Stop Chasing the School Belle, My Shy Deskmate is Sweet and Soft - Chapter 55

Sunday at noon.

Xia Tian had already reserved a private room at an upscale restaurant and sent a text message to Wang Defa, informing him of the location.

He didn’t go to the agreed meeting place Wang Defa had mentioned earlier—the noodle shop.

After all, Xia Tian and Wang Defa were now business partners, and certain courtesies couldn’t be overlooked.

Signing a contract was a formal affair; it couldn’t be done in some run-down noodle shop, right?

The more formal Xia Tian appeared, the more respect Wang Defa would have for him.

Although Xia Tian didn’t foresee needing Wang Defa’s help in the future, anyone who owned a nearly 300-square-meter storefront in 2013 clearly had wealth and connections that weren’t to be underestimated.

Building relationships was a skill Xia Tian knew he had to master for future dealings.

Connections, after all, are built little by little.

Unless someday, Xia Tian could reach a level where he understood the ways of the world without being influenced by them, and where he could comprehend human nature without second-guessing it.

“Young Brother Xia Tian, to be honest, I was very skeptical when you said you could increase the rent by tenfold in just two months. But seeing your bold move today, I believe you’re someone who can achieve great things!”

“Mr. Wang, you’re too kind. I just thought it would be more appropriate to sign a contract in a formal setting,” Xia Tian responded humbly, though he wore a smile on his face.

Wang Defa looked at him with admiration.

“A young man with both guts and humility—very impressive. Come, let’s sign the contract!”

Xia Tian took the contract and filled in his details.

When it was Wang Defa’s turn to sign, he glanced at Xia Tian’s information and was suddenly taken aback.

“You… you’re only eighteen?!”

“Yup, eighteen this year. I’m still in high school,” Xia Tian shrugged.

Wang Defa stared at Xia Tian in disbelief.

He had thought Xia Tian was a university student, around twenty years old.

He never imagined that Xia Tian was only eighteen!

And even more shocking—he’s still a high school student?

Wang Defa was utterly astonished, now even more convinced that Xia Tian must be the son of some wealthy family in Beian City.

Otherwise, how could a teenager have such courage?

After signing the contract, the two had lunch together.

Before parting, Wang Defa couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked:

“Young Brother Xia Tian, I hope you don’t mind me asking… If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to answer.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“What… what do your parents do for a living?”

Xia Tian paused for two seconds, and Wang Defa mistook his hesitation as reluctance to answer. He quickly waved his hand, “Forget it, forget it. If it’s a sensitive topic, I won’t pry.”

But Xia Tian shook his head and suddenly chuckled.

“Nah, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you; I’m just surprised you’re asking. My parents? They’re just ordinary factory workers.”

“Ordinary factory workers?!”

—

That evening, during self-study, Xia Tian finally saw Little Ye again.

He had missed her quite a bit!

Hmm… It seemed like certain “assets” on her chest had grown bigger?

It felt like the loose school uniform could barely hide it anymore.

“Haven’t seen me in two days—did you miss me?” Xia Tian casually tossed his backpack into the desk slot and grinned playfully at Ye Ningyu.

Her face flushed red, and she quickly buried her head in her collar, leaving only a pair of bright, clear eyes exposed.

“I missed you so much…”

Of course, that’s what Little Ye said quietly in her heart.

Once evening self-study began, Ye Ningyu quietly worked on her assignments.

Meanwhile, Xia Tian pulled out his notebook and began furiously writing down “heartbreak literature” quotes.

In his previous life, Xia Tian had been a dedicated user of “NetEase Cloud Depression” forums during his free time.

Writing these melodramatic, angst-filled literary phrases was second nature to him.

