Chapter 9: The Heiress School Belle x The Illegitimate School Bully

Song Qian stepped into the library, her gaze instinctively sweeping the room. Suddenly, her eyes settled on a corner where Xiao Yi sat quietly. Soft light draped over him, tracing the elegant contours of his profile. He was deeply engrossed in the book in his hands, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.

Her heart skipped a beat, a mix of nervousness and subtle excitement fluttering within her. Taking a deep breath, she absentmindedly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before stepping lightly, tinged with shyness, toward Xiao Yi’s corner. With every step closer, the flutter in her chest grew more frantic.

Drawing in a steadying breath, she approached him slowly. “Hi, what a coincidence,” she said softly, though a trace of nervousness betrayed her calm tone. Xiao Yi turned his head at the sound, a flicker of surprise lighting his eyes. “It’s you. I didn’t expect to run into you here.” Their smiles met, and the air around them seemed to soften, filled with warmth.

After their greeting, silence settled, punctuated only by their quiet breaths. Xiao Yi broke the stillness first, pointing to the well-worn history book in his hands as he recounted curious tales from a certain dynasty, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. Song Qian responded by sharing her profound insights into the literature of that era, softly reciting a few lines of an ancient poem. Her voice was clear and melodious, like a nightingale emerging from the valley.

Their conversation grew more engaging, and soon they wandered between the bookshelves together, seeking volumes to support their arguments. Fingers brushed along neatly aligned spines; occasionally, one would pull out a book, leaf through yellowed pages, and lean in close to read the delicate or bold calligraphy. They exchanged smiles at new discoveries and furrowed brows during spirited debates over differing interpretations. Within the fragrant embrace of paper and ink, their minds sparked brilliant ideas, and their hearts drew quietly closer.

Song Qian sat opposite Xiao Yi, appearing absorbed in her own book, yet her thoughts had long since drifted to him.

Casually, she lifted her gaze to study his focused expression. Biting her lip gently, she feigned a stretch, leaning forward slightly. Her hair slipped over her shoulder, a few strands brushing softly against Xiao Yi’s hand resting on the edge of the table.

His hand twitched, pulled back from the world of the book into reality. He looked up at her, a questioning look in his eyes. Song Qian, pretending not to notice, offered an apologetic smile before returning to her “reading.”

After a while, as if a sudden idea struck her, she picked up a pen from the table and lightly scribbled something on the back of her hand. Resting her cheek in her palm, she turned her hand so the writing faced Xiao Yi.

Unable to resist, Xiao Yi glanced over. Written there were the words, “How do you pronounce this word?” He whispered the pronunciation to her. Her eyes brightened, and she smiled. “You really know so much,” she teased, her smile brimming with admiration and playful charm. Xiao Yi’s heart stuttered, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

Inwardly, he chided himself for being so easily swayed by her small gestures, yet he couldn’t stop stealing glances at her, curious about what she might do next. Afraid his feelings might be revealed, he forced a calm demeanor and lowered his head to his book again, though his mind refused to focus, haunted by the memory of her smile and those subtle moves.