Chapter 24
Legend has it that couples who kiss under the London Eye will be together forever.
So, Jiang Siyi decided to become superstitious from this moment on.
Winter break was short, and after spending some time abroad, the last semester of high school arrived quickly.
They returned to China a few days before school started.
It was drizzling that day. Although the rain had stopped, the air was damp, and Jiang Siyi, not paying attention, almost slipped. Fortunately, Shen Shiwu, always attentive, caught her in time.
Jiang Siyi looked at her white padded jacket, her heart still racing, and wrapped her arms around Shen Shiwu’s arm, leaning closer. “It’s so cold.”
Shen Shiwu patted her head. “It’s colder because of the rain.”
“Why don’t you wait here? I’ll bring the car over.”
But the girl held on tighter, shaking her head. “No, I want to walk with you.”
“Why are you acting like we’re parting forever?” Shen Shiwu chuckled.
Jiang Siyi hummed softly, ignoring her.
As they walked towards the parking lot, a voice called out from behind, “Jiang Siyi?”
That familiar voice… could it be…?
As expected, turning around, she saw Fu Jing, dressed in a long coat, standing there with a small suitcase beside her. She was holding her car key, about to press the button, looking at the two of them.
Running into her homeroom teacher in the parking lot with her girlfriend, Jiang Siyi thought her luck was truly something else.
Wait, girlfriend.
Jiang Siyi, as if electrocuted, quickly let go of Shen Shiwu’s arm, clasped her hands behind her back, and forced a smile. “Sister Bao, what a coincidence.”
Fu Jing’s expression didn’t change, and she also found it quite a coincidence. “Yes, it is. Where did you two go on your trip?”
“London.”
“Oh, we wouldn’t have been on the same flight, would we?”
Jiang Siyi’s heart tightened.
“We were in… first class.”
Fu Jing waved her hand dismissively, joking, “Then definitely not. My wallet can’t afford that.”
The girl finally relaxed.
For the past ten-plus hours, she had practically been glued to Shen Shiwu, from check-in to boarding, like a koala clinging to a tree.
If they had been on the same flight, Fu Jing wasn’t stupid. Seeing their close interaction, she would definitely have become suspicious—What kind of best friends hug and almost kiss like that?
“Okay, school starts in less than a week. Get back into study mode.” Fu Jing opened her trunk, put her suitcase inside, and said, “Then I’ll be going now.”
Jiang Siyi immediately replied, “Okay, goodbye, teacher.”
Then she urged Shen Shiwu to leave quickly.
The woman stared at her guilty expression for a moment, then, as they approached the car, she beckoned Jiang Siyi with her finger.
Jiang Siyi, puzzled, hurried over. “What’s wrong?”
Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, and it looked like it was about to rain again.
Seeing Shen Shiwu’s silence, she was about to urge her again when she heard her say, “Close your eyes.”
The moment she closed her eyes, Jiang Siyi felt a light peck on her lips.
Her face instantly flushed, and she was about to open her eyes when Shen Shiwu’s hand covered them, followed by a more lingering kiss.
It was a light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water, creating ripples.
When Shen Shiwu finally pulled away, Jiang Siyi opened her eyes, her head slightly dizzy. She touched her lips and asked, “Why did you suddenly kiss me?”
She nervously looked around, relieved to find no one had seen them.
Shen Shiwu had already opened the car door for her and replied calmly, “It’s raining.”
Jiang Siyi got into the car. “What?”
The woman closed the door, walked around to the driver’s side, and continued, “It was raindrops on your lips, not me.”
Jiang Siyi: “…”
She remained silent for a while, then turned her head and pretended to sleep, refusing to make a sound.
Shen Shiwu took a blanket from the back seat and covered her with it, whispering softly, like coaxing a child to sleep, “Good night.”
Her breath brushed against Jiang Siyi’s face, making her heart race. Jiang Siyi discreetly pulled the blanket higher, covering her face completely.
***
The weather in Qinan this year was strange. It had never snowed before, only a few flurries at most, but this year, they had already had two heavy snowfalls.
The snow covered the ground all the way to the school building, making it difficult to walk.
Jiang Siyi, carrying her heavy backpack, trudged through the snow and finally made it inside. She shook the snow off her clothes, stamped her numb feet, and slowly walked upstairs.
Entering the classroom, Xu Yuan, unlike usual, didn’t rush over to her, but remained at her desk, working on problems.
Everyone else was the same.
