Chapter 25
The house was warm, and the snow rabbit started to melt, quickly losing its shape. Jiang Siyi panicked and ran to the kitchen, stubbornly insisting on putting it in the freezer.
That night, Little Jiang slept soundly. The next morning, she rushed downstairs, tossed her backpack onto the sofa, ignoring Shen Shiwu, who was sitting at the dining table, and went to check on the snow rabbit.
The rabbit’s head was tilted, its limbs splayed, its form completely distorted, a tragic sight.
Jiang Siyi took the “corpse” out of the freezer and showed it to Shen Shiwu.
“My rabbit died,” she said, her face gloomy.
The rabbit was dead, but she was still alive, and she had to go to school.
Jiang Siyi leaned against the car window, watching Shen Shiwu lean closer. She glanced at Auntie Wang and held her backpack in front of her. “What? I have to go to school.”
“Do you want a real rabbit?”
Jiang Siyi lowered her backpack slightly, revealing her eyes. “Are you going to give me one?”
Shen Shiwu brushed a strand of hair from her face. “If you want one.”
Jiang Siyi had kept many pets as a child, but none had stayed with her until now.
She remembered, when she was very young, shortly after her mother’s death, her two-year-old stray cat had suddenly fallen ill.
Jiang Siyi had rushed to the pet hospital in the rain, but because she didn’t have any money, they refused to treat her cat, and she missed the best chance to save it.
It was from that time that she started to distance herself from the world.
“No, it’s okay,” Jiang Siyi lowered her eyes, making up an excuse. “I’m too busy with school, I don’t have time for a pet.”
“Then after the college entrance exam.” Shen Shiwu leaned closer, shielding her from the cold wind outside. “We’ll get one together.”
The woman was wearing glasses today, her hair loosely tied up, a few strands framing her face, the dark hair contrasting with her red lips.
Jiang Siyi suddenly remembered the image of herself hugging her cat, crying at the entrance of the pet hospital.
She realized that the girl who had vowed not to get attached to anything had changed—and what had caused this change?
It was love.
She blinked, a smile finally appearing on her lips.
“Okay, we’ll get one together after the college entrance exam.”
***
Early spring in March, although winter was over, there was no sign of warmth. Jiang Siyi filled her cup with hot water from the dispenser, sipping it as she walked, hissing at the heat.
The computer in the classroom was still on, and news headlines scrolled across the bottom right corner of the projection screen.
Jiang Siyi glanced at it and suddenly froze. Xu Yuan, walking behind her, almost spilled her water. She asked, puzzled, “What are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?”
The girl quickly looked away.
“No, I just sat for too long, my legs are numb.”
She went back to her seat and handed Xu Yuan a few tissues. “Here, a reward for you.”
Xu Yuan’s mouth twitched. “Get out.”
During lunch break, Fu Jing generously gave the class twenty minutes of free time. Jiang Siyi, after finishing the last problem, felt her temples throbbing and, seeing that half the class was asleep, she also put her head down.
It was strange. She felt sleepy while doing problems, but the moment she closed her eyes, she was wide awake.
Lying on her desk, she couldn’t help but think of the news headline she had just seen—Major Shift in the Business World: Li Nan’s Company Acquired by the Shen Family Today at 11:00 AM!
Jiang Siyi felt a sense of satisfaction.
Since she couldn’t sleep anyway, she lifted her head. With the pressure of studying, no one else had moved.
Spring was always rainy, but unlike the torrential downpours of summer, the rain was gentle and soft.
Jiang Siyi watched the raindrops falling on the window, tracing their paths down the glass. She traced Shen Shiwu’s name on the foggy window with her fingertip.
“Alright, everyone, wake up.” Fu Jing tossed the graded papers aside, gestured for the class representative to distribute them, then tapped her pen against the podium. “Time’s up. Let’s go over yesterday’s quiz.”
Jiang Siyi quickly smudged the name on the window, turning it into a solid circle.
“I want to commend Jiang Siyi for her excellent essay. I’ll print it out and post it on the wall. You can all read it after class.”
