Chapter 6
I was spiraling into self-doubt.
Was it just that my mind was in the gutter, or was it…
“Xianxian, what are you thinking about?” Bailu interrupted my train of thought. “We have an elective today, and the professor is taking attendance.”
I really envied her; she managed to get a good night’s sleep every single day.
Ten minutes later, I dragged my exhausted body into the classroom.
My back was sore and my legs were aching; I felt like an old woman.
Unsurprisingly, the two of us were late.
“Students who are late, please take a seat in the front.”
My butt had barely touched a chair when the instructor’s voice rang out.
I looked up… and saw Duan Yan.
He was leaning against the lectern with both hands, a gentle, lukewarm smile on his face.
Yet, the classroom was deathly silent.
After all, in last semester’s elective, he had failed half the class.
Biting the bullet, I sat down in the front row with Bailu.
Duan Yan didn’t criticize me openly. He only paused slightly when he reached my name on the roll. “Yu Xian, why were you late today?”
My voice was as quiet as a mosquito. “I didn’t wake up in time…”
“Oh? And what were you doing last night?”
I choked for a moment. “Exercising.”
Duan Yan suddenly smiled. “From what I know, exercise only yields results if you’re consistent. Perhaps… you need more practice, Yu Xian.”
My face flushed. “Right…”
For the rest of the class, Duan Yan ignored me.
Bailu rested her chin on her hand and whispered, “Senior Duan is so upright and has such a bright future. If I were you, I’d be over the moon.”
I caught the odd note in her voice. “What do I have to be happy about?”
After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Duan Yan and I had nothing to do with each other.
Why did Bailu make it sound like Duan Yan liked me?
She sputtered for a second, fiddling with the tip of her pen. “Oh, you’re focusing on the wrong thing…”
After class ended, I packed my textbooks, wanting to rush back and catch up on some sleep.
Duan Yan suddenly called out to me from behind. “Yu Xian, come here. I have something for you.”
His voice was cool and detached, maintaining a perfectly professional attitude.
I hesitated for a moment before walking back.
Duan Yan pulled a black bag from under the lectern. “For you.”
“What is it?”
“Medicated patches.” He looked down as he organized his lesson plans. “For sprains caused by exercise. These will help you recover faster.”
“…”
He glanced at me. “Bailu told me. She chose my supervisor for her thesis, so she’s my junior now.”
“Ah… so that’s it.” I was stunned for a moment, feeling ashamed of my wild speculations.
No wonder Bailu was acting so strange.
With Duan Yan’s odd behavior, she couldn’t have mistaken it for him liking me, could she?
Is that why she was trying so hard to play matchmaker?