Chapter 62 – Thank You, Teacher Xu
He didn’t answer.
“Is it true?” she asked.
“Mm.”
Getting that confirmation made Lin Yuejiu’s heart tremble.
So it was true… he really had someone he liked.
She didn’t know why, but it felt like a hollow space had opened inside her chest. The emptiness hurt.
Her smile stiffened at the corners of her lips.
“Then… can you tell me who she is?”
“If I tell you, what do you plan to do?”
“Nothing much. If I know what kind of girl she is, I can help you pursue her. I can come up with ideas for you, so you’ll win her over faster.”
Xu Nianshen lowered his head to look at her, his eyes like a deep, still lake, emotions unreadable.
“That’s really what you think? You don’t have any feelings at all about me liking someone?”
Lin Yuejiu gave a small laugh.
“What could I possibly feel? Of course I’d do my best to help you. After all, we’re such good friends.”
“Friends… huh?”
She smiled brightly.
“What, aren’t we friends?”
The deep lake of his eyes didn’t stir in the slightest.
“Yeah. We are.”
“Then let’s keep going.”
“Alright.”
For the next hour, Xu Nianshen continued explaining problems to her, though Lin Yuejiu found herself barely able to focus.
“That’s the last one,” he said finally.
“Huh?” She blinked, dazed.
“Oh… we’ve done so many today. I’ll head back now.”
Before he could respond, she hugged her books and hurried to the doorway. One foot had already stepped out when she heard Xu Nianshen’s voice behind her:
“Do you have someone you like?”
Lin Yuejiu froze and turned back.
“Do you have someone you like?” he repeated.
She looked at him, his silhouette outlined against the setting sun, light draped over his shoulders.
Something inside her seemed to break through the soil, fragile yet insistent.
“…No.”
“Want me to walk you back?” he asked.
“No need. See you at school.” She turned and went downstairs.
On the way back, she leaned against the soft seat, gazing out the window. Outside, the world was bathed in dusky sunset. And against that glow, she kept seeing his figure standing in the light.
Why had he asked if she liked someone?
If she had said yes… what would he have replied?
Would he have said he’d help her pursue that person too?
—
When she returned to the dorm, the homeroom teacher messaged both of them privately in the class group chat.
Homeroom Teacher: [Tomorrow morning, 9 a.m. sharp, meet at the school field.]
Lin Yuejiu / Xu Nianshen: [Okay, teacher.]
Then Xu Nianshen sent her a message:
[Did you review all the problems? If there are any knowledge points you still don’t understand, you can ask me. The competition is tomorrow.]
Lin Yuejiu flipped through her book, then replied.
Xu Nianshen: [Mm. I’ll explain over video call.]
Lin Yuejiu: [I’m not convenient for video. Just send me voice messages.]
There was a pause on his end. Then came a single word: Okay.
Soon after, several voice messages came through. Lin Yuejiu put on her earphones and listened.
The digital clock on her phone crept toward 10:40 p.m. Chen Qianxi set down her phone and glanced at the opposite bed, where Lin Yuejiu was still reading. She reminded her,
“Jiujiu, it’s already 10:40. Don’t you have the competition tomorrow? Go to bed earlier.”
“Mm, alright.”
Lin Yuejiu took off her earphones, went to wash up, then came back to turn off the lights. The dorm fell into darkness. She climbed into bed softly, pulled up the blanket, and lay down.
After a while, when sleep didn’t come, she unlocked her phone again. Slipping her earphones back on, she tapped his voice messages, listening slowly. His voice was clean, crisp, and pleasant in her ears.
Listening to him, she recalled their conversation earlier that day.
“They said you have someone you like. Is it true?”
He answered, “Mm.”
Lin Yuejiu frowned and turned over in bed.
He had someone he liked… who was it?
How could he already like someone?
And when he asked her today if she liked anyone—what did he mean by that?
Thinking and thinking, her eyelids grew heavy until at last she drifted into sleep.
The next morning at seven, Lin Yuejiu woke, washed up, had breakfast, then returned to the dorm to continue reviewing.
At eight-fifty, she got up to head to the track field. Before she even arrived, she spotted Xu Nianshen’s figure in the distance.
How strange—why was it that, out of so many people, her eyes immediately picked him out? she wondered.
When she drew closer, the two met each other’s eyes. Lin Yuejiu was the first to greet him: “Good morning.”
Xu Nianshen replied, “Any points you’re still not clear on?”
Lin Yuejiu thought for a moment and told him a few.
“Mm, those are some of the tougher ones. Once we’re on the bus, I’ll go over them with you. Sit next to me, otherwise it won’t be convenient to explain.”
“Alright.”
After attendance was checked, everyone boarded. Lin Yuejiu followed Xu Nianshen to the back row, where the two sat together. With most people chatting about math problems, their voices didn’t seem out of place.
When they arrived at the competition site, Xu Nianshen suddenly reached out and took her hand.
Lin Yuejiu froze.
“Don’t be nervous. I’ve already gone through all the key points with you,” he said.
“Mm.”
She lowered her head, looking at his hand wrapped around hers. His hand was beautiful—long fingers, clear joints. And now, that beautiful hand was holding her right one, warmth flowing steadily into her skin.
But after a moment, he let go.
The warmth left, replaced again by the cool air, fading until her hand returned to its usual temperature.
Her fingers twitched faintly in the emptiness, as though trying to hold onto something—only to catch nothing.
Xu Nianshen didn’t notice.
“Come on, it’s time to get off,” he said.
“Mm.” She responded softly and followed him down.
At their designated area, the supervising teacher explained the rules and details.
“Alright, I’ve gone over the rules and everything else. Do your best!”
“Okay!”
Each contestant received a number badge to pin on their chest.
Soon everything was ready, and the competition began.
When Lin Yuejiu looked down at the exam paper, she felt a strange sense of familiarity. Looking carefully, her eyes widened slightly—wasn’t this one of the problems Xu Nianshen had explained to her?
She lifted her gaze toward him. Just then, he happened to look over at her too. He smiled.
Lin Yuejiu also smiled, then picked up her pen and began writing.
Two hours later, the whistle blew. The competition was over. Everyone put down their pens and returned to their places in order.
Many students were discussing the test questions, but Xu Nianshen and Lin Yuejiu both remained silent, calm and steady.
Since the number of participants was large, many teachers were on site, and the grading began immediately after the test ended.
An hour later, the papers were finished. The head organizer called over the school representatives.
Before long, the teacher returned with the results in hand.
“I have here the names of those advancing to the finals. I’ll read them out… lastly, Xu Nianshen and Lin Yuejiu from Class 1, Year 2. Six students in total will advance.”
“Those who didn’t make it to the finals, don’t be discouraged. Failure is the mother of success. This setback is only paving the way for better achievements next time. Don’t lose heart, understand?”
“Understood!”
“As for those who did advance, don’t get complacent. Keep preparing, so that you can win in the finals. Clear?”
“Clear!”
“Good. Now everyone, board the bus in an orderly manner—we’re heading back to school.”
On the bus, Xu Nianshen and Lin Yuejiu once again sat in the back row. She sat by the window, and in a soft voice said:
“Thank you, Teacher Xu.”
