In the evening, the breeze blew gently, and the air in the small town was exceptionally fresh. The deep blue sky was crystal clear, dotted with twinkling stars, filling the entire night sky.
The heavy workload seemed to find relief at this moment.
There were no tall buildings, but only stone steps, wooden piers, and young men riding bicycles chasing the wind.
Su Qing wore headphones, her hands tucked into her school uniform pockets, breathing deeply. The air smelled damp, clean and fresh with a hint of earth.
If only the air didn't have that earthy smell, Su Qing thought.
Exhaling slowly, she quickened her pace.
At the turn, a tall, dark figure stood in front her, startling her...
She looked up and saw a familiar face.
His hair was still dripping with water, and he exuded a fresh, shower-fresh air. He wore a white T-shirt, one hand holding a bag, the other flickering with a lighter.
Small flames quickly shot up, then quickly fell.
Su Qing pinched her backpack a few times with her fingers. In that instant, the music in her ears seemed to fade away. Bewildered, she stared blankly at Jiang Sui.
He, he, he…
He quickly finished three papers during study time, tossed them to her, and, with a simple request to check them, then left. He didn't return to the classroom until after the break.
She hadn't put his papers in her backpack… She had taken it upon herself to place them, along with his school uniform, in his drawer, stealthily.
She had never expected to meet Jiang Sui on the way home...
She didn't know what to do.
Her heart, like the flames that stretched and fell, rose and fell, a wave of anxiety.
She spoke with some difficulty and timidity.
"Have you checked?"
?!
He was asking about his three math, physics, and chemistry papers?
Su Qing was momentarily surprised, but she answered obediently, "Did you copy the answers? They're all correct."
"Exactly the same as the answers."
...
Gah.
The sound of a lighter closing, the clatter of metal against metal, seemed so abrupt in the quiet night. Su Qing pinched her fingertips, her mouth slightly open, but not closing.
She was speechless for a moment.
She…
But her mind was murmuring something.
He had written the three papers—math, physics, and chemistry—exactly the same answers. She checked them, and found some of them had cut corners, writing only the answers without explaining the process.
Su Qing didn't quite understand at the time. Was such a waste of time and effort necessary?
"Copying the answers?"
The boy's eyebrows knitted into a "川" shape. He tossed the lighter back into his pocket with a large hand and stood erect before her, making the alley seem narrow and cramped, leaving little room for maneuver.
"Heh."
With a cold sneer, Jiang Sui's broken brows seemed a bit sinister at the moment. He tossed the bag he was holding in one hand into the trash can in an instant.
Then he walked away without a backward glance.
From behind, he seemed displeased, a bit angry.
Su Qing's grip loosened, and she let out a breath. She felt as if she had completely offended him. She bit her lip and secretly rubbed her palms vigorously.
She stared at Jiang Sui's back until he disappeared, her eyes clear. Only then did she start walking home.
She was actually quite afraid he might hit her.
Fortunately, he didn't.
Now, may be he hates her, Su Qing thought.