We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

"Abandon, abandon."

Starting today, Xie Shu has resumed dictation for him. It's good. I'm not saying Chen Qiuhe is bad, it's just that Xie Shu is the best.

"The dictation is finished."

"Let me see." After Xie Shu finished speaking, there was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before she spoke again, "Not bad, five out of thirty questions were wrong. Looks like you've been memorizing English words well."

"I got 119 points on my last English test."

"Really? Then it seems you've made significant progress." Xie Shu chuckled softly. "But I'll be checking your math tomorrow."

"it is good."

"I know a bookstore near the school. How about we meet there tomorrow?" Even though Xie Shu knew Li Mubai wouldn't refuse, she still asked for his opinion first.

"OK."

"Okay, I'll hang up now. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." Li Mubai had just finished speaking when he suddenly remembered something and quickly called out to her, "Wait, Xie Shu."

"What's wrong?"

"Good night." Although it wasn't bedtime yet, Li Mubai still blurted out.

"Then I'll send you a moon emoji."

Xie Shuqing's calm voice came through the phone, leaving Li Mubai momentarily speechless.

"Okay, goodnight, Li Mubai."

"Okay, goodnight!"

After the phone call ended, the room fell silent. Li Mubai turned his head to look at the dark night outside the window.

When did Xie Shu discover that the pseudonym "Yan Shu" belonged to him? At the beginning? Or when he revealed that he had a friend?

If it happened from the beginning, then it's puzzling...

May 1st, Monday.

"Mom, I'm going to the library to study this afternoon."

"Okay, be careful on the road." Li's mother didn't say much, just gave a word of advice. In her eyes, Xiaobai was always sensible and worry-free, and she didn't need to worry too much.

I don't know why Xie Shu chose such a remote location. He left home at 2 p.m. and didn't arrive at the bookstore she mentioned until 4 p.m. Xie Shu hadn't arrived yet, so he started looking around.

The signboard reads four characters: Shiguang Bookstore.

The wooden door frame and the clean glass made it easy to see the shop. There weren't many people inside; a handful of customers were scattered around, some by the window, others huddled in a corner, all quietly and leisurely flipping through books.

That's normal; nowadays, very few people are willing to slow down and quietly read physical books.

In the instant he was lost in thought.

Snapped.

He felt a light tap on his right shoulder and instinctively wanted to turn his head to the right, but then he remembered the time when Chen Qiuhe teased him. But if it were Xie Shu... he probably wouldn't do that, right?

Just as he was hesitating, unsure of which way to look, Xie Shu walked out from the side and stood steadily in front of him.

"Qiuhe told me this would fool you, but why didn't you turn back?"

"...I don't know which way to look." Li Mubai scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly.

"Then next time Qiuhe does this, you won't have to turn around and you won't embarrass yourself."

"Huh, that's true. If I just pretend not to react, Chen Qiuhe will definitely be the one who's anxious," Li Mubai thought to himself.

"Is it pretty?"

"What? The weather?"

Li Mubai looked up and saw that the sky in Pingyang City was gradually clearing up. It was even a bit hot in the afternoon, but sunny days are always comfortable. He should be able to see the sunset glow by then.

"I mean, do I look good today?"

Li Mubai then turned his gaze to Xie Shu.

She wore a dark gray plaid dress with a simple and elegant design. The neckline was covered by a clean white shirt collar. Her eyes were slightly lowered, and a few strands of hair that fell across her chest were casually twirled around her fingertips and gently twisted.

"It looks great." Li Mubai only glanced at it once before quickly looking away.

Seeing this, Xie Shu chuckled softly and said nothing more.

"Let's go inside, it's quite hot outside."

Li Mubai nodded. He wondered if it was because of the high population density in Pingyang City, but Qingzi County always felt cooler.

Xie Shu chose a window seat on the second floor, and a waiter immediately came over with the menu:

"Good afternoon. Seating in our bookstore requires the purchase of a drink. Would you two like to order something?"

You have to buy things to come and study? Li Mubai was surprised to find himself in this kind of store for the first time.

"What would you like to drink?" Xie Shu handed the menu to Li Mubai, who was sitting opposite him.

"I'll have the orange jasmine," Li Mubai said after glancing at it.

"Okay, one orange jasmine drink." The clerk took out a sticky note and wrote it down with a pen.

"Two cups, please," Xie Shu said casually.

"Two orange and jasmine drinks, please wait a moment, they'll be ready for you shortly."

After the waiter left, Xie Shu looked at the boy opposite him and asked:

What was your math score last time?

"...112 points."

After he finished speaking, he felt embarrassed. Compared with the opening exam in early March, his score seemed to have dropped by two points. He glanced at Xie Shu and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the latter did not show any disappointment.

"The questions were a bit harder this time, so it's already very good to stay above 110." Xie Shu said gently, her eyes lowered, "Besides, I was also leaving at that time."

Xie Shu only missed the English exam last time; she did take the math exam, but she wasn't given a score when the results were tallied, and the exam paper wasn't returned to her either.

Did you bring your math test? Let me take a look and see where the problem is.

"I brought it."

Li Mubai took the test paper out of his bag and handed it to her. Xie Shu took it, held the paper between her fingers, and frowned slightly as she pondered.

Do you have a red pen and draft paper?

"some."

Li Mubai took out the things Xie Shu needed from her bag. It seemed she only had a small bag with her phone and power bank.

Why bring a power bank? Is your phone's battery life bad?

As Li Mubai was lost in thought, Xie Shu had already put down the exam paper:

"Sit next to me, it'll be easier for you to see."

"……good."

Li Mubai hesitated for a moment, then gently moved a chair to her side. A faint jasmine scent wafted over. Was it Xie Shu's?

"Hello, that's two Orange Jasmine drinks." The barista brought over a tray and placed two identical drinks on it. "Please feel free to call us if you need anything else."

Xie Shu nodded slightly.

The shop assistant seemed used to people coming to the bookstore to study. He glanced at Xie Shu and Li Mubai, secretly admiring how well the latter ate, and then left.

"Li Mubai, did you copy this wrong answer directly from Teacher Chen's?"

Just as he was about to lift the orange-scented jasmine to confirm where the jasmine scent was coming from, Xie Shu interrupted him.

"Yes." He nodded.

"This solution might be a bit complicated. Here's a possible approach: First..."

No wonder he didn't understand; it turns out it wasn't just his problem.

"Get a little closer," Xie Shu suddenly said.

"Okay, okay."

Li Mubai moved his chair slightly, and the faint jasmine scent became more pronounced. Now he could confirm that it was coming from Xie Shu.

It was very quiet around, with only the occasional sound of wind passing by the window and the soft rustling of pages turning downstairs.

Is it dry here? Why is his face a little itchy?