The third teaching building.
The lights in the classroom were already off, and almost everyone had left.
The entire building was silent, yet a solitary figure stood at the bottom of the stairs; it was Qin Shiqing.
She was used to staying in the classroom until the lights were off for the evening self-study, and as she was responsible for locking the classroom every day, she was often the last to leave.
The college entrance examination was tomorrow, and tonight even Tang Yan, who was usually inseparable from her, had left early.
This was because Xiaoyanzi was the type of person who believed in relaxing as much as possible on the eve of the exams, so she didn't accompany Qin Shiqing tonight.
The torrential rain arrived without warning, and now there was no one else in the teaching building.
As the rain poured harder with no sign of stopping anytime soon.
With the exam tomorrow, she needed to get back and rest early; she couldn't wait any longer.
Qin Shiqing raised her book to shield her head, preparing to dash out of the teaching building.
Just then, a shadow appeared on the school path, walking straight towards the third teaching building.
The girl felt a slight surprise.
Who else would come to the teaching building at this time?
Judging from the height and silhouette of the shadow, it seemed to be a boy.
Could it be him?
A glimmer of hope flashed in Qin Shiqing's heart.
As the shadow drew nearer, and she could see his face clearly, Qin Shiqing's expression of anticipation turned to astonishment.
Zhao Mingxuan wore a smug look.
Bet you didn't expect it, here I am!
Qin Shiqing was one of the class officers responsible for locking up after evening self-study. It happened to be her turn tonight, coincidentally when the lights went out and the rain poured down suddenly. Zhao Mingxuan, on a whim, wondered if the goddess might be trapped by the rain, so he came over on a hunch and unexpectedly ran into her.
This time, the goddess of luck favored me!
Zhao Mingxuan felt a surge of excitement as he struck his most dashing pose and entered the teaching building.
He felt like a valiant knight rescuing a damsel in distress!
"Qin Shiqing, you're still here? I came back to get a workbook, didn't expect to run into you. Oh, you didn't bring an umbrella?"
Zhao Mingxuan feigned surprise.
"Yeah, I didn't expect such heavy rain to start suddenly."
Qin Shiqing nodded slightly.
"No worries, I brought one. Why don't I walk you back to the dormitory?"
Zhao Mingxuan offered casually, beaming inside.
Qin Shiqing glanced at him and noticed Zhao Mingxuan only had one umbrella in his hand.
"I didn't expect you to still be in the teaching building, otherwise I would've brought another one!"
Zhao Mingxuan maintained his calm demeanor.
In reality, he never intended to bring two umbrellas.
Sharing an umbrella with the goddess, strolling through the rain on the eve of the big exam, how romantic!
And he was playing the hero saving the damsel, maybe she'd be so touched she'd fall for him.
Bringing another one would be foolish, right?
So he purposely said he came back for a workbook, pretending it was a chance encounter.
I'm truly a clever little fox!
Zhao Mingxuan was full of himself.
Qin Shiqing hesitated for a moment: "Thank you, Zhao Mingxuan, but no need. After all, the male and female dormitories are in different directions, I'll just wait a bit longer, maybe some girl will pass by, and I'll borrow her umbrella."
She was sharp and perceptive, keenly aware of Zhao Mingxuan's intentions.
It was impossible for him to come to the classroom in the rain just to get a workbook; clearly, there was another motive.
If Zhao Mingxuan had brought an extra umbrella to lend her, Qin Shiqing would have appreciated it, but this approach was a bit opportunistic, too scheming.
So she preferred to refuse politely, even if it meant going back to the dormitory in the rain, rather than accept Zhao Mingxuan's "kindness."
Zhao Mingxuan persisted: "It's no trouble at all, it just takes a little more time. Qin Shiqing, you really shouldn't wait here; there won't be anyone else around!"
Just as he finished speaking, another silhouette suddenly appeared in the darkness.
No way?
Damn, did I just jinx myself with this mouth?
Zhao Mingxuan felt a bit panicked.
But he quickly regained his composure.
No worries, maybe this person is just passing by.
Moreover, the silhouette was tall, definitely a male.
Haha, as long as it's a guy, then Qin Shiqing can't bum an umbrella and has no reason to refuse me!
"Patter, patter..."
The shadow sprinted through the downpour, sending splashes of water flying everywhere.
Zhao Mingxuan couldn't help but marvel at the sight.
Is this guy in such a rush to be reincarnated or what?
The road is slippery in the rain; isn't he afraid of slipping and sprawling all over the place?
