That Girl Who Skipped Class — You're In Big Trouble! - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“What’s wrong with you guys?” a clear voice drifted from afar. An Qianyang caught sight of Xiao Xuan approaching. The figure finally reached them, and the lamplight illuminated half of her face. Beneath her long eyelashes, her eyes were obscured. Xiao Xuan held up a box: “I brought pizza and red wine, just in case you two couldn’t manage dinner.”

The four walked towards Zhang Xiaoxiao’s home. Song Yingming and Zhang Xiaoxiao walked ahead, one after the other, both silent, clearly still in a cold war. Zhang Xiaoxiao’s home was quite far from the complex gate, making the walk a bit long. Fortunately, it was dark and deserted. Clumps of green trees blocked out the street noise, and the surroundings were quiet, save for the subtle footsteps of a few people.

Xiao Xuan walked beside An Qianyang. They walked in silence for a long distance before Xiao Xuan finally spoke: “The red wine I bought is exactly the same as yours. We’ll drink the same thing. Be good, don’t be sad.”

“I’m not worried about that. Do you think we can enjoy this meal with the way they are?” An Qianyang whispered, taking two small steps closer and leaning her shoulder toward Xiao Xuan.

“It’s fine, half an hour at most.”

Perhaps the night was too beautiful, or maybe it was An Qianyang’s sentiment at play, but Xiao Xuan’s voice sounded incredibly gentle. She secretly slipped her hand out of her pocket and carefully tugged at the hem of Xiao Xuan’s shirt. In the darkness, the other person didn’t turn her head, yet An Qianyang knew that the hand holding the hem was being held by another hand—a slender hand that was slightly trembling.

Zhang Xiaoxiao and Song Yingming lived on the first floor and had an open-air balcony. The balcony was planted with some plants, including Michelia champaca (Yellow Jade Orchid), cacti, and other varieties that didn’t require meticulous care. There was a small glass coffee table on the balcony with a small speaker on it. The speaker was typically Zhang Xiaoxiao’s style, visible from afar even before reaching the door. A gray Garfield cat was sprawled on the coffee table. Seeing its owner enter with slippers, it moved its head and let out a perfunctory “meow,” illustrating its indifference.

Song Yingming put on her slippers and went straight into the bedroom, slamming the door shut. Zhang Xiaoxiao started arranging the chairs and table: “Xuanxuan, how about we just have pizza today? The groceries are in the fridge. It would take me at least two hours to cook, and my stomach is already rumbling.”

“Then I’ll check the fridge and make a few easy dishes,” Xiao Xuan said, taking the ingredients and walking into the kitchen. She hadn’t been inside for long before she called out to An Qianyang: “Yangyang, come here for a second.”

The moment An Qianyang entered the kitchen, Xiao Xuan grabbed her arm: “Seriously, look. Your hand is cut. Didn’t you feel it just now?” An Qianyang saw a long, thin cut on her palm, slightly oozing blood. An Qianyang replied: “I probably cut it accidentally when I picked up the bottles just now.”

“Does it hurt now?”

An Qianyang shook her head. Xiao Xuan rinsed her hand under the faucet for a moment and suddenly smiled: “Last time, you were choked by a fishbone, and this time your hand is cut. What is wrong with you?”

“I must have owed you too much in my past life.” An Qianyang’s words were so sudden that both of their faces flushed red. After a good while, Xiao Xuan regained her composure: “Want to try the wine?”

An Qianyang nodded. Xiao Xuan found two stemmed glasses and a corkscrew, opened the red wine, and poured a small glass for both An Qianyang and herself. She then took a sip from her glass, leaving a faint lipstick mark on the rim.

An Qianyang put down her glass and took out a delicate, thin necklace from her clothing pocket: “The bottle of red wine that broke was for everyone to drink. This is for you.”

The necklace was simple and plain, with a tiny bead on the pendant. At first glance, it was unremarkable, but if you looked closely, you would notice the bead carrying a faint, light blue tint that was mesmerizing.

“I bought it in Wuzhen. It was very cheap,” An Qianyang preemptively said, stopping Xiao Xuan from speaking. “Want to try it on? I think it suits you so well.” Xiao Xuan wanted to refuse, but looking at An Qianyang’s expectant eyes, she nodded gently.

An Qianyang stood on her tiptoes and reached her hands around Xiao Xuan’s neck. Their distance was pulled very, very close. Xiao Xuan’s breath fanned An Qianyang’s face. Heaven knows how hard she struggled to suppress her panic. Her eyes met Xiao Xuan’s, where no emotion—neither sorrow nor joy—could be read, yet they seemed to draw in all the light around them: “Teacher Xiao, kiss me.”

Those eyes narrowed: “No.”

“Kiss me.”

“No way.”

“If you don’t kiss me, I won’t leave.”

“That’s still a no.”

“You owe me.”

“I don’t owe you this.”

“I just want this. Give it to me.”

“Is it on properly?”

“Mhm.”

Those eyes seemed to carry a hint of annoyance: “Alright, I need to cook.” Xiao Xuan was about to take An Qianyang’s hands off her neck, but those hands seemed to know her intentions and clutched her tightly. The girl, whose ears were completely red, was pressing her face against Xiao Xuan’s neck: “No, you can’t cook.”

“You two are being intimate here while I’m about to lose my wife. Sigh, what a decline in morals.” Zhang Xiaoxiao leaned against the doorframe, a look of utter despair on her face. The two instantly sprang apart. Xiao Xuan immediately walked out of the kitchen: “I’ll go talk to her. You go ahead and beat the eggs.”