The bell signaling the end of evening classes rang.

The students inside the classroom stirred.

"Wen Yao, come here for a moment." Li Roujia knocked on the front door of the classroom.

Wen Yao stepped out of the classroom.

The cold air in mid-November felt like a bucket of cold water poured over her, sending a chill deep into her bones.

Even though she had already changed into her winter attire, wearing a somewhat thick wool sweater over her shirt, it couldn't block out the cold.

The classroom had the heating on, so it was bearable dressed like this, but once outside the classroom, without the school's custom wool coat, most people wouldn't be able to handle it.

Jiang Shuyi had forgotten to wear her wool sweater today, making her look like someone from a different season compared to her classmates.

Naturally, she sneezed.

Song Jinxi organized her books and looked at Jiang Shuyi, who was wiping her nose.

"Jiang Shuyi, do you want to go to KTV? Yan Jingshu is back today—"

Though Jiang Shuyi wasn't entirely sure what Song Jinxi wanted to say, she shook her head.

"I'm not going. I have a headache and need to get home early to sleep."

Besides, what fun could there be in a place like that?

Jiang Shuyi sniffed again but didn't voice her second thought.

"Oh, really?" Song Jinxi didn't seem too surprised and grabbed her bag as she walked out of the classroom. "See you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow."

Jiang Shuyi put on her school uniform coat and glanced at Wen Yao's seat. The books on Wen Yao's desk were neatly arranged, and her coat was meticulously placed on the table.

---

Li Roujia discussed some class matters with Wen Yao.

There were many things happening this month, a student was returning, and the sports festival was about to start.

As the class monitor, Wen Yao had a lot of miscellaneous tasks to handle.

Li Roujia handed Wen Yao a stack of forms and information sheets.

Wen Yao checked them while walking back to the classroom.

By the time she walked back to the classroom, there were hardly any people left in the hallway.

The breath of November formed a cold mist in the air.

As she reached the back of the classroom, Wen Yao paused for a moment.

She had thought the lights in the classroom would be off.

But one light was still on.

It was probably an oversight by the person in charge of cleaning.

After all, when evening self-study ends, the heating in the classroom stops, so generally, no one would linger in such a cold place.

If one wanted to study, they would go to the library or the study room instead.

Wen Yao recalled who had cleaned today and planned to remind them tomorrow.

Regardless, leaving the lights on would result in a deduction of class points.

Thinking this, she pushed the door open, and a clean, familiar scent of lemon balm wafted in.

An Alpha leaning by the window slowly turned to look at her. "You're back."

Seeing Jiang Shuyi's eyes, misty and her mouth tightly closed, Wen Yao couldn't help but slightly open her own mouth.

"You—" Why are you still here?

But before she could speak, Jiang Shuyi wrapped her arms around Wen Yao and draped her coat over her shoulders.

"Remember to wear your coat when you go out. Don't catch a cold."

The scent of lemon balm seemed to settle on Wen Yao's shoulders along with the coat.

---

"So?" Yan Jingshu looked at the text message she had sent on her phone, resting her chin on her hand and blinking her eyes. "Why isn't she replying to my texts?"

"Maybe she's sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Yan Jingshu frowned and abruptly shut her phone, looking at the indifferent Song Jinxi. "It's only a little past nine. You're not joking, are you?"

"..." Song Jinxi glanced at Yan Jingshu but didn't respond.

"Does Jiang Shuyi really have such a regular routine?"

The clear pomegranate juice in front of her reflected Yan Jingshu's cute face, which made her look like a doll in Song Jinxi's eyes.

Her eyes sparkled like gems, with a small, delicate nose and soft, charming lips.

Just her appearance exuded a hint of angelic beauty.

—Although I can't say I'm fond of this fallen angel type.

Song Jinxi thought as she picked up a fork and took a bite of a cherry tomato.

She had known Yan Jingshu since childhood, so her impression of her was one of temperamental behavior, a spoiled rich girl attitude, and a haughty demeanor—none of which were particularly good.

However, despite being childhood friends, Yan Jingshu and Jiang Shuyi had little interaction.

This led to the situation where, during their first year of high school, when Song Jinxi introduced the two, Jiang Shuyi fell head over heels for Yan Jingshu at first sight, and it quickly spiraled out of control.

As the middleman, Song Jinxi was quite indifferent about it.

After all, love is like a contagious disease.

Who Jiang Shuyi liked didn't matter much to her, as a friend, all she needed to do was show her support.

Yan Jingshu wanted to keep Jiang Shuyi hanging, she didn't think it mattered since she didn't help anyone too much anyway.

After all, Yan Jingshu had always been this way, and Song Jinxi thought it best to remain silent.

But she didn't expect Yan Jingshu to leave the country without a word.

On the day Yan Jingshu went abroad, Jiang Shuyi didn't know, and neither did Song Jinxi.

When she saw Jiang Shuyi locking herself in her room for a long time without coming out, she genuinely regretted it.

"I'll give her a call." Yan Jingshu said as she opened her phone.

"Let's not, there are so many people here today," Song Jinxi said, glancing at the crowd dancing in celebration for Yan Jingshu. "Besides, she doesn't seem well today. Even if you call her, she won't come."

Song Jinxi intervened, recalling how Jiang Shuyi had been sniffling and feeling a bit sorry for her.

"How could that be? She's Jiang Shuyi!"

Yan Jingshu looked at Song Jinxi, her tone filled with disbelief.

"Isn't she supposed to like me the most? If I call her, how could she not come?"

Yan Jingshu lightly tapped her pink lips with her index finger, her tone carrying a hint of confusion.

She pulled out her phone and began searching for Jiang Shuyi's number in her contacts.

In the dim light of the KTV room, Song Jinxi listened to the deafening music and felt a slight headache coming on.

She watched Yan Jingshu leisurely search for Jiang Shuyi's number, and in a moment of exasperation, she snatched the phone from Yan Jingshu's hand.

"You haven't called her once since you went abroad, and now you want to call her out?"

"Isn't that a bit too much?"

Song Jinxi hadn't intended to take sides, but recalling Jiang Shuyi's state, she couldn't help but feel angry.

"..." Yan Jingshu looked indifferently into the distance, picking up the pomegranate juice in front of her.

"But I can't just miss out on the competition, can I?"

Her tone carried a sense of entitlement and stubbornness.

"I have dreams too."

"I can't give up my dreams just for Shuyi, can I?"

Her gem-like eyes blinked seriously.

"I've been playing the violin since I was little, but I've known Jiang Shuyi for less than three years."

"Are you being unreasonable by asking me not to go abroad to accompany her, Song Jinxi?"

"And besides..."

"You should at least have told her before going abroad." Song Jinxi sighed.

"I'm not Shuyi's Omega, and she's not my Alpha. I'm not obligated to tell her, am I?"

"But if I call her here, she would be more than happy to come, right?"

"After all, she likes me, not the other way around."

Yan Jingshu pierced a cherry with her golden fork and casually popped it into her mouth.

Her smile still resembled that of an angel, but all Song Jinxi wanted to do was sigh.

Song Jinxi shot her a glance. "... If you keep this up, she'll eventually stop liking you."

"Hmm?" Yan Jingshu tapped her finger on her lips, laughing as if it were impossible. "I still think Shuyi will always like me."

"But if she doesn't like me anymore, I'll just get another puppy, right?"

"You know, there are always many people who like me."

---

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆Charvinovel ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