Chapter 37: Xie Xu Might Like You

Xie Xu: ???

“I’m absolutely steady.”

Lu Yiqi: “...” Steady, my foot!

She hesitated for a moment. “I think...”

Before she could finish, Xie Xu’s cold gaze pinned her in place, his eyes clearly saying, “I don’t care what you think, I only care about what I think.”

“...”

Fine, you’re the boss, you’re amazing.

Xie Xu’s long, fair hand patted his bicycle again. “Cut the nonsense. Get on.”

“...Okay.”

Resigned, Lu Yiqi climbed onto his bike. The events of yesterday were still vivid in her mind, so as soon as she got on, she carefully pinched the hem of Xie Xu’s shirt with her thumb and middle finger on either side, not daring to touch his body.

Yesterday’s emergency had forced her to hold his waist, but she wasn’t sure if Xie Xu minded girls touching him, so today she could only cautiously tug at his shirt and see how he reacted.

Noticing her action, Xie Xu tugged at the corner of his mouth in exasperation. “Are you putting on a peacock display for me with those hands?”

“...” That... does seem to be the case.

Awkwardly, she let her hands fall. She thought to herself, forget it—if I fall, I fall. I’ll have only my bad luck to blame.

But the next second: “Why aren’t you holding on tighter?”

Eh? Lu Yiqi looked at him instinctively. “You don’t mind girls touching you?”

Xie Xu was momentarily taken aback, his mouth opening slightly. “I don’t mind.”

He’d completely forgotten about last semester, when a girl from the next class had deliberately spilled her drink on him and tried to use it as an excuse to get close. Before she even touched him, Xie Xu had taken a step back, the chill radiating from him and the anger in his eyes nearly scaring her to tears.

Lu Yiqi gave a quiet “oh.” Well, that puts my mind at ease.

She wrapped her arms around his waist.

All the way there, it was unexpectedly steady.

The bike came to a smooth stop at the school gate, and Lu Yiqi got off, waiting for him.

After parking his bike, Xie Xu returned, raising an eyebrow at her. “So? Pretty steady, right?”

Lu Yiqi gave a forced smile. “...Steady.”

As soon as Lu Yiqi entered the classroom, she spotted Chen Ziyi. She waved to her, then walked to her own seat.

As soon as she sat down, Chen Ziyi turned to whisper, “Why did you come with Xie Xu today? Did you two make up?”

Lu Yiqi blinked. “How did you know we had a falling out yesterday?”

Chen Ziyi grinned. “Anyone with eyes could see it. Xie Xu’s usually so cold—he either sleeps or zones out in class. But yesterday he was acting so childish, not only staying awake all day watching you to see if you’d skip class, but even drawing a line down the desk. I’ve never seen that side of him before. So, I’ve got a bold theory.”

After glancing at Xie Xu and seeing he wasn’t paying any attention, Chen Ziyi leaned in close to Lu Yiqi and lowered her voice. “I think... Xie Xu might like you.”

The words struck Lu Yiqi like a bolt from the blue. She was so startled she almost jumped. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

Chen Ziyi stuck out her tongue. “I said it was just a theory. Don’t take it to heart.”

Lu Yiqi couldn’t even remember how she replied, and she barely noticed when the teacher entered. She sat at her desk, lost in thought for who knows how long. After a while, she blinked, fished out her phone from her desk, pursed her lips, opened the message board, switched to an alternate account, and typed, letter by letter: #What should I do if the neighbor and desk mate I’ve only known for a short time might like me?#

After a moment’s thought, she added: “Urgent, waiting online.”