Spend Summer Chapter 9
bySeeing Each Other Every Day
There weren’t many customers inside. The proprietress was sitting on a stool sorting vegetables. When she saw Li Yuanfang enter, her face immediately lit up with a smile. “Xiao Fang is here! Tell Auntie Wang whatever you want to eat.”
Li Yuanfang’s smile grew even brighter. “Hello, Auntie Wang. These two are my students. This is Shen Wan, and this is Ji Zhao.”
Shen Wan reached out and gave a small wave. “Hello… Grandma Wang.”
Ji Zhao followed Shen Wan’s lead. “Hello, Grandma Wang! Our Head Teacher was just saying how delicious your cooking is. I didn’t expect you to be so kind-hearted as well.”
Grandma Wang laughed heartily and stood up. she looked the two girls over and feigned a bit of anger. “You child, you should have told me earlier you were bringing students. I would have prepared something special to welcome them.”
Li Yuanfang shook her head. “No need, Auntie Wang. We have to head back to school in a bit, so we’ll just have a quick bite.”
Grandma Wang sighed with regret. “Alright then. I’ll make you some noodles. Come back earlier next time, and Grandma Wang will show off her skills for you kids.”
Facing such a kind elder, Shen Wan’s expression relaxed, and her voice softened. “Okay, Grandma Wang.”
As Grandma Wang headed toward the kitchen, Li Yuanfang settled the two girls into their seats and said, “You two sit first. I’m going to go help out.”
Shen Wan and Ji Zhao exchanged a look and said in unison, “We’ll go too.”
Li Yuanfang paused, ruffling both of their heads with her hands. “Alright now, what work is there for children to do? Besides, there’s no room in there. Just wait here patiently.”
After ruffling their hair, she pointed at them, then at her own eyes as if to say she was watching them, and disappeared into the kitchen.
.
Shen Wan felt helpless and sat uncomfortably on the stool.
It seemed that except for when her mother was around, she had never been this idle while an adult was working.
Soon, Grandma Wang and Li Yuanfang came out carrying bowls.
Grandma Wang placed a bowl of tomato and egg noodles in front of Shen Wan and said kindly, “Try Grandma’s cooking.”
Shen Wan immediately took a bite. The noodles were chewy and had soaked up the rich, savory broth.
She squinted her eyes in satisfaction, her voice full of wonder. “Grandma, your noodles are so delicious!”
Grandma Wang’s face bloomed into a wide smile. “If it’s good, eat more. There’s plenty if it’s not enough.”
Ji Zhao also took a loud slurp, swinging her feet under the table in contentment.
Watching the two of them practically burying their faces in their bowls, Grandma Wang smiled and went back to sorting her vegetables.
Shen Wan lifted some noodles with her chopsticks. Just as she was about to eat them, she suddenly spotted some ribs in her bowl. her hand froze, and she carefully glanced up at Ji Zhao and Li Yuanfang.
Ji Zhao was still focused on her noodles and didn’t notice Shen Wan’s cautious gaze.
It wasn’t until Ji Zhao also fished out a piece of rib that Shen Wan lowered her head and began to eat the meat.
After finishing the meal and saying goodbye to Grandma Wang, the three of them returned to school together.
As spring approached, the sky grew dark later. They walked step by step back to the classroom along the tree-lined path.
.
Li Yuanfang went to the office first to organize some books, so Shen Wan and Ji Zhao entered the classroom together.
the moment Shen Wan stepped inside, cheers erupted. Her classmates swarmed around her in an instant.
“How is it? Are you okay?”
“What did the doctor say?”
“Everything should be fine, right?”
…
Shen Wan nodded, her voice gentle. “It’s okay. The doctor said I’m fine. Thank you all for your concern.”
Hearing her say this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
“As long as you’re okay!”
“I knew it would be fine. Phew—”
Ji Zhao walked in, the corners of her eyes curving as she teased, “If you knew it was fine, why are you sighing like that?”
The student who was called out turned red. “Oh, Sister Zhao, why do you have to expose me like that?”
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere in the classroom was incredibly warm.
When Li Yuanfang walked in from outside, everyone immediately fell silent and scurried back to their seats.
Li Yuanfang didn’t scold them, only saying, “Remember to keep it down next time.” Then she told everyone to take out their homework.
