Chapter 46
"Returning to the riverbank, I settled into the spot where Long Aotian often basked in the sun, resting my chin on my hands and gazing dreamily at the flowing water.
Before long, Li Qingxue, mimicking Long Aotian, lay down on the grass, using leaves to shield her eyes.
As her vision faded away, Li Qingxue found her other senses heightened in an instant.
The sound of the wind rustling through the grass, the gentle flow of the river—she felt a smile tugging at her lips. It seemed she could understand why Long Aotian always enjoyed covering his eyes with leaves.
It turned out he wasn’t necessarily bored.
He might simply have relished the natural beauty that the environment offered.
It dawned on her that one didn’t always need to see with their eyes; sometimes, one could listen with their ears.
Taking a deep breath, she removed the leaves from her eyes.
Placing her palm over her lashes, she let the sunlight filter through her fingers, savoring the warmth that enveloped her.
It felt wonderfully comforting.
In that moment, her heart was both calm and chaotic.
As time passed and the sun climbed higher, Li Qingxue stood up, brushed off her clothes, stretched lazily, and left.
Back on campus, Long Aotian’s study routine had gradually stabilized with Hu Yuying’s help.
In preparation for the upcoming monthly exam, Hu Yuying worked even harder than Long Aotian, taking on the role of a little teacher.
Usually, Hu Yuying was quite obedient.
But when it came to studying, she was also very strict.
Though her feigned sternness only made her more endearing...
Life seemed unchanged, yet everything felt different.
“Please, please,” Li Qingxue said, looking at her classmate with a playful smile.
The boy swallowed hard at the sight of her, but instinctively shook his head when he glanced back at Long Aotian.
If it were anyone else, he might have relayed the message, but with Long Aotian, he thought better of it.
After all, he might end up disturbing him and risk getting beaten up again.
“Just call him directly,” the classmate suggested.
Li Qingxue glanced around at her classmates, who were all focused on their studies, and shyly called out softly.
“Little Master, there’s more in this chapter. Please click the next page to continue reading; it gets even more exciting!”
Long Aotian looked up in confusion.
Seeing him glance over, Li Qingxue smiled and waved from the classroom door.
Noticing Long Aotian’s distraction, Hu Yuying followed his gaze.
She remembered Li Qingxue quite well; she had spoken to Long Aotian before.
“I’ll step out for a moment,” Long Aotian said, rising and heading toward the door.
Watching Long Aotian’s retreating figure and then glancing at the cheerful Li Qingxue waiting at the door, Hu Yuying’s gaze dimmed slightly, and she unconsciously lowered her eyes.
“Why didn’t you go to that place today?” Li Qingxue asked.
To be honest, even now, she wasn’t sure what she was feeling.
She just suddenly wanted to know why Long Aotian hadn’t gone to the riverbank today.
If she had to find a reason, it might be a fleeting concern between friends.
After all, he had left in the rain on Saturday morning; what if he was sick?
Long Aotian naturally knew where Li Qingxue meant and chuckled, “I have extra classes on Sunday mornings.”
He then looked Li Qingxue up and down. “Not feeling conflicted anymore?”
Li Qingxue’s current demeanor was a mix of excitement and exhilaration...
“I’m not conflicted at all! I thought you might have caught a cold from the rain on Saturday,” she joked. “If you need help with your studies, I could lend a hand.”
【For love, I’ll work hard (subtle hints...)】
Chapter 55: My Little Follower, the Most Competent
Hearing Li Qingxue’s words, Long Aotian raised an eyebrow.
Communication between people reveals much about their character through their demeanor and speech.
At least Long Aotian sensed that this girl had no hidden motives; she could openly share her troubles with a stranger.
In the words of Long Aotian’s era, she was carefree: “You still haven’t told me your name.”
Li Qingxue stood tall, facing Long Aotian, her eyes sparkling with a bright smile, full of vitality and joy. “Hello, let me introduce myself again. I’m Li Qingxue.”
