Chapter 54: Autumn’s Arrival and a Lingering Question

The autumn wind swept through, and a single leaf, finally freed from the branch’s embrace, drifted gently downwards.

Lin Duo, propped on her dormitory windowsill, happened to witness this quiet descent. ‘Xiaojing, look,’ she murmured, ‘the leaves are starting to fall. Autumn is finally here.’

Shen Jing’an moved closer to the window, taking a deep breath of the crisp air outside. ‘It’s almost the beginning of November,’ he observed. ‘Autumn is quite punctual this year. Regardless, the sweltering summer days are finally behind us!’

Summers in Nan’an City typically stretched long, often lingering until at least mid-October.

Stepping away from the window, Lin Duo settled back at her desk. ‘The midterm exams are on Monday, the day after tomorrow. How are your preparations coming along?’

‘They’re… passable. These past few days of studying have utterly exhausted me; I just want the exams to be over!’ Shen Jing’an, sporting dark circles under his eyes, clearly lacked sleep. ‘But right after midterms is our school’s sports meet! Two whole days without classes!’

‘Indeed, a break is certainly in order after the exams.’

The two of them worked on a few more practice problems. Bored, Shen Jing’an soon found a new topic. ‘Oh, by the way, Sun Shida’s oral English training with you finished yesterday,’ he remarked. ‘I guess you won’t have any more opportunities to ‘date’ that young heartthrob. What a pity for you.’

‘It wasn’t a date, it was studying!’ Lin Duo felt compelled to emphasize once more. ‘Besides, he said my English accent is already standard enough; all that’s left is practice. I’ve basically ‘graduated’ from his tutelage.’

With a mysterious glint in his eye, Shen Jing’an scooted his chair closer to Lin Duo’s. ‘Hey, be honest,’ he whispered, ‘all those evenings alone with Sun Shida in the small woods… did absolutely nothing happen?’

‘What do you think could happen? That guy clearly isn’t interested in girls!’ Lin Duo rolled her eyes at him in exasperation.

Unexpectedly, Shen Jing’an’s interest only piqued further. ‘Hmph, that guy is definitely a tsundere uke; he just needs a strong seme to conquer him. Actually, I think Cai Jingyao would be a perfect match for him as a couple. Don’t you think we should try to set them up?’

‘How boring!’ Lin Duo simply couldn’t comprehend the world of fujoshis.

Shen Jing’an fell silent for about three seconds before speaking again. ‘Aren’t you supposed to go to a student council meeting later? Aren’t you leaving now?’

‘You mean the Literature and Arts Department’s regular meeting? No need to rush; I’ll go after I finish this problem.’

Lin Duo, in truth, had joined the school’s student council almost by accident. It began when Shen Jing’an, intending to sign up for the Organization Department, had practically dragged Lin Duo along to fill out the application forms.

Lin Duo herself held no great enthusiasm for joining, so she casually put down the Literature and Arts Department, reasoning that she was, after all, the class’s arts and culture representative.

The interview itself was quite straightforward, consisting merely of three seniors chatting casually with her, inquiring about any special talents.

Lin Duo honestly admitted at the time that she possessed no artistic or literary talents whatsoever. Yet, the very next day, she received a text message from the head of the Literature and Arts Department: [Congratulations, you’ve been accepted!]

As for Shen Jing’an? He was regrettably not selected. After learning the result, he had been quite indignant, muttering about ‘this damned world that only cares about looks’ and such.

Incidentally, the afternoon dismissal time at Nanli Affiliated High School was not fixed; Fridays, for instance, ended exceptionally early, with classes concluding around 2 PM.

Day students could head straight home then, excused from participating in that evening’s self-study session.

Consequently, the student council’s various departmental meetings were typically scheduled for Friday afternoons.

Around precisely 3 PM, Lin Duo arrived at a certain meeting room. Seven or eight people were already seated inside, and seeing her enter, they greeted her warmly:

‘Ah, Xiaolin, good afternoon!’

‘Xiaolin is just as adorable today as ever!’

