Chapter 5: Your Mother Asked Me to Look After You
When Lu Yiqi and Xie Xu returned to the classroom, it was already deserted. Xie Xu placed the books onto Lu Yiqi’s desk. Seeing this, Lu Yiqi said, “Thank you.” Xie Xu didn’t reply, quietly returned to his seat, and started packing his bag. Once he was done, he glanced at Lu Yiqi and saw she was almost finished as well. He then turned and walked out.
After leaving the school gates, Xie Xu paused, bought a bottle of water from a nearby shop, and took a long drink. As he did so, he casually glanced into the distance. Upon spotting a certain figure, he screwed the cap back on, tossed the bottle into a trash can, and headed home.
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After stepping out of the school, Lu Yiqi looked around. If she remembered correctly, she’d come from the left that morning, so she should head that way now. Lu Yiqi was notoriously bad with directions, something her mother was well aware of, which was why she’d bought an apartment so close to school—just a twenty-minute walk, even faster by bus. But Lu Yiqi preferred to walk to and from school.
She walked left for a while, then noticed the figure ahead looked more and more like Xie Xu. She called out, “Xie Xu!”
The boy ahead paused, turned his head. It was indeed Xie Xu.
Lu Yiqi instinctively waved and jogged over. “Didn’t you leave before me? How are you only here now?”
Xie Xu raised his eyebrows and retorted, “Why are you following me?”
Lu Yiqi was stunned. “???”
“Is it because I rejected you this morning and hurt your pride? So now you’re following me after school to get revenge?”
Lu Yiqi was utterly baffled.
What on earth was he talking about? Hadn’t she already made it clear this morning? She’d only been asking for directions—why was this Xie Xu so full of himself again?
She was about to snap back with, “Do you have some kind of delusional disorder?” when she saw the boy before her lean in, his elegant, handsome face now just half a foot from hers.
Lu Yiqi’s eyes widened in shock, her whole body freezing in place.
The boy gave an innocent smile, his voice low, “Just kidding.”
Lu Yiqi was speechless, nearly swearing aloud.
Xie Xu stopped teasing her. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”
Lu Yiqi let out a small “ah,” muttering under her breath, “Why does that sound so strange?”
Wait a minute.
“How do you know where I live?”
Xie Xu said nothing.
“How do you know?” she pressed.
Still silence.
Lu Yiqi, frustrated by his refusal to answer, stopped walking altogether. Xie Xu took a few steps ahead, noticed she’d fallen silent, and turned around to meet her gaze.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll assume you’re trying to kidnap me. I’m calling the police right now,” Lu Yiqi declared.
Xie Xu couldn’t help but scoff. An adult, and still threatening to call the police.
Still, he had to admit, the girl was quite vigilant.
Seeing Lu Yiqi’s unwavering stare—as if she truly would call the police if he didn’t explain—Xie Xu’s lips curled with amusement. His voice carried back to her, “Let’s just say someone’s mother came over last night with a pile of gifts to visit her new neighbor—me. She then pulled me aside to ask a barrage of questions. Once she learned I was also a student at No. 1 High, and even in your class, she was absolutely delighted. She even asked me to look out for you at school, Lu Yiqi.”
He deliberately slowed his speech for her name, pronouncing each syllable with emphasis.