Mixed Chapter 17
byJealousy
Song Shixue’s car pulled up outside the school gate.
“Can you get back to the dorm by yourself? I won’t walk you in.”
Chi Nuan unbuckled her seatbelt and turned her upper body toward Song Shixue, asking with a lack of confidence, “Teacher Song, can I come to your place for dinner next weekend too?”
After speaking, she didn’t dare to look into Song Shixue’s eyes.
A flicker of hesitation crossed Song Shixue’s face. After a long pause, she said, “I happen to have plans with a friend that day.”
A friend? Where did Song Shixue have any friends?
During her years alone in Hangcheng, her university classmates had labeled her a bookworm freak. Now, at work, her colleagues were merely casual acquaintances.
Her so-called friend had always been herself.
Since Song Shixue had plans, Chi Nuan wasn’t unreasonable. She nodded slightly, opened the car door, “Good night, Teacher Song.”
“Mm, good night.” Song Shixue drove away.
After saying goodbye to Song Shixue, she strolled leisurely all the way to the supermarket beneath the dormitory building.
The moment she stepped inside, a heavy force landed on her shoulder.
Chi Nuan winced slightly in pain and turned around in confusion, “Zhiyu?”
Chen Zhiyu stood with her hands on her hips, scrutinizing Chi Nuan from head to toe. Her voice was laced with sarcasm, “It’s really hard to see you these days, Chi Nuannuan.”
Chi Nuan understood that Chen Zhiyu was teasing her for prioritizing romance over friendship.
Chen Zhiyu took a bottle of fresh orange juice from the freezer and said, “I saw online that the movie The Vanished Her, which just came out, is quite good.”
Chen Zhiyu extended an olive branch labeled “making amends.”
“I wanted to see it too, Zhiyu! Let’s go next Friday night!” Chi Nuan successfully accepted.
Chen Zhiyu tilted her head slightly, looking away, “You finally have time to accompany your good friend next week?”
Chi Nuan, holding a pack of tissues, pushed Chen Zhiyu toward the checkout area, “Let’s go. I’ll check the movie tickets as soon as we get back.”
She stepped out of the bathroom, steaming with a lemon scent, a toothbrush in her mouth. Standing by the sink, she opened the Maoyan app, screenshotted the movie times for next Friday night, and sent them to Chen Zhiyu.
“Zhiyu, what time works best?”
“Seven o’clock. That’s perfect after dinner.”
“Got it!”
At half past six on Friday evening, Chi Nuan and Chen Zhiyu had just left the cafeteria when they immediately ducked into a bubble tea shop.
Chi Nuan scanned the menu, “I’ll have a taro paste milk tea with ice, five percent sugar. What do you want, Zhiyu?”
“Watermelon Boba, with ice, seven percent sugar.”
As luck would have it, the two were walking out of the shop, arms linked and holding their drinks, when they bumped into Song Shixue walking toward them.
“Teacher Song! Good evening!” Chi Nuan’s voice was cheerful.
“Good evening, Student Chi.”
Song Shixue’s gaze fell on Chi Nuan’s arm, which Chen Zhiyu was holding tightly.
“It’s so late, are you two going out?”
“Yes, we’re going to the movies together.”
The three words “going to the movies” registered heavily in Song Shixue’s ears, and a hint of coldness instantly colored her eyes.
The slight joy that had initially been present in her voice faded. She said coldly, “Alright, I won’t bother you then.”
Song Shixue felt deeply unsettled. “Heh, linked arms, going to the movies.”
A chill wind seemed to blow down Chen Zhiyu’s back, making her shiver.
“Chi Nuan, is Teacher Song unhappy?” She recalled the scene just now and suddenly realized, “Holy crap! She definitely thought something was going on between us! She’s jealous!”
“Is she?” Chi Nuan sounded doubtful.
“Listen to my analysis!”
Chen Zhiyu immediately adopted the persona of an emotional analysis master: “First, she immediately stared at our linked arms! Second, after you said you were going to the movies with me, her tone clearly cooled down, and then she just left!”
She grew more animated as she spoke, “Chi Nuannuan, tell me, if that’s not jealousy, what is it?”
