her neck.
The cool droplets soothed her flushed skin. Taking a few deep breaths, she reminded herself to save this overthinking for bedtime—she couldn’t afford distractions during lab work.
Not only would it set a bad example for students, but it was also dangerous.
Pulling out her phone, she decided to find an unflattering photo of Lu Jinghuai to calm herself.
But after scrolling endlessly, she found nothing…
Lu Jinghuai—a man with flawless beauty from every angle.
"……Annoying."
She sighed, opening a photo she’d taken of him picking his nose while he was feverish and half-conscious.
Just then, she sensed someone behind her and spun around.
The very person plaguing her thoughts stood there, looking down at her.
Ji Nian calmly met his gaze. "What’s up?"
A droplet of water clung to her chin, teasingly poised to fall.
Lu Jinghuai reached out to wipe it away.
As his familiar sweet scent neared, Ji Nian dodged his hand.
His lips, usually a soft pink, pressed into a pale line.
"You’re avoiding me."
"Now you won’t even let me touch you."
"Why?"
"Just because I said I like you?"
"Did I do something wrong?"
He looked more like the one who’d been confessed to—lost, hurt, his silver-gray eyes brimming with sorrow.
Not on the verge of tears this time.
But as if he’d been wounded deeply.
His always-straight posture seemed weighed down by an invisible burden.
Ji Nian sighed. "It’s not intentional. I just need time to think."
Noticing Lu Jinghuai about to fidget with his hands—still injured from two days ago—she instinctively grabbed his wrist.
But she forgot her phone was still in her hand.
It clattered to the ground.
As she bent to pick it up, the screen lit up, displaying the nose-picking photo in all its glory right before its subject.
The tense atmosphere shattered.
Replaced by—
Ji Nian abandoned the phone, looking up. "Let me explain—"
Lu Jinghuai picked it up, studying the photo of himself asleep, utterly defenseless against her mischief.
He smirked at her.
"You took an ugly photo of me."
(It wasn’t truly ugly—he looked like a sleeping prince. If you ignored the finger shoved up his nose.)
Ji Nian weakly protested, "…It’s not ugly. I’ll pay you back, okay?"
His raised brow seemed to say, Do I look like I need money?
What he wanted had always been Ji Nian’s affection—nothing else.
"No. Let me hug you instead."
He refused without hesitation, boldly making another demand, his tone uncharacteristically domineering.
Ji Nian: "……"
Not even pretending to be gentle now, huh?
Before she could reply, another shadow fell beside them, impossible to ignore.
He Xiang, in blue-and-white sportswear with a sweatband around his forehead, had approached unnoticed.
Heat radiated off him as if he’d been standing under the sun for ages.
When Ji Nian looked over, his dark eyes burned with an intensity she’d never seen before—hotter than the sunlight above.
"If you hug him, you can’t leave me out."
His voice was flat, the same tone he used when tutoring her, leaving no room for jokes.
Ji Nian: ?
"………………"
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