Mixed Chapter 11
byUnrestrained Growth
Chi Nuan took out her phone to call a taxi, but Song Shixue stopped her. “Let me get it. I can’t let you pay for the taxi every time.”
Chi Nuan thought that there was no need to be so strict about splitting such things, but after spending time with Song Shixue, she decided to follow Song Shixue’s lead.
“Okay, sure.”
Since it was nighttime, the temperature difference between day and night was quite significant. Chi Nuan took off her jacket and draped it over Song Shixue’s shoulders.
Seeing that Song Shixue was about to refuse, she quickly interjected, “Just wear it until the car arrives. You can take it off and give it back to me once we’re inside the car.”
After speaking, her eyes curved into crescent moons in the darkness, and she offered Song Shixue a smile.
Song Shixue couldn’t resist this move; she always succumbed to Chi Nuan’s smile.
“Then I thank you, Student Chi.” Song Shixue’s tone was slightly unnatural.
Song Shixue’s heart was constantly in a state of internal conflict.
If her relationship with Chi Nuan was like when they first met, she could easily brush off such gestures with a joke. But the current situation was completely different.
She used to handle those who pursued her with ease, yet when it came to Chi Nuan, she had become a complete coward. She lacked the courage to face Chi Nuan, and she lacked the courage to face her own feelings.
She was afraid of forming intimate relationships. She believed that once an intimate relationship formed, she would inevitably mess it up in the end.
“Teacher Song, the car is here.” Chi Nuan’s gentle voice sounded in Song Shixue’s ear, pulling her back from her thoughts.
The two sat down in the back seat.
Song Shixue took off the jacket and placed it on Chi Nuan’s lap. She looked at her phone, but her eyes were subtly observing Chi Nuan.
I said take it off and give it back to me once we’re in the car, and Song Shixue actually did it. She didn’t want to wear it for even a second longer. Is she that disgusted with me? Besides, she’s already unwell. What if her condition worsens later? Argh!
Rows of streetlights flashed outside the window, casting flickering light inside. Chi Nuan lowered her head, her hair cascading down and casting a shadow. Her glasses reflected the light, perfectly obscuring her features, making it impossible to read her expression.
However, Song Shixue could still tell that she was not happy. After all, no one in a good mood would keep their head down, remain silent, and not even look at their phone.
She was just sulking.
Despite her annoyance, Chi Nuan didn’t slack off in her duties. She ran around by herself, completing all the procedures. By the time the IV drip was officially started, it was already very late. Even though Chi Nuan was on the verge of falling asleep, she waited until the doctor took Song Shixue’s temperature again before finally resting her head by the bedside and falling asleep peacefully.
At this moment, Song Shixue couldn’t sleep.
She looked at Chi Nuan resting by the bed, her heart filled with mixed emotions. After much hesitation, she couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Chi Nuan’s soft hair.
Perhaps only when you are asleep can I drop my guard and allow this affection to grow unrestrained.
Chi Nuan seemed to have a calming effect on Song Shixue; she fell asleep soon after watching Chi Nuan for a while.
In the dream—
This time, Song Maoye was chasing Song Shixue relentlessly with a whip.
She ran and ran without stopping.
No matter what she did, she couldn’t escape this endless corridor. The infinite loop and the boundless fear chased after her.
Chi Nuan felt the bed shaking continuously, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Song Shixue’s face was pale, covered in a layer of cold sweat.
Her body was trembling uncontrollably, and she had curled up completely like a snail.
Chi Nuan sat up on the bed and gently pulled Song Shixue into her arms. Then, she wrapped Song Shixue’s shaking hands in her own warm palms. She soothed her softly, “Song Shixue, don’t be afraid. I’m here with you.”
A star appeared before Song Shixue. The star emitted light, leading Song Shixue to the exit of the corridor, and she escaped.
She vaguely heard a familiar voice, gentle and strong, telling her, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you.”
Seeing Song Shixue in her arms calm down, her limbs gradually relaxing, Chi Nuan returned to her original sleeping position and continued to sleep.
The next morning, Song Shixue and Chi Nuan were woken up by a phone ringing.
