We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

"Did you all understand?"

Xie Shu put down his pen and turned to look at him.

"I understand." Li Mubai thought for a moment, then asked, "So, in my English essays, should I use as many advanced sentences as possible?"

"Of course not." Xie Shu shook his head. "First, you have to write the sentences clearly. You can use advanced sentence structures, but you have to be flexible, otherwise the grader will easily tell that you're just memorizing a template."

"Oh—" Li Mubai nodded unconsciously, "I understand."

Xie Shu glanced down at his watch.

"That's enough for today. It's almost ten o'clock, we should head back."

"Yes, thank you for today."

"Just say thank you?" Xie Shu looked up at him. "Besides, didn't we agree before that we wouldn't say thank you anymore?"

Li Mubai was taken aback. Besides saying thank you, what other way could he express his gratitude?

"Then... shall I buy you milk tea?"

Xie Shu shook his head.

"How about I treat you to some snacks?"

Xie Shu gently shook her head, her slender fingers pointing to her fair cheek:

"I kissed you here yesterday, so if you want to thank me, do it this way."

"No way." Li Mubai refused without even thinking. "We just signed a commitment to date, we can't do this kind of thing at school."

"It's okay, this is an office, no one will find out."

"No, even though no one is supervising us, we still need to keep our promises," Li Mubai insisted.

"You really are..." Xie Shu looked at him for a while, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, "Very well-behaved."

Li Mubai didn't know if the words were praise or sarcasm, but he took it as praise for his honesty and trustworthiness.

"Then a hug is fine, right?" Xie Shu offered a different suggestion, speaking lightly.

Li Mubai opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word of refusal, Xie Shu added:

"A hug isn't considered an intimate gesture, because you see that people who are good friends hug each other, and students also hug their teachers to express their gratitude when they are about to graduate. We are both friends and teachers and students, so if you are grateful to me, you can hug me."

Li Mubai frowned, pondering Xie Shu's words. It seemed that the logic was indeed correct...

"That's fine, but not for too long, we have to go back soon."

"Okay." Xie Shu's eyes crinkled slightly. "Then stand up first."

Li Mubai moved his heavy office chair back, then stood up. He glanced out the window; the Confucius Academy in the distance had turned off its landscape lights, and the entire mountain was shrouded in darkness.

Xie Shu stood up, took a step closer to him, opened her arms, wrapped them around his waist, and buried her head in his chest. Her warm breath came through the fabric of his school uniform.

Li Mubai could smell the faint fragrance in her hair. He raised his hand and gently touched her hair.

"Mmm..." Xie Shu made a very soft nasal sound in his arms.

Time seemed to slow down. No wonder love always makes people lose their IQ. Even with just this simple hug, Li Mubai felt his heart beating faster and faster.

Moreover, he was told not to hug for too long, but he had long forgotten that rule.

"You also have to buy me milk tea and snacks, okay?" Xie Shu's voice came through.

"You can only have one."

"I'm greedy; I want everything you can give me."

Li Mubai smiled and stroked Xie Shu's hair.

"Okay, I'll bring it back to you when I go back to school this weekend."

Xie Shu gave a soft "hmm," then released her grip and left his embrace, leaving Li Mubai feeling a sense of loss.

"Alright, we should go back to the classroom now," Xie Shu said softly.

Li Mubai nodded.

Xie Shu handed him his test paper. Li Mubai put the chair back in place and tidied up the somewhat messy test paper. The top one was still the Chinese test paper, but this time it had been marked with red pen and the score was 130.

He paused for a moment, then glanced at Xie Shu, who was already waiting at the door. When she saw him looking over, she gently pushed the door open.

The two walked to the second floor of the teaching building, where a few students were still walking back and forth in the corridor.

As they were about to part, Li Mubai suddenly called out to her, "Xie Shu."

"Um?"

"I'll come find you after evening self-study."

"Okay, I'll wait for you." She smiled and then walked towards Class 3.

Li Mubai returned to the classroom and sat back in his seat. In another half hour, evening self-study would end. It was truly a relaxing night, and his study tasks were completed.

Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his back.

Li Mubai turned around in confusion. Lin Xinle put down her pen, picked up a note and handed it to him. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it.

What is Lin Xinle up to?

Li Mubai opened the note.

"Where did you find the library job? Do you think I still have a chance?"

Li Mubai subconsciously thought it was Lin Xinle asking a question, but looking at the speaking style and handwriting, he felt it didn't seem like her.

He turned his head slightly, and Zhao Feng nodded at him.

Li Mubai withdrew his gaze, wrote a few words on the note, and then tossed it to him.

When the bell rang at 10:30, Li Mubai immediately got up and left the classroom with his schoolbag on his back.

He moved down the stairs little by little with the crowd until he reached the second floor before leaving the main group. In the past, he might have been two or three minutes slower, waiting until everyone had left before departing.

However, he didn't want Xie Shu to wait for him for too long, nor did he want Xie Shu to always wait for him.

Xie Shu just came out of the classroom of Class 3.

"It's our group's turn to be on duty today, so you might have to wait a while," she said.

"Okay," Li Mubai added, "If you need any help, just let me know."

"Then help me erase the blackboard later."

"You should drink more AD calcium milk, it might help you grow taller," Li Mubai joked.

"No, being too tall isn't good. This is fine as it is." Xie Shu looked him up and down. "You're only a little shorter than you."

Indeed, this way she could comfortably support his head...

After Xie Shu finished wiping the lower blackboard, Li Mubai took the rag from her and wiped the dusty upper blackboard clean as well. He then stood outside the classroom waiting.

"Oh ho, here to wait for Xie Shu again." Huang Lingling walked out with her schoolbag on her back.

"Um."

"Alright, I won't disturb your sweet duo queue anymore." Huang Lingling waved her hand and walked away briskly.

Snapped.

The classroom lights went out.

"Let's go, Xiaobai." Xie Shu said, carrying her light blue backpack.

"Okay, Xiao Shu."

The evening breeze on a summer night is exceptionally gentle, dispelling the daytime's restlessness and sweltering heat.

Xie Shu walked with light steps. She was wearing a polo shirt, her white color standing out against the pale yellow night. They walked slowly, and the air was filled with the scent of jasmine.

Xie Shu took a step and suddenly stepped on the curb. Just like when he was a child walking on a log bridge, he spread his arms to maintain his balance.

"Be careful," Li Mubai said, walking beside her. "Don't twist your ankle."

"Then hold out your hand," Xie Shu said. "If I hold your hand, I won't fall."

Li Mubai glanced at the few students around him, and finally he reached out his hand, and Xie Shu's soft hand gently placed in his.

"Xiao Shu, you're like a child." Li Mubai watched her wobble forward. "I used to walk like this too."

"I've always been a child," Xie Shu replied matter-of-factly, his gaze fixed on the curb beneath his feet.

"Naughty Kid Xiao Shu"

"Bad kid Xiaobai," she said without turning her head.