Perfect!

"Your classes ended early?" Xu Jiao asked while closing the umbrella and stomping her feet to get rid of the remnant water on her shoes. It had poured all the way from the university up till the moment she has reached their place, casting the vibrant scenery of the autumn evening in a more dulled-down hue.

"It got canceled, I only knew after going to uni."

"Good thing you got home earlier, or you might get caught up in this rain." Removing her shoes and putting them in the shoebox at the door, Xu Jiao turned to go into the bedroom. "It's so damn annoying…"

"Eh? But it's just a drizzle ne… Not that heavy?"

"I still hate it!" Xu Jiao glumly muttered while removing her slightly wet garments, the dampness on her skin making her feel uncomfortable while the chill seemed to seep into her very bones. Rain… It always reminded her of that time.

"Did you say something?"

"... No, it's nothing."

***

Their dinner was a simple affair that consisted of instant noodles cooked in a mug of boiled water and added with flavoring; it didn't taste all that great, but neither she nor Wu Man felt any interest in going out into the still pouring night just so they could buy some dinner. Anyway, even if they bought some it'd only turn cold on their walk back home, so what's the point?

"What's that?" Xu Jiao asked with a slightly different lilt to her voice while watching the image that was slowly emerging on the sketchbook in Wu Man's hand.

"Ah, just some sketches on DIY crafts." Seeing the puzzled expression on her face, Wu Man went on to explain. "I'm doing illustrations for a monthly magazine for housewives as a part-time job. These are some sketches on decorations for a birthday party."

"They are beautiful… your drawings."

"Hehe" Wu Man scratched her head while laughing in an embarrassed manner. "It's not that great. I'm just so so… Unlike senior Guo." Xu Jiao acted like she couldn't see the other's pointed glance. For the past few days, she had realized one thing; this girl has a sort of hero-worship complex toward Guo Shen⎯ the best course of action she could take is to pretend obliviousness.

"I mean it! Your sketches are really good… So, do they pay you well?"

"Aai… Not much actually. But it's enough for me to cover expenses… this kind of thing doesn't pay well ne! Plus, they're a small magazine."

"Hmm… So, you also draw people?" Xu Jiao asked, her eyes giving off an unusual glint that disappeared in a flash.

"Of course… I also draw animals and portraits too…. But, I'm not very good at drawing landscapes ah."

Xu Jiao hummed vaguely while flipping through another sketchbook with drawings of people and animals that Wu Man gave her to take a look at. The drawings, especially those depicting people looked realistic and they all had clear and easily distinguished emotions on their faces, but nothing too complex. The colors were vivid and the whole assemblage gave off a certain cheerful and straightforward feeling, which also had a slight hesitant and explorative touch to it as well; a clear personification of the artist's inner self!

[Perfect!]

In her previous life, she had commissioned various artists to create book covers for her novels, but somehow, had always missed out on that particular feeling of 'that's it!'. Xu Jiao looked at Wu Man who was describing the basis of these works, her eyes looking hazy.

[What kind of providence is this?]

"Actually, I think my drawings of people look the best. Even a professor said that but also said I need to improve more… and I can draw inanimate objects pretty well too…" Wu man said and then laughed out loud in an exuberant manner, which is quite different from her usual awkward behavior. "At least that's what I think…"

Xu Jiao fell into a momentary daze seeing the other acting like this.

[... She looks quite stunning when she's not acting awkward and trying to hunch down.]

Much later that night, she stared out of the window, watching how the stars were peeking out from the night sky that seemed like it had been washed clean by the rain, while patiently waiting for the sleep to claim her mind. Wu Man was fast asleep, and the muffled sound of her light snores could be heard quite clearly amidst the silence that seemed to permeate the air. Xu Jiao finally turned over on the bed and closed her eyes as well.

[Not right now… I can tell her later.]

***

Yang Jian was sitting on a bench near the running tracks and waiting when he saw the familiar figure appear some distance away. He restrained the sudden impulse to walk forward and waited for the other to reach him while his heart thumped wildly.

Just like any other man, he'd also appreciate a beautiful woman if one appears in his sight. But, it's a different case when it comes to Yu Min; so beautiful, sweet, gentle, and kind-hearted and Yang Jian always felt like others couldn't compare. But, that day, what Xu Jiao said….

