NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 37
Jiang Yan sat restlessly, waiting for her shift to end, without a shred of happiness. Finally, as closing time approached, the boss brought out a plate of rice cakes from the kitchen, kindly asking her to have a bite, and inquired, "How's the hotpot?"
Jiang Yan sniffled as she packed up the untouched rice cakes to take home, which could serve as her dinner.
The boss probably wouldn't need her anymore. Woe is me, one less source of income.
As Jiang Yan entered the school gates, she happened to run into Shang Lu, who had just returned with some drinks.
"What a coincidence! You've just come back too," Jiang Yan greeted him with a smile, despite her poorly concealed dejection.
Shang Lu noticed her expression, furrowing his brow slightly, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Yan pouted, "I got caught eating again! Three times in a single day..."
Though her plight seemed quite pitiful, Shang Lu found himself inexplicably amused, unable to resist reaching out and ruffling her hair.
Jiang Yan reacted strongly, taking a step back, and retorted, "We're not even together yet, and you're touching me."
Shang Lu hesitated, nearly misunderstanding, "Don't say such things."
Jiang Yan didn't comprehend, but as he withdrew his hand, she resumed walking with him, recalling her pursuit and feebly asking, "When will you accept me?"
Shang Lu shot her a sidelong glance, "Have you taken any action?"
"Didn't I tell you that I'd keep liking you?" Jiang Yan questioned, puzzled.
"Is that your way of pursuing someone?" Shang Lu felt exasperated, seeing Jiang Yan's innocence, and advised her, "How about buying me breakfast every day? Can you manage that?"
Jiang Yan immediately clutched her little purse, eyeing him warily, "For how long?"
Shang Lu took a deep breath, "I'll give you the money. Just buy it."
"Isn't that just a proxy purchase?" Jiang Yan mumbled, having gained some experience from her part-time job.
"Don't you want to pursue me anymore?" Shang Lu asked nonchalantly.
"Then please accept me soon, okay?" Jiang Yan pleaded, tugging at his clothes pitifully.
The longing and anticipation in the girl's eyes could make one's heart skip a beat. Shang Lu mused, "Finally, she speaks."
"We'll see how you perform."
Finding a meal ticket was such a hassle. Jiang Yan sighed as she woke up early to buy food from the canteen.
A red bean bun and an oatmeal milk porridge - Jiang Yan snuck a bite, leaving a smear of red bean paste on the corner of her lips when she handed the food to Shang Lu. The dark stain on her rosy lips was quite noticeable.
"Greedy cat," Shang Lu remarked with a peculiar expression.
Jiang Yan wondered if he noticed the missing bite, pretending not to hear as she skipped off to her classroom.
She delivered breakfast for a week until that day during the public elective course.
As Jiang Yan was about to enter the classroom, a male student who had been waiting outside suddenly stopped her, his tone anxious, "Classmate Wu Jiang Yan, may I have a word with you?"
"Me?" Jiang Yan pointed at herself, surprised.
"Yes." The boy seemed very nervous, his expression shy as he stumbled over his words, "It's like this, I've noticed you for a long time, and I..."
Before the boy could finish, a hand reached out from behind Jiang Yan, loosely embracing her as a dispassionate voice interjected, "My apologies, she's already taken."
"Ah! I, I'm sorry!" The boy, stunned at being caught confessing by the girl's boyfriend, fled in shock.
Jiang Yan finally realized what had happened, looking up at Shang Lu delightedly, "You've accepted me!"
Shang Lu's expression remained indifferent as he didn't respond, only reaching for the custard bun in her hand.
Jiang Yan, anxious for an answer, hid the food behind her back.
"After class, I'll accept you," Shang Lu calmly reassured her.
Because of those words, Jiang Yan sat next to him during class. His roommates joked and moved further back, but until the end of the lesson, the two remained motionless.
Jiang Yan followed Shang Lu to the small wooded area beside the sports field, where it was quiet.
"Will you accept me?" Jiang Yan asked tentatively, this time as a question.
"I accept," Shang Lu kept his promise, gazing steadily at Jiang Yan with focus and clarity as he began, "But before that, I want to make something clear."
Jiang Yan nodded, puzzled.
Shang Lu seemed pensive, as if tallying an account, and slowly asked her, "Our first meeting was when I picked up a delivery?"
Jiang Yan nodded.
Shang Lu then smiled, his thin lips curling in an alluring yet dangerously enigmatic way as he enunciated each word deliberately, "Before that, you had written me a love letter."
Jiang Yan's eyes widened involuntarily.
As if anticipating her reaction, Shang Lu maintained his smile, his tone light yet his words causing Jiang Yan to shudder, "Before Zheng Jie called out my name, you didn't know I was Shang Lu. It was only after learning I was Shang Lu that you began pursuing me."
Jiang Yan wanted to defend herself, but Shang Lu covered her mouth with his hand, "I don't need an explanation, sweetheart."
"No matter the reason, it doesn't matter. I previously said I was hard to pursue, but I misspoke - I'm hard to provoke. Once provoked, don't blame me for not letting go."
"One last chance, do you still want to be with me?"
Jiang Yan felt a chill run down her spine, this side of Shang Lu was rather intimidating. But in the story, her task was to get dumped by Shang Lu.
Jiang Yan slowly blinked and nodded in response.