Today was Friday. Ji Zhaoxi arrived a little late, but she was still the first one in the class to arrive.
She skillfully stuffed the love letter and cake into Xie Sili's desk.
She was supposed to give them to him yesterday, but the system wasn't around, so slacking off for a day wouldn't hurt, right?
As soon as her desk mate entered the classroom, she saw Ji Zhaoxi walking away from Xie Sili's seat.
She pretended not to notice and started catching up on yesterday's homework.
She had worried herself sick over Ji Zhaoxi's secret crush campaign.
When Xie Sili arrived at the classroom and saw the bulging envelope on his desk, his hand paused.
His expression remained unchanged as he slipped the envelope into his bag.
Suddenly, a hand from behind reached for the cake. Xie Sili stopped him and shot him a glance. "I'm eating it today."
The boy looked at him in shock. "Why? Don't you hate cake?"
"I suddenly like it."
The boy looked at Xie Sili with an even more gossipy expression. "You even put the love letter in your bag! Didn't you always throw them in the trash before?"
Fortunately, the people in their class weren't too nosy; otherwise, the contents of the love letter would have spread throughout the whole school by now.
The boy took big bites of his breakfast and asked curiously, "Who exactly is writing you love letters? I thought love letters from other classes couldn't be delivered anymore."
Because Xie Sili had gotten angry about this before, no one in the class dared to help deliver love letters to him anymore.
But this cake and love letter combo was delivered on time every day. Who had such guts?
Xie Sili ignored the chattering behind him and only looked at the cake in front of him. Today's didn't have mango.
To be honest, when he saw the familiar packaging this morning, he felt a wave of relief.
When it came to Ji Zhaoxi, he was actually a bit bewildered.
Writing love letters, giving him cakes, and often following him around—this should count as liking him, right?
However, every time he looked into her eyes, she always gave him the feeling that her romantic feelings hadn't awakened yet.
She was just... very earnest.
So earnest that he couldn't tell if she truly liked him, or if she just enjoyed the thrill of secretly sending someone love letters.
The sounds of students playing around echoed throughout the campus, but this corner was extremely quiet.
Ji Zhaoxi looked at Jiang Zhen's leg, feeling extremely panicked.
Was Jiang Zhen's leg injured from Jiang Shiyi beating him? Just because she had complained to her?
Ji Zhaoxi was suddenly terrified that Jiang Zhen would beat her to death once he recovered.
Jiang Zhen leaned against the wall on a crutch, his face full of impatience.
"I'm sorry, I was too impulsive yesterday."
Jiang Shiyi shot him a disapproving look. "Jiang Zhen, could you be a little more sincere when you apologize?"
Jiang Zhen was holding in a stomach full of anger, and seeing Ji Zhaoxi's bewildered face only made him angrier.
She had used that exact innocent expression to tattle on him!
He gritted his teeth and said, "Sister Zhaoxi, I misunderstood you yesterday. I'm very sorry for scaring you. I apologize."
Hearing the way he addressed her, Ji Zhaoxi felt like he was going to lunge forward and bite her in the next second.
She waved her hands nervously. "It's okay."
Jiang Zhen and Ji Zhaoxi looked at Jiang Shiyi at the same time.
Jiang Shiyi met Ji Zhaoxi's eager gaze and smiled. "Zhaoxi, are you still feeling sad?"
A burning stare was about to burn a hole through Ji Zhaoxi, so she quickly shook her head.
Jiang Shiyi's eyes curved into a smile. "That's good. From now on, you can treat Jiang Zhen as your younger brother too."
Jiang Zhen looked irritably at the leaves on the tree.
But the very next second, he heard Ji Zhaoxi's timid voice tinged with a hint of jealousy.
"Jiang Shiyi, are you mocking me for not having a younger brother to protect me?"
Jiang Zhen clenched his fists, the veins on his forehead instantly popping out.
Jiang Shiyi looked at her in surprise, her eyes soon filling with sympathy. "Zhaoxi, how could you think that? I just hope there's someone who can help you more."
"If you don't like Jiang Zhen, just pretend I never said that. In the future, if you need anything, just come to me."
Ji Zhaoxi fell silent for a moment. "Really? You won't secretly curse me in your heart?"
Jiang Zhen gritted his teeth. This Ji Zhaoxi!
"Of course not," Jiang Shiyi comforted her. "Don't be sad. I know what you're thinking, so don't be sad."
Ji Zhaoxi was a little confused by Jiang Shiyi's words.
Why would she be sad, and what exactly did Jiang Shiyi know?
However, seeing the understanding look on Jiang Shiyi's face, Ji Zhaoxi kept her mouth shut.
Jiang Zhen was completely numb to it all.
How had he not realized before that his sister was so prone to flattering herself?
Did she really think Ji Zhaoxi wanted to be friends with her?
People who look this innocent always have the most hidden schemes!
The early summer night breeze was neither cold nor hot. The moonlight gently spilled over the trees, casting dense shadows on the ground.
A thick carpet covered the floor of the study, and the tall, solid wood bookshelves behind held rows of hardcover books.
With long, slender fingers holding a piece of letter paper, the boy leaned back in his chair, his eyes lowered as he earnestly read every single word.
Whatever it was he read, a low chuckle escaped his throat.
On the other side, Ji Zhaoxi was experiencing a rare bout of insomnia.
Although the contents of that letter were fake, she had still put serious thought into it, and there wasn't a single typo.
This was her first time writing a love letter. She felt she deserved some sort of feedback, whether good or bad.
But the next day, the discussions in class made the already unhappy Ji Zhaoxi even more upset.
Next Saturday was Xie Sili's birthday.
The classmates were excitedly discussing who Xie Sili would invite to his birthday party.
Jiang Shiyi was a given; she and Xie Sili had been in the same class since they were little.
Looking at their expectant eyes, Jiang Shiyi smiled softly. "I've already picked out a birthday present for him."
From the corner, a gloomy voice drifted over faintly.
"Stop acting."
Her desk mate choked slightly and glanced at Ji Zhaoxi.
She knew Ji Zhaoxi was definitely going to be angry.
Teased relentlessly by the people around her, Jiang Shiyi said helplessly, "How can I tell you what the birthday present is? The birthday boy has to open it himself when the time comes."
The playful teasing continued.
Looking at Ji Zhaoxi, whose eyes were red with jealousy, her desk mate comforted her, "It's okay. If you want to go, you can just get Xie Sili to invite you."
Since Ji Zhaoxi gave Xie Sili a cake every day, it would be perfectly normal for her to eat a piece of his cake on his birthday.
Unfortunately, Ji Zhaoxi seemed completely immersed in her sorrow, exuding an aura of despair.
She just stared at Jiang Shiyi from her gloomy corner, her expression extremely complex.
Sensing Ji Zhaoxi's gaze, Jiang Shiyi looked over. Ji Zhaoxi hastily lowered her head, pretending to do her homework.
Jiang Shiyi paused, instantly realizing what had happened.
She looked thoughtfully at Ji Zhaoxi's flushed ears.
She would prepare another gift for Zhaoxi in a few days.
The way she was looking at her just now—she must have heard that she prepared a gift for Xie Sili and gotten angry.
Jiang Shiyi felt that she already understood Ji Zhaoxi perfectly.