【You peel an orange that tastes sour, and you regret it. But for the orange, it gave you everything it had.】

【I did turn her into a goddess, but she truly was the temple that rose amidst the barren land of my heart.】

【Love rises in the east and sets in the west, but romance is unwavering until death.】

【Separation reveals the foolhardy; reunions unveil the sincerity. Love is a journey full of parting, with the road long and treacherous—what keeps us going is our conscience.】

【The place where deep affection couldn’t reach had long been entered by someone driving a Maybach.】

【If I don’t wait for you, who will? If I don’t wait for you, then for whom do I wait? If you don’t wait for me, then I’ll wait for you.】

【Behind every human nature lies unpredictability. Let’s hope we all become masters of life.】

【You love the ocean, I once loved you.】

…

As Xia Tian wrote, he became more and more engrossed.

If he had some alcohol with him right now, he could easily transform into a “Saint of Heartbreak Literature”!

From the corner of her eye, Ye Ningyu noticed Xia Tian writing furiously and couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

How could he not need to pause and think while working on science problems?

Driven by curiosity, she pretended to sit up straight and obediently scooted a little closer to Xia Tian, trying to sneak a peek at what he was writing.

But when she finally saw the words on his paper, her eyes filled with confusion.

Ye Ningyu: ヽ(Д)？

“To be born human… I’m truly sorry…”

“So, excessive enthusiasm is like watering flowers with hot water.”

Little Ye pouted.

These words seemed incredibly sad.

But why was Xia Tian smiling as he wrote them?

Was he…

Sad or happy?

—

By the end of evening self-study, Xia Tian had filled several pages with heartbreaking quotes.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face, but immediately after, a look of exhaustion swept over him.

“Phew… That’s it, I’m done. Not a single drop left in me.”

“Adding the ones Fang Yu found online, this should be enough.”

Xia Tian looked at the collection of quotes in his hands, feeling immensely pleased.

He stuffed the papers into his backpack and, in a relaxed tone, said to Ye Ningyu, “C’mon, Little Ye, time to take you home.”

“Oh… okay!”

Little Ye nodded, still feeling a bit dazed.

Although she didn’t understand why Xia Tian was so happy, seeing him in such a good mood made her happy too.

She hadn’t realized when it started, but her emotions were now unconsciously tied to Xia Tian’s.

Just as Xia Tian and Ye Ningyu were packing up and getting ready to leave the classroom, Xu Yuan suddenly appeared in front of them.

She glanced at Ye Ningyu, her eyes flashing with disdain, then turned to Xia Tian with a sweet smile, handing him a box of supplements.

“Xia Tian, my dad brought back this special brain-boosting supplement from Shanghai. I saved a box just for you. Drink two bottles after each study session—it’ll help relieve some stress.”

“Oh?”

Xia Tian looked at Xu Yuan, and the first thought that crossed his mind was: A weasel wishing the chickens a happy new year—this can’t be good!

Taking a step back warily, Xia Tian asked, “This stuff isn’t cheap, is it? And you’re giving it to me?”

“We’re friends; why would I worry about the cost? I brought this for you, so of course, it’s yours for the taking.”

“……”

Seeing Xia Tian’s suspicion, Xu Yuan opened the box in front of him, pulled out a bottle, and drank it herself.

“See? I drank it—it’s not poisoned!”

Throughout the exchange, Xu Yuan spoke softly, without a hint of her usual arrogance.

This made Xia Tian wonder if the girl in front of him was really the Xu Yuan he knew.

After watching her demonstration, he examined the supplement she had given him more closely.

It looked familiar.

After thinking about it for a moment, Xia Tian remembered that, in his previous life, his mother, Chen Meijuan, had spent half a month’s salary to buy him a box of it when he was preparing for the college entrance exam.

To be fair, the stuff actually worked pretty well.

Xia Tian’s eyes lit up, and he immediately accepted the box. “Thanks! I’ll pass it on to Ye Ningyu!”

“No need to th—wait, what? Why are you thanking me on her behalf?”

Xu Yuan had just shyly lowered her head, but when she realized what Xia Tian had said, she shot back up, looking at him in confusion.

Xia Tian nonchalantly tossed the box aside, pulled out the entire set of supplements, and began stuffing them into Ye Ningyu’s backpack while muttering to himself.

“Little Ye, this is some good stuff—it’s really expensive. But my brain is hopeless; no amount of supplements will help me. You, on the other hand, should drink more of it. After all, the class monitor gave it to you…”