Jiang Siyi understood—after all, the college entrance exam was only a few months away.
She walked quietly back to her seat, took out her completed winter break homework, a thick stack of study materials, and started reviewing.
In the quiet classroom, Jiang Siyi suddenly thought,
Her youth was truly coming to an end.
The classroom only became lively just before lunch break, as the snow intensified. The southern children, rarely seeing snow, excitedly rushed out into the hallway.
Xu Yuan finally lifted her head from her books. Seeing the crowd outside, she beckoned Jiang Siyi over.
They squeezed into a quiet corner, leaning against the railing, watching the snow.
Xu Yuan suddenly asked, “Which university do you want to go to?”
Jiang Siyi caught a snowflake in her hand, watching as it quickly melted into a small puddle. She murmured, “I… haven’t really thought about it.”
“But I definitely don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to stay in Qinan.”
“So, Qinan University?”
The girl sighed softly and nodded after a long moment. “Mm, but I probably won’t get in.”
“How do you know if you don’t try?”
Jiang Siyi smiled at her, a hint of bitterness in her smile. “What about you? Which university do you want to go to?”
“I want to go back to my hometown.” Xu Yuan sighed. “I came to Qinan with my parents in my first year of high school, and now it’s my senior year, but I’m still not used to many things here, like the food.”
Jiang Siyi blinked, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not like I’m dying.” Xu Yuan laughed and patted her shoulder. “We can still see each other during holidays.”
“Just give me a call, and I’ll fly back to Qinan. How’s that? Loyal enough?”
Jiang Siyi finally smiled, pretending to be indifferent. “Tsk, go ahead and leave, I won’t be sad.”
She stared at the falling snow, her voice lost in the cold air. The snow intensified, and Jiang Siyi tilted her head, her hair covered in white.
Xu Yuan knew she was being sarcastic.
Seventeen and eighteen-year-olds were always full of emotions. She sniffed, her voice slightly choked.
She said, “We’ll be best friends forever!”
“A temporary separation is just for a better reunion. Besides, I haven’t left yet.”
Jiang Siyi, feeling cold, put on the hood of her winter uniform. She looked like a ball, nodding her head in agreement. “Yes.”
“Only after parting do we truly appreciate reunions.”
She smiled. “Even after graduation, we’ll definitely meet again.”
***
Auntie Wang’s elderly relative had passed away, so she couldn’t pick Jiang Siyi up from school today. Shen Shiwu was busy with work, having several meetings a day.
Jiang Siyi knew it was because of the acquisition of Li Nan’s company.
So, Little Jiang sent Shen Shiwu a long voice message, volunteering to take the bus home.
“I’m an adult now. If I can get lost even on a bus or subway, I might as well not go to university.”
Shen Shiwu, after listening to her employee’s report, didn’t transcribe the voice message, but held the phone to her ear.
Hearing the girl’s slightly complaining tone, she couldn’t help but chuckle and typed a reply: “Okay, message me when you get home. I’ll be back at seven tonight.”
Shen Shiwu put down her phone and looked out the window at the heavy snow, clicking her tongue at the harsh weather.
She wasn’t afraid of Jiang Siyi getting lost.
But it got dark early in winter, and with the snow, she was worried the girl would be scared walking alone at night, and she didn’t want her to get cold.
Thinking this, Shen Shiwu casually tossed the documents onto the table, the thud startling the department heads.
“That’s all. Go do it.”
“I want to see the news of Li Nan’s company being acquired by noon tomorrow.”
She stood up, grabbed her coat, and walked out briskly. The others quickly stood up. “Okay, goodbye, Boss.”
Entering the elevator, Shen Shiwu checked the time. Just then, Jiang Siyi sent a message. Opening it, she saw the girl’s obedient message saying she was on the bus.
She replied with a voice message: “Okay, be careful. Should I wait for you at the bus stop?”
Meanwhile, the girl had finally managed to squeeze onto the crowded bus, barely able to stand near the front.
All she could see were heads, backpacks pressed against each other. The cramped space made her sweat even in this cold weather.
Jiang Siyi sighed, wanting to talk to Xu Yuan, who was behind her, and ask if it was always this crowded after school, but she couldn’t even turn around.
She gave up and felt her head swaying with the movement of the bus, feeling slightly dizzy.
Finally, they reached her stop. Jiang Siyi asked the driver to open the front door and, after squeezing off the bus, waved goodbye to Xu Yuan, who was still trapped inside.
