Chapter 31 Part 1

Zhou Wan didn't know if Lu Xixiao had lost out or not, but in any case, when Monday came, she still saw Lu Xixiao at school.

He was wearing the school uniform.

Zhou Wan rarely saw him in the school uniform.

At the Monday flag-raising ceremony, more than thirty formations were lined up on the sports field.

Lu Xixiao stood at the back of Class 7, looking like he hadn't woken up yet. His expression was weary and tired, his eyelids drooping. The school uniform hung loosely on him, the zipper not even properly pulled up, revealing his slender, handsome collarbones and outlining the straight, sharp line of his shoulders.

Zhou Wan heard some girls discussing how Lu Xixiao had surprisingly come to school today and was even wearing the uniform.

They said it really was the person who makes the clothes, that such an ugly uniform looked youthful and vibrant on Lu Xixiao.

Zhou Wan lowered her head, pressing her lips together to suppress a smile.

The principal stood before the podium, giving a speech.

No one's mind was on it; today was Christmas Eve, and tomorrow was Christmas Day.

Holidays like this were especially popular at school. Everyone had already bought all sorts of pretty greeting cards over the weekend, and now they were whispering about the cards and gifts they had each received.

Zhou Wan had also received quite a few cards.

She had a good personality and was well-liked by her classmates.

This year, however, most of the cards were from girls. No boys had given her any, likely because of Lu Xixiao, they were all keeping a respectful distance from her.

After the flag-raising ceremony ended, the classes returned to their classrooms in order.

Gu Meng linked her arm through Zhou Wan's and said, "It would be great if it snowed tomorrow. Snow is what gives Christmas its festive atmosphere."

"Did the weather forecast say it would snow?" Zhou Wan asked.

"Of course not," Gu Meng said. "It hasn't snowed in Qiaoxi for the past two years. If it does snow, it's usually around the New Year, not this early."

Zhou Wan remembered something Lu Xixiao had said before: "It seems like a warm winter this year."

Gu Meng sighed and said, "I'm definitely getting into a university in the north!"

Zhou Wan started to laugh. "Just to see the snow?"

"And for the heating!"

As they were going upstairs back to the classroom, Zhou Wan's steps suddenly faltered. She frowned and asked Gu Meng in a low voice, "Mengmeng, do you have a sanitary pad on you?"

"You got it?" Gu Meng immediately felt her pockets. "I have one in my schoolbag."

Zhou Wan went back to the classroom to get a pad, then quickly walked to the restroom.

Her period was often irregular, sometimes coming after more than a month, sometimes in less than a month. But every time it came, she would feel very uncomfortable, with a stomachache, an aching back, and she'd also feel particularly cold.

Zhou Wan changed her pad and sighed.

She hated getting her period in the winter the most.

There was no hot water in the school restrooms. Zhou Wan rinsed her hands with cold water, shivering slightly. After drying them, she immediately stuffed them back into her pockets. Her lower abdomen throbbed with a bloating pain, as if a hand were trying to pull all her internal organs downward.

As she walked out of the restroom, she happened to run into Lu Xixiao.

Lu Xixiao glanced at her and frowned. "Why do you look so pale?"

Zhou Wan shook her head. "It's nothing."

Ignoring the passing students, Lu Xixiao raised his hand and placed the back of it on Zhou Wan's forehead. It wasn't hot; it was very cold.

"Caught a cold?"

Zhou Wan shook her head. "I'm really fine."

His voice deepened. "Zhou Wan."

Zhou Wan didn't know how to explain it to him, feeling awkward.

Lu Xixiao grabbed her wrist. "Let's go to the nurse's office."

"There's no need, Lu Xixiao..." Zhou Wan tried to pull her hand back. "I'm really fine."

She couldn't pull away from him. Left with no choice, she glanced around. The other students had all left, so she finally said in a small voice, "I just... got my period."

Lu Xixiao froze. He looked at her for a moment, then let go of her hand and asked in a low voice, "Does it hurt?"

"It's okay, just a little uncomfortable."

The bell for class rang just then. Zhou Wan hurriedly waved to Lu Xixiao and ran back to the classroom, enduring the discomfort in her lower abdomen.

