Dedicated to studying, yet forced into a chaotic situation.

Chapter 42 Is it a date?

The subway to the library doesn't require transfers. Shi Sui bought bread and milk at the convenience store at the subway station entrance, and it was almost nine o'clock.

With bread in her mouth and milk in her pocket, Shi Sui hurriedly ran towards the library.

The dappled morning light filtered through the camphor tree leaves, and the boy, dressed in the simplest white shirt and black pants with a backpack on one shoulder, attracted a lot of attention just by standing there because of his handsome and refined face.

Shi Sui ran to Xu Chaomu's side, took a couple of breaths, stuffed the whole bread into her mouth, and asked indistinctly, "Have you been waiting long?"

"I just got here too."

Shi Sui glanced down at her phone and realized it was past nine o'clock. She looked around but couldn't find Chi Yan.

So I sent him a message: [I've arrived, I'm waiting for you at the library entrance.]

Seeing this, Xu Chaomu asked, "What are you looking for?"

“I’m waiting for my deskmate.” Shi Sui waved the gift bag, making no attempt to hide it. “I asked him to return something here.”

Xu Chaomu then noticed the gift bag in her hand, which looked like the spoils of a shopping spree at a high-end shopping mall.

With just one simple sentence, he understood: "Was it given to you by Chi Yan?"

Shi Sui nodded: "But it's too valuable, I need to return it to him."

Xu Chaomu's eyes flickered slightly. He knew all too well what it meant for a boy to buy something for a girl.

After a moment of silence, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was slightly hoarse as he asked, "Is he pursuing you?"

Shi Sui was startled: "How could that be? Don't talk nonsense."

“He just pitied me because I was poor.” Shi Sui recalled Yan Ze’s explanation, “I can’t figure out what rich people are thinking, anyway, he said I was pitiful.”

Xu Chaomu nodded and chuckled as she looked at Shi Sui's earnest explanation.

Giving gifts is fine, but to insist on saying he's pitiful really fits the image of the arrogant eldest son of the Chi family.

Shi Sui glanced at the time and realized that another five minutes had passed.

Chi Yan has not yet arrived.

She wasn't angry; her younger brother and older brother were both fine.

Shi Sui: "Why don't you go up first, Xu Chaomu? I'll come find you later."

She felt bad making others wait with her.

"Okay. I'll help you take your backpack upstairs."

"Oh, thank you then." Shi Sui took off her schoolbag and handed it to Xu Chaomu.

Looking at the boy's thin figure, she said with some worry, "He might be a little heavy..."

"It's okay." Xu Chaomu picked up her schoolbag. "Remember to come find me."

Her schoolbag was in his hands.

The red light flashed, and the Maybach sped past.

The boy's hair covered his brow bone. He brushed away the stray hairs that had been ruffled by the wind and said in a slightly irritable tone, "Is the traffic this bad this morning?"

"Young master, we're almost at the library." The driver in the front seat was drenched in sweat.

Chi Yan clicked his tongue softly and looked out the car window.

Pei Shuoxun chuckled and teased, "So eager to go on a date?"

"Shut up, are you annoying or what?" Chi Yan rolled her eyes and looked at him irritably. "I already said I'm not going on a date."

Pei Shuoxun gave a meaningful "oh" and laughed, "I've never seen you get up this early on a weekend before."

"I want to make it clear to her that I don't like her and that she should give up on that idea."

After saying that, Chi Yan nodded, quite satisfied with this self-deceiving reason.

Then, he looked at Pei Shuoxun and changed the subject: "And you, what are you doing here?"

“Boring.” Pei Shuoxun shrugged.

"If you're bored, go to an art exhibition with Shangguan Ying. Why are you asking me?"

She came to his house early in the morning and inexplicably wanted to follow him.

They even returned to China early, went straight to school after getting off the plane, I don't know what they were going to do.

Chi Yan found Pei Shuoxun increasingly unpredictable.

He recalled a day last year when Yan Ze said he had discovered Pei Shuoxun's secret, telling him that Pei Shuoxun liked men and that there was a small photo of a boy inside his phone case.