The bus pulled away, leaving a trail of exhaust fumes.
It was freezing outside, and Jiang Siyi shivered. The surroundings were getting dark, and she was about to turn on her flashlight when she realized Shen Shiwu had replied to her message a while ago.
She replied as she walked towards the villa complex, then quickened her pace, regretting not checking her messages earlier. If she had, Shen Shiwu would have been with her—Whatever, it’s not a long walk.
Jiang Siyi thought, trudging through the snow, each step creating a crunching sound, as if the snow was crying out in pain.
Halfway there, staring at the snow on the ground, she suddenly realized it had been years since she had built a snowman.
So, the usually obedient Little Jiang decided to be a little rebellious.
She tossed her backpack onto a bare tree branch. Then, rubbing her hands together, she started scooping up snow and shaping it, just like she used to as a child.
What should I make?
A tiger.
And give it to Shen Shiwu, that smiling tiger.
She got to work, squatting down and rolling up her sleeves, no longer feeling the cold. The snow melted in her hands as she quickly shaped it.
Footsteps in the snow were usually muffled.
Shen Shiwu didn’t know how long she had been watching, but seeing the girl’s diligent figure, she shook her head helplessly.
She slowly approached, and when she was only an arm’s length away, Jiang Siyi seemed to have finished, holding something in her hands as she tried to stand up.
Oh no, she squatted for too long, she’s going to fall.
The girl exclaimed inwardly, her first instinct being to protect what she was holding.
My snow tiger!
Thud—
The tiger crashed.
Seeing that Jiang Siyi was about to fall too, Shen Shiwu quickly caught her by the waist.
Seeing the girl’s lips blue from the cold, she caressed her cheek. “Not going home at night, secretly playing in the snow outside?”
“Not very well-behaved.”
Jiang Siyi, caught red-handed, quickly pulled away from Shen Shiwu’s embrace, wanting to escape the scene of the crime. She retrieved her backpack from the tree and urged, “Let’s go, let’s go home.”
By the time they got home, it was already half-past six. Jiang Siyi, her brain fried from studying, had several bowls of crucian carp soup for dinner and was now stuffed, sitting on the sofa in a daze.
She had finished most of her homework at school, although she hadn’t reviewed or done any practice problems yet, she still wanted to rest for a bit.
So, Jiang Siyi leaned back on the sofa, her posture relaxed.
Huh.
Where did her girlfriend go?
She suddenly sat up straight and called out, “Shen Shiwu?”
But there was no response.
Jiang Siyi frowned. Not seeing Shen Shiwu in the kitchen, she went to look for her. Just as she was about to open the front door, Shen Shiwu beat her to it.
The temperature had dropped even further at night. A gust of cold wind and the scent of snow swept in as the door opened.
Shen Shiwu stood outside, her black coat making her look imposing, her hands hidden behind her back.
“What are you doing outside?” Jiang Siyi couldn’t help but ask, seeing the wet patches on her sleeves. “Come in quickly, it’s snowing even harder now.”
Shen Shiwu didn’t move, but extended her hand towards the girl.
Although it was dark, under the light by the front door, Jiang Siyi could see what it was.
A snow rabbit.
More meticulously crafted than the one she had made, its form easily recognizable.
The woman’s expression softened, her features even gentler under the light.
She leaned down. “A rabbit for you.”
Jiang Siyi was still stunned.
After a few seconds, her eyes lit up, and she carefully took the snow rabbit.
“I actually made a snow tiger for you, but I… set it free,” the girl explained, her tone apologetic.
She looked down at the snow rabbit in her hand, feeling useless for not even being able to make a proper snowman.
Shen Shiwu closed the door with a thud.
“Why a tiger?”
“…Because.”
The girl said frankly, “Because you’re like a smiling tiger.”
Shen Shiwu, seeing her slightly evasive gaze, wasn’t annoyed, but chuckled instead.
Seeing her laugh, Jiang Siyi retorted, “Then why did you make a rabbit?”
“Because it’s as cute as you.”
Seeing the girl lower her head and stare at the floor, embarrassed, she tilted her chin up and said softly,
“Thinking of each other even while making snowmen, it seems our hearts are connected, Xiao Si.”
“Which means you’re always thinking of me, and I…” She deliberately paused.
As expected, the girl’s eyes sparkled, staring at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue.
Shen Shiwu chuckled softly and kissed her forehead—
“And I think of you every second of every day.”
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