Chapter 13

Even as she sat side by side with Ji Kailan in the library, Su Louzhi's mind was still a little fuzzy.

How had she… nodded again?

It had just been a nap. How had it turned into coming over every day?

She stared blankly at the copy of *Principles of Accounting* in front of her, her head full of that bewildering moment from earlier.

“Zhizhi?”

A gentle voice sounded beside her.

Su Louzhi snapped back to reality and looked up.

Ji Kailan was watching her, concern flickering in his eyes. “Did I go too fast? Zhizhi didn't follow?”

Su Louzhi quickly shook her head.

She took a deep breath, pushed those messy thoughts aside, and refocused on the book.

Before long, she discovered that Ji Kailan really had a knack for teaching.

All those convoluted finance terms and dry, complicated principles—he broke them apart, rebuilt them, and turned them into little challenges. Every time he finished explaining a concept, it felt like clearing a level, complete with a small sense of accomplishment. Su Louzhi found herself drawn in, the more she listened, and before she knew it, she was fully immersed.

When she looked up again, it was already dark outside. The library lights had come on at some point, and several tables around them were empty.

Su Louzhi blinked, then glanced down at her phone.

**17:47**

She'd studied an entire afternoon?

And… she didn't even feel tired?

Su Louzhi packed up her things in a daze and followed Ji Kailan out of the library. The night breeze hit her face, carrying a hint of early autumn chill. She took a deep breath, about to type out a goodbye—

“Zhizhi.”

Ji Kailan spoke first.

He tilted his head to look at her, his tone laced with just the right amount of pitifulness. “Tonight, I'm going to be eating alone again.”

Su Louzhi looked up.

“I wonder if Zhizhi could take pity on me,” he said, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. “Keep me company for dinner?”

Su Louzhi froze.

Senior Ji today… was there a little too much of him?

From the chance encounter this morning, to the movie, to the meal, to the nap, to the whole afternoon of tutoring, and now this—but the way he said it made him sound genuinely pathetic. And besides, she really didn't have any plans for the National Day holiday.

She nodded and typed out a reply: [What does Senior Ji want to eat?]

Ji Kailan glanced at it and chuckled softly. “If I hadn't invited Zhizhi, what were you planning to eat?”

Su Louzhi honestly typed: [The cafeteria.]

“Then let's go to the cafeteria.” Ji Kailan said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “We can't disrupt Zhizhi's original plans.”

—

During the National Day holiday, not many students stayed on campus, but there were still a few scattered around the cafeteria.

When Su Louzhi and Ji Kailan walked in, several tables of students looked up casually. The moment they saw the pair walking in side by side, their gazes froze. Someone murmured something, and the people next to them immediately turned to look. Soon, more and more eyes were drifting toward the entrance.

Su Louzhi didn't notice a thing. She was too busy thinking about what to eat to pay any attention to the atmosphere.

But Ji Kailan noticed.

He frowned slightly, and the next second, he stepped forward half a pace, subtly placing himself in front of Su Louzhi.

That tall, slender figure neatly blocked the curious, admiring, scrutinizing looks.

He lifted his gaze, letting it sweep coldly across those tables of students. Startled, as if stung, they all quickly averted their eyes and pretended to focus on their food.

Only then did Ji Kailan look away.

He shifted aside, falling back into step beside Su Louzhi, his tone perfectly normal. “Which counter does Zhizhi want to go to?”

Su Louzhi had no idea what had just happened. She looked up, thought seriously for a moment, then pointed to the counter on the far left.

Ji Kailan's lips curved. “Alright, let's go there.”

The self-serve counter was Su Louzhi's favorite—all she had to do was point at what she wanted, no typing required. It was cheap and tasty, perfectly meeting all her expectations for a cafeteria.

There weren't many people at the counter tonight, and the serving auntie was idle. When she saw Su Louzhi and Ji Kailan walking over side by side, her eyes lit up and her smile instantly turned warm.

“Oh my! Little sis, staying on campus for National Day—are you planning to spend it with your little boyfriend?”

Su Louzhi froze, staring blankly at the auntie.

“I knew it,” the auntie said, waving her ladle with a booming voice. “A pretty girl like you definitely got snatched up as soon as you set foot on campus! And here you are, already taken!”

Su Louzhi's face flushed bright red. She shook her head frantically, waving both hands, desperately trying to deny it.

But the auntie just took it as shyness. “Aww, still shaking your head?” The auntie's eyes squinted into slits. “Little sis is shy!”

Su Louzhi turned to Ji Kailan, looking a little helpless, her eyes wet and pleading: Say something!

Ji Kailan lowered his head and met those eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously, and he paused for a fraction of a second—but he didn't let Su Louzhi notice. Instead, he curved his lips and said with a tone of helpless amusement, “Auntie, please, she's shy.”

The auntie wore a knowing expression and pointed her ladle at Ji Kailan. “Alright, alright, I won't say any more. Young man, you're a lucky one.”

Su Louzhi: “…”

Wait, what exactly did the two of you just understand?!

Still blushing, Su Louzhi got her food and stood by waiting for Ji Kailan. Once they'd both picked their dishes, they carried their trays over and sat down at an empty table. With the holiday crowd thin, most tables were vacant, so she'd just picked a spot at random.

During the meal, Ji Kailan didn't sit idle either. Between bites, he naturally steered the conversation toward tomorrow's plans. It started with “Is Zhizhi still getting up early to exercise tomorrow?” and flowed into “I happen to be an early riser too,” and then “Exercising together is a good way to keep each other on track,” until he smoothly sealed the deal—seven o'clock tomorrow morning, by the basketball court.

Su Louzhi bit down on her chopsticks, feeling like something wasn't quite right. Hadn't they agreed on afternoon tutoring? How had it turned into spending the morning together too? But she couldn't find a reason to refuse. After all, he'd made it sound perfectly reasonable.

After dinner, they left the cafeteria, and Ji Kailan walked her back to Building 1. They stopped at the entrance to the dormitory, and Su Louzhi was about to type out a goodbye when Ji Kailan suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

“Come to think of it,” he said, looking at her with a subtle smile in his voice, “I've spent the whole day with Zhizhi, but I still don't have her contact information.”

Su Louzhi blinked.

Right.

She quickly pulled out her phone, pulled up her WeChat QR code, and held it up for him.

Ji Kailan lowered his head to scan it, the curve of his lips impossible to hold back.

“Alright.” He put away his phone and said softly, “Let me know when Zhizhi gets back to her room. Good night.”

Su Louzhi nodded, typed out a quick message, and held up the screen: [Good night, Senior Ji.]

Ji Kailan looked at the words, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

He stood there, watching her walk into the dormitory building, and only turned and left once her figure disappeared around the corner of the stairwell.