Chapter 14: He Already Has a Girlfriend

Wang Huiru was a stickler for punctuality—three years as the math class rep didn't happen by accident. She'd arrived at Longwei Hotel early, even beating Qin Ziang, the host.

But instead of heading straight in, she wandered around nearby.

That's when she spotted Jiang Qin.

He was standing outside a snack shop, one hand holding a black backpack, the other teasing a tabby cat sprawled on the freezer.

Wang Huiru assumed he was there for the reunion, so she went over to say hi, asking when he'd gotten there.

But as they chatted, Jiang Qin said he had no plans to join the party.

Wang Huiru was the type teachers adored—upright, responsible. With the class about to scatter after graduation, she felt these gatherings were rare, so she tried to convince him.

"You're already here—come grab a bite at least."

"Nah, you guys go ahead. I'm not big on crowds." Jiang Qin tickled the tabby's paw.

Wang Huiru recalled recent events. "Is it because of the confession flop? Afraid everyone will laugh? They won't—our class has a good vibe, and you've always gotten along with people."

"We've graduated. We'll barely cross paths again. Laugh if they want—who hasn't bombed a confession? I don't care. That's not why I'm skipping it."

"Then why?"

Wang Huiru wouldn't let it go, pressing him further. But before Jiang Qin could answer, a voice called out from inside the snack shop.

"Jiang Qin, I want to eat these colorful crystal beads."

Crystal beads?

Jiang Qin froze, his mind conjuring an image.

What the hell crystal beads? Those are soaking soybeans!

"You can't eat that! Miss, not everything in a snack shop is edible!"

Jiang Qin bolted inside, yelling as he went.

Wang Huiru caught the girl's voice and, curious, followed. She saw a girl in a floral sundress—long hair cascading to her waist, slim figure, graceful curves, standing tall and radiant, brighter than a pearl. And Wang Huiru recognized her.

Feng Nanshu.

The academic goddess who'd topped the school rankings for three years straight. The quiet, wealthy girl. A beauty so stunning she glowed.

Wang Huiru's eyes widened as Jiang Qin snatched a box from Feng Nanshu's hands, grabbed her rosy little mouth, and anxiously peered inside for ages.

What was going on?

Were Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu dating?

Was that why he didn't have time for the reunion—because they were on a date?

The scene she'd just witnessed left her reeling. Meanwhile, back at the reunion, their classmates were mocking Jiang Qin, oblivious that he'd already won over Chengnan High's true white moonlight.

She didn't even know what to say.

"Has Jiang Qin reached out to you lately?" Wang Huiru snapped back to reality, turning to Chu Siqi.

"Why would he? Even if he did, I wouldn't bother with him." Chu Siqi scrunched her pretty brows.

"Do you know what he's been up to?"

"Just heard from Guo Zihang—he's probably still selling boxed meals."

Wang Huiru fell silent. Her best friend was clueless about Jiang Qin. "Siqi, are you still waiting for him to apologize?"

Chu Siqi gritted her teeth. "Yeah, I've waited forever. But that guy's got some nerve—not even a QQ message."

"You think he's holding it in?"

"What else? He used to bug me daily. I'd snap at him when I was in a bad mood, call him annoying, but he'd keep at it. Now he's acting all cool—how's that not holding it in?"

Wang Huiru wrestled with whether to spill what she'd seen. "Siqi, serious question—do you like Jiang Qin?"

Chu Siqi stared blankly. "He's pissing me off so much—how could I like him?"

"But to me, it looks like he's moved on from you, while your head's still full of him."

"That's because he's such a jerk—I can't let it go. He'd have to apologize a hundred times before I'd forgive him!"

Wang Huiru lowered her voice to a whisper only they could hear. "What if he's with someone else—would that upset you?"

Chu Siqi let out a cold laugh. "Him with someone else? What's that got to do with me? Though it makes sense—he can't have me, so he gives up and settles. Good move."

"…"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. Let's eat."

Chu Siqi picked up her chopsticks after hearing her friend, poking at the plate twice, but she had no appetite.

She was really annoyed.

She couldn't fathom why Jiang Qin didn't get her good intentions. No girl falls for a guy right away—she'd given him chances, even hinted he'd win if he kept trying. Wasn't that enough?

She desperately wanted to see him regret it, but it never happened. That was probably why she was so frustrated.

Soon, the reunion wound down. Chu Siqi had been chatting with Wang Huiru and later put on her "keep away" face, so Qin Ziang never got a chance to talk to her. He suggested a stroll nearby, hoping to get closer.

Wang Huiru was actually nervous—she knew her friend's temper too well. Spoiled and proud, Chu Siqi needed the world to bend to her.

If she saw Jiang Qin with Feng Nanshu, Wang Huiru had no idea what might happen.

Luckily, her worries were unfounded. Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu didn't cross their path. It was just Qin Ziang hovering around them, which annoyed her plenty.

Meanwhile, not far from Chengzhongcheng, at a snack street:

Feng Nanshu clutched a jumbo Cici jelly, took two bites, then looked up at Jiang Qin. "Do you like looking at chests?"

"?????"

"You've looked at mine fifteen—no, sixteen—times today."

Jiang Qin's mouth twitched. You're a total airhead, but this bluntness is brutal. "I'm just… appreciating, that's all."

Feng Nanshu pointed across the street at a shop. "Jiang Qin, what's 'adult products'?"

"That's stuff only adults can know about!"

"My birthday's February 3rd. Legally, I'm an adult now."

"You call that adult? No, your grasp of the world isn't even eight years old."

Feng Nanshu stumbled, her eyes turning lifeless. "You're so mean."

Jiang Qin grinned. "No worries, summer's long. You'll learn slow."