Green Tea Top Student Falls in Love with Me - Chapter 33

In the morning, the smell of something burning drifted into the room on the breeze. Wen Youren had cried for a long time the night before, and her physical and mental exhaustion caused her to wake up late. However, she did not wake up naturally; she was roused by that strange, smoky odor.

She slowly opened her eyes and instinctively covered her nose. Her eyes felt swollen and heavy, making it a struggle just to keep them open. Following the scent to the kitchen, she saw Shi Wangui wearing an apron and tossing a pan. The contents of the pan were an indiscernible color, and it was impossible to tell what she was cooking.

“What are you making?” Wen Youren asked.

Shi Wangui turned around, her face smeared with ash. She gave a bright smile and said, “You are up! I made a meal for you. Do you want to try some?”

Wen Youren looked at the egg fried rice in the pan. The rice currently in the pan was not burnt; she could even see some golden grains. However, the rice in the trash can was a different story, and that was clearly where the foul smell was coming from.

“How many attempts did this take?”

The rice cooker sat nearby, its contents completely depleted. Since they had not cooked at home the previous night, Shi Wangui must have woken up early to boil a fresh batch. At the very least, she had the foresight to cook a large amount of rice to use for practice.

“Only three times. After all, third time is the charm, right? Hurry, try it.” Shi Wangui scooped out a bowl of fried rice and handed it to Wen Youren, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for a compliment.

To be polite, Wen Youren took a spoonful. The taste was not exactly bad, but it certainly was not good. “Mmh, it is delicious.”

“Really?” Shi Wangui’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Why don’t you try some?” Wen Youren handed her the spoon. “I cannot speak for everyone’s palate, after all.”

Since Wen Youren said it was good, Shi Wangui naturally believed her own cooking was a success. She took a big bite. The grains were distinct, the saltiness was just right, and it tasted good.

“I am so talented. It is my first time cooking and it is already this delicious.”

Wen Youren smiled and said, “Yes, but do not cook for anyone else. They might get jealous because you are too good at it.”

“Since you were so well behaved this morning and even made a meal for me, I must give you a reward. Go change your clothes. I am taking you somewhere.”

Shi Wangui asked excitedly, “Wow, where are we going?”

Wen Youren said calmly, “School.”

Shi Wangui was stunned.

“Are you even listening to yourself? Students at school do not have classes on Saturdays or Sundays, yet I studied through the weekend. Now it is Monday morning and I even made you breakfast, and you tell me we are going to school?” Shi Wangui stared at her as if she were a madwoman, her mouth running non-stop.

Wen Youren ate a few more bites of the rice, letting Shi Wangui vent for a while. Once the girl had her hands on her hips and had run out of energy to speak, Wen Youren explained, “We are not going to school for classes. I am taking you to see something beautiful.”

“What could possibly be beautiful at school? Do you mean the flowers that dogs have peed on, the grass that has been trampled to death, or the test papers covered in red marks?”

Wen Youren stuffed a spoonful of rice into Shi Wangui’s mouth. “Why are you like a different person today? You never used to talk this much or be this active.”

Internally, Shi Wangui wanted to slap her. Why was she like this? It was all because of Wen Youren! The night before had left her emotionally drained, yet Wen Youren acted as if nothing had happened.

“So, what are we doing at school then?” Shi Wangui forced a fake smile.

“You will find out when we get there.” Wen Youren turned her head and studied the fake smile. “You are much cuter when you are normal. That fake smile is a bit terrifying.”

“Go away!”

“Ah, there we go. That is more like it.”

“You are such a masochist.”

“Does that make you a sadist then?”

Shi Wangui’s face flushed scarlet. She did not know anything about that kind of thing.

“I am going to change.” She decided that fleeing was her best option. “Do not peek!”

Wen Youren replied, “You said you would take responsibility for me. Am I not even allowed to peek?”

Once Shi Wangui was dressed, Wen Youren took her to a laboratory they had booked in advance.

Today was Monday, and the students did not have chemistry lab sessions. Wen Youren had used her comprehensive set of study notes to help Teacher Wang negotiate for a morning of laboratory access. The school was not generous enough to give them a whole day, and she had to specify exactly what she was doing and use only a small amount of materials.

Wen Youren had chosen one specific experiment, the one she felt was most appropriate.

“How do you have the key to this school’s lab?” Shi Wangui was shocked as she watched Wen Youren open the door with a proper key rather than a wire. This was someone else’s school, not their own.

“It is simple. Is there a possibility that I am the principal?”

Shi Wangui stared at her. “You can treat me like a fool, but you cannot treat me like a fool so blatantly. I have a word for you in return. Go away!”

Wen Youren locked the door behind them. Although there were no lab classes, there were physical education classes, and students might wander in if they saw the door open. The materials she was using had been reported in advance, and it would be impossible to explain if anything else went missing.

