Chapter 38: The Cartoonist’s Covert Strategy and a Friend’s Startling Realization

A year… yes, a year should be enough.

Zhong Tian doubted Li Jianren could withstand a year of persistent advances from a sweet-faced girl whose personality perfectly complemented her own.

Especially with Zhong Tian secretly assisting her.

Thus, the first step was to establish a connection between them.

At the very least, they needed to exchange WeChat contacts.

Zhong Tian had been rather surprised moments ago when Bai Ruijin informed her that Li Jianren had rejected her friend request.

‘Li Jianren, what’s gotten into you? Why reject someone like that?’ she had wondered.

Then, it suddenly dawned on her: Bai Ruijin… a WeChat friend request… hadn’t she herself instigated his refusal?

At that moment, Zhong Tian inwardly apologized to Bai Ruijin.

Now, figuring out how to add him on WeChat had become the primary challenge.

To this end, Zhong Tian proposed two solutions: the first was to create a new account and send another request, explaining the situation when they eventually met in person.

The second was for Bai Ruijin to personally ask him for his contact information during a club activity.

Bai Ruijin said she needed time to decide, and Zhong Tian agreed.

These were the details the trio had discussed by the entrance of Class Four.

‘Hmm… I’ll discuss it with them again during dinner,’ she mused.

Turning her head to glance at Li Jianren, who truly seemed to be asleep, Zhong Tian decided to rest for a bit, needing to conserve her energy for the afternoon classes.

****

One in the afternoon.

Zhong Tian’s alarm rang, and she rose, gently nudging Li Jianren awake beside her.

With half an hour until class, Zhong Tian was unhurried.

She picked up her phone and messaged Bai Ruijin, suggesting they meet for dinner in the cafeteria.

–Ren, I’m having dinner with two friends in the cafeteria tonight, so I won’t be eating at your dorm.–

Still somewhat groggy, Li Jianren sat up, blinking his eyes, and replied weakly, “Alright…”

Zhong Tian washed her face with cool water, tidied her hair, and exited through the back door of Li Jianren’s dorm.

Beyond the back door of Li Jianren’s dorm lay a private balcony used for drying clothes.

However, as his dorm was on the first floor, one could easily bypass the short railing and circle back to the academic building from behind the dorm.

She chose this route not for its brevity, but for its discreetness.

‘After all,’ she thought, ‘I can’t be seen entering and exiting Li Jianren’s dorm.’

En route, Zhong Tian received a reply from Bai Ruijin, confirming her agreement.

After reading it, Zhong Tian switched off her phone and placed it into her canvas bag before entering the academic building.

****

Five in the afternoon.

The final class concluded.

Having entered their second year of high school, they had new teachers for every subject, and the lessons had largely consisted of introductions and basic coursework.

Zhong Tian gathered her textbooks and notes, slung her canvas bag over her shoulder, and headed towards Class Four.

“Zhong Tian!”

Bai Ruijin and Zheng Qiao were waiting by their classroom door.

Upon spotting Zhong Tian, Bai Ruijin waved to her.

Zhong Tian walked over to them, acknowledging them with a nod.

As the trio prepared to head to the cafeteria, a voice called out from behind them,

“Teacher?”

“Lenghu?” Zhong Tian immediately recognized the voice.

She turned, her gaze falling upon the black-haired girl emerging from the classroom.

Dressed in her school uniform, Chu Lenghu exuded a more youthful aura than usual.

Her long black hair and the skirt of her uniform swayed naturally in unison.

She drifted gently towards Zhong Tian with the breeze, offering her a smile.

“Teacher, are you going to dinner with friends?”

Chu Lenghu glanced at the two individuals behind Zhong Tian, then waved in greeting.

Though Zheng Qiao felt a surge of doubt, she and Bai Ruijin both nodded in response.

‘So these two know each other…’ Zheng Qiao thought, ‘But Chu Lenghu called Zhong Tian ‘Teacher’? What’s going on?’

