You had to be firm with her when it counted!]
Bai Qingxia pursed her lips and turned her gaze back to the hair clip.
It really was a pretty hair clip, with a pink Hello Kitty design on it.
Bai Qingxia had never owned such a pretty hair clip. In fact, she had never owned a hair clip at all.
After a brief inner struggle, Bai Qingxia picked it up, swept that unruly lock of hair aside, and secured it with the clip.
Unable to see how she looked, she turned to study her reflection in the window.
With her hair swept aside, more of her delicate features were revealed, and the lovely contours of her oval face became clearly visible.
Yet Bai Qingxia did not look particularly happy. She took the clip off again, carefully wrapped it in a sheet of paper, and tucked it into a small compartment in her schoolbag.
That long lock of hair fell loose again, and Bai Qingxia tucked it behind her ear once more.
Time passed, and the bell finally rang.
A whole swath of students immediately slumped over their desks.
It was the first day back at school, and after an entire vacation, this was everyone's first early morning. Besides, most of them had stayed up late the night before.
Lu Yuanqiu stretched, feeling that his nap had been unusually refreshing. It was strange how a classroom desk was always better at putting him to sleep than his bed at home.
During his senior year before his rebirth, though, he had slept through every break not because he was actually tired, but because he had no idea what else to do.
Lu Yuanqiu turned to look at Bai Qingxia. He did not see the hair clip on her head, and since it was not on her desk either, she must have put it away.
If she did not want to wear it, Lu Yuanqiu would not force her. Just as her aloof exterior served as camouflage, that dangling lock of hair and her tightly covered school uniform might also be her protective shell.
Forcibly shattering a girl's protective shell was a deeply irrational thing to do.
Tap, tap.
Lu Yuanqiu tapped her desk and reminded her, "Eat."
Bai Qingxia took out the steamed buns, which were still reasonably warm, and offered them to him with both hands. She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
She really liked handing things over with both hands, and Lu Yuanqiu really liked watching her do it. There was something endearing about the contrast.
"Then tell me," Lu Yuanqiu said, "did you eat this morning?"
The girl said nothing.
Then she explained in a cool voice, "I don't eat breakfast."
Lu Yuanqiu spoke impatiently. "I already told you. Hurry up and eat. Don't make me angry."
Bai Qingxia glanced at him and could only lower her head, untie the plastic bag, and lift a bun to her lips through the bag, taking small bites.
When she reached the meat filling, her eyes lit up. Her next bite was much bigger, and she finished the bun in just a few mouthfuls.
Perhaps worried that her eating had become unseemly, Bai Qingxia looked up and gave Lu Yuanqiu a shy glance, her earlobes reddening.
She turned to face the front, no longer facing Lu Yuanqiu.
Lu Yuanqiu watched with a thoroughly satisfied expression.
If this wasn't raising a daughter, what was?
After she finished the second bun, two remained in the plastic bag. Bai Qingxia looked at them, hesitated for two seconds, and quietly tied the bag shut. She cautiously explained to Lu Yuanqiu, "I... I'm full. I'll eat the rest at lunch."
Smack! Lu Yuanqiu slapped the desk, making both of Bai Qingxia's arms tremble in fright.
The students in front turned around.
Lu Yuanqiu frowned. "This has nothing to do with you."
The two students quickly took the hint and turned back.
Lu Yuanqiu's tone was stern. "If I tell you to eat, eat. No arguments."
Bai Qingxia glared at Lu Yuanqiu with cold resentment, as though she wanted to rebel against his tyranny.
"You dare glare at me? Go on, try it again! Believe me, I'll-"
Lu Yuanqiu leaned closer and pointed at her. Bai Qingxia's lashes fluttered, and she shrank back, withdrawing her glare with a wounded, pitiful expression.
She hurriedly untied the plastic bag and obediently brought the third bun to her lips.
But she ate much more slowly now, as though reluctant to finish it right away.