Chinese class.

Zhou Wan took out the greeting cards from her drawer. Christmas cards these days were made more and more exquisitely, mostly three-dimensional and brightly colored.

Zhou Wan looked through them one by one, then wrote return cards.

On the last one, she held her pen and paused for a moment.

It was for Lu Xixiao. What should she write?

After thinking for a while, she lowered her head and wrote seriously—

Lu Xixiao, Happy Christmas Eve, and Merry Christmas.

I wish you happiness every day, smooth sailing, and for everything to go your way.

Zhou Wan tucked the card into a textbook and put it in her desk, planning to give it to him after school.

The third period was P.E. Because she was on her period, Zhou Wan didn't have to run, but after being exposed to the cold wind for several tens of minutes, she felt increasingly unwell, her hands and feet ice-cold.

When the bell rang to end class, Zhou Wan returned to the classroom. As she was about to get her textbook for the next period, she discovered a bag had been stuffed into her desk.

She froze for a second, then pulled it out.

Inside the bag was a cup of piping hot red date and brown sugar tea, and a hot water bottle.

Gu Meng walked over just in time to see it and let out a soft exclamation. "Wanwan, who gave this to you?"

"I don't know either."

"It must be Lu Xixiao!" Gu Meng said. "Besides Lu Xixiao, who would dare to be so attentive to you now?"

"..."

Zhou Wan lowered her eyes. She still felt this wasn't something Lu Xixiao would do. "I'll ask him in a bit," she said softly.

[Zhou Wan: Did you buy the things in my drawer for me?]

[6: Yeah.]

Zhou Wan pressed her lips together, a strange feeling spreading through her heart.

[Zhou Wan: Thank you.]

[6: You still have competition training after school today?]

[Zhou Wan: Yeah, the training runs until the competition day in March next year.]

[6: I'll wait for you in the classroom. Come find me when you're done.]

[Zhou Wan: Okay.]

...

At six in the afternoon, the training ended.

Zhou Wan went back to the classroom, took out the card for Lu Xixiao, and put it in her pocket.

When she reached the door of Class 7, the only person inside the empty classroom was Lu Xixiao. He was asleep, slumped over his desk. It was already dark outside, and with the lights off, the classroom felt exceptionally empty and quiet.

Zhou Wan walked in and gently nudged his arm.

"Lu Xixiao."

It was a moment before he straightened up, frowning, looking very impatient.

Zhou Wan fell silent.

Another two minutes passed. Lu Xixiao ran a hand through his hair and looked at Zhou Wan, the impatience in his eyes dissipating slightly. His voice was still hoarse. "It's over?"

"Mhm."

He sat up straight, and Zhou Wan saw his textbook open on the desk, completely blank, without any notes.

Zhou Wan: "Did you study today?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't understand it."

"..." Zhou Wan lowered her eyes. "Then I'll give you my notes next time."

Lu Xixiao's lips curved. "Alright."

He stood up and slung Zhou Wan's schoolbag off her shoulder. It was heavy, weighing down his hand.

And as he stood, Zhou Wan caught a glimpse of his desk drawer, stuffed full of greeting cards and 'peace apples'.

She was taken aback.

Lu Xixiao noticed her gaze and said nonchalantly, "Don't know who stuffed them in there."

It must be from the girls who like him.

Every year during these holidays, Lu Xixiao's drawer would be filled with all sorts of gifts without him even noticing.

Zhou Wan blinked and said softly, "Oh."

She clutched the card she had written for him in her pocket. It was a very simple Christmas card with a Christmas tree on the cover, completely incomparable to the exquisite and thoughtfully prepared cards in his drawer.

"Let's go," Lu Xixiao said.

Zhou Wan hummed in agreement, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to take the card out of her pocket.

She felt a strange discomfort in her chest.

Firstly, she felt the card she prepared was too plain and not presentable. Secondly, Lu Xixiao had already received so many cards, and she didn't want hers to just be lost among them.

If that was the case, she'd rather not give it to him at all.

As they walked out of the school gates, Lu Xixiao asked, "Are you still feeling unwell?"

"Hm?"

He didn't explain, just looked at her.