[Chapter 58]

***

Shen Lin didn’t see Xiang Nuan and sat down with the beautiful woman on a table by the window. Xiang Nuan walked over with the menu and smiled. “Welcome, what can I do for you?”

The woman didn’t take much notice and simply accepted the menu to peruse through it. Shen Lin, however, was stunned when he raised his head and saw her.

Xiang Nuan, dressed in a uniform, was standing by his table, looking at him with a smile.

Shen Lin suddenly felt a hiccup climbing up his throat.

He valiantly held the hiccup back, stood up, and asked: “Xiang Nuan? Why are you here?”

Xiang Nuan, with a smile still pasted on her face, continued to act professionally. She simply replied: “I’m working here for the summer.”

The woman who was sitting opposite to Shen Lin finally looked up and asked him: “Do you know each other?”

“Ah, yes, my classmate.”

“Oh…” The girl glanced at Xiang Nuan, then went back to her menu. “I’d like an Americano, thank you.”

“Of course.” Xiang Nuan then turned to Shen Lin. “What about this gentleman?”

Shen Lin replied: “I’ll have the same.”

“Alright, two Americano coffees. Just a moment, please.”

Xiang Nuan took back the menus, then turned away. As she left, the pretty woman placed her elbow on the table and put her chin on her hand. She asked Shen Lin: “She’s already gone. Aren’t you going to sit down?”

“Ah…sorry.” Shen Lin sat back down.

The woman’s name was He Yue. She was the daughter of Shen Lin’s mother’s good friend and was a medical student at the capital’s top university. She was in her sophomore year, and her grades have always been excellent. Since Shen Lin also wanted to apply for the medical department of the same university, his mother asked him to take advantage of the summer vacation and learn a few things from this sister. Although the results for the college entrance exams hadn’t been released yet, his mother was quite confident and already considered him a student of that university.

“By the way, have you finished reading those books I recommended to you last time?” He Yue asked him.

Shen Lin nodded and said: “I originally wanted to return them to you today, but I thought it would be too heavy for you to bring back. I’ll just get it delivered to your home some other day.”

Shen Lin read all of the books He Yue recommended and religiously took notes. After reading the books, Shen Lin felt that he genuinely benefited from it.

He Yue was only asking casually, but unexpectedly, Shen Lin actually finished them all. A little surprised, she asked: “You finished all of them? There was a lot.”

“Yes, I’ve read them all.”

“Did you read it properly? When school starts, I’ll test you, ah.”

“Alright, senior can verify it.”

After chatting for a while, Xiang Nuan came back to deliver the coffee and their bill. Shen Lin took his wallet out of his pants pocket, seemingly ready to pay. But before he could, He Yue told him: “No need, I’ll treat you.”

Shen Lin’s hand paused. “How can I be so shameless? I should be paying for you.”

But He Yue had already paid the bill using her cellphone via QR code. She smiled at him and said: “Please, you were my junior in elementary school. It’s just a cup of coffee, ah. You don’t need to be so polite to me.”

Xiang Nuan smiled and said: “Please take your time and enjoy.”

When Liang Lingling saw Xiang Nuan come back with a dark expression on her fact, she worriedly asked: “What’s the matter? Is that boy bringing back different girls on different days too?”

That boy looked so young, ah. He’s a high school graduate at most. Don’t tell me…

“No.” Feeling a little jealous, Xiang Nuan replied with half-truths: “I was just thinking that I should invite one of my primary school brothers to drink coffee with me in the future.”

Hearing that there was nothing to be worried about, Liang Lingling felt relieved. She patted Xiang Nuan’s shoulder and encouraged her: “If you work hard and earn money, then there will always be a young brother to have coffee with.”

“Nn!” Xiang Nuan nodded hard.

