CHAPTER 88: DIDN’T LOOK VERY SMART

"Big sister, can I see you again?"

Lu Qingyan paused mid-step, and slowly looked over her shoulder.

Han Jinji was looking up at her again, hopeful. And behind him, Wang Jingyuan gave her a look that clearly said, ’You’ve made a new problem for yourself.’

She smiled sheepishly.

"...We’ll see."

After Lu Qingyan left, the sun seemed to follow her. The hallway grew a little dimmer, a little quieter—except for the erratic thumping of Han Jinji’s heart.

Han Jinji fiddled nervously with the sleeves of his hoodie, the gears in his small head turning at full speed. His face scrunched up like he was trying to remember the capital of Mongolia during a math quiz

"Big Brother..." he finally mumbled, reaching out to tug on Wang Jingyuan’s sleeve like a guilt-ridden puppy.

Wang Jingyuan had that signature blank expression—flat, unimpressed, unreadable. He didn’t even glance down, just flicked his eyes in Han Jinji’s direction.

"The doctor said no strenuous activity," he said, voice low and cool as an untouched cup of tea. "Did you forget?"

Han Jinji bit his lip and looked down at his slightly bruised knee. He dramatically pointed to the new pink badge of honor stuck on it.

"But Hello Kitty gave me this," he declared earnestly, as if unveiling a sacred relic. "She said it can cure my illness."

Wang Jingyuan blinked.

Then, his gaze slowly, slowly dropped to the band-aid.

A bright pink Hello Kitty stared up at him innocently, paws clasped like it was offering a prayer for Han Jinji’s poor knee.

The corners of Wang Jingyuan’s lips twitched.

Wang Jingyuan stared at the band-aid a second longer, before he finally curved his lips into a subtle, sardonic smile.

It was pink with a Hello Kitty printed on it.

He immediately understood who Han Jinji was referring to as "Hello Kitty."

Then, he slightly bent the corners of his lips before he raised his eyebrows and said to Jan Jinji, "You believe that just because she said so? Maybe she knows less than you."

Han Jinji pursed her lips.

He thought for a while before she sighed in disappointment, "I also thought she didn’t look very smart."

Wang Jingyuan reached down and took the scooter from Han Jinji without ceremony. His long fingers were casual, but the gesture made it clear: this discussion was over.

"I’ll send you back this time," he said lightly, but his voice held a barely-there edge of warning. "If you don’t cooperate with the doctor again, do you know what the consequences will be?"

His tone was light, but it carried a hint of deterrence.

Han Jinji trembled and nodded in response.

But a few steps later, Han Jinji tugged on his brother’s sleeve again.

"Big Brother," he whispered. "Next time you come to the hospital... can you bring her too?"

Wang Jingyuan’s eyelashes moved slightly, "Why?"

He unhurriedly added, "It looks like you like her quite a bit?"

Han Jinji recalled the recent scene where the girl had knelt down and helped wipe his face. The root of his ears reddened again, and he turned away, "So-so, just so-so.

Under Wang Jingyuan’s rather deep gaze, he bit his lips and continued, "Although..." Han Jinji muttered under his breath, fiddling with the sleeves of his hoodie again, "Although Kitty isn’t very smart, she seems like a good kid..."

***

Lu Qingyan collapsed onto her couch with all the weight of a war hero returning from battle

Her shoes were kicked off in one direction, her bag landed on the floor with a thud, and her whole soul wanted to melt into the cushions.

Her phone buzzed.

She peeked at it with one eye open.

Recently, Ivy had been in more frequent contact with Lu Qingyan.

Lu Qingyan guessed that it was probably due to the upcoming section exam.

Ivy still didn’t know the result of Lu Qingyan’s monthly exam. She never asked and Lu Qingyan also never took the initiative to tell her, so in Ivy’s mind, her impression of Lu Qingyan’s ranking was probably somewhere in the middle because that was where she placed in the original novel.

When Lu Qingyan returned home, she received a WeChat message from Ivy.

Ivy: Is the section exam happening soon?

Yanyan Wants to Get Rich Quick: Mm.

Ivy: I found you a private tutor for make-up lessons, so score better this time

Lu Qingyan stared at the screen for a long time with lowered eyes.

No "do you want a tutor?" No "how are you feeling lately?" No "do you want to study together sometime?" Just a hired professional, already arranged. Boom. Bang. Another decision she didn’t ask for.

Yanyan Wants to Get Rich Quick: No need.

Yanyan Wants to Get Rich Quick: I’ll review on my own.

Ivy: I already paid the cost. The tutors from that organization are very good, I hope you can make some improvements this time.

Ivy: Let’s end it here, I have a meeting soon.

Lu Qingyan stared at the phone screen for a while, then she threw the phone onto the sofa.

She glared at it as if it had personally betrayed her.

Although she wasn’t very happy that Ivy enrolled her in a cram school without consulting her, it was still nice to be tutored by another person.

At least I don’t have to find a study partner.

She originally thought that it would be some time before the tutoring happened, but unexpectedly, she received a call from the organization that evening.

The teacher asked her for a convenient time.

Lu Qingyan and him decided on Mondays, Wednesdays, and the weekends.

That day happened to be Monday, so the teacher came.

She sighed, slurped the rest of her noodles like a girl on death row, and braced herself for what kind of person Ivy had signed her up with.

Please don’t let it be a strict old man.

Please don’t let it be a weird overenthusiastic college senior.

Please—oh god, what if it’s a teacher from school!?