Mixed Chapter 12
byPretending to Sleep
4:00 PM — Hangcheng Airport.
Chi Nuan yawned, “Teacher Song, are we taking a taxi back to school later?”
“My car is in the parking lot.”
She suddenly tilted her head toward Song Shixue, revealing a small canine tooth. “How can Teacher Song be so thoughtful! Hehe, I’ll trouble you again this time, Teacher Song~”
The tips of Song Shixue’s ears, hidden behind her hair, were already faintly pink where Chi Nuan couldn’t see.
Once again, her heart was celebrating.
“Let’s go, let’s go.”
Song Shixue walked ahead, taking several deep breaths. Only then did her heart rate return to normal.
Chi Nuan jogged over and walked beside Song Shixue.
The four o’clock sunlight was like melted butter, thickly enveloping their figures walking side by side.
It takes about an hour to get from Hangcheng Airport to Hua Guo Academy of Fine Arts.
As soon as Chi Nuan got into the car, her eyelids started fighting. Coupled with the assistance of the sunlight, she fell asleep effortlessly.
At first, Song Shixue found the car too quiet, which wasn’t like Chi Nuan.
She glanced toward the passenger seat and realized Chi Nuan was already deep in slumber.
Chi Nuan had good sleeping posture.
She sat there obediently, her head slightly tilted down.
Her glasses were off, and the sunlight sprinkled on her cheek, giving it a delicate pink hue. This made her extremely “boyish” face appear a bit more adorable.
During every moment waiting at a red light, Song Shixue would look at Chi Nuan’s sleeping face, sketching it over and over in her mind.
“You have arrived at your destination,” the navigation system announced. But the person in the passenger seat still didn’t move.
Song Shixue unbuckled her seatbelt, intending to wake Chi Nuan, but noticed her eyelids subtly fluttering. She dismissed the idea.
She wasn’t in a hurry, so she played on her phone, waiting for the feigning Chi Nuan to wake up.
Just as Song Shixue’s hand warmed up the phone, Chi Nuan’s head, as if losing its center of gravity, leaned increasingly toward her.
Song Shixue wore an expression of indifference, but her body unconsciously moved toward Chi Nuan.
She adjusted her right shoulder upward to an appropriate height. A height suitable for Chi Nuan’s head to rest upon.
She couldn’t help but sigh—what a cunning little black Shiba.
Chi Nuan turned her face away, revealing a triumphant smile.
If Song Shixue had seen that expression, she would definitely have been speechless.
Song Shixue didn’t want to continue acting along with this “Little Black Shiba.” She gently patted Chi Nuan’s head.
“Student Chi, we’re at school. Aren’t you going to get out of the car?”
Chi Nuan slowly lifted her head and rubbed her eyes. Her voice was filled with the weariness of just waking up. “We’re already here?”
Song Shixue curved her lips into a smile, crossing her arms over her chest, watching Chi Nuan perform.
“Yes, Student Chi. Was my shoulder comfortable to sleep on?”
Chi Nuan blurted out almost instantly: “Comfortable!”
Oh crap! What am I saying! Can’t my mouth consult with my brain before speaking next time!
“Ah, ah, I didn’t mean that, Teacher Song.” A wave of heat rushed to both of Chi Nuan’s cheeks.
“No, I didn’t mean it wasn’t comfortable either… anyway, thank you for lending me your shoulder, Teacher Song…” Chi Nuan truly wanted to sew her mouth shut right now. If toe-curling could actually excavate a villa, Chi Nuan would be a real estate mogul by now.
Her words made Song Shixue laugh out loud for a moment.
“Let’s go, Student Chi. Your acting needs improvement, though.”
Chi Nuan tidied up her messy hair, put on her glasses, and got out of the car.
But her mind kept replaying Song Shixue’s last words.
She said my acting needs improvement? Did Teacher Song know I was pretending to sleep the whole time?!
Chi Nuan wished everything that had just happened was a dream.
It was just too embarrassing!
“But Song Shixue seemed very happy just now! I made her happy!” Thinking this, Chi Nuan’s previous embarrassment instantly vanished.
Song Shixue, if you are happy today, then so am I.
Song Shixue stopped a short distance ahead.
Chi Nuan walked toward her step by step.
“Teacher Song, are you waiting for me?”
Song Shixue didn’t speak, but simply started walking again.
The sky gradually darkened, and the streetlights on campus flickered on. They stretched their shadows long, and then they collided with each other.
Song Shixue, look, even our shadows are so compatible.
“Isn’t Teacher Song going home today?” Chi Nuan looked at Song Shixue’s profile.
“I still have some teaching documents to process.”
The closer Chi Nuan got to the Teaching Building, the emptier she felt inside.
She felt that the past two days spent with Song Shixue were like a dream, very unreal.
If the awkward moment half an hour ago and the present were all a dream, Chi Nuan would prefer to stay in this dream forever and never wake up.
At the base of the Teaching Building, Song Shixue intended to say goodbye to Chi Nuan, but couldn’t see her anywhere.
She looked back and saw Chi Nuan standing still, about fifty meters away from her, head bowed.
Seeing this scene, Song Shixue felt a strange pang of heartache.
In that moment, she wanted to walk over and hug Chi Nuan. But she never found the resolve to take that step.
She simply stood still like a painting under the streetlight, waiting.
This was already the most self-breaking thing Song Shixue could do at the moment.
Chi Nuan didn’t want to part with Song Shixue so quickly. In a rush of emotion, she came up with this method.
She was conflicted internally.
On one hand, she wanted to spend more time with Song Shixue; on the other, she was afraid Song Shixue would dislike her for such childish behavior.
In the end, the latter concern won out.
Chi Nuan lifted her head and walked toward Song Shixue.
She suddenly realized that this distance was like the relationship between the two of them—one side always had to choose to be proactive.
“I’m sorry, Teacher Song, for making you wait.” Chi Nuan cleared her throat, her tone apologetic.
“Can you tell me why you were standing there without moving?”
Song Shixue had never proactively cared about anyone’s emotions before.
But Chi Nuan always made Song Shixue break many firsts for her, without Song Shixue even realizing it herself.
Upon hearing this, fireworks instantly exploded in Chi Nuan’s heart. Her eyes brightened.
Chi Nuan knew Song Shixue was concerned about her, and she knew that saying this required a great deal of psychological preparation for Song Shixue.
Chi Nuan reined in her worthless expression. “I didn’t want to part with you so quickly.”
Although Chi Nuan knew this was inappropriate to say, she didn’t want to make up another excuse.
She decided to be straightforward.
Song Shixue hadn’t expected Chi Nuan to be so direct. She pursed her lips, momentarily unsure how to respond.
Seeing the difficulty on Song Shixue’s face, Chi Nuan added, “Haha, I’m just kidding, Teacher Song. You didn’t take it seriously, did you?”
In fact, Song Shixue was not resistant to the statement; she was even happy about it.
It was just that she was genuinely surprised. Plus, she didn’t want Chi Nuan to discover her little thoughts.
Hearing Chi Nuan’s follow-up sentence, Song Shixue took the out she was offered and didn’t press the matter further.
“Well, I’ll head up now.”
Chi Nuan smiled and waved at Song Shixue. “Don’t work too hard, Teacher Song. Remember to rest early.”
Song Shixue nodded, her lips slightly parted. After hesitating for a few seconds, she still didn’t say the words “You too” or “Good night” to Chi Nuan.
She walked straight up the stairs.