Chapter 2

Just then, the PE instructor blew the whistle to assemble us.

It was the most beautiful sound in the world.

The guys automatically formed the back two rows.

At Shen Jiayan's height, he'd definitely be in the very last one.

I was about to sneak to the front when fate reached out and grabbed me.

Shen Jiayan grabbed my hood and hauled me in front of him like a little chicken.

"Where do you think you're going, Shorty?"

Sh-Shorty?

I was furious, but didn't dare show it.

"To the front. To line up."

"Stand in front of me," he said lazily. "You're not going anywhere."

Help. I was being threatened by the forces of darkness.

I couldn't move freely during the warm-up.

I kept feeling his gaze on my back.

While stretching my legs, I sneaked a glance behind me.

He caught me instantly.

His lips curved in amusement.

Apparently, he'd found himself a new source of entertainment.

I whipped my head back around.

After the warm-up came the free practice I'd been longing for.

I let out a huge sigh of relief.

"What are you sighing about?"

Before I could answer, Shen Jiayan gave an exaggerated sound of realization.

"Oh, I get it."

Then he deliberately raised his voice.

"Disappointed I'm still wearing clothes?"

Everyone around us turned, eyes round as saucers.

Shen Jiayan smiled and strolled off.

Now I understood.

He wasn't after anything else. He just wanted to embarrass me.

He'd killed me without lifting a finger.

Before long, his friends called him over to play basketball.

I had to admit, he looked incredibly good on the court.

I'd originally planned to take aerobics.

Song Xiaoxiao had talked me into basketball.

"We could watch Shen Jiayan and his gorgeous friends play up close every week. You're telling me you're not tempted?"

So I'd signed up.

The one time I let myself be tempted, the universe made me pay for it...

I fetched a basketball and quietly went to practice layups with Xiaoxiao for our final exam.

Who knew I'd dribble too hard and send the ball flying?

It seemed to have eyes.

It flew straight toward Shen Jiayan's butt as he stood beyond the three-point line.

Smack.

Bull's-eye.

I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead...

One of his friends grinned.

"Well, well. Jiayan hit the jackpot again!"

Shen Jiayan turned, his gaze sweeping coldly over us.

"Who threw that at me?"

Quick as lightning, I turned too.

"Yeah, who threw that at him?"

Heh. Who could outsmart me?

I was just about to smile smugly when several merciless hands rose at once.

And pointed at me.

"Her."

My heart broke.

Whatever happened to friendship?

Shen Jiayan looked at me.

"You're getting bolder."

Help. I didn't possess a single brave bone.

"Jiayan, no. Let me explain. I honestly didn't do it on purpose."

Then, full of concern, I asked, "Does it hurt?"

"A lot."

"Should I rub it for you?"

The moment I said it, I realized something was wrong.

Too late to take it back.

He narrowed his eyes.

"Now you're planning to grope me?"

"No. That's not what I meant."

My explanation sounded pathetically weak.

He laughed in exasperation.

"Just how badly do you want to take advantage of me?"

I could cry.

Not even all the water in the Yellow River could clear my name now.

Our university was absurdly big.

Sometimes we had classes on another campus.

That meant taking the campus shuttle.

One morning, I got on.

So many empty seats.

Bliss.

I picked a window seat in the back row. With music in my headphones and the scenery sliding past, I imagined myself as the heroine of a melancholy music video.

Before I could get properly melancholy, Shen Jiayan boarded.

He wore a pale grey bomber jacket and jeans that hugged his long legs. His red hair was slightly tousled, casually pushed back, a few strands falling over his forehead.

Not standing out would have been impossible.

It wasn't as though I'd never seen him before.

We'd just never had anything to do with each other.

Back then, like everyone else, I'd secretly admired his outrageously handsome face.

Now, my first reaction was to duck my head.

The basketball incident was still painfully fresh.

I wished I could turn invisible.

You can't see me. You can't see me...

The next second, those long legs stopped beside me.

Shen Jiayan sat in the empty seat next to mine.

Damn him. All these seats, and he had to pick this one.

His pale jeans creased as he bent his legs. Sunlight shifted over his fingertips.

The bus pulled away.

I didn't dare look up.

Still playing dead.

He didn't say anything either.

Once I thought he'd stopped paying attention, I sneaked a look.

He was lounging against the seat, watching me with a faint smile, as though he'd known I wouldn't resist looking.

The first thing he said was, "You've been staring at my legs for ages."

Um...

I admitted I was a little attracted to his body.

But not that obsessed.

I answered with my head held high.

"I like your jeans. I looked twice. That's not illegal."

His gaze paused.

Heh. Got him.

I turned to the window, smiling triumphantly.

Then his teasing laugh sounded by my ear.

"I thought you liked me in grey sweatpants, Jiang Luo. Going after my jeans now too?"

"...Nice."

More and more students boarded along the way.

Everyone was heading to the main teaching block, so getting off was particularly crowded.

Shen Jiayan walked calmly behind me.

Someone ahead gave me a hard jostle. I tipped backward and bumped into his firm chest.

He steadied my shoulders.

"Careful."

Once we were off, I tossed out a thank-you and ran.

I hurried toward the teaching block, trying to put some distance between us.

No matter how fast I walked, he stayed effortlessly beside me.

He even teased, "Are you racing me?"

Damn it, why were his legs so long?

One stride of his was two or three of mine.

You never appreciated having long legs until you needed them.

Then I discovered his classroom was right next to mine that day.

A fashionably dressed girl in a fitted leather miniskirt stood outside.

As soon as she saw him, she came over.

"Jiayan, I saved you a seat."

I sneaked a look at her.

And felt a little disappointed.

Just a little.

Come to think of it, this seemed perfectly normal for Shen Jiayan.

But he paid her no attention.

Instead, he made a point of saying to me, "See you later."

Partway through class, something felt wrong in my stomach.

My period had come early.

And since it was an easy class, I hadn't brought my emergency pouch with pads.

Aaargh. What kind of rotten luck was this?

Class had just ended. I waited for everyone to leave, then checked discreetly.

My light-colored trousers had fallen in the line of duty.

Help. I should never have worn that color.

After thinking it over, I messaged Song Xiaoxiao on WeChat and asked her to bring me a pad and a change of trousers.

She had no classes all morning.

Before she could reply, laughter and footsteps came from the classroom next door.

Who should be leading the group but Shen Jiayan?

Hands in his pockets, he casually slung his bag over his shoulder and passed along the corridor with that unmistakable red hair.

Our eyes happened to meet again.

I looked away immediately.

But he came to the window and called casually, "Shorty, class is over. Why are you still here?"