‘Come over here, let ‘uncle’ give you a hug…’

Lin Duo, of course, responded to each greeting with a smile before taking a seat next to one of the senior girls.

Though termed a regular meeting, with no recent activities, it was essentially a casual discussion session. The table was laden with fruits and sunflower seeds purchased with departmental funds, and afternoon tea was also prepared.

Everyone lounged comfortably, chatting freely, and sometimes the head of the department would even bring board games for them to play together.

With such a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, Lin Duo naturally integrated into the group very quickly.

‘I heard the head of our department is going to the UK for a three-month exchange program. Is that true?’ A department member initiated a new topic of conversation.

The head of the Literature and Arts Department was a sophomore girl named Gao Yuanyuan, of average height and appearance.

She leisurely took a sip of tea before slowly speaking. ‘It’s not definite yet. There are only three spots available for the exchange program with our partner school in the UK, and the final decision rests with the teachers. Still, I don’t foresee any issues.’

‘You’re definitely going, Department Head! You absolutely have to bring me back a brand-name bag!’

‘And me! I want the new XX brand blended perfume!’

For some reason, the department head seemed particularly concerned about Lin Duo, the new member. ‘Xiaolin,’ she asked, ‘isn’t there anything you’d like?’

To Lin Duo, the UK was merely a distant geographical concept, so she innocently asked, ‘What kind of special products does the UK have?’

‘Hahaha… Xiaolin is so cute…’ Laughter erupted throughout the meeting room. Lin Duo felt a little taken aback, unsure of what she had said wrong.

It was the senior girl beside her who explained. ‘People mainly go to the UK for luxury goods or cosmetics. You can buy authentic products there, and they’re cheaper than back home.’

‘Luxury goods, huh…’ Although Lin Duo’s allowance wasn’t meager, a significant portion went towards medication, alongside daily expenses for clothing and food, leaving not much leftover.

Consequently, she held no particular aspirations for luxury items. ‘I think I’ll pass on that,’ she said. ‘But I’d really love to see the photos the department head takes. I hear her photography skills are excellent.’

‘Hmph, of course! I’ll be sharing them on my Moments every day!’ A hint of pride touched Gao Yuanyuan’s lips.

‘Oh, right, Xiaolin, I heard from one of the junior boys that two guys got into a big fight over you in the hallway last month. Is that true?’

Rumors, as they say, only grow more exaggerated with each telling. What had merely been a tense atmosphere at the time had escalated into a full-blown brawl in the retelling, with some even claiming one of the boys had his ‘balls knocked off’.

Mentioning the incident, Lin Duo felt a little embarrassed. ‘It wasn’t a fight,’ she clarified. ‘It was just a small misunderstanding back then.’

‘Hmph, what ‘small misunderstanding’? Wasn’t it just an attempt to snatch our Xiaolin away?’ Gao Yuanyuan, ever the one to enjoy a spectacle, continued, unfazed.

‘But then again, who can blame them? Our new member is just so adorable and sweetly naive. If I were a boy, I’d definitely pursue you too!’

‘Exactly, exactly! Me too!’ A chorus of department members chimed in, joining the teasing.

‘Wait a minute, why are there boys joining in the teasing too?’

The members of the Literature and Arts Department chatted idly for another ten minutes or so. Then, Gao Yuanyuan, the department head, glanced at the wall clock and cleared her throat.

‘Ahem! If there are no other matters to report, the regular part of today’s meeting concludes here. Those who wish to play Werewolf can stay; those who don’t, or have other engagements, are free to leave now.’

Not a single person rose from their chair.

By now, Lin Duo had long since learned the game’s rules. For some unknown reason, whenever she played as a villager, she often managed to survive many rounds.

Everyone played until past 5 PM, at which point the meeting officially adjourned. However, just as Lin Duo was leaving the meeting room, a senior boy wearing glasses hurried after her.

‘Xiaolin, wait a moment! Your midterm exams are this coming Monday, aren’t they?’

