Chapter 117

That day, they did something they had never done before. It was somewhat magical. After cleaning up, Xiao Chen took Yu Na into his arms. Her face was nearly buried in his chest. The room was filled with a hazy orange glow.

"Baby."

"Hmm?"

Xiao Chen nuzzled his chin against her forehead. "Look at me."

Yu Na stubbornly refused to lift her head, making excuses, "I'm sleepy..."

"Sleepy--" Xiao Chen grinned wickedly. "You can't sleep like this. Aren't you afraid you'll suffocate?"

Yu Na suddenly turned her body, with her back facing him. "Turn off the lights. Let's sleep."

Xiao Chen: ?

He stretched out his arm to cushion her head.

Yu Na still refused to turn her body around. Xiao Chen moved closer, resting his chin on her shoulder. Tilting his head slightly, he kissed her neck again.

Yu Na's breath halted.

He lightly hooked his arm around her, placing his other hand at her waist, easily turning Yu Na's body around to face him.

"Look at me."

Yu Na: "......"

She raised her head, meeting his eyes.

The instant their eyes met, Xiao Chen kissed her again. "I'm very satisfied with this Qixi festival."

Kissed by him, Yu Na asked, "Do you like it?"

"What do you think?" Xiao Chen's voice grew hoarse, mixed with the scent Yu Na loved most, brushing past her ear, tingling and numbing her. "I love it to death."

...

The madness from the previous night was directly reflected on Yu Na's neck.

The next day, as she sat in front of the dressing table, she suddenly noticed a suggestive mark on her neck through the mirror.

".....Xiao Chen!"

Xiao Chen directly changed his clothes in front of her. After so many intimate interactions, they no longer had any secrets between them.

Having just woken up, he lazily walked over. "What's the matter?"

"This!" Yu Na pointed at her neck. "What should I do about this?!" Her memory was suddenly pulled back to last night.

Xiao Chen's eyes smiled. He astonishingly asked back in a matter-of-fact tone: "What's wrong with that?"

"I have classes!" Yu Na was nearly frantic.

"Don't worry. Who would dare ask the teacher about this?"

"That's not the point! People will definitely gossip about this. It's so obvious!" Yu Na turned her head and slapped his arm. "Why didn't you avoid that area?"

"Tsk," Xiao Chen sat leisurely on the sofa behind them. "But I felt you really enjoyed it yesterday."

Yu Na: ?

She really wanted to hit him with a book.

Xiao Chen lazily came up with an explanation: "If anyone asks, just say you were bitten badly by a mosquito from scratching. That would look similar too."

Yu Na didn't turn back. She carefully applied concealer.

After applying the concealer, it shouldn't be noticeable without leaning in to scrutinize.

But she still got up and sat on Xiao Chen's lap. "Take a look. Can you see it?"

"Can't see it. Don't worry." Xiao Chen tucked his phone back into his pocket. "Next time I'll kiss lower. I won't touch that area anymore. Alright?"

"....."

...

Because she had applied concealer, Yu Na was not too worried at school.

During night self-study period, she was in the office when Qiao Rui came in with his workbook, asking her questions.

Yu Na put down her pen to explain to him.

While explaining the problem, Xu Yi knocked on the door. "Teacher"

"Come in."

Upon hearing this voice, Qiao Rui subconsciously wanted to turn back but restrained himself.

He fidgeted with the ballpoint pen in hand, somewhat uneasy.

Seeing Qiao Rui was also in the office, Xu Yi clenched the paper in her hand, creasing it.

The two were very tacit, neither looking at the other, not daring to interact, for fear of stirring up more trouble.

Xu Yi walked over to Yu Na and handed her the paper. "Teacher Yu, this is my self-criticism."

"Okay, leave it here."

From the corner of her eyes, Xu Yi secretly glanced at Qiao Rui. Qiao Rui was concentrating hard on the questions, yet unable to comprehend a single word.

"I'll head back to the classroom first."

"Alright."

Before leaving the office, Xu Yi couldn't help letting her sight drift back toward his direction.

Qiao Rui suddenly put down his pen. His thoughts in disorder, he looked at the question, scratching his head in distress, "I can't even understand such an easy question." Yu Na placed the self-criticism in the drawer and asked, "Which one?"

She went on to explain another question to Qiao Rui.

But realizing his mind didn't seem focused on the question at all, Yu Na pulled over a chair, "Sit, let's chat."

Qiao Rui obediently took a seat. "Chat about what?"

"You'll be taking the college entrance exam next year, already in your last year of high school. I know what you're thinking right now, but you can't do this now. Work hard for one year and get good grades. Then you can pursue her with confidence. Right?"

"....."

Qiao Rui hadn't expected Yu Na to have seen through this.

He felt injustice but didn't know how to vent it.

With just the two of them in the office, Qiao Rui didn't treat her as a stranger. He told her about his grievance, "I just feel this is going too far."

"This isn't going too far. He's afraid you will affect your studies. Teacher Qin has taught for over twenty years. He has seen far too many students whose relationships caused them to ruin their studies and fail the college entrance exam in the end. He doesn't want the same happening to you. Understand?"

"I understand but—" Qiao Rui felt so wronged. "But I didn't neglect my studies! You've seen my great progress too. Us being a little closer doesn't mean anything. And it's impossible for me to start dating now. You know me. If I date, it'd be after graduation. So how could I possibly affect my studies? To be honest, I feel super motivated when she watches me study."

This was indeed true.

When Qiao Rui and Xu Yi were deskmates, no matter when she saw him, he was always studying.

"....."

Yu Na tapped her fingertips lightly on the table.

At school, she was very aware quite a few girls liked Qiao Rui, yet she never saw him respond to any of them.

Ever since he grew close to Xu Yi, he had changed completely as a person.

Yu Na looked at him with amusement, "You like her that much?"

Qiao Rui didn't want to hide it. He nodded his head just barely.

He put away his workbook, resigned to the reality with helplessness. He reassured Yu Na, "Don't worry. I won't put you in a difficult spot. It's impossible for me to date in high school. I won't talk to her in school."

Yu Na didn't know how to describe her feelings right now. She badly wanted to find a balance, but the principal watched too closely.

Perhaps this was the frustration of a new teacher. Wanting it both ways yet unable to have it.

"Teacher Yu—" Qiao Rui suddenly changed his tone, speaking leisurely. "There are a lot mosquitoes at your home, right?"

"Huh?"

"The bite on your neck is quite bad. It really swelled up."

Yu Na: "............???"

Qiao Rui reverted back to his silly style, the switch in persona extreme compared to just now. "Mosquitoes are so annoying. They just have to bite anywhere once they find a spot, no sense of appropriateness."

It held the veiled meaning of poking fun.

Yu Na unconsciously covered her neck. "Yeah, lots of mosquitoes in summer. I plan to buy one of those electric mosquito swatters online."

"No need. Some mosquitoes aren't deterred by those devices," Qiao Rui gave her a meaningful smile, fully aware of the situation. His words deliberately targeting something, "To take care of those annoying mosquitoes, just hit them. Beat them to death."