“Do you like chemistry?” Wen Youren asked.

“No,” Shi Wangui replied. She had studied chemistry in middle school, but not much, and mostly during her third year. Clearly, that was when she had started giving up on her studies.

“Which stream will you choose for your second year of high school?” Wen Youren asked again.

“Science, I suppose,” Shi Wangui mused. “Science papers are faster to finish. If I do not know an answer, I can just write ‘Solution’ and move on. Liberal arts is different. If I do not know an answer, the teacher will force me to fill the entire page.”

There was no arguing with that logic; it perfectly suited Shi Wangui’s personality.

“I am choosing science too,” Wen Youren said casually while arranging the materials. “What do you want to study in university?”

“I have never thought about university,” Shi Wangui said indifferently.

In her life plan, finishing high school and reaching eighteen was the final goal. After that, her life would head in a different direction, a path she felt forced to take.

“You have to think about it. You must,” Wen Youren said suddenly. “You think turning eighteen is the first step to getting away from Shi Qin, but true independence is the real first step.”

“Fine, fine, stop nagging,” Shi Wangui covered her ears. “I will think about it.”

Shi Wangui realized that Wen Youren was becoming like an old mother hen, especially when discussing studies. It was as if it were a crime not to learn. However, she knew Wen Youren had her best interests at heart. Since Teacher Wang was also working so hard for them, Shi Wangui decided she would reconsider and put in some serious effort.

Wen Youren stopped what she was doing, looked down, and said in a low voice, “Actually, I hope we can continue to be on the same campus in university.”

Shi Wangui replied, “I will be serious about it.”

Wen Youren turned off the lights and pulled the curtains. In the darkness of the room, she said, “Look.”

Shi Wangui followed her gaze. She had been so busy talking that she had not noticed what Wen Youren was doing, only that she had been stirring some liquids.

Wen Youren poured the liquids from two beakers into a flask. In an instant, it looked as if a blue flame had been ignited inside. The collision of the liquids changed their original structure, creating a blue glow as brilliant as fluorescence. In the dim environment, the light was dazzling.

However, it did not last long. Their collision created a magnificent beauty, but as time passed, it faded back into a quiet stillness.

“Wow,” Shi Wangui gasped, unable to look away. “It is beautiful.”

“The Luminol experiment,” Wen Youren explained. “It is often used in forensic science to detect crime scenes.”

Shi Wangui was silent. Truly, behind beauty, there are often cruel secrets.

“Why are you showing me this?”

“I plan to take you through more experiments so you can see if you like it.”

Shi Wangui said excitedly, “Really? I like it! How do you do it? Teach me!”

But Wen Youren just shook her head. “No more materials.” The school had not provided much, and she could not take things without permission.

Shi Wangui’s face fell.

Wen Youren chuckled. “Do you like it? If you do, then study hard. If you choose the science stream later, you can learn many similar experiments and actually do them yourself.”

Shi Wangui put her hands on her hips. “Do not talk to me. I do not want to say a word to you right now.”

Wen Youren teased, “And here I was thinking about taking you to get some good food at the school.”

This high school followed a semi-boarding system. Students from the town went home, but those from elsewhere stayed on campus. Because of the boarders, the school canteen had a wide variety of food.

Shi Wangui was skeptical. “Can school canteen food really be good?”

Wen Youren had expected this skepticism. She could not blame her, because the food at No. 8 High School was notoriously terrible.

“The aunties in this canteen are all mothers of students. The vegetables are sourced directly from the village, and the meals are home-cooked. Because they want the children to eat well, they put their heart into it.”

“Then I must try it.”

Wen Youren smiled. “You won’t regret trying it.”

“What if it is not good?”

“If it is not good, I will grant you one wish.”

“Deal.” Since she put it that way, Shi Wangui planned to say it was bad even if it was delicious.

Later, Wen Youren explained the science behind the phenomenon. Although Shi Wangui did not want to listen, she could not help but think about the beauty she had just seen. In the moments of quiet thought, the distance between them seemed to shrink.

Inside the closed room, the two of them drifted closer. Their breaths mingled amidst the faint blue glow. In the narrow space, their eyes inevitably met. As Shi Wangui’s gaze locked with Wen Youren’s once more, her heart began to race.

“Wen Youren,” Shi Wangui whispered.

“Yes?”

“That… what does it feel like for a girl to like another girl?”

“It is just… liking them,” Wen Youren answered.

“What is ‘liking’?” Shi Wangui asked again.

Wen Youren took Shi Wangui’s hand and placed it gently over her own heart. “Feel my heartbeat carefully.”

Shi Wangui slowly closed her eyes and focused. Even through the thick layers of clothing, she could feel the thumping of Wen Youren’s heart. Thump, thump. The sound grew heavier and clearer.

When the moment was right, Wen Youren asked, “Do you hear it?”

“Yes.”

“That is my answer.”

Support