Chapter 4

Before school the next morning, I asked our butler to pack an extra breakfast.

Then I took the car to Chen Qingsong’s home.

We’d always picked up Xie Huai before. This was the first time we’d gone to someone else’s place, and our driver was visibly surprised for a second or two.

But he said nothing.

Xie Huai lived quite far from school. He had to cycle for half an hour each morning, and I worried he’d be tired, so I picked him up every day.

But Chen Qingsong didn’t even have a bicycle. Walking to school was even more tiring.

Now that Xie Huai had asked me to stop picking him up, I could go see Chen Qingsong instead.

Chen Qingsong lived in an old residential neighborhood that was a little out of the way. Just as I opened the car door, he came out.

“Good morning, Chen Qingsong.” I greeted him with bright eyes. “Can I pick you up and bring you breakfast from now on?”

Chen Qingsong and I were inseparable now.

To keep him from getting sick in the future, I had to start taking proper care of him right away.

Chen Qingsong probably meant to refuse.

But when he met my eyes, for some reason, he quietly ate the whole savory pancake.

We walked into the classroom together.

I’d been in such a good mood all the way there that I hadn’t noticed our classmates’ shocked, inquisitive looks.

My deskmate asked curiously, “Suisui, why didn’t you come with Xie Huai today?”

“Huh? We’re just friends. He can get here by himself.”

“Friends?” My deskmate sounded incredulous. “We all thought you and Xie Huai were dating.”

“Of course we’re not,” I denied at once. “Xie Huai and I only know each other from childhood. Don’t say things like that. I like someone now, and I can’t let him hear that.”

Besides.

Even if Xie Huai and I were friends, I didn’t approve of his approach to dating.

Nineteen girlfriends!

Wasn’t he afraid of calling someone the wrong name on a date?

“Someone you like?” My deskmate exclaimed, her eyes darting discreetly toward the back.

“Yes, Chen Qingsong.” With Chen Qingsong’s permission from last night, I admitted it openly, smiling. “I’m pursuing him.”

My deskmate’s eyes went wide.

Suddenly, violent coughing came from behind me.

A burning urge to cough rose in my own throat. I turned and saw Chen Qingsong.

He’d just taken a sip of the mixed fruit-and-vegetable juice I’d given him. Apparently, it had gone down the wrong way, and he was coughing so hard he could barely stop.

His fingers gripped the bottle until they turned slightly white.

I rushed over and carefully patted his back.

“Be careful.” Fighting my own urge to cough, I poured him a cup of warm water, my face full of concern. “Drink slowly. Don’t rush.”

Our classmates stared at us, dumbfounded.

Clang!

At the classroom door, Xie Huai watched in disbelief.

The cup in his hand hit the floor.