He Yue and Shen Lin sat in the coffee shop for more than half an hour. He Yue was leisurely taking a few photos of the cafe’s decorations and her coffee cup, intending to post it on her social media. Meanwhile, Shen Lin felt like he was in pins and needles. Somehow, he felt like Xiang Nuan was constantly watching him.

“Elementary school brother, do you like your classmate?” He Yue casually asked as she replied to a comment a friend made on her recently posted photos.

(T/N: Elementary school brother is basically like ‘childhood friend’, or ‘old classmate from elementary’)

Shen Lin sat up straight at her question and felt the inexplicable urge to hiccup once more.

He took a sip of his coffee and asked: “Why do you ask?”

He Yue replied: “You’ve been looking in her direction.”

Her answer made Shen Lin slightly frown. It turns out that Xiang Nuan hadn’t been looking at him. Instead he was the one looking at her?

“Well, I’ve finished my coffee. Let’s go.”

“Alright.” Shen Lin stood up. And they both walked towards the door. Before they left the cafe, Shen Lin took one last look back.

Xiang Nuan was currently cleaning a table. Her uniform made her look particularly lovely.

“Shen Lin?”

He Yue called out to him. Shen Lin opened the door and walked out.

Xiang Nuan finished clearing the table and looked past the window towards them. Their backs look quite harmonious together. Although He Yue was currently as tall as Shen Lin, boys usually grow taller during university. They would be a particularly striking couple.

Xiang Nuan let out a sigh, then looked away.

Xiang Nuan worked at the coffee shop for two shifts. Afterward, she directly went back home to Xu Lian’s apartment. Although the cafe was never too busy, she was almost always standing. As a recently graduated high school student who spent most of her day sitting, Xiang Nuan found standing for long periods of time hard work.

After coming home, Xiang Nuan took a bath and immediately laid on her bed to sleep. After a while, she was awakened by a notification on her cellphone.

She hadn’t intended on paying attention to it, but someone was suddenly sending her several messages in succession, and the resulting pings irritated her. In the end, Xiang Nuan frowned and grabbed her phone to take a look.

The person who sent her messages was Shen Lin.

Shen Lin: Xiang Nuan, I didn’t expect you to already be working.

Shen Lin: The college entrance exam results are coming out in a few days. Don’t forget (o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)

Shen Lin: Have you figured out what major you’ll be doing yet?

Shen Lin: You’re staying in A City, right?

Xiang Nuan rolled her eyes. Who would forget to check the results of something this important, ah!

Xiang Nuan: Well, I wanted to earn some money and save up, unlike a certain person who goes out and drinks coffee with pretty girls instead.

Shen Lin: You misunderstood. We were just discussing some study topics together.

Xiang Nuan: “….”

Why does this sound familiar, ah?

Xiang Nuan: (・v・)

Shen Lin: What does that mean?

Xiang Nuan: Nothing. It’s good to study together (・v・)

After sending this message, Shen Lin didn’t reply for a while. Xiang Nuan figured that Shen Lin wouldn’t send anything else, so she put down her phone and closed her eyes to sleep.

Just as she felt she was falling asleep, Xiang Nuan heard another ping.

It was still Shen Lin.

Shen Lin: We really were just talking about study topics.

Xiang Nuan: “….”

Shen Lin thought about it for so long and still ended up with such a short and useless sentence?

Then, as if to add some credibility to his statement, Shen Lin sent another message.

Shen Lin: She’s a sophomore at the capital’s top university.

Xiang Nuan: “….”

Studying with a sister who attended the capital’s top university…sure enough, this school bookwork is so confident, ah.

Xiang Nuan: Have you received an admission notice from the capital’s top university?

Shen Lin: Not yet.

Xiang Nuan: I see.

Shen Lin was silent for a moment.

Shen Lin: Have you thought about which university to attend yet?

Xiang Nuan: Whichever my grades can get me into…

Shen Lin: You made great progress during your last year of high school. You should have no problem getting into whichever you wanted.

Xiang Nuan: I hope so.