Chi Nuan fumbled for her phone and answered it sleepily, “Hello?”
“Hello, may I speak to Miss Chi Nuan? This is the Hangcheng Youth Photography Competition. Your submitted work, Human World’s Fireworks, Heavenly Starlight, has been evaluated by our panel of judges, and the final result is First Prize.”
“The award ceremony will be this Saturday at 1 PM, located at the Hangcheng Cultural Center. Please be sure to attend the ceremony to receive your award.”
These few sentences completely woke Chi Nuan up. “First Prize! Is that really me!” Chi Nuan was ecstatic. “Yes, I will definitely be there!”
Chi Nuan hung up the phone. A bright light shone in her eyes, and the smile on her lips was uncontrollable.
She couldn’t wait to share this joy with Song Shixue immediately.
“Teacher Song! My photography work won first prize! The organizers notified me to attend the award ceremony at the Cultural Center this Saturday!”
“Oh, congratulations, Student Chi.” Her tone was too flat; even the word “congratulations” didn’t sound like she meant it.
“Teacher Song, are you free that day? I’d like you to come with me to the ceremony.”
“But I’m not staff, not a winner, and not a judge. What capacity would I be attending with you?”
That’s right, in what capacity? Chi Nuan and Song Shixue weren’t anything yet. At best, they were teacher and student who had interacted a few times privately, nothing more.
Chi Nuan slightly raised her eyes. The medicine in the drip chamber fell drop by drop, as if urging her to answer.
But how should she put it? How should she define her current relationship with Song Shixue?
Chi Nuan felt her mind go numb. This question was harder for her than the final major problem on a math exam.
“As friends…”
She finally managed to say it with difficulty.
She thought that this relationship, given the current circumstances, was the most appropriate.
Chi Nuan wanted to glean some useful information from Song Shixue’s expression.
But aside from that time at the bar and last night, it was usually very difficult to read her emotions.
Song Shixue was still staring out the window, lost in thought.
Chi Nuan asked again, “So, Teacher Song, will you come with me?”
“I have an art exhibition to attend this Saturday. I’m afraid I won’t have time, Student Chi.”
Chi Nuan lowered her head a little, staring at the light blue bedsheet. “I see…”
“Ah, well, um. I see the medicine in the IV bag is almost gone. I’ll go call the doctor!” Chi Nuan used this as an excuse to escape the awkward situation.
Song Shixue turned to look at Chi Nuan’s hurried retreating figure.
“Silly girl.”
The doctor turned off the IV regulator and pulled out the needle. “You need to press down on the puncture site for a while. Everything else is fine, and you can be discharged.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
Chi Nuan packed the things she needed to take with her into her bag. “I’ll check for plane tickets in a moment.”
“No need, I’ve already bought them.”
Chi Nuan paused her movements. “Teacher Song, you’re so fast! It looks like I need to prepare in advance next time this happens.”
“You want there to be a next time for this, Student Chi?” Song Shixue looked up at Chi Nuan, picked up her bag, and walked toward the outdoor smoking area.
“Teacher Song, where are you going?”
“To smoke a cigarette.”
“No, you just recovered from a cold!”
Song Shixue stopped, turned, and walked up to Chi Nuan, radiating a sense of pressure. “Student Chi, why do you care so much about what I do?”
The expression on Song Shixue’s face now was like an Arctic glacier—cold to the extreme.
Chi Nuan’s eyebrows threatened to knit together again, but she tried her best to overcome her nervousness. She said, “I’m just concerned about your health, Teacher Song. I hope you can take better care of yourself.”
Song Shixue didn’t say anything. The cigarette she had taken out was put back into the pack.
Song Shixue was always like this. On the surface, she was a rigid mountain, but inside, she had been moved for Chi Nuan time and time again in countless insignificant moments. As long as Chi Nuan said one more word, she would concede defeat.
Chi Nuan breathed a sigh of relief. “Let’s go. We’ll complete the discharge procedures and then head to the airport.”
Song Shixue hung her bag on her right shoulder and walked on Chi Nuan’s left side.
Song Shixue, you are truly tsundere.
Chi Nuan did not voice this thought.
She knew that tsundere people didn’t like to be exposed.