Back to Auntie’s School Days - Chapter 14

The frost-cold tone swept over her like an arctic chill.

The smile on Jian Hao’s face froze bit by bit, finally collapsing like a crumbling glacier swallowed by the sea.

Jian Hao tried to read Tan Yanqing’s expression, but her eyes were obscured by her lenses; all she could see was a glint of cold blue reflected in the glass. She lowered her head, her teeth instinctively biting the inside of her cheek.

When Jian You returned, she immediately noticed the wrong atmosphere between the two. It felt like the heavy, stifling stillness just before a summer afternoon thunderstorm.

She raised an eyebrow.

Walking over to Jian Hao’s side, she gave a direct “tsk” at Tan Yanqing. “It was just a stupid little note. Why are you snapping at my girl?”

Though she hadn’t heard their conversation, she could bet her life that this buzzkill “old cadre” Tan Yanqing had given Jian Hao a lecture.

Tan Yanqing ignored her, simply staring at Jian Hao.

Jian Hao remained with her head down, picking at her sleeves. Jian You wrapped an arm around Jian Hao’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Pass me notes next class instead. I’ll write you a whole biography!”

Jian Hao stayed silent.

The corridor suddenly dimmed as dark clouds masked the sun.

“The weather forecast didn’t say it would rain today,” someone walking out of the restroom remarked to a companion.

Zhu Xinsui followed behind them. Seeing the trio, she smiled. “Let’s go.”

Jian You let her hand drop from Jian Hao’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Zhu Xinsui didn’t notice the tension. She walked beside Jian You, chatting about the ice cream Jian You had taken her to get after school the previous evening.

Jian Hao followed behind them with her head hanging low. Tan Yanqing paused for a moment, then followed behind Jian Hao.

As they climbed a flight of stairs and reached the landing, someone grabbed Tan Yanqing’s sleeve. Jian Hao pulled her into the corner.

When Jian Hao looked up at Tan Yanqing, the latter noticed that Jian Hao’s eyes were slightly red. Jian Hao took one look and immediately looked back down.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be careful next time. Please don’t be mad at me.”

Jian Hao’s nose felt prickly. Staring at her own toes, she made a major decision.

“I won’t go to your place to do homework anymore, either.”

She had been too forward. Looking back, she realized that because she knew Tan Yanqing and had spent years with her, the natural intimacy felt normal. But to Tan Yanqing, they had known each other for less than a month…

“But promise me, don’t easily trust people online, and don’t easily accept kindness from others. Don’t… get scammed.”

Tan Yanqing’s lips moved, but before she could make a sound, Jian Hao had already run off. All that was left was a two-second glimpse of her retreating back.

With the sports meet roster finalized, there were only three days left before the event. The number of people training on the playground increased visibly.

Nanqing was developing rapidly. As a key provincial high school, Nanqing No. 1 High was a focus of the city’s planning. New teaching buildings and a library were under construction. The playground, which used to require weeding every semester, had been upgraded two years ago with a lawn and a rubber track.

Tan Yanqing finished her warm-up and was standing on the grass by the track. Someone was pushed toward her by a companion, holding out a bottle of iced black tea.

“Student Tan, I heard you signed up for long distance. I signed up because of you. Can I train with you?”

“No.”

Tan Yanqing stepped onto the track and began a slow jog.

The person followed persistently behind her. “Okay, then I won’t bother you, but take this water. You need to replenish your energy when you’re running.”

“No need.”

Her rejection was so absolute that the person was left helpless. They tried a different tactic: “Tan Yanqing, I just want to be friends with you.”

Friends?

Tan Yanqing’s gaze shifted to a certain person named Jian ten meters ahead.

Two days had passed since that incident. Although Jian Lai would still say, “Tan Yanqing, morning!” when entering the classroom and talk to her during breaks, it was different.

Jian Lai used to like resting her feet on the rungs of Tan Yanqing’s chair; she hadn’t done that for two days.

Jian Lai liked to sprawl across her desk, her hands sometimes sliding onto Tan Yanqing’s desk area or accidentally brushing against Tan Yanqing’s clothes; she hadn’t done that for two days.

Jian Lai…

Tan Yanqing felt a sense of irritation. Before Jian Lai appeared, being a loner was her favorite and most comfortable state. She never cared how others saw or thought of her. Her only thought was to study hard and grow up the way her mother had hoped.

But as soon as Jian Lai appeared, all her plans were thrown into disarray.

Is this what a friend is?

Jian Lai didn’t lack friends. Even now, there was another participant from a different class—or even a different grade—running beside her. After only a few days, Jian Lai was already chatting and laughing with them.

And herself? Jian Lai probably only tried to befriend her because she was in a new environment and desperate to fit in, or perhaps out of novelty. Once she understood a bit more and experienced Tan Yanqing’s temperament, she lost interest in the friendship.

Tan Yanqing exhaled, withdrawing her gaze from Jian Lai. She replied to the person following her: “I don’t need any. Don’t bother me again.”

She spoke without a hint of politeness. But this was the real her—like a block of ice that could never be warmed or melted. It didn’t matter what Jian Lai wanted anymore.

