"Teacher, long time no see."

Wen Yao greeted while seemingly casually letting go of Jiang Shuyi's hand.

". . ."

Jiang Shuyi glanced at her hand that Wen Yao had released, feeling a bit uncomfortable as she tucked it into her pocket.

Teacher Liu walked up to Wen Yao, kindly patting her shoulders with both hands.

"It really has been a long time."

Teacher Liu looked at Wen Yao, "You've grown taller."

"I remember you were about the same height as me in the third year of middle school, and now you're a head taller."

Teacher Liu gestured with her hand.

"You still remember how I looked in the third year?"

Wen Yao smiled, seeming a bit nostalgic, "To me, you look just the same as before, with hardly any change at all."

Hearing this, Teacher Liu laughed, "Maybe it's because I spend so much time with students. How have you been lately?"

Wen Yao lowered her eyelashes slightly and politely replied, "I'm doing well."

Jiang Shuyi watched her and also lowered her gaze.

Xiao Jiayu said something to the waiter downstairs before eventually coming up as well.

Jiang Shuyi looked at him but didn't say anything.

Xiao Jiayu paused when he saw her, "Hey?"

"Haven't we met before?"

Seeing the reactions of Xiao Jiayu and Jiang Shuyi, Teacher Liu finally noticed Jiang Shuyi and smiled kindly, asking Wen Yao, "Who is this...?"

"I remember you're Zhou Jingtang and Wen Yao's current classmate."

Xiao Jiayu immediately added.

Jiang Shuyi nodded in a surprise, "Hello."

In fact, she hadn't spoken a word to Xiao Jiayu last time.

She was a bit surprised that he still remembered her.

The few of them stood on the stairs, and Xiao Jiayu jokingly said to Jiang Shuyi in a low voice:

"I still remember how sharp your gaze was when you were drunk last time."

"I didn't mean to." Jiang Shuyi pretended to be nonchalant as she lied.

"I know, that was our first meeting." Xiao Jiayu smiled and patted Jiang Shuyi's shoulder in a friendly manner.

Xiao Jiayu, being quite the gentleman, asked Jiang Shuyi, "Since it's such a coincidence, why don't we have dinner together today? My treat."

He said it so naturally that Jiang Shuyi began to doubt whether she had some kind of camaraderie with him.

Teacher Liu smiled and turned to Wen Yao, who had not spoken, "Perfect timing! It's been a while since I've seen you; I'd like to have a chat with you—"

Wen Yao looked calmly at Teacher Liu, her gaze gentle.

From Wen Yao's expression, Jiang Shuyi knew she would not refuse.

In truth, Jiang Shuyi didn't want to have dinner with these two, nor did she want to be treated by Xiao Jiayu.

However, saying that would be too impolite.

Moreover, if she didn't go, she would most likely end up going back alone and eating alone.

That seemed a bit pitiful no matter how she thought about it.

So, Jiang Shuyi nodded without any politeness towards Xiao Jiayu, "...mm, okay."

She figured it would be a free meal courtesy of Xiao Jiayu, and she wanted to see what they could talk about.

Seeing her agree so decisively, Xiao Jiayu naturally said nothing and continued to smile gentlemanly.

---

Jiang Shuyi followed the others into the private room.

Inside, the room had standard Chinese decor, with intricately carved pear wood chairs.

The walls were painted a vibrant red, adorned with lanterns that emitted a beautiful orange glow.

There were vintage lattice windows, white porcelain, and flowing calligraphy paintings.

It was quite elegant.

The private room was not large, as it was originally meant for two people, so it felt just right for four.

After Teacher Liu took her seat, Wen Yao sat across from her.

Jiang Shuyi followed closely, sitting beside Wen Yao with a strong sense of urgency.

Xiao Jiayu showed no signs of dissatisfaction and sat across from Jiang Shuyi in a refined manner.

Since it was a reserved private room, the dishes were mostly served when they sat down.