Shen Wan took out her physics reference book and began reading through it bit by bit, studying a new chapter.
The night grew deeper, and the campus streetlights began to glow. Pens glided across paper as time slipped away.
Shen Wan slowly packed her schoolbag, her movements hesitant.
Ji Zhao also unconsciously slowed down, waiting until Shen Wan was finished before standing up.
With her bag over one shoulder, she swung her other hand, her eyes sparkling like neon lights. “Wanwan, shall we walk out together?”
Shen Wan stood up and nodded. “Okay.”
Lin Jiayue hopped over, her voice excited. “Yay! Let’s go!”
She was always this energetic when it came to leaving class or school.
The campus lights weren’t very bright, casting the path in patches of light and shadow. The three of them walked along the small path, the cool breeze blowing away the day’s fatigue.
No one spoke, yet the atmosphere felt closer and more harmonious than ever.
When they reached the school gate, Ji Zhao blinked her large eyes and looked at Shen Wan reluctantly, her tone a bit coquettish. “We’re here. Wanwan, see you tomorrow.”
She didn’t say goodbye; instead, she said “see you tomorrow.” This phrase held a special meaning for her. Right now, her only wish was for the two of them to see each other every day.
Shen Wan’s expression softened as she echoed the words. “See you tomorrow.”
Then she turned to Lin Jiayue and said, “Jiayue, bye-bye.”
Lin Jiayue nodded her head. “Mm-hmm, bye-bye!”
Shen Wan turned and walked away, her back to the light.
Meanwhile, Ji Zhao and Lin Jiayue got into a car and left.
.
Climbing the old stairs, Shen Wan stopped at the third floor. The door wasn’t locked, and she didn’t know if Shen Jianye was inside.
Shen Wan took a slow breath and pushed the door open. The house was empty. The hand that had been tightly gripping the corner of her shirt relaxed, and she reached back to lock the door.
The wine bottles from yesterday hadn’t been cleaned up, and a pungent smell filled the room. Shen Wan pursed her lips, picked up a mop, and began cleaning the room bit by bit.
Looking at the wet floor, Shen Wan leaned on the mop, her brow still furrowed. She didn’t know how long it would stay clean this time—maybe a few days, maybe not even half a day.
After putting the mop back, she quickly washed up and returned to her room, habitually locking the door.
Sitting at her desk, for the first time, Shen Wan’s pen didn’t touch her homework.
She pulled a notebook out from under the desk. It was one she had bought from an old man who collected recyclables; though it was a bit old, it didn’t affect its use.
Shen Wan wiped the dust off the cover and slowly opened it, flipping through the pages.
The first few pages were filled with random scribbles from the previous owner. Then there was a blank page, followed by Shen Wan’s writing.
Under the light of the desk lamp, the entries were visible:
New Year’s Day: Owe Grandma Zhang a meal of dumplings (unpaid)
The second day of the New Year: Owe Auntie Zhang a meal (unpaid)
…
The sixteenth day of the first lunar month: Owe Ji Zhao a cup of porridge (paid)
Flipping to the latest page, Shen Wan wrote stroke by stroke:
March 2nd: Head Teacher advanced 65.9 yuan for medical expenses.
Ji Zhao caught me when I fainted.
Closing the notebook, Shen Wan counted out sixty-six yuan and placed it separately inside her math book, intending to return it to Li Yuanfang tomorrow.
With that major concern settled, Shen Wan took out her test papers to work on, consolidating the new knowledge she had previewed during evening self-study.
Tonight, Shen Wan rested half an hour earlier than usual. She put down her pen at 11:30 and crawled into bed.
There wasn’t a hint of warmth under the covers, but Shen Wan was long used to it. She suffered from severe cold constitution; usually, her feet only felt warm right when she woke up, making it naturally difficult for her to warm the bed.
Perhaps she was truly exhausted, because for once, Shen Wan didn’t struggle to fall asleep and drifted off quickly.
.
In a daze, she seemed to hear Shen Jianye’s cursing. “Damn it, lost again! That little brat actually dared to lock the door. She really thinks she’s grown up now!”
As a result, Shen Wan’s brow remained furrowed for the rest of the night.