While Zheng Qiao and Bai Ruijin had only interacted with Chu Lenghu a few times over the past year, Chu Lenghu was, in their minds, a ‘good person’ in every sense: good-looking, good grades, good personality, good manners.

‘Could she really be friends with Zhong Tian, whose personality is as cold as ice?’

‘A teacher-student relationship, even?’

Zheng Qiao pondered these thoughts inwardly, betraying no expression.

Zhong Tian nodded, replying, “Yes.”

Hearing Zhong Tian’s soft, almost emotionless tone, Chu Lenghu subtly lowered her gaze in thought for a moment, then smiled.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

Zhong Tian glanced at the two behind her.

After receiving their silent affirmation, she replied, “Mm, let’s go together.”

Thus, Zheng Qiao and Bai Ruijin walked ahead, while Chu Lenghu and Zhong Tian followed, moving with the stream of students towards the cafeteria.

“Teacher.”

“Hm? What is it?”

Chu Lenghu whispered, “Teacher, you’re so different inside and outside of school.”

Zhong Tian immediately felt a pang of awkwardness.

‘It felt as if a secret had been uncovered by a friend,’ she mused.

“Mmm. I’m not very fond of socializing…” She gave an awkward laugh, softly offering the excuse she had prepared long ago. “That’s why I pretend to be aloof, to avoid social interactions…”

“I see,” Chu Lenghu said, her expression showing understanding.

“By the way, if you have time after finishing your homework during evening self-study, you could try practicing human anatomy and dynamics,” Zhong Tian said.

“I’ve printed out the reference materials for you; I’ll give them to you when we get back after dinner.”

“Okay, thank you, Teacher.”

As they conversed in hushed tones, they arrived at the school cafeteria.

Since Zhong Tian’s own bowl was still in Li Jianren’s dorm, and it was inconvenient for her to retrieve it, she decided to opt for the slightly more expensive ‘nutritionally balanced meal’ that came with a tray.

Whether it was truly nutritious, Zhong Tian couldn’t say, but she knew the price would certainly be high.

‘Otherwise, so few people wouldn’t be queuing for it…’ she thought.

Paying fifteen yuan with her campus card, she purchased a ‘nutritionally balanced meal’—three meat dishes, one vegetable, and a soup—which was, in fact, quite a bargain.

Compared to the ordinary six-and-a-half yuan meal served next to it, however, it still seemed a tad luxurious.

Carrying her tray, Zhong Tian found a well-ventilated spot by the window in the cafeteria and sat down, waiting for the other three who were still in line.

Since the first-year students had already gone home, the queue wasn’t long, and the trio wouldn’t have to wait long to get their meals.

At this moment, Zheng Qiao, unable to suppress her curiosity, asked, “Lenghu, did you and Zhong Tian meet outside of school?”

Chu Lenghu, standing behind her in line, replied, “Yes, at a comic convention.”

“A comic convention?”

‘Zhong Tian actually goes to comic conventions?’

‘So she’s a ‘two-dimensional’ person?’

‘Like those cold-faced beauties often seen in manga, who appear unapproachable but are secretly hardcore otaku, only pretending to be aloof to conceal their social anxiety and otaku identity?’

“Mm, she’s a cartoonist,” Chu Lenghu said.

“I went to her signing event.”

‘A cartoonist? A signing event?!’

Zheng Qiao and Bai Ruijin both froze in astonishment at her words.

“That’s incredible!” Bai Ruijin exclaimed in surprise.

“A high school student is already a cartoonist?”

“Yes,” Chu Lenghu smiled.

“Her current serialized manga is called [Leafage]. You should check it out if you have time.”

“So that’s why she calls her ‘Teacher’…” Zheng Qiao muttered softly, handing her bowl to the cafeteria auntie in front of her.

The trio finished getting their food and sat down at the table Zhong Tian had chosen.

“Ruijin,” Zhong Tian began, deciding to get straight to the point.

