Saturday, the day scheduled with the Department Head for mountain climbing.
Jiang Linyuan had gone for his morning run, only to find his phone bombarded with messages from Yu Songsong.
"Senior, I came to bring you breakfast! I'm downstairs at your dorm!"
"Photo."
Jiang Linyuan snapped a photo of the track and sent it back:
"Junior, if you're bringing me breakfast, remember to come earlier next time. Have you seen the sun at five in the morning over Xingnan University? Gotta put in effort if you're chasing a guy!!"
"Oh! Then from now on, I'll wake up early every day for you, Senior!!"
So greasy! What do you mean "for me"? You're clearly doing it for yourself!
"Mm, got it. Junior, I'm off to go on a date with Su Muzhi now. Bye bye."
After sending that message, Jiang Linyuan directly blocked her on the spot.
Yu Songsong stared at the red exclamation mark on her phone, so furious she stomped her feet hard:
"He just keeps blocking me!"
Unable to reach Jiang Linyuan, she turned her attention to a contact in her WeChat list with the username "Green Tea Lick Dogs Deserve to Die."
Actually, she'd wanted to reach out for a while, but recalling that her first impression on the other person might not have been great, and too proud to lower herself, she'd never figured out how to start the conversation.
Now it seemed she had to take the initiative!
"Senior, there's a girl named Su Muzhi around Senior Jiang. Do you know her?"
"...?"
...
Jiang Linyuan and Shen Wanyu had agreed to climb Purple Mountain at night. If the weather was good, they might even catch the sunrise.
When the time came, he'd hit her with some touching sweet talk, whip out a small gift, maximize the romantic atmosphere-wouldn't that make the Department Head's heart flutter for sure!
But what should he give the Department Head?
Better ask the amazing Xiao Su.
[Young Ah Jiang]: "Xiao Su, does the Department Head like anything?"
[Hehe]: "Shen Wanyu? She loves spiders the most, the fuzzy kind. Preferably the venomous ones."
Got it. The Department Head absolutely hates spiders.
[Young Ah Jiang]: "Thanks, Xiao Su. Next time I'll give you a big spider, the kind that spits sticky stuff."
[Hehe]: "Hehe, I wouldn't want Jiang-classmate to cosplay as a spider. Are you going night climbing with Shen Wanyu on Purple Mountain today?"
I hadn't even mentioned it yet-was the Department Head secretly in touch with Xiao Su?
[Young Ah Jiang]: "That's right, Xiao Su. Don't be jealous. If you beg me, I might let you tag along."
[Hehe]: "Looks like I'll have to pass this news along to Yu Songsong. Mm, and Xiao Yilin too."
[Young Ah Jiang]: "Xiao Su, our relationship is so good. How could you let others interfere? We're best friends, aren't we?!"
[Hehe]: "See you at the school gate after dinner."
In the end, she still hadn't said what the Department Head liked. Wait-wasn't bringing Xiao Su along the best gift of all?
The problem itself was the answer!
[Young Ah Jiang]: "Xiao Su, I'll be really good to you from now on."
[Hehe]: ?
Time flew by, and evening arrived.
On the way out of the school gate, there were few people around. Jiang Linyuan took out his phone, snapped a photo, and sent a message to Shen Wanyu:
"Department Head, have you set off yet?"
Shen Wanyu replied with a photo:
"I'm already here."
The Department Head was as decisive as ever.
She didn't even want to wait for me?
"Department Head, why won't you wait for me?"
Shen Wanyu didn't reply, but Jiang Linyuan already knew the answer.
As soon as he stepped out of the school gate, he saw Su Muzhi, her face full of smiles:
"Jiang-classmate, did you bring your ID card? After climbing the mountain tonight, we might need to climb another one."
Starting off with dirty talk already-this Xiao Su was getting more and more brazen!
Jiang Linyuan glanced at her chest and said:
"You call that a mountain?"
Su Muzhi smiled and stomped on his foot:
"Where are your eyes looking?"
"I don't get it. If there's nothing there, why can't I look?"
She stomped on him again.
The two of them took the subway together. Just as they were about to reach their stop, Su Muzhi suddenly grabbed Jiang Linyuan's hand.
Jiang Linyuan froze for a moment, then turned to look at her:
"What are you doing, Xiao Su? Keep your hands to yourself."
"Mm, I'm thinking-when Shen Wanyu sees us walking out hand in hand, I wonder if she'll get angry."
Su Muzhi lifted their joined hands, smiling sweetly:
"Do you care about that?"
Jiang Linyuan hesitated for a moment:
"No... it's just that it feels surreal, like watching a pet you've raised suddenly start walking on two legs."
His hand got clamped in Xiao Su's merciless iron grip.
"Jiang Linyuan, aren't your names for me getting more and more outrageous?"
Su Muzhi narrowed her eyes, squeezing his hand tightly.
"That just means our relationship is getting better, Xiao Su."
"Hehe."
The grip got even tighter.
It wasn't that strong, but he could clearly feel her displeasure.
"Let's go. I can't wait to see Shen Wanyu."
Su Muzhi dragged Jiang Linyuan along, hand in hand, walking shoulder to shoulder like a real couple, chatting and laughing as they exited the subway.
"Xiao Su, loosen your grip a bit."
"Hm? Could Jiang-classmate be getting shy?"
"No, you have sweaty hands. They're sticky."
"If Jiang-classmate keeps talking nonsense, I'll drown you in the Huangpu River."
"But you really do—"
Su Muzhi smiled and stomped on his foot again, signaling him to stop talking.
Still a tsundere?
Just wait until I teach you a lesson!
Jiang Linyuan sneered, changed his grip, threading his fingers through Su Muzhi's, their hands interlaced in a full clasp.
Blush now, Xiao Su!
Su Muzhi turned to look at him for a while, then let out a strange little laugh:
"Hehe, so forceful."
She glanced down at their hands, then just let him hold on.
Wait! Something's off! How did I end up being the one getting played?
Jiang Linyuan slowly tried to pull his hand away, but another small hand immediately grabbed it back.
Looking down, Su Muzhi's face was wearing a teasing smile:
"You touched my hand and now you want to leave? Careful, I'll sue you for harassment, Jiang-classmate."
"It's you who won't let go! You're just trying to take advantage of me!"
"Hehe, cringe man."
Infuriating! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! You cringe woman!
Oh well. Life is like being strong-armed-if you can't resist, you might as well enjoy it.
And honestly, Xiao Su's hand felt pretty nice-soft and warm.
Squeeze it. Squeeze it again.
"No more moving around."
The smile finally vanished from Su Muzhi's face as she shot Jiang Linyuan a glare.
Jiang Linyuan stopped. After all, Xiao Su was still a girl.
The two of them, who'd been so rowdy, just held hands like that, neither speaking.