Jiang Siyi’s essays were always outstanding, so the other students weren’t surprised. Only Xu Yuan clapped enthusiastically, almost cheering.
She was met with a glare from Fu Jing. “Xu Yuan, going off-topic in your essay in your senior year, how did you manage that?”
“Off-topic? Impossible!”
“The topic was ‘The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Fast-Paced Society,’ and you wrote about how you even have to race against time to eat instant noodles at school.”
“Isn’t that related to the topic?”
“I’m not finished,” Fu Jing said, exasperated. “And why did you spend two-thirds of your essay complaining about how uncooked instant noodles taste terrible?”
Xu Yuan fell silent.
She scratched her head sheepishly, making half the class laugh.
After the lunch break, as Fu Jing was leaving for the office, she suddenly remembered something and turned back. “Oh, right, the school is holding a coming-of-age ceremony for the senior year next month.”
“You can wear makeup and dresses. Most importantly, your parents have to come too.”
Fu Jing felt a surge of emotion, looking at the forty-something students before her, and smiled warmly. “Congratulations, you’re all adults, or soon to be.”
“Another year older, so—” her tone changed, “you have to study even harder and get into a good university.”
The class instantly erupted in protest. “Teacher, can’t you be a little more sentimental? Do you have to be so harsh?”
Fu Jing scoffed, turned around, and walked back to the office, textbook in hand.
Because of the coming-of-age ceremony, the class was buzzing with excitement, discussing what kind of dresses to wear. Xu Yuan rushed over. “Hey, are you wearing makeup that day?”
Jiang Siyi replied bluntly, “I don’t know how to.”
“I’ll teach you, it’s easy.”
Little Jiang, who had been barefaced for eighteen years, cracked her knuckles and then nodded. “Maybe I should wear some.”
“The teachers are all in a meeting, so we have self-study!” Senior year teachers were always busy. When the class representative announced this, the chatter in the classroom grew louder, almost unruly.
But with their heavy workload, it was normal for them to relax and chat occasionally.
Xu Yuan pulled a chair over from the podium and sat down. Jiang Siyi, suddenly remembering her essay, asked worriedly, “How did your essay end up so off-topic?”
Xu Yuan sighed. “I had a fever that day, and I wasn’t feeling well. My handwriting was all over the place.”
“I just wanted to reach the required word count, so I could at least get some points.”
Before Jiang Siyi could reply, someone behind them chuckled. Xu Yuan turned around and clicked her tongue. “Wu Yu, what are you laughing at?”
“Someone going off-topic in their senior year, what a rare sight.”
“Mind your own business! Did I write on your test paper?”
“Please don’t.”
The surrounding students whispered, “Look, they’re at it again.”
Xu Yuan’s temper wasn’t good when dealing with idiots. She stood up, her chair clattering to the floor.
Jiang Siyi casually leaned against the wall, seemingly nonchalant, but discreetly kicked the chair towards the back.
As expected of long-time teammates, their coordination was perfect, the chair hitting Wu Yu’s outstretched foot.
His face flushed red with pain. “You’re resorting to violence?”
“No,” Jiang Siyi twirled a strand of hair, feigning innocence. “It was the chair that moved.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear, suddenly thinking of Shen Shiwu, wishing she were here.
If she were, she would definitely help her tie her hair.
The loud clatter of the chair made the students in the class scatter, afraid of getting hit. Wu Yu stood up abruptly, his back straight, but his words betrayed his fear. “Do you believe I’ll tell the teacher?”
Jiang Siyi and Xu Yuan exchanged glances, thinking his name truly suited him (Wu Yu – meaning “no help/useless”).
“Someone like you, even the neurology department wouldn’t bother treating you.” Jiang Siyi rolled her eyes. “Go ahead and tell the teacher.”
Ten minutes later, the office was lively again. Fu Jing, having just finished her meeting, looked at the familiar face and fell silent.
“What happened this time?”
Wu Yu pointed at his foot. “Teacher, they hit me with a chair!”
“Who told you to be a smart aleck?” Xu Yuan yelled.
