I'll Take You Stargazing

After thinking over strategy for a while and reading for a bit longer, Wang Ge felt a little stifled and asked, "Want to go for a walk?"

Chen Yanxi lightly adjusted her glasses. "You go first. I'll go after you come back."

"...You really aren't giving me any chances at all." Wang Ge smiled and shook his head. He did not mind, though. Closing his book, he slowly strolled out of the library.

Chen Yanxi looked up at his retreating back, then lowered her head and immersed herself in her book again.

It was currently break time during evening self-study, yet there were still barely any people outside the academic building.

Wang Ge wandered around alone without any particular destination, enjoying this rare tranquility.

The trees planted around the school had already taken on a hint of green, and tiny shoots had emerged from the soil beneath them.

Spring had arrived.

Wang Ge looked for a moment before withdrawing his gaze, but then he noticed a slender figure sitting beneath a nearby tree from the corner of his eye.

Under the dim yellow streetlamp, her black hair spilled down like a waterfall. She had taken off her loose school uniform and set it beside her, revealing her lovely figure.

She was developing pretty well... In the spirit of appreciating beauty, Wang Ge took a few extra looks at the girl's figure.

To be this well-endowed in high school, her future was limitless.

At that moment, the girl seemed to notice Wang Ge's rather impolite gaze and turned to look at him.

Familiar peach blossom eyes entered Wang Ge's view.

Before Wang Ge could speak, the girl asked first, somewhat surprised, "Why are you here?"

"If you can be here, why can't I?" Wang Ge smiled and sauntered over to her.

The girl did not mind. She casually moved her school uniform to the other side, making room for Wang Ge to sit.

Wang Ge did not stand on ceremony. He plopped down beside her and asked, "What are you doing here, classmate Gu Panyan?"

"Watching the stars."

Wang Ge looked up, confusion in his eyes.

Only a lone crescent moon hung in the pitch-black sky, making it look somewhat desolate.

Where were the stars?

"There used to be so many stars when I was little. Now, I don't know why, but I can't find a single one." Gu Panyan gazed up at the sky, exposing her pale neck.

"Because the city has developed more and more, but light pollution and air pollution have also become increasingly severe. The air is less transparent, so you can't see them."

Wang Ge casually answered her question.

"As expected of the top student. You really know a lot."

It sounded like praise, but Gu Panyan's tone was completely flat. She was obviously just brushing him off.

Wang Ge smiled. "I answered your question, but you don't seem to care that much."

"Why should I care?" Gu Panyan asked in return. "What good is knowing the answer? I still can't see the stars."

Wang Ge shook his head. "No, you're wrong."

"Hm?" Gu Panyan turned to him. "How am I wrong?"

"Once you know the answer to a problem, you can use that answer to solve it."

Gu Panyan seemed somewhat interested. "How?"

Wang Ge thought for a moment, then asked, "Class is about to start. Are you still going to evening self-study?"

Gu Panyan replied casually, "Either way is fine."

"Then put on your clothes and come with me."

"Where?"

"To solve the problem."

"Be more specific."

"I'll take you to see the stars."

Over the course of a few exchanges, on this perfectly ordinary night, the worst student in the class was pulled into skipping school by the top student in the class.

"Why isn't he back yet?"

In the library, Chen Yanxi glanced toward the entrance, but did not see that familiar figure.

She looked at the seat across from her again. It was empty, with only a copy of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio lying quietly on the table.

"Maybe he isn't coming back."

She shifted her gaze back to her book. There was no extra expression on her exquisite little face.

"Where's Gu Panyan?"

In the classroom, Jiang Xiyu looked at the two empty seats behind her and felt a headache coming on.

She knew Wang Ge would not attend evening self-study, but why was Gu Panyan gone too?

Gu Panyan did not like studying, but she had never skipped evening self-study.

Today was her first day sitting with Wang Ge, and now she had vanished. Jiang Xiyu absolutely did not believe Wang Ge had nothing to do with it.

"What is Wang Ge doing? I told him to teach Gu Panyan how to study, not teach Gu Panyan to skip evening self-study!"

A cool breeze rustled through the air. Spring nights were somewhat chilly.

Wang Ge pulled his clothes tighter around himself, regretting not wearing more today.

Gu Panyan looked at him with a strange expression.

Just moments ago, this top-ranked student had led her to a relatively low fence, then climbed over it with incredible familiarity, like an agile curly-haired baboon.

It had surprised her.

Were top students these fierce these days?

"What is it?" Wang Ge asked, noticing her gaze.

"You're so practiced at this. Do you skip school often?" she asked.

"Ah, not really. It's been a long time since I last skipped, so I'm a little rusty," Wang Ge said modestly.

Gu Panyan:?

What were you being modest about? That was rusty?

You're a top student saying something like that. It makes a terrible student like me, who has barely ever skipped class, look bad, okay?

A nostalgic look appeared on Wang Ge's face. "Back in my first and second years, whenever I had nothing to do, I'd skip school, climb over the wall, and go to the internet café. I'd play all day."

Then he said regretfully, "Unfortunately, that internet café went out of business last year. It was the only one near the school, so I haven't climbed over the wall to go online in a long time either."

After hearing Wang Ge's words, Gu Panyan fell silent for two seconds before she could not help saying, "I really don't know how someone like you managed to rank first in the class."

"You can't blame my opponents for being too weak. You can only say that I'm too strong."

Gu Panyan rolled her eyes at him.

Even when rolling her eyes, those beautiful peach blossom eyes remained utterly captivating, carrying the sort of charm often described in novels.

Wang Ge looked puzzled. "What? Was I wrong?"

"Yes, yes, you're right. You're the best."

The two of them walked and chatted, tossing little jokes back and forth.

Wang Ge was one hundred eighty centimeters tall, while Gu Panyan was also rather tall at around one hundred seventy centimeters. From behind, they looked quite well matched.

With Wang Ge deliberately keeping things going, the atmosphere between them was fairly pleasant. Gu Panyan no longer treated him as perfunctorily as she had in class earlier that day.

As they walked, Gu Panyan noticed that the road ahead was getting darker and darker, while the city lights grew farther away.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" she asked.

"What, scared?" Wang Ge asked with a smile.

Gu Panyan scoffed. "If I were that timid, I wouldn't have come out with you."

"That's true." Wang Ge nodded. "We weren't that familiar before, and you're a girl. The fact that you were willing to come with me in the middle of the night does mean you're pretty brave."

"You're overthinking it."

Gu Panyan said lazily, "I just think that if there are only two of us, the one in danger should be you."

Wang Ge: "..."

What kind of statement was that?

"You're looking down on me too much. I'm an adult man, after all." He sounded dissatisfied. "You're not even as tall as I am."

Gu Panyan looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Want to test that?"

Seeing the curve of her lips, Wang Ge became wary and suddenly recalled the rumors about Gu Panyan at school.

He had heard that she had taken down an entire sports team by herself...

He decisively shook his head. "No. I'm a gentleman. I don't hit women."

"Fine, Mr. Gentleman."

Gu Panyan seemed to have expected it. She yawned and returned to her lazy demeanor.

"What a pity. I haven't beaten up many top students yet."