She preferred to clarify the issue and reach a consensus before they leisurely ate.

“I subtly probed Li Jianren at noon… he said he has no intention of dating during high school.”

Before Bai Ruijin’s expression could completely stiffen, Zhong Tian quickly added, “But it’s clearly not his true sentiment, so you can rest assured.”

Only then did Bai Ruijin visibly relax a little.

“Therefore, I believe we first need to figure out the real reason… the reason behind his so-called disinterest in dating,” she explained.

“I can handle this part.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, then, the next question is… how do you plan to establish contact with him?”

Bai Ruijin mused for a moment, still seemingly in a quandary.

“How about… we wait for the Literature Club activity?

Tomorrow night, during evening self-study, we’ll be recruiting new first-years… I’ll just go ask him myself then…”

Zhong Tian nodded, her voice devoid of much inflection as she said, “Good luck.”

With that, the first LJR strategy meeting concluded.

‘Hmm… or perhaps the second, strictly speaking,’ she mused.

Throughout, Chu Lenghu simply listened in silence, contemplating, and eating her meal in small bites.

Zhong Tian sampled the winter melon soup; it tasted rather good, though not quite as delicious as her own.

‘If only they had used a little less MSG…’ she thought.

Zheng Qiao ate quickly.

Having finished her meal, she cast a sidelong glance at Zhong Tian, silently falling into thought.

According to Zhong Tian, Li Jianren outwardly claimed ‘no interest in dating,’ but in reality, he harbored such desires, suppressing them for some undisclosed reason.

‘That so-called reason…’

‘Could it be that he already has someone he likes?’

Suddenly, Zheng Qiao felt this was a distinct possibility!

‘Isn’t this a common trope in manga and novels?’

‘The male lead likes the female lead, and when she suddenly asks if he wants to date, the timid male lead, fearing his unrequited love will be exposed, fobs her off with an excuse like ‘I don’t want to date right now’…

‘Hmm? Wait a minute!’

‘Then, in that case, wouldn’t the ‘female lead’ actually be…’

Zheng Qiao looked at Zhong Tian, who was slowly eating, and was momentarily petrified.

‘This…’

‘Could it really be that Li Jianren has a crush on Zhong Tian?

And Zhong Tian, being his cold-hearted childhood friend, hasn’t noticed his feelings, inadvertently leading him on all this time?’

The more Zheng Qiao thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

She glanced at Bai Ruijin again.

‘Well, it’s just a guess, so it’s probably best not to say anything… After all, I’ve already made one mistake; if I make another, I’ll be a criminal…’

She exhaled slowly—

‘How could something like this happen in real life? Stop overthinking it, Zheng Qiao,’ she admonished herself.

Suppressing her wild imagination, she let out a long breath.

‘I really hope it’s not like that…’

****

‘This one isn’t thinking something weird again, is she…’

Zhong Tian cast a sidelong glance at Zheng Qiao, said nothing, and continued eating.

****

After dinner, Zhong Tian parted ways with them and returned to her classroom.

While the classroom wasn’t yet full, students were chatting and messing around, making the atmosphere quite boisterous.

Amidst this clamor, only Li Jianren remained silent, diligently scribbling away at his desk.

Zhong Tian suspected she was hallucinating.

She then moved closer, stealing a peek.

‘So he’s doing his summer homework…’

Zhong Tian almost failed to maintain her poker face.

‘Forgive me, but I truly want to mock him,’ she thought.

“They’ll be collected during evening self-study,” she leaned down and whispered softly into Li Jianren’s ear.

“I know— Aaaahhh—”

Li Jianren, almost too exhausted to retain his soul, let out a sound on the verge of collapse.

Yet, his hand moved incredibly fast, producing characters that would make even the Calligraphy Sage Zhang Xu feel inferior.

“Keep it up.”

Having quietly offered words of encouragement, Zhong Tian returned to her seat and began preparing for evening self-study.