To Sweep Across Like Wildfire - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Third was playing on her phone with her back to Meng Chi. Even with her headphones on, she overheard Meng Chi’s words. Thinking she was being asked, she replied casually, “Just scrolling through Weibo.”

“……” Meng Chi hadn’t expected her roommate to chime in. Her face flushed slightly, but seeing Third was focused on her phone, she realized her roommate hadn’t noticed anything. Calming her nerves, she replied composedly, “Oh.”

As if she really had just asked a random question.

Shen Qingruo didn’t have her headphones nearby, so when she saw the message from the “little one,” she played it directly.

The cool, slightly husky voice echoed through the quiet studio.

Ignoring the complicated look Xie Zhen shot her, Shen Qingruo pressed the voice button and said, “What’s wrong? Did you miss me?”

After sending it, she played it back ostentatiously, admiring her own pleasant voice.

The seductive, lazy voice echoed through the studio twice.

Shen Qingruo didn’t keep teasing; she followed up with a serious reply: “Busy with work. So tired.”

Xie Zhen’s expression was a mix of emotions. Finally unable to bear it, she yanked off her Bluetooth headphones and threw them at Shen Qingruo. “Can you two go flirt somewhere else?”

Shen Qingruo caught them steadily in her palm. She nonchalantly pulled out a tissue, wiped them down elegantly, and slowly put them in her ears.

Seeing this, Xie Zhen’s face went dark. She cursed, “Use them or don’t, give them back!”

“Zhen-er, don’t get worked up. I know this triggers your lonely heart, but I can’t help it. The little one can’t sleep, misses me, and insists on talking to me.”

Xie Zhen: “……”

With a twist of her slender waist, Shen Qingruo walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.

Xie Zhen took a few deep breaths and patted her chest. Don’t get angry; anger gives the devil an opening. Feeling a bit better, she looked toward the window.

Shen Qingruo was leaning against the frame. Whatever she was hearing made the corners of her lips curve up, her eyes full of warmth.

North City had been called the “City That Never Sleeps” for years. Countless ordinary people flocked to this international metropolis, upholding its prosperity and noise, burning their lifeblood to light up one restless lamp after another for this sleepless city.

The area around Xiling Building was a famous commercial district, surrounded by several office buildings. Even now, some offices outside were still lit. The woven starlight from outside spilled over Shen Qingruo’s shoulders; she almost melted into the brilliance, becoming a shining light herself.

But only Xie Zhen knew that a few years ago, Shen Qingruo wasn’t like this. Back then, she didn’t like to smile, and her expression always carried a hint of coldness. During university, Xie Zhen wasn’t in the same class as her. Once, during a school physical fitness test, Xie Zhen went to help time the girls’ 800-meter run. At the start, Shen Qingruo took the lead, sprinting ahead and leaving the second-place runner dozens of meters behind. With that speed, one would have thought she was an athlete.

Later, Shen Qingruo’s pace slowed, becoming slower and slower. Noticing this, Xie Zhen saw her occasionally clutching her stomach, her face pale. She tossed the stopwatch to a classmate and ran to catch up, asking if she felt unwell.

Shen Qingruo’s face was as white as paper, looking as if she might collapse at any moment. Her reaction was sluggish as she said, “Sorry, I forgot to eat.”

If it had been anyone else, Xie Zhen would have lectured them. The test schedule had been announced days in advance—why didn’t you eat properly? Or, you’re thin enough already, don’t think about dieting now.

The words were on the tip of her tongue but, seeing Shen Qingruo’s pale face, she swallowed them back. A flicker of suspicion crossed her mind—she didn’t think Shen Qingruo was skipping meals for a diet. Xie Zhen changed her tune: “Stop running. I’ll take you to the infirmary.”

Shen Qingruo’s voice was like a thread, as if she didn’t even know what she was saying. She whispered, “I can’t… if I fail the test, I won’t get the end-of-term scholarship.”

At that moment, she was mostly cheering herself up.

Xie Zhen didn’t hear clearly and asked, “What did you say? You can’t do this. Why push yourself so hard? It doesn’t matter if you fail this one. Come to the infirmary with me.”

She pulled at Shen Qingruo’s arm, trying to tug her off the track. The girl was thin and hadn’t eaten, yet she somehow had the strength to resist.

Shen Qingruo gently pulled her hand away, turned to smile at her, and said, “I’m fine.”

Then, slightly shyly, she asked, “I’m so hungry. Can you give me a piece of candy?”

Then, relying on a single fruit candy, Shen Qingruo burst forward with sudden strength. Though she was still at the back of the pack, she managed to hit the passing mark.

It wasn’t until much later that Xie Zhen learned that back then, Shen Qingruo had worked several part-time jobs in a row and had just rushed back from work. Her pockets were cleaner than her face; she didn’t have a single cent on her and had already been starving for two days.

Xie Zhen dazed for a moment, reminiscing for a brief two seconds. Just as a certain sentiment was about to form, Shen Qingruo noticed her gaze. She put on a shy act and provocatively blew her a kiss.

Xie Zhen: “……”

Xie Zhen: Pah.