‘Yes! What is it?’ Lin Duo paused.

The bespectacled senior offered a kindly smile. ‘While the exam questions vary each year, the types of questions remain consistent.’

‘I still have my study materials from this time last year, which should be helpful to you. Would you like them?’

‘Of course, I need them!’ Lin Duo was overjoyed, thanking him sweetly. ‘Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness, senior!’

‘We’re all in the same department; there’s no need to be so polite,’ the bespectacled senior struggled to maintain his composure. ‘Why don’t you wait for me by my dorm building entrance? I’ll go upstairs, grab the materials, and be right back down.’

And so, Lin Duo made her way to the boys’ dormitory building, where she casually sat on the edge of a flowerbed, waiting quietly.

However, as fate would have it, not long after, a familiar, slightly plump figure emerged from the building’s entrance, their expression stiffening slightly upon seeing Lin Duo.

A full month had passed since the incident at the last birthday banquet, but Wang Linshu and Lin Duo had not contacted each other since.

Sometimes, when they happened to cross paths on campus, Lin Duo would always quickly walk away, denying him any chance to speak.

Wang Linshu immediately spotted Lin Duo, with her beautiful hair, sitting quietly on the flowerbed. His lips moved, as if he wanted to say something.

But Lin Duo deliberately averted her gaze, refusing to look at him. In the end, Wang Linshu said nothing, instead walking past her with a downcast expression.

Only after Wang Linshu had passed did Lin Duo shift her gaze back, noticing a thin, dark purple string around the back of his neck.

This was likely the color of the cord for a Maitreya Buddha pendant.

About two more minutes passed before the bespectacled senior emerged, handing Lin Duo a thick stack of notes and materials. ‘These contain my study insights from my entire first semester of high school. You can use them as a reference.’

‘I’ve also analyzed the types of midterm questions here, so you can focus your cramming more effectively over the next couple of days.’

‘Thank you, senior!’ Lin Duo took the materials, her thanks sweet once more.

The bespectacled senior hesitated again before finally speaking. ‘It’s getting late now. How about we go to the cafeteria for dinner together? If you don’t like the cafeteria food, going off-campus is fine too.’

‘I’m sorry, senior, but I’ve already made plans with my roommate. If I stood her up, she’d deliberately blast loud music in the middle of the night to keep me from sleeping!’

Though a smile graced Lin Duo’s face, a hint of wariness flickered in her eyes.

‘Alright then… Study hard, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.’ With that, the bespectacled senior, a touch disappointed, returned inside the building.

On her way back to the dorm, Lin Duo passed the small fountain once more. She leaned over, using the pond’s surface to catch her reflection, and mused to herself:

‘With so many boys pursuing me, is it truly because I’m pretty, or because of the demure, ladylike persona I painstakingly cultivate? Or is it perhaps a combination of both?’

Ever since Lin Duo arrived in Nan’an City, she had been meticulously careful about her words and actions, striving in every aspect to embody a demure young lady.

This was partly because she had wanted to be a girl since childhood, and partly out of fear of being exposed.

After maintaining the disguise for so long, many behaviors had become second nature.

These included sitting upright with her legs pressed together and slightly bent to the side, eating in small bites and chewing slowly, and the tendency for her face to flush delicately whenever boys told crude jokes.

Coupled with her pure and adorable appearance, these perfectly ‘soft girl’ behaviors naturally made it easy for her to capture the hearts of all sorts of boys.

Indeed, Lin Duo sometimes found herself unable to distinguish her true self, as if the mask she wore had become glued to her face.

However, Lin Duo wasn’t particularly bothered by how others perceived her; otherwise, she would have been driven mad during her elementary and middle school years. In reality, Lin Duo was more concerned with her own sense of self.

She always remembered what she had said in that second-grade class.

A bird streaked across the sky at 0.3 Mach, leaving two white contrails. Lin Duo looked up, gazing at the boundless, azure heavens, one hand holding back a wind-blown strand of hair, and whispered to herself: ‘I wish I could become a real girl…’