"Ah'Jian, sorry, I'm a bit late…" Yu Min smiled and greeted him, her face looking a little wan.

"Are you ok?" Yang Jian frowned, forgetting to mask the concern in his voice that he'd usually go to great lengths to hide from this person.

[Did something happen?]

"I'm ok…"

It was clear to anyone with a discerning eye how she was trying hard to act like nothing was wrong, but Yu Min's forced-looking smile and her pale face betrayed her.

"Min'er, don't lie… Quickly tell me what's wrong?"

"I-I-"

"You know I would do anything for-" Yang Jian paused and corrected what he was saying, his ears heating up slightly. "You tell me! I'll do anything to help."

"It's Jiao'er…I don't know why she's still angry at me… I tried to explain but she just won't listen… "

Yu Min's eyes usually twinkling with laughter were now filled with unshed tears making for a truly pitiful sight and Yang Jian looked around uneasily, wondering if anyone saw them; this girl look so beautiful even when she was crying⎯ no, she looked the most enticing when she was crying. What if another man saw her like this and took a fancy to her? There're enough pesky flies circling around her as it is!

"I⎯ Ah'Jian, my mother- she wasn't well this past few months… She was even hospitalized in the last two weeks of summer vacation. I-I of course couldn't even message Jiao'er with all that bustle… But, she just won't listen!"

Yang Jian came to himself from the fantasy his mind has sunk into and felt embarrassed seeing the sorrowful expression on the young girl's face; what was he thinking? And just when Min'er was worrying like this!

What followed this embarrassment on its heels was a flicker of white-hot anger which slowly grew into a raging flame that felt like it was devouring his heart; was it fuelled by anger at the injustice on behalf of Yu Min or embarrassment or a more base emotion? Yang Jian didn't know and didn't want to know either.

"Xu Jiao, that girl! Why is she acting so unreasonable?"

"I don't know… She even changed her module even though she promised to do the normal one with me when we talked about it last year…" Yu Min dabbed at her tears and looked up at the young man standing in front of her, the look in her eyes forlorn. "I keep wondering… Could it be that I really did something wrong? Maybe…"

"Maybe what?" he patted her shoulder comfortingly, his hand lingering for a second longer on the slender shoulder blade underneath it.

"Maybe I should have contacted her at least once?"

"Nonsense! How can this be your fault? Her's is trouble but yours is not? Ridiculous!!"

"Ah'Jian… don't be mad at her. You know what she's like, right? So, don't be mad, okay?"

[She's too kind to that stupid little bitch!]

"Ok, ok… But, I'll talk to her and explain."

"Really? Thank you so much!" Yu Min's face broke into a sweet smile with her eyes squinting in delight, throwing Yang Jian into a fluster again within the span of a few minutes. "If it's you, I'm sure she'd listen…"

***

Autumn had arrived in K city, without anyone realizing until it was right in their faces. Xu Jiao walked along a deserted pathway located in some obscure corner of H university which is rarely frequented by people, even on the busiest and noisiest days. The air felt crispy and clean and the wind carried a slight chill and the smell of damp earth along with it.

This was actually the second time that Xu Jiao was taking this road this week. Seeing the small pavilion appearing amidst a grove with sparse vegetation in the distance after the last lonely-looking single-story block building had disappeared when she turned a corner, she hastened her footsteps. She wants to write more and prepare a chapter stock before exams start; it'll be easier for her that way.

Feeling her hands cramp after typing for quite some time, she took a look at the time and was surprised to see that more than two hours had passed since she started writing.

Smiling in triumph, Xu Jiao got up from the chair and stretched her body to get rid of the slight numbness in her legs and waist from sitting in the same posture for too long, but a slight cough that sounded behind her made her jump nearly a foot in the air.

[Who!?]

Her hand placed on her chest, she slowly turned around after taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart, and finally seeing the face of the intruder, she froze right on the spot, a vivid expression of disbelief appearing on her palm seized face.

And, the first thought that appeared inside her stunned mind was,

[How can this⎯] then,

[Are you kidding me!!?]

#####

A/N:

Helloa guys,

Hope everyone enjoyed my work so far. Also, I'd love to hear what you think of what I've written, so don't forget to leave a comment or better yet a review under the review section. ◐◐

With love,

Your apprentice author,

Little bamboo ≧⧢≦