Jiang Shuyi glanced around, the variety of dishes was abundant, enough for four people, but there was no roast suckling pig, which she had originally wanted to eat.

Jiang Shuyi pouted and silently picked at her food.

Teacher Liu and Wen Yao began to chat, "Your studies should be the same as before, right?"

Wen Yao nodded, "It's the same as before, Thank you for your concern."

"Of course, I never worry about your studies, you are my most outstanding student." 

Teacher Liu patted Wen Yao's shoulder.

"Teacher Liu, what do you mean by that?" Xiao Jiayu laughed.

"Am I not outstanding?"

"I've always felt that you seem to like Wen Yao more than me."

Xiao Jiayu coughed lightly.

"Ah? Is that so? I can't remember." Teacher Liu pretended to be clueless and laughed.

"But you really aren't as good as her, you need to work harder, Xiao."

Wen Yao seemed to recall something from back then and smiled gently.

Seeing Wen Yao's rare smile, Jiang Shuyi's feelings became somewhat complicated.

She quietly scooped up some soup.

Xiao Jiayu stood up and thoughtfully used the serving chopsticks to pick up food for others, he picked up some red flower crabs that had just been served.

"Try this, the red flower crab here is very delicious."

He said as he served a piece to Teacher Liu and Wen Yao.

Wen Yao glanced at the serving chopsticks, hesitated for a moment, and then accepted it, "...Thank you."

Seeing Wen Yao accept it, Jiang Shuyi felt even more uncomfortable.

Xiao Jiayu continued without pausing and started serving Jiang Shuyi across the table.

"Um," he seemed to not know Jiang Shuyi's name, "This classmate, you should eat too."

Jiang Shuyi declined the crab he offered. "I'll pass."

"Ah, you don't like it?" Xiao Jiayu was taken aback.

". . ." Jiang Shuyi also didn't quite understand why she was rejecting him, so she could only say, "Um, I can't eat crab meat."

After a pause, Jiang Shuyi added:

"...I'm allergic to seafood."

She knew very well that the original owner was not allergic.

Saying this, she picked up a piece of flower wine chicken, "I'll just eat something else, you don't need to worry about me."

Wen Yao glanced at Jiang Shuyi but said nothing.

"Is that so?" Xiao Jiayu regretfully put the crab meat into his own bowl, "What a shame."

"What else do you want to eat? You can order anything."

"Um, thank you."

That said, now that they had eaten half the meal, ordering a whole roast suckling pig would probably not be good. Jiang Shuyi silently chewed on the chicken, thinking.

"By the way, Wen Yao, I gave you my number last time, why didn't you call me?" After eating for a while, Xiao Jiayu suddenly asked.

"If I had known I would run into you today, I would have brought it with me," he put down his chopsticks, "Lindell's book."

"No one around me likes his books as much as you do, reading alone isn't much fun."

Xiao Jiayu said with a look of regret.

Wen Yao smiled calmly.

It's just a novel, Wen Yao reads them every day, what's the difference if she has one or two more?

Jiang Shuyi's eyelashes drooped low as she thought, while putting a lot of small chili peppers into her dipping sauce.

She dipped a piece of white cut chicken in it.

Xiao Jiayu looked over, "Classmate, won't you get a stomachache eating so many small chilies?"

"I'm fine." Jiang Shuyi frowned.

Teacher Liu smiled, "People who love spicy food eat like this, I also like to add small chilies."

Jiang Shuyi politely nodded at the teacher, unsure of what to say in response.

Xiao Jiayu frowned at Teacher Liu's dipping sauce, "Wow, Teacher, can you handle that?"

"It tastes great like this." Teacher Liu laughed.

Xiao Jiayu then looked at Wen Yao, "What about you, Wen Yao?"

". . ." Wen Yao looked at her dipping sauce, "I don't eat spicy food much, usually, I just stick to the original flavor."

"Oh, our tastes are quite similar." Xiao Jiayu smiled slightly and pointed to the sliced deep-fried goose.

