Wisteria

When the bell rang and lunch had ended, only the three from the Liberal Arts department stayed. There were no attempts to strike up a conversation nor small talk as the three of them basked in the sun's rays peeking from the tree.

"I think we should go."

Jiang Shen said while she put away her lunchbox.

"The security guard might wonder why we're here and think we're cutting classes."

"Just leave me here."

Shi Fen waved them away with his hands. His head laid under a root while his face was covered with his blazer.

"Are you sure?" Yang Mu asked.

"Of course! I'm not like you guys. I don't care if i'm caught or not. My grades are good anyway."

"Then... we'll get going now."

Jiang Shen stood up and pat away the grass from her skirt.

"Let's go."

There was a special path of cobblestones underneath a long trail of wisterias. All of the paths converged in the middle of the school where the founding statue stood beneath a large fountain.

All the trails were connected to hotspots where students liked to hang out in their free time.

There was also a pergola near the place where they left Shi Fen. Yang Mu felt that the place looked beautiful and really admired whoever designed the place.

He glanced at Jiang Shen, who had a small smile on her face as she looked down at the path littered with fallen flowers. Somehow the sight made him smile.

"Did you know that Wisterias are slightly poisonous?"

Yang Mu looked surprised and said, "Really?"

Jiang Shen nodded and laughed.

"I was also shocked when I read about it. It's a mildly poisonous plant that's especially toxic to cats and dogs. I don't know about humans, though."

"Then, all parts of the plant are poisonous?"

He hadn't developed any interest in Wisteria. But the moment she mentioned it, he was driven to study about them.

"Yup! But nobody would be stupid enough to ingest Wisterias so I think it's fine to plant them here. Besides, pets aren't allowed on campus."

"I heard the Dean had a magnificent persian cat?"

The Dean was a woman in her forties who always liked to wear loose clothes and could be spotted in the garden watering the plants in her free time.

Jiang Shen nodded.

"She does but the cat doesn't like coming near anywhere there's flowers. You can spot the cat near the main gate if you wander around. There's hardly any flowers there. Why? Do you like cats?"

"Yeah, we've got three cats at home."

Their family was addicted to pets and even brought home all of them from Korea. God knows how much money they spent to be able to bring them home.

"Really? What breeds are they?"

Jiang Shen liked pets. It was a pity that their house didn't allow them.

"My brother likes cats more than me so all of them are tabby cats. They all came from the same mother. Do you like cats?"

If she did, Yang Mu would think about how to invite her to his house if he had the chance. He could see the way her eyes sparkle at the mere mention of cats.

"I've never had a pet. My family doesn't allow us to keep pets and so i've never thought of owning one. Besides, loving them and taking care of them are two completely different things."

Jiang Shen had always had an affinity for pets. She had a strong affection for them and admired their owners. After all, it wasn't easy taking care of a pet. One needed to pay great attention to them.

"We also have dogs," Yang Mu added.

"Really?" Jiang Shen's voice turned a pitch higher, making Yang Mu raise a brow. She smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I just love dogs. My maternal aunt's family has a big St. Bernard. His coat is so soft."

"Really? Our family has a Bernese Mountain. Do you want to come over to see them?" Yang Mu skillfully asked, as if his question had no ulterior motive at all.

And poor Jiang Shen who had no clue hurriedly nodded.

"Sure! When can I visit?"

In her eyes, it wasn't a big deal to come over to a friend's house. After all, it wasn't like there was something weird going on between them. And because Jiang Shen had personally seen his personality, she was sure that he wouldn't hurt her.

Furthermore, even if he did, she would make sure to cripple his jewels in the process if he turned out to be more skilled than her.

Yang Mu's smile widened. He was really looking forward to that day.

"I'll ask my parents when they're free."

"Up to you."

They soon reached the Liberal Arts Department and headed to their classroom. Both of them returned to their respective seats as Jiang Shen resumed organizing her notes from a previous class.

While Yang Mu also did the same, he kept stealing glances at her back from time to time, brightening his mood.

In another department.

"Ah? Where are you going?"

A young man who carried an envelope with him was stopped by the prefect. He pulled out a pass and said, "To the administration building. Teacher Tao asked me to deliver this envelope."

The prefect looked at the envelope and stamped on the pass.

"Go ahead."

The young man nodded as he walked on the path towards the administration building. As he reached the center where all paths converged, a figure appeared in the corner of his eyes.

While they hadn't seen each other for a good while, the young man could still remember every inch of the girl's figure even in his dreams.

He wanted to approach the girl with the intention to catch up, but another figure made him stop in his tracks.

Seeing the pair get along so well, a sense of envy erupted in him as he sighed and walked back to the path of the administration building.

'Weird?'

Yang Mu thought as he glanced at the figure walking away.