But no matter how much progress she made, there was no way she was getting into the god-tier university Shen Lin was aiming for.

With the release date of the results getting closer and closer, Xiang Nuan was finally feeling a little restless. Worried that she didn’t do well, Xiang Nuan was in a low mood throughout her shift in the cafe.

Then, it was time to check the results that evening. Xiang Nuan’s heart thumped hard and she began to slowly enter her admission card number into the website. At this time, examinees all over the country were inquiring about their scores and the website was unable to handle them all for some time. Even after trying several times, Xiang Nuan still couldn’t get in. While she was trying, her cellphone pinged.

It was from her friend group chat.

Studying makes you bald: Comrades, I’m in!

Studying makes you bald: Did anyone see their grades yet?

Xiang Nuan: [There is no love in my eyes.jpg]
(T/N: like a reaction pic)

Do a question for five minutes, paralyzed for an hour: I’m not checking! [picks nose.jpg] I’ll go when everyone calms down.

Studying makes you bald: Xiang Nuan, have you seen your grades yet? Give me your admission number. I have fast internet connection! I’ll check it for you!

Xiang Nuan sent her admission number, while still continuing to try over in her side. In the end, it turned out that bald’s internet speed was still the fastest.

Studying makes you bald: Xiang Nuan, you passed!

Xiang Nuan saw these words stated on her cellphone screen and suddenly let out a great big sigh that she had been holding in for the last few days. Only then did she realize that her hand that was on the mouse was sweaty. After her phone screen went dark, she also finally managed to get into the website and see her grades. She really did pass, although it wasn’t by much.

She got up, opened her bedroom door, and went out. Today, she had dinner with her family, so her mother, Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian were all here. At this moment, all three people noticed her come out of her bedroom and all simultaneously turned their heads to look at her.

There was a historical drama playing on the TV. Xiang Nuan didn’t pay attention to it and went straight to the nearest person, which happened to be Xiang ChangKong, and hugged him. Taken aback, Xiang ChangKong raised his hand and rubbed her head. “What’s the matter? Did you get your grades?”

“Nn.” Xiang Nuan replied. Then, she raised her head and jumped in place. “Brother, I passed! I passed!”

“…” Xiang ChangKong was jostled as she jumped excitedly, but he simply looked at her with a smile. “Well, that’s good. Congratulations.”

“Thank you! Hehe!” Xiang Nuan then rushed towards Weng ShuLi and Xu Lian, hugging them both. Afterward, she returned to her room.

With Xiang Nuan’s happy news, everyone was relieved. Weng ShuLi immediately began planning a celebration meal for tomorrow.

By the time Xiang Nuan returned to her room, she already received dozens of messages in her friend group chat. Her class group chat was also lively. Unexpectedly, Shen Lin also sent her a private message to ask about her grades.

Xiang Nuan replied: More than 20 points past the cut-off line.

(T/N: she got 20 more points than the absolute minimum score to pass.)

Shen Lin: Then you can consider applying to A Normal University.

(T/N: It’s literally normal university, ha)

Xiang Nuan: Ah, I’m going to ask my brother.

Filling in admission applications could be considered even more balding than the college entrance exams. Xiang Nuan looked at her embarrassing score, and her excited mood suddenly cooled down. She went to talk to Xiang ChangKong, who also said that she could consider applying to A Normal university.

(T/N: by balding she means stressful.)

Since the two study gods said the same thing, Xiang Nuan finally began applying to A Normal University. However, in her heart, Xiang Nuan still felt somewhat uncertain. After she finished filling in her application, Xiang Nuan suddenly realized that she had forgotten to ask Shen Lin about his grades.

So she took the initiative to send him a message.

Xiang Nuan: Where are you applying?

Shen Lin: Capital’s top university.

Xiang Nuan: Oh…

It seems that she forgot to ask him about his grades because there wasn’t any need to ask him at all, ah!