"By the way, do you prefer dipping the deep-fried goose in goose sauce or sour plum sauce?"

Teacher Liu thought for a moment, "The sweet and sour plum sauce tastes better, it won't be too greasy."

"...I also prefer sour plum sauce." Jiang Shuyi blinked and immediately replied.

Xiao Jiayu paused for a moment and looked at Wen Yao, "Wen Yao, what about you?"

Wen Yao glanced at Jiang Shuyi, "...Goose sauce."

"It seems our tastes are aligned." Xiao Jiayu laughed.

—'Professor Xiao and Professor Wen are quite a match.'

For some reason, this phrase popped into Jiang Shuyi's mind.

Jiang Shuyi lowered her head, feeling a bit uncomfortable in her stomach.

Wen Yao didn't eat much. The more Jiang Shuyi thought about it, the angrier she became.

Clearly, sour plum sauce is much tastier than goose sauce...

Jiang Shuyi started to eat quietly by herself.

Wen Yao, Teacher Liu, and Xiao Jiayu started talking again, and Jiang Shuyi looked at Wen Yao's smile, feeling that she shouldn't have come.

She had no connection with this teacher or Xiao Jiayu, and she had no interest in them.

What could she do here?

Besides feeling awkward, it seemed like there was nothing else.

They were a group, part of the same class, while she was just an outsider.

---

After dinner, the group walked out of the restaurant and stood on the street to say goodbye.

"It's getting late, and tomorrow is Monday."

Teacher Liu smiled, "You all need to work hard for college, I'll be cheering for you."

"Thank you, Teacher." Wen Yao said calmly, looking at Teacher Liu.

Jiang Shuyi also said thank you.

Xiao Jiayu glanced at Wen Yao, "Wen Yao, let me walk you home?"

". . ."

Jiang Shuyi froze for a moment, feeling a bit angry as she tucked her hands into her clothes.

She really wanted to say, "Wen Yao is living at my house now, there's no need for you to walk her home."

But just as the words were on her lips, she remembered Wen Yao had asked her not to tell anyone that she was living with her, so she exhaled and said nothing, staring at the ground.

"No, we still have things to do, let's just say goodbye here."

Wen Yao thought for a moment and refused.

"Alright then," Xiao Jiayu said, smiling as if he didn't care much.

"By the way, remember to call me." Xiao Jiayu gestured.

"I'll bring you the book."

"Mm." Wen Yao politely nodded.

Before Xiao Jiayu left, he casually patted Jiang Shuyi's shoulder, "Let's chat more next time."

"Ah, okay." Jiang Shuyi smiled, unsure of how to respond.

---

On the way back.

Jiang Shuyi walked a distance behind Wen Yao, not saying a word.

Wen Yao didn't speak to her either and continued walking ahead.

After a while, Jiang Shuyi, feeling wronged, tugged at Wen Yao's sleeve.

"What's wrong?" Wen Yao glanced at her.

Jiang Shuyi looked sullenly at Wen Yao, and after a while, lowered her head. "I'm angry, Wen Yao."

Clearly, today Wen Yao had promised to go to the movies with her, it was supposed to just be the two of them spending Christmas together...

But everything was different from what she had imagined.

Jiang Shuyi was really angry today.

She was angry that Wen Yao had instantly let go of her hand when she saw the teacher.

She was also angry that Xiao Jiayu served food to Wen Yao, and she accepted it.

She was angry that usually, Wen Yao was like an ice cube, hardly ever smiling at her, but when Xiao Jiayu spoke to her, she could smile like a normal person.

She was angry that she didn't know Wen Yao's past, making her feel like insignificant air during their conversation.

She was angry that Xiao Jiayu was a nice person while she felt like a nuisance.

Most of all, she was angry that despite feeling so angry, she was still standing here, somewhat hesitantly tugging at Wen Yao.

"So?"

"What do you want to say?" Wen Yao asked, as indifferent as usual.

Jiang Shuyi looked at Wen Yao and said defiantly:

"You need to comfort me."

---

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