At her words, the smile on Long Aotian’s face froze for a moment before vanishing completely.
Li Qingxue?
If he remembered correctly, wasn’t she the second female lead, the one who had confessed to him 99 times?
She was Li Qingxue, the one who pursued him relentlessly...
Realizing this, Long Aotian couldn’t help but gasp.
Li Qingxue blinked in confusion. “What’s wrong?”
Seeing Long Aotian’s sudden daze, she couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Nothing, nothing!” Long Aotian replied slowly, clearing his throat. “May I ask about your friend of nine years...”
Before he could finish, Li Qingxue giggled softly, “His name is Ye Liangchen.”
“Ha, what a coincidence!” Long Aotian’s last shred of hope was shattered.
“What?” Li Qingxue didn’t catch that and asked again.
“Nothing, it’s all good.”
Li Qingxue wanted to say more, but a voice interrupted her: “Long Ge, it’s time to get back to studying.”
Hu Yuying said softly, then smiled slightly at Li Qingxue.
Long Aotian was taken aback by Hu Yuying’s friendly greeting to Li Qingxue.
After all, Hu Yuying usually only talked a lot when she was around him; she rarely initiated conversations with others unless he assigned her a task.
“Hey, this is the little teacher who helps me with my studies,” Long Aotian said, glancing at Hu Yuying with a smile.
Li Qingxue beamed at Hu Yuying. “Hi! I forgot to introduce myself last time. I’m Li Qingxue.”
“Hello, I’m Hu Yuying,” Hu Yuying replied softly, maintaining a composed demeanor without showing any signs of nervousness, looking directly at Li Qingxue.
Li Qingxue studied Hu Yuying for a moment. “You two should get back to reviewing. I need to head back to my studies too.” With that, she turned and left.
Watching Li Qingxue’s departing figure, Hu Yuying was momentarily stunned when a light tap on her head brought her back to reality. “What are you dawdling for? Let’s go.”
“Uh-huh.” She responded softly, her earlier excitement deflating as she followed Long Aotian like a little chick.
Back at her seat, Hu Yuying’s spirits were noticeably lower than before.
Her mind was filled with the image of Li Qingxue smiling at Long Aotian, saying, “If you need help with your studies, I can teach you...”
Stealing a glance at Long Aotian, who was focused on his studies, she quietly asked, “Long Ge, is the study method I taught you effective?”
“Of course,” Long Aotian replied without looking up.
In Long Aotian’s eyes, Hu Yuying was a great little teacher.
Whenever he struggled with a problem, she always explained it in the simplest way he could understand.
The last math quiz was the best proof; he had improved by four places.
Hearing Long Aotian’s response, Hu Yuying sighed in relief. “Then can I keep teaching you?”
“What nonsense are you talking? Haven’t you been teaching me all along?” Long Aotian looked up at Hu Yuying.
“No, that’s not it.” Hu Yuying felt a bit anxious, looking at Long Aotian with urgency, then suddenly lowering her gaze, her voice trailing off with a hint of disappointment. “I mean, can it just be me teaching you?”
By the end, her voice had grown so soft that, if not for being close and Long Aotian’s keen hearing, he would have barely caught it.
Noticing Hu Yuying’s demeanor, Long Aotian realized that Li Qingxue’s words might have sparked a sense of insecurity in this little girl, making her fear that he wouldn’t want her as his little follower anymore.
He couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at Hu Yuying. “I’ll think about it.”
Upon hearing this, Hu Yuying pursed her lips, looking even more awkward.
Her little expression was simply too adorable, soft and sweet. He wanted nothing more than to pinch her cheeks, to see her fair, tender skin turn rosy, and watch her wide, watery eyes fill with confusion and helplessness.
Shaking his head, he pushed those mischievous thoughts aside.
Then he immersed himself in the corrected problems Hu Yuying had prepared.
Math was manageable, but some physics questions still required him to think hard for a while.
Most of the evening self-study sessions in senior year were spent on self-learning."
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