It must be that the lights outside were too bright, dazzling her eyes and making her overthink things.

Ten minutes later, Shen Qingruo floated back.

“Done chatting?” Xie Zhen shot her a sidelong glance.

“The little one went to sleep.” A hint of a smile lingered in the corners of Shen Qingruo’s eyes. She cracked her knuckles, brightened her laptop screen, and placed both hands on the keyboard.

Soon, the rapid, rhythmic clack-clack-clack of typing filled the room.

Xie Zhen glanced at her screen and asked curiously, “Didn’t you say you’d do this tomorrow?”

“Since I have time now, I’ll get it done.” Shen Qingruo looked intently at the screen, her gaze steady. She paused for a moment before saying in an “annoyed” tone, “I won’t have time in a couple of days. The little one invited me to Longhu Park. I really don’t know what’s so fun about a park.”

Xie Zhen thought: Here she goes again. I’ll just watch you act.

She said coldly, “Parks really aren’t that fun. Just don’t go.”

Shen Qingruo gave an affected sigh and said, “You don’t know, the kid is quite pushy in private. She insisted I accompany her. Sigh, I really have no choice.”

“Is that so? Meng Chi doesn’t look like that kind of person.” Xie Zhen took out her phone. “I’ll help you talk to her. Since you’re so busy lately, she’ll understand.”

As soon as Xie Zhen opened WeChat, her phone was snatched away by Shen Qingruo. “What are you doing? The kid just fell asleep; don’t wake her up, or I’ll have to coax her again.”

“Give me my phone back.”

“Promise me first.”

Xie Zhen sighed and patted Shen Qingruo. “We can still be friends if you stop acting like a poser.”

…

Two days later, Longhu Park.

A dozen students from the North Source Academy of Fine Arts were sitting in the gallery sketching.

Third had been slacking off for a bit. Just as she picked up her brush to start creating, Meng Chi beside her began packing up her supplies. Glancing at Meng Chi’s sketch, Third said in shock, “You’re finished already?”

She hadn’t even started.

Meng Chi gave an “Mm” and said, “I’ve finished drawing this spot. I’m moving to another place.”

“Alright, go ahead,” Third said, still stunned.

After Meng Chi left, Third quickly gathered her thoughts and began drawing furiously—she couldn’t fall too far behind.

Following that, the members of female dorm 301 began drawing faster and faster. The surrounding students were dazed, their hearts racing. What’s wrong with these girls? Why are they all acting like they’ve been injected with chicken blood?

Meng Chi didn’t expect her departure to trigger such a butterfly effect. And the others certainly didn’t expect that Meng Chi wasn’t moving to another spot to draw, but was going on a date.

Two days ago, Shen Qingruo said she wanted to visit Longhu Park and asked if Meng Chi was free. Meng Chi had agreed immediately.

Meng Chi hurried to the park entrance and spotted Shen Qingruo at once. Seeing her outfit, her reaction delayed for a beat. She was wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt paired with a washed-blue denim skirt. Her makeup was lighter than usual, looking clean and fresh. She looked years younger, her aura somewhere between youthful and mature—like a university student who had recently graduated.

Meng Chi had never seen Shen Qingruo like this. Thinking back, their meetings were always at bars or hotels—places of indulgence and nightlife.

Meng Chi’s heart suddenly felt warm. So… was this their first official date?

Shen Qingruo looked approachable today, attracting two girls—one young and one older—to ask her to exchange change. A nearby convenience store didn’t accept QR code payments and only took cash. Rows of glistening Tanghulu candied haws were visible in the display fridge, making the children unable to move. Their parents couldn’t pull them away, so they had to find a way to get cash.

Shen Qingruo seemed to be in a good mood. She rarely carried cash but happened to have a few small bills, which she handed out. Hearing the kids mention scanning a code to transfer money back, she said, “Forget it, it’s not much. Take it and go buy your treats.”

The older girl, with a round face and a voice that seemed to be changing, shouted happily, “Thank you, Auntie!”

Shen Qingruo’s expression changed slightly. She gave a sigh, pulled the bill back from the girl’s hand, and said, “Call me ‘Sister’.”

The girl’s eyes widened, and then she reluctantly called her “Sister.”

Shen Qingruo said, “Good girl,” and then returned the bill. The girl immediately skipped away to buy her Tanghulu.

The younger child, looking only three or four, stood there hesitating, staring back at Shen Qingruo.

“Fine, you go buy some too,” Shen Qingruo said.

Only then did the child leave with the bill, returning to her parents, who looked quite young and seemed to be arguing quietly over some domestic matter.

Meng Chi glanced over and quickly looked away. Hearing Shen Qingruo’s words, she felt like laughing. She walked to her side, holding back her smile. Seeing some light sweat on her forehead, she immediately pulled a pack of tissues from her backpack. However, she wasn’t careful and accidentally pulled out another box along with it.

The box fell lightly onto the ground.

Shen Qingruo lowered her gaze and swept her eyes over it. She picked up the pale blue box before Meng Chi could. Facing Meng Chi, she spun the box with her slender fingers and said, “Little one, why is there a pack of cigarettes in your bag?”