A bolt of lightning suddenly tore through the night sky, illuminating everything for a moment, and the shadow's face became clear.
Zhao Mingxuan's expression froze, his mouth agape, as if he had just swallowed two pounds of shit.
"Su, Su Zelin!"
Damn, what a small world, even a hero rescuing a damsel in distress he wants to snatch!
Looks like I'm not the only clever one around here!
At this moment, Su Zelin slowed his pace, and by the flash of lightning, he saw Qin Shiqing at the bottom of the teaching building.
Whew, good thing I made it!
In the previous life, Qin Shiqing performed poorly in the college entrance exams, and he suspected this rainstorm might be the culprit.
The night before the college entrance exam, she was responsible for closing the classroom after evening self-study.
The rainstorm came abruptly, and since many people returned to the dormitory earlier than usual, she might not have gotten a ride with an umbrella and had to brave the rain.
Coincidentally, during her period, her immunity had already been low, and she had a slight cold.
The rainstorm worsened her cold, naturally putting her in a poor state.
Su Zelin still remembered, during those exam days, Qin Shiqing looked very pale. He thought it was because of her period, but now that he thinks back, it was suffering from both her period and a severe cold!
This time for the college entrance exam, he couldn't let her cold worsen and perform poorly again, or else they might end up in the same city for university and get entangled.
So Su Zelin decided to bring her an umbrella.
But he was afraid he wouldn't make it in time, and without borrowing an umbrella from others, he hurried over to the teaching building.
Seeing Zhao Mingxuan there surprised Su Zelin a bit.
Why is he here too, and with an umbrella?
Zhao Mingxuan's feelings for Qin Shiqing are well-known.
If that's the case, why was Qin Shiqing caught in the rain before the college entrance exam in the previous life?
Could I have guessed wrong?
Sprinting from the boys' dormitory to the teaching building, even with Su Zelin's good physical condition, he was still out of breath.
But he forced himself to calm down and walked over to the girl, calmly saying, "Silly, I knew you wouldn't bring an umbrella!"
Qin Shiqing looked at his feet.
Due to his sprint in the rain, Su Zelin's Li Ning sneakers and Jack Jones jeans were completely soaked and muddied.
He only brought one umbrella, but his motivation was obviously different from Zhao Mingxuan's.
Zhao Mingxuan's actions were deliberate, while Su Zelin was just afraid of being late.
Qin Shiqing's eyes showed a trace of gentleness.
"Here, take it!"
Su Zelin shoved the umbrella into her hand.
"What about you?"
Qin Shiqing asked.
"Isn't Zhao Mingxuan also with an umbrella? It's on the way anyway, I'll just catch a ride with him!"
Su Zelin shrugged his shoulders.
"Like I would let you share!"
Zhao Mingxuan got flustered.
You get to be the hero lending an umbrella to the goddess, taking all the credit, and now you want to share my umbrella too!
No way, not a chance!
I'd rather let you get drenched!
Su Zelin curled his lips, "It's just sharing for a short while, you won't get pregnant, as a class president, shouldn't you be helping others? Don't be so petty!"
"Can't you see this umbrella is small, no room for two!"
Zhao Mingxuan was fuming.
Even a hero rescuing a damsel can be undercut, what world is this!
Where is justice, where is the law!
At this moment, Qin Shiqing spoke up, "Zelin, don't make it hard for the class president, you walk me back to the dorm?"
Zhao Mingxuan was dumbfounded.
He quickly explained, "Uh, Shiqing, you misunderstood, I didn't mean it that way. I can walk you, I was here first."
Qin Shiqing smiled, "No need, didn't you say this umbrella is too small for two people? Besides, you need to go back to the classroom to get your exercises, don't delay!"
Zhao Mingxuan was suddenly at a loss for words.
It's a case of shooting oneself in the foot!
At this point, he wished he could slap himself.
"Walk you? Why? The boys' and girls' dorms aren't on the same route?"
Su Zelin frowned.
"Forget it if you won't, here's your umbrella back, I'll go by myself!"
Qin Shiqing handed back the umbrella to Su Zelin, placing a book over her head as she darted off.
That night in the previous life, she ran into the storm just like that.
Seeing the same scene, Su Zelin couldn't stand it a second time.
He sighed deeply in his heart.
"Women, such a nuisance!"
He muttered, then quickly followed her.
The broad teaching building was left with only Zhao Mingxuan standing alone.
Watching the two figures fade into the distance, he woke from his daze after a while.
"Well, actually, Su Zelin, sharing the umbrella isn't impossible..."
...