You had to be firm with her when it counted. Lu Yuanqiu knew that perfectly well.
Bai Qingxia clearly had a stubborn streak, as her repeated glares at him proved. Gentle persuasion was useless when he wanted her to do something.
He simply had to push back against her and see who could outlast whom.
Of course, Lu Yuanqiu would always be the winner.
Heh. I could milk her little theft secret for the rest of my life. This secret was fucking gold.
At the front of the classroom.
"That day, I got past five guys with one move, spun around and faked out that big guy from the class next door, then jumped up and slammed the basketball right through the hoop."
Wang Haoran, the class monitor with the center-parted hair, was vividly recounting his brilliant moments on the basketball court.
He held his right arm up, seemingly demonstrating a shooting motion, though he was actually showing off his biceps.
But when he looked at Hu Caiwei, he realized she was not looking his way at all.
Following her gaze, Wang Haoran looked toward the window beside Lu Yuanqiu.
He smiled and said, "The weather's pretty nice today. Perfect for a walk around the sports field, don't you think, Caiwei? Hey, Caiwei?"
Hu Caiwei had not heard a word. She rose from her seat and headed toward the corner of the classroom.
Once she got there, Hu Caiwei could not help covering her nose. The Liu Family twins' feet smelled like biological weapons.
"Lu Yuanqiu!"
She stamped her foot as she called his name.
Seeing this, Bai Qingxia turned away with a cool expression and concentrated on eating her bun, though she still kept her ears pricked.
Lu Yuanqiu turned around, saw that it was Hu Caiwei, and asked, "What?"
"Come outside. I need to talk to you."
Hu Caiwei turned and walked off. When she reached the doorway, she expected Lu Yuanqiu to have followed, only to find no one behind her. He was still sitting in his seat!
"Lu Yuanqiu! You're getting more and more out of line!"
Hu Caiwei stood at the back door, shouting angrily.
Her voice drew plenty of curious looks from around the classroom, including one from the class monitor, Wang Haoran.
What happened? What had Lu Yuanqiu done to Hu Caiwei?!
Every gossip-hungry ear perked up.
Lu Yuanqiu looked impatiently at the girl with twin ponytails in the doorway. "What did I do? Whatever you have to say, say it here. I can't be bothered to move."
Hu Caiwei walked back. Standing beside Lu Yuanqiu's desk, she did not dare speak loudly with so many people around, so she said through gritted teeth, "Enough already. When I said I'd accept Wang Haoran's confession, I was only trying to scare you. It was just a
joke. I..."
Hu Caiwei cautiously glanced toward Wang Haoran and whispered, "I don't like him."
Lu Yuanqiu smiled. "Then you like me?"
Hu Caiwei blushed and hurriedly said, "I told you, we're still too young to date. Once we graduate..."
Bai Qingxia suddenly reminded them in a cool voice, "The teacher's here."
Hu Caiwei turned around and, sure enough, saw their homeroom teacher, Liu Wei, entering the classroom with a textbook.
Liu Wei was always this heartless, starting lessons before the break ended and dragging them out after the bell.
Hu Caiwei stamped her foot in annoyance again, but had no choice but to return to her seat.
Lu Yuanqiu, on the other hand, gave Bai Qingxia a curious look. This was the first time he had seen her speak of her own accord.
She took out her language arts textbook as though nothing had happened.
Gradually, noon arrived.
The students either went home or headed to the cafeteria. Hu Caiwei had not found a chance to talk to Lu Yuanqiu all morning, and now that she had one, she came running over again.
"Lu Yuanqiu, come eat with me in the cafeteria!"
"Sorry, I need to study."
Lu Yuanqiu remained unmoved in his seat. Unable to do anything about him, Hu Caiwei was eventually dragged away by her lunch buddy.
Gradually, only Bai Qingxia and Lu Yuanqiu remained in the classroom.
Lu Yuanqiu wanted to see just what the girl beside him ate when she went to the cafeteria so late every time-or whether she ate at all.
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