When she got up, Shen Jianye was still snoring loudly. Shen Wan brushed her teeth quietly and left with her schoolbag.
Remembering her intention to repay Ji Zhao for catching her yesterday, Shen Wan decided to buy her something. However, since it wasn’t the weekend yet and she couldn’t go to the mall, she settled for bringing her porridge for the next few days.
But once she arrived at the porridge shop, Shen Wan realized she didn’t know what to buy. She suddenly realized how little she knew about Ji Zhao—so little that she only knew she liked Coconut Milk Oatmeal Porridge and nothing else.
After thinking for a long time, Shen Wan ended up buying two cups of Coconut Milk Oatmeal Porridge and one cup of purple sweet potato porridge.
Carrying the three cups of porridge, she arrived at the classroom, which was still empty.
Shen Wan placed a cup of Coconut Milk Oatmeal Porridge on Ji Zhao’s desk and the purple sweet potato porridge on Lin Jiayue’s desk.
She then began drinking her own porridge while reviewing the mistakes on yesterday’s test paper.
When she hit a difficult problem, she would bite her straw as if the straw had offended her.
Before long, people began to gather in the classroom.
Shen Wan had lost count of how many times she had glanced at the door, but Ji Zhao still hadn’t arrived.
She shifted her gaze back to the test paper, but her mind wouldn’t settle. Shen Wan looked toward the door again.
This time, she wasn’t disappointed. Ji Zhao’s figure appeared in her sight.
The moment she entered the classroom, Ji Zhao waved her arms, her voice incredibly energetic. “Morning, Wanwan! I missed you!”
Infected by her energy, the corners of Shen Wan’s lips curled up into a very slight arc. A faint smile rippled from the corners of her eyes, like a fleeting meteor—a single moment was enough to be stunning.
Ji Zhao froze in place, the smile on her face stalling. Her brain didn’t know how to react for a moment, but her body was a step ahead; she flushed deep red, and her heart skipped a beat, bringing a slight ache with it.
However, Shen Wan quickly pulled back her smile and gave a faint reply. “Good morning, deskmate.”
Sensing Shen Wan’s good mood, Ji Zhao’s mood improved as well. She sat on her stool, looked at the porridge on her desk with the straw already inserted, and picked it up with both hands to take a sip.
Mm, it was the familiar taste. The corners of Ji Zhao’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
Seeing this, the tension in Shen Wan’s heart finally eased. She turned to Lin Jiayue and said, “Jiayue, I brought you a cup of purple sweet potato porridge. Don’t you like sweet things?”
Lin Jiayue took a deep sip and gave a thumbs up in praise. “As expected of our grade’s merit student! I love it!”
With that, she took another sip.
Shen Wan nodded and continued reading her book, silently memorizing the content.
.
By the time Ji Zhao had finished half her cup, the English teacher, Zhou Guowei, walked in and assigned the recitation tasks.
The sound of rhythmic reading filled the classroom.
When morning study ended, Shen Wan followed Ji Zhao to buy a steamed bun. Back in the classroom, she took out the money neatly wrapped in a bag from her schoolbag and walked to the office.
Shen Wan knocked on the door, and a teacher’s voice told her to enter.
Shen Wan pushed the door open. Li Yuanfang wasn’t in the office. The person who had spoken was the head teacher of Class 2, who was also the physics teacher for Class 3.
Seeing Shen Wan enter, she smiled and grabbed a handful of candies, stuffing them into Shen Wan’s hand. “Here, have some candy.”
The physics teacher’s name was Wan He. She had a gentle temperament, and any student who came to the office would leave with a handful of candy. Shen Wan didn’t refuse.
After checking on her, Wan He asked about her business in a kind tone. “Student Shen Wan, is there something you need in the office?”
Shen Wan nodded. “The Head Teacher advanced my medical expenses yesterday. I came today to pay Teacher Li back.”
Wan He looked at Shen Wan. The girl had a serious expression and a determined gaze, holding the wrapped money in one hand and the candy she had just been given in the other, looking like a little adult.
Wan He ruffled Shen Wan’s hair. “Do you know where Teacher Li’s desk is?”
Shen Wan froze, nodding blankly. Her eyes betrayed her confusion—why did the teachers love ruffling her hair so much these past two days?