So, Chi Yan moved closer to the car door, distancing himself from Pei Shuoxun, and asked bluntly, "You wouldn't have fallen for me, would you?"

Pei Shuoxun was completely baffled. Where did his confidence come from?

Chi Yan, unusually serious, said, "I don't like men. Give up on that idea, and we can barely be friends."

"..." Pei Shuoxun, who understood his thought process, said, "Get lost. I am straight. I like women."

But his explanation sounded so weak and feeble to Chi Yan.

The Maybach stopped at the roadside, and Chi Yan got out of the car.

There weren't many people at the library entrance. The girl stood obediently, her hair down, the white headphone wire winding down her hair, her lips moving as if she were reciting something.

Shi Sui was engrossed in memorizing English when, as she was doing so, a shadow fell upon her.

"My deskmate." Shi Sui took off her headphones and looked up.

"Why aren't you wearing the clothes I gave you?" Chi Yan frowned slightly after seeing her old, frayed clothes.

Shouldn't you wear new clothes on a date?

Shouldn't you dress up nicely?

Why is she still so plain?

Never mind, even a burlap sack would look good.

Shi Sui understood that her poverty was being looked down upon, but what was there to be ashamed of? She was simply poor.

"Don't you like it?" Chi Yan asked, noticing the unopened gift bag in her hand.

"It's too valuable, I can't accept it."

"Don't try to save me money."

Shi Sui was speechless for a moment, and then stuffed the gift bag into Chi Yan's hand.

I'm so angry! I can't argue with this rich man!

Before Chi Yan could say anything like "If you don't want it, I'll throw it in the trash," he saw the girl pounce on him using the gift bag as cover.

Do you want to hug him?

So proactive!

So impatient!

Chi Yan felt a strange tension and awkwardly reached out his hand, only to see the girl's pale fingers offer him the gift bag—

He shrank back as if fleeing, and stuffed it into his pocket.

Holding the gift bag, Chi Yan asked in bewilderment, "What are you doing?"

"Here's your stuff back." Shi Sui said, hands in her pockets, looking relaxed.

There's no reason for him to return what he's given away. Chi Yan felt a surge of anger, but after seeing the smile on the girl's face, he understood.

Chi Yan understood. He was going on a date later, and there was no reason for him to let the girl carry his things.

So he pretended to be impatient and asked, "Where to next?" Where to go on a date?

"Let's go to the library." Shi Sui pointed to the library behind her.

library?

What the hell? What's going on in this person's head? Going on a date at the library?

Never mind, I heard she hasn't been here long and isn't familiar with the city's entertainment options. Maybe, maybe she only knows about the library?

But Chi Yan absolutely refused to go on a date at the library.

"A new aquarium has opened in Dongcheng District, let's go there."

Shi Sui was bewildered.

"Don't like aquariums?" Chi Yan then asked, "How about the zoo near the clock tower?"

Shi Sui was even more confused.

"You don't like small animals either?" Chi Yan asked. "Shall we go to Disneyland?"

Although he thought Disney was a bit childish, he read online that no girl would refuse Disney.

Shi Sui didn't understand why her deskmate seemed to want to take her away, but she was determined to study.

"No, I'm not going." Shi Sui shook her head. "I'll go to the library instead."

"Does it have to be a date at the library?" Chi Yan was furious. He picked up his phone, intending to search for the ultimate dating guide for couples.

It must be that his planning last night wasn't comprehensive enough; he'll definitely find a perfect date spot that meets both of our needs.

The phone rang once; it was Pei Shuoxun calling.

A pillow is sent to someone who is sleepy.

Chi Yan answered the phone and immediately asked, "Where do you and Shangguan Ying usually go on weekends?"

"Where do I usually associate with Shangguan Ying..." Pei Shuoxun thought to himself, "Never mind, I'm too lazy to argue."

He rolled down the car window, automatically ignoring Chi Yan, and looked at the girl standing under the shade of a tree not far away.

From a distance, he could only make out that she was tall, had long, obedient hair, and fair skin.

She looks like one of those well-behaved girls you could find anywhere on campus.

Pei Shuoxun asked, "Chi Yan, didn't you say you rejected her? What, are you going on a date?"