Chapter 335 - 145: "Wising Up" (Part 2)

Chapter 335: Chapter 145: "Wising Up" (Part 2)

But it was understandable. He glanced at Lu Qinglian’s silhouette as she pedaled. ’No matter what she says, she still has a girlish side to her.’

Her waist was strong yet supple. She would stiffen abruptly when held. It was hard to imagine how such a slender body could unleash such terrifying power.

Zhang Shutong recalled that kick. ’What would happen if it had landed on me?’ he wondered.

"Then please ride a little slower," he couldn’t help but say. If she kept weaving through streets and alleys like before, he probably wouldn’t be going back to school. His homeroom teacher could just visit him in the hospital.

Lu Qinglian sighed.

"The situation just now was special. But there’s no emergency now. Besides, I’ve told you before that I don’t like physical contact, Zhang Shutong. I hope you have a better memory. It would save us a lot of unnecessary conversation."

"Right, right," Zhang Shutong said, a bit dismissively, grabbing the back of the bike seat. "Let me think, didn’t you also say, ’Our relationship isn’t that close yet’?"

"Oh, right, are you hungry?" Zhang Shutong asked. "You didn’t finish your lunch. Want to find a place to grab a bite? It doesn’t matter if we get back to school a little early or late anyway."

"...You’re treating me?" Lu Qinglian asked again, as if she hadn’t heard him clearly.

"Of course," Zhang Shutong said. ’Don’t get so moved,’ he thought.

"Our relationship isn’t that close yet," she tossed out nonchalantly, to his surprise.

"...How are you setting a trap with every word you say?" Zhang Shutong said, incredulous.

"At least I’m not digging them on mountains," she said pointedly.

He had to admit, this woman was seriously petty. He looked at Lu Qinglian’s profile. Though she wasn’t his type, he had to concede that she was truly beautiful.

Her features were sharp yet gentle, her skin flawless. With her delicate face and waist-length black hair, from any angle, she was the "white moonlight"—the unattainable ideal—in many people’s eyes.

But compared to moonlight, a more fitting metaphor came to Zhang Shutong’s mind. He turned his head to look, but unfortunately, all the surrounding snow had already melted.

"I was a little wrong about you," Zhang Shutong said sincerely.

"What are you trying to say now?" Her tone sounded like a frown.

Zhang Shutong wanted to say, ’You may not be the most likable person, but you’re a very reliable teammate.’

"When we found the hidden room earlier, you took the initiative to scout ahead. You didn’t say anything, but I understood the gesture. Thank you."

Zhang Shutong knew his mobility was limited. If there had been real danger inside, he might not have even had a chance to escape.

It was one of those small details. If Lu Qinglian had pretended not to notice, he would have had no choice but to bite the bullet and go in, and he couldn’t have said anything about it afterward.

"As long as you know," she said casually. "Your life is too fragile."

"Er..."

Zhang Shutong thought back on her words, and a chill ran down his spine.

Sometimes she was like a lazy cat, other times like a coiled snake.

Just then, the hospital building appeared before them. He got off the bike and watched Lu Qinglian kick down the kickstand.

"I wasn’t trying to scare you," Lu Qinglian said softly. "I just saved you not long ago. It would be very troublesome if you almost died in another accident."

Zhang Shutong knew she was referring to the avalanche.

"Thanks for that, too."

"Mhm," she nodded nonchalantly. "Zhang Shutong, I suggest that every time you want to say something strange to me, the best way to thank me would be to first silently repeat that sentence to yourself three times."

With that, she once again led the way into the hospital.

They walked up the steps side by side. She had saved his life, yet she acted so nonchalant about it. But Zhang Shutong felt that just because she didn’t make a big deal of it didn’t mean he shouldn’t show his appreciation, so he proactively showed his concern.

"Want some water? I can go buy it."

"Repeat it three times silently."

"...I just saw you press your lips together. Are they a little dry?" For once, Zhang Shutong had been observant about a girl, but his good intentions were completely misinterpreted. "And last time in the hospital room, too. It seems like every time the avalanche is mentioned, you subconsciously press your lips together. I thought you were thirsty..."

Before he could finish, the hair on Zhang Shutong’s arms stood on end. He always trusted his intuition, and a shiver shot down his spine. He whipped his head around. The feeling was coming from Lu Qinglian.

She was staring at him with an incredibly dangerous look in her eyes.

"You. Had. Better. Not. Talk so much," she said, enunciating every word, before taking the lead up the steps.

Leaving Zhang Shutong standing frozen in place. He thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out which of his words had set Lu Qinglian off.

He could only chalk it up to her inscrutable personality. ’But I feel like I understand her to some extent,’ Zhang Shutong thought. He pondered for a moment, only starting to walk again after her cyan-robed back disappeared into the crowd.

The result of that conversation was—

Lu Qinglian’s face was a mask of frost. She was already cold by nature, but now she was as freezing as ice and snow. Zhang Shutong tried to start a conversation with her twice, but she ignored him completely both times.

Zhang Shutong decided to just shut up. It wasn’t until they were standing in front of the surgical consultation room that she frowned again.

"If I recall correctly, you only need to give the registration slip to your teacher, so why are we lining up? Besides, even if you were registering, you should be at the burn unit, not orthopedics. Or have you forgotten the excuse you came up with? Zhang Shutong, I don’t have this much time to waste with you. If..."

"Next."

Just then, a woman’s voice called out.

Zhang Shutong pushed open the door to the consultation room. A female doctor in a white coat looked up, slightly surprised.

"Oh, it’s you two. What took you so long?"

It was the female doctor who had examined Lu Qinglian’s foot that day.

Zhang Shutong hadn’t expected such a coincidence; she was actually on duty today, too.