“Aiya, you dating novice, you still need my guidance!”
After hearing Chen Zhiyu’s analysis, Chi Nuan’s eyes were full of gratitude. She grasped Chen Zhiyu’s hand, “You truly are my love life bodyguard!”
Chen Zhiyu swallowed a mouthful of watermelon, “Then why aren’t you sending a message to explain right away?”
Song Shixue’s phone screen lit up with a message from Chi Nuan.
“Teacher Song, please don’t be angry, okay?~”
A long explanation followed.
Song Shixue did not reply. She tossed the phone aside, covering it, and lay down on the sofa.
Meanwhile, Chi Nuan and Chen Zhiyu finished the movie and walked out.
Chi Nuan casually posted the group photo and the opening scene of the movie on her Moments.
“Chi Nuannuan, I’m hungry again! Should we see what’s available outside?” Chen Zhiyu said as she walked.
Chen Zhiyu looked back and saw Chi Nuan rooted to the spot, staring blankly at her phone screen. She immediately darted back, grabbed Chi Nuan’s arm, and pulled her outside.
“What are you spacing out for, Chi Nuannuan?”
Chi Nuan stuffed her phone back into her pocket, her steps stumbling as Chen Zhiyu dragged her along.
“I’m checking if there are any messages on WeChat.” They were walking so fast that Chi Nuan’s voice was trembling.
Chen Zhiyu was exhausted from the walk and slowed her pace, panting, “I know you too well. You’re checking for Teacher Song’s messages, aren’t you?”
Chi Nuan nodded slightly.
Chen Zhiyu now wore an expression that said, “Woman, I see right through you.”
She no longer felt like eating anything; Chi Nuan’s love-struck behavior had completely filled her up.
“Zhiyu, wait for me here.”
“Where are you going?”
Chi Nuan’s voice faded as she walked away, “You’ll know in a minute!”
Chi Nuan walked straight into a fried chicken shop in the mall. She ordered a sweet and spicy and cheese combo fried chicken and ran back to hand it to Chen Zhiyu.
“Here, you didn’t eat much tonight, you must be starving.”
Although Chen Zhiyu had been speechless at Chi Nuan’s actions just moments ago, she quickly got over it.
“You know me too well, Chi Nuannuan!” Chen Zhiyu was practically moved to tears.
Chi Nuan sat down beside her, “Alright, hurry up and eat.”
Chen Zhiyu put on plastic gloves, picked up a sauce-covered drumstick, and asked Chi Nuan, “So, Teacher Song still hasn’t replied to you?”
“No.”
Song Shixue didn’t usually post or check Moments.
But tonight, as if guided by some impulse, she clicked into it.
The very first post she saw was from Chi Nuan.
Song Shixue’s finger hovered over the screen for two seconds, then she backed out. Two seconds later, she clicked back in.
She specifically zoomed in on the photo of Chi Nuan and Chen Zhiyu with their heads close together, not wanting to miss any detail.
A moment later, the phone screen went dark, once again neglected.
She must be crazy!
Song Shixue leaned against a cushion on the sofa. Her hair obscured half her face, and the strap of her camisole on her left shoulder had slipped down to a small mole on her arm. Her right leg was slowly raised, the knee bent into a subtle curve.
If anyone saw her like this, they would probably also think she was “crazy.”
Except they would add the word “beauty” before “crazy.”
Song Shixue picked up the cigarette case on the coffee table and opened it. It was empty, containing only crumpled foil and traces of tobacco.
She remembered that she didn’t used to smoke this quickly.
She would buy more in a couple of days.
Song Shixue felt slightly fatigued. She picked up the ceramic cup from the coffee table and shuffled toward the hot milk dispenser, filling it halfway before heading to the bedroom.
She hoped the hot milk tonight would truly help her sleep. Preferably, it would also erase everything she had seen and heard today.
Perhaps the milk from the night before heard her prayer, because Song Shixue slept soundly until noon. After washing up, she brewed herself a cup of black coffee.
Then she moved to the kitchen and added a scoop of water to the pot.
Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the edge of the stove as she stared blankly at the half-pot of clear water. “Should I send Chi Nuan a message?”
Song Shixue opened the chat box. The last message was Chi Nuan’s “Good night.”
The messages above it remained untouched, as if Chi Nuan had been performing a solo act.
A sense of guilt arose in Song Shixue’s heart.
She took a photo of the noodles she had just put in the pot and sent it.
“Cooked too much, can’t finish it.”
“It’s only Saturday today. If I invite her to eat now, the lie won’t be exposed, right?” Song Shixue always thought things through carefully, trying not to reveal any flaws.
Chi Nuan had originally planned to rest in the dorm all day.
But upon receiving the proactive message from Song Shixue, she immediately shot up from her bed.
She typed her reply at lightning speed: “I’m coming right away!”
Chi Nuan quickly changed clothes and got out of bed.
Seeing Chi Nuan’s frantic state, Chen Zhiyu thought something serious had happened. “Chi Nuannuan, where are you rushing off to?”
“Teacher Song invited me to her place for dinner!” Chi Nuan grabbed her keys and rushed out of the dorm.
“Oh, dinner.” After a few seconds of processing, Chen Zhiyu yelled in the direction Chi Nuan had left, “What? Teacher Song invited you to her place for dinner?!”
You sneaky Chi Nuannuan!
From the moment Chi Nuan left the dorm until she reached Song Shixue’s door, the smile on her face never dropped.
She had just pressed the doorbell when the door opened the next second.
Chi Nuan looked up. Song Shixue appeared very calm, showing none of the usual haste of someone opening a door, as if she had been waiting in that exact spot for a long time.
“Come in, it’s just finished cooking.”
Chi Nuan smelled the aroma of scallions wafting from inside the house and felt a sudden sense of dread.
Her smile froze on her face.
Song Shixue looked at her with confusion, “Is something wrong?”
She smiled, “No, nothing.”
Chi Nuan changed into slippers and walked to the dining table, asking the question she already knew the answer to, “Teacher Song, is this scallion oil noodles?”
Song Shixue pulled out a chair and sat down, “Yes, hurry and try some.”
Chi Nuan had never told Song Shixue about her allergy to scallions.
She hadn’t before, and she didn’t now, even when faced with this bowl of scallion oil noodles.
Chi Nuan held onto a sliver of hope, “Just a little bit, it should be fine.”
She picked up her chopsticks and ate a few strands.
Immediately, it felt like a dead fly was stuck in her throat, and the sickening flavor instantly spread through her mouth.
Chi Nuan’s eyebrows knitted together, and her stomach instantly churned. She covered her mouth and rushed straight to the bathroom.
Song Shixue initially thought the food was terrible. But then the sudden flush of red on Chi Nuan’s face flashed through her mind, and she had a different suspicion.
Her face filled with worry. She didn’t care about eating anymore, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and immediately went to the living room to search the medicine cabinet for allergy medication.
Seeing Chi Nuan leaning over the toilet, miserably vomiting, her heart ached. She slowly crouched down, the medicine resting in her palm.
“Open your mouth.”
Chi Nuan clenched her jaw, scratching fiercely at her neck, unable to spare the energy to open her mouth.
Song Shixue had no choice but to gently force Chi Nuan’s mouth open, pouring the medicine and water in simultaneously.
“Song Shixue, my throat is so itchy, it hurts so much!”
“It feels like there are so many bugs crawling inside.”
Song Shixue firmly held down Chi Nuan’s scratching hands, burying her head into her own collarbone, and gently soothing her, “It will be better in a moment, just bear with it, be good.”
Chi Nuan’s face was flushed crimson, her chest rising and falling unevenly. Broken gasps escaped her lips.
Her gasps, mixed with hot air, fell heavily onto Song Shixue’s neck, and her delicate tone softly entered Song Shixue’s ears.
Song Shixue tried her best to endure, suppressing her desire. But the continuous heat and gasping sounds were slowly breaking down Song Shixue’s defenses.
Her clear voice turned husky, “Chi Nuan, don’t be like this.”
Chi Nuan couldn’t take it anymore.