After understanding the situation, Fu Jing sighed. “Alright, both sides are at fault, but this time, you two should really reflect on your actions.”
She looked at the two girls. “Do you know that whoever starts the fight is the one who gets in trouble?”
Jiang Siyi’s face remained expressionless. “No.”
Fu Jing, at her wit’s end: “…”
Her hair practically stood on end with anger. “Call your guardian!”
This was Shen Shiwu’s umpteenth visit to the office.
She looked at the girl beside her, her head down, and asked the teacher, already used to this, “What happened this time?”
“She had an argument with a male classmate and resorted to violence.”
“I didn’t resort to violence,” Jiang Siyi argued. “I only used my foot.”
Fu Jing’s face darkened completely, while Shen Shiwu nodded. “Yes, she used her foot.”
Fu Jing: “…”
“But,” she turned to Jiang Siyi, “did you use your foot first?”
Jiang Siyi bit her lip and nodded slightly.
The woman seemed to be deep in thought, then said to the homeroom teacher, “Understood, teacher. I’ll discipline her when we get back.”
Little Jiang’s eyes widened—this was the first time Shen Shiwu had said she would discipline her.
She felt aggrieved, but also… a little expectant.
How would she be disciplined? Could it be… the same as the last punishment?
After school, Jiang Siyi’s mood was complex, her steps heavy. She slowly walked out of the school gate and saw Shen Shiwu waiting for her.
Had she not left at all?
In the car, the woman was unusually quiet. All the way home, Jiang Siyi was the first to rush upstairs. Just as she was about to close her door, Shen Shiwu stopped her. “Why are you in such a hurry?”
Jiang Siyi retorted, “I’m not in a hurry.”
She let go of the doorknob, turned around, and went to her desk, opening her backpack to do her homework.
“Xiao Si,” Shen Shiwu called her.
“Hmm?” Jiang Siyi paused, her hand hovering over her worksheets. Turning around, she smelled Shen Shiwu’s scent.
The next second, Shen Shiwu leaned in, pinning her against the desk.
Little Jiang was frozen.
Don’t, don’t get so close!
Her chin was tilted up, and she heard Shen Shiwu’s whisper, “Our Xiao Si is truly remarkable.”
She chuckled, sending shivers down Jiang Siyi’s spine. “Even good at fighting.”
It wasn’t even her fault! Jiang Siyi sniffed, wanting to cry.
Seeing her change in mood, Shen Shiwu sighed. “Next time, before you fight, can you think about your girlfriend?”
Jiang Siyi looked up, her eyes glistening with tears. Seeing Shen Shiwu so close, her mind didn’t register her words. “What?”
“Other people go to their significant other for support when they’re wronged,” she said, sounding helpless. “Why are you always different?”
Go to their significant other for support.
These words were foreign to Jiang Siyi.
She looked away, her hands gripping the edge of the desk.
“I know my little girl is very capable, independent since childhood, good at fighting and arguing,” Shen Shiwu looked into her eyes, and seeing her gaze flicker, she gently bit her lip.
Feeling the girl tremble, she finally let go and continued, “But sometimes, you can rely on me.”
“You have to allow fate to change the course of your life.”
“For example, you’re not alone anymore. You have me.”
Is this Shen Shiwu’s way of disciplining her?
Jiang Siyi’s lip was slightly swollen, her face flushed. She steadied herself, her voice soft. “I understand.”
“Are you sure?”
The girl nodded repeatedly.
“Then let me test you. If we could turn back time, what should you have done today?” Shen Shiwu massaged the back of her neck, her voice low.
“I should…”
“I should have scolded him first, not used my foot, and then called you.”
“And waited for you to arrive before doing anything.”
Shen Shiwu couldn’t help but chuckle and tapped the girl’s forehead. “You…”
“Mm, that’s mostly correct. But you should know that once I arrive, you don’t have to do anything.”
“I’ll take care of everything.”
Jiang Siyi’s throat tightened with emotion. She looked up, holding back her tears, and suddenly called out Shen Shiwu’s name.
“What is it?”
“Thank you.”
The girl leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for loving me.”
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