She was just a sudden arrival. A summer thunderstorm, a rainbow after the rain, or a gust of wind that ruffles one’s hair. They all start suddenly and end just as abruptly.

Jian Hao said one last thing to the person beside her and gradually slowed her pace. She had caught a glimpse of Tan Yanqing behind her.

Today, Tan Yanqing had been called to the office by Old Gao and arrived late to the playground, so Jian Hao had started running first. Now that she saw Tan Yanqing, she naturally wanted to run with her!

“What did Old Gao want?” Jian Hao asked naturally as Tan Yanqing caught up.

“Handing out worksheets.”

“Oh.” Jian Hao asked again, “Did you do your warm-up?”

“Mhm.”

The conversation ended there. Jian Hao didn’t feel any awkwardness; she used to run with “Auntie Tan” without speaking.

But she didn’t know that Tan Yanqing, who usually never cared about others’ opinions, was feeling uncomfortable. She wanted to say more to Jian Hao. But she had never taken the initiative to chat with anyone and had no idea what to say.

Was Jian Hao still angry? Or did Jian Hao think she was still angry?

Tan Yanqing wanted to tell her that making her follow the rules wasn’t out of anger, but out of worry about the consequences if the teacher saw the note.

Yes. Just a moment ago, she was thinking it didn’t matter if Jian Lai befriended others or liked her, but as soon as she saw Jian Lai slowing down to wait and initiating a conversation, she was instantly mollified.

After all, this was one of her few friends—the second one, to be exact. Jian Lai might have many friends, but Tan Yanqing was willing to be one of them.

It was like being unable to refuse the sun.

“Jian Lai,” Tan Yanqing called out.

“Mhm?”

“About that note you passed me last time…” Tan Yanqing started slowly.

Her tone gave Jian Hao a sense of familiarity. In the past, whenever Jian Hao messed up, Jian You would criticize her first. If she got upset, Tan Yanqing would take her out for good food to coax her, and only after things had settled would Tan Yanqing start the “education.”

No way, no way… is she bringing up old accounts again?

“You stingy person!” Jian Hao blurted out, choking off what Tan Yanqing was about to say.

Jian Hao gave a light huff. “It’s been two days. Why are you still mad?”

She knew passing notes in class was wrong, but it wasn’t that serious, was it? Scolding her with that cold face wasn’t enough; she had to bring it up again now?

Tan Yanqing: “…”

She looked at Jian Hao with a serious expression. “I’m not mad.”

Jian Hao snorted. Tell that to the ghosts.

“I know I shouldn’t disturb your classes, so I won’t pass you notes anymore. I’ll tell you everything during the breaks.” She held up three fingers by her ear, like she was making a sacred vow.

Tan Yanqing’s heart twitched. After a silence, she said, “Have you thought about what would happen if the teacher didn’t catch the note you gave her, but instead caught…”

Tan Yanqing paused. “…the one where you mentioned dating? What would you do then?”

Her tone might have been harsh that day, but she was simply terrified of what the teacher would think—or what they would do to Jian Hao—if that third note had been seen. Jian Hao was only auditing at the school; if she disrupted the learning environment, the teachers could ask her to leave at any time.

Jian Hao stopped walking. Tan Yanqing stopped in front of her. Many people ran past them, but Jian Hao only had eyes for Tan Yanqing.

“So,” Jian Hao lifted her foot slightly and shifted toward Tan Yanqing, though the distance moved was less than five centimeters. Her voice was soft: “Were you worried I’d get you in trouble, or were you worried I’d get scolded?”

Tan Yanqing turned her head away, silent.

Understanding dawned on Jian Hao, and she couldn’t help but smile. She bit her lip and lifted her foot again. This time when she stepped down, her toes were less than five centimeters from Tan Yanqing’s.

“It’s senior year. Teachers usually turn a blind eye to dating; it’s not as strict as you think.”

A breeze happened to blow, carrying the sweet scent of candy from Jian Hao to Tan Yanqing’s nose. Tan Yanqing turned her head back and, caught off guard, crashed into a pair of clear, bright eyes.

For a split second, Tan Yanqing forgot to breathe. She could hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

Jian Hao saw the coldness in the eyes behind the lenses, and… the slightly irregular fluttering of her eyelashes. But she didn’t seem to notice Tan Yanqing’s internal turmoil. She squinted her eyes and said with a smile, “Besides, dating isn’t something I can just decide on. You have to agree, too.”

She raised her right hand and lightly poked Tan Yanqing’s shoulder with her index finger.

“So even if the teacher found out, as long as you don’t admit it, they’d just think I was joking with you.”

She lowered her hand behind her back and leaned her body slightly forward. The posture looked as if she were about to kiss her.

Tan Yanqing took a step back. Her lips were pressed into a thin white line.

Jian Hao burst out laughing. The sound was soft, with a unique tingle like a feather brushing against the heart.

“Worrying about me this much… is it because you’re already considering…” She tilted her head and winked at Tan Yanqing.

“Would you want to date me?”

That night, Tan Yanqing found it hard to fall asleep. That single question replayed in her mind.

How was she supposed to answer Jian Hao?