Chapter 104: Bonus – When We Were Young Part Three
The stack of textbooks for the second year of high school was quite high, almost half a meter tall.
Qin Ai glanced at the slender girl, her delicate arms seeming fragile, as if they could break with a slight force. She was about to offer to carry some of the books when she saw Zuo Bian effortlessly lift the entire stack.
Zuo Bian even bounced the books slightly and smiled at Qin Ai. “Let’s go, Qin Ai. Hmm? What’s wrong?”
Qin Ai masked her surprise and said casually, “Let’s go.”
If any other girl had tried to carry that stack of books, their arms would be trembling with the effort. But Zuo Bian seemed completely unfazed, as if it was nothing.
Qin Ai wondered if Zuo Bian was truly strong or just putting on a brave face. But since Zuo Bian didn’t ask for help, she didn’t offer.
While Qin Ai was taking Zuo Bian to get her textbooks, news of the beautiful new student who looked like a fairy spread like wildfire.
Of course, the rumor about the new student’s alleged scandalous relationship with Qin Ai, the school’s most popular girl, also spread.
As Qin Ai and Zuo Bian walked back to the classroom, many students glanced at them curiously, their eyes filled with meaning, as if they had discovered something extraordinary.
Qin Ai, sharp as ever, noticed those gazes. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and glared at them, and the curious and gossipy looks instantly disappeared.
Zuo Bian, however, was oblivious to all of this. She was happy.
She had finally met the teenage Qin Ai, and they were even deskmates. She could see Qin Ai just by turning her head.
It was just that Qin Ai seemed a bit tsundere at this age. She clearly had feelings for Zuo Bian, but her words said the opposite.
Thinking this, Zuo Bian couldn’t help but glance at Qin Ai, who glared back at her.
She looked fierce, but also beautiful.
Zuo Bian smiled.
Seeing the girl smile instead of being scared after being glared at, Qin Ai felt a strange sensation, a ripple in her heart.
“What are you looking at? Are you coming back to the classroom or not?” Qin Ai spoke in her usual impatient tone, but perhaps subconsciously afraid of scaring Zuo Bian, she softened her voice slightly, making it sound more like a bluff.
“Oh.” Zuo Bian responded and turned her head back, no longer looking at Qin Ai.
Qin Ai followed behind her, looking sleepy. She yawned and suddenly noticed a few curious faces peeking at them.
They were almost back at the classroom. The students who had been gossiping excitedly were now staring at them intently.
One student whispered, “Boss isn’t being very chivalrous, making the new student carry so many books alone.”
Another student nodded in agreement. “Yeah, yeah, she even gave birth to Boss’s child, Boss is so heartless.”
“Shh, Boss is looking at us.”
While they were talking, Qin Ai and Zuo Bian arrived at the classroom door.
Qin Ai looked down at the students blocking the entrance, her voice cold. “What are you doing blocking the door? Are you guarding it?”
“Haha, we’ll move aside right away.” The students quickly stepped aside, smiling and gesturing for them to enter.
Qin Ai entered the classroom first. Zuo Bian followed behind, noticing the students’ nervous expressions. She smiled at them.
The students were smitten by her smile, clutching their chests and grinning foolishly.
Shortly after they returned to the classroom, the bell rang, and the students, who had been watching the drama unfold, returned to their seats.
Although Zuo Bian had attended school before, it was university, which was different from high school. To help her blend in, 555 had transferred high school knowledge to her.
However, she couldn’t fully digest the massive amount of information, so she still needed to pay attention in class.
Zuo Bian listened attentively during math class, taking notes diligently.
Qin Ai, surprisingly, wasn’t sleeping. She rested her chin on one hand, the other hand twirling a pen idly.
Based on Zuo Bian’s behavior, Qin Ai could tell that the new student definitely liked her. But why was she so focused on the lesson when the person she liked was sitting right beside her?
Shouldn’t she be drawing her portrait, writing her name, and stealing shy glances at her?
Qin Ai stopped twirling her pen, finding her own thoughts strange. It was just a new student. Judging by her delicate appearance, she wouldn’t be able to handle hardship. She would give up after a few rejections.
Bored, Qin Ai flipped open her comic book, but after reading a few pages, she couldn’t help but glance at Zuo Bian’s profile.
The girl’s pink lips were slightly pursed, she nodded along with the teacher’s explanation, clearly focused on the lesson.
The class ended, the teacher left, but Zuo Bian was still writing in her notebook.
Qin Ai glanced at her notebook and saw that she was solving math problems.
She never expected Zuo Bian to be so serious about studying, even seemingly ignoring her.
Zuo Bian finished writing the last step and suddenly noticed someone staring at her. She looked up and met Qin Ai’s complex gaze.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, puzzled.
Qin Ai looked away and stood up. “Nothing.”
Liu Liu and Jiang Yuandong, who were sitting in front of them, saw that Qin Ai seemed to be leaving the classroom and immediately followed her.
“Boss, are you going to the canteen? Take me with you.”
Jiang Yuandong pushed up her glasses. “Me too.”
“Whatever.” Qin Ai walked towards the door, Liu Liu and Jiang Yuandong trailing behind her.
In the eyes of the other students, Liu Liu and Jiang Yuandong were Qin Ai’s lackeys, so it wasn’t strange for them to follow her around.
However, even they, who were closest to Qin Ai, didn’t know when she had gotten a girlfriend, let alone gotten her pregnant. They were dying of curiosity.
Liu Liu tentatively asked, “Boss, what do you think of the new student? I think she’s pretty.”
Qin Ai glared at him, then said after a moment, “She’s okay, but not that great.”
Earlier, she had said “nothing special,” now it was “okay.”
Liu Liu was perceptive. He knew Qin Ai was just putting on a brave face, too embarrassed to admit that she liked the new student.
Jiang Yuandong said, “Qin Ai Jie, if you really don’t like the new student, can I pursue her? I don’t mind being the rebound guy.”
She smiled shyly. She had no resistance to beautiful girls, except for Qin Ai, whose personality she couldn’t handle.
Qin Ai suddenly stopped and said flatly, “What do you think?”
She didn’t show any obvious emotions, but Jiang Yuandong felt a chill down her spine. She forced a smile. “I think I’m not good enough for her with my looks.”
Qin Ai continued walking. “It’s good to be self-aware.”
Jiang Yuandong patted her chest, sighing in relief.
Liu Liu patted her shoulder sympathetically, then quickly caught up with Qin Ai.
“Boss, wait for me!”
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