Chapter 140: Picking Her Up for School (2)

"Yes, my mother mentioned he landed around eight last night. I intended to pick him up and come to school together, but when I arrived, the butler said he had already left for campus."

"It seems Qiao Xi is returning to classes today as well."

"That's great. It’s not good for a couple to be apart for too long. I’d hate for my cousin’s rare attempt at romance to be short-lived. What about you, Brother Niansheng? When are you going to start dating?" Xu Jia'er asked with a grin.

"You aren't dating anyone either," Ji Niansheng replied.

"But I already have a boy I like, even if he hasn't accepted me yet." Xu Jia'er looked a bit sad as she said this, but she quickly recovered. "Still, I believe that one day Brother Ya will accept me. Unlike you, Brother Niansheng—you don't even have a target. Oh, right, I have a friend who is very beautiful. I could introduce you to..."

"Spare me." Did he, Ji Niansheng, really need someone else to introduce him to a girlfriend? He had the looks and the physique, after all! "I’m heading back to the classroom. Take your time." He made a swift exit; if he let Jia'er continue this topic and others overheard, he would be mortified.

Watching Ji Niansheng dash away, the innocence on Xu Jia'er's face vanished instantly, replaced by a much gloomier expression.

She had originally intended to drive Qiao Xi out of the school before her cousin returned, but Qiao Xi had suddenly taken three days off, and now she was returning on the same day as her cousin. With her cousin around, she had to be more cautious, and the chances of getting rid of Qiao Xi had diminished significantly.

Her cousin had only just started seeing Qiao Xi; who knew how long it would take for him to get bored and kick her to the curb? Just thinking about Ou Ya daydreaming about Qiao Xi made her heart burn with hatred. She couldn't stand the thought of Qiao Xi remaining at Yingran for another second.

She stood there for a moment until she finally spotted Ou Ya. She immediately ran over, happily hooking her arm into his. "Brother Ya, you're here too! Let's head to class together. Oh, by the way, have you seen my cousin? I was supposed to come to school with him, but the butler said he had already left. I didn't see his car anywhere, though."

"I just arrived at school," Ou Ya said, attempting to pull his arm away. She acted as if she didn't notice, still clutching his arm tightly with a puzzled look on her face.

"That's strange. Why would he leave so early? Do you think he went to pick up Qiao Xi?" She turned to look at Ou Ya as she spoke. "Brother Ya, did you know Qiao Xi is returning to class today?"

Ou Ya paused but said nothing.

"I bet my cousin definitely went to pick her up. They just started dating; they must have missed each other terribly after being apart for a few days. Maybe..."

Before she could finish, Ou Ya pulled his arm away.

"Class is about to start," he said, and walked off.

Xu Jia'er looked at her empty hand, feeling a deep sense of loss. She quickly caught up, walking side-by-side with Ou Ya, still trying to strike up a conversation.

"Brother Ya, I remember we have a P.E. class today, but I forgot if it’s in the morning or the afternoon. Do you remember?"

"First period in the afternoon."

...

By the time the bell rang for class, the seats belonging to Qiao Xi and Shan Chou-chou in Class 3, Year 2 remained empty. The class was abuzz with speculation, many guessing that neither Qiao Xi nor Shan Chou-chou would be returning to school at all.

Gu Panxi looked at Qiao Xi’s desk, then at Shan Chou-chou’s, and let out a helpless sigh. Was their fate as classmates really only meant to last a single month?