Wan He noticed Shen Wan’s confusion and chuckled inwardly. “As long as you know.”
Then, she gave her hair one more ruffle before pulling her hand back. It really was nice to touch; no wonder Yuanfang had been bragging about it yesterday.
Shen Wan walked dizzily to Li Yuanfang’s workstation. She put the candy in her pocket first, then held the bag of money with both hands and placed it solemnly on the desk.
After checking to make sure everything was in order, Shen Wan turned around, said goodbye to Teacher Wan, and returned to the classroom.
Ji Zhao was leaning over her desk writing. Seeing Shen Wan return, she gave a small “hi.”
Shen Wan walked past Ji Zhao and sat in her seat. After thinking for a moment, she took out a notebook, wrote a line of words, and pushed it toward Ji Zhao.
Ji Zhao was confused as she took it. After all, Shen Wan never passed notes.
It was strange; in school, there really were people who were so serious and followed every single rule to the letter.
Ji Zhao looked closely. Shen Wan’s handwriting was just like her—straight and upright, as steady as a plum blossom standing proud in the snow, revealing a crisp and neat strength.
But what was written in the notebook was: What do you like?
In that instant, it was as if fireworks exploded in Ji Zhao’s eyes. Even her breathing stopped for a few seconds.
Her mind went blank, and her fingertips trembled slightly as she held her pen.
Shen Wan waited for several minutes. Seeing no movement from Ji Zhao out of the corner of her eye, she poked her arm with her index finger in confusion.
Ji Zhao tapped her own head in frustration. Why was she being so useless?
Despite her internal scolding, she gripped her pen firmly and wrote down stroke by stroke:
I like cola, and for fruit, I like oranges. Right now, my favorite is Coconut Milk Oatmeal Porridge. I also like cute plushies and all sorts of novelties.
Finally, she added a sentence at the end.
What about you?
Shen Wan took the notebook back and read it seriously, nodding slightly as she read as if trying to imprint the words into her mind.
When she saw the last question Ji Zhao had written, she lowered her eyes and fell into thought. Me? It seemed like no one had asked her that in a long time. So, what did she like?
After thinking for a long while, Shen Wan picked up her pen and wrote:
It’s not important. I have no dietary restrictions.
When Ji Zhao saw Shen Wan put down her pen, she happily picked up the notebook. Her gaze froze, and her brow furrowed. How could it not be important!
This was the second time she had heard Shen Wan evaluate herself this way, and every time she heard it, it made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.
Ji Zhao calmed herself down, thinking defiantly: Since you say it’s not important, then I’m definitely going to find out what you like!
She wrote heavily in the notebook:
Since I already know you like coconut milk, it looks like I’ll have to slowly discover the rest~
Shen Wan pursed her lips and stared at that sentence for a long time before closing the notebook and putting it in her desk.
The conversation ended there, and the two of them began working on their respective assignments.
.
On the other side, Li Yuanfang returned to the office from outside.
The moment she stepped in, Wan He spoke up. “Shen Wan was just here.”
Li Yuanfang paused, immediately understanding why Shen Wan had come. She walked to her desk and saw that it was indeed the case; the bag of money was lying quietly on her lesson plans. She couldn’t help but sigh.
Wan He stopped grading papers and teased, “What, you’re not happy that your student is so sensible?”
Li Yuanfang shook her head. “Of course I’m happy. But sometimes I really feel it wouldn’t be bad if she weren’t quite so sensible.”
Wan He thought of Shen Wan’s family situation. She put down her pen, looked out the window, and said, “True. But that’s not something we can decide.”
Li Yuanfang understood that logic, but sometimes, one’s heart simply couldn’t help it.
She looked down at the money in her hand and silently put it into her bag.
The warm sunlight outside spilled into every corner of the campus in mottled patches, bringing a sense of drowsiness.
Shen Wan put her pen down gently, glanced out the window, and then leaned on the desk, facing Ji Zhao.
In the time that followed, Shen Wan kept her promise to repay Ji Zhao for catching her. Seeing Ji Zhao’s thermos was empty, she would hurry to refill it.
Every day, she placed two newly bought milk candies and an orange in Ji Zhao’s desk drawer and brought her a different kind of porridge.