Vol2 Chapter 10: The Activity Classroom
Lu Li needed to apply for a vacant activity classroom as the base for his “Game Development Club.” Chu Jingyi volunteered to accompany him to the Student Affairs Office to handle the paperwork. They walked side by side down the hallway, a handsome pair indeed. Chu Jingyi was wearing the Chuanhai No. 1 High School girls’ uniform, but she had replaced the black stockings with white ones and swapped the black bow tie for a brown teddy bear tie. She had clearly put some thought into her appearance. In Lu Li’s memory, Silly Goose wasn’t a girl who chased fashion trends. She was the kind of proper young lady who would instinctively hold down her skirt in a strong wind, unfazed by any surprises, wearing expensive yet unremarkable clothes, covering her mouth with a small fan when she laughed.
“The stockings match your style, and the teddy bear is cute.” Lu Li vaguely sensed that her hairstyle was different, but he couldn’t pinpoint what had changed.
Chu Jingyi beamed. “Thank you~” Lu Li froze for a moment. He had to admit, for a fleeting instant, he was captivated by her pure smile. The more he experienced the bitterness and sweetness of life, the less resistant he became to such innocent smiles. He could vaguely understand the mindset of those older men who parked their luxury cars outside university campuses.
Speaking of older men, he wondered if he qualified as one. He felt like a ship of Theseus, unable to discern his own identity anymore.
“I love teddy bears.” Chu Jingyi fiddled with her tie, drawing Lu Li’s gaze to her chest. It wasn’t as impressive as Sister Yameng’s, more of a delicate, petite type that would fit perfectly in his hand.
“I like big bears.” They weren’t even on the same wavelength.
“Big bears are scary and smelly. I’ve seen one before. One of my uncles used to have a pet bear. I could hug it when it was small, but when it grew up, it had to be kept in a cage.” As expected of a super Second-Generation Official. Her family even had someone who could openly keep a bear as a pet.
“Big bears are soft and cuddly. Hugging one is very satisfying.” He teased her with a straight face.
“?” Chu Jingyi finally caught on. “What do you mean by cuddly? Bears aren’t cuddly. It’s not like the Black Bear Spirit from Journey to the West.”
Lu Li asked, “Why do you like teddy bears?”
“Because they’re cute. They’re fierce when they grow up, but when they’re small, they’re round and silly.” She gestured excitedly as she spoke, then realizing her actions were a bit unladylike, she stuck out her tongue and quickly put her hands behind her back.
“I think you’re pretty cute too.”
“Really…?”
They arrived at the Student Affairs Office. With Chu Jingyi handling things, the process was quick. The teacher in charge made a few calls and sorted out the paperwork, saving Lu Li a lot of trouble. This was a classic example of how connections could smooth things over. Often, it wasn’t that efficient methods didn’t exist; it was that people didn’t want to take responsibility, so they preferred to do as little as possible.
Lu Li took the documents and went to the logistics department to collect the key to the activity classroom. Then, without wasting any time, he headed towards the designated classroom in Building Three. Silly Goose followed behind him like an obedient puppy.
“Wow, so much dust! Cough, cough!” As he opened the door, a cloud of dust billowed out, making Chu Jingyi cover her eyes.
Lu Li shielded her with his arm, pulling her close. “Wait outside. I’ll clean it up.”
She didn’t move. He looked down and saw her standing there, her face flushed.
“What’s wrong?”
“You remind me of my dad.”
“What?”
“You’re protecting me like my dad. When I was little, we went to the park, and some kids were throwing a baseball around. My dad shielded me like this.”
“…” Lu Li gently pushed her out of the classroom without a word. Her words were a dangerous sign. Everyone was deeply influenced by their upbringing. Their aspirations, especially in terms of romantic partners, were often shaped by their parents. Men often sought women who resembled their gentle mothers, and women sought men who embodied the strength of their fathers. Everyone had an Oedipus complex. When a girl said you reminded her of her father, it often meant she had special feelings for you.
He didn’t want to deceive her. After a failed marriage, he had become like a curled-up hedgehog, reluctant to open his heart to anyone, even someone as pure as Chu Jingyi.
With a mix of emotions swirling in his mind, he picked up a broom and started cleaning the classroom, which had been abandoned for who knows how long. He saw students from other clubs passing by outside the window. Some were from the Go Club, debating whether traditional Go was still relevant in this day and age. Some were from the Swimming Club, the girls wearing only their swimsuits with a jacket thrown over, their goggles still on. Some were serious-looking bookworms, probably from the Literature Club.
While he was lost in thought, Chu Jingyi returned with a mop and started mopping the floor behind him, humming cheerfully.
He looked at her with amusement. “Eager to work for me even before joining the club?”
“I just thought you were working too hard.”
“Shouldn’t you be in class, class monitor?”
“It’s… it’s okay to miss one class.” She seemed a bit nervous but puffed out her chest, trying to appear brave.
For students, rebellious acts like skipping class, smoking, and fighting seemed to hold a strange allure, as if mastering these skills somehow elevated their status. Silly Goose was clearly still in that phase. Lu Li sensed a strange admiration in her, perhaps for his cynicism, his horror games, or his disregard for rules. For a girl who always followed the rules, someone like him, who existed outside those rules, was undoubtedly fascinating.
But this wasn’t a good thing. The furthest thing from “understanding” was “worship.” The more Chu Jingyi acted like this, the less he wanted to hurt her.
“That’s not how you mop a floor. You clearly don’t do chores at home.” He pointed out her mistakes. Her posture was all wrong, her movements too gentle. She was practically caressing the floor.
Chu Jingyi blushed. She really didn’t do chores at home. Aunt Wang took care of everything. When Aunt Wang wasn’t around, her dad would do the housework. It never fell on the women in the household.
“I’ll learn how to do chores in the future,” she declared, as if making a solemn vow.
Lu Li was taken aback. He wanted to say that whether she learned to do chores or not had nothing to do with him, but he held his tongue. After receiving his guidance, she became incredibly diligent, like a child eager to impress, working hard under his watchful eye. Just then, they heard An Baili’s voice outside the classroom.
“Lu Li, are you in here?”
No! He wanted to shout. The last person he wanted to see was An Baili. But Silly Goose, hearing her voice, was about to respond. He quickly covered her mouth, pulling her into a tight embrace, her scent filling his senses.
“Shh, don’t let her find us.”
Silly Goose struggled for a moment before going still in his arms. Just as he was about to let go, he heard An Baili’s slow, dragging footsteps outside the door.
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